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2.The Candid Wedding

Nine thousand questions in the form of one thousand mental gremlins ^ plague the tyro photographer on his first wedding job. How do you expose a mirror shot? How do you group a bridal party? How do you .... but as I said, there are a thousand questions! And the only oracle that can bring forth the answers is: Experience. This is your gremlin-chaser. And it is this book's intention to make the pathway to experience a shorter and smoother one.

The outline that follows is broken down into the general classifications of House, Church, Formals, Reception and Other Shots. It includes all the more popular shots taken during the wedding day. Each shot, in turn, is again broken down to answer the How, When, Why and Where. And before that gremlin pulls your f/stop from f/8 to 22, these are the facts that will stop him cold.

1. At the Bride's House
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The day has arrived and the fatal hour is approaching. So let's take a final check. The time: 2:00 p.m. Wedding ceremony: 4:00 p.m. Trip to bride's house: 20 minutes. Trip from bride's house to church: 10 minutes. We should be at the bride's house: 3:00 p.m. (about fifty minutes before the bride leaves for church). If this were a Jewish wedding, where the reception and ceremony are held at one establishment, the bride would arrive about one hour before the ceremony, and so would we.

Now a final check. No flat tires? Cameras loaded? Extra film? Speedlight charged and working? Flashbulbs and gun in case of speedlight trouble?

The day is cold, so about five minutes before leaving, we'll start the motor and heater to warm the car. A cold camera or film brought into a warm room will form condensation and result in flat, thin, diffused negatives. The time is now 2:30, so let's go. ...

Up the steps and into the bride's house. How do you announce yourself? You don't. "The photographer is here!" What do you say to put the bride (and yourself) at ease? Just, "Hello, you look lovely." See how simple it is.

"Now, Miss Bride, let's take the mirror shot."

This is the first of fifteen shots the candid wedding photographer takes at the bride's house for full coverage. They are listed below to give you an idea of the pictures you should make. But of greater importance all the posing and "how-to" information you will need on the scene accompanies the actual pho­tographs in this book.

Actually the pictures in this book which cover a complete wedding are laid out in sequence, along with full captions. The reason: so this book can serve as an "on-the-job" reference. For example, if you're about to shoot the formal of the bride with her parents (situation nine on the list), all you need is to turn to the proper illustration and you will discover all die material you need to help you pose, light and take the picture. Imitate where possible the composition of each picture. Later when shooting has become automatic, the approach to these shots will be yours, and the style emerging, your own.

Pictures to Take at the Bride's House

1. Mirror Shot of the Bride Alone.
2. Mirror Shot With Maid-of-Honor Assisting.
3. Bride Putting on Blue Garter.
4. Bride Coming Down Stairs.
5. Bride Looking At Her Gifts.
6. Full and Three-Quarter Length Portraits.
7. Bride Sitting on Floor.
8. Bride Pinning Flowers On Mother and Father.
9. Formal of Bride with Parents.
10. Parents Kissing Bride.
11. Informal Shot of Bride with Parents.
12. Bride With Maid-of-Honor.
13. Bride With All Attendants.
14. Bride Leaving House.
15. Bride With Father in Car.

10. Bride sitting on floor. This picture is impressive with gowns that have a generous train. Have bride kneel three-quarters to camera (instead of actually sitting) then sit back on her heels. If plain wall is not available, place bride before dark background, eliminate detail while printing by fiashing-in. (Busch Pressman; Tri-X; No. 5 bulb; 1/200 at f/19.) 11. Formal of bride with parents. Shoot this full-length to show mother and father in their finery. Have parents on either side, preferably turned three-quarters towards bride but with faces toward camera. For intimate mood, bride can be holding one or both parents by the hand. For less formal pose, show group sitting. (Rolleiflex; Tri-X; 60 w/s electronic flash; 1/250, f/8.)

A Word on Manners and Such

Since it is customary for the bride to arrange for the photographer to have dinner at the reception, avoid bringing anyone with you to the bride's house. This might give the impression that two men are working and put her to the expense and inconvenience of arranging for another dinner. If more than one man is needed to cover the wedding, be sure to inform the bride at the time the wedding is booked.

The candid wedding photographer is at the wedding to work; he is not a guest. If he wears a dark suit, white shirt and conservative tie, he will be ap­propriately dressed for any assignment.

You will have to cope with "nerves," hilarity, confusion, unsolicited ad­vice, high "spirits" and other headaches. Be a gentleman, but when necessary, firm; you will be remembered mostly for your pictures!

