My style of wedding photography

Photographing a wedding takes a unique set of skills, and it's not for every photographer. Involving fashion, portraiture, still-life and reportage, every camera technique in the book, on foot, often with only one chance to get a shot, and no control over the weather (or the hotel chef). It's a challenging area to work in. But I can say hand on heart I simply LOVE doing it. Witnessing a couple's marriage and relationship up close and seeing them join their lives together is a real privilege, and gives me energy and inspiration to create beatiful images.

Tony and Jo make their vows

"If your pictures aren't good enough, you aren't close enough"

Robert Capa's advice is sometimes literal, but usually a metaphor. I get fun, joyful, emotional shots because I like to get close to people, use their names, and become a part of the day. I take my eyes, my heart and my camera to every wedding because it's by paying attention that I find out what's meaningful and important to you and learn how to capture it in pictures. I'd love to make friends with the two of you and hear your story, and even take practice photos together. Then when the big day comes it's just me - Richard - who you know and like. Not some scary dude with a camera who shows up out of the blue ten minutes before the ceremony.

Reportage, Candid, Traditional

The words get thrown about and most brides think they want "reportage". So I'll explain what I do and you can call it what you like! I look for opportunities throughout the day to create great images. I'll take a lot of pictures of things happening around me without saying a word, but a lot of the time I'll also hold your attention for just a few seconds and throw in a quick suggestion to enhance a photograph and capture a moment. I'm not 100% paparazzi! There are beautiful little things happening all over the place at a wedding, but sometimes people need a little reassurance to do them openly and in attractive lighting! And everyone needs at least some family group photos, which is absolutely fine by me. I'll organise them to get as many or few as you need done in time.

By leading the bride and groom under trees as we walked, they didn't realise we made this scene happen

Nervous?

Lots of people feel a bit nervous about having their photographs taken, both men and women by the way. So I find most brides and grooms are reassured by just a little help in knowing how to pose, where the great light is and so on. But I always keep it relaxed and easy. A real smile lasts for about one second, and my job is to capture THAT, and not the fake one you do afterwards ;-) We'll come up with a basic shot and then let you relax into each other and enjoy yourselves. It's a careful balance of action and stealth. One guest told me "I barely knew you were there, but considering the shots you got, you were everywhere!!"

"They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel"

My goal at a wedding is not just to take great pictures, but for the bride to actually feel beautiful as we shoot. And then to connect those emotions with the images. I get the biggest kick out of taking someone who doesn't think they're photogenic and proving otherwise! And I believe in marriage, so I want these photographs to help a couple look back on a living memory and strengthen the bond between them.

I'm not a make-up artist, Rigby and Peller designer or even a world class retoucher (though I pull some pretty sneaky moves in photoshop on a regular basis) My job is to reveal the beauty that's already there. I want you to have fun, relax and get all the hang-ups right out of the way, leaving only you and your affection for each other plain to see in the photograph. My advice is, wear your heart on your sleeve. If you let your emotions show, I won't miss it.