The Singing Butler

Aw that's quite sweet

It's worth a try ! And could be a fab picture x

I love it, definitely one for a frame

I noticed your avatar earlier. What is that picture called - it is similar to the Singing Butler

I noticed your avatar earlier. What is that picture called - it is similar to the Singing Butler

It's beautiful - and such a perfect name for a wedding day

Looking forward to seeing more of your flashes

It's quite cute, I like a good quirky photo.

The shot will only work if the photographer can get some movement going. This is a hard one to pull off - you will notice that this picture feels it was shot a few minutes after the dancing started, all 4 subjects are "doing something". The reflection & wind adds to the movement. This wont be a shot for a long dress

I like the shot that BB's found and think that it "works". Don't you, WP?

Yes it works, but in a different way. It is more posed and less natural, it is a very different approach. Don't get me wrong, while I sit on on side of the posed & set up Vs. natural fence, I can appreciate and like what is on the other side. Modern portraiture & posing was born from classical painting, and as a photographer, I love the ideas a painter can play with and show, and of course we look back and borrow ideas and principles. If you consider that Graham, the photographer that shot the photograph is a excellent and accomplished landscape photographer as well... I feel it shows just how much the timing of the day makes to a shot like this

The painter has an advantage, he doesn't have to deal with the reality of getting a shot (in this instance, heels, dress, weather, timings, water, time of day, light), he can spend hours studying a subject and weeks painting it. The modern photographer has a different working framework. That is something that can be seen between the two images

To replicate the first image, you would need the 4 sitters, and a lot of patience. You would need the perfect time of day, and somehow not sink in the wet sand. It is a very idealised and unrealistic image. The skill of the painter brings the illusion to life. As a inspiration, it is wonderful

If you want to do this, you need to really understand the exact light ad timing of the natural light. You will get a window of a few minutes, where the light will give you the look you want. Additionally, your photographer will probably need some off camera flash to give some controlled fill. The photographer if he/she is local would probably scout the beach out first and observe and test shoot the light at the end of the day

If the weather/lighting on the day is with you, you could pull of a cracker. if it is against you, then the photographer will possibly struggle. If you want the shot, you might need to go do it afterwards as a "trash the dress shoot" there will be a "best time of year" and best time of the day for this sort of shot

I think this is the photo I saw at the wedding fair. If we can do something like this I would be more than happy. I know it's not exactly like the Vettriano picture but I think most people would recognise his influence.