The altar of St. James Catholic Cathedral in Orlando, Florida, has a sweeping painted fresco, in arches and a domed ceiling, calling attention to various biblical scenes and the beautifully sculpted Christ on the cross. When we photograph church weddings we prioritize respecting the sanctity of the wedding ceremony, which is considered sacred by many faiths, and strictly follow whatever restrictions the church places for the photographic team. While this may mean that we can't get super close shots during the ceremony moments, we strongly believe in respecting the faith and traditions of the our clients and their families, and recognize that this can mean our work takes a backseat to the ceremony itself. (We recommend discussing this in great detail with the officiant performing your ceremony; discussing with another person may give you answers you prefer, but it comes down to whoever is on the altar with you.) At this particular church we were welcomed by the friendly priest and invited to have very generous use of the side aisles and center aisle, which allowed us to have a wider variety of images than some other churches in which we've photographed.
Choosing to keep the priest and the couple in the bottom corners of this image was a deliberate decision, drawing the viewer's eye to the altar's exquisitely beautiful paintings and in doing so, also drawing attention to this couple's faith and the role it plays in their lives and their impending marriage.
Location: St. James Catholic Cathedral, 215 North Orange Ave, Orlando, FL 32801.
1/640; f/2.8; ISO 6400; 70.0 mm.