By Van H. White

The mother’s tear; the bride’s endearing gaze on her white knight; the delightful décor; the delicious treats; the hugs; the kisses; the handshakes; the occasional wild antics; that athletic dance leaps; the romantic moments; the sunset; the prayer; the pensive moment; the burst of laughter; the heirloom necklace from grandma; the baby’s sweet sleep; the children playing; the teenage pranks; the fellowship of friends; the beauty of smiles, scenes, and architecture are ALL precious memories that will probably be lost forever without a masterful photographer.

Wedding day photography is probably the most important expenditure at the wedding. Think carefully about it and you will realize that photography is better considered an investment than an expense. Why? Because, it is not for the day’s enjoyment, but its value grows with time. The reception food is eaten and all the flowers have wilted and been discarded. Your friends and family have all gone home. The DJ or band is gone and their beautiful music has stopped and is instantly out of mind. Even the venue degrades and is either remodeled or torn down.

All that remains is your gown, your memories, and the photographs. Before long, your gown won’t fit anymore and you can’t wear it anyway. Even your memories fade with time and most of them will totally disappear. Fortunately, they can be kept fresh and alive and even more wonderful by the beautiful images captured by the photographer. In fact, the photographer will have captured beauty, emotions, caring people, pensive moments, and wonderful sights that even you missed in all of your busyness. Now, you can more fully enjoy your wedding day and its meaning by perusing your wedding album. You will never again be so beautiful, so you certainly want to treasure the beautiful images.

Great images don’t just happen by somebody pushing a shutter release. In order to capture beautiful images, your photographer must first have very fine equipment and must be technically adept so as to make proper use of it. (He read the manual!) Also, he must have an artist’s eye to know what makes a good composition. He must be aware of his surroundings to be able to be at the right place at the right time. He must be able to press the shutter at the perfect instant to capture the quick smile, the kiss, the slight tear of joy, the hearty laugh, the robust bear hug, and the child’s playful gesture. And these moments are happening all over the room at the same time! The photographer has to move very quickly and always be ready.

Further, the photographer must have the people skills to be able to work with them effectively and yet not get in the way or be obtrusive. He must not consume too much of the attention of the bridal party, and, thus, ruin the special day by being a nuisance. Your photographer is not simply snapping pictures. He is passionate about the meaning of the day and capturing the perfect moments in a beautiful way. He is not taking pictures; he is making wonderful images to record the beauty for all posterity. The average person misses the beauty and certainly can not take a good picture of it.

People that know me well, know that I do not just do photography for a hobby; it is way more than that. Also, I do not just do photography for a business; it is even way more than that. Rather, I have a relentless passion and drive for it. It consumes almost all of my waking hours and thoughts. You will soon see that my unusual images show that passion in their artistic characteristics and technical quality.
Revised 9-7-07