A Candid Portrait During Balliol College Wedding Photography
Christina and Eric met whilst studying at Oxford, and decided to get married in the beautiful Chapel at Balliol College. They used the Fellows garden for the reception, with the wedding breakfast in the Dining Hall. It was a real thrill when they asked me to provide their Balliol College wedding photography.
Earlier in the day, I’d already photographed Eric and his brother at breakfast, and Christina and her sister getting ready. Then, unusually for a UK wedding, the couple met up before the ceremony. They wanted to have some portraits shot in the New Theatre, a short walk from the college. It was never going to be a traditional entrance, with the groom waiting nervously at the alter, and the bride entering with her Father. Instead, they would arrive together, greet the Chaplain, and enter the Chapel together.
Beautiful Light And Architecture
So this gave me a unique opportunity to get this photograph as the couple enter the Chapel before the ceremony. The beautiful shape of the doorway and the ornate stonework behind the couple place the picture, and the strong sidelight is coming from both directions through open doorways either side of the couple. The Chaplain breaking the shadow on the right hand side of the frame balances the photograph nicely, and the fact that Christina isn’t looking toward the camera adds to the composition. The strong highlights and deep shadows meant I knew this would be a black and white image in the album as I shot it.
The one thing that made this photograph possible was that they broke with tradition by arriving together.
Is Oxford is on your shortlist for wedding venues? Do you like the look of this Balliol College wedding photography? Please get in touch and I’ll send over some details of my photography along with full pricing.
