What is your most memorable wedding?
A wedding I photographed a couple of years ago at Oulton Park racing circuit. A lovely couple who have become good friends and an opportunity to drive round the circuit in a pace car to take some photos. In truth, they are all memorable. Every wedding is different and is a reflection of the couple at the centre of it.
Describe your style in 5 adjectives.
Unintrusive, professional, patient, flexible, dedicated.
What about your business are you most proud of?
That I have photographed over 300 weddings over the last ten years and every one of my past clients has only had good things to say about me and my work.
What is your No. 1 wedding planning tip for couples?
It's your day, so spend your budget and your time wisely on things that will make it special for you and which will give you great memories in the future.
What is your favourite personal touch you have seen at a wedding?
The groom's father, singing a soulful ballad for First Dance. A complete surprise for everyone and a great moment.
Describe your typical process with a couple.
From initial enquiry to sending out the photographs, I am always available to answer questions, describe my work and for any sort of consultation. Some couples like to just make the booking and meet me on the day, others like pre wedding meetings and for us to look at the venue together. Everyone is different, but I can accommodate anyone, from photo divas to reluctant subjects and from small intimate settings with just a handful of guests to full size productions with a cast of hundreds.
What is the No. 1 photo that you think every couple should take?
The confetti shot.
What is the most original photo you’ve been asked to take at a wedding?
I've hung out of bedroom windows, stood on ladders, climbed up to the battlements of a castle and laid down in fields of sheep but the most original photo I ever took was in the doorway of a hotel bedroom, before the wedding, with the bride and groom on opposite sides of the door, unable to see one another, reaching round the door and holding hands.
What do you recommend for a rainy day wedding?
Patience. It rarely rains all day long and when it stops I'll be ready...
Describe how you got into photography.
I was fortunate to be trained in the late 1970's by Robin Lord who is an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society. He encouraged me to exhibit and to submit photographs to magazines as a freelance which I did throughout my first career as a teacher. In 2008 I was invited to work as an assistant to an established local wedding photographer, which I did for two years, learning how to photograph weddings. I started taking my own bookings in 2009 and the rest is history...