Belle Amour: Wedding Ideas Less of the traditional. More of the original.

My first wedding planner interview was with the lovely Kelly from Boho Events. Today it’s the gorgeous Josie from Savoir Weddings. She writes a blog too which is definitely worth a visit. But don’t go there just yet! First, sit back and enjoy finding out a bit more about the wedding world through Josie’s interview and images from a stunning wedding she planned; that of Nina & Patrick…

The interview

Location:
Shoreditch.

When and how did you decide wedding planning was for you?
I worked in music events (putting on gigs, art, culture, fashion events etc) after graduating and had experience of working for myself. After about 8 years I was ready for a new challenge and wedding planning and styling was a natural progression. My experience of events meant I know how difficult it can be to get what you want for what you can afford and I wanted to offer couples a chance to have a wedding that’s a true representation of them regardless of their budget. I haven’t looked back since!

Have you had any formal training?
I was going to do a course with UKAWP but was eventually too busy. I think a lot of my previous work experience helped initially and I spent about 6 months researching before my site went live. I’m all in favour of training and I think what the UKAWP does is amazing but I’ve found actually planning weddings to be the best experience I could have.

Do you specialise in a certain type of wedding?
Yes I do! In particular festival weddings, marquee weddings and vintage weddings and I also hire out wedding props. I do a lot of consultations for the lower budget brides because I don’t see why having a small budget should mean you can’t hire a wedding planner and in fact have a bespoke package for couples planning weddings under £7,000.

What inspires your work?
I take a lot of inspiration from life in general including music, fashion, style and design and so on. Whilst I am very admiring of many blogs, photographers, designers, planners and other wedding professionals I try to seek elsewhere for inspiration otherwise it’s too easy to get sucked into doing things like everybody else. And I think the industry in general benefits from people doing things their own way.

When did you first plan a wedding?
Unofficially about 2 years ago. I helped my friend plan her wedding and could not believe how uninspiring the wedding industry was! It’s changed a lot since then (I think in the UK we’re massively influenced by the US), and I knew I had the skills to help people save money and have a more personal day.

Where in the UK are you based and what area do you cover for wedding planning?
I’m based in Shoreditch in east London and cover London and the south east generally although I’m happy to go anywhere. Most of my clients come from Kent for some reason.

Typically, how many weddings do you plan a year?
Well for new planners summer is really the busiest time. Last summer was my first ‘proper’ season and I didn’t really pause for breath until the middle of September which was brilliant! My most popular service is wedding styling which is probably what I enjoy the most so that’s good! For next summer I currently have booked about 5 big styling jobs, DJ sourcing, a few on the day co-ordinations, am hiring out vintage crockery and have a couple of full planning clients. I get a lot of last minute requests as well and from March onwards it gets a bit mental!

Could you please share some details of a wedding you particularly enjoyed planning?
Thankfully all my clients for consultations and full planning have been lovely. I think I’ve been really lucky but I’ve clicked with all of them and shared a similar vision for their big day which is essential for a couple when they pick a wedding planner. I planned a wedding for a German couple in 3 months which was very intense but brilliant because they were so open to suggestions. They had lots of their own ideas but were very flexible and creative. As a wedding planner that’s pretty much the dream!

What would be your idea of a dream wedding to design?
Hmmn good question. Apparently Fearne Cotton wants to have a festival wedding and that would be fairly exciting to work on. Lots of different music, food and fun with a bit of glamping thrown in. Plus she’d have a big budget so that wouldn’t hurt.

Has anything gone wrong for one of your events and, if so, how did you cope?
Nothing has ever gone wrong (touch wood) but there have been mishaps, mainly to do with family issues or people getting stressed at weddings I’ve worked at. I was trying to style a venue once and the groom’s grandad wanted to chat, which was a challenge as I had to keep darting around to do things whilst trying not to seem rude! In general though, whilst you can’t plan for every eventuality you can for most and that’s the best way to deal with potential problems. Plus you have to keep calm because panicking just makes everything worse and rarely is a situation impossible to fix.

What is your work process when it comes to planning a couple’s wedding?
It depends on what service I’m providing but regardless of that the first step is always to meet up so I can get to know the couple and their style, their plans and ultimately how they envisage their big day to be. We discuss what I’ll be doing, what they’ll be doing and then we take it from there. I try not to take on too many jobs at once because planning a wedding is a full time job and if I was doing too many at a time I couldn’t give the same level of service.

