I’d made a commitment before to publish more work with annotations. I kinda let that slide. I’m going to be a bit more disciplined about it from now on. Here’s a wedding that I photographed a couple of weeks ago at Ballyseede Castle in Co. Kerry with some information about how I came to take them.
I do like reflections. Being able to show the bride from a couple of sides shows the dress in all its elegance. I had a couple of decisions to make in terms of cropping. Firstly, on the far right-hand side, I could have cut out the window, ending the picture on that side with the dark wood of the poster bed. Instead I elected to show the window to give a sense of depth beyond the picture confines. If you put your hand over the window, the picture becomes more enclosed and claustrophobic. Secondly, I could have cropped out the light at the top on the right. Left in, it is a distraction. Left out, the room loses some of its character. I'll often favour detail and context over cropping. (c) Roger Overall 2010
I get more joy from anticipated rather than grabbed photographs - even if it is a fairly simple one like this. In this instance, there was always a chance that the bride wouldn't be the first out of the room. The bride's movement gives her an almost ghost-like appearance. Added to that is the contemplative look on her face that helps make the photograph. (c) Roger Overall 2010
This is most likely my favourite photograph of the year so far - and I'll admit there was a bit of luck involved. On her way down to her parents and family from her hotel room, the bride paused and looked out of the window. I almost missed it. I had gone ahead of the bride and was halfway down the stairs when I looked back. I saw her looking out of the window and climbed the stairs quickly and got a single frame. At the time, it was the lighting and pose that caught my eye. I hadn't even noticed the bust. Without the bust, the photograph would have been nice - nothing more. The bust, though, makes the picture. It brings balance and a gentle humour that lift the photograph above the ordinary. (c) Roger Overall 2010
The church in Fossa, Co. Kerry, is a modern structure and particularly striking. If the sun came out, I knew it would catch the bride and illuminate her dress and veil. Having settled on a composition, I marked a spot with a stone and went round the corner to photograph the bride arriving in the car park. Then I ran back to the stone and waited. Fortune smiled on me. The sun appeared. Also the bride and her father are distinct, rather than hidden in a crowd of people, which often happens. (c) Roger Overall 2010
Another favourite from the year so far, even though it is heavily flawed. A moment of serenity before the bride enters the church. Here the reflection is more than simply duplication. It shows more than "the real world" which you can see on the right of the photograph. Not only can you see her bouquet, which would otherwise be hidden behind the bridesmaid. It helps offset the photograph's flaw: the head of the person who stood in front of me to get a better view of the bride just as I was taking the shot. Without the head, this is a picture I would consider entering for awards. (c) Roger Overall 2010
Similar to the one above, this photograph tells the story of a key moment in the day. The groom's first glimpse of his bride. I pre-focused on the doorway and knew that the bride and her father would briefly be in some light. Sometimes the groom will look, sometimes he doesn't. It's nice when they do from a photographic point of view. (c) Roger Overall 2010
Unlike the photograph above, this one isn't hindered by the head in front of the bride. For me, it adds to the sense of intimacy and the sense of people around the bride. Also, you don't need to see the other half of her face to know her emotion. I also like the gentle look on the groom's face. He seems contented and relaxed. Finding a good vantage point to photograph the receiving line can be a challenge. The difficulty here was that the groom was standing in the doorway on a bright sunny afternoon. Exposing for the inside of the church meant losing all of the detail outside, along with parts of the groom on occasion as well. (c) Roger Overall 2010
This photograph is all about the interaction and the light. There is so much going on in both regards. The window is casting different light on everyone. Combined with the range of interactions, this makes for a captivating image. (c) Roger Overall 2010
The couple on their way to dinner at Ballyseede Castle in Co. Kerry. I'd seen the potential for a photograph earlier and waited for them to appear. I'd have preferred them a little further forward, but then the light coming in from the window on the left wouldn't have illuminated them half as well. Documentary photography often involves compromises. (c) Roger Overall 2010
