Image Focus

This was one of the first images I shot when I switched to using the Sony Alpha 9. It was a wedding in Lake Como, and the bride arrived to the wedding venue by boat. For this bride though, her four-legged friend had to be part of her big moment – in everyday life, her dog comes with her everywhere she goes so naturally, she has to have the dog walk with her down the aisle.

And that is how we end up with this unfamiliar situation – a dog and a bride on a boat in the middle of a lake – that perhaps will only happen once in a lifetime.

To capture this particular image, I used the super wide-angle Sony FE 12-24mm f/4 G lens as there was so little room to get the perfect shot. The boat is a Venetian water taxi, where the beautiful wooden top is polished like a mirror; it looks like glass. I have to use the wide angle of view whenever I am shooting on a boat because the distance between me and the subject is often less than a metre. It’s just as important to capture the landscape behind too, as the story isn’t just about the bride and her dog; it’s also about the location they have chosen to have their special moment in. I knew I couldn’t get this shot with a 50mm or 85mm lens because the angle of view would be too narrow, so the 12-24mm lens saved the day.

Another challenging aspect on getting a shot like this is capturing as much detail as I can, particularly when it comes to the smaller details such as the brides dress, or in this case, the beautiful fur of the dog. The incredible sensor of the Sony Alpha 9 can capture 14 EV of dynamic range, meaning I can capture all these details with ease. The fur of the dog was actually blowing with the wind, almost like a beard, and it is details like this that make the shot more dynamic and again, add to the story.

I knew that it would be a great shot as soon as I looked through the Alpha 9’s EVF. I could picture the final image clearly, even before I hit the trigger. And, knowing I could trust the camera’s fast and reliable autofocus to get the bride perfectly sharp, meant I could concentrate my efforts on the final composition.

When you chose a photographer like me, you know that you will get the classic romantic wedding photos. But, images that standout on their own as great images, whether in the context of a wedding or not, are just as exciting. I want to create glamorous images that will make people stop and say ‘Wow!’. This image does just that, and thanks to my trusty Alpha 9, I know I can capture as equally glamourous pictures for years to come.