wedding
frequently asked questions
Choosing a wedding photographer can be a long and confusing process – after all, it’s not a service that you book every day. That’s why I’ve created this section of the website, to answer as many of the questions as possible that I’m regularly asked by prospective wedding clients.
If your particular question isn’t below, don’t worry – just get in touch as I’ll be delighted to answer any query you might have, large or small. It’s vital that you choose the right photographer for your wedding day, so it’s important to me that you get all the information you need to make the right choice.
can i meet you before we book?
I actively encourage us to chat before you book, so that you can get to know me a little and feel confident that you’re making the right choice for your wedding photographer. Normally this takes place via Zoom, but if you are visiting your wedding venue in the Dordogne or Lot-et-Garonne, I’m very happy to meet in person instead.
do you photograph in black and white, or colour?
I shoot all weddings in RAW format, which means that I can individually assess and edit each image after the wedding to create the best colour format without any loss in quality. I normally like to present a wedding in a mixture of black and white and a classic colour cinematic treatment, but if you have any preferences I’ll of course work to your requirements. Documentary wedding photography lends itself very well to black and white, and I’ve often been requested to present final images entirely in this format.
what is your photography style, and do you photograph formal groups?
I’m primarily a reportage or documentary wedding photographer, which means I discreetly photograph your wedding day as it unfolds, with the absolute minimum of interference. This is, I believe, the best approach to modern wedding photography, as it enables me to capture the true essence of your wedding day whilst you have the benefit of enjoying your celebrations with your family and friends without undue interruptions.
Of course, most weddings still require some ‘formal’ group shots or lineups, but I encourage my clients to keep these to a very short list which can be shot in around fifteen minutes. Standing around for up to an hour while group shots are taken is intrusive and tedious for guests, The documentary wedding photography I take throughout the rest of the day ensures that there are plenty of images of your guests and family.
As for your couples’ wedding photographs, we plan these beforehand to ensure that whilst I have plenty of opportunity to take a varied selection of beautiful images, we don’t keep you away from your guests for too long. I often find that two short sessions of couples photography (one in the afternoon, one in the evening) works really well as it keeps things short and sweet for my clients, as well as giving you the benefit of a variety of different looks to your portrait shots.
are you a professional?
Absolutely. Photography is my professional occupation and has been for over fifteen years, Your wedding is my absolute priority and as such I take on a limited number of wedding bookings per year to ensure that I have plenty of time to devote to the preparation, shooting and editing of your wedding, as well as creating a great working client relationship.
Where are you based, and what areas do you cover?
After establishing a successful photographic career over many years in the UK, I now live permanently in south west France, on the border of the Dordogne and Lot-et-Garonne departments. I cover weddings in both departments and into western Gironde (departments 47, 24 and 33) within my published rates.
If your wedding is further afield in France, or into Europe, please contact me for a personalised quotation.
What equipment do you use?
Good question! Some of my clients have been photographers (professional and amateur) themselves, so they’re naturally very interested in the technical aspects.
Like all tech, digital photography moves on apace, so I regularly upgrade my equipment to take advantage of the latest specifications available. I currently shoot with Fuji X cameras and lenses.
Perhaps more importantly for you to know, I ensure that nothing is left to chance when it comes to avoiding technical hiccups. I bring several camera bodies with me (for versatility as well as in case of technical failure or accident) and a range of lenses, lighting equipment and accessories. All my camera bodies shoot with dual data cards, to safeguard against loss of data.
how do i receive my wedding images?
Your images will be provided first of all, fully edited and finished, in screen resolution on a password protected web gallery, which remains online for you and your guests to enjoy. Then, when you request it, your luxury USB package will be sent out to an address of your choice, with all your high resolution, unwatermarked images from your wedding day for you to keep.
how do you prepare for our wedding day?
I actively encourage you to keep in touch during your wedding planning period, to ask any questions you may have, such as advice on timings, or recommendations for other suppliers. I’ll also arrange an pre wedding consultation prior to the wedding day, which is normally held via Zoom. This is our opportunity to go through the entire wedding plan in detail so that I can work wholly efficiently and to your brief on the wedding day, as well as to discuss your individual requirements for things such as the style of portraiture you would like and to address any queries you might have. I send out a detailed online questionnaire to you prior to the consultation for you to fill in at your leisure, so that I can prepare fully for the meeting.
Can i make my own prints from my wedding images?
Absolutely – every wedding collection includes a USB with all your high resolution digital images, with which you also receive a copyright licence which enables you to print and share your images in their original format, for as long as you wish. All images on USBs are presented in full print resolution and unwatermarked for this purpose. Of course, if you wish to buy prints from me, this service is automatically available to you and your guests via your web gallery, using the finest professional print labs.
do you only shoot the wedding day? we’re planning a longer celebration.
Absolutely – I can photograph multi-day celebrations with pleasure.
Clients often like me to document the civil ceremony as well as the larger church or celebrant ceremony, and as these generally happen on separate days, I’m very used to building a photography package around exactly what you need, where you need it.
what if we need more hours of coverage on the day than we’ve booked?
No problem. I fully appreciate that you might not know you need additional coverage until the wedding day itself, so you can always ask me to stay later on the day if required and we can arrange additional payment after the wedding day.
we’d like to keep our wedding images private. is that a problem?
I entirely appreciate that whilst most people love to share their wedding day images with friends, family and the wider world, in some instances I know that the client prefers or indeed requires total privacy – whether that’s for personal or professional reasons. Please feel welcome to discuss this with me so that I can fully understand your requirements and provide you with a precise offering to suit your individual needs. Privacy of your wedding images, when required, is hugely important to me and I’ll be happy to work to your brief.
how do we book you?
Bookings are confirmed only by the return of a signed online contract and a cleared booking retainer of 500 euros, I cannot hold dates without a confirmed booking.
I carefully restrict the number of wedding engagements I take to ensure maximum attention to detail and quality, and I never photograph separate weddings on consecutive days. You wouldn’t arrive tired to your wedding, and so neither will I!