A couple of weekends ago I had the fantastic opportunity to experiment with Through the Viewfinder and toy camera techniques throughout the course of a whole wedding. Louisette and Cory were extremely gracious to let me be there with my TtV contraption. Even though the weather wasn’t ideal, it was a beautiful wedding. The main photographer for the day was Clifton Saulnier. He’s a fantastic photographer and a genuinely great guy. The whole day was a lot of fun and it was a really valuable learning experience for me. This post is both to share some of the images I got from the wedding but also to sort out some of those things that I learned.
The rise of digital photography has made everyone more aware of and interested in photography. Clifton and I arrived to find cameras covering just about every flat surface in the bridal suite. Everyone takes pictures. I think it’s great. It challenges me to get better and better, to create images that are consistently high quality. It also makes clients more aware of what they want, which makes it easier as a photographer to deliver images that they are satisfied with. It also encourages me to try and incorporate a unique style into my work. The images that I was able to get at Louisette and Cory’s wedding affirmed for me that Through the Viewfinder is a workable style for weddings. I don’t think that anyone will look at these pictures and be confused whether it was me or one of the guests who took them.
The reason that I think Through the Viewfinder can work for weddings is the special place that weddings have in our memory. For the bride and groom it’s a life-changing day that stands out as the beginning of a part of their lives. The feel of TtV images fits with this, because the nostalgia that is built into the final image makes them feel like you’re looking into a memory.
It’s also really fun. I love explaining TtV to people who ask what I’m doing. There’s always a bit of a eureka moment when they look through my bottom camera. The blend of digital and analogue technology also keeps some of the pressure off. Getting a nostalgic look while also having the instant review of digital is a great balance.
All that being said, I also don’t think it is necessarily best for the entire wedding. It’s great for certain moments, especially the preparation time and capturing some of the unique details of the day. There are certain technical limitations that make it less practical as a full coverage style (Sorry for the flash directly in your eyes Cory!). I have ideas for overcoming some of these and have a much better sense of how to incorporate it into a balanced wedding coverage in the future.
So, thanks again Louisette and Cory! It was invaluable for me to be able to be there and figure some of these things out. I hope Vegas was as fun as your wedding.
