A Wedding of Two Halves
February 10, 2016
Laura & Jack at Field Place
Laura and Jack presented me with a different kind of wedding shoot when they decided to split their special day into two halves, one at Field Place in Worthing, and the other in sunny Jamaica! Being the British photographer I definitely drew the short straw (!), but I was really excited to be involved in manifesting their vision; to create some British contrast to the tropical, sun-drenched magic of the Caribbean.
The Jamaican section was a very intimate affair, and Jack and Laura wanted the chance to invite all their family and friends to a big bash in Worthing not only to celebrate their marriage but to help them get over the shock of returning to the grey UK at the very end of November.
The couple had really liked the modern and artistic edge to my work, and were after a striking contrast to palm trees and golden sands. Lucky that they felt this way, as we were not blessed with the brightest of late-November days for the shoot! We were all keeping our fingers crossed for a sunset shot, but our luck was out. We Brits are not ones to be outdone by the weather though, and with a stiff upper lip we braved the rain and cold to grab a small sliver of daylight. We used the imposingly large window to frame the couple against the moody darkness of the sky, and I had my assistant crouch behind them to compensate for the non-existent sun and provide a romantic glow in this dramatic shot.
We took advantage of the gorgeous flint walls outside the hall in the next image, softly lighting Laura beside the romantically lit archway, with its damp paving and that magical wintery light.
Inside, the flint walls are still present but painted a clean white. We used this location for the group shots, I really love the unique medieval style slit windows, and the way the texture of the wall fuses the outside and inside locations together. This next image is a special one for Laura, Jack and their bridesmaid and best man who shared their wedding day with them in Jamaica. I love the simple symmetry of the cross legged gentlemen, the soft pinks and greys and the way that the eye is led to rest on the bride and groom on the right hand side of the picture.
With the final two shots I wanted to create a chic, stylised, almost 'fashion-mag' feel. In the first, Jack is in the spotlight while Laura is a mysterious blur in that gorgeous sweeping dress. The twinkling lights above add to the wintery, icy feel and the flint walls set the scene firmly in the (not so) sunny UK! The final image plants the attention back onto Laura and features the elegant windows from the attached Manor House. The monochrome edge here works really well as a nod to the idea of black and white, or yin and yang; here we see two separate individuals choosing to share their lives together.
Jack and Laura, I really hope you feel you got the 'best of both worlds' from your wedding day(s!). Thank you for your kindness and enthusiasm for my work and for braving the cold with me to create some wonderful, atmospheric photographs. May your future be filled with warmth and happiness!
Love Kelly x
Kelly Hearn A.B.I.P.P - A.M.P.A