Dec
15
Having the ability to capture and create beautiful, timeless images for couples on their wedding day makes me an incredibly lucky and a very happy photographic artist. When I have the opportunity to do this for friends and people that mean a lot to me, well, it is just simply wonderful.
looking through our fantastic photo album and what can I say except they are absolutely fantastic photographs, taken by a true friend and professional who clearly takes pride in her work. – Rob
This Lady is an absolutely fantastic photographer her dedication to capturing the perfect photos is unbelievable and the effort she made to capture every special moment was brilliant. I can’t thank you enough Steph for the way you were on our wedding day. Thank you from the bottom of my heart xx I recommend to everyone that needs someone to capture those special moments. – Lisa
Rob and Lisa were married on a gorgeous early October day at Nailcote Hall in Coventry. The day was perfect, and the feelings of love and happiness were palpable to all that were there to share their special day.
This wedding had such a natural feel to it. Everyone was so relaxed and I was able to take amazing photographs, that truly captured the spirit of the day and the love that Rob and Lisa have for one another.
I always welcome feedback so please feel free to comment and let me know what you think of my work.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
Oct
29
Perfect weather, the most gorgeous setting, lots of happy, smiley wedding guests and most importantly, a stunning bride and her handsome groom.
Dominique and Luke’s wedding day was out of this world. The attention to detail, time and so much love that they put into planning their fabulous day was evident wherever you looked.
The ceremony was held in St Mary Magdalene Church in Great Alne, Warwickshire – I love this little church with its views across the fields and its bell tower and gallery; which every year has a hive of bees take up residence (and every year I wonder if this is the year I eventually get stung).
After the ceremony, guests made their way to Dominique’s parents home, where her amazing father had mowed, reseeded and grown the perfect green field, on which they had a stunning marquee, filled with flowers and decorations. Most of which were home grown and hand made.
I was in photographic heaven; with no limit to things and happy, gorgeous people to photograph.
I just wanted to say a bit thank you for the photos. We are so pleased with the results – you captured the day perfectly!!
Also, that one photo (well they were all fantastic but that one in particular) of Luke and I in the field is my dream photo, I will treasure it always. I am not a soppy person really, but it looks and feels almost magical.
-Dominique and Luke
I always welcome feedback so please feel free to comment and let me know what you think of my work.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me
Sep
14
Laura and Andrew did not want a full days photography and instead asked me to capture and take as many photographs as I could in 2 hours. This included the arrivals at the church, the ceremony and a mixture of posed and informal shots of themselves and wedding guests after the ceremony.
The ceremony was held at the lovely out of the way church St Mary Magdalen in Great Alne with the wedding reception at the beautiful Arrow Mill in Alcester.
If you would like to know more about my photography, prices and how I could help you capture your special day please contact me.
Aug
14
Growing up in Zimbabwe and having an English father; whenever I would think about where I was born or where Dad came from (and where he got his funny accent), – I would imagine beautiful, picturesque country villages and churches, with cobbled streets, thatched roofs and hedgerows full of wild flowers … The day that I shot this wedding, I felt like I had stepped into one of my very own childhood fantasies! It was beautiful.
The wedding reception was held at the exquisite Mallory Court, where their attention to detail and service is second to none. We were able to capture truly stunning images in and around the beautiful gardens.
Hi Steph,
We just wanted to say a massive thank you for Sunday, you were amazing! The whole day just flew by and we are so excited to see the photos! 🙂Hi Steph,
We just wanted to say thank you so much for the photos – we absolutely love them and love the presentation box that they came in, so pretty! It’s been great reliving the day going through them all!
I always welcome feedback so please feel free to comment and let me know what you think of my work.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me
Jul
21
There are some wedding days that you wish wouldn’t end and this was one of them. I had an absolute ball capturing Siarrad and Davids’ day.
I love the buzz of wedding preparation’s leading up to the ceremony. There is an electricity in the air, and people walk a fine edge between excitement and nerves. For myself as photographer that specialises in unguarded moments and expression, to capture the true story of a wedding day – this to me, is simply magic!
Siarrad was one of the most relaxed and dare I say ‘chilled’ brides I have ever had the privilege to photograph. She took everything in her stride and never stopped smiling. With 13 people in the bridal suit (8 bridal party members, 2 hair and make up artists, 2 videographers, 1 photographer) there was such a lively atmosphere. The sound of laughter and merriment must have echoed down the hotel corridors.
