FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Wedding Photography FAQ – Choosing a wedding photographer is arguably one of the more important things to consider when planning your wedding; and because I genuinely care, here’s useful list of common frequently asked questions and answers that come up; that can help guide you through the process of choosing the best wedding photographer for you!
I’ve had my work assessed and judged by highly respected and qualified photographers in the photographic industry, confirming my work as being of professional standard. I’ve been awarded qualifications from both the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers (LSWPP) and The Guild of Photographers (QGPP – Professional Photographer) / QGWP – Wedding Photographer). Being a member of a professional body ensures that I work to a professional code of conduct to ensure high quality and good service delivery to my clients.
I continue to practice and hone my skills through these organisations, attending seminars and professional workshops to stay updated with the latest techniques as well as sharing knowledge with fellow professionals. I believe that continued development is fundamental to providing the best service I can to all my clients.
As I don’t offer a ‘standard package’ like many other photographers, I’m not restricted to how you receive your photographs. I include whatever you would like in your custom collection. Primarily you will have access to a password protected online gallery where you can download all your photographs to your computer at no extra cost.
Some clients like to have a backup copy on a physical USB Drive; and others like to have prints of the photographs, along with albums, books, gifts, framed photographs, canvas prints and other products too. All of which, I’m more than happy to arrange and add to your wishes.
I’m Based Welling which is in the South East London borough of Bexley and close to the Kent Border
You’re not the cheapest Wedding photographer? My uncle Bob has a good camera and can do it for free!
I provide a professional photography service to my clients. I’ve invested time, effort and resources on developing my photography skills into a successful business; I use professional equipment, I’m fully insured and I’m a qualified member with 2 professional photography bodies – The Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers and the Guild of Photographers. As such I adhere to a professional code of practice that gives my clients the confidence and peace of mind they are getting a valued quality product and service.
You’ll want me to be your photographer because I provide a complete wedding photography service; from consultation & planning, pre-wedding practice session, wedding day coverage, post processing every photograph and designing your album. I use professional suppliers for printing albums and coffee table books to guarantee you a high quality printed product; and will protect and display your valuable memories for generations to come.
Your price point is always going to be a major factor when deciding on your photographer; and friends and family with a camera may have the of best intentions when they offer to photograph your wedding and may even appear to be a cost effective solution, however wedding photography is not just about taking good photographs or owning a good camera; it’s about understanding the light; it’s about people skills, it’s about being organised, being consistent, flexible to adapt to changing circumstances (for example, time slippages and the weather), protection if things go wrong (Insurance); and above all it’s about being professional.
You have to ask yourself honestly “what are my memories worth to me and to my family for generations to come?”
This is quite often misunderstood by clients and some photographers so it’s a good question to ask; I actually retain the full copyright of all the photographs under The Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. However, I provide you with a full non-commercial license to use, share, print the photographs as you wish without any personal restrictions.
The Non-commercial part is purely a safeguard to stop other professional vendors using my photographs for their own promotion or commercial gain without my written permission – in that case if a vendor (let’s say florist) contacted you to say they wanted to use a photo from your wedding on their website (and you were ok with that) you would need to refer them to me rather than just give the photographs yourself. That way you are protected from a privacy perspective and I maintain my creative copyright.
A copy of the licence is provided to you; for example, if say you went to any reputable printers, they should first actually check to see if they are, copyrighted (which they are) and that you have licence to print (which you will have) them.
The only exception is for any slideshow DVD’s that contain music and is in a video format. These contain licensed music and therefore any further copying would be breaching the music copyright.
I work with Professional Canon Digital DSLR Cameras and equipment (5D MKIII (with L Series pro lenses) and professional lighting equipment; I always bring a range of spare/backup equipment and memory cards to cover any risk of failures and I use the latest industry standard Adobe software for my post processing work.
Of course not, it’s your wedding after all! I’ve no issues with guests taking their own photographs during your wedding; it’s common practice these days anyway with so many camera phones around, and I will always try to accommodate opportunities for your guests by being as unobtrusive as possible.
