The Hero Shot I spend a lot of time thinking about why I do things, literally everything. Sometimes this feels like it makes things heavy but it is really important to constantly tweak and adjust. I am constantly doing this when shooting weddings. It is easy to be consumed with fulfilling your own creative desires, spending 5 minutes lining up some amazing geometric symmetry, 30 minutes scouting that perfect sunset shot. These things are important but I keep coming back to people and the connections between them. It is easy to dismiss a shot as just another party shot but I received this email from Sophie (which she has kindly let me share). --- Hi John and Soph, I hope you're well and I love seeing all of your photos on Facebook, they make me want to get married all over again! :-) I just thought I would drop you a quick note about my Grandmother (not as random as it sounds). I don't know if you remember but my Mum asked if my Grandmother could be someone to focus on at our wedding. She sadly died on Saturday night after a car crash on Tuesday last week. I was with my Grandfather for 3 of the 6 days she was in hospital and he was obviously devastated. But he went home to get some photos of Granny from all stages of her life and the last stage was the attached amazing photo from our wedding. We had tried for years while she struggled with alzheimers to get a good photo of her, but it was impossible (despite how beautiful she is)! This photo sat above her hospital bed and reminded us how happy she was and how glad we were that she was there on the day. I just thought you would like to know how much that photo means to all of us and that the photo will be in the order of service at her funeral next week. I hope you're both well and thank you so much again for capturing such lovely moments at our wedding. All the Best Sophie Bliss x --- It's a poignant reminder to shoot the big fiery skies, impossible angles and super hero shots but don't forget the people, it's all about the people. #weddingphotojournalism #love #family #thisistheheroshot