Fearless Photographer Trashes Dress in Alaskan Gold Mine
About once a year I embark on a special personal project I like to call “Trash the Dress.” It’s not about destruction, but creation. No disrespect towards irreverence to the wedding dress… but honestly, a bride will never wear her dress, nor will her daughter. So why not make it special when she does:) Go big, or go home. We went BIG.
Stacy reminds me the importance of living life to the fullest. Faced a rare disease, she’s battled death more times than many can would care to dream a nightmare of. Celebrating life, we decided to a no-holes barred experience in her native Alaska environment full of gold mines. She’s a gold mine herself… filled with enthusiasm, bravery, and big smiles. Heart of gold, in flesh.
We headed up to Hatcher Pass to begin our bridal portrait session showcasing her beauty like she’s never seen before. One of the talents of a good wedding photographer is to pull out the inner-most beauty (despite vulnerabilities), and not only make their clients look beautiful… but FEEL beautiful.
A dear friend of mine, Brendan Smith, came along to help with gear logistics. This Alaskan trash the dress session represented a synergy of creative efforts, a trifecta of creative thanks to Stacy’s willingness, Brendan’s awesome attitude to shelp sherpa style, and my panache for pushing creative limits. You both made this shoot happen!
One of my favorite parts of this shoot was any number of these images could have been taken 50 years ago. And I’d like to think in 50 years these images will still be ‘cool.’
I call this first image “Independence.”
Stacy is a tough Alaskan gal, full of curiosity, and wasn’t afraid to explore the mine shaft in her wedding dress. This image proves it: 
Yes, Stacy got her very own pink mining helmet. I love the tiny drops of water on the lid, as well as the two streaks of water droplet light framing her in the background. 
Stacy heads to the cabin up at Hatcher’s Pass, Alaska on her trash the dress session: 
A single flash, multiple exposure implemented (thank goodness I wore my Xtratuf boots to keep my feet dry):
I can see this 40 x 60” metallic print hanging on her husband’s office wall: 
Pingback: How to Lightpaint in a gold mine {Day & Night} | Kern-Photo
Pingback: 101 goals in 1,001 days: v 2.0 | Kern-Photo
Pingback: Fearless Photographer wears Xtratuf Boots | Xtratuf Boots
Pingback: Year in Review – 2011 | Kern-Photo
Pingback: Wasilla, Alaska, Trash the Dress: Stacy | The Wedding Atlas | Proposals, Engagements, Weddings, and More