Tales from the Evil Photographer
We met the evening before the wedding, it was quick meeting, just to find out the ceremony particulars they had decided on with Sally the Caye Caulker wedding coordinator. In the months before the wedding I had been in email communication with Amber regarding her tastes, what the dress looked like, etc. And I love a beautiful dress.
The trend this year has been for the bride to not be seen by the groom prior to the ceremony, which makes it a little tricky regarding light. Most weddings happen in the late afternoon here on Caye Caulker, and since we are so close to the equator, our days and nights are nearly equal all year long, varying only about 1/2 hour in each direction. So a 4 p.m. wedding only gives me about an hour after the ceremony to do portraits. So we decided that I would come to their hotel and photograph "The Putting on of the Dress" which was a three person job.
The men were summarily dismissed as I arrived and it became Ladies Time with the bride finishing her hair and makeup. The dress was the most beautiful wedding dress I had ever photographed, layers of organza pleats and crystals in a champagne color. It had a vintage feel.
Well, Amber is no vintage girl, she is all spunk, and as we were joking around and chatting, all the while I'm snap snap snapping. She said, "Whatever you do I want you to harass my father."
"Oh, O.K. I can do that." I reply
"I really mean it. Harass him. He has given me nothing but grief this week because I am making him wear a suit and tie. So give it to him. Don't let him take off his jacket."
"O.K." and my mind starts to whirl. He looks like he can take a joke, so I start working on the special request.
As a photographer I am requested to do all sorts of things, but mostly it is in crowd control, like getting a drunk uncle off the pier, or pushing the parents up to the front and moving guests back who in their excitement have pressed forward. And I do it.
But I have never been requested to harass the father of the bride. I rose to the occasion in a kind but stern voice, dead serious.
Daddy, stop sweating
Daddy, take off your sunglasses
Daddy get your hands out of your pockets
Daddy, don't even think about about taking your jacket off
Daddy, I better see you smile or I am going to stop the ceremony and make you show me your teeth.
And he complied.
I could have told him...
Daddy it is time for you to jump in the pool and I believe he would have done it.
I feel so powerful.
I found this nifty slide show maker on La Gringa's Blogicito. Thank you La Gringa.
We met the evening before the wedding, it was quick meeting, just to find out the ceremony particulars they had decided on with Sally the Caye Caulker wedding coordinator. In the months before the wedding I had been in email communication with Amber regarding her tastes, what the dress looked like, etc. And I love a beautiful dress.
The trend this year has been for the bride to not be seen by the groom prior to the ceremony, which makes it a little tricky regarding light. Most weddings happen in the late afternoon here on Caye Caulker, and since we are so close to the equator, our days and nights are nearly equal all year long, varying only about 1/2 hour in each direction. So a 4 p.m. wedding only gives me about an hour after the ceremony to do portraits. So we decided that I would come to their hotel and photograph "The Putting on of the Dress" which was a three person job.
The men were summarily dismissed as I arrived and it became Ladies Time with the bride finishing her hair and makeup. The dress was the most beautiful wedding dress I had ever photographed, layers of organza pleats and crystals in a champagne color. It had a vintage feel.
Well, Amber is no vintage girl, she is all spunk, and as we were joking around and chatting, all the while I'm snap snap snapping. She said, "Whatever you do I want you to harass my father."
"Oh, O.K. I can do that." I reply
"I really mean it. Harass him. He has given me nothing but grief this week because I am making him wear a suit and tie. So give it to him. Don't let him take off his jacket."
"O.K." and my mind starts to whirl. He looks like he can take a joke, so I start working on the special request.
As a photographer I am requested to do all sorts of things, but mostly it is in crowd control, like getting a drunk uncle off the pier, or pushing the parents up to the front and moving guests back who in their excitement have pressed forward. And I do it.
But I have never been requested to harass the father of the bride. I rose to the occasion in a kind but stern voice, dead serious.
Daddy, stop sweating
Daddy, take off your sunglasses
Daddy get your hands out of your pockets
Daddy, don't even think about about taking your jacket off
Daddy, I better see you smile or I am going to stop the ceremony and make you show me your teeth.
And he complied.
I could have told him...
Daddy it is time for you to jump in the pool and I believe he would have done it.
I feel so powerful.
This is one of the funny outtakes.
I found this nifty slide show maker on La Gringa's Blogicito. Thank you La Gringa.
too funny!
ReplyDeleteOh, very nice! You forgot your job of keeping the stray dogs away from the alter!
ReplyDeleteThe scenery is just as I remember it. I wish I was there now! Beautiful work, Lee!
One of your shots of us standing on the pier is now a huge print hanging in our home. People stare at it, then when they realize it is a picture of *us*, and not just some random poster, everyone flips! Yes, yes, we DID have the MOST amazing photographer!