Clearing off an old bookshelf the other day, I came across a book that I’ve had for quite some time, but have never really sat down and read (sound familiar?). It was an old garage sale buy (one which included my first Twin Lens Reflex cameras), but the other day I opened it up and started leafing though and was really surprised by what was inside.
It’s called “Modern Wedding Photography”. And at first glance, the word Modern seems way off! The cover photo shows the 1970’s bride surrounded by her bridesmaids all in floppy hats and a-line dresses. But the book is filled with images that (except for the hair and clothes) would seem at home in any of the wedding albums we see today.
Like today’s wedding photographers, she captured moments and looks of anticipation just before the bride walked down the aisle and intimate shots the couple just after the ceremony. She even caught detail shots, such as a close up of a bouquet or rose petals scattered on the dance floor similar to what so many wedding photojournalists do today. Also noteable was her use of different angles. When appropriate, she shot from above or below her subjects for a unique look, which was not so common in the typical wedding photography of the day.
Aside from the aforementioned hair and clothing featured in the book, the only other mention that dates it, is her equipment list and approximate costs…
Processing…$1.50 per roll (of film, that is)
Flashbulbs….$10.00 (if you have to ask “what’s a flashbulb”. I can’t talk to you anymore).
Transportation…$5.00 (uh…when gas was 36 cents per gallon!)
And perhaps the most striking feature of her book was how she described the way in which she approaches wedding photography. It struck me because although I sometimes struggle to put it into words, it’s my approach too…
..."My feeling is that I am there to record the day, not to arrange it according to what I have seen happen at other weddings. Naturally, I make sure that I get good photographs of everyone, but otherwise I just try to absorb the atmosphere and take the best pictures I can. Nothing pleases me more than a new arrangement of the receiving line or an unusual cake [sic]; a ray of light illuminating the bride while she enters the church; children overawed by the events; grandparents possibly making their last appearance at such a complete family gathering; a couple that really enjoys dancing and music hour after hour. There is something new at each wedding".
I couldn’t say it any better myself.
As I perused this book, my curiosity got the best of me and I tried to Google Suzanne Szasz. I was sure she had published many more books since 1977 and was probably teaching seminars and speaking at conventions like WPPI right now. Sadly though, she has passed on. She has left an indelible mark on the world of wedding photography. Maybe her contemporaries weren’t ready for such a radically new approach to what they had been doing for so many years, but somewhere along the line her work has been rediscovered and her contribution to the art form has earned her the title (from at least one other photographer) of Mother of Wedding Photojournalism.
It’s called “Modern Wedding Photography”. And at first glance, the word Modern seems way off! The cover photo shows the 1970’s bride surrounded by her bridesmaids all in floppy hats and a-line dresses. But the book is filled with images that (except for the hair and clothes) would seem at home in any of the wedding albums we see today.
Like today’s wedding photographers, she captured moments and looks of anticipation just before the bride walked down the aisle and intimate shots the couple just after the ceremony. She even caught detail shots, such as a close up of a bouquet or rose petals scattered on the dance floor similar to what so many wedding photojournalists do today. Also noteable was her use of different angles. When appropriate, she shot from above or below her subjects for a unique look, which was not so common in the typical wedding photography of the day.
Aside from the aforementioned hair and clothing featured in the book, the only other mention that dates it, is her equipment list and approximate costs…
Processing…$1.50 per roll (of film, that is)
Flashbulbs….$10.00 (if you have to ask “what’s a flashbulb”. I can’t talk to you anymore).
Transportation…$5.00 (uh…when gas was 36 cents per gallon!)
And perhaps the most striking feature of her book was how she described the way in which she approaches wedding photography. It struck me because although I sometimes struggle to put it into words, it’s my approach too…
..."My feeling is that I am there to record the day, not to arrange it according to what I have seen happen at other weddings. Naturally, I make sure that I get good photographs of everyone, but otherwise I just try to absorb the atmosphere and take the best pictures I can. Nothing pleases me more than a new arrangement of the receiving line or an unusual cake [sic]; a ray of light illuminating the bride while she enters the church; children overawed by the events; grandparents possibly making their last appearance at such a complete family gathering; a couple that really enjoys dancing and music hour after hour. There is something new at each wedding".
I couldn’t say it any better myself.
As I perused this book, my curiosity got the best of me and I tried to Google Suzanne Szasz. I was sure she had published many more books since 1977 and was probably teaching seminars and speaking at conventions like WPPI right now. Sadly though, she has passed on. She has left an indelible mark on the world of wedding photography. Maybe her contemporaries weren’t ready for such a radically new approach to what they had been doing for so many years, but somewhere along the line her work has been rediscovered and her contribution to the art form has earned her the title (from at least one other photographer) of Mother of Wedding Photojournalism.
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