The Art of photography

<ALondonweddinggave MaryEllenMarka

momentinwhichthefiguresoffather,brideand

onlookersarrangedthemselvesintoadesign

thatheightenedtheinterplayofemotionsShe

explainsthesceneas"threehopes

coming

together"—thefather's,thedaughter's,andallthe

dreamsandfantasiesofthechildrenwatching

Anoldwoman,so

hunchbackedshelooksalmost

gnomelike,momentarilyassumesapositionthat

createsarevealingarrangementforJosef

Koudelka'sreadycamera.Not

onlydoesherbony

handechothehand-shapedknockersheis

polishingbut,duringthesplit-secondexposure,her

backformstwo

patternswiththebackgroundIts

darkformcreatesasilhouette

againstthelight-

coloredwall,anditscurvingshapecontrastswiththe

strongvertical

linesofthedoors."Onealwayshasto

beopenandreadyfor

momentsofaccidentand

improvisation."saysKoudelka."Theycancreate

the

richestexperienceofall."