A wedding isn’t just a party, it’s the culmination of your personal love story. And Carol Harrold isn’t just a photographer, she’s a storyteller. We recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Carol, whose work has been featured on Seattle Bride Magazine and who has won awards on Wedding Wire, to talk about photojournalism, what she loves about weddings, and what her arch-nemesis is when it comes to a good portrait session.
Carol Harrold
Describe your style in one sentence:
Classic photojournalism – I love to tell the unique stories of every couple and their families.
Photo credit: Carol Harrold Photography
Where is the most interesting place you’ve photographed a wedding?
Under a tree. It was a super small ceremony in a Seattle Park in September. Just before the ceremony was set to start, the rain started coming down in buckets, and we all had to squeeze under this massive Doug Fir. It was a challenge for me as a photographer – cameras and rain don’t exactly work well together – but it actually brought everybody in attendance at this tiny wedding even closer together, and I was able to capture their laughs and smiles in a very unique way.
Photo credit: Carol Harrold Photography
What piece of advice would you give to wedding guests who want to take better pictures at weddings they attend?
These days I suggest taking video! At least at certain times, like the toasts and the dance, it’s hard to get great phone shots with low light and movement. But video is a super fun and memorable way to document the moment! And now that you can take slo-mo or hyperlapse video with many phones, the possibilities are endless.
Photo credit: Carol Harrold Photography
What’s been your biggest wedding day challenge?
Wind – wind is the only element that is really hard to make work for portraits. I can deal with rain – I’ve been in Seattle long enough to know what to do in case of rain, and I think it feels a bit romantic, but wind can be a serious challenge, especially when hair starts flying.
Photo credit: Carol Harrold Photography
Do you have a favorite, must-capture moment for every wedding?
Of course the wedding is all about the couple, but the guests’ reactions really make some of the most striking, emotional memories. I try to really capture the guests, as well as the couple, during key moments of the ceremony and reception.
