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John Solano: Reaction Time

John Solano is a Nikon Legend Behind the Lens

He'll tell you that photographing weddings is a lot like photographing sports.

"They're both about anticipation, action and reaction. If someone gives a toast, there will be a reaction. If someone tells a joke, I'm looking for where the laughter is going to come from."

Like a sports photographer, John Solano often works from a distance using long lenses. "My whole thing is to be unobtrusive, to really not be seen," he says. "The biggest compliment I can get is someone saying, 'I didn't even know you were there.'"

With over 15 years' experience photographing weddings in and around Los Angeles, John knows that there'll be plenty of opportunities to get the kind of spontaneous and intimate photographs that the couple and their families value most. "You do have to direct people at times," he says, "but there's never a need for over-direction. If you over-direct, awkwardness sets in, and that's when people feel weird about the photographer being there. So I try to let people do their own thing, and I go with it, maybe fine-tune it just a hair. If the situation is not working, I'll say, 'Let's move, let's go over here.' I'll change things up. My whole job is to create situations and let things happen.

"I might be photographing the men and rather than say, 'Okay, we've got to make pictures,' I'll say, 'Okay, guys, let's take a break. Go to the bar for 20 minutes and I'll come and get you.' Then after a couple of minutes, I'll follow them. Now they're with their friends, and they're relaxed and there's electricity in the air. They might know I'm there, but it doesn't matter. The thing is, I created that situation, that moment when they're doing their own thing, and I'm there to cover it.

"In another instance, when the bride and groom see each other for the first time, I might tell the coordinator to have a couple of bottles of champagne in the area, with glasses. Someone will open a bottle and things relax. People are toasting and there it is—the moment I want to photograph. Bring people together and things will happen. If it's a hot day and there's champagne outside, believe me, you're going to get pictures. You just have to think a step or two ahead."