A particular enquiry has left me thinking tonight a lot about how we see and photograph a wedding day.
When we photograph a wedding we capture the emotion from the day. The first time dad sees his daughter in her wedding dress for example many photographers concentrate on the bride’s descent of the stairs but not many notice the tears welling in Dad’s eyes. We do. We notice both – it’s one of the advantages of having two photographers. We see and photograph different things. We see the excitement in the bridesmaids as they see the bride in her dress too and mum – we notice the pride as she looks in awe at how beautiful her daughter looks today.
But the bride – what does the bride see as she looks in the mirror and checks her appearance for one last time? We capture that too. That last look, checking everything is just perfect and she looks the very best she could do for this most amazing of days ahead of her. The nerves perhaps beginning to kick in as the anticipation of seeing her groom begins to build. The reassurance she is seeking as she asks the question: “Do I look alright?”
To the skilled photographer and photo journalist all this is vitally important to capture – to thrill the couple and family when they see their photographs for the first time with the little moments, tears, joy, laughter we have captured on camera. So what if the bride is unable to see what she looks like? What her parents and bridesmaids look like, what her groom looks like – waiting for her at the end of the aisle? How do we “see” and capture on camera what the bride “sees”?
What if the groom can’t see what his approaching bride looks like, what the ceremony room looks like, the look of pride and love on his parents and families’ faces as they watch him make the greatest commitment of his life? How do we capture and portray on camera what the groom “sees”? How do we bring to life the emotion and feelings of the day which are always so present in the eyes?
I thought about the way I would see my family and friends if I was visually impaired. My feel, hearing, smell and touch would become my eyes. I would be so familiar with the features and beauty of that person I was about to marry that I would need no first glance to reassure me. If I were the groom, I would know her perfume wafting as she approached, the swish of her dress, those familiar steps and instinctively know that she was near. I would be able to sense that feeling of anticipation and excitement as the moment approached that we stood side by side taking our vows. If I were the bride, my fingers would intertwine with his as we stood together and we would perhaps squeeze each others hands – something only the two of us would know – to tell each other that we loved them. I would almost certainly feel my husbands face and features, wondering if perhaps those unseeing eyes were shedding a tear. Mine would be a very special marriage full of private moments between two people.
So how as photographers do we translate this into the photographs? We have an inherent need to “wow” all our clients with their wedding photography. It drives us on at each wedding to try to surpass all their expectations and more. But how do we “wow” someone who can’t see the photos? The answer to this has got to be by the reaction of their family and friends when they see the photographs for the first time.
So if we can capture a touch, a glance in what is known to be the right direction, perhaps a tear, the laughter but most of all the connection between these two people who are so clearly so much in love and if at some stage during the day we have the opportunity to describe to the bride and groom how each other looks to us, in the colours and particular way we see the world then maybe, just maybe we will be able to make a huge difference to that wedding day and help to make it as special to the two people getting married as they are to each other.
If we can translate into our photography that special connection that is present not only between the bride and groom but also their respective families and friends, then and only then will we have done our job well and our photography will prove to be not expensive but priceless.
Monday
Our First Book Is Published and Ready To Order!
We've finally finished the Candlelighters book and it can be viewed and ordered from the blurb website using the link below. We didn't get enough response through to enable us to have the book printed and published in Asia in bulk as we had originally hoped but didn't think it was appropriate to keep those who have particiapted waiting any longer whilst we tried to get more families through. So the cover price of the book is more than we had originally anticipated. To compensate for this however we have included a lot more than one photograph of each child or family and we hope that you will agree that this is a lovely book to own and perhaps give to a loved one for Christmas - we know we've ordered a few copies for our own family Christmas presents.
We hope you like it! We're really pleased with it. Thanks to all those who participated and who helped along the way.
Here's the link:
We hope you like it! We're really pleased with it. Thanks to all those who participated and who helped along the way.
Here's the link:
Friday
Yorkshire Wedding Photographers Musings - After The Wedding - Then What?
