2013 gave me some great opportunities to dip my toe into Wedding Photography.

I was asked by a number of friends in 2013 if I would do their wedding photography. In the past I've always said no to similar requests. I suppose I was somewhat nervous of making a 'balls up' of such an important occasion. But having a whole Summer of event photography for British Land in the bag I thought I was in a position to say yes.

Research, research and more research

Before I shot my first wedding I did some extensive research. Not only did I talk to a number of wedding photographers but I also trawled the web for as much 'useful' information as I could find, which was quite a difficult task sifting through a lot of crap...

In my research I found three great little books which have proved invaluable as helpful guides both in preparation but also handy to have in the bag on the day.

Wedding Photography: A guide to posing, by David Pearce

Wedding Photography: A guide to photojournalism, by Kerry Morgan

The Wedding Photography Field Guide, by Michelle Turner

Working with the couple before the wedding is a great way to get to know each other so that they are more comfortable with me having a camera aimed at them on their special day. I've found that I'm more able to blend into the background and this helps with my documentary style of photography.

It also means that we have a set of images which can be used as part of a guest book or as a great memory of those days leading towards their union.

Being relaxed is also very important. While it's key to ensure you capture all the major parts of the day, doing so in a relaxed and confident manner will ensure that you get better results. If you're panicking behind the camera or obsessing about a missed opportunity than you won't be in the right frame of mind to feel the mood of the day.

5 years working on major corporate events as a graphics operator helped to give me the calm confidence required for such an important occasion. Many times I've had to make changes to presentations and animations seconds before a CEO took to the stage. A solid knowledge of the subject matter and a thorough understanding of the capabilities of the kit used certainly helped, and it's no different with photography.

Listening to your clients both before and after the wedding day ensures that expectations are met and that your relationship with them is strong and positive.

I've been very fortunate to receive some great feedback from wedding couples and also their immediate family and it is certainly rewarding to know that you have helped to make their day even more special.

Below is one such comment I received from Christine in response to her wedding in September.

"Thank you so much for all of your amazing work on capturing our special day. The photography was perfect and exactly what we were after. We were so impressed not just by the incredible quality of the images, but how Tristan and Samantha worked on the day. As neither of us enjoy being 'papped', the prospect of having a photographer following us around was really daunting, but they made us feel so at ease and helped to relax us and get the best shots. They even suggested a pre-shoot to help us get used to it all, which definitely prepared us for the big day.

Throughout it all, they were always very patient, particularly when working around the demands on the day itself. They worked independently and blended in seamlessly with everything else going on, needing no guidance from us.
What also stood out was their knowledge and awareness of what would work, and what wouldn't. Tristan was always on hand to offer impartial, honest advice which was so beneficial! He was there right from the start when agreeing what we wanted, right until our albums were delivered. We were after a documentary style, as well as some posed shots, and the whole package was tailored to our requirements.
We have had so many people comment on how great the photos are. They truly tell the story of our day and provide us with such happy memories."

So if you were lucky enough to get engaged over the festive period or you know someone getting married in 2014/2015 and you feel my style may be of interest please share this blog posting.

I have put together a small gallery below showcasing some images which I feel typify my style.