I’m not much for quotes, but last year I came across one that really stuck with me.

Shots that have taken careful orchestration say more about the photographer than they do the subjects, and really, who cares about the photographer? That’s okay in fashion but documentary should be all about the subject.

- Nick Tucker

As you might imagine, I look at a lot of wedding photography. Social media means that every day I see a new wave of images, weddings from around the world, weddings shot by my friends at home, and obviously my own as I work through them. The standard for wedding photography is always being pushed further, but an emerging trend is that it’s becoming more about the photography and less about the actual weddings. Portfolios and contests are filled with portraits of the couple, with barely any context as to what they did that day, or who they shared it with. When I was picking out my favourite images of the year gone by, I wanted to focus in on the real, the moments that were never on the runsheet. The moments that I really had nothing to do with. My clients present me with spectacular days to document, I’m just out to do them justice. A few portraits did sneak in though, when the light was just too damn good to leave out.

My main goal for 2016 was to tweak the whole work/life balance thing after the craziness of 2015. I’d say that worked out pretty well, which has renewed my enthusiasm for the weddings ahead. I had a week in Fiji which was awesome, and two visits to NZ – a country I’d dearly like to shoot a wedding in, if anyone is keen 🙂 I was lucky enough to shoot a few times back in my hometown of Gloucester, always a special opportunity. I was stoked to shoot my first same-sex wedding (hopefully one of many). I was introduced to 10AM shots of rakija at my first Macedonian, Serbian & Croatian weddings. There were confetti throws, happy tears, Simpsons lookalikes, half-naked photo booths, starlit lovers, grandma flower girls, drunken mother-in-laws & a Mr Whippy van. To all of my clients who bring me along, who put your trust in me, who ‘get it’ – thanks so much. Seriously, thank you.