THE FAQS

WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT TO OTHER WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS?

The same thing that makes all of us different; Personality.

There are so many talented wedding photographers out there with a whole host of styles. It can feel like a mine field! We all have different levels of ability, creativity and experience and I hope, from my portfolio, you can see I’ve got those areas covered. But the thing that really sets each of us apart is our personality, it’s who we are, how we approach the special task of capturing your beautiful day. It’s how you feel when you’re in our company.

It’s so vital to me that you feel comfortable with whoever you choose that I always recommend meeting a handful of your fave photographers because you just don’t know if you’re going to find a natural ‘click’ with them until you’re in the same room! You know, that and the fact that I play ukulele…..to mountain goats……

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING THIS?

I decided whilst on a solo round the world trip that photography was my calling. That was six years ago and I’ve never looked back! I have such a deep passion for what I do and believe this has been the root of what’s helped my business grow every year. I have photographed over 150 weddings and 70+ engagement sessions.

I also work with families and nurseries to capture creative images of pets and children and entire family groups! I love working with people and thrive on the challenges involved in this. You can see more of my other work here.

WILL IT BE YOU PHOTOGRAPHING OUR WEDDING?

Absolutely! This is my business and despite knowing a great many wonderful photographers, I wouldn’t trust it in the hands of anyone else. Also, call me old fashioned, but I believe that if you book with me and meet with me and correspond with me…then it’s ME that should turn up on the day.

That said, I often get requests for second shooters and work closely with some great photographers. These are guys I have carefully chosen based on a shared style and approach.

If I am unavailable on the date of your wedding then I will happily recommend some wonderful photographers who I know will do a great job for you guys! I’ve even helped couples find photographers who are more within their budget range than myself. I’m happy to check out the websites of those shortlisted to make sure they’re getting someone legit! I think it’s so important to get it right, whatever your budget. And as a professional, I can perhaps spot a less experienced photographer more easily

DO YOU HAVE A BACKUP PLAN?

I absolutely do and this is exactly why I have such a relaxed approach to photographing your big day!

I arrive with three professional level cameras. My two main cameras have dual card slots which record simultaneously. This means that if a card fails (which, touch all the wood!! has never happened yet!), then I have a second card with the same images. Shooting with two cameras also means that all parts of the day are covered on each. The third camera is there ‘just in case’.

As well as numerous cameras I will turn up with backup batteries, cards and flashguns! I also have a number of lenses in my arsenal which means there is no doubt in my mind that I can cover your day from start to finish without a hitch!

Finally, I am also fully insured up to £2million for Professional Indemnity and Public Liability. So, you can rest assured I’ve got everything covered!

WHY ARE SOME WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS SO EXPENSIVE?

To those who aren’t photographers, I imagine wedding photography looks very expensive and seems like easy money. We just turn up on the day and take a bunch of photos and go home. Job done, right? Not so much. It’s not just the one day that I work for a wedding.

There will be wedding fairs and client meetings, lots of email correspondence and phones calls, blogging. Then there’s the pre-wedding shoot plus editing, the wedding day itself and then at least 2-3 days of editing afterwards. On top of all that, there’s the £1000s worth of kit needed to get those professional level images as well as advertising costs, insurance, software, albums, maintenance and servicing.

It costs a lot to be a full time photographer. So perhaps the better question is ‘why is wedding photography worth so much?’

You are trusting the documentation of one of your most important days in the hands of this person. They need to make sure they have everything covered.

The prices I charge have been carefully researched to make sure I’m not the most expensive, but can also afford to keep my business going. The photographers who charge less are often either inexperienced, or photography is not their full time job. It’s absolutely possible to get a bargain with an up and coming photographer. Just be aware that there is usually a compromise. Drop me a line if you need any advice on finding a cheap photographer.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU’RE ILL ON THE DAY?

It has yet to happen (touching all the wood…again!!)  and I would have to be on my death bed to miss a wedding! Luckily I’m part of a group of wonderfully talented pro photographers who are all so supportive. We have an arrangement that if it came to it, someone would be able to step in. There are almost 30 in the group so you can be assured that I would not leave you without a photographer on your most important day!

HOW MANY IMAGES DO WE GET?

