Wedding photographers in Norwich

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

—Well, me.. obviously ;-)
There are many fabulous photographers in Norwich who I deeply respect and would be in the running for "best".. Not going to name names. I firmly believe everyone has their own niche and as we're all different, with different styles & approaches, we all get along brilliantly and life is good!

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

—You've got to get on with your photographer (we spend a LOT of time together on the day) and trust them to do what they do.

—Are there any trends in wedding photography?

—Digital only – USBs are disappearing in favour of online galleries and am finding traditional group shots are less in demand this year than in previous. Much more of a trend towards fun, genuine documentary coverage.

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

—A massive, expensive, illuminated backdrop – had a vision of shooting studio images with clean white backgrounds... it's been in the garage for 3 years now.

—How do you educate yourself to take better pictures?

—Continually learning. Have to keep learning – blogs, social media, workshops; soaking up everything I can to further my craft.

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

—It has to tell a story – if the image doesn't speak to you or trigger an emotional reaction, it's not "good" :)

—How do you handle criticism?

—Willingly – firmly believe you should never stop learning and handling criticism / feedback is a vital part of that.

—What things are to be avoided when shooting?

—Disrupting the natural ebb & flow of events. Staging shots destroys realism.

—How did you get into wedding photography?

—Have always loved photography from an early age and adore the fact I get to be a part of so many awesomely unique special days AND do what I love doing :)

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

—Dropped a camera once... during morning preparations. Fortunately, it bounced.

—What is special in wedding photography?

—Unique unrepeatable moments – no opportunity to simply do stuff again. Has to be right, first time, every time.

—Do you have any professional taboos?

—Don't think so.... Probably have something somewhere but we'll see!

—When are you completely satisfied with your work?

—Never.. when that day arrives it's time to hang up the cameras.

—What do you like most about your profession?

—Being able to capture unique moments and making people happy!

—What do you worry about, and why?

—Missing something; gear failures, not getting to a wedding!

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

—Strong composition, interesting subject, emotive content.

—Would you rather be liked or respected?

—Both? Probably respected but would happily accept liked.

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

—Artificial lighting colour & quality!!

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

—Enough gear to cover most eventualities!

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

—Start shooting professionally earlier

—Are you photogenic?

—Nope! Much safer behind the camera!

—What will be the future of wedding photography?

—Sadly I've worn out my crystal ball

—What about life on other planets?

—It must be out there.... somewhere!

—What do you do in your spare time?

—Edit & catch up on life/family!

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

—You won't be perfect from day 1.

—Are you fond of travelling?

—Yes! I love seeing new places.

—What do you like least about your profession?

—Editing and admin

—Who do you want to take photos of?

—Happy people!

—Are there any trends in wedding photography?

—YES!!!! Where do I begin haha?!Action sets – filter processing to make everything 'filmic' (now we're finally over the vintage phase). Here's the mindset: "In the pursuit of individual artistry we'll all buy the same action sets and make everything uniquely the same"… the irony. Plus, I shot on film a lot – these PS & LR processes don't look like any of the stock they attempt to replicate.Workshops – see my earlier comments. Lots of great ones can be found but there are far more out there that are nothing but pedestals for the photographer to perch upon and preach faux heat'n'soul musings under the guise of a 'personal approach'. This is the greatest swindle going on in the industry today and the beauty is that these speakers can't be called out on what they find "works for them". What it's really hiding is the lack of ability to effectively teach solid technical skills and commercial methods to those who need them most – newer photographers who are seeking foundation.

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

—Obvious craft. By that I mean you can more or less instantly tell whether the photographer INTENDED for the image to created that way or whether they sprayed-and-prayed. The industry is rife with hero shots – dramatic locations, crazy off camera flash, odd compositions, too wide-too close uglyfying (?) portraits or just images that don't know whether they're a landscape or portrait etc etc. Throw in the inevitable trendy post-processing or filter (currently the uber dark/flat filmic look) and bang – an easy but ultimately cheap 'wow' shot. There are a thousand facsimiles of these types of images out there but they seem to be chased at the expense of substance, honesty, flattery and longevity. Give me a beautiful simple portrait of a bride embracing ageing grandparents than a blowing veil at sunset shot any day of the week – you know which will mean more to her in 20 years time…

—What do you like least about your profession?

