FAQs

What is fine art wedding photography?

Fine art wedding photography is the art of creating beautiful photographs through composition, light, tone, depth of field and photographic skill. It is more than capturing moments - important as that is - it is gently directing and deliberately creating something artistic and beautiful, using fine art principles.

What is boutique wedding photography?

It's a bit like a boutique hotel - an independent artisan company which places an emphasis on beautiful design, style, attention to detail and a commitment to bespoke and personal service. I only take on a limited number of wedding and portrait commissions each year to ensure all my clients get the care and attention they deserve. Every wedding is special and unique, and the quality bespoke products I supply reflect this.

How many pictures will you take at our wedding?

Usually between 1,500 and 2,000 depending on the size of the wedding. From that I whittle it down to a reasonable viewing amount (which can be really hard!). I will show you around 300 edited photographs for you to choose from. If you choose to purchase the disc, you receive all 300 edited images as high-res files.

How many pictures do we get in our album?

As many as you would like! I include the first 50 as standard, but most clients love all their images and end up with over 100 in the album, and buying the DVD of all the edited images. Please do allow for this in your budget to avoid disappointment!

How much time do we need to allow for photography on the day?

In order to get the kind of images that you see on my blog, website and in wedding magazines, you do need to allow plenty of time. Ideally there will be a little extra time during the preparations, 30 minutes for the group photos and then two or three 20-minute sessions for the couple portraits. I recommend that the bride is ready at least half an hour early, and please allow a minimum of 2 hours between arriving at the reception venue and sitting down to eat; this way there is plenty of time for you to chat to your guests as well as have photos taken.

How long do we have to wait to see our wedding photos?

I will put a few preview images on facebook a day or two after the wedding. Your private viewing will be 10-12 weeks after the wedding, then the images will go into an online gallery for friends and family to view soon after that. I am meticulous about post-processing, and this is one of the reasons clients hire me, but it does mean you may have to wait a little longer to see your photos.

Do we get the photos on disc?

Yes, but it is an upgrade. I chose to include the album as standard as I want you to have a beautiful, tangible memory of your wedding day that will become a family heirloom, rather than a disc which may not even work in 10 year's time. You can purchase the disc of high-res images for an additional £600, but they are not included in the initial price.

Can we put our wedding photos on Facebook?

Absolutely - please do! Just pop a link to my website or Facebook page and tell your friends how much you love the photos!

Can family and friends order prints?

Yes, directly from the online gallery. They can also download web-size versions of photos for facebook.

Do you do albums for parents?

Yes. They are an exact replica of the main album, including the front cover material. You need to order these at the same time as the main album. They are available in two sizes; 5" and 7". The 5" copies also make lovely gifts for bridesmaids or a handbag-sized copy for you to take to work/out for cocktails to show your friends.

Do you do formal group photos?

Yes. Group photos are important to family members and form a part of family history. However no-one wants to be waiting around for endless line-ups so we keep them short, sweet, relaxed and informal. As well as one big group photo of everyone, I recommend around 6-8 groups, allowing 30 minutes, and making sure everyone who is needed is informed ahead of time so they don't disappear!

Do we need to feed you?

Yes please! I will effectively be a guest at your wedding (albeit a hard-working one!) and I will be around from the preparations through to the first dance, so I'll need sustaining! Ideally I'll have the same meal as your guests, or an equivalent hot meal. You can either seat me at a table with your guests if space permits or I am happy to sit in the bar or lounge. (If you require a second photographer they will also need a meal.)

Do you have an assistant or 2nd Photographer?

Sometimes. If you would particularly like a 2nd photographer this can be arranged at no extra cost, apart from providing a meal. If the wedding is a large wedding (more than 100 guests) or has tricky lighting conditions I will use an assistant. I have a pool of lovely and brilliant photographers that I can call on for this.

What do you wear to photograph a wedding?

I see myself as a (hard-working!) guest at your wedding and will dress respectfully and accordingly, although I may leave the heels at home ;) You are most likely to find me in a dress, jacket and pretty flats. I will never turn up to your wedding in jeans!

Do we have to have an engagement shoot?

Yes! This is such an important part of the experience and is one of the reasons why I can get the results I do on the wedding day. The engagement shoot is about us building a rapport and you getting comfortable in front of the camera. It's like a 'practice run' for the wedding photos; we'll try various poses and ideas and see what works best for you. And you realise how great you look in a photograph so you are a lot less nervous on the wedding day! You can also use the images for guest books, signature boards, invitations and of course to put on your walls.

Do you travel for weddings?

Yes, absolutely! I love to travel, and especially where sunshine might be involved! For weddings further afield in the UK I charge my usual fee plus travel expenses and 2 nights' accommodation. For destination weddings I charge for flights, meals and 2-3 nights accommodation, so there is time for a venue visit the day before the wedding and to allow for flights being delayed/cancelled. If you are having special celebrations the evening before the wedding I am happy to photograph these as well.

Do you shout at guests, bark orders or tell bad jokes?

Never. Wedding photographers do have a bit of a bad reputation for this although thankfully that seems to be changing. I love weddings and see it as an enormous honour to be present at your wedding. I will treat you, your wedding and your guests with the utmost respect. My manner at weddings is friendly, approachable, professional and unobtrusive. I will make your guests feel comfortable in front of the camera without cheesy lines and bad jokes. Rudeness and grumpiness from wedding suppliers is not acceptable in any way. When I am thanked at the end of a wedding and told that I've been lovely to have around, it's worth almost as much to me as the clients loving the photos.

How do you ensure nothing goes wrong?

Firstly, I am insured. I have both professional indemnity and public liability insurance, which cover me in the event of complete photographic failure and someone tripping over my camera bag.
Secondly, I am obsessive about backing up your images. I shoot across a number of memory cards, on two cameras throughout the day, so if a card failed there would still be images from that part of the day. The images are then uploaded and backed up to 3 locations including online.