Wedding photographers in Edinburgh

—What things that common people don't usually see can a wedding photographer notice?

—I love catching those candid moments, non staged or posed – kids running around, people interacting, small details which make the wedding story so honest.

—How do you define success? How do you measure it?

—Success is when a person loves what you do. And it can be your grandma, your parents or boyfriend, random people on the internet or big crowds. No matter how 'big' these people are, if what you do speaks to others, that is success. Some people just crawl for bigger success and don't realize how successful and gifted they already are or what they're missing on.

—When you're going to travel, what do you take with you and why?

—As little as possible. And that apply to life as well. After all, what is life than one big travel?
On my travels I realised, that the less you carry, the less you have to care about, the more you can immerse into the everyday experience instead. (For example – one pair of the trousers&one dress makes outfit choices so much easier.)

—What do you like most about your profession?

—I love going to places and meeting new people on one of the most important days in their life. The emotions are almost tangible! Sometimes we meet just briefly in the hurry of the day, but I love to blend with the crowd and be a silent observer of all the beauty and joy around.

—Who would you like to shoot with?

—Everyone who wants to create something together. I love people contributing and helping with the shoot. Sometimes I wonder that the final image doesn't belong to a photographer at all with all those talented people in the background.

—What things are to be avoided when shooting?

—Everything that suits the couple is allowed. As for me, I request to be the only photographer (with my co-shooter) during the ceremony, so wedding guests can be fully present and enjoy the ceremony.

—What are the most important components of a good photo in your opinion?

—Feelings. I love when my photos help people to recall their precious moments or even people who were absent on the occasion can sense the essence of it. A good photo should speak to them all.

—What person can be the symbol of the 21st century in your opinion?

—Every single one. This century is more than ever before focused on individuality and with the spread of social media every single person matters and can have a voice.

—What should be the criteria for a bride and a groom to choose their wedding photographer?

—How connected they feel to the photos and stories he/she shares.

—If you could go back in time, what would you do differently?

—Nothing, because it wouldn't make me the person I am today. I don't really recognize mistakes in my life, it's just life, learning and trying, failing and improving.

—How do you educate yourself to take better pictures?

—Constantly learning from every picture I take, from pictures taken by others and by simly looking around and observing. Training your eye is the key.

—Do you take nothing but wedding photos?

—I do all kinds of photos. I started with portraiture, love collaborating on fahion pictures, lifestyle, gigs, and plenty others.

—Who do you have no respect for?

—For authorities. We're all human and sometimes school kid can have more wisdom than politician or teacher.

—Do you believe that you replicate the soul of the person you are shooting?

—I believe I can show multiple sides of the person, some of them we can truly reveal only to a camera.

—What do you want to say with your photographs?

—My photographs are far from saying, they're more about feeling. I hope.

—Who are your heroes?

—There might come a row of fantasy characters. Am I too old for that?

—Do you have any professional taboos?

—I would never publish something uncomfortable for the model.

—How do you handle criticism?

—I love to recieve feedback, learn form it and grow!

—What do you worry about, and why?

—Meaning of life and such things, usual stuff.

—What is the one thing you wish you knew when you started taking photos?

—How extremely important it is to shoot RAW.

—What is the most impressive moment in your life?

—Everytime I set on a journey into unknown.

—What do you do in your spare time?

—Sleep, ride my bike or walk in nature.

—Do you like dogs or cats?

—Cats cats cats cats cats cats cats!

—What motivates you to continue taking pictures?

—Visual fascination.

—Are you fond of travelling?

—I do. A LOT.

—Do you believe in the traditional roles for men and women?

—Being human.

—The best thing in life is:

—Life.

—First and foremost – whom can you name as the best wedding photographer in Edinburgh? :)

—If not us then it's definitely Ashley Liv-Jamieson. She's creative, kind and dedicated to wedding photography

—What things that common people don't usually see can a wedding photographer notice?

—Small, personal moments, especially when framed well. Also the details of the things that the couple have added to the day to personalise the wedding. The direction of light can have a big impact on an image. A professional photographer is always moving to make the best of the light. Serendipity too. Sometimes the confluence of people, places and things can really tell an interesting story in an image.

—What will be the future of wedding photography?

—There is a push for more and more authenticity. Couples still want exciting and creative portraits but the couples we meet care most about the images of the day itself – Raw, authentic, genuine moments of personal connections with people they love. Digital photography has given us the ability to freely capture the images but digital images can be a bit cold and technical. Recreating the warm, analogue feeling of film is another trend that will continue to develop in the industry.

—What influences the value of a photo? What are its elements?

—The value of a wedding image is dramatically improved by the personal connection between the viewer and the subjects. If one looks at an image and feels something for the subjects and it also changes how they feel themselves there and then it's a powerful image and it's priceless.The elements of an image like that are emotion and personal connection. It needn't be technically perfect either, just perfect in the eyes of the beholder.

—What do you like most about your profession?

—Meeting people and telling the story of a milestone in their lives. Whether it's a wedding, a birth or a celebration, they're all exciting places to be and looking for the moments that will tell their story is the very best part of being a photographer.Going to places we'd never normally go and meeting new people all the time is a close second to what is definitely the best job in the world!

—What things are to be avoided when shooting?

—Brashness, and arrogance, for sure. Also imposing photography on those who don't wish to be photographed.Too much flash is a no from us too. We use it sparingly and try to avoid it at all costs during the ceremony. Flash can be a distraction and ruin a genuine moment. We find it works best for portraits and to add a bit of drama to the evening shots.

