This venue is in the style of a tudor manor house  - built after the winnings of the 1898 Derby!  And now it is the home of the Animal Health Trust (hosting wedding receptions on weekends is a new venture for the Trust). It boasts a lovely sunken garden and generally lends itself to a nice relaxed and intimate atmosphere.  It was great to see Hannah and Neil enjoy such a fabulous day in the sunshine, and we are looking forward to showing them the full set of images.

After the ceremony at St John’s Church in Old Coulsdon, it was again a case of dodging the showers all day.  Luckily the venue also has some charming interior space for photographs.

The site dates back to 1817 but it was substantially rebuilt at the end of the 19th century – and became the home for Queen Victoria’s grandchildren during the war.  The modern Englemere is a lovely venue for wedding photography – offering nicely arranged gardens (including an oak tree that dates from Henry VIII), and grandeur from the house itself. It was good to see the couple enjoy such a warm sunny day, an we are looking forward to showing them the full set of wedding photos on their return from honeymoon.

The venue is on the sussex Surrey border near East Grinstead – and is great for intimate weddings with a touch of luxury.  It’s excellent for photography too, offering a nice blend of classical architectural tones and pretty grounds (think country elegant country retreat). The stairways shot shown in the gallery was actually taken in the spa area of the hotel!

The venue has fond memories for me (my first major photography award was won there 6 years ago) and it was great to get the chance to photograph a wedding there. We really enjoyed photographing Catrin and Ian’s big day and it was great to see the enjoy themselves so much (despite the adverse conditions outside!).

The truth is that the Data Protection Act (DPA) does NOT apply to the Birth, Deaths and Marriage Register.  The DPA does indeed state that ‘appropriate technical and organisational measures shall be taken against unauthorised or unlawful processing of personal data and against accidental loss or destruction of, or damage to, personal data” (Principle 7); BUT the Marriage Register is already in the public domain and anyone can view the information contained in it anyway. So the DPA does not apply in this case (anyone is free to contact the Information Commissioner’s Office to have this confirmed).

So, as many photographers have suspected, we are getting misinformed advice during the end of wedding ceremonies.   In reality, the objective of Registrars in asking photographers to step back during the signing is because they do not want the couple being distracted. The Registrar IS entitled to ask you not to take photographs (even at civil ceremonies they are technically in charge of their own office); and even though it is wrong to cite the DPA, it is very important that photographers respect their decision.

Years ago, a wedding photographer was simply a technical wizard who owned a mysterious box that few other people would have know how to use.  Essentially, couples were hiring this person to produce a few correctly exposed, record shots of the big day. And it wouldn’t have been unusual for the photographer to attend up to six weddings in one day. In 2013, nearly all wedding guests own a camera capable of yielding nicely-exposed images at low cost.  So evolution in technology has meant the role of the professional wedding photographer has needed to change considerably.  Technological advancements have empowered photographers with the flexibility and creativity to offer something radically different. This has attracted a different class of people into the profession and resulted in the overall standard of wedding photography improving significantly compared to previous generations. At their very best, wedding photographers offer stunning images that tell a narrative in a very artistic, evocative (and sometimes dramatic) fashion.

But at the same time, the economics of setting up as a photographer via the internet now means that the range in quality and diversity of photography has also widened immeasurably.  It is no longer right to say all wedding photography is the same, and no longer right to assume all clients need the same type of photography.

A Guide to Photographic Styles

A big advantage of the web is the ease in which you can review and check the work of a number of photographers.   Skim through a couple of photographers’ websites, and not only will you see quickly the range in quality, but also the sheer proliferation of photographic styles.  The terms used to describe these different genres can also be a little  confusing because they are used interchangeably  - and sometimes inconsistently and incorrectly!

Documentary photography also referred to as photojournalism or reportage wedding photography, is often used to describe an unobtrusive approach in which the photographer does not direct the wedding couple or guests at all.  Instead the photography captures the flow of the day in a creative way as possible, as it would occur naturally.

Traditional wedding photography is probably the description with the most potential to confuse, but many people mean it to convey old fashioned line-ups of the wedding party and guests.  But it is also frequently used to depict any photographic posing of the wedding couple.

Contemporary wedding photography (sometimes confusingly used interchangeably with reportage photography because they are both, in some way, modern) may refer, to poses with modern, urban or colourful backgrounds. Or perhaps because the photo has an unusual camera tilt, an avant-garde style, or simply just that it is based on a novel fashion-like pose.

Our advice is not to get too hung up on labels.  Labels can be often more confusing than helpful.  Second, photography styles often do not fit neatly into one category or another anyway. Third, it gives the impression that wedding photographers offer, or should offer just one style throughout the wedding (indeed it is quite tiresome listening to arguments about which particular style is superior).

Weddings are rarely suited to just one style.  Photographers will usually need to draw on many skills and techniques during the day.  They cannot for example, start posing couples, or ask them to move to a better light during the church service. It is also very rare for a couple not to expect some photographs within a formal framework which shows them in their best light.  And even the most modern of documentary wedding photographers still get asked to take a few traditional family shots.

Many photographers will of course excel in one type of skill over the other and indeed emphasise and market it.  We describe our style as classical with a fashion edge, although we have to rely on a mix of style,  including pure documentary, during the day.   We emphasise the importance of directed photography, because, within the very tight time scales of a wedding, many couples think that it is important to spend at least thirty minutes partially directing/posing the couple away from the attention of the guests.  The key objective for us here is to give the couple flattering, fine art photographs that they will probably never have taken again.

Selecting and Hiring Your Photographer

As a couple, the main starting point for choosing your photographer is your aspiration (or perhaps, more prosaically, your requirement) for the photography.  Some people see photography in a much more traditional sense: they would like a professional, reliable record of the day; but they do not want to interrupt the flow of the day’s events too much.

Other couples love photography in its own right, and having an artistic and evocative set of photographs is an important part of the day. Indeed an integral part of the day.

Once you are clear on your objectives, examining photographers’ galleries for quality and style is more important than style badges.  The problem is that galleries merely represent the photographer’s best work, so ask to review a whole wedding to check for consistency; and to see how the style translates itself into the different requirements of the day.  Remember that you are there to celebrate and enjoy the day (and party!), so it would not be realistic to expect a whole set of photographs from a single wedding to look the same as the photographer’s portfolio.

Photography awards are another guide to the quality of a photographer’s work, and you would expect him or her to be a qualified member of a professional body such as the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) or Master Photographers Association (MPA).

As you will spend a good amount of time on your big day with the photographer, you should ensure that you have a good rapport – and that you share the same photography goals.  As well as photographic flair, you and your guests are likely to value a high level of experience, organisation and professionalism on the day.  Finally you will need to consider the album ranges offered.

Yulin and Ben are now based in Manchester, but originally met whilst studying in Beijing. They were joined by a few close family members but plan to hold a much bigger affair in Thailand on 2013.  Before the ceremony, the couple also enjoyed some photos at Hyde Park and St Paul’s Cathedral. Afterwards we extended the wedding photography to Albert Embankment and Tower Bride.

The main house at Northbrook Park is not strictly part of the wedding venue, but as you can see from the images, well suited to some dramatic and artistic wedding photography.  This was one of the the last weddings of the season. Sureena and Thomas had a wonderful day and it was a pleasure being their wedding photographer for the big day. You can find out more information about Northbrook Park here.

After dodging the showers at St Mary’s church in Shalford, we enjoyed a fine spell for the main wedding photography at Barnett Hill before incessant rain arrived for the evening. We’ve been lucky with the weather this season.