That’s what I said when another photographer this weekend asked my most embarrassing photography moment. I began to explain to her the details of the day. That the wedding was in a small bed and breakfast. That the day had gone off without a hitch. That the entirety of the bride’s family was down stairs in the living area congregating and laughing. The house was filled with echos of memories being made. Hearts overflowing with joy. And the happiness of happy seeping out through the walls.
That’s how the day was going. Until one of the bride’s family members asked me to document the theme in each of the rooms of the bed and breakfast. You see, the whole family had stayed there the night before. I’m guessing my face showed drooping signs of concern for other people’s privacy. She patted my arm and said, “Don’t worry, they’re all unlocked and we’re all down here. There’s no one in any of them.” So, hesitantly, I agreed.
As I strolled through every room, I found the details they wanted to remember. The old fashion keys laying on the dressers. The books lining the shelves and the original paintings hung about the room. The hardwood floors creaked under my feet and the character of the Victorian home was giving me Anne of Green Gables flash backs.
I came to the last room and pushed the old door with the number six hanging slightly askew and it creaked open like it was protesting having to work. It hit back against the rose-papered wall and the antique knob giggled a little. It was by far my favorite room from what I could see. It boasted great windows along the back wall and as my eyes scanned forward I could see the doilies and trunks scattered about the room making it just one more step back in time. When I took a step inward into the small foyer the bathroom came into view. The mirror hung over the sink and reflected the shower. Why it never dawned that the laughter from down stairs had seemed louder and that the source I attributed the noise to was not actually down the spiral wooden staircase, I’ll never understand. But as I peered into the mirror and I froze.
The early signs of fogging glass were showing but it did nothing to diminish the reflection in the glass. A happily married couple stared back at me with wide eyes from the shower and the camera (that suddenly felt as if it weighed a hundred pounds) nearly slipped from my hands. I kept a firm grip though my palms were sweating and quickly looked away. ”Uh…I’m so sorry,” I said, my voice barely audible. And I ran from the room.
I spent the next several minutes wondering where I could find a rock to crawl under. But I had a job to do.
The worst part about it wasn’t explaining it to the bride or having to talk my self out of a shaken state. It was the fact that I had to face them during the ceremony. And when the man winked at me, well, that right there nearly killed me worse than the actual sighting.
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