However, there is the growing practice; that of an ‘unplugged wedding’. This is where a couple will ask and encourage their guests to put their cameras and phones away for the day to enjoy the day through their eyes and not a screen or lens!
I’ve had feedback from this kind of wedding where guests have enjoyed the day more, and have had increased excited anticipation to see the official photographs. It’s also a scientific fact that a person will remember more by looking through their own eyes then via a phone screen!
I say leave it to the professionals and enjoy the day, but at the end of the day though, it is totally up to you.
My passion and focus is on stills photography, however that’s not to say I won’t offer this as part of a services in the future. I would also be happy to recommend videographers that I’ve worked with before. If you already have someone in mind I will always discuss the day with them, to ensure that we both get the best from the day!
My ethos is to make every photograph the best it can be, by checking and editing every photograph for quality and therefore not to be rushed. so, it can take 8-12 weeks from the wedding day before being available for online viewing; and it should also be noted that the processing time may also be extended further during the main wedding season. This is due to the increase in demand for my services during the spring and summer, as well as Christmas and New Year seasons. Albums may also take longer as they are designed and hand-built by professional printers and bookbinders.
While I’m confident that you’ll find everything that you need at a competitive price, I absolutely encourage you to research other photographers! I’m a strong believer in the right photographer for the right client. After all you need to feel comfortable that you can work with us not only on the day but in the build-up to the wedding and afterwards.
Feel free to use these FAQ’s as your guide to researching other photographers.
My style sits somewhere between Photo-journalistic/Documentary style and contemporary ‘posed’ styles.
Primarily I’m there to capture the story of your wedding, unobtrusively and capturing real moments in as natural way as possible. At the same time, I will include some naturally looking posed shots for a more contemporary feel. Don’t forget to look at my gallery for examples; and of course, if you have any specific ideas already, I can tailor the style to your preference.
Yes of course. It’s your album and it needs to be perfect for you. I discuss your ‘must have’ photographs during the consultation and pre-wedding shoot and make those my priority on the day.
I do sometimes find that some clients can struggle when it comes to choosing the photos for their album. So, to help, I will select what I see as the best photographs of the day and design the story flow and layout for you. You’re then free to make any changes you like until you’re 100% happy.
I do not limit the number of photographs I take. Typically for a full days wedding guarantee, 500 is a realistic average for what you receive. However, it can also be more than this depending on the day; I’m only really restricted by available time, weather and number of guests.
Most full day weddings are up to 8-10 hours; and that is generally more than enough time to capture most weddings. From the getting ready up to and including the first dance regardless of any slight time slippages. We would discuss this during your consultation to ensure you get the right cover for your needs.
As a photographer, the more time I have to photograph your day, the better! Something to bear in mind when planning the day is that phrase “where did the time go?” and in my experience, it tends to be all the little things. For example – Ceremony 2:00pm to 2:30pm followed by Group Photos 2:30pm to 3:00pm. However, what is often overlooked would be the 10 minutes it takes for everyone to come out of the church so it would be better to say Groups at 2:40 to 3:10. Don’t forget to think about the traffic, time for hair and make-up, the time it takes to get into and out of a car while wearing your wedding outfits and the fact that everyone is going to want to come and chat to you.
All these things and more; will soon eat into the time available for photographs. However, I always say “It’s a wedding, not a photoshoot”; and I’m there to capture the memories of the day, not to tell you how I would like the day to go. However, what it is my job to do, is to advise you what can be best achieved in the time available and offer suggestions around meeting your expectations.
A pre-wedding is just a 20 to 30, minute practice session where I go through the ‘routine’ and provide tips for getting those natural shots and is normally part of the final meeting before the wedding to go over the wedding plan.
Not everyone is natural in front of the camera so this is an informal opportunity for you to get to know me better and how I work. Quite often this will be at the wedding venue, (especially useful if I haven’t shot at the venue before) giving us the chance to look at the best locations and points of interest that can be utilised on the actual wedding day; and if you are looking to have some traditional/contemporary posed photographs, I can provide a few ‘posing’ tips and have a little practice too. The important factor is that you are already comfortable with me on the actual wedding day!
