Favourite Frames – Church Wedding Photography

Every now and then I capture a moment that I feel really sums up the spirit of the wedding and conveys something of the character of the people in the picture. This recent image from Chris and Hannah’s ceremony at St Michael’s Church in Betchworth is one such example. I’m also particularly proud of this shot because the signing of the register is something that even as professional photographers we’re sometimes unable to photograph. However, on this occasion the vicar was also Chris’s father, which made for a really beautiful ceremony of course, and also meant that he really appreciated what I was trying to achieve for Hannah and Chris. I just love how every element of the picture adds a little to the tableau. I like how Chris’s father is still focused on his job to make sure the register is signed correctly, while their daughter is entertained by Chris’s best man entering the frame from the right. I even like how the videographer in the background creates another layer within the group and provides a high point to the composition as he raises his camera over the couple’s shoulders. For me, a picture like this works best in black and white. The natural light from the window seems to wrap around them, separating them from the background, whilst the window itself adds context to the image and implies the religious significance of the occasion.

This moment in time will never happen again, but moments like it take place at every wedding. If you’d like me to capture authentic images like this during your ceremony then it’s well worth having a conversation with your registrar or vicar, prior to the wedding, to explain the kind of pictures you’re after.