Unscripted Love: The Story Behind My Documentary Wedding Photographs - Breaking The Fourth Wall19/1/2025 The second in my attempt to provide an alternative to the 'epic' wedding shots that social media favours with a series of my favourite documentary photographs, along the story behind them to show why these authentic moments mean so much to my clients and me...
I've deliberately chose to share this one early in the series - as much I love capturing real, un-posed moments during a wedding day I'm not going to be dogmatic about it & not take a photo if the folks in it have noticed, and then reacted to my camera -as in this photo which, serendipitously, still has a strong documentary element... it's ok to break The fourth wall sometimes! This is Ciara & Andy's Bishop's Gate Hotel Wedding, after the ceremony during the 'receiving line' on the landing. After embracing Ciara & close friend Audrey both look straight at the camera for me to capture the moment while they're both beaming with happiness and genuine joy - it would have made a great photo in it's own right - but at the same time I'd noticed Audrey's partner was just about to acknowledge Andy, and by delaying a wee second or two I was able to add their handshake to the photo... Storytelling wise the handshake isn’t just a random detail; it adds to the narrative of connection and togetherness that ran through the whole wedding day. Rather than the bride and her friend being the sole subject of the photos it's now both the couples naturally interacting... For me, this photograph is a reminder of why I love capturing weddings in a documentary style - I could have stopped for the handshake to finish as it was 'blocking' the photos - missing that extra details and probably causing the smiles to naturally subdue bur It's the unscripted, unrepeatable element that makes the photo - which would be impossible to recreate... Thanks if you have read this far & if you're drawn to the idea of wedding photography that goes beyond the traditional and focuses on authentic, meaningful moments, I’d love to hear from you...
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Sheila & John got exactly what they were hoping for on their wedding day - a heartfelt ceremony followed by laughter-filled moments with their closest family and friends; a day that was relaxed, genuine, and full of love set against the beautiful backdrops of Derry's Guildhall & Bishops Gate Hotel - both decked out in their Christmas finery - it was an honour to capture it for them...
My day started documenting Sheila and family making their final preparations at home in Strabane (without Luna & Harvey who'd made themselves scarce for the day!) prior to their short drive to Derry for the high-noon ceremony. I love photographing at this time of a wedding as it's a chance for everyone to get used to my presence and for me to let them know I'll work around them, rather than vice-versa (including videographers like Andrew, Milltown Digital Media whose approach to the day blended seamlessly with my own) On my arrival at the Guildhall John was greeting the close family and friends who were gathering for the Whitaker Suite ceremony & subsequent drinks reception - with Celtic Wedding Harps aka Lucia McGinnis providing the musical ambience. This gave me a great chance to capture the rising excitement, and the wee bit of nerves that start to build as the ceremony draws closer. It wasn't long before Sheila arrived & made the dash through the rain under the safety of the Mercedes Wedding Car Hire Ireland supplied umbrellas! Who were on standby again afterwards when it was time to move the party from the Guildhall to Bishops Gate Hotel, for the wedding meal, while the December rain decided to make a prolonged appearance - my shot of the weddings car driving along Bishops Street towards the venue wasn't so much planned as serendipitous as they passed me as I briefly sheltered under a shop canopy!) Since their big day Sheila & John have very kindly provided with me with lovely feedback - which really reinforced my love for my relaxed, documentary-driven approach to wedding photography.. in their words - "As soon as we found your Instagram page we knew you were the photographer for us. We love your documentary style We are very quiet and don’t usually like our photos being taken, but as soon as we met you, we felt so comfortable. We were worried any potential photographer would not capture us as people, but you did it so well — you can see how we’re so ourselves in the photographs." "You worked so hard and put so much attention to detail, but it never felt that a camera was there. It made the day extra special, and we could relax knowing you were capturing memories we will have forever." "The rain never stopped us, and we love the lighting and photos the weather helped you create. We’re so in awe of how you captured everyone just how we know them. The laughter, fun, and love we all share as a family comes through in the photographs. As we sat going through them, we could remember what was being said and the fun we had. "You were so friendly and professional and made the day a breeze. We are so happy with our photos thank you so much " If you’re planning a wedding — big or small — and want photos that feel like you, I’d love to hear from you. Claire & Jack did their wedding their way - both the ceremony in the Guildhall and reception in Bishops Gate, were tailored in a way that was right for them rather than blindly following traditions, or attempting to meet the expectations of others - making their day uniquely theirs... They've since told me that while researching all the options for wedding photography they discovered the documentary approach and the style immediately resonated with them - aligning with their vision of having photographs from their day that captured real, natural moments - with no 'cringey' poses, or need to miss out on craic with their guests. A google search then lead them to me, and the type of enquiry I love to receive - they knew exactly what they wanted and felt my approach was exactly what they were after... On their wedding day, I had the privilege of documenting heartfelt moments during the ceremony, laughter throughout the afternoon, and then all the fun of their evening reception - all while allowing the day to unfold naturally and essentially being a guest with a camera (or two!) Claire & Jack have since told me they love how my approach allowed me to capture 'real, natural interactions that we don't often see in photos these days.' and that they were 'impressed at the emotion you were able to capture throughout the entire day... so it's class to see the moments we missed' They added 'The photos trigger so many memories... the whole day was a bit of a blur so it's nice to look back and see pictures of everyone genuinely enjoying themselves and not just smiling because there's a camera pointed at them. Everything was perfect! Thank you so much.' So here's some of those photos from across their day - if you’re planning your own wedding and want your photos to reflect the, unscripted, genuine joy and love of your day I’d love to chat and see how we can make that happen for you. Are you looking for a Documentary Wedding Photographer? If so, please have a look at my approach or contact me to check availability Suppliers
Ceremony - Guildhall, Derry Reception - Bishops Gate Hotel Flowers - John Paul Florist Car - First Choice Wedding Cars Cake - Devine Cakes Decor - Ultimate Touches Bridal Prep - JLD Bridal Hair & Make Up Ceremony Music - Emma Martin Harpist Afternoon Reception Music - Liam Atcheson Evening Musis - Stevey & The G's DJ - DJ David Jones Wedding Dress - Claire made it herself, as you do! ;-) |