The Terror of Weddings

Weddings are a bit special.  It's a massive privilege to be asked to photograph the couple's big day as their one lasting record, but it's more than that.  It's a book of memories and will be shown to everyone (whether they want to see it or not!) so it has to be stunning.  Which really ramps up the pressure!

I always get a bit nervous before a wedding.  It's a massive responsibility.  I have a pre-flight check as rigorous as a trans Atlantic passenger plane to avoid anything nasty happening.  If it all goes wrong at a portrait shoot it can be re-done.  OK, people might not be happy, but all's good in the end.  It's a bit harder to re-do a wedding...  You get one go at it so it has to be good!  I have loads of low capacity memory cards rather than one big one just in case.  A problem with a 1GB card might cost me 100 pictures.  A problem with an 8GB could cost me the whole day!  A spare camera is a must as well, which is next on my (ever growing) shopping list.  Other useful bits and pieces are a white brolly (this is England after all...) and some white clothes pegs to stop a veil blowing around in the wind!  And a tripod of course.

Weddings are good fun though.  I like to think I get on with people ad that's essential at a wedding which is all about getting the best out of people.  Directing a big crowd is fun although can be a bit like herding cats.  Get a good rapport going though and people usually do what you want!

I like taking a good mix of classic portrait style shots along with the more relaxed reportage style photos.  Much more relaxed and natural that way!  I take some fun shots as well.  You know the type... Reservoir Dogs style boys walking, peeping round a tree, jumping off a hill, that type of stuff.

All in all a wedding is a pretty scary day for a photographer but well worth it!