Favourite Frames – Finding a Different Viewpoint
While many professional photographers lament the number of guests with cameras, that has now become the norm at most wedding, I find that moments like the one above (encouraged by the Registrar after the official ceremony had taken place) provide the opportunity for me to create images that are a true reflection of our time. As a documentary wedding photographer I relish the challenge of finding a different viewpoint, one that puts the moment into a wider context. In this case, by positioning myself behind Joe and Claire at their Northbrook Park wedding, I was able to include their kiss and all their family and friends in one shot, and in doing so, create an image from their point of view. One that will hopefully take them back to that moment whenever they look at it. In situations like this I try to think of myself as a photographer at a wedding, rather than a wedding photographer. The difference may be subtle, but by staying alert to everything that is going on around me, and avoiding what may be considered the obvious shot, I can, with a little bit of good fortune, and a wide-angle lens, create this kind of storytelling image. For me, the bank of mobile phone cameras trained on the couple, act as a kind of signifier of the importance of this moment, and their almost celebrity status on that day. If being the centre of attention isn’t your cup of tea though, and you don’t want to pose for lots of photos, then hiring a documentary wedding photographer is also a great option, and if you’d like mobile phones to be hidden away until after the ceremony then consider having an “unplugged wedding”.