So, you want to know how I work, and ultimately how I go about documenting your wedding? Well, let’s get into it….
The first thing you should know is that I’m incredibly focused and driven to create images for my couples, although I may appear calm and relaxed on the surface, there is no off-switch whilst I’m at a wedding. I don’t stop watching, observing, moving or documenting, and I always just go with the flow of the day, there’s very little in the way of a plan or shot-list (if you want that love heart group shot, I’m probably not your guy!!!), instead, I follow my gut and get involved.
The light, location, the people, the moments, the speeches, the laughs, the tearful moments, each and every one is unique to that day. Moments like this can’t be staged or re-created, they just happen, and I love that I get to capture those moments. I completely immerse myself within the day, becoming more of a wedding guest than “the wedding photographer”. But I do know how to use a camera!!
01. A NON-LABELLED STYLE
Sometimes photographers define themselves as documentary and reportage, fine art, creative or natural light.
Personally, I find it really difficult to pigeonhole myself into a particular style or genre, that’s not to say I have anything against photographers who do label themselves, far from it, but for me, there are elements of each one of those tags that could apply to my work. I see my photography as an artistic collaboration, a collaboration between myself and my couples, and a relationship that means far more than just being a wedding photographer.
Dominic and Beth who married at Hedsor House recently left me a review, and a snippet of that review really stood out whilst I was writing this page, and they said:
“So many of our guests commented on your style; mingling without obtrusion to capture the vibe of the day. It was the same for Beth and I – it was like being photographed by a friend.”
I take huge pride, not only in the work I produce, but by the means in which I go about producing it. I never take for granted that decision couples make before booking me, and ultimately, the trust they place in me to produce their images in a way that aligns for us all creatively.
02. CONSTANTLY CREATING
From the second I step out of my car on the morning of a wedding, right through to the moment I get back in at the end of the night, I don’t stop making creative decisions.
Sometimes during the ceremony and reception, these decisions come thick and fast, it’s relentless, and I love it! One thing’s for sure, I never stop, I continually push myself to find the next image, even if that’s at 11pm on a messy dance floor, and my feet are saying sit down!!!
That next image might be an obvious one; the bride and groom sharing a kiss, the first dance, the confetti aisle. Or it might be a subtle smile from a member of your family. I’m always hunting those moments, the in-between moments, the ordinary interactions between people, the little things that happen before or after the obvious, the people around you, the people in the background, and sometimes the people who try to hide from me!! Yes, people do try and hide!!
03. POSING FREE PORTRAITS
So I suppose this is the bit that separates me from being a pure-documentary wedding photographer?! And it might also be the part that surprises most fellow photographers!!
I often get asked for hints and tips on posing techniques, but do you know what, I don’t really pose people!! The available and natural light always drives my portraits, and I might go so far to suggest where a couple go and stand, but I’m a big believer in just allowing couples to be themselves on the wedding day, I want my images to reflect them, their personalities and the landscape around us. Naturally I guide and direct, but I don’t tell couples what angle they should hold their head at.
Telling someone where to position his or her arm, or how to stand just feels like a complete contradiction to me. In fact, the portrait side of the day is much more relaxed than I think most of my couples perceive, it’s about taking a quiet moment away, going for a walk and reflecting on what the hell just happened!!! Some couples laugh and joke about which single guests might be “hooking up” later that night, or which family members aren’t seeing eye to eye, but some just cherish a little peace and quiet. Couple portraits usually take place over 2 windows, no more than 10-15 minutes long, who needs longer?!
I guarantee I will never pull you away from your wedding day for a sustained period of time, any images of couples you see in my work are always created within those 2 windows. The goal is to capture some incredible portraits of you both, without anyone wondering where you’ve been.
04. THE DANCEFLOOR
I use selective flash, because for the bulk of the day, I’m using ambient and daylight to create my images, you’ll rarely see me with a flashgun during the family photo’s, that’s for sure!!