There is only one way to cover a candid wedding successfully. Keep your senses right side up! At the house, gracefully refuse any drinks you are offered. At the reception, limit your drinking to a cocktail or two. You have your busi­ness reputation to consider. Your conduct should be above reproach.

Equipment for the House Shots

What equipment should you take with you to the bride's house? Every­thing you'll need for the entire wedding through the reception itself. This means taking all the cameras, film, bulbs or electronic flash units you'll need as you take off for the bride's house. You'll find a full discussion of equipment for candid weddings in chapters 6, 7, and 8, where 4x5, 21/4x21A, 35mm and other film sizes are covered in relation to the needs of the candid wedding pho­tographer.

3. Churches and Ceremonies
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The three religious ceremonies the candid wedding photographer is most apt to shoot are: Protestant, Catholic and Jewish. Though all do contain rituals individual in character, the general pattern of procedure is the same: bride coming up the aisle, altar shots, placing of the ring, benediction, kissing, and couple returning down the aisle.

Catholic

Catholic weddings usually take place between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. In the Catholic religion there is also the Nuptial Mass, a wedding ceremony performed before the start of the regular church service, as a rule between 9:00 a.m. and twelve noon. After the wedding the couple remain in the sanc­tuary during the entire Mass. The couple are in church for the greater part of an hour.

Once the wedding ceremony is over and the regular service has begun, respect the sanctity of the church and the privacy of the worshippers by dis­continuing the use of flash. You have already taken your altar shots. The only need to use flash again in the church proper is when the couple return down the aisle.

How often have you wished you were not so pressed by time so you could take the experimental shots you've always wanted to do. Well, the time is now—one-half hour of it! The Nuptial Mass offers a wealth of opportunity to give vent to any artistic impulses you've been harboring. During the Mass the couple kneel before prayer benches for long periods. This is an ideal opportunity for time exposures. For dramatic effect these available light photographs cannot be surpassed.

The outline that follows includes the shots that are taken in both Protes­tant and Catholic (regular ceremony and nuptial Mass) weddings. Situations occurring only in Catholic weddings are marked with an *.

Church Shots: Protestant and Catholic

1. Bride and Father Walking Away From Car.
2. Bride With Father Walking Up Church Steps.
3. Waiting At the Vestibule.
4. Groom And Best Man Waiting.
5. Coming Up Aisle With Father.
6. 6. Father Kissing Bride Just Before Giving Her To The Groom.
7. Bride And Groom Reach The Altar.
8. Shot From Floor Of Aisle.
9. Balcony Shot.
10. Placing Ring On Bride's Or Groom's Finger.
11. Kneeling Before Prie-Dieux.   (Prayer Benches.)   (Nuptial Mass.)
12. Couple Kissing At Altar.
13. Couple Leaving Altar.
14. Coming Down Aisle.
15. Couple Kissing Upon Reaching End of Aisle.  (Do not take if they kiss at altar.)
16. Receiving Guests.
17. Couple With Clergyman.
18. Leaving Church.
19. Kissing in Car.
20. Other Car Photos.
21. Looking Through Rear Car Window.
22. Over-All Shot Of The Church From Across The Street.

Note: Most photographers do not shoot the ushers and bride's attendants in the processional march. As the bridal party is photographed in the formals, these half dozen or more shots are seldom included in the album. On the other hand, it pays to take the flower girl or ringbearer. Their photos are too "cute" to resist.

Protestant Variations

Insofar as the candid wedding photographer is concerned, the Protestant and Catholic service is very similar. The obvious differences are: In the Cath­olic wedding the father kisses the bride before giving her to the groom; in the Protestant, he does not. In the Catholic church the couple walk to the altar where the service takes place; in the Protestant, the service is performed be­fore the altar railing, except when the church has an open chancel. (This is the space including the pulpit, separated from the auditorium by a rail.) Kiss­ing by the couple at the end of the wedding is decided by the individual Catholic church; in the Protestant, kissing is customary. The distance in the Catholic church from railing to altar is much deeper than in most Protestant churches. All in all these are minor differences and the photographer familiar with one service will have no problem with the other.

