In June I had the pleasure and honour of attending Daniel & Jazz’s wedding in Ormesby, Norfolk as a Groomsman. Not only that, Daniel gave me permission to sneak my camera in and grab some snaps. Despite not officially being a wedding photographer, I can safely say I really enjoyed it.
Normally you will catch me out in the wild capturing the world around me. Or at venues around the country covering events for small to large businesses. However last year, Daniel & Jazz asked if I could do a couples photoshoot for them. Feel free to click here and see the photos we made at Mousehold Woods in Norwich.
Shortly after the shoot and having known Daniel since 2014, he invited me to attend his wedding as a Groomsman. Of course I jumped at the opportunity and asked if I could bring my camera too. A professional wedding photographer and separate videographer were hired to cover the wedding. Of course I stayed aware of where I was and did my best to avoid getting in the way.
My Wedding Photography Set Up
When capturing pictures at the wedding I used a selection of super sharp lenses. Mainly the Sigma 56mm f1.4 lens and my Sigma 35mm f1.4 Art lens. These never fail to produce seriously sharp imagery and allow for loads of flexibility in the editing process.
My camera is a Sony A7iv which you can read more about in a previous article by clicking here. The Sony A7iv is ideal for capturing candid wedding photos as it has some of the best autofocus features built in. Not only that, it is a solid hybrid camera capable of shooting in Sony S-Log3 4K should you wish to switch over to video mode.
My Wedding Photographer Approach
On this occasion I wasn’t hired for the job. I simply wanted to get a taste of what it would be like to cover a wedding, but without the pressure of getting everything perfect and interfering with my day celebrating a good friend’s wedding.
My event photography and videography instincts kicked in and the hunt for smiles and beautiful moments began. Be it the bride, groom, family or friends. Every smile counted and every moment something to treasure into the future.
Having only a 56mm as my longest lens on the day I had to immerse myself into the action. This meant getting up close and personal without being intrusive. My covert operation as candid unofficial wedding photographer was well under way.
“I don’t do weddings”
I recently shared a post on LinkedIn stating this. Accompanying the post was a selection of the photographs you see in this article. The full post read:
“I don’t do wedding photography”
Something I hear a lot in this industry and something I’ve said myself on a number of occasions.
Getting it right is an art in itself and when somebody’s perfect day is involved, you only get one shot to do just that.
I have never offered such services in the past. But since being invited to a good friend’s wedding and grabbing some candid snaps throughout the day, it’s definitely forcing a change of mind.
Capturing such a unique and special moment for everybody involved makes it a project like no other.
The stake are high, but the reward much higher.
As a result, I’ve decided to expand my services into the industry.
Hire me to capture your wedding!
Whether your wedding is in the near or distant future, I’d be happy to have a chat. Not only can I capture beautiful photographs of your special day. But also video too. My packages are tailored entirely to your needs and vision for the day itself.
Not a fan of staged shoots? Not to worry, I can float around the ceremony and reception capturing moments as they happen without the pressure of pulling your best smile on command.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch by clicking here to call or clicking here to send me an email.
Don’t forget to include as much information as you can about your special day when sending an email.