How can couples benefit from hiring a wedding planner?
3 main reasons: to save time, money and stress. Anyone who has planned a wedding knows there is so much to do that isn’t at first apparent. Wedding planners are great for busy couples but they’re also good for those who just don’t want to plan their wedding. Not everybody enjoys creating seating plans for instance. And when it comes to wedding styling, the couple tend to have planned most of their wedding themselves and just want help with the aesthetics, how to make their money go further and help brainstorming and implementing creative ideas.

What has been your proudest moment as a planner?
There have been many, being featured on a blog was great, and getting feedback from couples is always lovely. Really I’m just proud I get to do what I love. I may not be super rich but I certainly have job satisfaction.

Just so we can find out a bit more about you could you tell me 5 things you like that are completely unrelated to weddings?

• I am a fully fledged geek. If I like something I find out as much as I can about it. Which is great in some instances but when it came to my Buffy The Vampire stage it was a little bit sad
• I am always trying to learn new languages and can speak French badly and Spanish even worse. I think I need to pick one and get great at it.
• I wish I could sing well. I can sing averagely and at times in the past had singing lessons and attempted to become a good singer. I’m glad I realised before X Factor started that I’m not that good because it would have been very embarrassing to have auditioned.
• I cook a mean fry up. And roast.
• I really want to visit Buenos Aires. It sounds like the most exciting, passionate place and one day I have to go there to tango, eat steak and drink red wine!

And 5 things you dislike?

• Weak, milky tea. Urgh.
• When it gets dark early. I like autumn but would prefer it to stay lighter later.
• People who are moody or mean for no reason. I hate to be cheesy but it takes less energy to smile than to frown!
• When people write your when they mean you’re. It’s pretty unimportant but definitely a pet peeve of mine!
• Flying. I know it’s safe and all but I just can’t help getting sweaty palms at takeoff.

All awesome images courtesy of Lisa Devlin

What are your aspirations for the future, in event planning or otherwise?
I am very happy with wedding planning and styling and would love to keep doing it indefinitely. I have a couple of exciting projects underway with fellow bloggers and stylists which should come to fruition next year. I love how my work allows me to be creative and is therefore satisfying; but also goes towards helping a couple have their dream wedding whilst keeping within or below their budget.

I also have a bit of a thing for vintage clothes, bags and shoes and am in the process of setting up an online shop with my sister. I like mixing modern pieces with vintage, I think it’s a good, affordable way to dress individually.

And I need to learn French properly. Or Spanish.

Debs & Josie

Wedding planner Details:
Savoir Weddings website
Savoir Weddings blog
Contact Savoir Weddings
Phone: 07969 366 409

I have for you the super-talented and super-lovely Emma Case today. Emma’s work has a natural beauty that is enhanced with a soft, vintage editing process that, not only perfectly captures the romance of a wedding, but also perfectly complements the huge vintage trend that is stamped all over the wedding industry right now. Sharing her love of photography, her lovely photographs and a favourite-photo story that made me well up here’s Emma…

The interview

Introduction:
My name is Emma Case, I’m 29 and have a boyfriend Pete … actually, I should say… fiancé (always sounds weird).. and a gorgeous cat Maximo.

Location:
I live in Selly Oak in Birmingham (next to the Cadbury Factory… Mmmmmmm)

When and how did you fall in love with photography?
I think it’s always been there… I’ve had film cameras and always loved Polaroid but it wasn’t until Christmas 2008 when Pete bought me my first DSLR that I really became obsessed with it. There are actually quite a few large chunks of my life where I don’t really have any photos which seems really weird now.

Have you had any formal training?
Nope. If I’m interested in something then I tend to become like a sponge and I just spent a lot of time researching and practising… I had my camera in my hand a lot and wasn’t afraid to have a go. I did try an evening college course but lasted 2 weeks…. I’m much better learning myself and then asking specific questions when I need it.

How would you describe your photography style?
I’d say honest, individual, playful, emotional, quirky, soft, alternative, me. I get asked this a lot and I think my photography is completely me…

What inspires your work?
What doesn’t more like! I think my acting background has had a huge influence with the need to tell a story and show emotion and detail. I think my personal tastes such as music, film, art, clothes influence me too… I particularly love album covers and old photos so I think this all comes out naturally in how I take a picture. My couples are also a huge influence… their relationship together and their want for something a bit different gives me the most inspiration!

