Our Favorite Wedding Photos
Favorite Photo #1
Photography and explanation by Matt Feikes
As a photographer and photojournalist, I often look for the less
obvious opportunities to tell a story with an image. If I’ve
told the viewer something about a person in a wedding day image—other
than “I-got-married-today, here’s-my-family-all-in-a-row”--
than I feel I’ve done my job.
Now, it may seem strange to see this particular shot on a link
called “My Favorite Wedding Photo” given that this
bride is not even in her bridal gown, but let me explain.
This was shot shortly after I had pulled up to the bride’s
house in Norridge. I was early and in no rush to go to the door.
Like all the other houses on the block, hers was tidy, sturdy,
small and unpretentious. Salt of the earth types live in these
neighborhoods. They work hard, know who their neighbors are and
take pride in themselves and their property.
Moments later, I greeted Julie when she pulled up in her car
just back from a run to Osco for something she needed for her
big day ahead. I was struck by how she’d run this errand
herself and not sent her dad or one of her attendants. No wedding
day prima donna here! I followed her into her parent’s house
with my camera cases. As I began to assemble my gear, I took note
of my surroundings; the pictures of family proudly displayed on
the walls and stuck on the refrigerator, modest furnishings, a
few wedding gifts and congratulatory cards that had accumulated
in one corner of the living room, a deli tray laid out in the
kitchen for all that would soon assemble there.
I asked Julie if I could photograph her in front of the house
before she put her gown on. She gladly agreed, and as we made
our way back out the front door she told me how ironic it was
for me to ask for this picture. She explained that she’d
grown up in this house and that together with her sister, she’d
posed for pictures on her front lawn on every important day of
her life: first day of school, first communion, the prom, graduation,
etc.
Now a grown woman, it was her wedding day. I’d asked for
the street cloths shot because the zippered hoodie and jeans spoke
to me about who she was. Beautiful, with her hair and makeup already
done to perfection yet grounded in that girl-next-door sort of
way in those jeans that showed her curves like her gown would
not. The flag on the house obligingly caught the November breeze
almost as if to salute the U.S. Marine she would marry in three
hours. This same breeze blew her coiffed hair across her face.
Without any agitation, she swept it out of the way and…..
click! The image burned to my flash card about as quickly as it
burned into my soul. It’s the same feeling you get when
you know you’ve tagged a home run ball.
I would shoot 863 more photos that day. Together they documented
a wonderful day in ways that I know my customer will treasure.
For me personally though, there would be no topping frame #4.
Matt Feikes has been with Studio One since 1996 and has photographed
more than 300 weddings in his career.
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