After a warm afternoon smiling for formal portraits on the edge of the golf course at Old Palm Golf Club, this bride was ready for a cold one. Taking quick gulps of the cold, frosty beer that was brought down for her, she has palpable relief in her eyes. Honest and genuine moments like this pass our "smile test", making us grin every time we see it. We enthusiastically support real weddings with couples acting like real people; if you don't like delicate and pretty cocktails and would rather chug down a cold one, go for it. It's your wedding day, not an advertisement for a perfect life, so celebrate the way you want to.
Capturing this moment was partially a matter of luck, but luck favors the prepared (to paraphrase Louis Pasteur). Being prepared, in this case, was knowing which camera to reach for (the one with a wide angle lens), what settings would draw the most attention to the subject and the action surrounding the subject, and the certainty to press the shutter. The curve of the grass behind her head and the curve of the beer against the edge of the glass draw circles through the image, giving the viewer a sweeping movement that's echoed by her pearl necklace that dips below the edge of the frame. The contrast of the casual plastic cup with the elegant strand of pearls is striking but subtle, and leads the viewer to wonder what, in fact, is happening in this image.
Location: Old Palm Golf Club, 11089 Old Palm Drive, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418.
1/2500; f/2.0; ISO 400; 35.0 mm.