When did you first shoot a wedding?
I shot my first wedding for friends in October 2009.

Where in the UK are you based and how far would you travel to shoot a wedding?
I’m based in Birmingham but I travel all over the Uk and abroad :)

How many weddings do you shoot per year?
This year will be 27 but I was on tour for 7 weeks too so I feel like next year is my first full year of weddings. I’ve booked 31 for next year which is nuts.. and slightly scary to look at the calendar but I’m also so excited about what’s to come…

What has been the best wedding you’ve captured so far, and why?
This is tough… I’ve had amazing weddings all year and I do really feel so lucky. There are so many things that make a great wedding… and although I’m a sucker for a great venue, great details, gorgeous dress… it’s the couples that really stand out for me. I’ve made some really good friends who I keep in touch with and that’s the best.

What would be your idea of a dream wedding to photograph?
Quite a few times this year I’ve turned up to the venue in the morning and it is my dream wedding… might sound corny but I have done many ‘Excited Emma’ dances (which my couples know too well!)

Has anything gone wrong when shooting a wedding? And if so, how did you cope with it?
Nothing major has gone wrong (touch wood) but a lot of your job is preparing for if it did. You just have to make sure that you’re covering your back and that you’re on the ball! I think the scariest thing is that nothing waits for you… you have to just be ready… ready to catch all those special moments… and there’s a lot!!

What camera(s) do you use for photographing weddings?
For the first 6 months I was using a Nikon D90 and in the last few months I’ve jumped over the fence and have a Canon 5D MkII… I’ll also whip my Holga or my instax out now and again.

And your favourite lenses?
I’ve recently got a 35mm 1.4mm and I’m in love. When you start off with cheaper equipment you REALLY appreciate the better equipment… I still feel like it’s such a luxury!!

Do you use any lighting equipment?
I have a Canon Speedlight that I use mostly for dancing shots and the Photo Booth.

What advice would you give to wannabe wedding photographers?
Dive in. Shoot as much as you can and learn as much as you can.

What has been your proudest moment as a photographer?
When people say “That’s an ‘Emma Case’ photograph” :)

Out of all the photographs you have ever taken, which is your favourite and why?
There are lots of photographs that I love or that I’m proud of but this one is my favourite. It’s probably only the 3rd photo I took with the camera Pete bought me that Xmas but straight after this photo was taken Pete got on his knees and asked me to marry him. For me this photo means so much… it’s the start of my photography journey but also the fact that behind Pete’s eyes he’s thinking “I’m going to propose to Emma right now”… I love that…

If you could capture anybody or anything on camera what would it be?
Me and Pete have been talking recently about kids, and although it’ll still be a couple of years yet… I’m really looking forward to documenting that little journey :)

Just so we can find out a bit more about the person behind the lens, could you tell me 5 things you like that are completely unrelated to photography?

• Boiled eggs
• Sign Language
• Johnny Cash
• Headbands
• Liverpool

And 5 things you dislike?

• Tomato
• Wooden spoons
• Living away from friends and family
• Most TV
• Rudeness

What are your aspirations for the future, in photography or otherwise?
Definitely have a happy and healthy work/life balance… have a well run, exciting and creative business that pushes me. To have a happy home with Pete and Max, start a family, continue learning and evolving, go on holiday, complete my BSL level 3 (which I’ve just started), see more live music, put something back.

Debs & Emma

Photographer Details:
Emma Case Photography
Contact Emma

I featured a beautiful vintage-styled wedding captured by Jemma in September. Today she is back to take part in my interview feature. Jemma’s photographs are classic and beautiful and just perfect for portraying your special day…

The interview

Introduction:
I have been a freelance photographer for 9 years. I am a food and lifestyle photographer, Jemma Watts Photography, and I also have a wedding photography company called Pearl Pictures. Running the two side by side is hard work but I love what I do so I am perfectly happy with the work load (as long as I can have a glass of wine at the end of the day!) I have been shooting weddings for as long as I can remember but I only set up Pearl Pictures as a business 18 months ago.

Location:
Hackney, East London

When and how did you fall in love with photography?
I’ve always loved art and been creative, I always love making things! I was given a camera when I was 13 years old and was always taking photos. I wanted to study art but ended up taking a business degree instead, which in hindsight has really helped me, but at the time I didn’t enjoy it much. I then worked in the graphic design industry for a few years before making a break into the world of professional photography.

