I did a wedding recently.
My wedding photography has been patchy over the years as I have never chased the business, but if chased, especially by friends or family, I tend not to resist. Currently, I am busy enough with the school, so I will not be hunting for too much other work, but I am so glad I did this one.
The couple (Phoebe and Trace) are the sort of people you want to do this with. Easy going, keen and accepting, they make you want to do better and accept, with realistic expectations, what it takes to get what you intended for them.
The process.
Communication.
The bride’s father is a friend and colleague of many years. Joe and I have known each other since he (a customer and photographer) first came into the shop I had just started my career in some time in the 80’s. We always shared similar interests and philosophies, so when he asked, I was delighted. In other circumstances, photographing a wedding photographer’s daughter could be considered a curious type of madness, but I felt no pressure from day one.
Pre-wedding communication is a must. Not only do you need to all be on the same wavelength, but it is a photographers duty to empathise and connect with the mood and expectations of the couple and their family. No point in arriving with grand plans, if no-one is on board with your vision.
The impact of your images is also heightened by a genuine connection. It comes through.
Plan.
Once you have seen or had the wedding described (turn up to rehearsals, do walk throughs etc.), then it is time to plan. This is the boring stuff from battery life, lens selection and lighting. If you go set for the whole day in one bag, you will likely have to skip some parts of the process, especially creatively, so think in stages. If you plan correctly, you will be able to “kit to purpose”, saving your back and the embarrassment of not having the gear or resources to cover something (like when I forgot my tripod which was sitting on top of my bag when I left making video a no go…..).
Be Early.
Waiting at the end of the bride’s bed when she wakes up is probably too much (things you learn during the communication step!), but get there as early as can be tolerated. Some of the best subject-photographer bonding and resulting images will happen outside of the core event.
Preparations, like shoes, dresses and makeup are all part of the day. For the bride, often some of the deepest memories are when her support team swing into action and months of planning come to fruition. Details are important, but so is context.
The first hour or so is usually a little restrained, especially in a confined space, so being nice and early allows everyone to get the measure of each other, then we can all relax.
Bridesmaid, deep on thought.
Work quietly and efficiently and be useful. Nobody wants to trip over you and there is nothing stopping you being assistant champagne poorer, bag opener or tag remover. The hero of the morning for me was my little multi tool.
Candid moments of quiet contemplation are usually easier to capture after an hour or two of blending in. Ideally, the bride should feel you are a part of the process, not an outsider. This image was semi contrived, but with an eye to letting the natural flow of the morning take over. Don’t push against the river, go with it.
A photographer can be equally part of the problem or part of the solution, so how you carry yourself can actually help everyone through the day.
Complicated lighting rigs are rarely appreciated here, so go with natural light and fast primes (in my case 17, 25, 45mm f1.8’s on a Pen F and EM1 mk2) or at most add some flagged bounce flash or the odd reflector.
This is also a great time to get to now the parents and family who are often found floating around the preparation process.
The father of the bride and friend Joe holding it together admirably. The only person in the room that fully understood both sides of the process.
Once the bride is ready, but before she leaves, give yourself enough time to get to the ceremonies location.
A casual moment in the best man’s day. Getting to understand the character of all of the players helps with defining them in images.
Generations are defined by events like weddings, so connections between them are important.
Before the ceremony, everyone is looking for an outlet for their nerves, making for some wonderful images.
Ok, that was the easy bit, now the big event itself.