I consider myself a fashion and advertising photographer, as those are the types of photos I enjoy shooting the most. However, before specializing in this field, I began my journey as a wedding photographer. Initially, I was nervous and overly enthusiastic, often overshooting to ensure I captured every detail. I constantly sought inspiration from professional wedding photographers and eagerly tried to reproduce their images while adding my own twist. With a background in drawing and painting, I found that composition and playing with light came naturally to me, so I focused on different techniques while finding my way as a photographer. Even now, I still enjoy shooting weddings occasionally.

Juan Pablo and Xochitl are very close friends of mine; I refer to them as compadres, which is akin to saying they are like family. When they got married, I had the honor of photographing their wedding. It was a bit of a challenge because I was both the photographer and the best man, but I managed to pull it off with the help of a fellow photographer, Maggy.

In addition to the standard photographs I took for them, I wanted to offer something unique and fresh—something that reflected my style. I know it sounds almost impossible because so much has already been done in wedding photography. However, I believe that the key to creating unique photographs lies in the story behind them. In the wedding world, there are trends like “trash the dress,” sunrise sessions, and pre-wedding shoots. I sat down with Juan Pablo and Xochitl to brainstorm a creative and engaging narrative that would capture memorable moments. After about an hour of discussion, we came up with a clever idea.

Our story revolved around a couple wandering through the city of Hermosillo, trying to raise money for their honeymoon. We titled it “Coperacha para la luna de miel” (alms for the honeymoon) and brainstormed some exciting concepts. From playing guitar on the streets to singing on a bus, washing cars, selling hot dogs, and even attempting to sell the engagement ring for cash, we had a lot of fun with it. One of the highlights was how people genuinely thought we were serious about raising money for our honeymoon, often cheering us on and offering contributions.

Throughout the day, the shooting was largely improvised. While we had a clear idea of what we wanted, the locations and people we encountered were all spontaneous. We asked for permission when needed, but overall, everything flowed organically. This approach added authenticity to the images, making them raw and vibrant. Although the day turned into a long couple of hours of shooting, it felt quick, and the wedding dress did get dirty, but we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

In terms of the photographs, I aimed to stay true to the original images, with minimal editing. I applied photo adjustments to just one picture and created panoramas for three others, but that was it. I let you decide which images underwent alterations. The corrections included adjustments in brightness and contrast, shadows and highlights, saturation, and I applied basic global filters with a bit of grain to give it a film-like quality, primarily using Capture One. At that time, I was using a Canon 50D paired with a 24-70mm f/2.8 lens and Lee filters. I chose not to use a tripod to remain as mobile as possible and didn’t carry a flash or bounce for my photographs; it was simply me and my camera.

I loved this session because of its uniqueness. Striving for originality is what motivates me most as a photographer. Every time I revisit these photographs, I relive that day and remember all we did to capture those moments. It was a blast, and I look forward to creating something like this again in the future. In many ways, this could lead to a new trend in wedding photography.

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