We're a little bit (well a lot actually!) behind with the blogging at the moment. There are a couple of reasons for this. Firstly we are right in the middle of what we call our "silly season". Not only are we busy photographing weddings but also in the throes of album designs and orders and we are absolutely inundated with wedding photography enquiries - some for this year but mostly for next year.
I can honestly say we've never had so many enquiries at this time of year. I think some couples have sadly been disappointed with their wedding photography in the last couple of years and their friends, eager not to find themselves in the same situation are seeking out good and skillful photographers.
So I've been thinking about how we photograph weddings and including some more information about this in our literature for next year.
To us a wedding is all about the love between two people (call me mushy if you like but it's true). By this I don't just mean the bride and groom. It could be the bride and her father - weddings can be incredibly emotional for dads as they in effect pass over the care of their daughter to another man or it could be the pride and love between mum and dad as their children start a new path in their life, or could simply be the excitement bubbling over in little flower girls and page boys as they rush to pick up the confetti your guests have just thrown. Whoever it is we aim to capture and document that special moment, that special look or that special touch to enable you to relive the moment forever.
Photographing a wedding is a huge responsibility - and not one to be taken lightly either. It's not as if you can repeat the day afterwards is it? We only get one shot (or two in our case if you count Andy and myself!) at getting it right and being in the right place at the right time.
We've heard this year of more couples than ever before relying on photographs from their guests or asking a "talented" friend or relative to photograph their wedding. To be fair some of the pictures we've seen are not bad at all and to the bride and groom they must be extra special because of who it was who took them. But we have also, sadly, had more than ever before couples approach us with photographs which are unusable in their native state. We have been asked "Can you fix these pictures?" or "Can you make an album like the ones you offer with these pictures please? We don't know what to do with them." The short answer is "no" - we can't. In addition to this is it fair to ask a relative to have the responsibility of photographing your wedding? It's a massive amount of pressure and the chances are it will impede them from enjoying the day fully with you. What if something goes wrong and the pictures don't come out? How bad will your relative feel?
You may think this is an unlikely scenario but it happens to the best of us. I will never forget, years ago my sister was in a charity raft race down the River Ouse. It was a fancy dress race and she was dressed up as a red indian Squaw girl, little skimpy suede outfit, face painted, feathers in her hair - the lot. My husband at the time ran all the way along the river bank, at times hanging out of trees taking her photograph as she paddled her Indian Canoe along the river. We had some amazing pictures - or so we thought. When we came to rewind the film (this was an SLR before the event of digital SLR's) it didn't sound right. I had not put the film in correctly. To this day she has never quite forgiven me (or my ex husband come to that since he went to such effort to get his shots) for getting it wrong. Imagine if that had been her wedding day and I was her only photographer!
Strange things are happening in the wedding photography business at the moment. I believe that this year will see many would be photographers fall at the first hurdle. Already I have heard, via a photographer friend of mine that she has been approached by two different couples in her area (Lancashire) asking for help. Not only has the photographer (two different ones) stopped replying to any emails/phone calls or other communication but they have also seemingly disappeared - taking with them all of the unhappy couples money. This is before the wedding has taken place. In both instances the photographers they booked were not members of Professional Photography bodies (namely the MPA (Master Photographers Association) or the BIPP (British Institute of Professional Photographers)) - via whom there would have been some recourse. Sadly for these couples it is unlikely that they will ever see their money again.
Then we have the email which dropped into our inbox last week from a very well-known, successful and respected photographer in our area. It seems they have overbooked (deliberately as it's more money for them) many of the weekends this summer. The email had been sent to several other photographers besides ourselves. They wanted to know if we would like to photograph some of their weddings for them. Some were for one main photographer to work on their own, others for a couple such as Andy and myself and then they were looking for competent second shooters.
