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

London in Spring, Whats Not to Love?

Well I know there is still a lot not to love but I'm choosing to see the great things about London at the moment. I am having a ball this year visiting London as often as I can. Which is unusual for me since I usually prefer the comfort of my own home, in rural old Leicestershire. Staying home and avoiding people has always been the easy option. But this year, possibly due to the wonderful weather we keep having, has me longing for venturing out. Again, just like my last trip, I headed out with my good friend Panikos Hajistilly . Living in North London he finds it easy to meet up for our shoots. This time though I had more of an idea of the sights I wanted to use as the backdrops for my portraits. With it being spring I was in search of colour, preferably flowers. Admittedly. I didn't quite get what I was looking for. The white fronted terraced houses with pink magnolia trees we did not find unfortunately. But I did make it to Peggy Porchen's which was a must see on m...

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 ...

Its a Dog's Life

When life gets tough I always look at dogs or my cats and think how lucky they are. I know not all are treated well but those lucky enough to be in a good home, like the ones who come into my studio, have a really great life. They look so happy and its a wonderful thing to see. I honestly love photographing dogs. They are a joy to work with and its almost impossible to produce a bad portrait of a dog which does of course make my life a little easier. I am someone who really needs to love the work I create. I can't help but love the portraits I've created of all the dogs I've photographed over the years. And this shoot was certainly no exception. I found it a real pleasure using a lighter background this time too. I do often gravitate towards darker looks but seeing as this dog had a light coloured coat I thought I'd produce lighter images. This gave me the chance to use a canvas I painted a couple of years ago but never really used and I absolutely love it...

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...

Headshots and Portfolio Shoots: Here's What we Offer

Headshot requests are becoming more frequent so I thought I'd put together a post to share some recent work and explain the packages I offer in greater detail. Headshots are typically a simpler and quicker session so my packages are also a little simpler than what I offer in my full studio sessions. If headshots are what you or your child need its really important that you get good quality headshots that can stand out amongst the crowd. A headshot is a representation of you and often the first impression you are giving out to your audience, whether its casting directors, agents or college officials considering your application. A good headshot is more likely to get you noticed and ultimately get you further along your path. Making your headshots the best they can be should go a long way in helping you progress in your chosen path. I offer 2 different levels of service in order to make it as affordable and appropriate as possible. The first is a simple straightforwa...

Christina Lauder Portraits

Search This Blog