| The bride-to-be was delighted with the photo-album I | | | | I engaged the help of my son, an experienced still-life |
| had made from a half-day photo-shoot in my lounge | | | | animator and illustration university graduate, but with |
| studio; so she asked me to take photographs at her | | | | his bad back, he would not be available to help all the |
| wedding. I agreed, but without fully realising the | | | | time. So as his backup, a friend agreed to step in and |
| enormity of what I was under-taking. | | | | press the button as directed. |
| I set about reading books on Wedding Photography, | | | | So between the three of us and after three changes |
| Posing Women, Contemporary Portraits, Studio | | | | of clothes for me (it was a hot day) we managed to |
| Lighting, Out-door Flash etc. and the more I learnt, | | | | take 4,500 photographs, requiring 40Gb of disk |
| the less I knew. It was a daunting prospect, but I | | | | space. |
| have always said that I like a challenge. There was | | | | After the couple returned from the honeymoon, the |
| just so much to take in and then become proficient | | | | groom wrote: "John was the photographer for our |
| at, even before I picked up a camera. | | | | wedding in July. He was quick so that people's smiles |
| The first thing we did was to discuss the types of | | | | didn't wear off and they never became impatient. He |
| photographs that they wanted and the Bride | | | | was sensitive to the ambiance of the ceremony and |
| produced a scrap album of pictures that she wanted | | | | creative in his angles and selection of subjects and |
| in her album. She had very definite ideas, but | | | | surroundings. He also made us feel at ease while |
| thankfully her taste over-lapped with mine. | | | | taking portrait photos.His photos really captured the |
| Then we talked about the venue and quickly realised | | | | day which included an outdoor ceremony, indoor |
| that there was no time available to take the | | | | reception, games and a Ceilidh." |
| photographs that they wanted, so the ceremony | | | | The bride also wrote: "Friendly, helpful with excellent |
| was brought forward by two hours. Then began the | | | | ideas. You will be amazed with the final product. |
| detailed planning for each photograph that they | | | | Highly recommend!!!" |
| wanted; | | | | So all was well, but under-neath it all I was a little |
| - at the bride's home | | | | depressed; although the couple were very pleased |
| - the details of the venue and decorations | | | | with the photographs, I knew the photographs that |
| - the groom at the venue before the ceremony | | | | they had not seen and the photographs that I had |
| - the arrival of all the guests | | | | not managed to capture fully. The first major error I |
| - the bride and her parents | | | | noticed was that 2/3rds of my photos were either |
| - the arrival of the bride in the car with her father | | | | under or over exposed because of the way I had |
| - the entrance to the out-door ceremony, in a | | | | set the camera up, but had forgotten to remove this |
| wooded area by a pond | | | | setting. I noticed how some indoor flash shots had |
| - the ceremony | | | | the wrong speed so some guests were rather |
| - the guests mingling after the ceremony | | | | blurred and so the list went on. I realised that on the |
| - the Wedding Party Photo on the bridge | | | | day, when the pressure is on, that it is impossible to |
| - the Wedding Couple and friends and family group | | | | remember everything and that there is not time to |
| photos on the lawn | | | | work things out. You either know it and do it or you |
| - the Guests with refreshments while the group | | | | miss it. I realised that I had taken too much on, I |
| photographs are being taken | | | | was collecting flowers, helping organise the guests |
| - Portraits of each guest/s as they queued to enter | | | | and the programme, I was giving a speach, I was |
| the reception | | | | supervising two inexperience assistants and we had |
| - Portraits of the Wedding Couple while the guests | | | | set a high target in terms of photographs. |
| queued to enter the reception | | | | But on the up-side - the couple have chosen 600 |
| - The entrance of the Wedding Couple at the | | | | photographs that they like and it is hard to choose |
| reception | | | | which ones to leave out of the album. The |
| - The details of the table decorations and food | | | | photographs give a complete picture of just about |
| - Guests at each table | | | | everything that happened during the day, sometimes |
| - The speakers and translator (yes 1/3 of the the | | | | things that the couple had not seen themselves. |
| guests did not speak English) | | | | There are also some lovely formal portraits with |
| - Photographs of myself giving one of the speeches | | | | stunning lighting and setting. So all in all the result is |
| - The giving of presents to the parents by the | | | | very satisfying but with lots of lessons learnt. |
| Wedding Couple | | | | |
| - After the meal, portraits of the wedding couple | | | | 1. Practise all your techniques so they are automatic |
| with studio lights and 4 different locations inside the | | | | for each environment |
| venue | | | | 2. Don't take on too much |
| - Photos of the entertainment | | | | 3. Don't set un-realistic objectives |
| - The Scottish Country Dancing | | | | 4. Take rest breaks during the day |
| - More portraits of the Wedding Couple in the | | | | 5. Use experience assistants |
| grounds while the guests eat the Roasted Hog | | | | 6. After you have taken the normal shots be more |
| - The Disco | | | | selective and creative |
| - The departure of the guests | | | | 7. Have enough disk space to store, backup and |
| There was such an extensive list of photographs and | | | | work on the photographs |
| different locations that we spend a few hours | | | | 8. Have enough memory cards to avoid over-writing |
| walking around the venue discussing each site and | | | | any |
| making plans. This was again repeated at the | | | | 9. Don't take too many photographs |
| wedding rehearsal two days before the wedding. | | | | 10. Be prepared for some things not to work out as |
| It was quite a large venue with different locations for | | | | well as you hoped |
| the ceremony, the lunch, the entertainment, the hog | | | | One month before the wedding, I lost my IT |
| roast and the dancing, as well as for the | | | | Management job and am now a full-time Wedding |
| photographs. With considerable project planning and | | | | and Portrait Photographer in Ascot and this has led |
| management in the IT industry behind me as well as | | | | me down three completely new roads: |
| working as a maître d' on occasions I was | | | | - how to set up a new business |
| relatively comfortable with juggling all the | | | | - how to market |
| arrangements. What I did not realise that on the day, | | | | - how to make a website |
| apart from the Bride, I would be the only person | | | | This last year has been very different and I am |
| who know everything that was going on. | | | | looking forward to what the next one brings. |