Beautiful albums

I am really looking forward to going across to see the lovely people at Booked images at their open day tomorrow. Their albums really are the most beautiful coffee table books on the market and I delight in offering them to my clients.

http://www.bookedimages.com/

Wedding photography workshop

Today I spent the day with award winning photographer Morag MacDonal learning a little about her wedding and portrait photography business. It is always a joy to hear experienced, passionate photographers talking about their work and sharing some of their tricks of the trade. We also got to spend a little time shooting a model using different lighting techniques.

Village wedding

A few of my favourite images from a recent village wedding

Wedding photography – detail shots

A good wedding photographer understands the importance of every detail in your wedding. Flower shots are expected, but shots of jewellery, shoes, details on dresses and hair are also an important part of the wedding story. When talking with your photographer let them know which particular details are important to you, whether it is granny’s jewellery, something special that has been sent from friends who are unable to be there or something that you are just particularly pleased to have found. Such shots are important in presentations of your pictures, whether in a slideshow or an album, as they provide beautiful backgrounds as well as adding the personal touch to your individual wedding story.

Receiving line or not?

I often meet brides and grooms who are unsure as to whether they should have a receiving line or not. Tradition says yes, parents would like it, but who wants to stand in line to shake hands with someone you already know? Personally I did not do it at my own wedding, but having seen both approaches at weddings I have covered I think there are many points in favour of some such arrangement:
• Every single person who is present at your wedding gets to personally congratulate the bride and groom and their parents;
• The bride and groom cam be confident that they have spoken with every one of their guests and not worry that they missed anyone;
• Although all of the guests may be known to the bride and groom, the parents enjoy meeting the people who are important enough in to have been invited to such a special day;
• Photographically it provides some beautiful and often touching interactions and can add much to the emotional feel of the images.
It is of course important to make sure you keep people moving and don’t spend too long chatting with each guest. It also helps to make sure all your guests have a drink before they join the line!

Pre-wedding shoot at Englemere, Ascot

This week I visited a stunning venue in Ascot with Zoe and Geoff who are getting married there in the summer. Englemere is a genuine mansion house set in 12 acres of parkland with mature trees and wooded glades that are currently filled with bluebells. We spent some time exploring the house and gardens, combining a site visit with a pre-wedding shoot. The venue offers exclusive use for weddings so that you can be lord and lady of the manor on your special day. The question is how they summon all your guests from such an extensive and beautiful garden.

Choosing a wedding photographer – make sure they are covered

Having recently had a phone call from a distressed bride who had received a letter from her wedding photographer cancelling the booking she had made over 12 months ago without any explanation got me thinking about questions you should be asking a photographer before booking them. Naturally you need to like their photographic style, know that they will cover the parts of the day that you want them to do and think that you will be able to get along with them on your wedding day. However, there are other questions that are all too frequently overlooked when discussing your needs with a potential photographer. For your peace of mind you should ensure the following:
• Do they have a contract? This is drawn up by the photographer and will cover what you can expect from them, what they expect from you and what will happen in the event of things not going to plan (illness or loss of images for example) If you find yourself without a photographer, or with ruined images or something else that does not comply with the terms of the contract then you would be entitled to claim compensation;
• Insurance – the photographer should be covered for :
o public liability (should they break anything or injure anyone while working for you);
o equipment (so that they do not find themselves without a crucial bit of kit on your wedding day);
o professional indemnity (in the event that you decide to sue them because you hate the photographs) This level of cover is only provided by dedicated photo pro insurers (worryingly I was told by more than one general provider that professional indemnity insurance was not relevant to photographers as it was only used by people who are offering professional advice).
Check that they have this kind of cover before you sign anything;
• Membership of a professional body, for example SWPP. They can act as a third party in the event of a dispute.
Ensuring your photographer has the above means that you not only have the peace of mind that you are protected, but it is also a good indicator that the photographer is a serious professional who values their customers and will offer a high standard of service throughout your dealings with them.

Happily I am available for this wedding and I am very much looking forward to our pre-wedding shoot next week.

