Last year I had the privilege of working with Leslie & Jonathan on their beautiful, intimate elopement wedding photography at Dorsey Chapel in Glenn Dale Maryland. The event had all the love and emotion of its more grandiose counterpart, but with the emphasis squarely, purposefully and exclusively on the people and relationships that really matter the most.
While of course I enjoy the glitz and glamor of the modern Pinterest wedding as much as any photographer, I often can’t help but wonder what might be drowned out in all the noise. That’s why I really have a fondness for photographing these sorts of smaller events. The purpose and granular value are brought into sharp focus, like a macro photo where you can see every tiny detail of something important.
Dorsey Chapel is a cool little wedding venue with an almost rustic, historic appeal. The floors and windows feel old and well worn, while the overall aesthetic is traditional and classy, evoking nostalgic images of an almost prairie style church on the frontier. The lighting quality inside is also much better than one might imagine just from looking at it, and even if that fails for some reason, the ceiling is a smooth white which bounces light from a flash unit superbly.
One thing to look out for at Dorsey Chapel though is that it’s situated on what is ostensibly a residential street, and there’s really nothing else around to work with, except the immediate vicinity of the building. In this case, we made it work nicely by shooting wide open and really squeezing everything we could out of about a 25 foot radius. The venue does have some bridal rooms for everyone to get ready in, but they’re in very close proximity to one another and you’ll want to plan out your picture-taking ahead of time to make sure you don’t spoil any first-look plans.
Leslie & Jonathan’s wedding was a big success, and with limited time to shoot, the photos turned out beautifully. Check out some of my favorites below, and if you’re planning a wedding at Dorsey Chapel, or anywhere else for that matter, check out the wedding photography page here on our website!
