The first big wedding of the season can be intimidating.
Scary.
Stressful.
But then you're met at the door of your first stop with the biggest of smiles and all of that fades away. Introductions. Click. Laughter. Click. Preparations. Click. Toddlers waking up. Click. Joy. Click. You've found that rhythm again. The beat that grabs your attention. It's good to be back and taking photos again.
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As simple as this. That’s what a wedding photo can be. It’s why I do what I do. Why I absolutely love what I do. It’s not posed. It isn’t a careful arrangement of accessories. I won’t pretend that the technical details behind the image matter. They don’t. Truth be told, I was utterly disappointed with the image at first as I’d left the feet out. I was looking for a sense of movement and I’d completely botched it. But then I had a second look. And a third. The more I came back to it the more I liked it. It’s now become one of my favourite images as it encompasses a lot of what I’m trying to achieve as a wedding photographer. It’s a simple photo of a hand, captured on a whim. It wasn’t captured for an inspiration board. It wasn’t captured for a portfolio. It was captured to be part of a greater narrative. But why capture it? What does it offer? Quite simply, it’s the left hand of the groom (the ring hand nonetheless!) as he walked along a country lane towards the ceremony. The way it’s carried, the farm earned cuts, scuffs, bruises and stains that won’t wash out help detail who he is. It helps fill in the narrative we create with our images. And for the individual in the photo? I hope it helps them remember the moments leading up to the ceremony. The walk along that lane. The bubble wrap they held in their right hand to destress. The crunching sound of gravel under foot or the warmth of that August sun. I hope it helps them remember how that cut came to be. Where that bruise was earned. I hope it helps them remember what that lane led them to and the happiness it brought them. That’s the magic of a photo. Especially the fleeting ones. Keep snapping, friends. And don’t forget to give some of your captures a second chance.
Read MoreIt poured on the way to Wolfville. Dark clouds raced across the sky and sheets of rain pelted the ground below. The tents were leaking, water collecting in their light fixtures. Pools formed in low spots on the driveway. Then the lawn. Yet everyone forged ahead. Kegs were lifted out of the cellar and taps were assembled. Floral arrangements completed and napkins set. Clothing pressed and guests dressed. Then the skies started to clear - brief glimpses of blue between bouts of thunder and lighting. Drenched willows started to shine like chandeliers as the sun pierced through the gloom. And then the storm was gone. Replaced by cool, fresh air and the crisp scents that follow. Replaced by excitement. A first look at the Harriet Irving Botanical Gardens, followed by an intimate ceremony in a stand of trees just outside of Wolfville. Portraits by White Rock Pond (where the line between sky and water blurred so beautifully) and a reception outside of Gaspereau that featured local brew and an incredible spread by Asado Wood Fired Grill. Friends and family by the bus load (literally) led to an endless amount of cheer throughout the course of the evening. Toasts transitioned into musical tributes, complete with the groom’s rendition of ‘Teenage Dirtbag’ by Wheatus. Just for his wife. It was amazing. Thank you Emily & Skye - a true pleasure to have photographed your wedding day. Your celebration.
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