Wedding Photography

 

The mere thought of wedding photographers, their antics and the results of their efforts, has for many years sent shivers down the spines of humankind. This reaction has been a completely fair one, given the mediocrity that people have been offered - endless group shots of cold/hot/bored people, frilly albums which play tunes when opened and reveal misty shots in heart shaped vignettes and ultimately a collection of photographs which will do nothing to remind people of how the day really was. You might gather from this that I do not have a high regard for this sort of photography!

 

It's your day

So, what do I do, and how do I work? Well, my main aim is to supply you with a large set of (normally 300-400) shots taken unobtrusively, discreetly and informally, of the day as it unfolds, which will give the viewer a fairly comprehensive and true to life record (from well before the wedding, at home, to well into the reception/party), candid portraits of people, and anything (within the bounds of decency!) I happen to see which would make a good and relevant shot. In addition to all of this, I will, if required, take portraits (normally black and white) of the bride togged up and ready to go, and any groups you may wish to capture for posterity. Groups are the least fun of all for both the victims and the photographer, so I prefer to agree and organise these exactly, well before the wedding day, the result being that everyone concerned knows where and when the shots will be taken; hopefully, with everyone’s co-operation, the group shots will take up as little time as possible, allowing everyone the chance to get on with the job in hand - enjoying themselves.

I will dress to blend in, normally a morning suit, but if frilly tutus are the order of the day, please let me know........

 

what do you get?

Naturally, you would like to know what you will have by way of photographs, albums etc, in return for my fee. I’ve already mentioned that I will take between 300-400 photographs. These can be in a combination of colour and black & white (roughly 75% colour, 25% B&W unless otherwise requested), and will be printed to 5" x 7" - these are all yours to keep, and in the first instance will come to you in flip albums. These albums are really just to protect your photographs from jam, random animal footprints, Ribena and the like, as they do the initial rounds of relatives, friends, etc, who will be able to order reprints for themselves using the reference numbers on the reverse of each. At this point you will also be able to order 20 enlargements of 10" x 8" size, which are included in the fee. Also included is a handcrafted leather bound album (hand crafted by Noble Macmillain of London), with 50 thick paper pages interleaved, of approx 13" x 17" which should have sufficient room for you to put the majority of your photographs in. These albums are available in green, dark blue, black, and burgundy. They do not play tunes, there are no embossed wedding bells or lucky horse shoes, and you will not find a heart shaped photograph of the bride and groom on the front cover.

I take great care in preparing for each wedding - I realise that whilst the wedding day is massive in terms of emotion, fun, congregation of far-flung relatives and friends, expense, indigestion and hangover, the photographs are generally the only part of the wedding to share the couple’s journey through life and marriage. The choice of photographer is therefore of near paramount importance (I thought I should put “near” in there, as choice of spouse should really rank above...), so I will prepare and pay attention to detail in a manner which reflects the magnitude of the job in hand.

As a free service, entire weddings are now put on the internet so that guests and relatives can view, order and pay online through a secure site. This relieves the bride and groom of the inconvenience of dragging albums around and co-ordinating orders, and also gives more people the opportunity to view the photographs. Conventional ordering and payment will still be available for those who prefer it and get the chance to see the albums.

After the initial presentation (when no pressure or incentive will be put upon you to make a decision), I will be available at any time for discussion of ideas and logistics. I will also make a visit to the locations, normally in the run-up to the wedding, when I can familiarise myself with the surroundings and finalise my plan of action for the day. This last meeting, whilst primarily for sorting out logistics, also gives clients a chance to get to know me better (and I, them), ensuring that I am seen as someone familiar, rather than a gate-crasher with a camera, on what is a very personal day.

*New this season: I am offering (as an extra or alternative package) albums by Jorgensen (www.jorgensen.com.au). These albums are extremely high quality, hand made, fully bespoke and are presented with your choice of photographs mounted within.

I also can supply “The Wedding Book” – see www.graphistudio.com for details.