The couples who have booked will have seen a portfolio of work and booked on the strength of that portfolio thinking they have booked a very good photographer. The photographer who turns up to shoot their wedding on the day however will not be the author of the work they have seen and think they have booked. It's wrong - very wrong. It is one thing to book a wedding for a couple whilst explaining to them that their photographer will be allocated to them nearer the time but quite another to show them a portfolio of work which they believe will be the one photographing their wedding if this may not always be the case. It should be made clear from the outset.
So a few words of wisdom when booking a photographer for your wedding:
* Always ask to see complete weddings and albums and check that the work you are viewing is from the photographer who will be shooting your wedding.
* Where possible book a photographer who is a qualified member of the MPA or BIPP.
* Check the photographer carries both Professional Indemnity Insurance and Public Liability Insurance.
* Check the photographer has adequate back up gear should any of his cameras either fail or get broken (many don't).
* Take out independent wedding insurance and make sure it covers you for the possible failure of a supplier.
* Choose someone who's work you love and with whom you "click".
If you have found a wedding photographer whose work you absolutely love then get them booked now before someone else secures your date. Judging by the way our diary is filling up many couples stand to be disappointed next year. From all your expense on your wedding day, the cake, flowers, cars and venue they only last that one day. The photography will be your only true lasting investment from your wedding and perhaps this is why you will find it being one of the most expensive.
A photographer friend told me the other day that he had attended a wedding where the flowers alone had cost £4000. He had been paid £2500 to stay until the beginning of the wedding breakfast and to include the speeches. To have him there for the evening to include the first dance would have cost the couple an additional £450. They chose not to book him for this and said on the day that one of their relatives was going to photograph that part of the day for them. Their album will not tell the story of the full day and the photographs from the relatives, no matter how good they are will not even come close to matching those my friend (who is recognised as being one of the top photo journalistic photographers in the UK) would have taken. He was, by coincidence, at the same venue the following day. The £4000 flowers were in the bin behind the hotel kitchens as he drove up. The couple had forgotten them, the venue staff were not allowed to take them home and the couple who's wedding it was that day did not wish to see any flowers from another wedding. Nevermind - he made sure he had taken a picture of them for the couple to remember them by.
I can honestly say we've never had so many enquiries at this time of year. I think some couples have sadly been disappointed with their wedding photography in the last couple of years and their friends, eager not to find themselves in the same situation are seeking out good and skillful photographers.
So I've been thinking about how we photograph weddings and including some more information about this in our literature for next year.
To us a wedding is all about the love between two people (call me mushy if you like but it's true). By this I don't just mean the bride and groom. It could be the bride and her father - weddings can be incredibly emotional for dads as they in effect pass over the care of their daughter to another man or it could be the pride and love between mum and dad as their children start a new path in their life, or could simply be the excitement bubbling over in little flower girls and page boys as they rush to pick up the confetti your guests have just thrown. Whoever it is we aim to capture and document that special moment, that special look or that special touch to enable you to relive the moment forever.
Photographing a wedding is a huge responsibility - and not one to be taken lightly either. It's not as if you can repeat the day afterwards is it? We only get one shot (or two in our case if you count Andy and myself!) at getting it right and being in the right place at the right time.
We've heard this year of more couples than ever before relying on photographs from their guests or asking a "talented" friend or relative to photograph their wedding. To be fair some of the pictures we've seen are not bad at all and to the bride and groom they must be extra special because of who it was who took them. But we have also, sadly, had more than ever before couples approach us with photographs which are unusable in their native state. We have been asked "Can you fix these pictures?" or "Can you make an album like the ones you offer with these pictures please? We don't know what to do with them." The short answer is "no" - we can't. In addition to this is it fair to ask a relative to have the responsibility of photographing your wedding? It's a massive amount of pressure and the chances are it will impede them from enjoying the day fully with you. What if something goes wrong and the pictures don't come out? How bad will your relative feel?