Jewish Variations

Judaism contains three religious groupings: the Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform. In the traditional Jewish ceremony, the wedding can take place in either the Synagogue or in an establishment that can accommodate the en­tire affair: cocktails, ceremony and reception. The wedding can take place on any day other than Holy Days or the Sabbath (Friday sundown through Saturday sundown). There is a canopy over the platform on which the cere­mony is conducted. It symbolizes the sky. The platform may be decorated with flowers to form a bower. The shots to take are:

1. The ushers advance in pairs and divide, forming a line facing each other on either side of the aisle.
2. The Rabbi comes down the aisle to the altar. He may be chanting a psalm.
3. Best man advances to the altar.
4. Groom comes to the altar escorted by his parents.
5. Maid-of-Honor (or Matron) marches to the altar.
6. Bride is escorted halfway up the aisle.
7. The groom walks down the aisle to meet his bride and escort her to the altar.
8. Bride's parents follow to the altar.
9. The couple's sipping of the wine over which a benediction was re­cited by the rabbi.
10. Placing the ring on the bride's finger.
11. The benediction.
12. Smashing of the glass under the groom's heel.   (This denotes the destruction of the temple.)
13. Couple kissing.
14. Couple coming down the aisle.
15. Receiving the guests.

As the ushers are photographed in the bridal party formals, each pair of ushers advancing up the aisle often is not included in the album. There are usu­ally three to six pairs of ushers, so ask the bride if she wishes you to take these shots. But once the ushers are in position, shoot all the aisle shots that follow.

Except in the Reform group, it is required that all male heads be covered during the wedding ceremony. Near the door to the chapel there will be a table on which there are skullcaps used for this purpose. You will be handed one. If you are not of this faith, wear the skullcap nevertheless, to respect this tradition.

Ceremony at the Bride's Home

The bride and groom of any faith may prefer the intimacy of a wedding service performed at home and witnessed by those close to them.

In character and sequence the photos taken differ little from those of a church wedding. The bride is photographed as she enters, then several shots are taken during the ceremony, and later the ring shot, kissing, receiving of the guests, the receipt of the marriage certificate and any others you feel the couple may want.

At this type of wedding you may be standing as close as ten feet from the bridal couple. You will capture nuances of expression that are missed at the longer distances of a church wedding. These intimate, emotional glimpses are wonderfully rewarding and will be treasured by all.

The exposures for a home wedding are the same as for the house shots that preceded. If the ceiling is light and no higher than 10 feet I would take a ceremony such as this with partial bounce and include several slow exposures or available light shots. The 35mm camera with an f/2 or faster lens is a natural for available light. A wide-angle lens is perfect for close quarters. Par­tial bounce with Tri-X and an 80-watt-second electronic flash will call for about an f/5.6; and with a 100-watt-second unit or No. 5 bulb, about f/8.

Restrictions

Catholic: Most Catholic churches permit pictures to be taken during the ceremony. Be sure not to go beyond the altar railing or sacristy door (room adjoining the altar).

How are you to know which Catholic church permits pictures and which does not? The church is fully aware that almost every wedding will have a photographer. If they have any restrictions the bride and groom are told at the time the church arrangements are made. And, as a rule, there is a church at­tendant or sexton at the door to tell you exactly what their rules are. What­ever the rules, obey them! Most restrictions are the result of "wise-guys" who sneak in that extra shot they are told not to take. No professional is ever guilty of such conduct. Aside from the fact that he may have another wedding at this same church tomorrow, the good will he creates is part of photography's public relations. Candid weddings are his bread and butter.

If for any reason you have neglected to ask the bride concerning restric­tions and if no one stops you at the door, go ahead and shoot. The photog­rapher, today, is a familiar and accepted part of most weddings. The popping of a flashbulb is hardly noticed. Enthusiastic relatives and friends often shoot more flash than the photographer.

Protestant: Almost without exception, available light shots and time ex­posures from the balcony or rear of the church are permitted once the couple has reached the altar. Flash shots are not permitted during the ceremony but can be taken when the couple kiss. The general practice is to stage the altar shots after the guests have left the church. The sexton or minister will usually tell you this as you come into the church.

The only shots you will not have taken during the ceremony are the ring shot and the benediction. When staging there is no objection to your standing at the altar so that the couple's faces can be seen. But try to shoot somewhat parallel to the pews, so that the empty pews are not included. It is also most important to point out to the party that their expressions be as serious as they were during the actual ceremony. If the photographer handles this staging cor­rectly, the pictures will look as if they were taken during the service. (This is an excellent time to take formals of the bride, bride and groom, and bridal party, with the altar as a beautiful background.)

Jewish: The only restrictions that may be encountered are during an Or­thodox ceremony. In the Conservative and Reform groups if there are any restrictions they will usually come from the bridal couple, and you will be informed as to their nature.

