Characters

It always surprises me how well the details actually tell the story. And no one ever has to say "smile!" I'm for that... the bride and groom should be enjoying the moment and thinking of nothing else. Later they can re-savor the lovely details they've spent so long planning for.      

This invitation was from a wedding I shot for a family member. I'm not much for landscapes but I can go pretty overboard when it comes to focusing on the details of an event or situation. That's probably telling of my personality. I've got so much love, such a strong appetite, for the details that could slip by if you're not paying attention. After a year and a half, their marriage is still as lovely as the handmade paper in their invitations. Understated, clean, artistic, unique. Just like Claire and Chris.

It was one of those scenes that show up in my nightmares, but this time I was living it. I was on my way to shoot my niece’s wedding a few weeks ago — straight from work, stress at both ends of my 40 minute journey. As I drove (fast enough to irritate other drivers but not fast enough to get a ticket) I was thinking through my strategy: pre-wedding shots in the garden, quirky, fun, spontaneous, creative. Then on to the wedding — high church setting with breathtakingly modern and artful stained glass — that could be fun if done correctly. Nighttime reception would mean some outdoor shooting in the dark — could get dicey. The bride is an art major in graduate school — she knows what’s good and what’s not. Don’t screw up — this is for family. Mind racing. Anxiety building. As the miles ticked by I mentally checked my list of "must-have" shots from the bride and equipment I would need. Did I have enough batteries and memory cards (learned that the hard way). Were my lenses ...