Jo* and Nicole

Early in the summer I made the decision to begin expanding my business into the wedding market. The wedding photo is an interesting genre, with a whole host of expectations and high-water marks that a photographer is expected to hit. You only get one shot at some of these pictures. In a lot of ways it's like going into a Broadway show as an understudy. You've studied and practiced, and maybe done other shows, but going on as an understudy on Broadway is a whole other animal. You may have never even met the actor who is playing your lover and suddenly you have to convince a thousand people that the man standing opposite you is someone you can't live without. He's going to give you line readings you don't know, his blocking is going to be different from what the stage manager told you -- and he's always going to be right and you're always wrong. And you'll have to go through all of that with a smile on your face.

That's also the life of a wedding photographer.

And not unlike acting, you kind of have to have had a lead role to get a lead role. And make no mistake, the bride maybe getting all the accolades, and taking the final bow, but the photographer is the star of the show at a wedding. It's all about getting the good picture and doing it in such a way that the wedding party and guests aren't even aware.

I spent most of the summer reading book after book on how to prepare for a wedding. I studied countless wedding websites. I talked to recent brides and future brides. I practiced finding interesting angles and working in different light settings. But it was all academic until I had a real wedding to shoot. To get a wedding, you have to have shot a wedding.

So, I sent out the word in my network and almost immediately I heard from a friend, who had a friend, who was getting married. They already had a photographer, but they were interested in having a second. They couldn't pay me, but would I be interested in the experience?

Does a bride wear white?

So, I e-mailed one of the brides and we arranged to meet. Jo* and Nicole are the coolest people I've ever met. I've heard stories about high-strung brides, and with two of them I was a little nervous, but they were very casual. Jo* is a professional stage manager, so we immediately were able to speak the same language. Nicole is a midwife and birthing coach and faces much more stressful situations than a wedding on a daily basis. Of the three of us, I was the nervous one. I can only hope I always work with brides who are as accommodating as Jo* and Nicole.

Basically, they already had the wedding and the wedding shots planned. The first photographer was already engaged. But the guest list had grown and they thought it might not be a bad idea to have a second photographer. The first photographer would do all of the wedding party shots, and I could basically shoot whatever I thought looked interesting.

Who could ask for a better first wedding?

The day was gorgeous. The ceremony took place on a small country acreage under some spreading oak trees and next to a pond. The light was gorgeous and so were both brides. The ceremony and reception were flawless. Lots of family and lots and lots of love. I was able to snap away and make all the mistakes I wanted. It was an invaluable experience. A sampling of some of the non-mistakes is on display at the Archetype website.

Then, this week we got together so that I could give them the disc with the pictures and so I could do a formal portrait. When Nicole and Jo* arrived at the end of a long work day, they had lost none of that newlywed glow, and were as accommodating as could be while I adjusted lights and tried different poses. Studio portraits are second nature to me, and I'm really happy with this one. I like to try to get at least one shot that is timeless and I feel like we did it with this one.

I was so lucky to have Jo* and Nicole for my first wedding couple and the experience prepared me for my second wedding...