Assignment five: Illustration and narrative

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This final assignment shows a summation of all elements of The Art of Photography. Using knowledge and skills developed in previous units alongside this unit’s learning on illustration and narrative, I have created an illustrated insert for a magazine. Having had the opportunity to photograph several weddings for friends and family this year, I thought it fitting to use a selection of these images for my assignment. My main aim when photographing these weddings was to capture as much as possible of the emotional journey travelled by those involved.

Don McCullin in his article, ‘The Art of Seeing’ states that ‘emotional awareness is the most important aspect of photography’. He believes that being emotionally committed to where you are and what you are doing far outweighs the technical side of photography; his images taken in war zones and refugee camps show his firm belief in this ideology as the emotions of the moments spill out onto the page. Focusing on love rather than war, I considered McCullin’s ideals in my own work.

In his book, ‘Wedding Photography from the Heart’, Joe Buissink emphasises ‘learning to see’ as training oneself to anticipate the moments that matter and developing trust with the client. He considers, in wedding photography the right moments to be much more important than technically perfect photos along with an ability to create images which , even decades later will capture the joy of the day.

For the purpose of this assignment, I decided to focus solely on the lead up to wedding. I feel that this is an element which is rarely covered in magazines, yet it is a vital part of the day, wrought with emotion and so many moments which may otherwise be forgotten.

Using a series of clocks to denote the concept of time, I have shown the build up of emotion from a slight onset of wedding day jitters during her make over, to the final call, wrought with nerves, tears and anticipation. In order to maintain a coherent set, I have used the same background and graphics throughout, darkening slightly for the front and back cover. Colours remain simple throughout the inner pages, using white through to flesh tones and blondes brightened with touches of blue to each page.

Outer covers: In order to set the outer cover apart, I have used monochrome processing to these images which unlike the inner pages, are both taken outdoors. On the front cover, the curve of the clock and inferred clockwise movement of the hands leads the eye from the title, ‘TIME’ towards the couple. The title word, ‘TIME’ is reflected in the back page to denote closure to the set and show that the time the bride has been waiting for has finally arrived; a narrow path, created alongside the shadow, leads from the word ‘TIME’ towards the bride.

01 Time for marriage: This is the only image which includes the groom as it was actually taken after the ceremony; the intent is to show the peaceful contentment hoped for as a couple settle into a lifelong marriage after the madness of the wedding. I feel that this is a timeless image, reminiscent of an older couple sitting side by side many years after this special day.

02 Pampered: The leading lines in this image; the makeup artist’s gaze, her arm and the makeup brush all lead towards the main focus, the bride’s face. The hint of pre-wedding nerves creeping into the bride’s face makes this an ideal image to begin the set.

03 Accessories: This collection of images work together to show further elements to the bride’s make over. Shown as a set, a smooth curve is created, leading from the downward sweep of the dress, through the two violet flowers and on to the upward curve of the shoes.

04 A Moment: As mother of the bride and maid of honour set to work, Rebecca takes a quiet moment to reflect. The splashes of blue modernise an otherwise timeless image.

05 Hired Help: The lines implied by the ladies’ gaze lead towards their work, the preparation of the dress.

06 Mi’ Lady: Reminiscent of a lady in waiting, the maid of honour helps the bride into her dress.

07 Curves: A final check that everything is in place, I was drawn to the curves in the bridesmaid’s hair. Using a shallow depth of field, I ensured that this was the main focus of the image.

08 Nerves: Positioning themselves for a pre-ceremony shoot, the girls take a moment gather themselves. I chose this moment to shoot before they were ready in order to capture the true feeling of the moment.  This image speaks volumes and for me, surpasses any eyes-to-camera posed shot. The feelings are perfectly captured as bridesmaids stand in quiet reflection while the bride exhales through pursed lips to attempt to still the butterflies in her stomach. Firmly placed between arrangements and the commencement of the day; just for a second, time stands still.

09 Reflect: So close to the final call, Rebecca sits to calm her nerves. I cannot take full credit for this image; as she sat, her mother leaned towards me and whispered, ‘It’s these moments that fill me up, when she’s just sitting quietly.’ I shot from behind for several reasons; the first was that I wanted to recreate exactly what her mother had seen, the second because I didn’t want to move and disturb the moment. I’m pleased that I didn’t as I feel that the rear view adds an air of mystery befitting the moment.

10 Curtain Call: Rebecca stands in position as her father is called to escort her to the ceremony. Gaze firmly on her posy, she remains calm and collected.

11 Dad: Emotions spill over as father of the bride enters the room. The mirrored gestures reflect the unbreakable connection between father and daughter.

12 Time: As the clock strikes twelve, Rebecca crosses the bridge into her new life. Several real and implied lines lead towards both the subject and the end of the bridge.

My passion for photography and a love of working with people combine to make wedding photography a thoroughly enjoyable experience, albeit one which comes with many pressures; differing locations, changeable lighting conditions with the desire to represent this momentous occasion with outstanding images have set me on a steep learning curve this year and one I aim to continue to climb. With each wedding, I have become more skilled at listening to the ceremony for that perfect moment when the couple will be looking lovingly into each others’ eyes, watching and waiting for those stolen glances as they begin to relax together, capturing the beauty of a radiant bride, flushed with excitement. Far from the emotive sadness of a war zone, a wedding is a rollercoaster of mixed emotions, mainly positive and a pure pleasure to capture in images they’ll revisit for the rest of their lives. 

All images from this assignment can be seen in the corresponding Flickr album.