3. Formals

Formals are, as the word says, a straight-forward formal recording of the bridal couple and their attendants as they appear on the wedding day. In Catholic and Protestant weddings these formals are always taken after the wedding ceremony, usually at one of the following locations:

1. Church altar, church vestibule, church front or church grounds.
2. Bride's or groom's living room or garden.
3. Park.
4. Hotel lobby or reception hall.

Often there is a break of several hours between church and reception. In order not to be on the job more than is necessary I suggest the first three loca­tions be used soon after the ceremony. This will leave you free until reception time.

You may have planned outdoor formals only to find it raining. Some church vestibules have beautiful wrought iron or wooden doors, or stained glass windows. These provide backgrounds ideal in character for bridal for­mals. If the couple is concerned about the people waiting outside in the rain, they might concede to the short time it takes to photograph the bride, then bride and groom, only. Groups and family pictures can be taken later at another location.

The fourth location can be used following the ceremony. If this is not convenient, arrange to have the bridal party arrive at the hall one-half hour before reception time so formals can be taken without the disturbing inter­ruptions of well-meaning guests. In the hotel or reception hall there is usually a generous choice of suitable backgrounds for formals:  staircase, fireplace, drapes or paneled walls. If none are to be found, any simply decorated or painted wall will do. For the formals to take see page 21.

12. The bride pinning flowers on her mother is another variation which may be included in the album. Pose the parent so the flowers are visible to the camera. This shot may be either three-quarter or full-length. If the parents' faces are wrinkled or have double chins, shoot from full-length distance, use direct flash to minimize lines. (Busch Pressman; Tri-X; 60 w/s electronic flash; 1/200, f/11; DK-50.) 13. In shot of parents kissing the bride have them touch lips close to her ears so her face will not be hidden. A three-quarter length cropping will eliminate most extraneous matter but do not move in too close as this will introduce distortion. (Minolta Autocord; Tri-X; 60 w/s electronic flash, partial bounce, 1/200, f/5.6; Microdol.) 14. This picture of the bride and her attendants is intended to show the girls in all their splendor. (Remem­ber the bouquets!) The individuals should all be posed at a three-quarter angle to the camera. Partial bounce may be used but reasonable depth-of-field is necessary. You will probably need a No. 5 or No. 8 bulb or an 80-100 w/s electronic flash with the camera stopped down to f/5.6 or f/8. (Busch Press­man; Tri-X; 80 w/s electronic flash, 1/200, f/11; development in DK-50.) 15. This indicates one of the many poses possible of the bride with members of her family. (Minolta Autocord; Tri-X; 80 w/s electronic flash, partial bounce, 1/200, f/5.6; Microdol.)
With Jewish weddings, the case is slightly different. Sometimes formals are made before the ceremony, sometimes afterwards. It depends on whether the wedding takes place in an establishment that accommodates the whole af­fair—cocktails, ceremony and reception, or in a Synagogue. If the wedding does take place in a Synagogue, usually the formals are taken after the cere­mony either before or during the reception. The locations: the vestibule of the Synagogue or the grounds outside; or as with Catholic and Protestant wed­dings, the bride's or groom's living room or garden, a park, or the hotel lobby or reception hall.

When the entire affair takes place in one establishment, formals can often be made before the ceremony, since many brides of Jewish faith do not object to seeing the groom before they actually become man and wife. Suggest this to the bride and groom to be. In most cases they'll be glad to get the formals over with before the ceremony starts. Allow at least fifteen to twenty minutes for picture taking. The hats which are part of customary male attire may either be held or worn. Ask the couple which they prefer.

On Shooting Formals

The import of formals is not understood by many candid wedding pho­tographers. Within one generation the pendulum has swung from one extreme to the other. Studio formals, once represented by faces molded into expression­less masks by competent but overzealous retouchers now have reached the opposite end of the scale: the product of today's quasi-professional whose work is devoid of any ability other than that needed for the making of a straight print.

The candid man is not expected to possess the skill of a portrait artist. But he is required to possess the minimal ability needed to restore people to what they really are to the eye; to control what is overemphasized by the searching lens of the camera: recessed or missing teeth, skin blemishes. He should be able to pose his subjects gracefully and without distortion; to ar­range their attire attractively and impart the quality of dignity that is an integral part of formal wedding photographs. These are the formals to take:

1. Bride Alone.
2. Bride and Groom, Full-Length.
3. Bride and Groom, Three-Quarter Length.
4. Bridal Party (several shots: see below).
5. Family Groups (several shots: see below).