Have you had any formal training?
No, all my knowledge is self taught and through experience. When I left the design agency I managed to get a job assisting a well known photographer in London, David Loftus, and worked for him for just over two years. I was so lucky to have him as both a boss and a mentor. He taught me a lot about the industry plus would let me borrow his cameras at the weekend – I was always petrified I’d drop them! In those two years I was lucky to work on many fascinating shoots in the UK and all over the world. I then went on to work for myself shooting food and lifestyle for clients including Jamie Oliver, The National Trust, H&M, many restaurants, Sainsbury’s Magazine and Waitrose Food Illustrated. I even had a commission to photograph David Cameron before he was PM!

How would you describe your photography style?
I can never think of really nice descriptive words! I suppose I’d describe it as natural, feminine, having attention to detail and sensitive.

What inspires your work?
I’m inspired by simple, everyday things. I love nature and people, the wonderful characters we meet as we stumble through life. I love the fantastic colours and textures that surround us no matter whether we are in an exotic location or just walking amongst derelict buildings. Sometimes the most simple of settings is the most evocative.

Photographers who have inspired me are the classics including Cartier Bresson, Eve Arnold, Werner Bischof, Martin Parr, Helmut Newton, Annie Leibovitz and of course the fantastic photography in the National Geographic magazines – of which I have many on my book shelves!

When did you first shoot a wedding?
My first wedding was for friends about 9 years ago, and for a few years I did all my friends’ weddings until I realised I was missing out on all the celebrations! From then on all my weddings were through word of mouth. Just over a year ago, I decided to do this properly and market myself as a wedding photographer, and this is when Pearl Pictures began.

Where in the UK are you based and how far would you travel to shoot a wedding?
I’m based in London but will shoot anywhere. My furthest afield was Sydney Australia! Most of my weddings just happen to be in London and the home counties. I recently flew to shoot a gorgeous wedding in Jersey.

How many weddings do you shoot per year?
In the past I did about 8 a year but now that I have Pearl Pictures, my target is to shoot 30 a year. I have 4 photographers who shoot for Pearl so I aim to get them 6 weddings a year each too.

What has been the best wedding you’ve captured so far, and why?
This is a really tough question! The wedding in Jersey was great, really beautifully styled and the venue was amazing. Everywhere I looked there was something or someone stunning to capture – it was a photographer’s dream!

What would be your idea of a dream wedding to photograph?
Another hard question! The brilliant thing about being a wedding photographer is that every job is so different, and the variety of people I meet is fantastic. To answer the question, I would love to shoot a wedding on a tropical island, maybe somewhere like the Bahamas! Somewhere where they have lots of dancing and music.

Has anything gone wrong when shooting a wedding? And if so, how did you cope with it?
Not really gone wrong as such, but I have had the ‘overly keen amateur photographer’, usually an uncle, who follows me around and gets in my way. On a couple of occasions I’ve had to ask them to get out of my way – very politely though of course!

What camera(s) do you use for photographing weddings?
I use a Nikon D3, with a Panasonic Lumix G1 for back up. If they want film I use the Nikon F100 and F3.

And your favourite lens?
The 85mm, F1.4.

Do you use any lighting equipment?
Only a flash SB600 when absolutely necessary. I prefer to shoot as much in daylight as possible, which is why I use the D3, as it is capable of shooting in near darkness before needing the flash.

What advice would you give to wannabe wedding photographers?
Really understand the procedures and order of events of the wedding and be one step ahead all the time. Be ‘invisible’, polite at all times (even to the annoying ‘wannabe photographer uncle’!) and enjoy being part of the day – you can have so much fun and meet some lovely people.

What has been your proudest moment as a photographer?
After a few days shooting an event in Tuscany, I received a letter from a young boy’s mother thanking me for inspiring her son to take up photography. She said I had changed his life from being a boy who had no direction to being passionate about a career and to be so much more involved with people and the world around him.

Out of all the photographs you have ever taken, which is your favourite and why?
My grandparents. This photo really sums up their relationship. They adored each other, but my granny loved to talk and you can see on my grandpa’s face that he is so used to listening her endless chatter! This photo was taken on Grandpa’s 90th birthday.

If you could capture anybody or anything on camera what would it be?
Elephants! I love elephants and would so like to be amongst them for a few days, photographing everything about the way they live and how they intereact with each other.

