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Here’s a little bit more about the way in which I work, this may answer any questions that you may have.
What is your style of photography
Ideally, I like to be as ‘hands off’ as possible, allowing your day to flow without too much input from myself in a ‘documentary’ or ‘reportage’ style. I am a member of the Wedding Photojournalist Association, where we all take pride in capturing the day in an unobtrusive manner and without the need to be one of the main ‘characters’ of your wedding day. I don’t get you to do the ‘Reservoir Dogs’ walk, I won’t get the groomsmen to pick up the bride. If you’re looking for a more wacky and crazy photographer full of fun filled ideas, I’ll hold my hands up and say I’m probably not the right person for you.
Does this mean we can’t have any formal pictures?
No, of course not. Although I prefer to work in the background, I do appreciate that you may want some group shots and/or to go away and have some pictures of the two of you away from the crowds and I’m more than happy to do this. All I suggest is trying to keep the group shots to a minimum (around half a dozen or so) so that your day is free from too much interruption and your guests don’t start getting bored. You may also, quite naturally, require some portraits of the two of you and I’m more than happy to spend some time doing this if required.
Why might I want more of a reportage style of photography?
This is a completely personal thing and there could be a number of reasons as to why you may want a candid approach to your wedding photography. Some people see the more formal approach as being a bit dated, some may not be comfortable in front of the camera and some quite honestly admit to not being too fussed about the photography and would prefer to go through the day without having to spend a large amount of time posing in front of the camera. If there’s one complaint I hear time and time again from people with regards to weddings they’ve attended as guests, it’s the amount of time that was taken standing around waiting for formal group photos to be done, only then for the bride and groom to disappear for an hour or more with the photographer. I’d rather not be that photographer and I would much prefer you spending more time with your guests than with me. I also use available light whenever possible and limit the use of flashes unless absolutely necessary.
Can you provide a second photographer?
I choose not to offer the services of a second photographer for two reasons. The main one is that by working alone I can remain as unobtrusive as possible. When you have two photographers the guests soon become aware of this fact and then it then becomes obtrusive. The other reason is that I would only use someone who I know could operate to a high level and who I could trust to do the job right, and they would either be already booked themselves for a wedding or I would have to pay them their full daily fee.
Do we need to meet you before making a booking?
Not at all, the majority of couples book me without meeting me first, it’s entirely up to you. I would however always suggest meeting up if you’re looking for an album so that you can see my sample albums. This will help you make a decision as to what you’d like to go for, although some of these can be seen on my albums page.
How do we see your previous work from weddings you’ve already covered?
Simply take a look through my blog or my wedding galleries page. I like to show a large number of images from each wedding rather than a slideshow of handpicked images from all the weddings I’ve done, as this gives you a better feel as to how I capture the day and allows you to get a feel as to what you can expect from me.
Do you only cover Surrey, Berkshire, Hampshire and London?
No, I’m happy to travel as far as you need me to. However, beyond the first fifty miles there’s likely to be a charge for increased travel costs.
How many images can we expect from the final disc?
For a full day (bridal preparations until the last dance), you can expect around 300 images, all of which will have been edited by myself in a mixture of both colour and black and white.
What can I do with the images I receive?
You can print them, share them with friends or family, basically do whatever you want with them other than sell them or hand them over for commercial purposes. If a venue or other wedding supplier approaches you for images, I just ask that they be redirected to me. I always retain copyright of my images.
How many weddings do you do?
I limit myself to no more than 25 weddings a year. This means that you get the best out of me as I’m not completely overwhelmed with work and you won’t be waiting any more than 3-4 weeks to see your wedding images. I’ve been fully booked for the past two years and am on my way to achieving this again in 2013.
Are you insured?
Yes, I am covered for up to £5m for public liability and am always happy to provide proof of this if required by yourself or the wedding venue.
Can you recommend any other wedding suppliers to me?
Yes, I’m happy to recommend suppliers that I know or have worked with in the past. Please see my wedding suppliers page for more details.
Have you got any feedback from previous couples?
Absolutely. Please see my testimonials page where you can read comments passed on to me by people I’ve previously worked for.
A friend of ours has quite a good camera and has offered to take the pictures for us for free. Why shouldn’t we go down this route?
Well, the old saying ‘you get what you pay for’ comes into play here. Have you ever spent ages going through pictures on Facebook etc of pictures taken by guests at weddings, trying to make out who the people in the blurred pictures are? I’m sure you’d get some nice shots, but there’s a reason we spend thousands of pounds on equipment and back up procedures. What happens if their camera fails on them during the day or their memory card becomes corrupt just before the first dance with all your pictures from the day on it? But you’re not just paying for our fancy cameras and lenses, you’re also paying for our expertise of handling situations of low light and bad weather.
Ok, we’re happy. How do we book??
Firstly, you can contact me to see if your day is still available. Then all that’s required to secure your date is 25% of the total price as a non-refundable booking fee. The remainder of the balance is then not due until four weeks prior to the wedding date. There’s also a contract to sign which I will email to you.
If you have any other questions not covered here then please feel free to contact me, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.
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