» A Bartram’s Garden Wedding
Sometimes I’m brought on as a second by other talented photographers in the area and allowed to take a backseat in capturing the day instead of being the lead. As much as I love being allowed to take documentary photographs and leave the shine to the main, it can also be a bit daunting and nerve-wracking for an introvert like myself. As a second, I am walking into unfamiliar territory where I do not know the couple or have an idea of what to expect except that I’m to cover the principal photographer and work as both their helper, photographer and mini cheerleader (trust me, weddings are rough!).
Nevertheless, seconding is always a fun and rewarding gig where I can let myself capture a wedding freely with none of the work that comes with putting it all together as a main. That mental relief allows me to relax and casually take pictures. I’m not there to call out poses or moves like I am as a main but instead support the main by ensuring they’re able to stick to their schedule, gather people as needed, and provide a different angle and perspective of the day. It’s one of the reasons why I always have a second with me at my weddings. They’re essential to keeping you in order when it comes to weddings. A wedding is more than just snapping pictures; it’s an entire theatrical event directed by numerous artists and crafters so that everything plays out with as few hiccups as possible.
After working with them a few months prior, I had the opportunity to work with Shannon Collins again for a wedding in June of 2022. I was excited because they’re a talented photographer and a fantastic person overall. As another neurodivergent person on the spectrum, we can work together seamlessly due to our mutual understanding and ability to allow each other to be ourselves without judgment. In addition, they were recently nominated Best of Philly for their fantastic project known as Youthphoria, where young trans, nonbinary, and gender-expansive youth can get a portrait session at no cost!
This beautiful garden wedding was a colorful delight to be part of, where the lights were strong but provided gorgeous backlighting throughout the area. If there’s one thing I love, it’s nature and greenery, and Bartram’s Garden is a hidden gem. The freedom of being in the backseat and feeling comfortable working with Shannon allowed me to take what I think is one of my favorite weddings as a second shooter. This wedding told me I was in my element when you put me in a setting like this. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with gorgeous architecture or gallery weddings, but there will always be a soft spot for forest and nature-themed weddings like this one.
Bartram’s Garden is hands down one of my favorite venues in the Philadelphia area. Ever since I was made aware of the location by clients who wanted headshots there, I’ve fallen in love with the whimsical and dreamy park area where flowers bloom yearly and the whole area looks like it was plucked from a storybook. I was beyond honored and over the moon happy when a photo from this wedding was selected to be featured on Rangefinder Magazine’s Photo of the Day.
Here are a few of my favorites that I was finally able to edit this month now that the wedding season is on hiatus until Spring. Do you know how some people color in a coloring book to relax? Editing a wedding like this was like that for me—no pressure or deadlines, just blissful editing and retelling of their story through my perspective.
