How I Accidentally Fell In Love With Wedding Photography
It was never something I thought I’d end up doing. In fact, if you listen to others, it’s something they thought I’d never end up doing also.
None of it was really.
See, I’m not one of those photographers who were incredibly lucky to be born with a camera in their hands (I mean… imagine that… congratulations Mrs Smith.. it’s a.. Nikon?!?!). Or those who spent hours sniffing chemicals in a room with nothing but red light.
Ahhh, the good old darkrooms.
Sadly (and I mean that with honesty), I never got to experience any of that. The closest I got to sniffing chemicals was when as a child, I was forced to clean the bathroom… I joke…. I had a mask on, so couldn’t smell anything.
No, for me, despite going through my teens with a bit of an on and off relationship with Photography (Apparently, when I clicked the ‘button’ it never quite looked like I hoped - damn cheap cameras). It all started when my little girl was born.
Sure, I guess I have my Dad to thank, somewhere his love for film photography was passed onto me (He stopped processing his own film when I was knee-high to a grasshopper - If it’s anything like it is today, I’d wager it was on the cost… well, if I had the money to wager that was).
No, It was nothing more than to document Lily-Mae’s life. I never quite knew, however, just quite how much I’d fall in love with it. ‘It’ being ‘photography’, not Lily-Mae… Not that I don’t love her… Oh…. you know what I mean.
Fast forward a few years (about 3 or 4) and a friend (we’ll call him “Al”… because that’s his name) asked if I would ever consider being a wedding photographer?
My heart pounding in my chest (as if it’s going to be pounding anywhere else?!), I couldn’t get the “NOOOO!!!” out quick enough. All that pressure? The unknown? All those drunks?!
Sound like fun to you?!
Yet, somewhere along the line and actually not long after that question, I landed my first ever wedding. I came out of that wedding saying “That’s exactly what I want to do”… eventually… I mean after I’d changed my pants and slept for about 36 hours.
The rest, as they say, is history. (Actually, it’s a story for another day).
So there you have it, that’s where it all began…. kind of.