What is a documentary approach?

I shoot weddings with a documentary approach in a very honest way. I promise you’ll never hear me say “cheese” or have me putting you in any uncomfortable poses. The pictures from the day should reflect you, your families, your friends and all the personalities that come with it. My two cents worth is this: your wedding day should not be condensed down to a series of posed or forced pictures. It should be documented in a way that allows the viewer to feel the emotion of the moment. If you’ve not already figured it out, I’m not much of a ‘traditionalist’. I want to spend the day capturing all the real moments as creatively as possible.

In the interest of telling the story and conveying that emotion, I do get in pretty close. I’m not the guy who shoots from the bushes with a telephoto lens! I like to be right in there with you when the moments are happening. This way, anyone viewing the end result feels like they were there with you as well. I use the same documentary approach on the dance floor in the evening. I’m jumping onto the floor with the same enthusiasm as your (often well-lubricated) guests. I’m not jumping into the car ready to get the hell out of there. I love the dance floor! Some of the best moments from the whole day happen when your nearest and dearest are rocking out to your favourite songs.

Why Weddings?

Simple…they’re awesome! Right?! I’m fascinated by people. Their mannerisms, interactions with each other, and the way families react when they all come together to celebrate a massive occasion. A wedding day has it all. I’m surrounded by loads of new faces (and sometimes some familiar one’s too) and I get to tap into the emotion of the day and make photos that make you feel something. There is nothing better than that! I want to make photos that your grandchildren can look at in years to come and say “wow, you guys looked cool!”

Do you shoot family group photos?

Yes. They’re important and they do have their place…but I know you don’t want to spend an hour rooted to the spot while a procession of people come and go, smiling awkwardly at the camera before rushing back to their canapés and bubbles. So, I like to keep the ‘formals’ quite informal and relaxed. I’ve got some tricks up my sleeve to keep the fun going, so even your formal pictures look fun and natural, but it’s even easier if the list is a short one.

Full disclosure: I’m a ‘hugger’! I love finishing a great wedding with a proper hug to wish you well and to thank you for having me along to share the day with you! So, if you enjoy a good hug and feel like I might be the right dude to tell your story, give me a shout. I’d love to hear more about your plans.