As documentary style wedding photographers, people often wonder whether we actually capture the wedding “details” – the decorations, the place-settings, the cake …
And the answer is, of course we do – our role is to capture the experience of the day, and details are part of that – lovingly chosen by the couple to match a certain tone, a certain atmosphere that they’re looking to create.
But, (generally after shooting a few pretty close-ins), as with all of our photographs, we always look to bring something more to the image beyond what is obviously in front of us. So when the cake is placed in front of a window, we immediately see a new perspective, a new opportunity.
We also believe that details hold power not just in “before” shots – we love to not just see an object but see how people interact with it, how it affects them, or even the “aftermath” of the object. Where others see mess, we see story, and so when the opportunity to combine a “before” and an “after” shot appeared before us, we knew the champagne flutes would absolutely be pivotal to the frame.
Stepping back we were able to include the lady to the right, adjusting her lipstick – another detail in action, framed by a conversation behind and the architecture of the venue.
It then became a case of waiting for the final and, arguably, most important piece of the puzzle to enter the frame – the words “choose love” pausing beside the cake and completing our tableau of details.