You may think this is an unlikely scenario but it happens to the best of us. I will never forget, years ago my sister was in a charity raft race down the River Ouse. It was a fancy dress race and she was dressed up as a red indian Squaw girl, little skimpy suede outfit, face painted, feathers in her hair - the lot. My husband at the time ran all the way along the river bank, at times hanging out of trees taking her photograph as she paddled her Indian Canoe along the river. We had some amazing pictures - or so we thought. When we came to rewind the film (this was an SLR before the event of digital SLR's) it didn't sound right. I had not put the film in correctly. To this day she has never quite forgiven me (or my ex husband come to that since he went to such effort to get his shots) for getting it wrong. Imagine if that had been her wedding day and I was her only photographer!
Strange things are happening in the wedding photography business at the moment. I believe that this year will see many would be photographers fall at the first hurdle. Already I have heard, via a photographer friend of mine that she has been approached by two different couples in her area (Lancashire) asking for help. Not only has the photographer (two different ones) stopped replying to any emails/phone calls or other communication but they have also seemingly disappeared - taking with them all of the unhappy couples money. This is before the wedding has taken place. In both instances the photographers they booked were not members of Professional Photography bodies (namely the MPA (Master Photographers Association) or the BIPP (British Institute of Professional Photographers)) - via whom there would have been some recourse. Sadly for these couples it is unlikely that they will ever see their money again.
Then we have the email which dropped into our inbox last week from a very well-known, successful and respected photographer in our area. It seems they have overbooked (deliberately as it's more money for them) many of the weekends this summer. The email had been sent to several other photographers besides ourselves. They wanted to know if we would like to photograph some of their weddings for them. Some were for one main photographer to work on their own, others for a couple such as Andy and myself and then they were looking for competent second shooters.
The couples who have booked will have seen a portfolio of work and booked on the strength of that portfolio thinking they have booked a very good photographer. The photographer who turns up to shoot their wedding on the day however will not be the author of the work they have seen and think they have booked. It's wrong - very wrong. It is one thing to book a wedding for a couple whilst explaining to them that their photographer will be allocated to them nearer the time but quite another to show them a portfolio of work which they believe will be the one photographing their wedding if this may not always be the case. It should be made clear from the outset.
So a few words of wisdom when booking a photographer for your wedding:
* Always ask to see complete weddings and albums and check that the work you are viewing is from the photographer who will be shooting your wedding.
* Where possible book a photographer who is a qualified member of the MPA or BIPP.
* Check the photographer carries both Professional Indemnity Insurance and Public Liability Insurance.
* Check the photographer has adequate back up gear should any of his cameras either fail or get broken (many don't).
* Take out independent wedding insurance and make sure it covers you for the possible failure of a supplier.
* Choose someone who's work you love and with whom you "click".
If you have found a wedding photographer whose work you absolutely love then get them booked now before someone else secures your date. Judging by the way our diary is filling up many couples stand to be disappointed next year. From all your expense on your wedding day, the cake, flowers, cars and venue they only last that one day. The photography will be your only true lasting investment from your wedding and perhaps this is why you will find it being one of the most expensive.
A photographer friend told me the other day that he had attended a wedding where the flowers alone had cost £4000. He had been paid £2500 to stay until the beginning of the wedding breakfast and to include the speeches. To have him there for the evening to include the first dance would have cost the couple an additional £450. They chose not to book him for this and said on the day that one of their relatives was going to photograph that part of the day for them. Their album will not tell the story of the full day and the photographs from the relatives, no matter how good they are will not even come close to matching those my friend (who is recognised as being one of the top photo journalistic photographers in the UK) would have taken. He was, by coincidence, at the same venue the following day. The £4000 flowers were in the bin behind the hotel kitchens as he drove up. The couple had forgotten them, the venue staff were not allowed to take them home and the couple who's wedding it was that day did not wish to see any flowers from another wedding. Nevermind - he made sure he had taken a picture of them for the couple to remember them by.
Saturday
Get Me To The Church On Time - Wedding Day Timings
Wedding day timings.....what a subject this is! Do weddings ever run to time? Well yes, they do but only because of the intervention of one or two people along the way.
Even the best organised bride will lose track of time along the way whilst she's getting ready. So the key to a successful schedule for the day is to know exactly (or as near as humanly possible) how long each part of your day is likely to take.