Just so we can find out a bit more about the person behind the lens, could you tell me 5 things you like that are completely unrelated to photography?

• Skiing – I love love love it!
• Spending time with my adorable nieces and nephew – watching them grow up is quite amazing.
• Quiet Sunday mornings when I can read the paper.
• Gardening.
• Meals out with my friends.

And 5 things you dislike?

• Cheese – always have, always will.
• Scary movies.
• Rudeness – there’s no excuse for this in anybody.
• Take off and landing in planes.
• Early morning starts.

What are your aspirations for the future, in photography or otherwise?
I want to settle down, have lots of babies, and have a shed in the bottom of my garden which is my ‘den’ where I will work with my photos and create lovely things! I want to carry on shooting for as many years as possible, documenting my life and everything I come across and all the great people I meet. Above all I aim to be happy, life is far too short to be involved in anything that makes you miserable. I am so lucky to do what I love and to be able to follow my dream.

Debs & Jemma

Photographer Details:
Pearl Pictures
Pearl Pictures blog
Contact Pearl Pictures
Phone: 020 3287 3021

Mister Phill is a fan of photojournalism. It was because of this, and his understanding that all brides and grooms wanted purely staged shots, that he wasn’t interested in wedding photography. It was only last year that he discovered wedding photography had evolved, that a contemporary photojournalism style is now huge and that he could finally use his camera how he wanted: to tell wedding stories. His stories are amazing…

The interview

Introduction:
My name is Phill and I would like to frame myself as a visual anthropologist but somehow that expression doesn’t get the hits on Google from people looking for a wedding photographer, which is the richest field I’ve found for exploring the stories, the rites of passage that define humankind.

Location:
Dorset, though I don’t let that hold me back. By that I mean locations for taking on commissions, not that Dorset is backwards or anything. It’s a lovely place, full of sophisticated people. I’ll travel anywhere.

When and how did you fall in love with photography?
I’m not in love with photography. It’s a means to an end. I’ll still respect it in the morning though. I love story-telling and I happen to have a knack for telling stories using a camera, so yes I respect the medium, the discipline, and enormously so at that but my true passion emanates from the story and the effect that the relation of that story has on its readers. I’ve been using photography though as a means of expression for some 32 years.

Have you had any formal training?
I haven’t. I often wish that I had.

How would you describe your photography style?
At heart I’d describe my style as empathic. In terms of structure and approach it might best be described as photo-journalistic, in the main. I gravitate towards people, peak moments of emotion and human interaction. I can be quite irreverent but compassionately so. My style is constantly evolving at the periphery and sometimes at the core though, so who knows what it might best be described as in future; it is what it is at the point at which it is observed.

What inspires your work?
People, being who they are, individually and within the dynamic of a group. A strong desire to afford future generations an opportunity to see how those people were. I love being able to see how my parents were as children; it somehow vindicates my place in the historical continuum.

When did you first shoot a wedding?
I first shot a wedding in the mid-80s. My work was getting published regularly in a local newspaper and a neighbour approached me to ask if I’d photograph her wedding. I told her that I wasn’t prepared to photograph weddings, there was too much responsibility involved, if anything went wrong I couldn’t go back the following week to do it all again. She insisted that if I wouldn’t do it, she’d rely on friends and their instamatic cameras. I had no choice really. I photographed the wedding with two cameras, taking each shot on one camera and then the other and sending the two sets of films to two separate professional labs, I was that paranoid about something going wrong. It took two weeks for the labs to turn the processing and printing around and I had anxiety dreams each night of those two weeks. The results were lovely. I never sought another commission though because, important as I saw the images as being, it wasn’t the kind of story-telling process that I’ve always been enamoured of. When I say ‘I photographed the wedding’ what I actually photographed was a series of posed group and individual photographs and a few close-ups of details, such as the rings. I wanted to document the broader story but that wasn’t wanted, in places not allowed, there was no notion of documentary story-telling in my client’s consciousness. Wedding photography was a pretty well defined thing.

Interestingly, my sister married a short while later and my photographic mentor at the newspaper I freelanced for shot her wedding, in the classical style. I shot around the edges, photo-journalistically. She was always a great deal more enthralled by the documentary images than the staged ones. I thought I’d love to shoot weddings in this style but that wasn’t what the field was at that time, nor for some years after, and I wasn’t sufficiently entrepreneurial. I missed a trick!

