Title: A Leap of Faith
Taken: September 13th, 2015 in Newport, Rhode Island.
Shot with: Nikon D-3 camera body,
Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom lens.
Shot at: 24 mm, 1/1250 sec at f / 4.0, ISO 800
No one wants to see it rain on a wedding day. OK, maybe not no one. Alanis Morissette probably finds it a little humorous.
But unless you're a well-known Canadian pop/rock singer from the 90s, chances are the last thing you want any of your friends or family to have to deal with on the biggest day of their lives is uncooperative weather.
No matter how much time, money or effort you put into your wedding, the one thing you can't predict and/or plan for is the weather and on a beautiful Sunday in September, that's what at least one couple in Newport had to deal with.
It also led to one of my favorite wedding photos of the season.
The photo at the left, on its own, is a cool picture and a cool perspective on the traditional 'down the aisle' ceremony shot. But it's the story behind the photo that makes it one I'll cherish for a long time. Because, after an entire day of rough weather and occasional downpours, I was absolutely convinced this poor couple's plans to get married at one of Rhode Island's most incredible venues (The Oceancliff Hotel) was about to go up in smoke.
So, why do I love this photo so much? Because weddings are, in a way, a leap of faith and faith got this couple through the worst of it.
See, a few hours before this photo was taken, the weather was terrible. But the groom, a fun gentleman who doesn't rattle easily, told me point blank he wasn't worried.
Even when the rain came down in droves 20 minutes before the time we scheduled their first look, he wasn't worried. Even when the clouds opened up in spurts during their formal photo session on the rocks in Newport, he wasn't worried.
And, it turns out, that faith was justified.
The weather held. It shouldn't have but it held.
And this photo right here? This was one of the last photos taken before the rain gave way to an almost perfect sunny afternoon. In the middle of their outdoor ceremony. The ceremony that often looked like it would be cancelled.
So, much like you can never predict how your life is going to go when you're on the verge of getting married and that commitment requires taking a leap of faith, sometimes you just have to trust that your positive attitude and, maybe, a little divine intervention will find a way to save your plans.
To me, this photo perfectly represents that message and even know, almost a month after I took the photo and a full month before I can show off the blog I've done on this wedding, it warms my heart that such a simple snapshot can mean so much.