It's never too early to start preparing things now - so if you are having a hairdresser visit you on the morning then have a trial of your wedding day hair and see how long it takes to achieve the look you want. The same applies for make-up. If however you are going to a salon then you need to have a trial but also a practise run on the same day of the week (& if possible time) as you are getting married. Traffic from your house to the salon will be quite different on a Saturday morning to a Tuesday afternoon for example. Also check that there is nothing happening locally (such as an "important" football match) which may affect traffic conditions not only for you getting places but also for people such a make-up artists, florists, hairdressers, photographers, cars getting to you. If you know of anything happening make sure you alter your suppliers because they may be unaware.
So....we've tackled the things you can do to minimise the chances of you being late due to outside influences but what about the basics of just now long thing are likely to take on the day? You've probably never organised a wedding before so from this point of view probably have no idea whatsoever what to expect. For example - would you have any idea how long it is going to take to get your 100 guests out of the church after the ceremony? (15 to 20 minutes is the answer to this one - could be longer if you have lots of elderly guest of young children).
So here goes with a (very rough!) idea to wedding day timings:
Even the best organised bride will lose track of time along the way whilst she's getting ready. So the key to a successful schedule for the day is to know exactly (or as near as humanly possible) how long each part of your day is likely to take.
It's never too early to start preparing things now - so if you are having a hairdresser visit you on the morning then have a trial of your wedding day hair and see how long it takes to achieve the look you want. The same applies for make-up. If however you are going to a salon then you need to have a trial but also a practise run on the same day of the week (& if possible time) as you are getting married. Traffic from your house to the salon will be quite different on a Saturday morning to a Tuesday afternoon for example. Also check that there is nothing happening locally (such as an "important" football match) which may affect traffic conditions not only for you getting places but also for people such a make-up artists, florists, hairdressers, photographers, cars getting to you. If you know of anything happening make sure you alter your suppliers because they may be unaware.
So....we've tackled the things you can do to minimise the chances of you being late due to outside influences but what about the basics of just now long thing are likely to take on the day? You've probably never organised a wedding before so from this point of view probably have no idea whatsoever what to expect. For example - would you have any idea how long it is going to take to get your 100 guests out of the church after the ceremony? (15 to 20 minutes is the answer to this one - could be longer if you have lots of elderly guest of young children).
So here goes with a (very rough!) idea to wedding day timings:
- Bride putting on the dress, assisted by bridesmaids & mum: 15 - 30 minutes (this assumes all makeup etc. has been done first).
- Bride putting on veil & shoes: 5 mins minimum.
- Photographs with bride & dad at house or on way to civil ceremony: 5 - 10 mins minimum.
- Bride exiting car and entering church: 5 mins minimum, add 5 minutes if taking posed photos exiting car and with dad and bridesmaids outside the church.
- Church service: 45 minutes minimum - often longer for Catholic services or where there are a lot of readings.
- Civil ceremony service: 15 - 20 mins depending on how many readings. Remember that the registrar will want to see you both individually before the ceremony and this will take around 5 - 10 minutes each).
- Posed photographs outside the church - add 5 - 10 minutes on if you are having the bells rung as none of the guests or yourselves will be able to either hear the photographer or yourselves speaking. For one group of everyone 10 minutes to get everyone organised. Add around 5 minutes per additional group unless you have a very fast & efficient photographer (such as ourselves!) who with organisation can do this quicker.
- From arriving at the venue to include the drinks reception you should allow a minimum of 1.5 to 2 hrs prior to the time you wish to sit down for your wedding breakfast.
- Receiving line: this really depends on who you are having in your receiving line (as in just you two or you two + parents from each side) and how many guests but receiving lines can go on for an awful long time. If you allow 5 - 7 seconds for each guest to speak to each person in the receiving line you won't be far out. This doesn't sound very long but in reality receiving lines do add-on around a minimum of 1/2 hour to the sitting down time on the day. Some people will pause to talk longer than you expect whilst others will simply pass through. Receiving lines can be very boring all round. Most receiving lines are done for the benefit of the couples parents rather than the couple themselves.
