Something that we talk a lot about in our workshops, mentorships and our book “Is This Something?” is the documentary paradox: the job of the photographer is to see and photograph moments, yet if you spot a moment in action it is usually too late to capture it (or at least to capture it creatively). Anticipation beats reaction; you have to be there before it happens. Most of our photographs exist not because we observe a moment, but because we understand the chemistry of the scene. In effect we predict the possibility of an interesting occurrence or connection, preemptively compose the image around it and wait for the “decisive” moment to reveal itself to us, presenting to the viewer something hidden in plain sight.
An example of this is our featured image, a photo of five children playing and getting ready for an Indian wedding ceremony at the beautiful Settrington Orangery. This photograph feels like we simply walked into the scene and took the finished photograph but, as shown through the contact sheet in “Is This Something?”, this was not the case at all. When the image was initially composed there was no photograph; it was merely a sense of what could occur that drew us to it. The elements were all right there but the connection was hidden, we were working on anticipation not reaction.
We hope you enjoy this set of images, created through anticipation, composition and, of course, the most incredible couple in Kieran and Will, their amazing family and friends and the incredible setting of The Orangery at Settrington.