I do not normally provide the ‘test practice photographs, it is more about you getting a feel for being in front of the camera. However, that said if there are any ‘keepers’ I feel you would appreciate I may include them. If you would like a more detailed photography session, then you can upgrade to an Engagement session.
The pre-wedding meeting is also a chance to review your planner and verify the final details such as the timings, group shots, contacts and “who’s who”.
While I’m more than confident to work alone, I however, do recommend as a minimum; and include an assistant as part of my base package. A wedding can be a very hectic/chaotic day (behind the scenes) with my main focus on covering the photography plan and capturing your day as much as possible. It makes sense for me to have a ‘hand’.
Having an assistant creates a number of advantages. They help with setting up and organising equipment, hold lighting and modifiers, keeping track of what still needs to be photographed, keeping an eye on the surrounding activity (spotting photo opportunities), help with organising groups and liasing with other vendors. Essentially they are an extra pair of hands to carry out tasks to leave me the flexibility to be totally focused on your photography.
Second Photographer
Somthing else I also strongly recommend, is that of using an addtional experienced second photographer. This adds a lot more variety to your photographs of what’s captured througout the day. They can cover aspects (two places at the same time; different angles – e.g. Back of the ceremony, drinks reception while I’m covering couple portraits)
They’re also a backup/contingency as they will have their own equipment too and say for example there is travelling between venues, they can be sent in advance to cover arrivals. I use a regular set of photographers that I work with. All of them are photographers in their own right and I trust their abilities as much as my own.
I would normally discuss the option of a second photographer during your consultation, once I know more about your wishes.
Improvise adapt and overcome!
Seriously though I’ve experienced some very ‘wet’ weddings before; and I’m generally prepared to deal with most situations; and we can discuss contingency in your plans. Having said that I’m also happy to arrange a post-wedding session; perfect excuse to show those wedding outfits again!
Don’t forget about light. How much light is in the venue is it bright or dark? It’s useful to find this out so that a photographer can be ready for it. Also, it’s worth bearing in mind the time of day and the direction of the sun, we want to avoid squint eyes too!
It’s not just about the weather too; I’ve been at weddings where the rings were forgotten, where one of the couple has been over an hour late, where the suits didn’t fit, have had to administer first aid, guests feinting; and where the flowers didn’t turn up and when they did they were wrong… A wedding is a fluid entity and sometimes things go wrong, what is important though is that your photographer is adaptable to the situations whatever is thrown at them!
Leaving you to not worry and just enjoy the experience!
Absolutely; you’re my client!
I provide safe, inclusive and judgement-free photography to all my clients, no matter your background, beliefs or community. I’ll always provide the best service I possibly can to everyone!
Yes; I always recommend doing a few even if you are going for a pure documentary style.
It’s best to keep group list to a minimum (I recommend no more than around 8-10, however it is up to you on the day), a large list can eat into time and creativity; and while I aim to do them as quickly and relaxed as possible, it does rely on the guest’s cooperation and you don’t want your guests to be waiting around for too long. A good tip is to have the groups straight after the ceremony and before drinks are served!
An engagement shoot is a more detailed session where we spend 1-2 hours having a proper photography shoot with creative input and use of flash on and off camera; and the photographs are used to create a further keepsake, such as a signing book or engagement books. Contact me for further details about upgrading to an Engagement session and other available printed products.
Airbrushing is a pre-digital era expression commonly used for the retouching of photographs; it is often associated with the ‘cover girl’ magazine whereby a model has been made to look thinner or the smoothing and removal of skin blemishes. Today the retouching is more commonly done through computer software such as Adobe Photoshop.
I check and edit every photograph that you receive as necessary to ensure the best possible quality. This may include, cropping or straightening the photograph, correcting any colour imbalances and conversions to/from colour and black & white photographs. If requested and wherever possible, I will also remove blemishes from close up portraits as naturally as possible.
