Herault (34) Wedding Photography Award - 2734304

"Wedding mornings in Nîmes, France, are apparently not immune to the laws of temperature, as two groomsmen abandon all pretense of elegance and use towels to wage a desperate battle against the heat. Standing between them, the groom grins with the satisfaction of a man who is fully dressed and momentarily winning the competition. The humor of the photograph comes from the perfect symmetry of the scene, with each groomsman hidden behind a towel as though participating in some unusual pre-ceremony ritual known only to the wedding party. Soft window light pours through the arched frame behind them, giving the image a classical elegance that contrasts beautifully with the very unglamorous reality of sweating through formalwear. The photographer recognizes that getting ready photographs are often at their best when they reveal the human side of the day, where friendship, laughter, and a little discomfort become part of the story long before anyone walks down the aisle."