- Wedding breakfast: Of course this depends on the speed of the venue but an average 3 course + coffee wedding breakfast will take around 1.5 hrs, for 4 courses add 1/2 hour and 1/2 for each additional course.
- Speeches - how long is a piece of string? Of course some people talk for England and some hardly at all. Average speech time from our observations to include Father of the Bride, Groom and Best Man around 20 minutes to 1/2 hour with the giving of gifts often taking up the most time during the speeches.
- Turnaround time between wedding breakfast and evening reception (if using the same room). The venue will advise you specifically on this but most venues take around 1 - 1.5 hrs to do this. You need to allow extra time if a band is setting up in the room for the evening entertainment.
- First dance - it should be noted that first dances very rarely happen at the time they are expected. So if you are booking your photographer on a set number of hours and you want the times to include your first dance you need to allow yourselves plenty of leeway on this one. We are very often informed that the first dance will happen at around 8.30 whereas in reality it is normally around 9.00 - 9.30. Lots of things can affect the time of the first dance, all of them will be beyond your control on the day to a large degree. For example: the venue may take longer to turn the room around (this may not be their fault - sometimes guests lingering in the room after the wedding breakfast can hold things up), often the band may take longer to set up than you or they expect, guests may disappear to freshen up and not return at the alloted time.
We hope this has been a useful little guide to your wedding day timings. Wedding days can run to time but it does require meticulous planning and a little bit of luck! Some key people on the day (such as the photographers) can keep an eye on the times and gently keep you to time with being quick and efficient with the posing of formal groups for example and not taking an endless amount of time outside the church. They are also likely to be the ones who are most aware of the time when you are getting ready - very few brides have a watch on or are clock watching. Bridesmaids can often be so chilled out and fussing around the bride that they lose track of time and don't get their own dresses on in time!
The one thing that is for certain and which happens on virtually every wedding day is that after the day has passed the couple will say to us "We don't know where the time went. All that planning and the day was over in a flash." So our advice would be to try to savour every single minute as best you can and make sure that your photographer is the best you can afford and so they can fill in the gaps later with fantastic photos of moments in time you didn't know or don't recall happening. With the right photographers time really can stand still.
Wednesday
Shadow Play At Allerton Castle!
Allerton Castle - what a stunning venue for a wedding! It's literally on our doorstep too only 5 minutes down the road from our studio. With its magnificent Great Hall, stained glass windows, beautiful ballroom, elegant drawing-room, fabulous staircase, gothic looking interior and exterior it always makes for great pictures whether you are outside in the summer in the beautiful memorial gardens or inside in winter with the blazing log fire.
It's also one of the few venues around North Yorkshire where you are guaranteed "exclusive use" without having to pay a massive supplement.
For Paul and Julie's recent wedding celebrations at Allerton Castle we were mostly indoors. Even though it has two magnificent chandeliers at the base of the staircase the interior of the castle is often quite dark - especially if it happens to be the middle of winter! That gives us plenty of opportunities to get our creative lighting gear out and to introduce some light to even the darkest of nooks and crannies which in turn makes for great photos.
Our latest "thing" (because we're always moving on with ideas and new "things" to try) is to play with the shadows that the lights we introduce can create. One of Paul and Julie's favourite pictures from the day does just that. Whilst we're talking about being creative - the "lads" at Allerton Castle nearly always want pictures taken of them playing billiards at some stage during the day. Paul was no exception. In Pauls' case we shot some pictures of him and "the lads" before the ceremony as Julie was with the girls getting ready. We took the time to do something a little different with both the billiards and the rings.
The band at the wedding were excellent. The lead singer was very confident in himself and thought that he was noticed by the ladies I think (if you know what I'm saying girls!). I thought the Saxophonist was pretty amazing too though and so decided to take a shot which I felt represented them both - so I waited for my moment and framed the lead singer in the shape of the neck of the Saxophone. I like the picture for something a bit different - see what you think!