I first shot a wedding in my present incarnation, photographically speaking, in 2009. Similar circumstances, a friend of a friend had seen my documentary work, asked me to shoot his wedding, I declined, it was too much responsibility, he insisted it was either me or table top disposable cameras, I balked but then still declined, my heart wasn’t in photographing processions of posed group photographs, he didn’t want that, he solely wanted my people centred story-telling style. I shot the wedding, thoroughly enjoyed it, wished that this was what wedding photography was all about and had no cognisance of the fact that the field had actually evolved enormously over the years that I’d paid no attention to it then bang, I booked 25 weddings in 2010.

Where in the UK are you based and how far would you travel to shoot a wedding?
I’m based in Dorset and will travel anywhere to shoot weddings. The furthest I’ll be travelling in 2011, as bookings stand at present, is Andalusia in the south of Spain.

How many weddings do you shoot per year?
As sole or primary photographer, 1 in the mid-80s, 5 in 2009, 25 in 2010. I’ve yet to identify a pattern.

What has been the best wedding you’ve captured so far, and why?
I feature every wedding I shoot on my blog, in some depth. Many of my clients buy in to that as part of the experience, reliving their special day in front of that portion of the world that does visit my Web site, sharing the experience with family and friends that make a B-line for my site to see the first publication of images. I’ve no doubt I’ll be mentioning this interview in various places and some will find their way to Belle Amour as a result; they’ll no doubt wish they’d found it before! To select a favourite, a best wedding, would be a potential seeming disservice to all the others that I’ve loved being involved in dearly. Yeah I’m avoiding tackling the question head on. Sorry! :~)

What would be your idea of a dream wedding to photograph?
I have no aspirations towards a particular type of wedding. Whether it’s in a cave or a cathedral or anything in between, as long as the people at the centre of it all are living their dream I’ll love telling the story.

Now that I mention it though, a wedding in a cave!? Now that would be something.

Has anything gone wrong when shooting a wedding? And if so, how did you cope with it?
For my first London wedding I checked the contents of my camera case nine times before I set off from Dorset. The degree of checking was bordering on neurosis. I dare say I’d actually crossed the border and become a fully-fledged citizen of that psychological territory. I arrived in London the night before, settled in and realised I’d left my suit at home. The next morning I found myself at 9.30am with my nose pressed against the doors of John Lewis on Oxford Street, they opened, I was walking out of there 30 minutes later in a complete new suit. Mostafa in the suit department was a hero. He measured me by eye, the first jacket and trousers he selected fitted me perfectly in all directions and dimensions and he even steamed a new shirt for me, by hand. I turned up early for bridal preparations; the bride laughed when I related my tale and told me she hadn’t expected me to be dressed so smartly for the occasion.

No technical breakdowns thus far, and I carry two of everything just in case. No human breakdowns either, so far. That’s something that is tricky to carry a back up for unless one habitually shoots with a second photographer, but in the direst of last minute circumstances I quite imagine Twitter might be one’s salvation. There’s quite a sizeable and supportive community of new breed wedding photographers out there, and quite a few experienced long term hands who have embraced the spirit of social networking and co-opetition.

What camera(s) do you use for photographing weddings?
Currently I use 2 Canon 5D MkII cameras.

And your favourite lenses?
I shoot exclusively with prime lenses, rather than zooms, though I don’t hold to any dogmas about such things. I’ll shoot with two cameras, one prime on each body. I currently work with the 35L, 50L, 85L and 100L. A 135L seems to sit permanently in my camera case; a fantastic lens but I like working close to people. I once shot an entire wedding from preparations via ceremony and reception through to evening party on the 35L, so I suppose one might say I have a certain liking for that lens. I love the results that all of them are capable of though.

Do you use any lighting equipment?
Currently I’ll tend to use on camera flash on one camera during the evening party and will employ a variety of techniques, bounced and direct, as appropriate to the mood I’m seeking to encapsulate and convey. Otherwise I’m a natural light photographer. That’s a euphemistic mask for my current lack of in the field experience with off-camera lighting techniques. I have a responsibility to develop a command of such practices, and will do so (if you’re reading this in 2011 then expect me to be there). Then I’ll truly be a natural light photographer.

What advice would you give to wannabe wedding photographers?
Join Starting a Wedding Photography Business on Flickr (you’ll need to meet certain criteria to prove that you’re serious about setting up a business in the field). Read and learn. The group has contributed enormously to my development in the field and it’s good to see that a couple of previous interviewees on Belle Amour are active members of the group; Bert Palmer and Eliza Claire.

