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Should I get a professional to photograph my wedding?

These days many people consider enlisting a friend or relative to photograph their wedding.  This can be a great idea as it can save you a lot of money, but before you go ahead and do that, you might want to consider a few things first to see if that is the right option for you.  Photographing a wedding requires a keen eye, good equipment, good people skills, planning, and a lot of time and skill editing the images.  Firstly, is your friend going to want to spend the entire day behind a camera rather than enjoying the party?  They'll also need to be quick to catch a good opportunity with difficult lighting conditions and strict time constraints.  I won't bore you with equipment, but obviously that is also a very important factor in getting good results.  Lastly, I am often at a wedding for 12 hours and I will spend about 2.5 times that at the computer afterwards, editing the images.  So the total time photographing and editing a wedding is something like 40 hours work.  I can give you experience, an artistic eye, professionally edited images and a lot of time giving you a great product.  Read on for more information.

How will I capture your wedding day

It's important

You're saving every penny and you have been dreaming of your wedding long before you thought of booking a photographer. Weddings are a big deal there is no doubt about that; that's why at your wedding I will do my best to give you beautiful wedding photographs without affecting the enjoyment of your big day.

What matters

The most important part of beautiful wedding photography is not the equipment that I as the photographer use, it is the relationship I have with you. Now before you begin to imagine me turning up with a disposable camera, my point is, the smiles and laughs you see in my photos are down to timing and you being comfortable in front of the camera and me making the most of that to get the shots that you will enjoy looking at for years to come.

Timing

Throughout your day I will be capturing candid photos, but inevitably time needs to be set aside for photos of the two of you as well as guest group photos. You should plan a minimum of an hour for this. Guest group formations can take a minimum of a few minutes each, so if you had 30 during the course of your wedding day that's already about an hour gone. Why not have a handful of group shots and use more time for some intimate photos of the two of you. The more time you can set aside for this the better, and you will thank yourself years after the wedding when you are looking through your wedding album. Candid photos of guests can be captured throughout the day without disruption. At any time you can approach me and ask me to photograph whatever you like. At a given wedding I typically end up with about 300 or more photos after editing.

The next step

So if you have got to this point and you are already thinking you like my photography then the next step is to give me a call.  After a chat on the phone, If you feel you'd like to book, I'll send you a form to fill in.  If you'd prefer to come and see me and have a look at the albums themselves that can be arranged.  As I get a lot of enquiries and meetings usually take place in the evening, there is a charge of £20 but this is refunded should you decide to book.  At the meeting we can get to know each other better and I can take you through some examples of wedding albums.  You can also view the wedding albums here.

Making the most of my services

Know what to expect

Even if you have attended many friends weddings, you probably won’t have spent much time with a photographer before, which is why I have written this guide to help you make the most out of my services on the day whilst still allowing you to enjoy the party atmosphere.

It takes longer than you think

One thing that there is never enough of at a wedding is time.  It’s worth considering the photos that are most important to you and being realistic about how possible it is to capture them in the time frame. 

Getting ready shots

Some people like to have memories of what it was like building up to the ceremony. It is the ideal opportunity to photograph flowers, shoes, rings, the dress and the interaction between you and those closest to you as nerves build.  It can also be an opportunity to squeeze in a few photos of you and your groomsmen/bridesmaids so more time can be allowed later for other photos.

The ceremony

Depending on your venue or church, there will almost certainly be rules in place for photographers and videographers that need to be followed.  Some churches do not allow ANY photography during the ceremony as it is thought to distract the couple from the process of committing themselves to one another.  However, most only do not allow photography during the signing of the register, but this can be set up again afterwards without a problem.  It is recommended that you ask just what is and isn't allowed so there are no unpleasant surprises. 

As for the photos I take, these will be done as discreetly as possible.  Some small churches/rooms make things a bit tricky, but I always work with the registrar or vicar to get as many viewpoints as possible without causing disruption.

Group shots after the ceremony

Key photos in any wedding are the family group shots.  Love them or hate them they are almost certainly going to feature in your album because you or members of your family want them.  Group photos are by far the most time consuming of all the photos taken as it means organising lots of people who would probably rather be having a drink at the bar at that moment in time.  Making it known to the guests the importance of these photos to you will mean they are on my side and things will hopefully move along more speedily. 

Even when everyone has been corralled into one spot, getting everyone to look at you and not blink all at the same time is no mean feat!  Expect group photos to take 30-40 mins after the ceremony. Just remember every minute capturing group shots eats into the time that could be used for photos of just the two of you.

Photos of the two of you

Now you have had your group photos (usually straight after the ceremony) and guests are now happily enjoying a drink, we can now spend some time getting some photos of the two of you.  Again time won’t be on our side; guests will want to congratulate you, family will be hovering around taking their own photos, and you will need to be back soon for the food and speeches.  You too will probably want to be enjoying a drink with friends and family. However this may be your only chance for intimate photos as later will be the meal, speeches, cutting of the cake and first dance.  By the time that is all over it will be dark and late.  Most people don't realise this until it is too late so don't miss your opportunity!

The quickest way to get photos of the two of you is to move away from everyone to a pretty setting where we can quietly take some photos.  This will keep everything focused and mean you get what will probably be your favourite photos in your album.  If you don’t get away quickly you will be swallowed up by people congratulating you.

In a similar way to group photos, capturing the two of you also takes time.  Depending on how comfortable you are in front of a camera it may take a few minutes for you to simply loosen up.  It’s important to look relaxed so I will be looking at how I can place you so you look most comfortable.  I’ll also be looking around to find nice backgrounds and try out different set ups.  All these things take time, which is why it is very important not to have distractions.  You'll need at least 30-40 mins to get some great photos of the two of you on your own.  If you have more time than that, then great!  Sometimes it is possible to spend some time later in the day so there isn’t such a gap between the ceremony and reception, but it is usually very hard to find your partner and get away from the guests again.  Similarly time later in the day can be set aside for smaller group photos.

If by this time you are thinking that all this is rather a long time to be taking photos, then I suggest you consider a pre wedding photo shoot for the two of you as an extra to your wedding day photography.  This will allow a more relaxed environment, more opportunities and also allow you to know how I work and what is possible before the wedding day.  This would typically involve finding your favourite spot; perhaps a park or woodland or simply your home, and spending some time trying out some different set ups.

The reception and into the evening

For the rest of the day I will be capturing things from afar allowing you to enjoy your day without distraction.  By the evening I will still be there snapping away and usually it is in the evening that some of the best moments are captured.  The nerves are gone, people are in a good mood and the music playing.  It’s a great time to see some fun, colour and motion in the photos.