Michael and Jackie's Wedding: Tips for the Professional Photographer Who Attends A Wedding As A Guest

You might be surprised to know that I've only taken my camera to a handful of weddings.  As of yet, weddings have not been the focus of my professional career.  Yet I still thoroughly enjoy having my camera with me when attending a wedding as a guest. Weddings are the ultimate canvas for creating something beautiful, and as a creative person I can't pass up the opportunity.

Before I even take the first picture, however, I make a point of introducing myself to the photographer who has been hired to cover the event.  It's very important to me that they know I respect them and that I am not there to make any money off the bride and groom.  Somehow, knowing that they are okay with my taking a few creative shots throughout the day really frees me to be my very best and allows the creative juices to flow.  

Even with the other photographer's "green light", I'm still very careful not to take pictures that I know they were hired to create.  Let's face it. When ordering prints, the bride and groom are most likely not going to order a print from their wedding photographer if they've received the exact same pose - of equally professional quality - from one of their guests for free.  I know I wouldn't.

So, I do my best to stay out of the wedding photographer's way and allow them the best vantage points.  And I'm certainly not going to set my camera up right next to theirs - smack dab in front of their expensive studio lighting - just to take a group shot of the bridal party.  That's just plain rude.  But, unfortunately, it happens all the time.

With that said, if I look around and see that everyone else and their mother is taking a picture of something (the bride walking down the aisle, for example) - then I go for it.  They are my memories too, after all.  I just do my best to be as inconspicuous as possible.  You won't find me jumping into the aisle or anything.  That's for sure.

Part of being low-key involves how much camera gear I allow myself to bring to the wedding.  If I am simply a guest at the wedding, then it would be rude of me to bring along all my professional gear.  The bride and groom did not invite me, my external flash, my backpack full of lenses, and my tripod to their wedding.  They invited me.  To lug all that extra stuff along is to clutter their wedding and introduce unwanted distractions to their intimate celebration.

  

Now, I realize that having that conviction leaves me somewhat limited in what I can produce on a professional level.  Without an external flash (I'm not a huge fan of the on-camera flash.), a tripod, or alternate lenses, my creative endeavors become limited to my equipment's low-light capabilities.

You may be wondering what I DO take pictures of when attending a wedding?  Is there anything left after all those restrictions I put on myself?  You bet!  Plenty.  

Take a look for yourself.  As promised, here are a few of my favorite images from Jackie and Michael's wedding.  All of these images were made without flash while shooting at a very high ISO.  As a result, you'll notice a very soft focus throughout. 

I took this image because it represented the bride and groom's taste perfectly.  Simple elegance.  I also could not in my right mind resist the sparkle of the crystal candle sticks and the breathtaking blur of the stained glass windows in the background.  I love this image!

This flower girl's bouquet was left on top of an old-fashioned radiator just begging me to make it into a lovely image.

And how could I possibly take a picture of the bouquet without taking a portrait of the gorgeous young lady who carried it down the aisle?

Chloe is my second cousin and the niece of the groom.  She was such a good sport for letting me take her portrait.  You might not be able to tell by looking at her warm smile, but it was FREEZING out on those front porch steps.  Thank you, Chloe, for putting up with me!  You are stunning!

These outdoor pictures were made while the bridal party was indoors having their pictures taken by Barbara, the hired photographer I posted about last week.  I was waiting on my ride to the reception, so I asked Chloe's mom if I could take some pictures of her outside.  While I was out there, I took a few images of the church and surrounding neighborhood as well.

It was all about documenting something special for the bride and groom - something I knew Barbara would mostly likely not have the time to do. I also knew that Michael would really appreciate a few portraits of his only niece.  Chloe rarely gets to see her uncle Mike because she lives in another state.  I knew these images would be extra special to him.

Yep, that's salt on the front steps...salt to melt the ICE!  I wanted to capture the feel of the day.  Yes, it was cold - bitter cold, but it was lovely and beautiful all the same.  That's what this image says to me.

Don't you just love this neighborhood?  If it weren't for the icy-cold winter weather known to Milwaukee, I might just make my home right there.  I love how each home has it's own character.  Not one home was a cookie-cutter or carbon-copy of the other.  They were each beautiful and had a character all their own.  (Not unlike the bride and groom.)  

The church building itself reminded me of the church my Grandmother attended - the one my mother grew up in - the one I attended as a small child.  It seemed to fit perfectly with the close-knit family feel of the day.

Ah, finally.  Here's the happy couple.  I was so impressed at how Michael and Jackie each brought their own individual style to their wedding. Instead of the traditional (and expected) tuxedo, Michael wore a handsome suit he was comfortable in.  Jackie opted for a unique, locally hand-crafted, silk gown.  Didn't it turn out beautifully!  Her bridesmaids even wore hand-crocheted shawls.  It was lovely to see how even the tiniest of details were so well thought out and cared for. 

The above picture was taken at their reception - which was so refreshingly different than most of the receptions I've been to lately. The food was fresh and healthy (Think hummus, fresh crudites, and goat cheese...Yummm!).  The atmosphere was relaxing and inviting.  It was all about family.  All about friends.  All about being true to who you are. There was plenty of laughter and good times to go around.

They even brought in their own favorite drinks to stock the bar.

And what's a wedding album without the small details that help to personalize the day?  I'll end with Michael's niece Chloe leaving her own special mark on the gift table room chalk board.

So, you see, there's plenty to photograph at a wedding without having to step on another professional's toes.  It's all in the details.  Tell your story.  Show what you saw.  No one else can. 

Barbara said it best.  "There can never be enough pictures at a wedding!"