How I Got the Shot
I love this image because it captures two stories unfolding in a single frame. It even recently won an award from Photographers Keeping It Real 🏆 Here’s how this award-winning photo was captured at the Pumping House in Nottingham
Observe the “characters”
At every wedding, I make a mental note of the people I want to watch closely throughout the day — the personalities, the storytellers, the wildcards. On this day, the groom’s grandmother immediately stood out 👀
Let moments evolve naturally
Later, after the wedding breakfast, the hugs started — fuelled by good food and drink 🍷
Then Grandma re-entered the scene… carrying a full bottle of wine, no less! She handed it off to another guest, laughter continued, and the energy kept building.
Embrace interruptions as opportunities
Next came an impromptu group photo request.
Years ago, I might have felt that familiar internal “Grrr… this has broken my flow.” Now I see these moments differently. Rather than an interruption, it’s a reset — a chance to observe what happens next. Keen observation and patience are key to being a great documentary wedding photographer.
Something always happens next so you have to be ready before the moment.
The group photo brought people together, which created fresh interactions the moment it ended. That was the real opportunity 📸
Stay with the moment
By staying present instead of moving on, I captured the final image you see here.
So what changed between the raw shot and the final version?
If you looked closely, you may have spotted it.
All I did was remove the exit sign and the fire extinguisher on the right-hand wall to clean up the frame.
For some photographers, that’s a big no-no.
But ask yourself:
Did it change any of the big three?
Moment. Composition. Lighting.
No – the story remains exactly the same.
If you’d like to learn how to consistently spot and capture moments like this, my next Wedding Photography Workshop is happening on 16 April in Nottingham 📅
I’m a documentary wedding photographer based in Nottingham, and I’ve shot close to 200 weddings over the last 7 years.