ABOUT

Sometimes I come across a photographer who moves me with their pictures. It doesn’t happen very often and when it does I know I have found someone with a special talent. Bruce Neville is one such person. The picture which first caught my eye and made me go and seek out his website is featured above. It is of a groom, on his wedding day, knelt alone in the church praying. It is a powerful image of a private moment. The skill needed to capture that image should not be underestimated. It required the foresight to predict the moment, the stealth to capture it without either disturbing it or destroying the moment itself and the sensitivity to know the importance of what that image would mean to the man and his wife later when they see it for the first time.

Had this been an isolated lucky capture then I wouldn’t be sat here writing about Bruce but a look through his slideshows and galleries on his website and in turn his beautiful wedding albums and one can be left in no doubt that what Bruce and his team at Inframe weddings offer is something rather special. The galleries are full of raw emotion flower girls holding hands and skipping away from the camera, grooms welled up with emotion as they see their bride approaching looking beautiful, mums and dads spilling over with emotion during the speeches and the sheer joy of a radiant bride on her wedding day. Bruce is a master of capturing expression and emotion. This in turn reflects in his albums which are just full of precious little moments from the first sip of champagne the bride enjoyed in her bathrobe as she and her bridesmaids got ready to the last firework that lit up the night sky as the sun went down on a perfect day. Not a moment is missed as the day is documented to perfection. As you enter Bruce’s website in very large letters you are informed that he is the Master Photographers Associations Fashion Photographer of the Year 2009. What does this have to do with wedding photography? Quite a lot actually. Firstly the MPA is recognised as being one of the leading two Professional Associations in the UK and the competition for such an accolade should not be underestimated many try but few ever achieve such an award. Secondly it takes a very special skill to photograph portraits as you are in effect starting cold with your subject and it is up to you to create that rapport and expression in order to achieve the look you are after. Not many photographers have the interpersonal skills necessary to do this. Translate this to a wedding day with a reluctant bride, groom and nervous family members and you have a winning formula for simply beautiful photography.

We haven’t seen the best of Bruce Neville yet but one thing is certain anyone who books him for their wedding photography is guaranteed to be absolutely delighted to discover the moments that they didn’t even know had happened or they thought had gone unseen as Bruce went about the business of taking care of tomorrows memories today.

Text©Sharon Malone
Sharon Malone, Freelance Journalist and Professional Photographer.

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