Instinct, Film, and a Little Chaos: Inside Jes Workman’s Defining Wedding Moment

‘The backstory of this photo’
The couple took a few moments to themselves inside the main house after the ceremony and I was quite literally running between the reception space, cocktail hour and the main house in hopes that I could capture their first glance at the cocktail hour lawn whenever they were ready.
I caught them right before they made their way down the steps to their guests and was able to grab this shot from their perspective at exactly the right moment. It was one of those shots where I just knew I got it and even though their portraits are obviously beautiful, it has become my favorite photo from the day because it feels authentic.

The Preparation

I actually went into this wedding almost completely blind. Sometimes I’m looped into the design and creative process early on through the planner or the couple, and other times I just get a timeline a few days before and roll with it.

I had no idea how big the creative scope really was. It ended up being one of those weekends that taught me a lot about what I need to ask for in order to be set up for success. I knew I had plenty to work with for portraits, so my main focus was making sure I had enough time and good light for those moments.

If I were to reshoot this today, I’d schedule a full design and timeline call, shoot at least sixty more rolls of film (we shot forty-five), and bring two extra people for support. I did, however, make the right call with the comfortable shoes.

Photographer: Jes Workman

The Gear & Details

Cameras: Canon R6, Canon 1V, Mamiya 645, Minotla Freedom 125, Polaroid and Holga
Flash: Godox V1 flash for digitals
Shooters: 2… could have used 4
Coverage: 13 hours

Getting Ready

I always anticipate the getting ready portion of the day to run behind, with a few moments taking longer than expected. Because of that, I make sure to arrive with plenty of time to get my gear set up, do a quick scout to find where I’d like the couple to get dressed, and leave room for any of those inevitable last-minute additions that always seem to pop up.

I personally love shooting the dressing process and the shot of her arms up with the pillow bustles showing has become a staple moment that I try to incorporate as often as I can.

The bride’s parents had painted this room yellow specifically for this occasion as the bride wanted to emphasize warmth in the photos as much as possible.

The Ceremony

The ceremony was a challenge in the best way. We were running a little behind, so I sent my second shooter, Serena, to capture the ceremony details while I covered the ketubah signing on the other side of the property.

A few minutes later, I got a text from her that simply said, “You’re going to want to shoot this yourself.” I made my way through the woods to find the amphitheatre completely transformed. It was incredible — vast, detailed, and we had less than ten minutes to capture it before guests began to arrive. We worked quickly, moving from wide shots to tight frames, with Serena focusing on digital safeties while I shot both medium format and 35mm.

The trickiest part was just how unique and expansive the space was. Even after scouting the day before, it was difficult to decide which vantage points to prioritise. You could easily shoot this location fifty different ways. I defaulted to a safer plan of coverage by staying up front for the processional, but I can imagine a few more creative approaches I might have taken with more time to think it through. Another good reminder of the importance of pre-planning and visualisation. Having a third photographer would have been a dream.

My goal was to capture the space from the best angles that allowed the sheer scope of the story to be told. There was a lengthy meadow of flowers between the ceremony stage and the guests so I stuck around long enough to grab those shots during recessional and sprinted up the stairs in order to also grab this shot that had guests behind them. I’m a big believer in having people in the photos whenever possible so I’m always mindful of choosing the angle that allows that to happen.

Portraits

The venue, the couple’s old high school, had endless options for locations for portraits. Some like the pink and white garden that were particularly sentimental to the couple (but not in the best light) and others that offered more even or interesting lighting.

There was an abandoned house down the road from the bride’s childhood home, where she got ready, and she wanted to try to get in for some shots. We were running very behind but her and I both knew that something good was hiding inside and we had to make even a few minutes work.
We (literally) ran down the street to find the front door open and this dining room area became our set for maybe eight minutes. I love the contrast of a stunning human wearing a fancy gown in some dilapidated space. I grew up doing similar shoots with my friends with thrifted outfits and railroad tracks (hello, Tumblr) and had the same familiar thrill running through me after knowing that we had just struck gold.

I typically get the “safe” portraits out of the way in a shaded spot and spend the remaining majority of the time getting creative. I don’t want to think about all of the locations we didn’t have time to take portraits in. This couple was clearly very easy on the eyes, and the bride was an expert in front of the camera, so posing and direction was a bit more relaxed.

A photo that has taken on a life of its own. I had the bride stop on this path outside of her childhood home to capture her amongst the hydrangea. The anonymous nature created by her looking almost completely away combined with this photo becoming fairly recognizable on the internet even two years later continues to fascinate me. Again, we were very limited on time that day so every moment sort of only exists in a few frames so to have this one work out with such harmony even though it was taken so quickly is proof that your instinct to stop when you know something is perfect is often correct!

The Reception

There were so many intricate details to love from this day: ice sculptures, bread shaped like the coliseum where the ceremony took place, piles of butter, olive centrepieces. Most of them weren’t fully set up until the very last moment.

I managed to capture the space just before guests arrived from cocktail hour, focusing on wide shots from the top of the stairs as everyone sat for dinner. For the first time in eight hours, I could finally take a breath and absorb the atmosphere instead of just running on instinct.

On days this big, it’s easy to slip into pure “coverage mode” instead of true storytelling. This was the first time all day I felt like I could slow down, see the scene, and capture it the way I wanted to.

This shot represents the playfulness of the day. The couple really wanted to lean into the strange and editorial so directing the groom and his father to do something like cover their faces and peek through their fingers felt natural with this group. I love the creepiness of the woods in the background. A lot of my favorite photos over the years are real moments that start off in a great place but after a bit of direction from me, turn into an even more unique or rich moment. I think it’s fun to see what you can get away with sometimes, especially with couples or guests that are more comfortable in front of the camera and down to get a little weird.

My Holga was the star of the show for dancing. The band was incredible and the guests danced their hearts out until the final song. The Holga really is a fun camera to have for these moments because you know whatever you get is going to be fun.

Closing Thoughts From Jes Workman

This wedding was pivotal, both for my career and for expanding what I believed I was capable of as an artist. From the moment our flights were cancelled to the scale of the event itself, it tested every limit. My goal has always been to keep levelling up in this industry, and this weekend did exactly that. It was an unexpected launchpad, some things went wrong, a lot went right, and I learned more than I could have imagined.

Looking back now, with a couple more years of experience under my belt, it’s impossible not to think about what I’d do differently. I use a different lab, I shoot with entirely new cameras, and I have far more confidence and clarity in how I approach a day. I know when to delegate, I know my second shooter’s strengths (Serena absolutely owns a cocktail hour), and I know when to ask for more communication from a planner or push for something I believe in.

Taking on a wedding that has the potential to push your career forward can feel intimidating, but the growth that comes out of it is always worth it. I’m just grateful I didn’t fully realise what I was walking into otherwise I probably would’ve been a lot more stressed out!