neil cowley on wedding phtography

I like how he writes about the idea of a photo essay as that sums up the way the Pressmen work.

Neil cowley visual artist

"'Photojournalism' is a key word because of the ethics that have applied to the trade for so long. The photographer's responsibility to the viewer to be honest and straight forward, not creating scenes himself, but only telling of events that occurred. Straight news photography holds to the purest traditions of this while great photojournalists of the past have allowed their artistic ability to be impressed and respond to events and people interpreting them with a sensibility for the humanity of a captured expression and eternity of a temporary moment that a camera can capture. The great tradition of the photo-essay is the approach I take to wedding photography. 'Artistic' is a keyword because an art object is something who's sum is greater than its parts. The sum of your wedding photography is greater than the individual photographs that are taken. Choosing a photographer who understands this will produce a greater 'sum' than a photographer who only thinks in terms of 'shots to get'. It is also important to note that I use my artistic intuition to find, capture and relate the expressions, moments and details that will add up to produce the art object that will be your wedding album.

I think of the photography process as a continuous dialogue with the subjects I'm photographing. I have a good sense of how a wedding happens and am incredibly sensitive to the personal dynamics that I observe, but I also appreciate friendly insight and tips from you and your family. Its always fun to get a tug on the shoulder from the mother of the bride who wants me to be sure to get a shot of her sister dancing on top of a table or points out that grandpa is dancing with the gorgeous young bridesmaid."