documentary wedding photographer

A Happy Wedding Ending

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Delivering Wedding Photographs One Year Later!

It was never my choice and I certainly never would advocate for something like this but I’m afraid we do have some bad apples in the wedding industry.

Luca Giorgio is blown away by the beauty of his wife Sonia walking up the aisle to meet him,

I was hired by NJA Media in 2022 to shoot several weddings and there was always some difficulty in getting payment but I remained professional and kept the work flowing.
I arrived at Hanbury Wedding Barns in Derbyshire for the marriage of Luca and Sonia.
Their wedding was so fantastic and full of entertainment, with plenty of action for me as a photographer. I made some of my best work at this wedding and loved the opportunities.

Luca and Sonia share their first married kiss.

The lady that ran NJA Media was slowly crashing behind the scenes and her business was becoming unable to deliver their services and stopped paying their suppliers, which included myself. I’d done all the work and only been paid a small deposit.
I was contacted by Chris who created their wedding film to ask if I’d managed to get paid, as he had experienced the same situation but Chris did give me the contact details for Sonia.

I wasted no time by texting Sonia to let her know that I was the photographer and I had her photographs safe, so not to worry.

The confetti tunnel

Sonia and Luca were so relieved because Nyala from NJA Media had completely disappeared and wouldn’t even answer the courts following the Giorgio’s case against NJA Media.
In the end Sonia and Luca won their case but Nyala had disappeared and now rests with a CCJ, which is a shame because she had a good opportunity with NJA Media.
However, the case was settled but no financial compensation could arrive for the estranged couple.

Luckily NJA Media had hired a good photographer with a good moral compass! In I fly to the rescue and arranged to give Sonia and Luca their long awaited wedding photographs.

After waiting for a whole year to get their wedding photographs, they finally received them yesterday and I was so happy to be able to give them their sweet memories and now they can live happily ever after.

Wedding Venues in Leicestershire

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Here’s a few of the wedding venues that I’ve done wedding photography and filmmaking at in Leicestershire.

I’m a documentary wedding photographer and filmmaker and try to avoid posing at all costs. My style is rather unique but also very popular.

Bosworth Hall Hotel, Wedding Venue, Market Bosworth, Leicestershire

I’ve been all over the midlands creating visual stories for couples getting married in Leicestershire and Warwickshire and in this blog I’m going to show you a selection of the images and videos that I’ve made so you can get a feel for what the venues are like and to get some ideas for choosing and how you could deal with decorating them for your wedding.

Bosworth Hall Hotel Wedding Venue

Badgers Mount Wedding Venue, Elmesthorpe

The Royal Arms, Sutton Cheney, Wedding Venue - The Loft

Holiday Inn, Wigston, Leicester, Wedding Venue

Personal Intimate Weddings at Home

Wedding Photography is changing before our eyes!

Since the pandemic has relaxed and become no more dangerous than the flu, many people are changing the way they get married. Firstly we’re experiencing a wedding book where people that have had to wait to get married are feeling safe enough to get things organised but the way they’re doing it is changing. There are trends appearing and some are going for more micro weddings with only 15-30 people to cut down on costs and just inviting those that truly mean more to them than the usual bigger crowds.

Some people are also now getting married during the week for a cheaper option as venues and other service providers can fill days when they wouldn’t normally be working and can discount their services easier.

I even shot a private wedding with just the family at a registry office in Birmingham, then on to a nice restaurant and the groom’s sisters house in Leicester. There was something quite magical and intimate about that wedding and was such a huge privilege to be the only non family member there.

I’m not discounting the big grand weddings because they’re still going on and ai did one the other week at a huge priory in Derbyshire.

The Norcups at Bosworth Hall Hotel, Wedding Venue in Market Bosworth, Leicestershire.

This is just a short selection of venues in Leicestershire for now as I can’t put all of them on my blog!

If you’d like to learn more about my wedding photography and filmmaking, then please head to my wedding page and see for yourself but also you can complete an easy form online to get a quote within 24 hours.

