Cultivating Connection

Cultivating Connection

As cheesy as it sounds, I would never say that I chose photography, photography chose me. I never viewed wedding photography as “the dream”, or that it even was an option for a career, I just loved to capture all the fun adventures my friends went on, or the sweet acts of strangers. What really guided me towards photography was my love of capturing connection.

Throughout high school, I would make videos to my favorite songs, capturing my life. My “2025”, “Summer 2019”, and “My trip to New York” videos were solely for me, no payment or compensation. My earlier videos were simply filmed on my iPhone, without any fancy lenses or cameras. Nothing made me happier than catching moments of my friends belly-laughing, my sister dancing in the rain, or a random stranger reading a newspaper at a cafe and then putting them all to a song that evokes emotion, and a sense of, well, connection.

The connection was never forced though. It was never posed, performative, or suggested. I would just let the moments unfold as they may and hope that my iPhone camera lens could capture even a fraction of joy I felt in the moment.

This is the same philosophy I bring to my photography. When I realized I could capture these moments that I’d always loved to capture for my friends and family, but for strangers, I ran with that. I love meeting to people and hearing their stories, and there is something very intimate in letting couples showcase their love in an outfit, location, and vibe that feels the most authentically them. When couples need the guidance, I provide prompts and poses, but usually, I like to let them do them and sit back like a fly on the wall, catching glimpse of their habits, mannerisms, and expressions of love.

On top of photographing moments of connection between couples, family, and friends, I also like to prioritize myconnection with my clients. In photographer Michael Frea’s blog article titled Why Connections with Your Wedding Photographer Matter, he states that “Without establishing a connection with my clients, I’d be making photos for me, and not for them. By caring about them, the photos show the best version of them on their wedding day and their amazing connection to each other.” With phone calls before the big day, consistent and intentional communication, remembering names and stories, and constant reassurance and good energy throughout the big day, I’m able to create a connection with my clients which helps their level of comfortability in front of my lens. By turning the stranger behind the camera into a familiar face and friend, the gallery I deliver is more carefree, authentic, and real.

Weddings are all about connection. Two people, merging their family, friends, and life together, all with a celebration of love and devotion. From the mother of the bride zipping up the bride’s dress in the quiet moments before walking down the aisle, to the bride and grooms first dance. As important of a day as it is for the soon-to-be newlyweds, it’s also a perfect day to capture how not only the bride and groom love each other, but how their friends and family love them. Some of my favorite shots are the moments where wedding guests are fully themselves giving raw reactions to the events of the day. Whether it’s a tear rolling down the groom’s father’s cheek, or the bride’s flower girls looking up at her in awe, some of my best photos come from the moments when people aren’t aware that they are being photographed- it’s raw and it’s candid, and it’s genuine. In Liam Smith’s article called The Art of Storytelling in Wedding Photography, he explains that “The connections between the couple, their families, and friends are a vital part of any wedding story. To convey these relationships, focus on capturing the interactions and shared moments between loved ones.” It’s obviously very important to capture the bride and groom throughout their day, but a lot of tender moments and reactions from guests are missed if you don’t think look for them.

To me, human connection is the essence of life, and getting to do it for a living is the greatest joy. On top of that, getting to deliver photos of connection between my bride and grooms on one of the biggest days of their life, as well as the intimate moments they share with their family and friends is the biggest privilege. When I photograph weddings my goal is always to cultivate connection; between myself and the couple, the couple themselves, and lastly, between the couple and all of the people that shaped who they are and helped them get to this special day.

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Works Cited

Freas, Michael. “Wedding Wisdom: Why Connections Matter.” Michael Freas Photography | Documentary Wedding Photographer NC, SC, FL, 25 May 2024, michaelfreas.com/wedding-tips/wedding-wisdom-why-connections-matter/. 

Smith, Liam. “The Art of Storytelling in Wedding Photography.” Liam Smith Photography, 27 Apr. 2023, liamsmithphotography.com/wedding-photography/resources-for-photographers/storytelling-in-wedding-photography/.