An Anthropologist’s Take on Wedding Photography | Toronto Documentary Wedding Photography

I didn’t go to school for Photography. I had an Honours Degree in Anthropology instead. For those who are not familiar with it, Anthropology is the study of human culture past (Archaeology) and present (Cultural Anthropology). I was fascinated, no, obsessed with understanding the human experience through culture, and examining what makes us human. If  there was a Canadian University that offered Inca Archaeology in their grad programs several years ago, my life would have followed a different route.

I’m bringing this part of me up because last week, I attended WPPI and had an amazing time learning from photographers I admire, connecting with friends from other parts of the world, and forming new bonds with some wonderful people in my industry. We even got to shoot in the desert (photos coming up soon)! One class I took was that of Ben and Erin Chrisman, who are both wedding photojournalists based in San Francisco. In their class, Ben said:

“Photography is a means to understanding who we are as human beings.”

As photographers, we get to capture human emotions. We get to freeze time in our frames, explore people’s expressions and the subtleties of their gestures, both of which tell stories of the subjects and illustrate their relationships with each other. Through our skills, we document what it’s like to be human. Which really isn’t far off from Anthropology. Except for the fact that in Photography, you do need to have a great set of eyes and thorough understanding of light to get the job done.

The photo you see above was taken during Dora and Sina’s Greek Orthodox wedding ceremony in Toronto. It’s an image of Dora’s father with one of his grandsons. To me, it’s a portrait that shows the relationship between a grandfather and his grandson.  I love how he held up his grandson’s chin so endearingly, and even makes me wonder what he whispered to him. Fifty years from now when the grandson will be all grown up and maybe have his own grandkids, this image will remind him of his grandfather and how he had loved him. It’s a frozen moment in time that he will cherish for the rest of his life.