How many of us are self-conscious about our appearance in public and worry about how people will respond to us? How many of us tend not to let our hair down unless we’re with really close friends? I know that I am often self-conscious and a little reserved. I tend to restrict my behavior so that I am perceived in a certain way. I want people to see that I’m professional, serious about my work, that I’m smart, and that I’m ethical. We often do not let our guard down with others, especially in public, or out in a group. We don’t like to be judged and are oh so careful about letting ourselves be us until we really get to know someone.
However, what I love seeing most at weddings and photographing, are the people doing just the opposite. They are letting their guard down and breaking out the dance moves. Something about music does that to us. And maybe a little alcohol. lol I love that people sing out loud and half the time messing up the words. They sing like they’re the rock stars on a stage performing for the fans. The dance moves can be even more dramatic. I find that during a wedding reception, most people become “themselves” once that music starts. They become the easy going, fun loving person they are and should be more often. They don’t care that someone is watching and that their moves are outlandishly not dance moves at all, but rather hands flailing about, butts wiggling and sticking out, knees a knocking and hair being tossed about. Something far from a well-choreographed dance piece. But it doesn’t matter. They’re laughing and enjoying themselves and others are laughing right along beside them. These are the expressions I as a photographer get to document. It’s pure and utter joy. A release of everything held inside we feel we need to do to make a good impression on others. It’s happiness at its finest. It’s even comical.
As I edited Lisa and Christina’s wedding, I remembered how much awesomeness I was privileged to capture. I was able to meet people and see THEM and not so much their reined in selves waiting to be judged. It was family and friends letting loose, being themselves, having as much fun as they could, and not having a care in the world all while celebrating with a couple so very much in love.
That is what I love to capture. It’s what I do not take for granted that I am charged with the responsibility of documenting in an image for someone else’s heritage. Being able to show someone’s personality and savoring it so that generations to come can hear about the person and see just how awesome they were. It really does make me happy looking back on these images not really even knowing the people well, but knowing those who did are going to be even happier to see.
So, I say let your hair down more often. Don’t wait until the next wedding or event. And can I just say that these wedding guests had the best dance moves ever!
Wedding venue : http://www.doghousestudios.ca/
DJ: https://octaveentertainment.ca/
