Derek McAllister Photography

Honestly, it would have to be my own. There was nearly 2 feet of snow on the ground, in the middle of rural Ireland. They had to get one of the local farmers to tractor open the road to the venue - we almost didn't manage to get there. When we did though it was amazing. On the banks of a loch, in the snow and (right after the ceremony) an almighty snowball fight (the 6'7 water-polo player landed a snowball right on the 93 year old granny..... there was a moment of panic on everyone's face until granny grinned evilly, grabbed a huge handful of snow and lobbed a snowball right back at him.... Good times)

Fun, Adventurous, Classic, Memorable, Storytelling

I suppose the thing I'm most proud of is that I catch the moments of people's joy. The tear in the eye as dad sees his daughter in her dress for the first time, the nervous expectation of the groom as he waits for his bride, the look of delight as the couple share their first kiss, and that first walk down the aisle is a newly marries couple. These are moments which happen so very rarely in someone's life but I'm there to catch that moment - and you can look back at the photograph and relive that memory forever. To have that as my job is one heck of a privilege.

This is your day, play it by your own rules. There is no "right way" that you must follow - do it however appeals to you.

One of my favourite weddings was on a 1940s Make do and Mend theme - the couple were friends of a collector and had access to one of the last 2 flying DeHavilland Moth aeroplanes (a biplane from about 1925). It made for a glorious backdrop in photos and the wedding party were super fun as they engaged with it.

I like to meet my couples, ideally with a face to face or zoom session. We work through the day, what the special moments are, whether there are any themes or specific details that we need to capture. As we get closer to the big day I like to take my couples on a pre-wedding shoot where we get the chance to try out different styles, and poses. You get the chance to get used to being in front of the camera and it helps remove the (fairly commonplace) apprehension of being photographed. I'll help you with some basic poses, and such details as what to do with your hands (Boys, in particular, almost always struggle with their hands at first .... we can help) Fundamentally though we'll just have fun and get used to each other's company. On the big day itself. I'll be there to capture all the special moments and do my very best to tell the unique story of your love for one another. It will be a blast!

Honestly there's no #1 photograph. Every couple is different, every wedding is unique. I'll work with you to find the best photographs that work for you and your partner.

I have a fabulous shot from a pre-wedding shoot of the bride leaping out the window of the church ( an old 12th century ruin near Colston Basset) whilst the groom looks on - it's hilarious.

Honestly, from a photography perspective rain can be amazing. You can get glorious backlit shots, raindrops frozen in the air, drama in the sky and some fabulous reflections. Of course you also risk getting a trifle damp. If rain threatens then a couple of white umbrellas can really help to make sure you're protected from the worst of the elements (and can look great in a photo too)

I started off doing photography for friends (mainly Cosplay and Live Role Play type stuff) I dallied into landscape but it didn't float my boat. My area of expertise was definitely people. I learned how to pose people and how to get the best angles for them and their characters and it morphed into a career. I still do photography for fun as well - I've done Film Noir style, Hollywood Glamour, some Post-Apocalyptic stuff. For me the joy is in the telling of the story and the pictures help me do that.