“A cigar is as good as the memories you had when you smoked it”
Why I love your wedding photographs
This photograph is taken from Charlotte and Ashley’s summer wedding at Browsholme Hall in Lancashire. It’s such a relaxed barn wedding venue which has a homely yet rustic feel. Their wedding was so much fun, they even went out in the little rowing boats on the lake. Admittedly it wasn’t as romantic as it sounds as the Bridesmaids and Groomsmen were all there singing “Row, Row, row your boat…”.
All the bridal party had me in stitches throughout the day. I remember taking this photograph so well. It was taken in the evening in summer so it will have been quite light until late. Everyone was slightly tipsy, excluding myself obviously, ha ha. The boys had all decided that they were to light some cigars. I think it’s a wedding thing. Cigars always seem to make a special appearance at weddings.
Ashley’s best man came to me and asked me if I could take a “cool” picture of them smoking cigars. I said “no”.
Let me expand.
“No, but I will come out and photograph you all smoking cigars”.
(This is why I love documentary wedding photography so much).
I backed up my reply. “What would you rather have? A picture of you all in a line blowing a line of cigar smoke back lit with some flash looking all cool? or shall I come out with you and document you all smoking cigars?”
That’s what I did. They were having an absolute ball. They couldn’t light them, some couldn’t smoke them but it really didn’t matter. They were having such a great time. For me this made me realise again that it is so important for me to capture the story of your wedding day. It’s a perfect example of documentary wedding photography. Wedding’s are mainly happy and lively occasions as we all know. I think that’s why I love being a wedding photographer so much. You get to capture so many key moments that tell the story of a couples marriage to one another.
My style and approach to photographing weddings is so important to me. It’s the way I tell the very personal story between my brides and grooms. Every wedding is so very different. Every wedding might have the groomsmen smoking the obligatory cigar but for me this tells you the exact story of Ashley and his friends smoking their cigars.
For Photographers;
- Canon 35mm 1.4
- ISO: 640
- Shutter: 1/125
- Aperture: f4.5
- Flash: Not fired