Karen Thorburn Photography

Last year, Rachel and Jamie eloped to Loch Morlich… on the wettest day ever! My husband and I (both witnesses!) drove down the A9 in a monsoon, armed with umbrellas. This lovely couple braved the elements for a beautiful, intimate wedding ceremony on the beach. Amazingly, the rain went off straight afterwards and, because it had been so wet, there was no-one else around. The Cairngorms looked spectacular with the clouds billowing off the summits and lots of cute ducks came over to say hello! We drove up to the ski centre where I was able to capture some really special photos of the couple within the landscape. I spotted that Rachel’s hands were turning purple (!), so we headed off to a cosy café to warm up with coffee and cake! It was all so informal but so meaningful and beautiful. Rachel and Jamie were 100% invested in their photography and loved the results (and we’ve made friends for life!).

Bright. Beautiful. Natural. Relaxed. Romantic.

I’m most proud of my service levels. Absolute trust, honesty and transparency are among my core business values. I always aim to over-deliver on my promises, and all my communication is clear and friendly. It’s important to me that all my clients feel genuinely looked after and valued. Customer service is massively important. Even the best photographs imaginable would be tainted by poor service, so it’s essential to book a trusted, reliable professional who can deliver on both imagery and service.

Give yourselves heaps of time between the ceremony and the speeches! If you’re following a traditional format, then it’s highly likely that your venue will propose quite a tight time schedule for the afternoon. Bear in mind there’s a lot to get through after the ceremony, including a confetti line-up, whole group shot, family and wedding party photos, and photos of the happy couple. The photographer also needs time to photograph the function suite and cake before all the guests take their seats. All too often, the afternoon ends up being too hectic. The happy couple looked dazed as they move from one thing to the next without time for a breather. Also, you can’t expect the photographer to produce their best work if they have a crazy, stressful schedule to stick to. Slow the whole thing down, hold the ceremony early, lay on some entertainment and more canapés for your guests, and enjoy the gentler pace.

I love a four-legged ring bearer!! I’m an animal-lover and it’s always great when couples get their fur babies involved in the day. I can’t think of anything cuter than a dog coming down the aisle with the rings in a pouch attached to their collar. This always makes for some extra special photos!

I always aim to get to know a couple in a genuine way before the wedding, by sharing useful tips, exchanging chatty emails, and having a comprehensive Zoom call in the run up to the big day. People consistently tell me that I put them at ease (great for relaxed and candid photos) and I often ask myself what it is that I do to achieve this! I think it's because I get emotionally invested in the day, smiling from ear to ear, feeling the excitement, and laughing at the speeches in between firing the camera shutter. I’m not just turning up to do a job, acting like a robot and going home again. On the day, I gently help my couples to stick to the time schedule without anyone getting stressed, and I gently guide them into relaxed and natural poses in front of my camera.

I actually think the whole group shot with all the day guests is really important. It can take a bit of time and effort to set up, getting all the guests into position, and I’m normally up a ladder or leaning out of a first-floor window, with a headset (so I can make myself heard) and a cuddly toy (to get the kids to smile). My parents didn’t have a group shot at their wedding and they always regretted not having a photographic record of everyone who attended, and I mention this to couples who are thinking of skipping this important photograph. Top tip - do the group shot straight after the ceremony, before guests start wandering off to the bathroom or the bar!

I love when a couple give me an original request. One couple brought their tractor to their venue (a beautiful 4-star hotel), which made for a unique backdrop in the photos! While we’re on the subject of tractors, I did a wedding on a couple’s farm last year and I posed them in front of their tractor, lorry and digger and they loved the results! Other examples include a couple who involved their horse in their wedding photos, and another couple who had a barn owl deliver the wedding rings!

Book a venue that has enough indoor space for family and wedding party photos in case it’s wet or windy. Also, be prepared to be flexible and work around the weather if needed. I generally take the couple aside in the afternoon for photos but, on rainy days, I’ve switched this to after the meal if I’m confident the weather will clear up. Also, bring a change of footwear or heel stoppers so that you can walk on the grass without sinking in, even if it’s wet.

To cut a long story short, I got my first camera when I was six years old, and I never looked back. I became obsessive about landscape photography as a young adult, then gradually branched out into wedding photography before going full-time with my business in 2017.