Photographer Captures Wedding With His 9-Year-Old Daughter (Exclusive)

Jerome Cole has been a wedding photographer for over 15 years. He’s seen many beautiful moments unfold in front of his lens, but nothing compares to a recent experience.

Aisha, Jérôme’s 9-year-old daughter, has been interested in her father’s work from a very young age. When the father found himself looking for a second photographer for an upcoming daytime wedding, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to let his little girl’s interest shine.

“Aisha has always shown an interest in arts and crafts at school. She loves drawing and painting. She makes movies on her iPad. Every time I went to a wedding, she would try to ask me if she could come,” Jérôme told PEOPLE.

“Every time Dad went to a wedding, I asked, ‘Can I come?’ And then he would say every time, ‘Maybe when you’re older — probably when you’re 12,'” Aisha told PEOPLE.

Aisha is proud “I didn’t give up. I kept asking and eventually there was a wedding where it was able to happen because he needed a second shot, and I was so excited. “

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Jerome explains that he first took Aisha to a shoot with him last year, where he showed her how to use his cameras.

“She did an incredible job, and it was like, ‘Oh my God, you can shoot,’ the proud father says, which is how he knew she would be up to the challenge of a wedding .

“When I had my last meeting with my couple for the wedding that Aisha was accompanying me to, the bride – who is also a photographer, which helped – said to me: ‘I would love to have a photo of my back dress as I walked down the aisle.’ And I would love to have a photo of me leaving the church from the back.”

When Jerome informed him that a second shooter would be needed, the couple decided they wouldn’t need one for the entire day. Later, Jérôme realized that this could be a great opportunity to enlist Aïcha’s help.

“It seemed like a good opportunity since the wedding was early and smaller. Then I discussed it with my couple and they were excited to have Aisha over.”

To get ready, Aisha had to go shopping for the perfect professional look. “I was supposed to wear black, but I didn’t really because I don’t really wear black. So we went to the stores to buy black shorts and T-shirts,” she says.

Also on deck? “Aisha’s mother prepared snacks for the day, as shooting weddings takes a lot of energy and concentration. We made sure to arrive early so we could practice and go through the main shots. We did a few hand signals to communicate the logistics of where we should be standing – and one of them was just to say I love you, to encourage me.

After the big day, Jerome went back to look at the photos – and they were “better than I expected.”

“I was so proud of her and couldn’t believe what she had come up with. The other highlight for me, which was more of a reflection, was that Aisha was so enthusiastic and eager to work with me. She just had a great work ethic and the work itself was the reward.

Aisha says she “enjoyed everything” about the day.

“It was so fun taking pictures of people when they were all wearing fancy clothes and dancing. There were these two kids who were the couple’s daughters and they were so cute. I loved taking pictures of them because that they were hilarious and did a lot of the cutest little things,” says the little girl, now 10 years old.

The special day meant everything to the proud dad, who called it “the highlight of my career.”

“It was really nice to be at the wedding and watch Aisha work. She looked so professional. I could tell her photos were going to be good because of the way her feet were positioned. You could tell that “She was hungry for a photo and making sure she put herself in the right position for the action to happen before it happened.”

“My favorite was the first kiss,” adds Jérôme. “It’s a high-pressure shot for wedding photography, one of the must-haves. It’s great to have a second photographer for it, so you can get two different angles.”

“I usually take three or four photos, just to make sure I get it right. She only took one photo, but she nailed it perfectly. It’s a beautifully composed connection, so it’s my favorite photo. ”

Jérôme was delighted to share this experience with the photo community he has cultivated on social media.

“I share a lot of behind-the-scenes action, as well as my own life and the lives of my children. I knew Aisha’s photos were going to be good, so I thought it would definitely be a good story to share. I I thought my community would appreciate it but I didn’t expect it to go viral, that’s for sure.”

For Aisha, who isn’t online much, she was excited about how “my principal and some of my teachers saw it.”

Jérôme doesn’t know when the next time the circumstances will be right for Aisha to join him, but he looks forward to the moment when that day comes.

“Because of that response, I was tempted to do another set right away. But then when we thought about it, my wife and I really wanted to be sure that she could just be a kid. C “It’s great that she has this advanced skill for her age, but we want to make sure she enjoys it and we move slowly.”

Jérôme continues: “For me, I think it must be the right type of wedding again, where the logistics allow me to concentrate on my work and keep an eye on Aisha who is doing hers. So she will definitely come with me at a wedding again, but it won’t be every weekend.