I have had the pleasure of shooting on the Eastern Shore of Maryland for many years. Shooting here at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum is really fun as it is nothing less than a visual playground. The whole history of the Bay is right there in wood and iron. http://www.cbmm.org/During the ceremony boats of all kinds traverse the horizon. It is like a Richard Scary book. A curious kayaker will come right up to the ceremony as 50 foot Skip Jacks sail in the distance. It is quite a show. And that is what I love about weddings. They are shows. The best transform from demure Baroque fashion shows into sweaty rock shows.
As a photographer I have an all access pass to the show. I get to go places where even the groom or the Mother of the Bride are not welcome. I go into these realms with great respect as they are sacred. It is my job to be present and bare witness. So I watch and record. I feel the energy and flow. Is it a tip toe moment or an air guitar 80's Hair Metal moment? The vibratory spectrum is wide at the best weddings.
So I love to shoot weddings because it is so intimate and ephemeral. People ask me, "Isn't it really stressful? How do you do it?" I find weddings energizing. Don't get me wrong, it takes me 48 hours to recover! But the actual wedding weekend, I have learned to break it up in chunks. One step, one moment, one scene at a time. Dressing, eating, dancing, connecting- oh quick there is a once in a lifetime moment! This way I stay present. Really present! Quietly capturing. Gleefully shooting.
I have shot sports and weddings share an adrenal component with that art form. It is hard to to do well. I stay in shape as some wedding days are 14 hours long. You can't keep up without training. I suit up and show up. Every lens has been air blown, every battery is fresh. Energy bars are in the bag. I look at it like an Outward Bound Expedition. I consider every worst case situation that I can and bring my Leatherman, gaffers tape, rope. An extra safety pin can save the day for a clothing disaster. I want to be there for my client.
Really it is so much more than shooting. You have to love it or you miss it. You have to love them or you miss them.
