Preceding the wedding season, is the pre-wedding season (surprisingly enough)! It’s the time where I bounce around the country reconnecting with the summer’s upcoming wedding couples. I like to meet them over coffee to talk logistics, snoop round their venue & get them used to being photographed.
I include a pre-wedding practice portrait shoot in all my packages for many reasons; 1. We’re then familiar with the venue & know the prime spots to shoot (saving saving scouting time on the day). 2.The couple get a chance to feel what it’s like being photographed (which is understandably weird) and to learn what I’m looking for and how I like them to be. 3. Having been through it makes the shoot altogether quicker on the day, meaning the couple can get back to their reception party sooner. 4. The best pre-wed image looks great across a double page at the end of the wedding storybook, closing the story.
Couples put so much thought into their wedding photography, and it’s always an honour when they choose me to capture their big day. But when it comes down to it they’ve generally not considered the actual element of being photographed and in the run up to the wedding many of them get quite nervous about it.
I met Lisa & Andrew, my first 2011 wedding (bizarrely, they’re pretty much all coming thick and fast between April & September) at Wentbridge House Hotel near Ponty, in anticipation for their wedding next week!
As into photography as they are, they were particularly apprehensive about being snapped! So after a coffee and a natter, we got busy in the daffy beds!
Lisa follows my blog and has learnt what a sucker I am for a fine pair of kicks! Look at these badboys!
I’ve recently tooled up for the season, and was excited to use my new 50mm f1.2, 35mm f1.4 & 24mm f1.4 primes.
I love how the image above has that magically blurry f1.2 background.
This is another from the new 50mm lens. It’s a cracking lens, and I love how it’s framed Lisa’s beaitufl beam in soft blur!
I thought this one looked tasty with a bit of vintage processing.
We had a little go on the steps
And even found a few contingency locations to use indoors should the weather turn inclemental on us
Lisa & Andrew found the experience understandably quite odd, but I’m pleased with the stuff we caught.
We got in all intimate…
…and sprawled out on a conveniently branded bench!
I particularly like this one.
It was ace to catch up with Lisa & Andrew. In spite of telling me it still felt weird, they seemed visibly more relaxed by the end of the shoot.
I’m also really looking forward to having my buddy Tom Arber join me on 2nd shooty duties. His work is mint.
So watch this space, as their on the day slideshow will be online next week!