Why Hire A Good Wedding Photographer?

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Anyone can photograph a wedding!

Newly engaged to be married and surfing the internet for a local wedding photographer or videographer / filmmaker can be so very confusing.

There’s tons and tons of people online offering to record your marriage for all kinds of prices and they have so many differing levels of ability and quality of service. In this blog, I’m going to discuss my style and approach to the wedding photography industry.

Timing the fleeting moments that pass in the blink of an eye.

So, yes, anyone can photograph a wedding because all you need to do is buy a camera and then convince someone to pay you to make photographs at their wedding. That’s all there is to it really and it’s down to the people choosing the creative person to work out who’s good, who’s offering the best service for their budget and what style do they want etc.
You can choose from a classic style of photographer that does all of the stiff posing, with hours of family portraits dominating the wedding day. You can hire a beginner, an amateur, a semi pro, a pro. Even somebody that does hero shots and the kind of photographs that are made for wall art and to enhance the photographers portfolio. You can get photographers that use flash all the time, some mix it up and some never use it. You get technical photographers that have all the gear and believe it’s all about the equipment.
It’s no wonder you find it difficult to choose someone!

Teeth are one of the most important features, led by the eyes and followed by the cheeks! That’s where the fun hides, in the emotion.

In all of the years that I’ve been photographing and filming weddings, I’ve learned that the single most important thing is to make photographs that show how much joy and fun the couple have had and how much pleasure the guests have enjoyed.

So essentially, the most important thing is composition, timing, emotion and story, in my opinion.

Story is king!

Telling the story has become my USP!

Marriage is thirsty work, tying the knot, even thirstier!

My style has become all about unveiling the real story behind the wedding. I tend not to do much staged photography because it gives a false representation of the day. Of course I make pictures of groups of friends and families stood together at the request of the couple but my real skill is in following the wedding as a guest but with a camera and a professional set of skills that have been acquired through the professional study of photography and video to degree level at De Montfort University and studying the worlds best photographers.
I concentrate on making a large series of photographs or film sequences that document each step of the way in the most fun, pleasing and accurate way possible.
If you have a fun day, your photographs and film will show that.

I’m a natural storyteller.

In a dark room I’ll use flash but I try my best to avoid it because it changes the way the pictures look, alerts people to the photographers presence and takes away the ability to get true natural and candid photographs. As you can see in this photograph that I’ll use it if the lighting is so poor, the only way to make the photographs are to use flash.

Black and white versus colour is determined by potential colourful distractions, remembering that the story is the king.

My style of wedding photography and filmmaking is completely natural but with proper training from highly experienced experts. My storytelling style is filled with my love for humour and emotion and I try to inject both in to each picture or sequence.

So of course, you have some huge choices when trying to pick a creative to either photograph or film your wedding day. The best course of advice is to look at pictures and watch films of the creatives you come across and compare the quality of the work. Forget price at this point because that comes once you’ve picked out a shortlist of who’s work you like.

My pricing isn’t too shocking and sits around the average / middle of the range mark. I’m not one for going overboard because I don’t try to do the hero shots and my work is essentially intended on creating the real story of your day as opposed to making up staged photographs.

I aim for the middle of the market but do have a budget service for those not wanting the whole shebang!

I’m such an easy going person with a huge heart, very easy to talk to, so please get in touch with me and let’s chat about your wedding. I’ll give you a price list and you can choose how you want to build your package.
The pricing is mainly subject to how you want the work presenting afterwards.

In the main, I offer a digital package, which can be upgraded with one of my special slideshows, second photographers, story books and many other add ons (as required).

The best thing to do is get in touch with me first and let’s see where our journey goes.

The underage daughter caught the bouquet! The Bride (mother) wasn’t impressed!

Seeking the comedy at a wedding reception

Whatever the weather and whatever the storm! I’ll photograph anything that moves!

That magical moment that must remain in the couples history forever and a day!

