Why are you banging on about moments?
You’ve come here to read about how I approach a wedding, so let’s get into it. I’m the sort of guy who likes to let things just take their course. Whether that be watching my beloved Wales winning yet another Grand Slam or watching a nice espresso filtering into my cup, letting things take their course naturally is what I’m about. Weddings are no different, I’m both in the thick of the action, and a casual observer with a decent camera.
An extra guest, really?
It’s been mentioned from previous couples that I was ‘an extra guest’* at their wedding. This is it for me, mission completed as far as I’m concerned. I’ve done my job, I’ve moved from being a stereotypical wedding photographer who orders people around, to just being me, a jolly Welshman who everyone loves! Photographing a wedding from the viewpoint of a guest is how I get photograph those amazing moments, the drunkeness, the manic dancing and the millions of other little interactions that take place at a wedding.
*Natalie & Ross said this, they had an awesome wedding, I’ll tell you about it one day on the blog
Right place, right time?
Being at a shed loads of weddings have taught me to be in the right place at the right time. I also put the time in getting to know people at a wedding, this allows me to be close to the action, without people feeling awkward.
Informal portraits
Right, I get asked this a lot “do you do portraits and group shots”. Well, the answer is…YES! I do, but these aren’t your “stand there and gaze off into the middle distance whilst having your arms at an 84 degree angle” sort of thing. I’ll take you off, no more than 5 minutes, we’ll have a wander, have a chat, and get some shots. Same with groups, I’ll gather you together, photograph you, and then you can get back to having an amazing day. No fuss, no drama.
Amusement
We all love things that make us laugh right? There are tons of funny moments at weddings, folks telling of embarrassing stories about the couple, speeches that have you in stitches and drinking games to name but a few. If something is going down at your wedding that’s funny, I photograph it!
It’s not all about comedy
To sum up what I have mentioned above, my documentary photography is all about storytelling. I always aim to create images that are timeless, funny and totally unobtrusive. I want my images to be treasured for their realism, and for them to be looked at for years to come, losing none of their impact.
I do hope that gives you a bit of an insight into my style of documentary wedding photography. You can view more of my images over at my portfolio, full weddings on my blog, and if you’d like to chat, head over to my contact page and get in touch.