One of the most fun pre-weds I’ve shot yet this year was with Shanshan & Chris, in the drizzling rain in Leeds City Centre.
They’re a fab couple (who I literally live round the corner from in West Leeds), and I’m shooting their wedding next weekend at Holdsworth House, near Halifax.
However, as I tell all my clients, if I’ve photographed at a couple’s wedding venue before, the pre-wedding practice photo shoot needn’t be at their venue, and can be somewhere fun or special instead.  Shanshan & Chris asked me for my thoughts, so I suggested we have a play round Leeds City Centre.  So after a quick logistical run through at Nero’s we hit the streets looking for some fun backgrounds, like the ace orange doorway above.
I love it when a couple want cool photos, and they come armed with props, ideas & most importantly enthusiasm & a sense of fun.
After their UK wedding Shanshan & Chris are China bound for a traditional Oriental wedding over there.
Chris is excited about riding a horse into her home town on a horse in the traditional getup, but Shanshan joked to me that he’s getting a donkey!
In spite of the weather we took cover under an art gallery bridge to get this relaxed portrait
Soon followed by this one. Â I love how chilled they were in front of the camera. Â It can take couples a while to warm up, but they were great from the get go!
This was the ring Chris actually proposed with, full of bubblegum blue liquid! Â I like his style.
They were up for catching some air around the gallery!
A little snuggle in front of the town hall
And a few under the cover of the town hall portico.
I’m a sucker for cool shoes.
Guarding Leeds Town Hall are 4 giant weathered lions, which look all the less fearsome in a trilby
We had a quick practice 1st dance
A little sequence I like.
Then went down to Park Square to play in front of the colourful georgian doors fronts. Â I particularly liked this natural portrait. Â IÂ think both I and they were really pleased with the images from their practice shoot, and it was great to see how comfortable they are with one another and how natural they were in front of my camera.
The only gutting thing about the whole pre-wed was that they asked if I was available to fly to China to join them for the Oriental leg of their wedding, and after checking my schedule, I’m already booked!
DENIED!