Inventive editorial photography of life’s celebrations, by Harper Scott
Wedding photographer based in Scotland, available for worldwide commissions.
HARPERSCOTTPHOTO.COM
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SELECTED WORKS
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In Defence of Materialism
BY CAROLE-ANN
It’s been more than ten years since I photographed my first wedding. And I think I’ve ended up with a naughty little secret - a slightly unspeakable opinion about what wedding photography is about.
And please, don’t get me wrong, I completely believe all of the things that a photographer should believe when it comes to wedding photography - that it’s all about the emotions, and preserving the way that things feel on the day, and that when it’s all said and done, what you’ll have left will be your photographs and your memories.
This is all true, and I love stolen glances and nervous smiles and the raw emotion that comes with a wedding day. Look through my work and you’ll see that it’s full of that goodness.
BUT THERE’S ANOTHER SIDE TO WEDDINGS THAT IT’S OKAY TO GET EXCITED ABOUT - AND THAT’S THE THINGS.
Weddings are full of things - fashion, jewellery, florals, venues, backdrops, decor. And there’s a conventional wisdom that this stuff is the frivolous stuff, the unimportant side of the wedding celebrations; that we should all really care about something deeper.
Well, I get really excited about the things. And part of that is because I think they’re an expression of not only the couple, but also the guests; I think that what someone chooses to wear at your wedding is that person saying something about themselves, and I care about that.
But honestly, part of it is also much simpler than that. See - the things are pretty. New textures, bold fashions, stunning glassware; dramatic vistas, gorgeous shoes. Beautiful florals are fleeting - but they’re beautiful, nonetheless.
And of course those details will be captured no matter who photographs the day. They’re definitely in basically every photographer’s photos, to some extent or another. But I think it’s one thing to capture them incidentally. It’s another thing entirely to care about them deeply, and take inspiration from them - to use the fashions, for example, as a jumping off point for the creativity of the portraits.
This is one of the reasons that I love editorial photography. Editorial work is not purely documentary - there’s a point of view being expressed in the portraits. The photographer is saying something additive in the image.
AND FOR ME PERSONALLY, THAT POINT OF VIEW ARISES IN NO SMALL PART FROM THE THINGS.
Your wedding, after all, is a festival of creative and aesthetic decisions that are meant to represent you. It’s a party that’s also a joint autobiography. So I think in ten years, you’ll still be looking at the beautiful photography you’ve commissioned from me, and yes, you’ll still be talking about the looks on guests’ faces, and the emotion in the room just before you met at the top of the aisle. I also think you’ll be talking about the wild shirt your cousin wore, and how good those canapés tasted.
THOSE FLORALS THAT ONLY LAST A DAY, WILL SORT OF LAST FOREVER.
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We loved Carole-Ann’s mix of editorial and documentary photography. We trusted her completely! Not only did she take the most amazing photos, she also brought the best energy to our wedding day, which all the guests loved!
ANNA & JAY
Muckrach Country House, Highlands, Scotland
Each year, I take on a limited number of wedding photography and film commissions, including a few international bookings. I’d love to hear what you have planned for your big day!
