Monday, June 29, 2009

So Many Parentheses

Wedding photography (speaking from my vast experience, hah!): fun, but a whole lot of work. I enjoyed myself for the most part (I love taking pictures), but it was hot (ceremony was held outside, high-noon, no shade) and I was close enough (through ties to most of the folks in the wedding party) to the center of activity to get pulled into some of the tensions. And I came home (tired) worried about my performance--doubting, in particular, that any of the shots of the ceremony had turned out well.


I didn't feel like going through the more than 1200 images I had had to scramble to store in 3 different places (long story with 2 heroes: my over-packing and my knight in shining armor, John). I knew I had some wonderful shots (a child mid-laugh; the bride's reflection in a mirror; the groom biting his lip; the bridesmaids scolding one of the flower girls in unison--this is where I shine), but those weren't going to be enough if I had botched the shot of the bride and her son walking down the aisle, the exchange of vows, the kiss--the things one hires a wedding photographer (one who knows what she is doing!) to document. At lunch, a friend went on and on about how beautiful the ceremony had been; I couldn't remember anything beyond how unusually fast my battery was draining and how that (stupid) guy's head had been in the way when I was trying to get a shot of the ring bearer handing over the rings.

(Figures, the one and only time I was without my camera over the weekend a family of river otters went swimming by.)

However, one does what one has been paid to do. And one discovers, to her utter delight, that things could be worse. I'm no wedding-wizard, to be sure, but there's not much I wanted that I didn't get (and I'm confident the bride and groom will be very happy).

(Given the right set of circumstances, I'd even be willing to do this again.)

1 comment:

heels said...

Knowing you, I'm sure the bride and groom will be overjoyed. I wish I could have had you do my wedding!

I adore looking at wedding photography. It's kind of a guilty pleasure (guilty because I'll look at ANYBODY'S wedding pictures, regardless of whether I actually know them!).