16. As bride and her party leave the house pose them about 20 feet from the camera. Instruct them to start for their cars when you give the word but not to look at the camera. Expose for daylight. If you use flash fill-in there is no danger of the bulb overpowering the sunlight. (Minolta Autocord; Verichrome Pan; 80 w/s electronic flash, 1/100, f/11; D-76.) 17. Bride and father together in the car make an excellent album shot. In colder weather, this shot may have to be taken through a closed window. To eliminate reflection of the flash in the glass shoot at an angle of at least 20°. Be careful of reflections of the scenery which may show in a closed window. (Retina Ha; Plus-X; 80 w/s electronic flash, 1/200, f/11; Microdol.)

For formal shots of the bride alone, and those of bride and groom, take at least three exposures of each formal (two full-length, and one three-quar­ters). At least two exposures of the bridal party should be made.

The next five (or six) photos can be taken at this time, or if all the sub­jects are not present, left to the reception.

1. Bride and groom with maid-of-honor and best man.
2. Bride and groom with her parents.
3. Bride and groom with his parents (or all parents may be included in one picture).
4. Bride and groom with all her family.
5. Bride and groom with all his family.
6. Bride and groom with grandparents.

Formals should be taken front-face for that is how we think of people close to us and not in terms of three-quarter view or profile. This is not to say that the subject may not be flattered by turning the head a little to one side.

Hold It!

Remember formals are "a straight-forward recording." The object—par­ticularly in groups—is to have the subjects looking directly at you with relaxed expressions and most important, with their eyes open. Keep their attention with pleasant chatter, Just before you shoot, in a strong, staccato voice, shout, "Hold it!" And they will! Their eyes will focus on you, open and alert, long enough to take the picture. Say what you will against, "Hold it!" I use it—and closed eyes with me are a rarity. I know photographers who just shoot; they consistently come back with a number of negatives ruined by closed eyes. Unless you are willing to double the number of exposures to insure good for­mals, hold their attention with—"Hold it!"

A Special Case

Talking of formals—one thing we've omitted is the "studio formal" for the newspaper story about the wedding. If the story is to appear in a big city paper, then the picture must be taken in advance and delivered to the newspa­per some two to three weeks before publication date. With small town newspapers, there's more leeway. Often such a paper will hold the story till a picture from the candid wedding coverage is available. The bride's picture for the paper does not need to be glossy. A fine grain paper will do equally well; besides it is easier to retouch. (See Retouching, Chapter 10.)

Naturally this shot should be a head and shoulders pose, unless the bride assures you that she can get a three-quarter length pose into the paper. This applies specifically to big city papers where space is at a premium. Small town papers are usually more liberal with their space and frequently will include a full-length portrait. A phone call to the local society editor will give you all the answers you need on specific rulings and deadlines for these "studio for­mals." This is information you should have at your fingertips.

Shooting "Studio Formals"

Even an experienced studio portrait man who is skilled in posing, lighting and retouching, and capable of producing a good negative and print, finds it impossible to satisfy with every formal portrait sitting.

"Allbrides are beautiful," is a pleasant platitude that is used glibly by everyone. The photographer soon finds, all brides are not! If you do not possess some knowledge of the skills mentioned, don't look for trouble. Avoid portraits and stick to candid weddings. The best solution is to tie in with a local studio and send them the brides who request formal studio portraits or pictures for the paper. This way you will also be secure in knowing that the studio which does your brides' portraits will not attempt to get your candid. If you decide to do your own wedding portraits, here are some suggestions.

The candid photographer with a 4x5 or 3y4x4y4 camera plus the lens used for weddings, is equipped to take standing or three-quarter length portraits. If the negative is well filled, three-quarter length portraits with the bride sit­ting may have some distortion of the lower part of the gown and of the hands and bouquet if they are not close to the body. This can be corrected satis­factorily during enlargement by raising the lower end of the easel.

In portrait photography, it is particularly important to fill your negative completely. With a normal length lens it is difficult to do this without distor­tion, except for profiles. The 4x5 camera with a double-extension bellows is limited to about 9-inch lens for portraits of this composition; with a triple-extension bellows a 12-inch lens is suggested. The longer focal-length, instead of the standard focal-length lens, is to be preferred for three-quarters, and wherever feasible for full-length bridals; it will help minimize distortion and produce a more pleasing perspective.

