Blog of photographer Kevin Ahronson

Wedding of Sally & Russell

Weddings can be difficult to photograph at the best of times, but when it's your own daughter getting married... it's a whole new ball game.

Torn between playing the role of photographer or father, this was probably the most difficult wedding I've photographed.  

The emotion of seeing your little girl getting married is very powerful, the emotion of not being in control of the camera when I saw Sally in her wedding dress or when I walked down the aisle with her - or while I gave the 'Father of the Bride' speech - was equally tough.  Fortunately I had help from my daughter's friend Luke Myatt and also my wife Mary, who between them managed to take some great images.  I am eternally grateful.

The wedding ceremony took place at St Paul's Church in Chichester.  The reception was in facilities at Chichester Cathedral.  To get from the ceremony to the Cathedral, the entire wedding party walked in long procession through the centre of Chichester - virtually bringing the town to a standstill. Shoppers smiled and cheered us on, calling out congratulations as we went past.  It was a surreal experience, but everyone looked so happy to see us.

The images here are ones I did manage to take - and span the whole day,

To see larger copies of the photographs, just click on any of them.

Feel free to leave comments at the end of the section.

My Worst Wedding Shoot Ever!!

In less than three weeks from now, will be walking down the aisle with my daughter at her wedding.  

Doubtless I will be feeling an element of stress at that moment, although not necessarily for the reasons you might expect (with the possible exception of the constant thought that later on that day I would have to give the "Father of the bride' speech).  

No, the main reason for the stress is elsewhere.  I love being a wedding photographer, being able to photograph couples on the happiest day of their lives, it's an honour and privilege.  Although much of my work is in the Sutton and Croydon area, increasingly I find myself at weddings in throughout Surrey and much of Sussex and Kent.  Sally's will be in Chichester, only 70 miles away.

I was thrilled when Sally asked me to photograph her wedding, I was fully prepared to get another photographer in, but she wanted me.  Last year I photographed my son's wedding.  That was a lot easier.  The father of the groom has a lesser role to play, and I had greater freedom to roam around with my cameras.

Not so when your daughter is the bride.  How do I photograph myself walking down the aisle?  How do I photograph myself during the speeches? 

Fortunately Sally has a friend (Luke) who is going to step in at those points and take some photos with my gear.  We have already arranged to meet up at the wedding rehearsal and give him a chance to practice.  

Luke will be unfamiliar with my Canon 1D, and he will have to practice the skill of photographing myself and Sally walking towards him down the aisle, keeping constant focus as we get closer and closer.  A tough enough assignment under normal circumstances, but when it's your first time, and it's not your own camera, and there's no second chance, and the father of the bride is walking towards you...  THAT is pressure!  

As soon as I get to my seat, both my cameras will be waiting for me - and that's when I stop being just 'Dad'.  That's when I snap into 'Wedding Photographer' mode and begin the photograph the rest of the ceremony.  

The stress I was talking about??  Not being able to photograph my daughter as she takes the most important steps of her life.  The 'walking down the aisle' shot is iconic, and for once, I just have to relinquish control and enjoy the moment.

 

 

 

Kate & Patrick's Wedding

I've been absent from this blog for a few weeks, no excuse other that a really busy life.  I hope to rectify the shorfall initially with some images from a wonderful wedding I had the pleasure of photographing at the end of July. 

Kate & Patrick had the most fabulous venue for their reception - Waverley Abbey in Farnham.  The weather was perfect and, as the sun went down around 7.30pm, the shadows were long and the colours were truely golden.  It was a photographer's dream.

They were a very imaginative couple who had taken great care to ensure that their guests were not only suitably fed and watered, but that the entertainment was entirley original.  

Some of the shots show the wedding guests gathered around a hand-made photo-jigsaw.  Every guest had a piece of the jigsaw on their table as a place mat.  After the meal they took their piece out onto the grass and assembled the jigsaw into an amazing montage of photographs depicting Kate and Patrick's lives.  Brilliant!

Here are some of my favourite images from the day.

 

Do click on the images to see the larger versions in their hi-res glory.

Please feel free to leave you comments at the end of the photos.

 

Wedding: Steve & Emma

Having had a great engagement shoot with this lovely couple, the wedding took place on Easter Monday. It was a beautiful day with gorgeous sunshine during the hottest April on record.

This was my first wedding of 2011 and it couldn't have been better. We kicked off with an early morning visit to the hairdressers for the bride and her bridesmaids, then back to the riverside apartment overlooking the Thames at Teddington for make-up and the dresses.

The wedding was in the centre of Richmond, and then back to Teddington for a riverside reception at the Wharf resaurant.

Some of my favourite candid images of the day are below, [Click on the photos for larger images]

Please feel free to leave you comments at the end of the photos.

 

Photo info:
I used a Canon 1D Mk4 and 5D Mk2 with lenses:
70-200mm f2.8 | 24-70mm f2.8 | 24mm f1.4 | 85mm f1.2. No flash (as usual)