Pre-wedding portraits are one of my favourite photographic activities, and on one of the hottest days of the year, and only two weeks or so before their wedding, I set off to Brighton to photograph Sarah and Reuben. One of the best things about pre-wedding portraits is that there is no agenda, other than us all getting used to each other in a photographic context. We can play, try stuff out, see what we are all comfortable doing in front of the camera. Some couples discover that they are happiest without direction from me, just ‘being’ in the photographs. Others, like Sarah and Reuben, are open to suggestions and ideas, and between us all, we can create something a bit different.
So, on a hot and sunny day, we look for shade. We started of on top of Brighton Pier, and worked our way around and down, to the netherworld below it. And we made one of my favourite images yet – Sarah leaning on the iron supports under the pier, beside some old rope the exact colour of her dress. It’s here on the blog as a stand alone image, and it’s here again for you to see. It’s coming across the unexpected that makes it exciting, and for Sarah, it was bravely climbing up onto the ironwork in front of a beach full of bemused onlookers. If that doesn’t prepare you for your wedding day photography, I’m not sure what does!
Here are the best bits…
