[fishhunterii]

Weddings is a flourishing business if you target the clientele well. Service, reliability, reference and of course a good portfolio.

I started going into wedding photography 5 years ago with no knowledge of the industry and prior experience in only portraiture photography.

Armed with the equipments only - I became an assistant wedding photographer. I followed a senior where on wedding days I would get only to shoot behind the scenes, stayed in corners out of the ways of the seniors.
I’m always instructed to stay in the bride’s room when all the fun and actions are all outside where the bridesmaid played games and tricks to the groom and best men.

It’s really boring staying inside the room alone for at least 30 - 45 mins. how many more shots do I want to take of the bride waiting for the groom to sweep her off her feet when he enters the room.

It’s always an awkward silence after the initial 5-10 mins being locked inside. In certain jobs the bridemaids will be in the room. Most jobs is always me alone with the bride.

Fast forward 12 months, still maintaining as assistant title, seniors were never helpful to advance my career as being promoted will be another competition to them. Hence I was never recommended although I have built up the skills and equipment along the way.
I could go my own way instead of staying with a bridal house but the numbers of wedding couple is ever increasing.

It was peak season, I was yet again assigned to be with the bride again. This time it was a wealthy family and we had 3 seniors plus me in this assignment.

We arrived, it was a huge bungalow with a spacious garden. 6am and trying to keep my eyes open and be enthusiastic. Even worst when you have 3 seniors attached to this job. Consolation , less work for me when I hand in my pictures.

6.15am - we were being briefed by the family followed by the wedding planners.

Standard schedule for the morning:

06.30 - makeup begins
08.15 - Wedding dress
08.30 - Breakfast with family
09.00 - Veil attachment with parents
Final makeup
09.30 - Groom Arrival
09.35 - Games
10.00 - Family photo
10.15 - Tea Ceremony
11.00 - Depart to Groom’s Residence

Looking at the schedules are all about the same, hence knowing I will be shooting less, I just started to take pictures of their settings, wall ornaments, bride’s favorite toys, room settings. Anything that will create a memory for the family that signifies their home.

This assignment I was not even called to take the groom when he arrives. I just being assigned to finish the behind the scenes, some activities shots and then stay int he room with the bride.

Damn, all the best shots will be missing in my memory cards. Anyways, the bridesmaids started arriving one after another.

They were ushered to a room where their dresses hung beautifully in pink to change.
All in their baby doll dress designs with a light pink ribbon tied on the waist. All 8 of them were just beautiful. Never have I been to any assignments all were beautiful. My camera started sniping them the moment the lens is pointed to any of their directions.

The seniors were all rubbing shoulders with the parents in hope to get a bigger angpow later. A few of the bridesmaid saw that I was busy shooting their action of preparing the games, asked me to shoot more of them since the seniors were all not around.

We chatted, and exchange our pleasantries. I have a bad memory with names, hence I had to write them all down. 2 of them saw what I was doing and Yvonne, just came up to me took my pen and paper wrote down all their name and numbers. She said best for you to remember our names and here is our numbers as well. We like our photographs to be emailed to us. Give us all a call after the weddings. Wow strike mini jackpot liao.

They posed for me to capture their moments, and went on to joke a bit. One of the seniors walked past and saw that I was there, asked me to leave and he wanted to capture their moments. Yvonne, the leader of the bridesmaid snapped at Edwin, what do you think you are doing. Your colleague here is capturing our moments and you do not know what was done. I do not hope that our photo sequence is out of sync. I got a sharp look in the eyes by Edwin, he left unwillingly.

Yvonne, then related to me that when she first walked in this morning, she was not dressed yet, she was just in her T-shirt and jeans when she saw Edwin, he looked away snobbishly thinking I was just a flower delivery girl.

Then I overheard your briefing and after that your duties. Looks like you are being bullied. I’ve seen you work before in a few weddings, I noticed you are always being sidelined. Call me after the wedding, I have some offers to make to you.

Yvonne, is about 5’7’ with an hourglass body at least a B+ cup at first glance with long wavy hair. A typical runway model look. I’m guessing she’s mid twenties. I notice a lot of details as with my current work I take details work of the wedding couples.