The running of the day was seamless and it all flowed so beautifully. The weather was perfect from a photographers point of view and because we had spoken about lighting and setting aside enough time for photographs on the day, I was able to take advantage of the beautiful late afternoon light and capture some truly gorgeous moments.
Deer Park is a fantastic venue. It was my first time shooting there and I am already itching to go back. With its country setting, panoramic views, beautiful gardens, access to fields and unlimited photo opportunities, it really is a country wedding photographers dream location. Unfortunately the deer deigned not to make an appearance on the day, however there is always next time!
I had the privilege to work with the lovely Matt and Russ from Shoot the Piano Player Films on the day and I can’t recommend them highly enough. These gents really know their stuff (and they laughed at my bad jokes)!
Siarrads and her bevy of beauties had their hair done by the fab Natalie from Rock ‘n Roller Parlour and they all looked stunning throughout the day.
Thank you Stephanie for your wonderful service at our wedding on 11th June 2016
You were so professional, friendly and helpful. You even coped with my photo-craze dad! XX
I always welcome feedback, so please feel free to comment and let me know what you think of my work.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
Jun
03
What a wedding Day!!
I could easily stop my blog right there with those four words, as this wedding day was just gorgeous.
Matt and Jane are such a special couple with a wonderful family and a fabulous group of friends. When all of these people came together to celebrate their love for one another and their children, it was truly a magical day.
We would just like to say thank you so much for photographing our special day. The memories will never be forgotten as you have captured those moments for us. Matt & Jane
I always welcome feedback so please feel free to comment and let me know what you think of my work.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
May
27
What a lovely afternoon we had shooting at the gorgeous Mallory Court!
With the wedding only a few weeks away and we wanted to get a feel for the location before their big day. The bride-to-be was simply stunning in her dress and heels, so I can only imagine that she is going to be an absolute vision on their wedding day.
We had such fun exploring the grounds; with so many beautiful backdrops and places calling out to be used in photos, it is a photographers dream location.
I always welcome feedback so please feel free to comment and let me know what you think of my work.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
May
18
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure to spend a golden hour shooting with Simon and Claire in the lovely grounds of Hogarths Hotel.
With their wedding only a month away, we wanted to explore the grounds and hotel where I will be shooting their wedding in a few short weeks. We had such a giggle and if it wasn’t for the fading daylight, I could have clicked away for hours more.
These photos really show how much they adore each other and how comfortable they are in front of the camera.
I can’t wait until June and their big day!
I always welcome feedback so please feel free to comment and let me know what you think of my work.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
Apr
27
Easter Bank Holiday weekend, the one day of sunshine (standard), the beautiful town of Warwick and lots of sangria = the perfect combination for gorgeous wedding photos and a Spanish themed celebration.
Charlotte rang me back in 2015 and after a brief conversation about what she was looking for and my style of photography, she booked me on the spot.
It can be a bit nerve wracking when you haven’t met the bride or groom in person before. You have to walk into a room and try and spot the man with the cravat or tie that is a slightly different colour from all the other men in suits (or who looks the most nervous), and say “hello I’m Steph, I’m your wedding photographer”. I needn’t have worried. I was made to feel so welcome by Gareth and all the wedding guests before the ceremony and by the time we took our places in the registry office, it felt like we were all old friends.
When beautiful Charlotte walked into the room, both the groom’s and best man’s expressions were priceless. I love capturing raw unguarded emotion and I had tears I my eyes during the ceremony as you could see how much it meant to the couple and all their special guests.
Afterwards, we spent time in the glorious sunshine taking advantage of the lovely walled garden behind the registry office and its ample photo backdrops. The reception venue, ‘Bar Catalan’ conveniently backs onto the same walled garden, so guests were able to enjoy live flamenco music, sangria and nibbles whilst celebrating and photos were being taken.
A big thank you once again for your time on the day, you were great and made everyone feel very relaxed!
I always welcome feedback, so please feel free to comment and let me know what you think of my work.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
Apr
24
Finding a photographer to capture your wedding day can be a daunting task.
We photographers are ten a penny and trying to find someone who will cater for your vision and your budget can be quite difficult. These days as soon as you type “wedding photographer” into search engines you are given 100’s of search results to choose from, and soon one website starts to blur into another as you spend hours clicking through and waiting for images to load.
Hopefully these questions and tips will help you make the search process and final decision a heck of a lot easier. It is by no means an exhaustive list of “what to ask” but from my experience these are some of the main points that come up during my meetings with clients.
- What is their style of photography?