This is my wedding photography showcase in a beautifully crafted slideshow…

I’ve been making films for the past 5 years and telling visual stories since 2012, the below film is my first wedding film, please watch and if you like my style, please make an enquiry about filmmaking too.

Thanks for reading.

Paul

Adapting As An Artist

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To Adapt with changing times, understanding you need to change is the first step!

I’ve recently had to thoroughly scrutinise myself and my work to figure out how to use my skills for the good and benefit of everyone connected with me.

It’s quite a difficult thing to do, really look at yourself and work out where you’re going wrong, who you are and who you want to be etc. When you discover the bad parts about yourself, it kicks you in the gut but is great for an idea of where to start.

My work life wasn’t really going anywhere. I was picking up the odd job here and there but nothing solid enough to support my family and everything I do is to help them to survive. Our survival was coming in to question because of the lack of direction I had. I felt like I was letting them down, which I was and these alarm bells were ringing for me to take notice.

This is one of the very first photographs in the first portfolio I put together to get accepted on to a level three photography course at NWHC in 2012

Looking back to correct your ways.

There’s not a lot of point in looking backwards but you must remember the mistakes and don’t make them again. It’s how we all grow and the more mistakes we make, the more lessons we get and as long as we understand how to grow from those mistakes, it should be easy to pass through the lesson.

I’ve had to look back at my website because I've had a dry spell where I’ve had no work after working in temporary jobs through an agency. Some good jobs and some truly terrifying! Last week I came in to a bit of good fortune because a talented photographer Simon Turner hired me to second shoot for him at a wedding within the grounds of an old Granary deep in the countryside of Fawsley, Daventry called The Granary Hotel and Wedding Venue. That was awesome, although a real challenge with it being the hottest day of the year and the guests didn’t want to move much, nobody did!

This photograph is from one of my recent weddings. I love this picture because it offers some anonymity to those in the picture with their identities are not completely revealed and the photograph still tells you a story.

This photograph is from one of my recent weddings. I love this picture because it offers some anonymity to those in the picture with their identities are not completely revealed and the photograph still tells you a story.

A Wedding Theme Developing.

I’ve had to look at where my talents lie in photography and it always boils down to street, documentary and the landscape / environment. Wedding photography requires the perfect combination of each of those genres because my street shooting experience keeps me on my toes, I’m alert to my whole surroundings, aware of the little stories developing around me as people live through their lives, interacting with each other.

Documentary style helps me to see where the stories are happening and know where and how to get the photograph without interfering with the scene (as little as possible anyway). The landscape and the environment is the stuff of features and backgrounds. My understanding of combining these skills to produce what I feel is my best work, is where I need to place my efforts.

My filmmaking is an entirely different entity with regards to weddings but it’s a talent that I need to develop.
So I’ve reshaped my entire website to represent myself as a documentary wedding photographer and storytelling filmmaker. I’ve placed my photographic practice in a personal box that can only be commissioned privately or for a wedding.

Ratcliffe On Soar Power Station. I made this while on the way home from photographing a family day with SSAFA (The Armed Forces Charity). This is the kind of image that I’ll be including in with my personal practice from now on.

New Website

With taking heed of my thoughts and desire to develop more as an artist, I’m placing my focus on documentary wedding photography and the production of promotional films. I’ll still be practicing photography as an artist but my main focus of my website is now aiming for employment. I have a family at home and a little girl that I intend on giving a good childhood to.

So if you’re familiar with my website, you’ll notice the stark differences.

I hope this new design works and does the job I’m trying to train it to do. Only time will tell.

This photograph forms part of a nationwide project I have been putting together for the past 12 months, The Quirky English Countryside. I’ll still be building projects like this for the good of my soul and the benefit of the wider community but more on a personal level.

Burbage, Hinckley, Leicestershire.

Please have a browse around my website, starting with my home page, which is where people will land when visiting my site and also let me know what you think and I’d love to hear if you find any typos or spelling mistakes.

Thanks for reading my blog.