FAQs

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How do I plan for wedding Photos?

To get the most from your investment in my photography there are a few things to consider and plan beforehand:

Photography Sessions

While my approach on the day is low profile, I definitely get better results if you can schedule some time for photography during the day. Ideally:

  • A session with the bride (and bridesmaids) after she’s finished preparations and ending at least 30 minutes before she departs for the ceremony.
  • A private session with the bride and groom as soon as possible after the ceremony. The bonus here is you can quietly enjoy the fact you just got married!
  • A pre-defined session for group photos. A practical time for this is before the ceremony, which means the groom will see the bride’s dress, but if this tradition is not important to you do consider it. Another good time is about 30 minutes before the wedding supper begins, but this really depends on participants being in the right place at the right time. If either of the above is difficult, probably the best time is right after the ceremony.
  • Any other sessions will be when convenient opportunities arise.

The length of these sessions is up to you (rule of thumb: long enough to get shots that make you very happy when you see them, not so long that they interrupt your day).

Control the light…

A dressing room with big North-facing windows is perfect. If that’s not an option, any room with lots of natural light will do. And if natural light isn’t available, be creative - use candles or christmas lights for atmosphere. In fact, any time spent decorating your dressing room will enhance your photos.

Who takes the pictures?

With standard and luxury packages there are two photographers: myself and an assistant (usually Elspeth MacKenzie). Working as a team we capture shots that lone photographers cannot. While one of us arranges a group shot, for instance, the other merges into the background to capture candid shots. And with one of us controlling light, the other the camera, we can create some especially striking images. With basic packages there’s just me.

How many pictures do you take?

No fixed amount - I simply create as many high quality images as I can in the time available. There will certainly be enough to meet the requirements of the package you choose, and many couples buy additional images.

Can I make my own prints?

If you buy the digital negatives you will have home use rights, which means you can do anything you want with them as long as it doesn’t generate income for you or the people you give them to.

What equipment do you use?

Nikon digital SLR cameras, lenses and flashguns. I use professional grade equipment, which enables me to capture images that consumer grade equipment cannot.

Because there are no re-shoots at weddings I also have back-up equipment in case of malfunction, and an effective system in place for protecting your images (see below).

How do you store files?

After the wedding I upload images from camera cards to my main computer. I immediately back-up these files to both a secondary server and an external hard drive, which I keep off site in case of burglary or fire.

Before the first wedding each year I clear the previous year’s files from the main computer and secondary server, but keep copies on the external drive.

After three years I clear files from external drives to make room for more recent weddings, but only after I give you an opportunity to purchase the files if you haven’t done so already.

How much will this cost?

My packages are shaped and priced with the minimum number of images I think necessary to portray your wedding, but they are intended to be flexible. During your viewing session I’ll show all the images that represent my vision of your wedding. There will undoubtedly be more than the number included in your package, though you are under no obligation to purchase these additions – you can remove or add as many as you wish. In practice, many couples include extra images and for them the package price is an instalment, with final cost dependent on how many additional images are required.