An Atlanta-area wedding photographer takes on a very special projects for brides whose lives have been touched by breast cancer.
What is your favorite memory?
I was recently asked this question while interviewing Atlanta wedding photographer Peter Doyle. After a brief moment of silence (a girl’s gotta think) I told Peter that a series of images were just flashing through my head. “Exactly” he said. “That’s the point right? You think of specific things, like a little storyboard, and it makes up your whole life.” It was with this concept that Peter Doyle created his company Storyboard Life Photography.
As a wedding photographer Peter believes the most important thing is capturing the first moments as husband and wife, and, as he says, starting the volume of your life together. “I’m creating something for your grandkids,” he smiled.
When we heard about his most recent project, Get Married didn’t skip a beat to get involved and support him. On October 21, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Peter photographed twelve women, all of whom have been touched by breast cancer. In a 13 hour photo shoot fit for top models, these women were pampered, draped in Anne Barge designer wedding gowns and escorted by a Hummer Limo to different set locations throughout Atlanta. Peter photographed these once fragile women next to empowering objects, landmark venues and overall staples of strength: a Gulfstream Jet, Dodge Chargers, a Helicopter, The Palomar Hotel and the Fabulous Fox Theatre.
“Everyone has a story to tell” said Peter, “You can take these pictures, but then what? Let’s have something that is going to last a little longer.” And that’s exactly what he did by publishing the book “To Have & To Hold: a life for generations” documenting the days photo shoot. Peter captured the stories of these women through his lens. He captured their natural beauty, scars and strength and put them together in a beautifully produced book.
To unveil the photos and recognize the forty vendors that helped make this project happen, Peter, along with the help of Dawn Cowart of Traditionally Modern, held a charity soiree and Photo Shoot Unveiling at the Palomar Hotel in Atlanta, Ga. Get Married had the opportunity to sit down with Peter five days before the unveiling and the release of his book. “You will see how these women get along.” Peter told me, “They didn’t want to leave the photo shoot after the day was over!”
Throughout the night of the event, these 12 natural models floated through the room like celebrities. You could feel the bond between them and their pride for being involved in this project. I spoke with one of the women photographed, Medea Lumpkin, a breast cancer survivor and walking life of the party.
The passion she felt for this project, the women involved and for Peter was palpable. Medea was diagnosed with breast cancer right after she married her husband in 2006. “It was emotional to do this,” Medea admits of the photo shoot. “God brought me all the way through. And this is like having a new start for me. I got goose bumps when I saw the pictures.”
I asked Medea after all of her life experience what her message would be to you, the brides. Without a doubt she answered: “I would say to enjoy the moment with your partner and not get caught up in the money.”
One prominent thing about the wedding industry, is that it sits comfortably on a sturdy foundation of constant support; created so you can do just as Medea said, enjoy the moment. As was evident with this project, there is an overwhelmingly strong willingness to help that exists in this industry.
Peter summed it up best at the event when he said: “Six months ago, no one knew who I was, but more importantly, six months ago you didn’t know each other.”
That’s what it is about. It’s about you, the women, the brides. It’s about helping you tell your story, whatever it may be, and capturing those “favorite moment” snap shots along the way.
Photography by: www.storyboardlife.com
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