What is your most memorable wedding?
My most memorable wedding was one of my firsts. It was the wedding of a lovely couple Alix and Dave and took place at Deer Park Country House in Honiton. The couple were stunning and the venue was beautiful. The reason that it is memorable is that they had faith in me, faith in that I would capture the magic moments of their wedding day, those all important photos of with their loved ones brought together to witness their special day. They had the understanding that these photos were not just photos of the day but an heirloom to be passed down through the generations. The result was photos that showed the emotions of their day and that they loved.
Describe your style in 5 adjectives.
colourful, emotional, artistic, documentary, evocative.
What about your business are you most proud of?
The fact that I take the time to really understand what sort of photos the couple wants, because if I don't know what sorts of photos a couple really value how can I capture them?
What is your No. 1 wedding planning tip for couples?
Pad your timeline. Weddings always run late wither this is due to makeup, hair or transport and when weddings do run late their is only one place that you can make up time and that is in your wedding photos, so to be safe pad your timeline.
What is your favourite personal touch you have seen at a wedding?
My favourite was a pianist/master of ceremonies/comic. He was absolutely brilliant and I remember as the groom walked up the isle he played The Death March song by Chopin, which made every one laugh.
Describe your typical process with a couple.
When a couple get's in touch, usually via text or email, I like to arrange a time to have a chat on the phone or zoom. I need to get to know them and they need to get to know me as a bit like a marriage, we need to make a good match because if we don't it will show in the photographs.
Hopefully from this conversation they will be put at ease and feel confident enough to pay a deposit which secures the day but if they have any more questions or just want to chat about any concerns they can either give me a ring or ping me an email. By the time the wedding rolls around I hope that I have become a "friend with a camera" as this will allow me to get close and by doing so really allow me to capture those special moments.
What is the No. 1 photo that you think every couple should take?
I believe the number one photo that every couple should take is a photo with their grandma or grandpa. Why? Because these are not just wedding photos but they are memories of the people you love and that are important to you in your life. One day that person will be gone and all you will have left is your memories, photos are a way of holding the person you loved close to you.
What is the most original photo you’ve been asked to take at a wedding?
Probably the most original photo I have taken is the rain photo, no-body asked to me take this but the venue did not have much inside space and it had just started to rain when it came time for our couple portraits. We were due to go up onto Dartmoor to have photos next to Haytor but as we drove up their the rain got even heavier and we could not see Haytor due to the fog. As we drove back to the venue my head was buzzing, I needed to get a great photo of the couple the question was were. As we pulled into the venue, I remembered an umbrella shot I had seen so leaving the couple to stay dry in my car I set up my light in the car park and got the photo you see above.
What do you recommend for a rainy day wedding?
Not always but quite often there are gaps in the rain when you can sprint out for some quick photos. If rain is likely I would recommend the following:
1/ make sure you have a couple of large white golf umbrella's or see through umbrellas.
2/ Try not to worry about your dress by the end of a standard dry wedding day dresses get a bit mucky.
3/ You can buy heel protectors for high heeled shoes which will help stop your shoes from sinking into the mud.
4/ When booking your venue think about inclement weather and make sure it has some large inside space for group photos if needed.
5/ Make sure that space has cream or white walls so you do not get a colour cast over your skin.
6/ Ensure that your photographer knows how to work with flash and how light works. Natural light photographers will struggle in this situation.
Describe how you got into photography.
I was on a cruise and took a photo of a sunset. I thought "that's pretty I wonder what that will look like with a better camera?". That was the start of my journey in photography and I quickly realised that photography is not about the equipment, although you do need certain pieces, it's about the knowledge, constant training and experience which you acquire over many years.