Last week I was able to take some photos of a couple of friends of mine. Alex and Madison are destined to get married later this year and we took some photos to celebrate the event. I didn’t know this beforehand, so I was somewhat deceived into a very casual photo shoot with just my Rolleiflex and Fuji GA645i. Had I known prior to showing up to the Weeki Wachee Preserve, I probably brought along some sort of digital camera to make sure I got some “keeper” shots before the session was over. At least I had a Polaroid One Step 2 in the car to take a couple photos to hand them on site. Anyway, unexpectedly, this was my first session done completely on film without any digital peace of mind.
I got to know more about Alex and Madison on a lengthy walk through the preserve’s entrance which was a really great way to not only make things a bit less awkward, but to learn more about them and try to present something more true to who they are as a couple than simply taking some generic run-of-the-mill photos. I was pleasantly surprised to see that their candor with me as well as with each other shined through some of the photos.
For two people in a relationship who claim to be pretty awkward together were naturally calm and receptive to anything I suggested, even if it seemed a little silly at the moment. Most of the shots were taken after I noticed something I liked about their natural interactions with one another. As they sat, talked, and made gestures, I made them go back and freeze frame those to get the natural shots I was looking for. Luckily for all of us, everything came out just the way we wanted it.
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