I think a part of the problem with appreciating the bride's willingness to help others on her special day is that, as far as I can tell, it is not obvious from the image that it's the bride who is doing the helping. In fact I automatically assumed that it was the other way around. After looking at the image again, I don't see anything that would suggest that it was one way or the other way - so in thinking that the bride is being helped, I was jumping to conclusions based on expectations of what is usual, rather than on the image itself. But this also makes your interpretation a result of knowing the circumstances rather than purely looking at the image.
What I *do* see, without ambiguity, is the "her day" that you mention. She looks relaxed, content, happy. I think it is exactly that positive energy that keeps drawing my eyes to the bride's face, despite the fact that compositionally it's on even terms with the woman on the right.
Again thank you for the critique. I respect yoru opinions as well as your own work. It's my pleasure to hear from you so frequently.
To the casual viewer, I see your point exactly. there is a sense that the bride should be the focus. In this case I think my own knowledge of the individuals and whats taking place makes me appreciate the photo even more. But withholding that knowledge I think with careful observation and reflection upon ones own wedding experiences, this speaks volumes about two individuals and a wedding day. When things don't go right (as they often don't) you must fix them. As is the case of whats going on. In the majority of those situations it is someone other than the bride that takes on those challenges. She's ordinarily much to busy with her own preperation to have time for such things. But the fact that she took time out of what is percieved widely as "her" day (again focus is solely on the bride) to help someone else means something to me. Emergency repair as it may be isn't always the easiest thing to do in the world either. As far as the blown highlights, there really wasn't much I could do as you've pointed to. There is a bank of windows on that wall and the sun was shining through them. I could not have properly exposed for the faces, dress, or otherwise with out doing so. In hindsight, I wish i would have ran around the other side of them. Then again captures often don't wait for you to do such things.
Interesting composition. In one sense it works, it's dynamic, it makes me look at the bride, then follow the line of her gaze to the centre of the image where the hands meet, then to the older woman's face, and by the same route back to the bride. On the other hand, I naturally tend to perceive the bride as the most important element of the photo, and the presence of the other elements makes me feel as if this perception of mine was incorrect. This feels kind of strange. I'm not a big fan of blown highlights, though I'm not sure how much choice you had in the matter...
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{K:24381} 8/11/2004