Rare Historical Photos That Bring Forgotten Moments Back To Life

It’s hard to list all of Holly Mateer’s accolades. As the co-founder of M&G Wedding Photography, she’s made a name for herself as a trailblazing creative and a leader in the photography industry. Mateer specializes in documentary wedding photography and family photography, and has won several awards for her work.

Among the most recent are the “This Is Reportage International Wedding Photographer Of The Year 2023 & 2024” award and the “UK Wedding Photographer Of The Year 2024," awarded by Masters Of Wedding Photography.

The woman also known as The Wild Child Photographer racked up 14 awards from This Is Reportage last year alone, and was named Number 1 on their Top 100 Photographers in the World 2024 list. So it’s an understatement to say that Bored Panda was thrilled to be able to chat to this phenomenal photographer.

“Photography captures moments in our world and records them for history,” Mateer told us during an enlightening interview. “It may be an amazing event, a famous person, the people in the street or just yourself quietly at home. It may be an elaborately staged or an unposed image. The photograph – whether it's a print or a digital image – will be looked back on and will keep memories alive. It's a window on the world and there's nothing else quite like it.”

"A photograph can also depict things that went unseen at the time: a gesture, an expression, the fall of shadows on a wall," says Mateer, adding that through her unique storytelling approach, she can reveal something new and unexpected to the viewers of her work.

We were curious to know how photography has evolved throughout history. "The norms of photographic portraiture stem from Victorian times when photography began. Then, over 150 years ago, due to the limitations of cameras, portrait subjects would have to sit very still, looking at the camera, for the long exposure time that was needed to capture the image. It was all very formal," revealed Mateer.

"With the advent of small cameras and faster film from the 1930s onwards, another mode of photography, the informal, developed – families could take snapshots of their life. And of course, this also allowed photojournalists to capture images quickly and discreetly 'out in the field.'"

Mateer says that despite the advancement of photography, children are still often conditioned to respond in what she calls ‘a photo way’ – keep still, smile or don't smile, look at the camera – in, for instance, school photographs. Family photos showing a group with two or three generations are still taken, she says, adding that the poses are usually a little more relaxed than in Victorian times.

She says these stoic, put-together poses don't depict family life in a truly authentic way. And that's why she's made a name for herself as a wedding and family photographer who embraces the mess, so to speak...

"There is chaos, there is vibrancy, there is life and movement (a lot of movement – children rarely sit still!). So my photography reflects that and has more similarities to reportage and street photography – I'm not interested in portraits, or posing. For me, that doesn't depict people as they really are."

Mateer tells us that a huge part of what she documents at weddings is also about family. Unless the wedding is an elopement. "I'm always looking to capture those family moments at a wedding. Between parents, siblings, grandparents. I know those family moments are so important – the way I photograph a wedding isn't all about the couple, it's about the whole day and the interaction between people," she says.

"The different sides of my photographic practice overlap – and more often than not, I’m documenting real, unscripted family moments. It's an honor knowing those moments will be so important to my families, to my couples, to their families. They become a family heirloom."

Mateer is a mom herself, so she's fully aware of what daily life is like around children, and how to work with them. "When I photograph a family – my own, or someone else's – I don't pose people or stage an action," she tells Bored Panda. "I don't take portraits. I never ask a child to look at the camera – it takes them out of the moment."

The expert says her aim is to photograph life as it occurs around her and to freeze moments of real family life. "I don't want to stop a child from playing, or stop a family being themselves," said Mateer. "I think documenting real family moments is so important – I know that I want to look back on all those happy moments, fun moments. But the chaotic moments and even some of those sad moments too. It’s all part of being a family."

Mateer's advice to everyone is to document it all. You can never take too many photographs. "Portraits definitely have their place – but capturing real moments, of your children playing, having fun, being themselves, interacting with each other and yourselves... You'll love looking back on those moments even more – because those will be the moments you miss as they grow up," she said.

However, she adds that it doesn't hurt to hire a professional now and again. "When documenting your own family, the person behind the camera is always missing from the photo. Looking back at the images, the person holding the camera is erased from the moment, forever," she told us.

"A skilled and empathic documentary photographer can document real moments of the whole family – however big or small – capturing everyone together. No one misses out on the memory, no one is cut out of the frame. And of course, there is a matter of quality of the output that allows detail to be seen and large prints to be made – and the style of compositions and choice of moments a professional will be able to capture for you."

We asked Mateer what moments she looks out for when she's photographing people. "I don't approach a family with any preconceptions when I'm documenting them – every family is unique. I'm just looking to document them being themselves," she replied.

"Funny things happen without planning – as do poignant things. I look for big moments – but also the little details, too. Those little hand holds, or quick hugs. Children are so unselfconscious if you don’t start posing them – beautiful or funny moments happen at every single family shoot I'm lucky enough to be invited to document."

The award-winning photographer says that by not posing or staging things, she can concentrate fully on composition and positioning. "To make the most interesting images – taking shots at toddler level, close-ups, catching the moment a child jumps or falls – images that will bring those moments back alive to you, the viewer."

Mateer has personally reaped the benefits of having loads of family photos. "My own children love looking back at the photos of my own wedding – asking questions about the people within the images, about family," she told us.

"Some of the people in my wedding photos aren't here anymore, so the images from that day are so important to me, to my family. Those real moments of such an important day – I'm so glad I have those to look back on."

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