As the photographer on a wedding day one of my main goals, of course, is to create amazing posed portraits of the bride and groom. I enjoy doing that and the bride and groom have fun too. But my favorite portraits of the couple usually are created when they don’t even realize it. I call them caught portraits, or found portraits. When I’m shooting the photo, the moment is usually quite mundane, but it’s the mini-visual story or metaphor that’s created by the image that makes it transcendent. It’s better than it looks.
I’ve only had a chance to skim through the shots from Nicole and Adam’s beautiful wedding yesterday, but the image below immediately stood out. The moment isn’t anything monumental – they were just walking from the park where there ceremony was held to their waiting limo. The exposure and lighting probably leaves much to be desired for some purists – I’m shooting directly into the sun for God’s sake!
I think what really does it for me is though is the metaphor of them walking over a bridge, the sun is setting (to take the metaphor deeper, the sun could just as easily be rising), and they’re walking hand-in-hand together into the rest of their day. Yes, I realize how cheesy that all is, but hey, it’s a wedding and it’s nonetheless deeply meaningful for Nicole and Adam and their guests.
Now I could have staged this scene, lit it perfectly, and had them repeat the walk several times until I perfected the shot, but to me it matters that it’s a real moment and not contrived. It matters to Adam and Nicole too, even if they don’t realize it, because if I had staged it, every time they look at the photo they would remember it that way. To me, it’s better than it looks because it’s real.
I think they’re the kind of moments that we should all celebrate on days like today, and everyday.
Cheers!