My 1500 Collection includes around 600 images for full day coverage so it’s generally around 50 images per hour booked. However, I am ‘the worst’ at culling the photos down to the absolute best ones and I can’t help but throw in a few extra ones 😉

HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE WE RECEIVE OUR IMAGES

I am contractually bound to supply the images within 6 weeks of the wedding date but I always do an initial sample gallery. This is within the first week or two following the big day as I know the excitement at reliving those memories must make you wanna explode!!

They will be uploaded to a secure gallery for you to access online and share with family and friends. These images will be high resolution and watermark free. this means that if your guests want to download and print them, they can do with ease.

This takes a bit of pressure off you guys when people start asking to see the images. You can just send the link and the pwd and share with whoever you choose. The USB of images will arrive via Special Delivery within a maximum of 6 weeks. I generally try to get them out sooner, wherever humanly possible!

CAN WE SEE ALL THE PHOTOS YOU TAKE?

I’m sorry guys but the answer to this one is no. I don’t give my clients every image taken on the day simply because there are some images I just wouldn’t want you to see.

I remove set-up shots, any unflattering photos of people blinking or caught mid-sentence and any duplicates. With the group photos, I always take a good few of the same shot to make sure I get one where everyone is looking great. I will then select a handful of the best ones so you don’t have to trawl through loads of the same photos.

HOW FAR IN ADVANCE SHOULD WE BOOK YOUR SERVICES?

Most of my couples tend to book 1-2years in advance, but I’m not fully booked every weekend. If you’ve decided last minute to get in a pro, do still get in touch and you might be in luck!

I have been booked just two weeks before the wedding date and if I can’t help you at that point then don’t worry, we’ll find someone together who can!

WILL YOU STAY LONGER IF THINGS RUN OVER?

Of course!! I’ll never say “Sorry guys, time’s up, I’m off!” If you hire me for the whole day, from getting ready to first dance, I will stay until the first dance. And that’s whether it’s on schedule or later than expected. By that time you’ll be enjoying yourselves and your evening guest will have arrived so it’s inevitable that things will run over at this point. I’ll just roll with it!

DO YOU DO ENGAGEMENT SHOOTS?

I certainly do! And I think they’re so important that I offer a pre-wedding session completely free of charge with all bookings over 7 hours. This is because they are such a great opportunity for us to get to know each other. Not only that but it’s also great for you guys to get used to being photographed.

Then when I rock up on the day, we’ll feel more like friends then client and ’employee’! You can see some example of shoots here.

DO YOU VISIT THE VENUE BEFORE THE WEDDING?

I am more than happy to do this, especially with venues I’ve never photographed before. However, I tend to just do it by request. If you have any concerns or you wish to do a walk through with me then I’d love to meet you there. But I am confident enough in my own abilities to wander into any new surroundings and do a great job for you!

DO YOU MIND IF (insert family member or friends name here) FOLLOWS YOU AROUND TAKING PICTURES TOO!?

I have zero problem if you have someone else taking photos. In fact, I welcome it as they’re obviously important enough to you to have them there on your special day.

So, I will always do my best to accommodate impromptu ‘second shooters’ and even give them a few pointers if they ask for them. But please be aware that if that person then accidentally gets in front of a perfect shot then I can’t be held responsible. It’s just something to be aware of as I wouldn’t want you guys to be disappointed with any of your images.

CAN WE HAVE THE RAW IMAGES?

I never give RAW unedited images. They are flat and need refining. I carefully edit each wedding and present my images how I want my clients to see them. I do also offer photoshop services for more extensive retouching to remove, scars/blemishes etc.

IS A DEPOSIT REQUIRED?

After we’ve met and you’ve decided that I’m the one for you then I’ll pop over a booking form to gather all your lovely details. Then I’ll put together a tailored contract and send through a deposit invoice. The rest is then payable one month before the big day. The deposit is £400

However, I’m aware that most of your suppliers will be chasing for balance payments at this time. So if you wanted to break it down into instalments then that’s no problem at all. Just ask! Payments are accepted via BACS.

WHAT’S YOUR REFUND/CANCELLATION POLICY?

You are very welcome to cancel within 7 days and your full booking fee will be refunded. If you wish to cancel after 7 days the booking fee will be forfeited unless I take another booking on that date.

Regrettably, cancellations within 28 days of the wedding date will unfortunately incur the full cost of the basic wedding package, including loss of the booking fee. This is, again, unless I’m able to replace the take another booking. I will always try to do the best for my clients wherever possible.