The Wedding Photographer

Several weeks ago now, my friend and fellow Lattice escapee Ben Pappas was married. A perennially upbeat and enthusiastic chap, he talked me into the role of photographer, which I agreed to on the condition that I didn't have to do the formal shots. This worked out well, since they had previously contracted with a professional and that was the minimum he'd let them get away with. In any event, it was one of the loveliest weddings I've ever attended... the setting was breath-taking, a very small Victorian hotel overlooking the gorge... and an intimate number of close friends and family.

Personally, I was very pleased with the results for a first time out; if you're interested you can see the full set here. And I really enjoyed myself too - I really love taking pictures of people, and it's not often that you get license to roam around sticking your camera in random faces, especially when they are soon so inured to your presence that they ignore you and you can therefore capture the moment without the cheesy grins and posing. Am considering moonlighting; or, as they put it at my office, "a side hustle".


I am particularly fond of this picture of a little girl by the fountain. The following day her father left for active duty in Iraq.


Ben and Emily, the happy couple!


Emily and guests decide how best to respond to Ben's bon mots.


The lovely bridesmaids paying rapt attention to the father-of-the-bride's speech.


Left: cake cutting. Right: The first dance.


Emily takes the first bite of wedding cake as offered by her husband. This scene especially amused me, because Ben and Emily were as clueless as Rachel and I when it came to this bit... instead of standing to the side and leaving the actual cake distribution to the professionals, Rachel crammed a giant piece into my mouth.




And it's farewell via a Bentley...