“My best Jewish wedding photo” by Herschel Gutman

A new weekly Sunday series where  I ask some of the world’s best wedding photographers to pick out their favourite shot from their Jewish wedding portfolio. This week it’s the turn of Herschel Gutman.

‘In love’ by Herschel Gutman

Given the task by Karen to submit my best wedding photo was a very daunting one. I am very bad at selecting 250 photos from a single wedding – so selecting one from tens of thousands of photos was a massive challenge. Usually, the more I stare at my images, the less I like them. So many things come into my head, from composition, to the lighting, to the contrast, to the clarity – all the technicalities of a good photo. But there is another factor that for me, overrides everything that one was ever taught during photography school and that is something that you can’t be taught, “how does this photo make you feel”. If it resonates with you, if it makes you laugh, if it makes you smile, if it makes you cry – then its a great photo.

Nikki and Gavriel’s wedding was a truly phenomenal wedding. It took place on a Moshav in Israel and I could not have asked for a more in love and happy couple. They were uber cool and just being around them was an absolute buzz. The photo I selected is one of many of them dancing. When I look at this photo – I find myself staring at it, it makes me smile on the inside and out. . I just love it. I love the way they are holding one another, the way Nikki is looking at Gavriel, the way Gavriel has his eyes closed, just taking in this moment with his wife. There is a backlight which adds to the atmosphere of this photo and the hanging lights in the background give this photo some contrast and depth.

Thanks for the task Karen – you really made me question my style and my photographs – THANK YOU!

 

See more photographs from  this wedding

See more of Herschel Gutman’s work on Smashing The Glass

See other photographers’ best Jewish wedding photos