You can’t copy a moment / November 16, 2017 by Paul Jarrett

Actually you can I guess, you can copy a picture you’ve seen somewhere - just wait for it to happen or set it up and job done.

For all the photographers out there who ask where I get my influence or ways doing things at a wedding, the answer is I’m not entirely sure 🤷‍♂️

Actually that’s a bit of a lie, I get a lot from my kids, their curiosity of the world, the way they innocently see it, no pre-judgement, the honesty and no filter they apply to things (which is bloody embarrassing at times). That’s just a way of working though, a compass of curiosity to guide me.

Copying pictures is poop (as my 3 year old would no doubt say), if you copy something someone else has done, it’s not yours - even though you pressed the button it ain’t yours! If you’re happy with that, don’t be - you’re being someone else, be you.

There’s lots of photographers who’s work I like and admire, but generally speaking they aren’t wedding photographers - social documentary, street and general life are the things that catch my attention, real gritty stuff, irony or humour I’m attracted to...real people in real life situations, real stories.

Use photography as your voice, have something to say or at the very least take pictures of the things you want to take pictures of.