—Poor quality awards being given by judges who are themselves wanting. The cliques and hero-worshipping that goes on as a result. There are a lot of average photographers who have had a little bit of luck with an award here or there who then aggressively market themselves at a level that they're actually not yet at. They use this to garner a following of photographers who see this mini-fame and want a piece of the action. That's why the business of workshops has exploded lately – everyone has a story to tell and "vision process" to sell. Very few new photographers seem to understand it's a long game and this won't help your own success or longevity in the industry.I like to stay back from all of that noise and quietly work away on my own thing.

—How do you handle criticism?

—On the chin, haha! Occasionally not well if I believe what I've done is right and the critique lacks justification BUT I always listen and take that opinion onboard. Whether I act on it is another matter entirely. Unlike a lot of creatives I DON'T believe art is entirely in the eye of the beholder. Craft, technical application and intent HAVE to be evident otherwise it's meaningless and amateurish. Our couples pay us as professionals and we should study and practice and refine what we shoot.

—Are you fond of travelling?

—Yes. As an avid leisure trailer and big road tripper in my holiday time to experience somewhere completely new two or three times a year whilst working is a huge thrill and lovely aspect of the job. With the logistics it's definitely harder work from start to finish compared to a local wedding but it's still not exactly fighting on the frontline or working in A&E on a Saturday night – you know, the real jobs haha?!

—What do you like most about your profession?

—The independence and the freedom to see how good you can be and earn an income from doing something you love. I get to raise my son and pay for all he needs through my love of photography. How lucky is that?! It also gives me the opportunity to diversify into other styles and through these I've met some amazing people and been to some amazing places.

—Is there life after marriage?

—Of course – it's the same and completely different. You just have to keep putting the work in, laugh together and give each other the space to be the person you fell in love with at the beginning. That's when things go bad – when one person tries to change the other….

—Would you rather be liked or respected?

—Respected – every time but way more for being a husband, father, son, brother or friend than a photographer. There are only a handful of people who I truly care that like me. I think if you just try to be kind, polite and fair the people who matter will like you.

—What will be the future of wedding photography?

—I think some couples will always value quality. Quality images, products and service – and be prepared to pay for it. They're my kind of client I'm very happy to say. Otherwise I can see a downshift in quality and what clients are happy to accept in the lower budget end of the spectrum. Today everyone's a photographer so imagery and the process of acquiring it is cheap and abundant, therefore often devalued. I think it will be couples expectations more than technology that dictate where we go next. Whether that's instant turnarounds, social media link-ups, live streaming coverage, increased personalisation etc etc...

—What's the stupidest thing you've ever agreed to do?

—Photograph AND film my first wedding at the same time. One stills camera and two camcorders. It nearly killed me.

—How did you get into wedding photography?

—I began back in 2006 shooting a friend-of-a-friend's wedding for virtually no pay to see if it was right for me. It was relaxed and they had no high expectations so it was the safest possible way to learn whether I could make this a career. I will always be grateful for that opportunity as here I am 10 years later still doing it and just like then, trying to be better with every shoot.

—Who or what do you hate?

—Hate is such a negative aggressive word but I greatly dislike deceit, dishonesty and untrustworthiness.

—What is special in wedding photography?

—Creating a collection of images that will be a brand new heirloom the couple can give their kids in the future. I'd love to think that in 50/60/70 year's time there are grandchildren of my original couples looking through and enjoying my photographs of their grandparents as they prepare and plan their own weddings.

—Are you photogenic?

—Errrm – I'll let my wife and son be the judge!

—Do you like dogs or cats?

—Dogs for the win, every time.

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

—What I know now, haha!!

—Tomorrow I will go and do...

—More photography!