Study the Photographer’s Pricing Guide produced by Stacy Reeves , take a deep breath and understand what it means. A good many people that rightfully belong in the field have come and gone quickly due to unsustainable pricing practices.

A recent epiphany came to me when reading a feature on Zenologue. If you’re spending 80% of your time shooting and editing and 20% of your time dealing with business related matters, you’re not running a business, the business is running you. If you’re spending 80% of your time dealing with marketing, nurturing and maintaining client relationships, professional development and the general logistics behind your business, you stand a far greater chance of running a sustainable operation. I set up a business to allow me to take my passion as far as I possibly can, and keep it there. I’m paying close attention to this particular piece of advice.

What has been your proudest moment as a photographer?
Every commission means the world to me. Really it does. When a couple marries it means the world to them and if I’m not fully buying in to their experience, I simply can’t produce the results that I do. As such, anything that comes out of a commission by way of positive feedback generates my proudest moment, at that point in time and in combination with all the others subsequently. Mingling at Gabby & Gareth’s eve of wedding gathering and hearing people whispering in seeming tones of awe, “That’s Mister Phill!” (they’d seen the pre-wedding shoot on my blog no doubt) left me bashfully proud. Ruth’s mother quietly crying tears of happiness when I presented a slide show of images the morning after her daughter’s marriage to Nick, that was a proud moment. Nigel publishing a status message on his Facebook page, after his marriage to Sue and my subsequent publication of the wedding, saying he was tempted to study photography and become a wedding photographer after seeing the joy it brings to so many; proud moment.

There’s a moment I could mention surrounding every wedding, I’m proud every time someone selects me to be there, I am proud of what I do (let’s hope the age old adage doesn’t hold true!)

I feel proud that someone with a fine wedding centred blog, a particularly good photographer herself, should invite me to share of myself with her audience.

Out of all the photographs you have ever taken, which is your favourite and why?
I have a number of favourites which hold that position for varying reasons but the photograph that has remained the wallpaper on my mobile ‘phone since I took it, so I suppose that says something in itself, is one of my daughter when she attended her first public performance with the dance school she goes to on Saturday mornings. It’s an especial favourite because it portrays a key moment in her journey through life, one of utter joy, one that she’ll likely forget as she grows older but the memory will always clearly be there in the image.

If you could capture anybody or anything on camera what would it be?
My daughter growing up. I’m already doing so. I specialise in weddings and my daughter’s journey through life.

Just so we can find out a bit more about the person behind the lens, could you tell me 5 things you like that are completely unrelated to photography?

• My daughter’s burgeoning intellect.
• Growing vegetables and eating them fresh from the garden.
• Thinking.
• Quality time.
• Caring people.

And 5 things you dislike?

• The apparent lack of intellect in people that drive too close to the back of my car when my daughter is strapped in the back.
• My garden being laid to waste (actually, it’s been reclaimed by nature so it’s not waste per se) due to the majority of my Spring and Summer weekends being devoted to shooting weddings.
• Thinking too much.
• Too often not remembering to set aside quality time.
• Lack of caring in people (though it’s the lack of care I dislike, not the people; always blame the behaviour, not the person; thanks Robin, should you ever make it this way).

What are your aspirations for the future, in photography or otherwise?
To be a good parent. I hope that I already am! :~)

Debs & Phill

Photographer Details:
Phill’s website
Contact Phill
Phone: 07870 696248

If you haven’t seen Chris & Dani’s work yet then oh are you in for a treat! I love that there are a whole range of photography styles to choose from come wedding day. You can get classically beautiful reportage shots, those with a vintage process or richly saturated shots. Chris & Dani’s work I would describe as creative. That doesn’t mean it isn’t beautiful as it certainly has a huge healthy dose of that. But what I really love about them is they don’t follow the rules, they don’t try to emulate other photographers and that they try new things with every wedding. They are fresh and fun and, the best bit… British!

The interview

Introduction:
Hello. We’re Dani + Chris, we’re a husband + wife wedding photography “team” (we don’t wear matching clothes or whatever).

Location:
We work anywhere + everywhere but we’re currently based in the Midlands, England, Earth.

When and how did you fall in love with photography?
It got us drunk, took us to its hotel room + we can’t remember anything after that.