For the photographer with a press-type bellows camera who shoots just an occasional wedding and who does not feel the expense of another lens is warranted, an inexpensive supplementary telephoto attachment, such as the Telek, is the answer. It will provide the general advantages of a longer focal-length lens. The use of a supplementary telephoto attachment necessitates the use of a longer bellows extension and results in a decrease in effective lens aperture (longer than normal exposures). The Kodak Master Photoguide will indicate the exposure adjustment needed for your particular focal-length lens with extra attachment. Some aberration is introduced by the telephoto attach­ment but an f/8 or smaller opening will restore definition.

A 21/4x21/4negative demands superlative retouching; a 21/4x23/4 very much the same. The only recourse for the photographer with a small camera, is to use an inexpensive 4x5 or 5x7 view camera, (with the minimum of distortion controls) that will take up to a 9- or 12-inch lens. Unless contact prints are sufficient for his purposes, he will need an enlarger for the larger negative size. No economy is possible here because the quality of the print is determined by the quality of the enlarging equipment.

4. The Reception and Afterwards
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With house and church shots we have had to contend with deadlines, but at the reception the pressure is off. There is not the worry of missing an im­portant shot. Unlike the wedding ceremony, pictures may be spaced or posed at the photographer's discretion.

What to Take

You take the same pictures regardless of the size of the hall or the elab­orateness of the affair. This holds true even if the reception should be at home. The order of the outline (below) does not necessarily have to be followed in sequence. AH of the shots do not have to be taken—in fact sometimes they cannot be taken. But the outline shown follows along the way a reception progresses.

But before you start be sure you have the right equipment. Use of cam­eras from 35mm to 4x5 for candid weddings is discussed fully in chapters 6, 7, and 8. Chapter 3 goes into using available light, while chapter 4 deals ex­clusively with flash and electronic flash. Good reception pictures can be taken with all of the camera sizes mentioned, with flashbulbs or electronic flash and even by available light.

Personally, when I cover a reception, I take two Rolleis with Rollei-meters. The twenty-four exposures often are enough for all my reception shots. The Rollei's (almost) fully automatic features make working a pleasure. I also take a "35," preferably with a fast 35mm lens. I use the Ultra blitz Matador I electronic flash (135-watt sec.) at one-half power for most of my straight flash shots up to 15 feet, and full power for distances beyond.

Pictures to Take at the Reception and Afterwards

1. Couple Entering Reception.
2. Couple Dancing.
3. Couple Being Toasted.
4. Couple Toasting Each Other.
5. Couple Kissing.
6. Couple Showing Bride's Ring.
7. Cutting The Cake.
8. Bride Feeding Cake to Groom. Groom Feeding Cake to Bride.
9. Reception Hall.  (Available Light; Flash)
10. Garter Shot.
11. Bride Scolding the Groom.
12. Bride Kissing the Groom's Friend.
13. Bride Throwing Bouquet.
14. Bride and Groom Sneaking Away.
15. Waving Goodbye From Their Car.
16. Placing Shoes Outside Hotel Door.
17. Other Shots.

Handling People

Now everybody is relaxed and happy, intent on having a good time. The bride has "got her man" and a rosy glow surrounds them. You will have to break through that haze to come up with pictures. Have no qualms about this—that's why you're here. Make your point, but if they object to any particu­lar shot—forget it. I have had brides who, although they would have liked to include a bouquet throwing shot, were not willing to disrupt the festivities by assembling all the girls. The final decision on the taking of any shot should rest with the couple.   Here they come!   Let's get that happy look on film.

Aside from the list given, there are other reception pictures you should take which will increase your sales. These vary greatly depending on the na­tionality of the couple being married. For example, at Polish wedding recep­tions frequently the bride takes her veil off and pins it on the maid-of-honor, to indicate that she is next. Also at Polish weddings, the bride's mother proffers salt, bread and wine to the couple to denote that they are starting married life with the bitter and the sweet. They dip the bread in salt and taste it, then sip the wine. A little research on your part will easily bring to light any cus­toms which would make good candid wedding picture material. Be prepared also to shoot interesting folk dances at the reception, such as the Polish Polka, the Greek, Italian and Jewish dances.

• To keep within my quota of 60 shots I generally do not photograph the bride alone waiting in the vestibule, hut this beautiful wrought-iron church door cried for a silhouette. The exposure was by guess: 1/125, f/5.6 on Tri-Xfilm (Rolleifiex). Negative treated in Victor intensifier to improve detail and contrast. Printed on DuPont Varigam without a filter and detail hurned-in on flowers and right shoulder through a No. 3 filter. Ferricyanide solution applied to face to bring out a suggestion of features.

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