Killing Me Softly
I’m sitting cross-legged in front of a catwalk, in front of me models parade wearing the latest in wedding couture. The lighting has been painstakingly modeled to show off the clothes to their best, the music has been chosen to complement the image the designer is trying to portray. To my left the official photographer is directing the models to place their hands behind their back, to smile, indicating where she wants them to stand. Her flash fires with every frame taken. It is something I don’t understand, the designer has spent however long modeling the lights to suit his or her clothes, making sure that the color and temperature match the mood and the music and the photographer is killing it.
It is a problem with wedding photographers in general, they get used to directing the couple telling them what to do, they don’t take into account the mood that the couple (or lets face it probably the bride) has created. I look at wedding photos in ads and at the expos and I see it time after time, photographers blasting away with flash, because it takes a lot of work to shoot by available light. Use a flash and everything is in focus and everything is lit. I will take mood any day.
Just last week I had a bride phone me from the UK, saying that she can’t find a photographer in Johannesburg that doesn’t do the grin and pose portraits with fake romance built in. She had found several in Cape Town but none up here. I wasn’t available for her date, but it got me wondering why that is that us Gautengers love the cheesy bride gazing up at the sky in soft focus sepia while Capetonians seem hip to the fashion, documentary wedding photography? I don’t know why, but strolling through the Wedding Expo this weekend I can’t help but agree with her. If you couldn’t make it, here are some photos of the fashion show. No flash, no directing the models, no running around being a ringmaster.
PS If any of these gowns are yours and you want a copy of the photo please drop me a line at the usual address.
[ Vendor prop ] – I haven’t actually tasted one of their cakes, but they look amazing. Sugar ‘n Ice seem to create conceptual sculptures out of chocolate and well I have no idea what else but they look amazing. I almost snapped a piece off a cake at their stand at the expo, I was very tempted but the woman standing next to me snapped off a piece and the guy shot her a dodgy look. So I took a brochure and went home. You can find them at http://www.sugar-n-ice.co.za, you can also contact them on sugar.n.ice@mweb.co.za or 011.788.1202. Don’t be put off by the site and the overflashed photos, make an appointment and look at the cakes – then hire me, I’d love to photograph one of those monster white chocolate cakes.
