Caught in the moment: Bride in doorway

When photographing a wedding I’m always looking out for those little moments that often get missed unless you’re looking for them and also tell a story within a story. One thing I love to do is people watch so I’m like a kid in candy store on wedding days. So many people to watch! People watching is all good and well, but being able to anticipate a moment before it happens is the best, especially when you’re able to capture it.

While waiting for the vicar to be notified she was ready to walk down the aisle, Jacqueline took a few moments to fix her veil and steady her nerves first. She was stood outside the church with her father, just out of frame, while I was getting my camera ready to photograph her first step into the church.

While we were waiting for the organist to start the wedding march, I spotted one of the church wardens standing next to the door peering out at Jaqueline. I loved how she was leaning in ever so slightly as if just trying to get a glimpse of the bride.

The sun was also behind Jacqueline, framing her as she was stood almost dead centre in the doorway with a slight pensive look that I wanted to capture. Her dad was pacing back and forth at this time outside and what I loved about the scene was that Jacqueline looked lost in her thoughts as she was preparing to enter the church and not phased or distracted by her pacing father. Or anything.

I needed to time my photo to get Jacqueline’s dad out of the frame to add to the feeling of solitude and being lost in one’s thoughts before the wedding service. As her dad stepped out of the frame again, I took a couple of shots of which this was one of them. The church warden’s little peek out of the door added to the feeling that she didn’t want to intrude on this quiet moment.

I had initially wanted a photo of just Jacqueline but when the church warden turned to look out at her, I knew this was the photo I wanted to take. Like a photo within a photo.

I hope you like this wedding moment.

If you’d like to find out more about how I work and capture the rest of a wedding day, get in touch]contact.