Flickr Scotland

, originally uploaded by StephenMcleod - SOOC sucks..

"One of the most important things that a photographer has to remember when they're taking pictures at an event, be that a wedding, nightclub or otherwise.. is that they're meant to be there.

Of course, there are plenty of photographers who act like they should be somewhere; swanning about as if they own the place.. but more often than not, they just think that they should be there. To the rest of us that are not as naturally arrogant or single-minded, it's difficult to put ourselves in positions purely to get 'the shot', when we're over-aware of getting in the way or blocking other people's view.

I'm down to do a wedding in the next couple of weeks, which throws a whole lot of things up - I've shyed away from doing very many, as I've wanted to make sure that when I did do them, that I could take some really awesome pictures, and not just the 400-relatives-in-front-of-a-building type that's so prevalent amongst the so-called professionals that you see advertised everywhere.

Of course, it means taking on the attitude of you're meant to be there, and more than that..

When your feelings, your passion and your whole life is taken up and fuelled by your obsession and awe at people and their interactions and expressions, then surely a job where you are invited into other people's lives at a milestone to capture and be involved in all of that should be the greatest job of all.

Enough of placing weddings on pedestals - this is what photographers are meant to do best. This is what I'm meant to love doing. A whole bunch of people in a room with a bag-full of film. "