The Space to be Yourself
Uswah told me she wanted their photos to show how young and happy they are, surrounded with their family and friends. I wondered how we could convey “young” in their photographs without the obvious aspect of them simply looking young.
While taking portraits of Jack and Uswah, I asked if they could stand in the door frame of the kitchen, hold hands and continue to interact.
Their friends were sitting around conversing in the kitchen behind them. Of their own volition, they stopped mid conversation and framed themselves between Uswah and Jack… and I thought to myself, “This is it.”
This was the “young” and in love feeling I was wondering about conveying in photographs. It came together all on its own.
That picture with their friends was a turning point in showing their playful, happy interactions. I began to see that idea of “young” and how it can be conveyed in other ways:
Which brings me to another point when it comes to “posing” couples and their friends on their wedding day, or on any shoot for the matter.
My main goal is not to contort you into a preconceived idea. While I do offer little direction and ideas, I mostly give you the space to be yourself. I do this through being your friend.
By this point in the evening, I had spent a few hours with Uswah and Jack, their families, and learned the stories of how they met each individual friend.
So later, when I offered my little direction of “stand together in the doorway” they felt comfortable enough to do their own idea. They were given the space to be themselves.
They clasped hands, and slow danced.
They took my small idea, and made it their own because they felt comfortable to do so.
After this photo I asked them to stand apart and continue holding hands, which is when their friends joined in for the group photo.
Their friends saw that there was room to be themselves, and execute their own idea. As a result, their personalities and spontaneity ended up creating my favorite photograph from the evening.