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When I was 3 years old, I was given my first major job:
I was asked to be the flower girl in my Uncle & soon-to-be Aunt’s wedding. It was an important job to be given and I took it very seriously. Even though the thought of walking down that long church aisle all by myself was terrifying, I knew if I could just make it to the end, I could sit with my Grandparents.
At their wedding, during family formals, their wedding photographer asked me to stand up on stage by myself so he could take a portrait of me. I was so shy, that I said no. I’d go up on stage with my Mom & Dad, but never alone.
And thus began a mini battle between the wedding photographer & my 3-year-old self. I remember him pushing and pleading and everyone else joining in and begging me to go up on stage by myself to get this photo. I don’t remember how long the process lasted, but in my little 3-year-old memory, it was forever.
Finally, my Mom walked me up onto the stage and stepped out of the frame just long enough for me to have one photo taken.
I remember that whole process quite vividly and remember being so shy & scared & embarrassed. With that experience burned into my memory, I approach wedding days as a wedding photographer quite differently. I want to photograph the day as natural, organic, and “unscripted” as possible. I want to make sure that everyone is 100% at ease. Sure, I will give some guidance thru different poses and groupings, but I want the bride & groom to “fill in the blanks” so that the images from the wedding day are 100% authentically them.
And if the flower girl is too shy to have a portrait taken by herself, I promise not to force her.
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