My Return to Wedding Photography
I have returned to the world of wedding photography and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Capturing a wedding may not be easy but it is one of the most rewarding things you can do as a photographer. There are many reasons why weddings call to me, but first a little back story about me.
I first discovered my love for photography back in college; to be completely honest I took photography as an ‘easy subject’, I wanted to get a good grade without devoting too much of my time to it. As it turned out, it was quite the opposite. It amazes me how one good teacher can pretty much change your entire life plan in one lesson, which is exactly what happened to me. I’m quite a technical person and I have always had an interest in how things work so learning about film cameras and how light works within them really captured me (yes, pun intended!). My best friend worked at our local youth centre, setting up the audio for the bands that played there and I thought it would be fun to practice by photographing the bands at the gigs they played. It wasn’t long before it became a weekly thing for me, half for the fun and half for the challenge it presented. If you start out as a photographer doing concert photography, trying to get everything correct technically in-camera is incredibly difficult, there are lots of lights that frequently change colour so maintaining white balance is an issue, as well as trying to get everything in focus and bright enough without making grainy images. But I threw myself into the deep end and I’m glad for it. It made me a much better photographer a lot faster. It didn’t take long for me to realise that I really could choose this as a career for myself if I really worked hard at it.
So I decided to go to university and study how to make a business in photography. I had very positive experiences by doing this and also negative ones, though the negative experiences are what made me evaluate what it was that I loved most about photography, and what was most important to me. I found commercial and fashion environments were a bit too cut-throat for me and that the fundamental part of photography for me was working with like-minded people to create something wonderful, unique and rewarding, for all parties involved. That’s when I started focusing on portraiture and wedding photography. Taking a good photograph of someone and seeing their reaction is wonderful. When someone has little self confidence, and they look back at the photos and genuinely love themselves in them- that is honestly the most rewarding thing for me. There’s nothing better than making people feel beautiful. As a result I really took to portraiture and wedding photography, and like most newbies I started out photographing friends and family. I did really enjoy it for a time, but ended up taking a break from it all as I felt I needed a bit more confidence myself and I wanted to expand my skills. I was a good photographer but I knew I could be better, and in order for me to give my absolute all I needed to take a step back and find a way to develop my technical skills further.
So for the past 4 years I have been working as a property photographer, photographing houses for estate agents every single day. It may sound completely unrelated to wedding photography but the fundamentals are still the same. I get to work with people on a daily basis, creating unique and wonderful images for them. I’m also using off camera flash and working with all sorts of different lighting and lenses. In my opinion, all of this has turned me from a good photographer into a great photographer. I can say with confidence that I could now deal with any situation that came my way, be it difficult lighting or even difficult people! (We all have that one wedding guest don’t we!) I am now at a place in my life where I am ready to really put my all into this; I've got all the skills, the creativity, and the passion to do good work with good people. I am so excited to be back in the world of wedding photography and I can’t wait to meet all the people I will get to work with.
Now of course the wedding photos are one of the most important parts of the day in my opinion (the ceremony is the most important part of course!) and as I’ve had a long break from wedding photography I understand that couples will initially have to have a lot of faith in me to book me whilst I am still redeveloping my portfolio. That is why I have decided that my first 10 couples that book with me will get an enormous 50% discount! So if you’re considering booking me I would suggest getting in there quickly! You can see my prices here, I have different packages to choose from, but with all my packages you receive all the photographs on a USB in a beautiful presentation box, along with 10 6x4 prints. Included in the price is also a pre-wedding consultation (in person or via phone or web depending on what works best for you). This way we can really get to know each other and decide on what is most important to you for your unique day. I wouldn’t say I have a particular ‘style’ but my approach is very relaxed and of a documentary nature. Throughout the day I will capture all the candid moments, whilst also getting those all important family and posed shots without interrupting the flow of the day. My aim is to get as much beautiful coverage as possible whilst being respectful of the day and not drawing any attention from the wedding to myself; you wont find me setting off a flash every 5 seconds or laying down in the middle of the aisle during your vows to get ‘that shot’ because its frankly ridiculous! What I do excel at is putting my couples at ease and therefore getting wonderful, natural photographs that will stand the test of time. If you choose me as your photographer, I can guarantee you will walk away with a big smile and confidence in the wonderful images we will create together.
