The wedding photography industry is no different with the two contenders being, simply put, “how would you like your wedding to be photographed”?

In the red corner we have the ‘traditional’ style. This involves a more formal style of photography whereby images are created by the photographer by giving direction to the couple.

In the blue corner is the new kid on the block, the ‘reportage’ style. This style, also known as ‘photojournalism’ involves little or no intervention from the photographer, they simply catch what is going on at the time without getting directly involved.

Since the advent of digital cameras the wedding photography industry has evolved beyond recognition.  It wasn’t that long ago that a wedding album would compromise of a set of ‘posed’ shots of the bride and groom standing in line with their family and guests and the odd ‘reportage’ shot thrown in for good measure.

Digital cameras however provided the photographer with the freedom to record the wedding without the constraints of worrying about how many rolls of film they were carrying in their camera bag. This allowed for a new way of thinking and a completely different approach to wedding photography, allowing the whole wedding to be captured and thus tell a complete story of the day.

Many photographers now advertise themselves as ‘reportage’ photographers and I myself love this style of photography as it captures the essence and emotions of the day. However I believe that there is still a place for the traditional images and I’ll tell you why.

Your wedding day is probably going to be the most amazing and memorable day of your life (with the exception of having a baby).  You will have spent a small fortune on your venue, hair, makeup, dress, suits, rings, car etc and will both be looking a million dollars!  Why then not spend some time creating stunning and romantic images of you both together, in the best way possible, on your best day ever?!

The amount of time spent on these images is entirely up to you but usually only takes about 15-20 minutes, making the best use of your venue and lighting etc. It is also a great way for you both to take a breather after the excitement and emotions of the ceremony and enjoy some time alone together to take it all in.

These images are then blended in perfectly with your reportage photos so you have a complete story of your day. 

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My goal is of course to provide my clients with stunning images that not only tell the story of their day but include all of the excitement and emotions as well.

However, my ‘mission’ is always to make sure that you, your family, your guests, the venue, caterers, driver, videographer, dj, everyone, has a fun and positive experience from meeting me.

That means listening to what you want and how you want it, always being friendly and polite, always being punctual, understanding everyone elses needs, working with everyone else, communicating effectively, being professional, and last but by no means least enjoying myself. That bit’s easy as I love what I do and that buzz shines through in the photos I take.

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This has to be one of my favourite photos of the 2011 season.

The look between the couple tells you all you need to know about how they feel for each other, the proud father in the background looking upon his son, and the reaction of the Best Man……..priceless!!

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This was one of the livelier Photo shoots I did for Blues & Soul this year.

It was the day after St Paddy’s, Ireland had just stuffed us in the Rugby and The Commitments were doing a reunion gig after 20 years in the city where it all began, Dublin.

I have never experienced such an incredible buzz anywhere, ever!

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It was many years ago that my wife dragged me to a wedding for one of her work colleagues. I was adamant I wasn’t going as I was basically the +1 and wouldn’t know anyone else attending, but after much ‘discussion’ I agreed to go along.

As soon as we arrived at the ceremony I recognised the photographer (Jenny) who had been a very good friend of mine from years back but we’d lost touch. We quickly got chatting and Jenny allowed me to chaperone her for the rest of the day, explaining what she was doing as she went along. It was like a light bulb going off in my head as I realised that this was what I was meant to do.

I’ve always had a passion for photography and had done the occasional wedding for friends and family, but it’s thanks to Jenny that she took me under her wing and showed me not just the technical aspects of wedding photography but the in’s and out’s of running a business successfully.

It was her ability to mentor me in all aspects of the business that allowed me to develop and gain the confidence to eventually strike out in business for myself. In tandem with this I was reading every single magazine article, book and publication I could get my hands on. Attending every training session and conference going, and even paying for specialist 1:1 training with some of the world’s best wedding photographers. But it was Jenny’s guidance and training that built the foundation from which my business grew.

All of this was twinned with my total passion for photography. The buzz of creating images which can move people to tears (in a good way!) is something I strive for and it is that passion that drives me to excel every time I pick up a camera.

I am also very lucky to have such an understanding wife who puts up with my compulsion enthusiasm. I am always looking for the perfect shot (in everything), whether that’s going to the beach for the day or simply food shopping in town. There’s a photo to be had everywhere! I imagine I can get quite frustrating at times but she loves that I love it!

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I have a lot of sympathy for the ‘High Street’ portrait studios. In the current economic climate they have a hard job of convincing customers to part with their hard earned money for a simple photograph in an age when it seems that everyone owns a digital camera.

However there is nothing simple about a photo taken in a professional studio setup and add in the cost of wages, equipment and rent it’s easy to see the pressure they are under.

Many of my clients previous experiences with these studios is thus unfortunately one of disappointment as they are rushed in and out at their alloted time and presented with whatever results the studio has captured.

I think the reason my portable studio business has been so successful is because I don’t have the time constraints of a typical studio. My portrait sessions are booked by the hour and the length of time is up to you. This is particularly useful for baby photography when little Charlie decides to throw a paddy at the first sight of a camera. We simply take a break, have a cup of tea whilst Jnr has a feed or a cuddle and off we go again, all smiles and laughter.

The studio can be set up in as little as 10ft x 10ft so you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your own home. Plus you get every image taken during the session on DVD.

