My First Photography Nightmare

Holy mackerel! I just woke up and my heart is racing and I'm all shaky. What's wrong with me, you wonder? Well in the past hour of 'peaceful' slumber I experience my very first photography nightmare. ..

Photograph by Matt Cardy

TRUE STORY (not the nightmare) 

One week ago my best friend asked me to be her wedding photographer. I was so INCREDIBLY honoured and excited. At the same time though there was a little butterfly in my stomach because of course, I would want to make sure I did my absolute best for her. Since then, I've set my mind to improving my photography skills as much as possible between now and her wedding so that I'm at the top of my game when she needs me most. Of course, I've had little worries fly into my head a couple times like "What if I mess them up?" and "What if she doesn't like them?" simply because I intend to still be friends after her wedding and that would just make things between us down-right AWK-WARD!! It's all good in the hood though since my nervous flutters are motivating me to improve.

 So that's the true story. Now as for the nightmare....

It was the day of Kaitlyn's wedding... 

My mom was by my side working as my assistant — she kept getting distracted and running off. One minute the flowers were being delivered & the next minute it was ceremony time. I hadn't had a chance to change — I was still in tennis shoes (VERY BAD - this was a  cathedral wedding). I tried to get some quick shots of the flowers and food ... but as soon as I lifted my camera they were taken away.

The church was MASSIVE MASSIVE MASSIVE and I only had seconds before the ceremony would both start and end —but I couldn't move quickly — quicksand syndrome (grrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!). I reached for my camera bag and tried to take out my 85mm & 70-200mm lenses (the zoomy close ones that are perfect for ceremony photos) and my Expodisc (little gadget that helps my camera make everyone look awesome!)

I looked down at my hand  — I could only lift out the 50mm. I reached down again for the Expodisc but I dropped it — then it's string got tangled on my lenses. Finally, I broke free — I was ready for the father-daughter aisle shot, but which aisle were they coming up? (BIG CHURCH!! 5 aisles!) 

Oh no! I was standing in the wrong aisle — RUNNNNN!!! 

By the time I made it to the correct aisle the bride was already sitting down for her reception dessert. I didn't get ONE SINGLE SHOT of the ceremony! AHHH! Panic mode. Take lots of pictures NOW! But no....for some reason I was scrolling through the pictures I'd taken so far that day (that one's nice...that one's nice...ooouu look at that one...) GET BACK TO WORK CHAMONIX!

Then my camera froze on the menu screen.

ALARM!!!!!! Wake up!!!!!

Phew, so now you see why my morning heart rate is now 160bmp and my fingers are so twitchy they feel weak on the keyboard. I don't think I fancy another one of those nightmares, thank you very much.

Word to my beautiful bride Kaitlyn....5 universes would have to collide for your wedding photography to go THAT wrong so...we can only get better from here on out! Woohoo :D Love you, babe!