It’s always nice to see your work in print, but it’s particularly nice when you get showcased in a brand new magazine. Mediaclash recently launched their new and very stylish VOW Magazine and I had the priviledge to have quite a few of my images printed, together with a personal interview.
Here is the interview:
When did you shoot your first wedding? How did it go?
The first wedding I photographed was my sister-in-laws wedding beginning of 2011 and it went really well. As I am family and was also a guest, I was very much part of the build-up on the day. Also we had spent a lot of time talking about the photography and planning different shots so we all knew what we were doing on the day.
How many weddings do you shoot a year now?
This year I am lucky enough to shoot 21 weddings (and counting!).
How should couples chose a photographer? What’s your first meeting with them like, and do they vet you?
A wedding is a very personal affair and you need to find a photographer whose photographs you love and who you feel comfortable and secure with as this stranger will share some very intimate moments with you. Most photographers offer non-binding first meetings to show you their wedding albums and to tell you more about their approach. Ask them as many questions as you need, there are no stupid questions! Remember: getting married is new to you but an experienced photographer has seen many weddings and successfully dealt with a lot of stressful situations.
What does a typical package cost and include? What are the variables?
I now offer one package that covers everything from the final preparations to the first dance or speeches, whatever comes last. I used to offer shorter packages and still do for off season weddings, however I feel that being there all day gives me the luxury to observe people in unique moments, capture emotions and what is happening behind the scenes. Those are the real wedding photographs that the bride and groom will remember forever. I also think that photographing the preparations helps everybody warm up and get used to the camera so by the time the ceremony starts, everyone is used to me being around and can focus on the ceremony.
How do you make sure you don’t miss any vital parts of the day?
I have extensive communications with the bride and groom before their wedding day. I ask them about the order of the day, guests that are very important to them as well as must have shots. One the actual wedding day I am on my feet and behind the camera pretty much the entire time I am booked for. I blend in with the guests but don’t get involved in long conversations. I work continuously, look everywhere, try and capture as many details, emotions and interactions as possible. Having seen many weddings I anticipate situations and prepare myself by being at the right place and the right time. It’s experience and becomes second nature of a good wedding photographer.
You must have shot in some gorgeous locations. Tell us about one you love.
I have had the pleasure to see many beautiful settings, but two stand out for me. The first one is the Brownsword Gallery at the Holburne Museum – the light in there is just amazing. The second setting is an old stone arch just outside Combe Grove Manor. I shoot at bride and groom portrait there end of last year. It was end of October and getting dark but with the help of an external flash that was backlighting them I managed to get beautiful details and a very romantic atmosphere.
What looks bad in photos?
Sometimes the bride and groom excessively look into my camera as they think this is what you do, but it ruins the natural aspect of a reportage style wedding coverage. I usually tell people from the very beginning to just ignore me unless I ask them to look at me and this helps a lot as they soon forget about having a camera in their face.
How about the weather: Is shooting in the rain a nightmare? What about bright sunshine?
A day with bright sunshine requires the use of flash light just as much if not more than a dark day. Bright sunshine can be good for great colours but produces very hard shadows. And the idea of rain is so much more frightening than the reality of it. I have never had a wedding that was ruined by rain! Rainy sky can look very dramatic and there are way to take good portraits when it’s raining without getting wet.
Ever been trampled by a dancing crowd, or bridesmaids running to catch the bouquet?
Nope. But I have had my head up the brides dress to help her hook the train up!
Do you manage to have fun at weddings?
Oh yes. As I often spend a fair amount of time discussing and planning the day with the bride and groom so it gets very emotional when the actual day comes. I don’t get emotional during the ceremonies at all, but get very emotionally involved when I photograph the speeches as I listen to every work and look at the people’s reactions. I regularly laugh out loud during speeches or have a tear in my eye. It’s an emotional day and these emotions often spread to all other people.
Do you ever tear up on the job?
That has happened a few times during speeches, particularly when absent people are being remembered.
What’s your favourite kind of couple to shoot?
A couple that is very much in love and is not afraid to show or share their love. It doesn’t matter how old they are. I fully understand that not every couple is keen to show their love for each other, but when people do there are a lot of emotions around and it makes fabulous photographs that catapult the viewer right into this emotional situation.
There are some standard shots everybody wants. How do you deal with the repetition?
By making them fun and different each time. I always try to think of new compositions and ideas as I don’t want my website to consist of the same type of portraits. Every wedding is different, every couple is different, the weather and dynamics are always different so I try to incorporate elements specific to that wedding into my photographs which makes them all unique.
How do you get stiff posers to loosen up?
99% of people do not know how to pose and that is ok. When it comes to the bride and groom portraits, I will take the couple by the hand (not literally) and guide them through the process. I will tell them where to stand and what to do. Also many ‘poses’ are not really posed, they are more a situation where I stand the bride and groom in a particular place, tell them to have a chat with each other and I then remove myself and shoot them from a little distance. This can produce very romantic and personal pictures.
What kind of wedding photos annoy you?
I cringe when I see photos with spot colouring (a black and white photograph of a wedding scene with one of the elements i.e. the bouquet left in colour). That’s a big no-no. Also the overuse of vignette or too many different editing styles in one wedding reportage are not nice.
What about all those trendy filters and vintage effects? Will those age well?
I haven’t seen many uber-trendy editing effects on wedding reportages but I’m sure some people use them. They are nice when using Instagram but shouldn’t be used by a wedding photographer. As a photographer I think it’s important to work on your style and be true to yourself. Only then can you stand out from the crowd and your work will speak for itself.
Can you tell if a couple is going to stay together based on how they act on the day?
No, of course not. How a couple behaves on their wedding day does not at all tell you about how they deal with inevitable everyday problems and conflicts. A big wedding does not guarantee a happy marriage.