When people imagine wedding photography, their minds often go straight to the big moments: the walk down the aisle, the first kiss, the cutting of the cake. And while those are important, I’ve come to believe it’s the little moments in between that tell the real story.
The soft squeeze of hands during the vows. A parent wiping away a quiet tear. The flower girl making a last-minute dash back up the aisle. These fleeting, unplanned moments carry more emotional weight than a thousand perfectly posed portraits. And for me, they’re what make wedding photography truly magical.
Capturing these moments requires something different than technical skill — it requires presence. As a photographer, I try to blend into the background just enough to let people forget the camera is there. That’s when the magic happens. That’s when people are themselves.
One of my favorite memories was photographing a backyard wedding in late spring. The couple had kept it simple — no elaborate timeline, no wedding planner, just close friends, good food, and a whole lot of love. During the toast, the groom reached over and quietly brushed a leaf from the bride’s shoulder. She didn’t even notice. But my camera did. That single photo ended up being their favorite — not because it was dramatic, but because it was true.
These are the moments you can’t stage. You can’t schedule them. But you can train yourself to look for them, and more importantly, to feel them. That’s where the story lives — not just in what’s happening, but in how it feels to be there.
As a Tampa-based photographer, I’ve been lucky to shoot weddings across a variety of settings — from elegant venues to beachside elopements. No matter the style or size, my approach stays the same: be present, be aware, and capture what matters most.
Because years from now, when the flowers have dried and the dress is packed away, what you’ll return to are those quiet frames — the ones you didn’t even know were being taken.