Afnan Studios: Rites de Passage

My work as a photographer affords me the most incredible opportunities to explore people's thoughts and feelings about deeply significant events in their lives. This, for me, is one of the most inspiring aspects of portrait photography...

It is impossible to photograph a wedding, for example, without learning about how a couple met, how their relationship grew and developed, how they feel about life, love and family.

These insights don't just come from conversations with the couple and their families. Every single aesthetic decision a couple takes - from the venue to the table arrangements, the first dance and the tiny details - tells a photographer who they are and what things they value most.

This is all part of the 'story' that a couple creates and recreates again and again, throughout their lives. The details will change with time but the images you make will both anchor and enrich this story, not just for the couple but for their friends, family, children and grandchildren.

When a couple entrusts you to photograph their wedding, you become not just an observing participant in their narrative, but an author of a very important chapter. For this reason, I am always trying to hone my ability to perceive people's reality and adapt my approach (if not necessarily my style) accordingly.

Family Photography

While weddings are an obvious example, portraits of young families are perhaps even more intimate and fascinating.

When a family invites you into their life for a day or an afternoon, you literally become an auxiliary member.

In a practical sense, you'd better be prepared to play with, entertain or even feed a toddler in order to help make the experience of a portrait session less stressful for mum and dad. I haven't yet been asked to 'change' any of my subjects, but I do keep a clothes peg in my camera bag for emergencies... and I can now fold a stroller one-handed in a matter of seconds!

In a more profound sense, every interaction between a parent and child that you observe and photograph tells you something about the hopes, concerns and expectations of parents.

Sometimes, a portrait session of this kind goes far deeper to reveal a couple's spiritual reality...

When a family decides to host a simple but beautiful gathering of friends and family for prayers, songs and food to welcome their first child into the world, you know you are participating in something a bit special.

Blessings were tied to balloons that soared into the sky, as music and laughter reverberated through the trees.