By contrast, the commodities at a premium in modern marriage - emotional fulfilment and fidelity - have manoeuvred us into a curious paradox.There's not much left to shock about sexual behaviour. Most splits are initiated by women, who are almost inevitably worse off as a result. The dynamics of relationships are changing; the increasing emphasis for both sexes on work (or the lack of it) detracts from the value of time invested in the home.Divorce and separation rates suggest economic stability is not grounds for staying together. No sensible girl could now assume that any man would or could provide for her; on current trends, she's more likely to be in part-time work than he in a full-time job. Hooking someone to provide for you was every sensible girl's aim and if it was someone you could love and respect, so much the better. Except for the unusually brave or unusually disadvantaged, marriage was the only framework in which to have children. Gradually, rearing children has slipped down the list of priorities, relegated from first to third place in the Alternative Service Book version of the marriage service, where it now comes after the "companionate" aspects of the relationship.Economic security was another big sales feature.

Ironically, children were once a premium commodity - the very thing that made marriage or a stable relationship attractive. If you discount the idea of late marriage or a national squad of vestal virgins, that suggests a lot of living together - and splitting up.All this frenetic activity in the market in relationships, married or not, may be fine for the grown-ups For the by-product - children - it means instability. Among those who commission social surveys, there has been an apparent reluctance to carry out research on cohabitation, so trends only emerge like photo-fit images. The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys shows a quarter of women aged 16 in 1990 will be unmarried by the time they are 50 That compares with 5 per cent of those who were 16 in 1974.

Aside from the birth of their children, people living together in stable domesticity barely brush with officialdom except as individuals. If you count spectators, that makes it, with angling, one of the great unsung British pastimes. So, unfortunately, is divorce, with the highest rate in Europe, although here also the graph seems to be levelling off - which can probably be attributed to an increase in cohabitation.At least that's the assumption, in the absence of statistics. The rate may have fallen away slightly, but numbers of weddings remain close to 300,000 a year. For all the gloomy talk, marriage is not such a minority pursuit. But the incentive to marry - which is what Dr Habgood announced this week he wants to see - is not the problem. When the first sitter starts to have a nervous breakdown, he should say "just one more to be on the safe side ...".

There's an argument that an efficient market operates in adult relationships. People have the incentive to stay in them until they become untenable, or until a better deal comes along. Into that climate of competition, the Archbishop of York wants to drop his intervention - tax cuts for those prepared to tie the knot. Modern marriage is, relatively speaking, not fiscally blessed, and an extra few pence in the pound might redress the comparative disadvantage. Then he should say: "OK, just one roll of black and white" and go through the whole routine again. Have you ever noticed that we take photos at weddings, but we never take group photos at funerals? Odd, that.As a group photographer, I disapprove.It could double our income overnight if people had photos at funerals.I want you all to think seriously about it.Having a photographer to your funeral, I mean.Having me, specifically.I'll give you all my card.I'm sorry about all this nattering.

I'm just filling in time while I change this film.Or divorces, of course.Nobody ever has photos taken at divorces.Of course, nobody has parties for divorces.They should do.I had a party for my divorce.It was a stag party, actually.Thought we should end up the way we started.Apart.Right, we're there now.I think ...At this point the photographer should say: "OK, same again with flash" and go through the whole routine once more. Looks manic after a while.I want you all to look as if this wasn't a wedding.More as if it were a funeral.Funny thing, that. !No, as you were ...I don't think the film has ...There seems to be something wrong with the ...Relax for a moment while I sort out the ...OK, all systems go!Let's go for it!Close together now!Closer!You'll have to get closer than that!I can't get you all in ...Can't you get any closer than that?Don't be afraid to be friendly with each other!Hands round each ...Not too friendly!Can the big one move round and stand at the back, please?Yes, you, sir ...Lovely!OK, closer again.Look at the camera ...Look at the ...Look at the little birdy.That's fine!That's perfect!Smile!Cheese!Nice big ...Everyone smile?Madam, can you smile too?Could someone make her smile?Does anyone know how to ...Thank you!Ready now?OK, great big smile!Nice ...Big ...I'm afraid you've all moved.Close together now.Closer ...Gentleman on the left, if you please.No, other gentleman ...On my left, your right ...Gentleman scratching his head ...That's the one!No, just stop scratching ...Hands down!That's it.Lovely.OK, ready?Right - let's go for it!Smile!Close together.Fine!One more!Another one!Keep smiling!Nice and still!Great!Wonderful!Super !Gentleman at the back, tall fellow, yes, you, sir, if you could stop making those funny faces, because it seems funny now, but it doesn't look very good in the final photograph, I would appreciate it ...Great!Wonderful?Ready?Now I want you all to ...Are you all listening?Now I want you all to look slightly serious.That's it.Can't have people grinning in every photo. Far from it, as an inspection of this list of basic phrases will reveal. OK! Ready?Right! Let's go!Hold on ...Something wrong ...I can't get the camera to ...I can't quite see ...Oh, I see what's wrong.How stupid ...Right!Ready?OK!Let's go ... It is commonly supposed that "Say cheese" is the only phrase necessary.