Last week, between making Valentine truffles with my daughter and tuning in to the guilty pleasure that is “Nashville,” I sifted through some of my 2012 wedding favorites and threw my proverbial hat in the ring for the annual photography competition of the South Carolina Association of Wedding Photographers. Although I couldn’t make the trip to Columbia over the weekend, the judges streamed the competition online, so I tuned in for some of it on Sunday. It was interesting to hear the three judges critique the photos. Some of what they said was right in line with my perspective, and other bits were insightful for helping me craft more compelling photos in 2013. Also, as much as I know about Charleston photographers, I know little about wedding and portrait photographers in other parts of the state, so it was good to learn some new names and see the work of the two guys who were awarded for the best portfolios of the year.
Having never submitted images to a contest before, I was pleased to have my portfolio and several images make the initial cuts, and even happier to garner three awards. This through-the-vino-glass shot was awarded first place in the reception category. Sonia and Mike are standing a few yards from where my husband and I exchanged I-Dos, so I was happy to see Lowndes Grove represented.
This sweet image of Sarah and Adrian on the porch of their Magnolia Plantation reception received an honorable mention. I love the simplicity.
One thing that was evident is that the less cluttered a photo, the better. This is something that most photographers consider when shooting portraits. Despite the trendiness of antlers in decor, most people do not want to look like the trees behind them are actually sprouting from their heads. But with candids, this becomes more challenging as the wedding day unfolds. Funny moments and tender glances often trump a cluttered scene, so we use big apertures to help us blur busy backgrounds and guide our viewers’ eyes to the subject.
This dress shot below was awarded third place in the detail category of the competition. I don’t believe that they have included a detail category in years past because the judges downplayed these images as “nice shots of stuff.” Yes, it’s definitely easier to document a static subject, but photographers still must take care to find a clean background and/or nice light. And a gown always looks better once a beaming bride steps into it, but it’s nice to get a shot of it alone for bloggers and Pinterested brides-to-be.
Anyway, the main reason I like this shot is because I was successful in distilling the scene. The bride, her mom and lots of others were in this hotel room prepping, laughing, sipping, snacking (see above). I didn’t want to risk taking the gown onto the breezy beach balcony, so after I took the shot of mom in the makeup chair, I took two minutes to declutter just enough to get a clean shot of the gown in the minty seaside room with the groovy bamboo bed. By using the mirror, I could add a little interest with the frame, and that was all the space I had without including bridesmaids, accessories and snacks.
Congratulations to all of the winners, and thanks to SCAWP and the judges for taking their time to sift, critique and award the submissions. I look forward to seeing more talented SC photographers enter next year. Please use the social media links below to follow my work and reach out. Thanks for visiting!