—How do you handle criticism?

—Externally – with composure and understanding
Internally – with crushing disappointment
Overal – constructively. We use criticism as a signpost to improve our images and service. Thankfully we've never received criticism from our clients, only from other photographers. In the end, it's good for developing as a better photographer.

—Do you believe that you replicate the soul of the person you are shooting?

—No, that's a bit pretentious for us. I think we capture the mood and emotion of a moment and of an event. We definitely capture the personalities of our clients in their portraits and even their hopes and aspirations but to capture their soul would require a lot more time and possibly voodoo magic spells (we don't know any)

—What person can be the symbol of the 21st century in your opinion?

—That's a hard question to answer. It can't be one person for us so we'd have to say a combination of Barack Obama, for the hope he offered the world; Malala Yousafzai, for her defiance in the face of oppression; and Jimmy Wales, for helping spread knowledge without barriers.

—What is special in wedding photography?

—The most special thing about wedding photography is the access that couples now give to photographers to create a story. There are few better ways to show the world that things are good, people are great and family and friends are awesome than a well-photographed wedding story.

—What are the most important components of a good photo in your opinion?

—Composition, light and a connection between the subject and the viewer. When one looks at an image there has to be something that brings them into the moment that was captured. It can be anything but without that spark, a photo is just accurate, not awesome.

—Can you give a few tips for wedding photographers who are just starting out?

—Believe in yourself but definitely listen to those who've done it before you. Take their advice and make your own direction with it.We can't stress enough how important your personal relationship with your couples will be. That is the foundation to great photos.

—Are there any trends in wedding photography?

—So many it's really impossible to list them all.We try not to follow a trend, per se, but we do look at what is trending and try to understand what fundamentally it is about that trend which is working and incorporate that into our future work.

—What is the one thing you wish you knew when you started taking photos?

—We wish we'd known all that junk that people tell you will make your photos better. We wish we'd known that simply getting to know people on a personal level and understanding the purpose of the image will always create the best photographs.

—How do you educate yourself to take better pictures?

—We continually get feedback from couples as well as submit images for critique to our peers. Every job we do gets a quality review to ensure that we're never resting on our laurels and that we are constantly looking to improve our images.

—Are you fond of travelling?

—We are both fond of travelling. We'd travel anywhere and everywhere if we could. Matt really likes the far east and India. Dan gets more excited about Europe. It's fair to say, anywhere with people is a great place to go to!

—How did you get into wedding photography?

—We both started photographing community cultural events, which is where we met. From there we got the bug for people photography and visual storytelling. From that point on photographing weddings was the perfect fit for us.

—Do you have any professional taboos?

—Never disrespect another photographer because of their style of images, never get drunk on the job and never publish images without the consent of the client. Other than that, have fun!

—What should be the criteria for a bride and a groom to choose their wedding photographer?

—In order of importance
1. Is the photographer a person you can connect with (do they understand you and your needs)?
2. Do their images suit your vision of your wedding?

—What is the biggest mistake you have ever made at work?

—Forgetting to charge a battery for an event. It was a seat of the pants job for that one but the client wasn't let down so that was a lesson learned.

—How do you define success? How do you measure it?

—Success for us is respect from our peers in the wedding industry and a clean slate of happy couples for all the weddings we've photographed.

—Is there anything that you wish you hadn't bought among the gadgets that you own? Why?

—We reckon half the stuff we bought when we started out was useless crap in the end. I think this is a rite of passage for photographers.

—Who do you have no respect for?

—Donald Trump and his ilk. We can't stand profiteers and people that live off the backs of others. Ignorant people make us sad too.

—What motivates you to continue taking pictures?

—The motivation comes from never knowing who you'll meet next, what you'll learn and where you'll be. It's addictive living like that.

—What do you like least about your profession?

—Sitting in our offices and looking at website stats and Facebook engagement. If it's not interacting with people then it's not fun.

—Whose work has influenced you most as a wedding photographer?

—Kevin Mullins, Ian Weldon, Gary Winogrand, Weege (Arthur Felig), Brassaï and Henri Cartier-Bresson.

—What do you worry about, and why?

—Finding new clients. Why? There's no good reason but one has to worry about something, right?

—When you're going to travel, what do you take with you and why?

—Passport, camera, credit card and a change of underwear – all for obvious reasons.

—Who would you like to shoot with?

—Kevin Mullins or Ian Weldon- They're masters of visual storytelling

—Are you photogenic?

—Matt is, for sure. Dan, almost certainly, but only from the left!

—If aliens come to the Earth and you are the first person they meet, what will you tell them?

—They're early, come back when it's a bit better around here.

—What do you want to say with your photographs?

—Look – Life is awesome – Enjoy it as much as you can!

—Do you develop friendships easily?

—Yes, that's why we're excellent photographers.

—Who do you want to take photos of?

—Everyday people having an extraordinary day.

—When are you completely satisfied with your work?

—Never. If we were then we'd have to give up.

—What do you do in your spare time?

—Write profiles for our online presences...

—Is there life after marriage?

—What sort of a question is that?

—The most annoying thing in life is:

—Traffic and the common cold.

—The best thing in life is:

—The company of friends.

—Would you rather be liked or respected?

—Definitely liked.

—Do you believe in the traditional roles for men and women?

—No.