Have you had any formal training?
Chris studied moving image in college + went to university for three days (!!) before being thrusted into an apprenticeship which encouraged him to start his own business.

How would you describe your photography style?
Vintage wedding photography, in the year 2050.

What inspires your work?
Really odd things. We’ve recently changed the way we “allow” ourselves to be inspired which has forced us to create our own style. We try not to view other wedding photography blogs anymore. We’ve disabled comments on our blog so that we don’t feel “encouraged” (at least subconsciously) to shoot, process or display our work in a certain way. It’s meant that we can genuinely keep our work fresh + every couple we book gives us the creative freedom/permission to shoot “our” images, which we LOVE them for! It’s a strange way to be inspired but it feels completely liberating to deliver images which we know are the result of our own imagination, creativity + vision.

When did you first shoot a wedding?
Last week. I kid, I think it was about 2 + a half years ago.

Where in the UK are you based and how far would you travel to shoot a wedding?
We’re based in the Midlands but we love to travel! We’re really not very well travelled so we love to see different parts of England + beyond.

How many weddings do you shoot per year?
Last year we shot 35 weddings, this year we’ve shot over 50-something. Right now, we love shooting at least one wedding per week. During this year we’ve shot three back-to-back weddings four times (does that make sense?) Admittedly, we were concerned it might kill us but we actually really enjoyed it + finished the busiest part of the season feeling more creative, more challenged + overall feeling better because of it.

What has been the best wedding you’ve captured so far, and why?
We certainly don’t have a “best wedding”, obviously some weddings have “kinder” light, or the venues provide backdrops better suited to our style, but all our couples are as enthusiastic about getting quirky images as each other, + for us, that’s the most important thing. Sometimes, the light is amazing, the venue is awesome, the weather is stunning + time is on our side, I guess that’s the perfect scenario but we work with all sorts of combinations + love a challenge!

What would be your idea of a dream wedding to photograph?
We’d freakin’ love to shoot a wedding on the moon. If any Belle Amour readers are getting married there soon, hook us up!

Has anything gone wrong when shooting a wedding? And if so, how did you cope with it?
Stuff goes wrong at every wedding, they’re usually the most memorable/fun parts. I don’t think we’d enjoy our work if we had to shoot the same “perfect” wedding week in-week out.

What camera(s) do you use for photographing weddings?
Ones that make our couples look AWESOME. We didn’t grow up shooting film so it’s always been digital for us, I know a lot of photographers are going back to their roots + shooting film again, which is cool, but it just isn’t us. We don’t want to jump on the bandwagon.

And your favourite lenses?
Our guilty pleasure is shooting at 1.2 so I guess the 50mm is the most popular lens for portraits.

Do you use any lighting equipment?
Used to use it a lot, some of our couples really like the look of it so we’re not afraid to shoot with flash if it suits the couple but we’re starting to shoot alot less with it.

What advice would you give to wannabe wedding photographers?
Do one thing every day that scares you.

What has been your proudest moment as photographers?
Shooting Peter Andre ;)

Out of all the photographs you have ever taken, which is your favourite and why?
Any couple we’ve ever photographed will know that we always say “holy crap, these are the best photos we’ve ever taken”… and we mean it. We genuinely push ourselves + each other to create better images at every wedding so it’s hard to pin point an exact image that is our “best image” or whatever. We have a bunch of photos of our own friends + family which obviously mean a lot to us personally, but professionally I guess these are a few of our favourite recent photos:

If you could capture anybody or anything on camera what would it be?
Big Foot. Preferably at a wedding.

Just so we can find out a bit more about the person behind the lens, could you tell me 5 things you like that are completely unrelated to photography?
We love really simple silly things. We love spending time-off together. We love our chihuahua, Orbit. We love to travel. We love to laugh + most importantly, we freakin’ LOVE Freddo bars.

And 5 things you dislike?
Hmm, we dislike nothing, I guess if one of the above isn’t happening in our lives at any given moment, we’d dislike that?

What are your aspirations for the future, in photography or otherwise?
We’d like to be cool + say “we don’t have any real plans, we’re too laid back” but we have lots of plans, we don’t know if that makes us a little weird? We’ve virtually grown up together + we’ve always made realistic plans of what we want to do, see + achieve. They’re not written down somewhere but we have realistic dreams.

Debs, Dani & Chris

Photographer Details:
Chris Barber Media website
Chris Barber Media blog
Contact Chris & Dani
Phone: 07922 594848