Behind the Photograph: A candid moment at a Chester business networking meeting.
I knew something was about to happen.
Earlier that morning, I’d noticed Zoe arriving at our BNI networking meeting carrying a bottle of Welsh whisky.
I didn’t know exactly what was going to happen, but I had a feeling she was going to present it to Sauren.
So, as the moment approached, I grabbed my camera.
And there it was. A lovely, spontaneous embrace.
It lasted only a moment, but I’d been watching for it.
Photography is about anticipating the moment
People sometimes assume that candid photography is simply a matter of being in the right place at the right time.
There’s certainly an element of luck involved. But after years of photographing weddings, people and business events, I’ve learnt to watch what’s happening around me.
A gesture, a glance, someone preparing to make a presentation. Little clues that suggest something interesting might be about to happen.
On this occasion, that clue was a bottle of Welsh whisky.
I recognised the possibility of a moment worth photographing before it happened.
That’s one of the things I love about reportage photography. Rather than directing people or asking them to recreate something, I prefer to observe and capture what unfolds naturally.
Why I didn’t crop the television out
When I began editing the photograph, I found myself thinking about the composition.
Your eyes probably go straight to the embrace. That’s the obvious subject, and quite rightly too.
But look a little longer.
There’s a television showing an upcoming presentation. There are people sitting around the table. There are all those little details that tell us where we are and what’s happening.
I could crop much more tightly around the two people embracing. It might even create a visually stronger photograph at first glance.
But would it tell the same story?
I don’t think it would.
The television wasn’t something I’d overlooked. I wanted it there because it gives the photograph another layer of meaning.
The people around the table matter too.
Sometimes what appears to be a distraction is actually part of the story.
My approach to colour, black and white and editing
When I sit down to edit a photograph, I often begin by looking carefully at the colours.
Even when I eventually decide that an image works better in black and white, I prefer to start with a colour-correct photograph. I’ve found that it gives me a good foundation for creating the tones I want.
I enjoy black and white photography because it can bring attention to expression, gesture, light and the relationships between people.
But I don’t believe every photograph needs to be black and white.
Sometimes colour is part of the story too.
I’ll adjust exposure, colour and contrast. I’ll crop when I believe it strengthens the composition.
What I rarely do in my reportage photography is remove objects or people that were actually there.
That doesn’t mean every element needs equal attention. Editing is about making choices.
But I like to preserve the integrity of the moment I witnessed.
Showing the people behind the business
A great deal of my work involves photographing people in business, whether that’s professional headshots, branding photography or natural moments at corporate events.
And something I’ve learnt over the years is that people reveal a great deal about themselves when they’re not thinking about the camera.
A spontaneous smile. A conversation. A shared joke. An unexpected embrace.
These are the moments that can tell us something about the personalities, relationships and culture within a business.
Professional business photography doesn’t always have to involve somebody standing in front of a carefully arranged background.
Sometimes the most meaningful images happen when people are simply being themselves.
Looking beyond the obvious
What I particularly love about this photograph is that there’s more to discover than the embrace.
The longer you look, the more of the morning you begin to understand.
And perhaps that’s why I’m sometimes reluctant to crop too tightly.
I don’t always want to tell the viewer exactly where to look. I quite like giving them the opportunity to discover things for themselves.
After all, a photograph isn’t just about what you include in the frame.
It’s about why you chose to include it.
The best moments in photography aren’t always accidents. Sometimes they’re the result of watching, waiting and knowing when to press the shutter.
Raymond Jones is a commercial photographer specialising in business portraits and food and hospitality photography across Chester, Cheshire, Wrexham and North Wales. His approach focuses on natural expressions, authentic moments and photographs that tell a story.
Explore my business portrait photography and get in touch if you’re looking for natural, professional images of the people behind your business.