Jennifer & Brandon’s Wedding – The Rice Hotel, Houston

Jennifer and Brandon’s wedding was simply a terrific celebration over a couple of days of shooting in Houston. A double post if you will. We start with a few favorite images from Jennifer’s bridal session a little while ago (for photographers, Jen was captured with an Apollo light). Jennifer was photographed in and around The Crystal Ballroom at the recently renovated and historic Rice Hotel – amazing rich history, a must read. Needless to say, the wedding reception had lots of atmosphere and a thumping crowd. The ceremony was at St.Theresa Catholic Church and I even had the pleasure of meeting a fellow Englishman, the Priest. Wonderful couple and Jen and Brandon have great chemistry.

This bit is about my process and for other photographers. After eight years photographing weddings, I still love and very passionate about what I do. I know how fortunate I am, always humble and open to learning from others. I have my head stuck in books, photojournalism, studying photography, hoping to take a little piece subconsciously and bring it to my work.

This year, the focus is on rhythm, geometry, shapes, lines and how I can anticipate those moments, all the while looking for a peak in real time.  Twenty years of shooting professionally, and I’m still searching for that perfect photograph. It never gets old:-)  The tools of my use have helped. Sure, the Leica M, the M9, have opened my mind more to finding and perfecting composition, and 2014 is the year for me to continue working on that area.

If you’re a photographer and you’re reading this. I have to tell you there are no short cuts. Just keep shooting from the heart, but catch your breathe as you shoot and really look around that view finder before shooting. Get it right first in the camera. That include exposure. Try shooting in black and white. Imagine you’re shooting film. Slow down. Sure, shoot a burst when the moment comes before you. But, take Henri Cartier-Bresson advice who once said something along the lines of acknowledging in the 50s that there are many photographers out there competing with ever smaller cameras, but often the difference between a average shot and a great shot, was a slight change in composition. Could it be that simple? No obviously. But he I think he was close to it.

Thanks for the trust….