Documentary Wedding Photographer

Viliana & Emil, 11.06.2017

I captured a word: destiny.

Some souls live by sets of guidelines and to do lists. Other crazy children souls tear at words and deform them, until their letters settle, to write pages of sentiment. Hands shake and the feeling there is written too, voices tremble but the promise is made in clear resolution, naughty tears of joy fall to seal the white pages in purity.

I prepared for documentary photography, they carried me into a movie script. In colored sneakers and shadows hidden from sight, right into a world with no script, no rules, imagined and lived under a hat of dreams. With no time for monologues and scenes filled with sincere smiles and caring and reassuring touches, I ran to catch up to the story of their authentic, unrehearsed love, told to this day.

Wedding photography is also touches of atmosphere and happy people living the joy of the couple. Skilled mother fingers fidgeting in the already perfect veil, delicate child hands repeating the learned sign of the cross. But this is another definition I had no need to be remembered of, not when every frame of her eyes captures the tunnel of flowers meant to carry them to another moment of their day, and in his you can watch the games of a family celebrating together the tradition.

The camera has no subtitles, but their closeness needs none, somehow every movement, word and promise coming together, like the buttons on his jacket, in a row of perfectly matching, unique images, personal to them like the words I love you exchanging mouths and thoughts.

I watched traditions in cute teddy bear eyes and touching emotions in father’s all-knowing eyes, in rooms with enough space to accommodate those dear to them, but unable to contain all the silent conversation they shared as they saw each other. From the moment she closed her eyes in expectation and he closed his in a reverent kiss, I knew there was never a time and will never be a time when they’ll worry about losing each other. Sometimes, no map, no list and no coincidence can prepare you for the reality of finding you own soul inside someone else.

They found one another, without following treasure maps to the corners of the world, maybe only lucky ladybugs gone on a journey to grant wishes. And her laurel wreath says she’s victorious and it’s obvious in the happiness of staying close to him on rhythms and strings of love words said out loud. Laurels mean victory, but she’ll happily take them down to receive a hat full of stories with more value to them, about as much value as a heart stolen along with that hat, and then given willingly and promised to the end of time.

Photos don’t tell a story by mistake. After a party with thousands of songs and hundreds of voices and so many loving arms, they told me, between two waves and under the protection of the delicate veil, that people don’t happen to meet by mistake either.

Sometimes, this is all there is to a secret that can be shared and told in images. The rest of it is lived, under each sunset, every light and on any road, traveled or uncharted, but always in two.

I thought I was capturing a word. Instead, they told a story.

Engagement session: Centrul de Cultura Bratianu, Stefanesti

After wedding session: Cape Kaliakra, Bulgaria

Wedding venue: Laguna, Pitesti