There's a lot of photographers listed on the Allerton Castle website, we suspect it's hard for couples to choose between them - especially since most of them offer the same albums and prices. Hopefully our images set the standard for what you can expect to see from a wedding at such a beautiful venue.
It's also one of the few venues around North Yorkshire where you are guaranteed "exclusive use" without having to pay a massive supplement.
For Paul and Julie's recent wedding celebrations at Allerton Castle we were mostly indoors. Even though it has two magnificent chandeliers at the base of the staircase the interior of the castle is often quite dark - especially if it happens to be the middle of winter! That gives us plenty of opportunities to get our creative lighting gear out and to introduce some light to even the darkest of nooks and crannies which in turn makes for great photos.
Our latest "thing" (because we're always moving on with ideas and new "things" to try) is to play with the shadows that the lights we introduce can create. One of Paul and Julie's favourite pictures from the day does just that. Whilst we're talking about being creative - the "lads" at Allerton Castle nearly always want pictures taken of them playing billiards at some stage during the day. Paul was no exception. In Pauls' case we shot some pictures of him and "the lads" before the ceremony as Julie was with the girls getting ready. We took the time to do something a little different with both the billiards and the rings.
The band at the wedding were excellent. The lead singer was very confident in himself and thought that he was noticed by the ladies I think (if you know what I'm saying girls!). I thought the Saxophonist was pretty amazing too though and so decided to take a shot which I felt represented them both - so I waited for my moment and framed the lead singer in the shape of the neck of the Saxophone. I like the picture for something a bit different - see what you think!
There's a lot of photographers listed on the Allerton Castle website, we suspect it's hard for couples to choose between them - especially since most of them offer the same albums and prices. Hopefully our images set the standard for what you can expect to see from a wedding at such a beautiful venue.
Sunday
Personal News - Lizzie-Anne's First Studio Shoot!
Lizzie-Anne's first studio photo shoot. We don't very often get to show pictures like this because the parents often ask us to keep them private, so it makes a nice change to show how creatively we photograph newborns. Hope you like them!
For those who would like to know a session like this normally takes around 2 - 3 hours and requires some patience. Expect to feed your baby whilst you are with us (we have a separate room for privacy). Expect dad's to take their shirt off at some stage - there is nothing more emotive than flesh against flesh in these pictures - as I'm sure you will agree.
A session like this costs £95 for the studio time and editing (no picutres included) a bump session can be added for £50 and after the two there is an option to purchase a special "Bump to Baby and Beyond" acrylic which has 4 x 4" pictures on it for only £100.
We discourage older siblings from attending the newborn session because it takes some time for the photos to be taken as we are working to the baby's schedule and not ours. We find that under 5's often get over excited and bored during this time which in turn has a knock on effect to the session and parents can find this stressful. We are more than happy to arrange a further photo shoot to include siblings (cost £50 for the session) and would suggest that this take place from 3 months onwards. Pictures from the sibling session can be included in the acrylic Bump to Baby frame if you wish.
The full session pictures can be seen here: Lizzie-Anne 4 days old.
Thursday
A Little News On The Personal Front!
Well the last few weeks have certainly had their ups and downs for us but yesterday saw us at an all time high.
The reason was the safe arrival of our first grand child (yes, I know - we're far too young to be grandparents!)Lizzie-Anne. She made her entrance into the world at 09.42am at Harrogate District Hospital weighing in at 8lbs 14 1/2 - no mean feat for our daughter Natalie who is petite.
Here are some of the first photos of our precious little bundle:
The reason was the safe arrival of our first grand child (yes, I know - we're far too young to be grandparents!)Lizzie-Anne. She made her entrance into the world at 09.42am at Harrogate District Hospital weighing in at 8lbs 14 1/2 - no mean feat for our daughter Natalie who is petite.
Here are some of the first photos of our precious little bundle:
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