I call this image Yin-Yang after the ancient Chinese philosophical concept centered in the duality or complementing principles of life. It is one of my very first shots as a wedding photographer. I was proud of this image 17 years ago, and I love it to this day.
There is a lot of meaning here rooted in the essence of marriage. Apart from the female and male energies, the hands of the bride and groom fit perfectly together, like a key and a lock. By turning the image to black and white, I added more duality, and ultimately more mystery and symbolism to the photo.
I remember this wedding vividly since it was one of the very first that I photographed. It took place on a rainy day in Sutton, Quebec - a beautiful location on the outskirts of Montreal. Back then, I shot with a 70-200 mm Nikon telephoto lens on a D 100 body, which might have been the first professional digital cameras from Nikon.
During the ceremony at a church, the lighting was poor, and the procession slow. I looked for ways to add some extra coverage to the religious service. And that’s when I shot my Yin and Yang - the best minimalism that I have ever taken at a wedding in its genre. Although I’ve tried to recreate this shot a few times afterward, none were as successful as this one. For me, this image is the perfect Yin and Yang of weddings - there is no one without another, no black without white, husband and wife in unison and faith.
~ Michael Greenberg
Location: Sutton, Quebec, Canada.
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