Photographer Steve Grogan

—First and foremost – whom can you name as the best photographer in Manchester, United Kingdom? :)

—Oooooh crikey, that is a very good question. There are many that I admire from my home city, but I'll plump for Pete Farrell of Pixies in the Cellar. His eye for composition is just ridiculous!

—Are you photogenic?

—No. I absolutely hate having my photograph taken as I have a head like a thumb.

—How did you get in the photography industry?

—If you'd have told me 5-6 years ago that I'd be a wedding photographer I'd have laughed at you. I believed that all wedding photography was contrived nonsense and it didn't appeal to me at all. However, once I'd photographed a couple of weddings as a second shooter I realised that wedding photography could be whatever you wanted it to be. So I took the plunge!

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

—For me it's all about the moment and composition. I'm not overly technical and don't stress about a little over/under exposure. The moment is so important to me.

—Do you love traveling?

—Yes. I love it. Thankfully I've been able to travel rather a lot and being my own boss has enabled me to do more than ever.

—What do you like most about your profession?

—Perhaps a little cliched, but I like the idea of leaving behind images for future generations to enjoy. Plus I get to work alongside some amazing people. I've made friends for life since I started out.

—What do you like least about your profession?

—Of course, there is always going to be something. The only part I don't enjoy is doing the staged group photos, but that's only a tiny percentage of the wedding so I can live with that.

—What will be the future of photography?

—I honestly have no idea. Who knows what the future holds?

—What is special in the photography genre you specialise at?

—Wedding photographers have to deal with a myriad of changing lighting situations throughout the day. This is definitely one of the most challenging aspects, especially when there are restrictions placed on you by churches for example, where you are rarely allowed to add any flash.

—How do you handle criticism?

—I take it on the chin. If it's unsolicited then I'll always question it, but any constructive feedback I get is valued as it'll help me to improve.

—Are there any trends in photography?

—A lot of weddings in the UK do follow a similar pattern, so it's quite easy for your images to eventually become repetitive.

—What should be the criteria for a customer to choose a photographer?

—If I was looking for a wedding photographer then I'd obviously be looking for someone whose images connected with me in some way. Once you've established that you like the images then I would advise any future newlyweds to meet up with the photographer, go for a beer/coffee/cake, have a chat with them, see if you like them as they are going to be around for pretty much all of your day.

—What things are to be avoided when shooting?

—For me, not much. I'd photograph anything if it happened at a wedding. Obviously, if someone objected for any reason then I'd stop. But I'd also use my common sense and gut feeling.

—What details that usually pass unnoticed can a photographer notice?

—One thing I learned quite early on was to step away from the couple for most of the day. There is so much going on around them that you can miss if you are too focussed on photographing just the couple. My couples seem to appreciate that I can show them images from moments they had no idea happened on their wedding day.

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

—Any photo can hold value to anyone. I've probably taken thousands of "average" simple photos that could be so valuable to my couples and their families/friends. For example, someone who has recently passed away. Those photos then become priceless.

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

—Mark Zuckerberg, undoubtedly.

—Who do you want to shoot?

—Easy one. I'd love to spend some time photographing and chatting with Sir Alex Ferguson.

—What do you worry about, and why?

—Yes, the constant wars all over the world. Utterly awful.

—If you were a cartoon, book or movie character, who would you be and why?

—Bananaman.

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

—Happiness is the only measure of success. People who equate money to success are totally missing the point, in my opinion.

—Would you rather be liked or respected?

—A bit of both.

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

—I travel light.

—How do you educate yourself to take better pictures?

—Practice, practice and practice. Take photos, thousands of them. And if you don't like them or they don't look right, figure out why that is, and then work on it. That's pretty much how I managed to become an established full-time professional. I lived and breathed photography until I was confident I'd reached a certain level of competency to be able to charge money for my work. Oh, and practice more. Did I mention practice?

—Whose work has influenced you most as a photographer?

—There are a few whose work I admire and these were inspiring for me when I was first dipping my toes into the world of wedding photography. Andrew Billington, Alan Law, Steven Rooney, Adam Johnson, Two Mann Studios & Pete Farrell are all wedding photographers that I admire. There are more, but these are the ones off the top of my head.

—What motivates you to continue taking pictures?

—The genuine love for what I do. Being surrounded by happy people is infectious and good for my soul. I rarely do negativity.

—Should your parents have been more or less strict?

—Possible more strict, especially at meal times as I have a lot of mental blocks to certain types of food.

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

—I'd probably have traveled more in my late teens/early twenties.

—What about life on other planets?

—Based on the laws of probability, I'd say yes.

—What do you do in your spare time?

—With my family and friends plus lots of napping with my dogs, reading, traveling and being idle.

—What's the side of you that the public never sees?

—My insecurities tend to be kept under lock and key. But I worry myself to sleep most nights.

—Do you make friends easily?

—Yes, I like to think so.

—Where would you like to live?

—Reykjavik, Iceland.

—Do you have a favorite joke? Tell us.

—Why was the sand wet? Because the sea weed.

—Do you like dogs or cats?

—Dogs.

—Who or what do you hate?

—Hate is a strong word. Wow. That's a hard one. Perhaps Donald Trump or Theresa May could fall into that category.

—Tomorrow I will go and do...

—I'm going out with some fellow photographers for drinks in Manchester. Our weekends tend to be during the week given what we do for a living.