Greenery and Finery, by Jess Petrie Photography [Rf Wedding of the Week]

The Botanical Gardens in Sheffield, England, make for an exquisite backdrop for a shoot, as I first discovered when I featured a fashion session by Jess Petrie Photography with Jessica Pereira (who shoots with her husband Rodrigo under the studio name). The lush greenery and flood of natural light would make any photographer excited to shoot here, so much so that Jess finds herself going back again and again.

All Photos © Jess Petrie Photography

This time it’s summer, Jessica says, and the wedding of Emily and Tom Wheatley took place at 11 a.m. inside the glass house. “It was a sunny day but very changeable, so when the clouds parted the light was quite harsh, especially so inside the glasshouse. I just keep my ISO to it’s lowest, my finger constantly on the shutter speed dial, and I kept moving around to find the best light.”

Jessica says she used a bit of lens whacking (free lensing) when taking the couple portraits in the greenhouse. “The leafy green plants, together with the light flooding in just felt like a great opportunity to do so, and I’m really happy with the results. My favorite image using this technique has to be the black-and-white of Emily on her own( (above), she just looks so beautiful and the technique has worked on this frame like a dream.”
When asked to pick a favorite moment and image, Jessica says she genuinely loves them all. “If I had to choose I particularly  love the ceremony photographs, as these are photos of the marriage itself; the vows and the exchange of rings, and to be able to record this moment is sacred and what wedding photography is all about for me. The emotions, expressions, and atmosphere cannot be staged or replicated in these moments. What is captured during this time is real, raw and quite special.”

GEAR FOR THE DAY
Camera: Canon 5D Mark III
Lenses: Canon 50mm f/1.2, 35mm f/1.4, 24mm and Sigma 85mm f/1.4

 Check out more Weddings of the Week, and email Libby Peterson or Jacqueline Tobin with submissions.