Make sure this fits with what you both want. Your wedding photographs will be reminders of your special day and you want to be able to look at them with love and pride over the years to come.
- Do they offer set packages, if so how many hours are included and would they be willing tailor the package to suit you?
Most photographers offer a few set packages and couples have to pick the one that is the closest to suiting them and their budget. I believe wedding photographers should be willing to tailor their offerings to individual clients as every wedding is different and every couple unique.
- Do they work from a shot list and can we provide a list of photographs ourselves?
Every wedding photographer will have a list in their head of the basic shots that they will take on any wedding day. Give them a list of any photographs and combinations of guests that you want photographs of, ensuring that they don’t miss anyone out.
- How many images will be taken at our wedding and how many will we receive?
Dependant on how many hours the photographer is with you on your special day, they could take anywhere between 1000 and 1500 images. You won’t get all these images as the best ones will be picked and edited (typically between 150 and 500 images). Set packages will tell you how many images you will receive.
I don’t offer set packages and therefore I do not dictate how many images a couple will receive. I believe that even if it takes me longer to edit them that they will receive all the good images that I take on their wedding day. This means that for a whole days photography they could receive anywhere up to 800 images.
- Do they have a limit on the amount of images that they edit and how do they edit them?
The answer to the first part of the question should be NO!
Many photographers will use bulk editing methods, which are easy to use and save a lot of time. Although these work well and allow for uniformed photographs; I prefer to individually edit each photo and give them the care and attention they deserve.
- How long until we receive our images?
You don’t want to be waiting months and months. All my clients receive their photographs in time for their first months wedding anniversary.
- What format will they come in and is an album included?
Always double check this with your photographer. You want to be able to easily access your photographs and download them to your own personal devices for your own use.
If you have chosen a package from a photographer that includes an album, double check the amount of photographs that will be in the album and if you get to choose the photographs yourselves.
- What restrictions are on their on the images and their use.
Many photographers will watermark and have you choose a certain number of photographs. If you then wanted more or full use of the photographs, they will charge you extra per image.
I don’t do this. I believe that as you are paying me to photograph and capture one of the most important and special days of your life, you are entitled to all the good photographs that I take. I do not watermark images and you are free to use them as you like.
- How many weddings will they attend on our wedding day?
Weddings are a lucrative business and some wedding photographers will try and squeeze a couple in on the day, especially in peak wedding season.
I will only accept one wedding booking per date.
- How much time should we set aside for our main photographs on the day?
No less than 40 minutes. It is amazing how quickly the time flies by. Before you know it you will be sitting down for your meal or having your first dance and you will wonder where the day has gone.
I have shot weddings where the bride and groom have had certain photographic requests and a list of photographs that they wanted but we were hampered by time as they had not set enough time aside.
- When is the best time to have photographs taken?
Depending on the order of the day and the ceremony time the normal thing for photographers is to take the bulk of the main and group shots immediately after the ceremony, before any meal or speeches, when all the guests are together in one place.
- In the peak summer months if this is in the middle of the day the light can be quite harsh. If you wanted softer, more romantic shots of yourselves, it is always worth setting a little time aside later in the afternoon / early evening where the two of you and your photographer can slip away from your guests for a short while and capture the lovely romantic shots.
- Do they visit a venue beforehand?
The answer to this question should be YES!
Any good photographer will familiarise themselves with their shooting location beforehand and speak to the venue to see where they can / can’t shoot and ask simple questions like “where can we have the confetti train” or indeed “are we permitted to throw confetti”.
- Do they offer a pre-shoot or engagement shoot?
This is a great way to familiarise yourselves with the photographer and their style of shooting. It gives you the opportunity to try different poses and practise ones that you like before the big day.
- Do we have to pay a deposit to book their services?
This is always typically YES!
- How long will they keep our images for?
Many photographers will keep images for a fixed amount of time then contact the couples asking if they would like to buy them before they are deleted. This can send some couples into panic mode and they will spend exorbitant sums of money buying images that they really should have had in the first place.
I do not set a time limit on how long I keep images for. If anything untoward did happen to your original copies I would send you replacement disks with your images on, free of charge
The list of questions that you can ask your photographer is endless and I could go on and on, but it can get rather boring. My best advice is to have a darn good chat to any prospective photographers. You should like their style of photography, their work ethos and them as a person. After-all, they are going to be spending a lot of time with you and your guests on your wedding day and you want someone that is friendly, outgoing and will put you and your guests at ease in front of the camera.
If you have any questions of would like me to add to this list I would love you to contact me.