But when it comes to the wild craziness of the dancefloor, I have a couple of setups that allow me to document the action in incredibly low light without it feeling like you’re stood in the middle of a photography studio!! Flashguns, used on low power settings, play an important role in how I document the shapes thrown by guests on the dancefloor! One thing is for sure, I’m absolutely not one of those photographers who has the engine running 10 minutes after the first dance!! I bloody love the dancefloor, and I’m not afraid to document it.
05. FAMILY PHOTOS
The dreaded family photographs, this one comes up a lot!!!! And I totally get why.
So, from day one, I’ve always shot weddings in the way I’d like mine to be shot, and the family photo’s are important, but I don’t want to spend 45 minutes stood in the same spot whilst a conveyer belt of people stand beside me and my wife, that’s really not my idea of fun!!! And I doubt that if you’ve read this far, neither is it yours!! If you want 20 different configurations of posed family photographs, then I’m probably not the guy for your wedding!
That said, if you want some quick pictures with your folks and siblings, nan and grandad, and the bridal party, then I think we’ll be ok!! You’ll also be pleased to hear that I shoot them in a bit more of a relaxed way, I don’t whip out a measuring tape to line people up, and if you want to put your hands in your pockets, you put your hands in your pockets!! So long as the people you want are in the shot, and looking in my direction, we won’t be messing around.
06. YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY
Something I truly believe here, weddings, and namely the photography aspect, aren’t just about you guys; the couple. It’s about much more than that.
It’s about the moments, not just the big obvious ones, but the micro-moments that happen between people. I constantly watch out for people and connections, and try to capture those interactions throughout the day.
It’s about a picture of your dad raising a glass, your uncle Brian who’s a bit of a character, your best mate Lucy who now lives in another country….. you get the gist, right?!!
Don’t get me wrong, there will always be images of the couple in a wedding collection, and plenty of them, but the photos that really really matter, will always be the ones that don’t necessarily get all the “likes” on social media.
And to finish off this point, I also want everyone to look good!! Really good! If they’re enjoying the day and having a good time, I want that to be reflected in the photo’s; I want their personality to shine through, and I want them (your guests) to see the images after delivery and be amazed at how good they look and that they have some amazing images that they can use and access, even if that means a dating profile pic!!
07. GOING WITH THE FLOW
And finally, a fundamental way in which I work, is to accept I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I need to be ready.
Naturally, as mentioned in the point above, there are obvious big moments during a wedding day, such as first kiss, confetti, first dance etc, these all get captured, and as creatively and as consistently as possible. But much more happens during a wedding; when you combine people, in a new environment, and provide them with an atmosphere, food/drink and good times, things happen and have happened that I would never have been able to predict.
It’s during the quieter and less obvious parts of the day that I remind myself to keep observing, moving forward, always looking for the visuals and moments that attract and catch my eye or attention.
So at the start of every wedding, I have a very open mind to creating. Obviously there are visual triggers and moments I’m drawn to, but I’m always open to what’s in front of me, trying to capture each moment or stage of the day in a way that reflects my aesthetic as a photographer, whether that’s a space/room, a guest, details, an embrace between 2 friends, or one of the big/obvious moments.
So that’s it, in a nutshell!!
I’m there to interpret and document the day, and to build a body of images that when you sit down in a year, two years time, or even 20, it feels like you’re there. I want my images to feel honest and genuine, not staged or heavily stylized. I want my couples to have complete trust in me to do an awesome job.
That creative process and documenting of the unknown, I suppose it’s like a drug, I get to spend a day with great people, having the time of their lives, and with complete creative control. And at the end of it all, I get to present my couples with an incredible set of images to remember their day by, it doesn’t get much better, does it?!
Thanks for taking the time to find out a little more about me, hopefully you’re not put off!!
If you want to see more about how I work on the day, please go and take a look at my approach page, I talk about my style of photography, and how I see my work unfolding during the day. And for a better idea of the kind of work I produce, the portfolio is always a good place to go!!
