This past weekend, I had the honor of being the photographer for my friends' wedding. This is a first for me. Not so much as being a photographer for during a wedding as I've had experience in a number of weddings being a secondary, but this is the first time that I was the primary! I was very excited to take on this challenge and get the experience under my belt. A challenge and an experience it was as I've learned some things that's to be done in the future should I ever get the chance to be the primary again.

First thing I've learned...it isn't easy. That's really a bad description as being a secondary isn't easy itself so being a primary is another level of difficulty. As a secondary, your essential duty is to stand "in the shadows" so to speak. Get shots of the wedding guests as they're interacting with other guests, viewing the actual ceremony, shots of the decorations etc. Essentially getting the shots the primary can't focus on because the primary is focusing on getting the money shots. That's not to say the photos from the secondary aren't important. They are. Your duty as the secondary is to get the other shots. Not only that, but as a secondary, you're also supposed to get the money shots that maybe the primary couldn't get to. You're backup. So with that said, all, if not most of the heavy responsibilities lay solely on the primary. With most of my wedding experience being a secondary, I wasn't really used to the pressure of getting those important moments. I'm a very capable photographer but I felt I wasn't able to get most of the important moments in this first excursion into being a primary photographer so with that, I'm a bit disappointed in myself but there's more to this.

Second thing I've learned is that two is better than one. I had multiple cameras on me that day but that's not what I'm referring to. I'm actually talking about photographers. I was the only photographer on duty! My job would've been SO much easier had I had a secondary that day. I was under the impression that another friend would be there that day and be somewhat of a secondary but he didn't show until the reception...way after the ceremony had ended. So without a secondary, I was pretty much running around everywhere during the ceremony that day trying to capture those precious moments and like I said, I wasn't able to capture enough of them. It wasn't the ceremony itself that a secondary would've came in handy. I was only able to spend time and capture photos of the bride getting ready and I was unable to capture the groom and his groomsmen get ready and that's one of the other things I was disappointed in not capturing. It was important to me because the groom is my friend (and so is the bride mind you...) and I feel horrible for not being there for him. Although he and she has/had said it isn't a big deal, it was a big deal for me and for that I apologize.

Lastly, I shouldn't be lugging around so many cameras during a wedding. It's understandable, considering my predicament that day, for carrying around so many cameras, and it's normal for wedding photographers, primary or secondary, to have multiple cameras on hand, but not all at once and not for the entire time. This was a minor problem but as I'm typing this, my left shoulder is still aching a bit from the 3 cameras I had around my neck. Two DSLRs that were my friends (as I currently don't own a DSLR...) and my Hassleblad so there was a bit of weight on me. I think in the future, I'll carefully consider at which point I should carry what and when, to shoot specific moments.

In closing, this definitely was a great learning experience. I loved gaining the experience and even with all the pressure, I enjoyed it. Maybe not entirely but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I know now what I would have to do in future wedding gigs as the primary or even as the secondary. I'm a bit disappointed in not being able to get alot of the shots I wanted so with a heavy heart, I apologize again to the bride and groom. I hope I was able to make them happy with what I was able to give them. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to photograph your wedding. You guys are a big part of my life. A HUGE thank you to my friends Gilbert and Alex (who were both groomsmen) for taking one of the cameras off my hand and being my secondary and tertiary photographers during the reception. That being said, I'm sure you'd like to see some photos so here are some of my favorites of the day. I hope you guys enjoy them.