This is a free and no obligation face to face meeting; I will meet you at your home or agreed central location and we will discuss your wedding day plan as well as any specific requirements you may have. I will explain in detail how I work and show you some complete weddings, along with examples of other products such as albums. I will also explain my written contract, produce my insurance policy and qualification certificates too if you wish to see them.
It’s always a good idea to write down a few questions before the meeting and have an idea of what is most important to get from your photographer.
Yes of course. You can see examples of my weddings in my wedding gallery showcase and wedding blog and see what previous clients have said about me on my testimonials page. The testimonials have been written to external sites such as google, Trustpilot and others; all to ensure that the reviews are are made independently. I will also show complete weddings during your consultation.
The majority of my work is in London, Kent and the South East, however we can and have traveled throughout the UK and I can provide packages for destination weddings aboard if necessary. Please keep in mind that there may be additional charges for travel and transport depending on the destination. However, nothing is hidden and everything is agreed prior to the booking.
I have been taking photographs ever since I can remember for personal use and travel, starting out with 35mm film cameras; I switched to digital cameras as technology improved and prices came down; and I have been providing professional photography services to clients as a business since 2009.
There is an argument among photographers and clients alike, about being a specialist to just wedding photography. However, first and foremost I consider myself a photographer/artist and image maker; and I employ skills from all genres of photography no matter what the subject, be that a wedding, commercial commission or family portrait session.
I believe that shooting varied commissions compliments one to the other. For example, understanding the skills needed to photograph jewellery for a commercial job are the same for when taking the ‘details’ when getting ready.
Yes. I charge a standard booking fee of £275 (non-refundable) booking fee at the time of booking. The fee secures your wedding date and pays for your administration costs. The remainder of the balance is to be paid in full, 4 weeks (28 days) before the wedding date.
I accept a variety of payment methods Bank Transfer (preferred), debit/credit card, PayPal etc.). However, there is a £10 charge for payments via PayPal. I’m also happy for you to setup standing orders, if you wanted to break up the cost as a payment plan (conditions apply).
During a wedding my focus is on getting the photographs of your day. It’s not always practicable to leave the venue in order to get some food, or be able to keep food fresh throughout a full day. so, I will normally ask for some food refreshments to be made available. I do appreciate that a wedding can be a big investment, so I’m not asking for a 3-course dinner, but at least something substantial that will keep me (and assistant photographer) going for a long day.
A lot of venues will have a ‘vendor’ meal option as part of your booking; and I’ll never say no to a slice of wedding cake and a coffee!
I supply the Hi-Res files as long edge 3600px @ 300ppi with no watermarks and do not restrict what you can do with the files. You can copy, print and share as you like. You can order additional prints and other printed products direct from your online gallery via professional printers. You are also free to use other printers that you download or use from a USB flash drive (if applicable) as you like.
If requested I can also provide smaller lower resolution copies for use in social networks such as facebook.
Yes. I hold full Public Liability Insurance and Professional Indemnity Insurance.
I provide a mixture of colour and black and white photographs that I think best represents your wedding as some photographs will look better in colour and others in black and white. I will of course accommodate any specific requests too.
Yes of course!
I believe that every client and every wedding is unique; so, I’ve moved away from offering a set of standard wedding packages – If everyone is unique how can there just be top, middle or bottom packages!
For most of my clients, a full day’s coverage starts at £1875
This includes up to 9 hours coverage, 400-500 Hi-Res photographs, me plus an assistant (to help with equipment, logistics & lighting), a practice session secure online gallery, where you can download your images for free. Plus I include a small coffee table book.
This is the ‘base’ package, that we work from and can customise to suit your needs. Either adding or removing various options until we get to the point that it’s perfect for you.
That way you get exactly what you want from the day at the best value. With that in mind, your final investment is based very much on your expectations, wishes and coverage of the day
Firstly. Thank you for saying! While I can’t share my secrets here 😉 I use a a variety of skills and processes to make your photographs look as natural as possible. While it’s not essential, I always recommend at the very least a practice session or an engagement session prior to the wedding day; and where I do reveal some of my secrets and tips for looking your best!
What you say about my wedding photography
Would you like to know more?
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?