I mentioned earlier how there was nothing easy about professional studio photography. The images above were shot using 5 seperate strobes (1 main light, 1 fill light, 1 hair light and 2 background lights) all of which have to be calibrated and positioned correctly. There is nothing easy about studio photography! Then again there is nothing quite like the results.

BTW these shots also required the bribery of a mini Milky Way bar!

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Believe it or not this shot is completely unposed. Taken on a stormy Saturday in July at Nonsuch Mansion in Surrey, we were dashing in and out of the reception at the mercy of the British weather.

During one foray in to the gardens we were caught out by an extremely heavy downpour and were thankfully rescued by the chief bridesmaid who ran out with a couple of umbrellas for the couple.

I was making a dash for the Mansion when Joe (the groom) decided rather spontaneously to do a Gene Kelly impersonation. It was a one-time-only affair and thankfully I had my 70-200mm to hand to capture the moment perfectly.

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No sooner had we begun was he asking about my kit with an impressive and in-depth knowledge. Turns out that Seal is an avid photographer and has every piece of Canon kit under the sun. I was very jealous indeed!

You can read the full interview at www.BluesandSoul.com

In case you’re wondering…..that’s a Malteser!

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I would like to share with you what’s in my kit bag and why it’s
there.  This is the typical ‘load out’ I will choose for a wedding.

Canon 5D MkII x 2

First and foremost are my two Canon 5D MkII bodies. They are
21.1MP cameras with Full Frame sensors which provide world class image quality,
especially in ‘low light’ situations such as a church or evening reception.

I shoot with two bodies at all times as this enables me to have different
lenses on each camera and be ready for any situation.

Both are fitted with Canon battery grips enabling me to shoot in either
a landscape or portrait orientation without any hassle and the extra batteries these
hold mean I’m never caught short changing batteries.

The perfect wedding cameras!

Canon 70-200 f/2.8L II lens

My favourite lens and for good reason, the image quality from this
lens is simply amazing and the long reach allows me to photograph people from a
long way away so they are not even aware that their photo is being taken. Perfect
for reportage photography! This enables me to capture events as they happen
without intrusion.

It is equally at home being used for the romantic portrait shots
where I can shoot full length and very quickly zoom in for those intimate
moments without interrupting the couple.

It is also an extremely fast lens. The speed of a lens refers to
the maximum aperture of the lens. The smaller the number e.g. 2.8 the wider the
lens aperture opens and the more light is let in, allowing for faster shutter
speeds.

Canon 35mm f/1.4 L lens

My second favourite lens is my 35mm prime lens. A prime lens is a
lens with a fixed focal length i.e. no zoom.

You and I see the world at a ratio of 1:1 i.e. without any
magnification. In camera terms this would be a focal length of approximately
50mm.

Thus a 35mm lens sees a wider view than we do. This is therefore a
great lens to capture an entire scene such as the bride and bridesmaids getting
ready in the morning or larger groups of people.

The image quality is once again exceptional and being one of the
fastest lenses in the world it enables me to capture images in even the darkest
of places. You will always see me circling the dance floor with this lens
attached to one of my camera bodies.

Canon 24-105mm f/4 lens

The work horse of my lens collection and possibly the one with the
most useful focal range. At 24mm the lens is very wide and perfect for taking
in an entire scene or very large group shots.

The zoom range, up to 105mm, is extremely handy for getting in
close to the subject without being intrusive.

This is the perfect general purpose lens and hence is also the
perfect ‘back up’ lens should one of the others develop a problem.

Canon 100mm f/2.8 L II Macro lens

What a great lens this is. Once again it is a ‘prime’ lens with a
fixed focal length of 100mm. This makes it great for portrait shots, however
the ace up its sleeve is that it is also one of the world’s finest macro
lenses.

When I want to get in close, and I mean really close (cm’s!), this
is my lens of choice. Unbeatable for detail shots such as the rings or jewelry where
an engraving might only be a few millimeters across.

Canon Speedlight 580EX II x 4

Let there be light!

I prefer ‘natural light’ and will always try and work with the
light available however there are times when there simply isn’t enough of it.
In those situations I therefore want to be able to create the light I want, where
I want it.

That is why I have 4 of Canon’s ‘flagship’ flashguns. I can fire these
remotely (i.e. not attached to the camera) using my Pocket Wizard radio
triggers. This allows me to be extremely creative with my positioning and
direction of lighting, giving me complete control over the scene.

Spider Holster Camera Carrying System

Interestingly the inclusion this year of my Spider Holster carry system
has generated the most interest from clients and guests alike.

It is basically a strapless way of carrying my cameras whereby a
bolt is attached to the bottom of each camera enabling them to hang from a belt
around my waist rather than having the cameras dangle off my shoulders using
conventional straps.

It is an ingenious invention and has revolutionized the way I
carry and shoot with my cameras, and it always puts a smile on the guest’s
faces. The ‘gun-slinging’ photographer!

Bits N Bobs

Other bits include lens caps, light modifiers, more batteries and
most importantly even more memory cards! I have about 64GB of memory cards in
total that I can call upon. You can never have enough memory!

So there you have it, my simple description of the equipment load
I will typically take to a wedding. I’ve found that this provides me with the
equipment I need to compliment my style of photography whilst giving me the comfort
of knowing that should something fail there is a reliable backup.

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