Earlier this week I had the very great pleasure of meeting with this couple at Slapton Sands Beach and Slapton National Reserve. Due to the couple living a good distance away from Cornwall and Devon this was the first time we had met in person and therefore we spent a little time before the shoot talking through all things weddings over a beer and coffee, their expectations, my pictures, and the venue and wedding in general. I always like to get to know how people react when seeing pictures just as much as I do learning about whats important to them. I believe that looking at pictures online can sometimes feel a little distant if you don’t know the people and therefore I like to flick through some weddings with couples and add a little bit of the people’s sotries who are in them verbally. – I probably talk to much! :)
Anyway once we had ‘broken the ice’ we set about onto Slapton Beach with dog Cooper not far behind, or miles in front I should perhaps say. Sometimes with people you just click with them, not just personally and on a social and idealistic level but also with the way I photograph and the way they react, I bet if you asked this couple they would tell you I hardly said a word in the first 15 minutes of the shoot, and thats not just because I was worn out from the chat before the shoot but because I just didn’t need too. They made the pictures themselves – I documented it and make it look good – a few prompts now and then but otherwise just a documentation of that day and the moments it held for them.
When you get back to the office, sit down, and start to choose and edit the pictures from the shoot and start smiling to yourself – well thats the sign that i’ve had a good day, met some lovely people and created some moments for them that they will hopefully treasure. I am very much looking forward to their wedding in Devon later this year and wish them all the best until then. – Hope you like :)
– Barney Walters
