Christina Lauder Portraits Photographs a Wedding

This wedding was particularly special to me. The bride is a childhood friend of my step daughter's. So I've known her for many years. The first time I photographed her I believe she was 7. In recent years she has been working with me as a make up artist as well as a model on a couple of occasions. She is also the very first of my step daughter's friends to get married which is quite a milestone for me. So when her mum came to me and asked if I would photograph her wedding how could I refuse.

Its been ages since I photographed a wedding and to be honest I've only photographed a handful in my lifetime anyway. Its not my cup of tea really. Too much pressure on the day and too little control when it comes to lighting and weather. Since focusing on studio portraits I've become very reliant on being able to control all the light in my images and with all the time in the world to get it just right. Weddings are not like that. Not only is it more difficult to add light it is pretty much impossible to remove the light from where you don't want it if the sun happens to be in the wrong place. With the additional problem of time constraints its a job that fills me with dread.

But having said that, there is still something special about capturing such wonderful moments in someone's life. The few weddings I have done I've thoroughly enjoyed. I've been made to feel a part of their family and that's really quite special and one of my favourite aspects of doing weddings. Perhaps if my nerves could take it I'd come to love them like so many of my photographer friends.

Vickie didn't want a lavish affair. It was a simple wedding at the local registry office so my job was easier than most weddings. Instead of a typical 12 hour day I was only required for about 4 hours. But I still managed to take loads of photographs from bridal prep to family groups and of course a few of the ceremony.

In the end I had a great time capturing the special moments. One thing that is very easy on a day like this is getting smiles out of the bride and groom. It required absolutely no effort on my part. Smiles from the younger brothers on the other hand were a little harder to come by.

I can honestly say it was an honour to have been chosen to photograph this special day. It is so nice to have people who have such faith in you and want you to share their special day. I wish this was something for which I had what it takes. But I have to be honest with myself and recognise my limitations. As such, this is definitely my last ever wedding. If you need a wedding photographer you are still welcome to get in touch as I do have plenty of friends who are very capable of doing a fantastic job whom I'd be happy to recommend.

Comments

I am Still Me: A Story about a Transgender Boy

Meet Leo. Leo is 15 and currently going through an epic transformation that has momentarily turned the lives of himself and those around him upside down. A mum who once had the daughter she always longed for is now coping with the realisation that she will be living the rest of her life with a son instead. When your child is born you have certain expectations of the typical life they will lead but most of us know and accept that it won't necessarily end up the way we imagine. Not every person wants to marry, have kids or be involved with the opposite sex. Most of us have come to accept this and can adjust to whatever comes our way relatively easily. But few of us have expected to have to deal with a change in sex. Its not that we've hoped it won't happen, but just that it never occurred to us that it might. This is a new adjustment that we as a society are being presented with today, just like so many others that have come before. When I first heard that Phoebe

5 Reasons you Should Consider Getting a Professional Headshot

Headshots, or profile pictures are becoming a requirement of so many tools we regularly use or reference today. From Facebook to Linked In, Instagram to Twitter and often any website that represents a company for which you work or own will have a place to include a photograph that is meant to show your audience who you are. And how you present yourself there will tell your audience so much about you. 1. A profile picture is your first opportunity for your audience to see you. Its often the first impression you make and we all know you only have one chance at a first impression. A professional photographer has the skills to show you in the best, most suitable way to give a great first impression. (These headshots were created for recruitment firm Optima UK who asked to have their logo placed behind them. I think it makes these headshots quite eye catching and they should do their job well.) 2. Using a professional to create your headshot will convey yo

Fine Art Portraits of a Beautiful Young Girl

So this is really becoming my thing lately. I am having so much fun working with children individually where I can direct and interact in ways that bring the best out of my subject. This has certainly become a process now of creating rather than taking photographs. And its what I have always wanted to be, a portrait artist rather than a photographer. I cannot put into words fully just how rewarding this is. For each of these shoots (as with nearly all of my shoots) we begin with a consultation where we discuss what we would like to achieve in the shoot. Here we will consider the type of clothing and any possible props. We will look at both the clients clothes and my ever growing collection so we can pick what will work best. In all circumstances we are heavily guided by what the child in the portraits wants to wear as I see this as vitally important. If he or she is uncomfortable its going to show and the portraits won't work. But most are happy to play dressups and wear a com

My Associate Panel

As I mentioned in my last blog, I achieved my Associateship in Portraiture with the SWPP (Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers). I just thought I would share with you the panel I submitted. Having sat through the assessment I see that there are a couple of images that I wish I hadn't chosen, more so due to not having enough variety rather than the lack of quality. but overall I am pleased with my submission. I always thought that once I achieved my Associateship I would be done with qualifications. Working towards a Fellowship just seems so unattainable. I don't think I can just sit here not striving towards a goal though. Besides, my husband has already set 5 year plan. So I guess I've not seen the end of qualifications just yet. But don't be expecting any news on this front for quite some time though. A fellowship is on an entirely new level and its going to take a lot of work.

I'm a Portrait Artist and Variety is the Spice of My Life

I often admire the work of other photographers. I'm always having a browse or spotting something interesting on Facebook or Pinterest. Many of them have a very consistent style and subject, as is the case with many newborn photographers especially. This has made me wonder if perhaps I'm not developing as a portrait artist as well as I could be. We are taught early on within the realms of the photography world that we are to develop a distinct style and this of course must be clearly evident in any upper level qualifications panels we choose to submit. However, when I look at my own work over each passing year I fail to see the same consistency. I don't have a particular subject in which I specialise. I can photograph anything from newborns to teenagers, toddlers to families and even the occasional male nude. How can you put these together in an album and form a beautiful collection that I see many other photographers displaying so well.

Christina Lauder Portraits

Search This Blog