Anatomy Of A Wedding #6
This is an interesting set of images for me personally for several reason. These will become clear as you read the commentary with each photograph.
I've said before that parents are often the forgotten people on their childrens' wedding days. Despite the unfortunate positioning of the clothes line, I love this picture. (c) Roger Overall 2010
There was a strong smell of onions in the air. Hardly surprising when the groom had reversed a car over his father's freshly harvested onion crop. Here they survey the damage. A moment they'll both look back on with great humour in years to come. (c) Roger Overall 2010
A special photograph for so many reasons. It shows a small crisis involving some lost paperwork. It turned up in time, but this captures a little of the anxious moments. This is also a special photograph for a very personal reason. The priest you see here was at my father-in-law's side when he passed away and was of infinite comfort to my wife's family. He is also the man who christened my daughter. (c) Roger Overall 2010
(c) Roger Overall 2010
So you already know I'm the emotional sort and that I love my daughter (see previous post), so you imagine that I'm going to struggle a smidge on her wedding day. There is so much story here in the father of the bride's face as he watches the final preparations before he walks his daughter own the aisle. I see pride and I see love. (c) Roger Overall 2010
(c) Roger Overall 2010
(c) Roger Overall 2010
First Day Of School
I’m a big soppy softy. Seriously. And today was a big soppy softy day. Our little girl’s first day of school.
Quite how this has happened is something of a mystery.
Only a couple of months ago, I was holding her in the delivery room at St Finbarr’s Hospital. She had silver metallic eyes.
Now, mere weeks later, she’s off to school – proper school, uniforms and everything.
At this rate, I shall be walking her down the aisle by Christmas.
In the past I have been guilty of not photographing my own family life. That is a terrible admission for a documentary photographer to make. So, today, I brought my camera.
This is what I call her "You're An Idiot" look. I get it a lot. There is a chance I'll get it even more when she is a teenager. (c) Roger Overall 2010
Mummy knows how to get round it, mind. (c) Roger Overall 2010
(c) Roger Overall 2010
Helping mummy keep it together. (c) Roger Overall 2010
(c) Roger Overall 2010
(c) Roger Overall 2010
She just knows how to find the right light. (c) Roger Overall 2010
Tag - You're It. Best friends Lucy (left) and Emily playing after their first day at school. (c) Roger Overall 2010
A Week In Pictures
It’s good to be busy, so I’m not complaining. Here is a selection of photographs from five shoots in the past five days.
Corporate Assignment 1. (c) Roger Overall 2010
Corporate Assignment 2. (c) Roger Overall 2010
Corporate Assignment 3. (c) Roger Overall 2010
Wedding Assignment 1. (c) Roger Overall 2010
Wedding Assignment 2. (c) Roger Overall 2010
Circlulating The Circle Of Confusion
Episode 4 of The Circle of Confusion went live earlier today, along with a blog post that contains pictures and a bonus track.
Anatomy Of A Wedding #5
Another selection of favourites from a recent wedding with commentary.
I have two photographs of this exchange between the bride and the flower girl. This is my favourite. Just. The other was taken side on with a wide angle and shows more of the room. The light on the bride's face is more pleasing to me in this one, taken with a standard lens. There is great story here and you can almost write the dialogue yourself. (c) Roger Overall 2010
Men do love their flowers. I'll be honest, I was concentrating on the page boy. That was where the story was. I was aware that the groom's father had a bunch of flowers as well, but only noticed afterwards that he was examining them - mirroring the little boy's movement. (c) Roger Overall 2010
And he was the well-behaved one. (c) Roger Overall 2010
On an average wedding day, a couple gets to spend surprisingly little time together - or at least time when they can have a private exchange. Holy communion is usually the first chance they get, and often they take it. I always set myself so that I have a clear view of the couple, just in case. I love the echo of the couple's intimacy and the exchange between lads on the front bench. The bride's gesture is also wonderful to me. (c) Roger Overall 2010
Weddings are happy occasions. This says everything. (c) Roger Overall 2010
What caught my eye here initially was the light in the entrance, which lit up the bride. The guest, a very dapper man dressed in black tie, was also waiting for them to come in. He makes this picture. (c) Roger Overall 2010
Something different. I like the almost total blur of the first two people compared with the relative lack of it for the second pair. (c) Roger Overall 2010
A missed opportunity - sort of. I have a series of shots of the couple as they walked down this corridor. This is the best one in terms of the bride's reflection in the glass frames. I've chosen it because the reflection was what I was after. However, there is a picture a few paces earlier where the couple are smiling at each other. Unfortunately, they are too far back to be reflected. You win some, you lose some. This is still pleasing to me because the bride looks so contented. (c) Roger Overall 2010
Standard Issue
Back home from a short trip to the motherland, I’m reflecting on the photographs I took while I was away. Mostly, they were for fun. On two occasions I got serious: the photographs of my brother at work, and a series of photographs that I’m keeping up my sleeve as a surprise.
In all cases, they were taken with a 50mm lens.
Regular readers will know that I generally favour a wider field of view. However, the 24mm lens I own is fairly big and heavy. I didn’t feel like bringing it along to the Netherlands. Besides, this year I’ve been shooting more with the 50mm anyway.
Eight days with just the 50mm has made me realize just how versatile a lens it is. Just take a peek at the pictures I posted over the last week. In some instances it feels like a telephoto lens; in others like a wide angle. Quite remarkable.
I’m not going to say that only having a single focal length takes a bunch of decision making out of the equation, allowing you to concentrate on the photograph… Ah… I just did. Sorry. It is true though.
The main point I want to make in this short post is this: spending time with only a single focal length is a great training exercise. Thoroughly liberating, it also forces you to get to know the focal length intimately – its strengths, its weaknesses and, most importantly, its possibilities.
My only complaint? That I have to gaffer tape on the lens hood to stop if from dropping off. How is it that lens manufacturers can design and produce such wonderfully advanced optics, but not a lens hood that will stay put?
Grateful
A quick post tonight with an update on the IPPA council elections.
I was elected to council, for which I’m very grateful. A number of people took the time to email me directly with their support at the time of the election, and several have done so since. Such support means the world and I’ll get back to everyone who emailed personally over the weekend.
The new council doesn’t take on its mantle until October, but in the meantime a big Thank You to everyone who voted for me. Like I say, it means a lot.
A Journey To Holland In Photographs – Part 9
(c) Roger Overall 2010
A Journey To Holland In Photographs – Part 8
Yesterday evening, my brother assembled the bike that reigning Four Cross European champion Joost Wichman will ride at the World Championship event in Mount St Anne, Canada, in a couple of weeks’ time.
Triple Four Cross European champion Joost Wichman (left) talks to RSP/KTM and Dutch national team mechanic Jason Davies as the latter assembles Joost's World Cup bike. (c) Roger Overall 2010
(c) Roger Overall 2010
(c) Roger Overall 2010
(c) Roger Overall 2010
(c) Roger Overall 2010
(c) Roger Overall 2010
(c) Roger Overall 2010
(c) Roger Overall 2010
(c) Roger Overall 2010
A Journey To Holland In Photographs – Part 7
"Mummy riding a giraffe" by Emily, aged 5 (c) Emily Overall/Roger Overall 2010
(c) Roger Overall 2010