Where to begin with this one... The instant I hit the shutter and reviewed the image on the back of my camera, I knew I'd taken on of the best photos of my entire career. One that will really, really take some beating.
I've been fortunate to work at Clearwell a few times in the past and it's just the most gorgeous venue. For Ellie and Mark's wedding (pictured) it had been forecast to rain for most of the day but it had actually been pretty decent - bright and overcast is ideal for wedding photography.
The couple had bought a couple of smoke bombs for use in a photo after-dark, so an hour after their first dance we headed out to the portcullis, I set up my lights, the best man set off a blue smoke bomb and we took some gorgeous photos.
And then my favourite thing happened - it started to rain. We had a sudden and torrential downpour. I ran 25 metres away from the structure (getting utterly soaked in the process) and only took 4 photos - I knew after the first one that I had absolutely nailed it though. When I finished dancing around in pure joy, I ran back to show the couple their photo on the back of my camera. There was a mixture of stunned silence and a few expletives!
Having arranged for someone to collect some umbrellas, we ushered the bride back into the warm and dry of Clearwell Castle. The groomsmen came out to me and I got some images of them smoking cigars under the portcullis, with a similar setup to that used for the main image.
Most couples hope for sunshine and clear skies for their wedding - as soon as it gets dark, I suggest hoping for the opposite. Awesomeness ensues.
Location: Clearwell Castle.
Keywords: Photographer-directed image (128).