Bridal preparation shots

This part of the day is often overlooked by photographers and brides to be, particularly if there are restrictions on time or budget. However I find this to be the time when you get fabulous often emotional shots before the real hustle and bustle of the day begins.
There are a few things that a bride can do to create the best environment for photography and make the most of the opportunity:
• If you can choose a room, choose one with plenty of non-direct light. North facing with big windows is ideal. If there is direct sunlight see if it is possible to screen the windows in some way to diffuse the light;
• Try to keep clutter to a minimum. Wedding clutter is fine, but put anything that is not wedding related out of sight. Put boxes and packaging out of sight, but keep shoes, jewellery, flowers etc on view;
• Take your dress out the bag as soon as you arrive in the room you are getting ready in. Not only does this allow for photographs to be taken before you put it on, but it allows any creases to drop out;
• This is the time when the photographer has a chance to get lots of lovely detail shots that look fantastic in albums, so if there is anything particularly special that you must have a picture of this is a good time to point it out and ask the photographer to get some pictures of it;
• Ignore the photographer. It is perfectly acceptable to ask them to leave the room or stop shooting at any time, but otherwise get on with what you are doing and let them work around you (the odd cup of coffee helps though!)
• Put your dress on with plenty of time – you don’t want to do it in a rush and your photographer will want to go and get some shots of the groom and best man looking nervous;
• Most important of all, relax and enjoy yourself. This is the only part of the day that is all about you, so make the most of it.

Choosing a wedding photographer – further thoughts

When looking for a photographer it is important to think about what style of photography will suit you and your guests as well as the images you are hoping to get out of it. You will come across a range of terms describing photographers’ work and it is important to understand what they mean if you are to find the photographer that best suits your wedding. This is not an exhaustive list and there is often cross over between two or even all three styles:
Traditional – although few photographers will describe themselves as traditional, they are easy to spot. Traditionally photographers took posed shots of individuals and groups with perhaps the odd detail shot, but little else. This was mainly due to the constraints of the equipment but advances in technology mean that photographers can now work in more creative ways. If you are on a tight budget you will probably find that most of the photographers you are looking at fall into this category. They are ideal for record shots of the day, which parents and grandparents like to see, but the results are likely to be formulaic and show little creativity. Photographers working in this style can take over the proceedings as they try to get the images that you want, so you need to choose carefully to make sure they can work with you and your guests rather than dominating.
Contemporary or fashion style – these are the images you will see in wedding magazines and in advertising for many venues. They are beautiful images that have the real wow element. They create a real feel-good factor, but don’t be fooled by what you see – many of the images on venue websites and in magazines are of models that are comfortable in front of a camera. I even saw one venue that had the same bride with more than one groom! If you are the sort of person who loves having their picture taken and thinks the idea of spending an hour with your photographer making beautiful images is wonderful then this style is for you. If the idea of posing fills you with horror or you would much sooner spend every available minute with your guests than the photographer then steer well clear.
Reportage or documentary style – I prefer the term observational photography, as that is exactly what this style entails, observing events as they unfold and capturing them, often without the subjects even being aware they have been caught on camera. This style produces a story of the day and captures the mood and emotions with little effort on the part of the bride and groom or the guests. The photographer may stand off a little and capture some pictures with a large lens or they may unobtrusively move amongst your guests capturing shots as they go, or probably a combination of the two. If you expect your wedding pictures to be largely of people looking at the camera, then this style may not be for you, however if you prefer to get on with the business of enjoying yourselves and let the photographs just happen then this is the one to go for.
Many photographers who fall into the two latter categories will use a combination of styles in order to achieve the results you want. Group shots are generally expected, although creative use of your guests’ posing of friends can reap great results with minimal intrusion. When you are looking at photographers’ work look beyond the first few images on their website. It is natural for anyone to put their best work in the most prominent position, but when you look beyond the first few pictures you may find they do not live up to the initial impressions. If you don’t see enough on the photographers’ website ask to see more examples of their work.

Before you even pick up the phone think about how you want to spend the time on your wedding day – are you happy to spend an hour with the photographer while the guests enjoy their drinks? Do you just want to capture the key shots and that is enough? Or would you prefer a fly on the wall style that does not get in the way of your day? If you understand what you want and how much time you are prepared to give to photography on the day that will be really helpful to you when you are meeting with photographers.

Choosing a wedding photographer

 Make sure you understand what a wedding photographer is offering. It is really common for a package to include a set number of consecutive hours. Will they still be there when you are cutting the cake/doing your first dance and possibly even throwing the bouquet? The shots of the ceremony and right afterwards are key, …but bridal preparations and later on tell the story and capture the emotions of the day