Title: Quite the Ride
Taken: September 4th, 2016 in Providence, Rhode Island
Shot with: Nikon D-750 camera body,
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom lens.
Shot at: 28 mm, 1/60 sec at f /2.8, ISO 800
So much about photography is luck-based.
Some of the best shots I've ever taken have been almost exclusively by happenstance. Whether it be perfect lighting or an incredibly photogenic couple, sometimes the things that turn a good image into a great one have zero to do with your abilities as a photographer and everything to do with timing and things just going right.
And that was certainly the case back in September as I photographed Jen and Kyle's beautiful wedding at the Roger Williams Park Botanical Center.
I've known for a while that I wanted to shoot photos of a large wedding party at the Roger Williams Park carousel but, sadly, this plan has never materialized as most of the couples whose weddings I've photographed have either not wanted to go to the park or time hasn't allowed us to. But, on this day, I was lucky enough to work with a bride and groom who were completely down with the plan and, I'll be honest, I was giddy thinking about the possibilities.
The one thing I didn't think about, however, was timing. See, when you have a 5:30 p.m. ceremony that runs a little bit long and has a receiving line, the last thing you're thinking about are business hours for a carousel but, as we drove down from the botanical center to the carousel parking lot, it hit me that we might not actually get in.
That sinking feeling was only enlarged when I arrived to see Kyle and Jen's wedding party in front of the structure ... and the doors closed. Yes. We were shut out.
But, thankfully, the one employee left at the carousel had a soft spot in his heart for a saddened bride and with all the luck in the world, we managed to convince him to let us in for a handful of shots, including this one, my new favorite wedding party photo.
I love everything about this photo from a composition standpoint and from a subject standpoint ... even the staged laughs make me chuckle. But why this photo is a special one for me is it's a reminder that, sometimes, even the best laid plans go awry and on those days, it's good to have lady luck on your side.