Dipped my toe back into competitions this year for the IPPA Photographer of the year. It is always great to get positive & constructive feedback from your peers so I was delighted when 2 of my images received highly commended awards in the first heats for photographer of the year. Also received some great feedback on small changes that could improve the final images. Already looking forward to the next round !!
Among the many comments from wedding couples are “I/We hate having my/our picture taken”, “xxx is very nervous about the photos”, “we don’t want rigid poses, we like more natural shots”, “how long will the photos take, I want to spend time with my guests”.
One way to address this is to consider the increasingly popular “engagement shoot” where the couple get to meet their photographer in a relaxed atmosphere and come out the other side with a fab selection of images, but there are plenty of other real benefits as well.
Firstly, you get to know your photographer, their style, their personality, how they pose couples, how fast they “get the shot” and how they interact with you, it also benefits the photographer as they get to know you better, how you interact as a couple, if you are hands-on (literally), what aspects of the photos, if any, are you nervous about and this is a great time for them to give you any posing tips if necessary. This is invaluable preparation for the big day as it’s all done in a relaxed and easygoing manner, with no rushing and without the inconvenience of a wedding celebration going on in the background !! 🙂
When the big day comes around, both you & the photographer know exactly what to expect, for couples who hate having the photos taken they are much more at ease, and a big plus is that it saves time on the day – anyone who gets married will tell you how fast time goes by so any extra time saved is precious.
Other benefits are of course a lovely selection of photos of yourself & your fiance, these can be used on your “save the date” cards, invitations, table settings, seating plan etc..and, if you are planning a wedding website, you have a great gallery of images at the ready. A lot of photographers also offer the option of a signature board where an image of your choice is matted behind a heavy duty mount board for your guests to sign on your wedding day and for you to frame as a keepsake.
But perhaps the biggest benefit are the moments in time captured between you & your fiance at the start of the next stage of your relationship.
The heavy rain tried its hardest, but it couldn’t dampen the smiles for Maria & Jimmys wedding in The Summerhill House Hotel. I had met Maria at a couple of other weddings, once as a bridesmaid, so was looking forward to the day, things were made even better when I walked in and found Rhona & Susan from the Powder Room Girls doing hair & make up (having top quality hair & make-up makes a photographers job so much easier, plus you know there won’t be delays !!). Ceremony should have been outside, but the weather put paid to that and the staff in the hotel had a ceremony room ready in no time. Relaxed, fun & friendly not only describes Maria & Jimmy, but the whole day…….a real pleasure to shoot 🙂
I knew I was on to a good thing with Conni & Trevor when the only photo they requested was one of them jumping on the bed !! They had even cleared it with the staff in the Mullingar Park Hotel, now that’s planning !! It’s a worn out phrase, but it really was an pleasure shooting on the day. Between the welcoming families, slightly mad bridal party, the stunning family gardens where most of the photos took place, and then invading a field full of very nosey cows for a few final shots before the hotel. The sun was splitting the trees and everyone was in great form – one of those times when everything aligns for a very memorable day. I only have a few pics below but hopefully they will give you a feel for the day 🙂
Another wedding with a difference when I took a couple of hours out to photograph Niamh & Ramtins big day in the city recently. Not to be held up by traditions, Niamh walked to our meeting point (we did a first look before the ceremony) from her hotel, up along Merrion Square in the sun. A quick few pics in the grounds of the park and then we headed down to the registry office via the canal (and a few family photos). after the intimate ceremony we took to the roads again up towards Grand Canal Docks all in between some heavy showers, but the wind got the better of us so we wrapped up the photos bar a final cake shot in Patrick Guilbauds. Dublin really can be heaven sometimes 🙂
On the 13th May I headed up to the fab Kilronan Castle for the wedding of Liz & Travis. This was a wedding with a difference as the happy couple travelled over from southern California, along with Travis’ mam Cathy and stepdad Richard….and that was it !! When myself, the celebrant and the guitarist were added it was a total of 7 in attendance. It made for a lovely celebration and with Cathy & Richard renewing their vows a very special occasion. Even I had my part to play as neither the celebrant (English) nor the guitarist (Scottish) could handle the Irish wedding blessing that Liz & Travis chose for their ceremony. So I stood up & volunteered 🙂 Trying to channel my inner Aragorn reading Elvish I probably came off more like Bosco on acid……but no-one noticed !! It was a really lovely, intimate (and a little bit mad) day and I was delighted to be involved. Hopefully you will enjoy the few pics attached.
