A Wedding Photographer is NEVER really on holiday!
Like everyone else I need my downtime and love travelling and seeing new parts of the world. But over the years I’ve found that I’m never truly on holiday, switched off from the world and worrying just about me.
And actually, the people involved in this story are the one’s that have told me you as clients should know this. They reckon it tells you who I really am!
That’s just who I am, and whenever I can do something for other people I truly will without hesitation. It’s this attitude that gets me in a lot of positive trouble, but also brings me possibly some of the best memories I could ask for.
As a wedding photographer I couldn’t be shy or quiet if I tried. I’ll be wandering along a mountain pass, walking into a glacier or even hiking along sea cliffs taking pictures of the wonderful world we live in. But if I see people or groups taking groups shots, I’ll always see if I can help them out so everyone is in the photo and so on.
Which leads me to one of my favourite stories of all time. I’m on holiday in Iceland, waiting in a hut to go on a bus tour of a nearby Glacier. There are three buses parked outside ready to go and my ticket is for bus 2. Last minute I get switched to bus 3: I don’t know if I’ve done something wrong or right, but it’s the start of a chain of events that can only be described as fate. On the ride out to the glacier I get talking with Katie and Morgan: a couple from Florida who like me are super excited at seeing what nature has to offer. We get nattering about what we do, why we’re there and also the geek sides of Morgan and I gets talking about camera gear. Morgan explains this is a once in a lifetime adventure for them both, and this holiday is shaping up to be amazing.
We pretty much become friends on the spot and as we jump off the bus and start hiking up to the glacier, I spot Morgan double-tapping his pocket to make sure he’s got something important. My sixth sense tells me something is about to go down. We get to the entrance to the cave and start taking a good look, Morgan taking pics of me, and me of Morgan and Katie in this amazing place.
I’m thinking I’m wrong, nothing is actually in his pocket other than his phone or wallet. Then, just as we’re about to leave Morgan runs down the glacier to me, hands me his camera and tells me to keep an eye on him and Katie. He charges back up the stairs cut from ice, finds Katie at the glacier ice cave entrance and drops to one knee. Totally amazing, in one of the most picturesque places I’ve ever been.
I take a few snaps for Morgan on his camera, but he’s a Canon man. I’ve not been Canon for 4 years so it’s all feeling a little weird. As they come back down towards the stairs towards me the smiles on their faces are just a picture. So, like I do, and being me, I ask them if they’d like me to snap away some frames myself on my gear that I’m used to, and luckily they said yes.
The next five minutes was so much fun, and a memory that will live with me forever. Ok, I was meant to be on holiday, but when something as amazing as that happens you live in the moment.
The same was true in the Azores when I saw a couple trying to take selfies on the whale spotting boat, or in Madeira walking the mountains when a French couple and their 4 month year old little one are trying to take pics of themselves. Another story I love was when I was in Greece on the ferry to Crete I got talking to a lady and her Mum – they’re there for a last weekend away of the year. Like usual nattering leads to photos, leads to a few laughs and some memories for them along the way. I’m blessed that they invite me to join them for drinks and dinner given I’m travelling solo and I wouldn’t change it for the world.
This is also what started my attitude of “go anywhere, do something fun” for your engagement photos. I’ve been lucky enough to head to Edinburgh, London, the Norfolk Coast, St Ives, Riga, Sofia and so on. This year, assuming the pandemic calms itself down I’m off to Italy, to Dublin and to Porto.
What does this mean to you as a potential bride or groom? Well simply put, if you want someone that’ll do anything for anyone, always put others first and be so focused on other people’s happiness that even a holiday is open game, I’m your man. And if you want to go somewhere special for your engagement photos, maybe a favourite holiday spot, the place your got engaged, or that place that holds important memories, you only have to ask!
It's ALL about the stories
Life is all above the events, the fun times and the memories. That’s what I live for bar nothing else. So if I can do ANYTHING to help document them or make them that little more amazing I will.
And so for you, do you want a photographer that will go the extra mile? I truly hope so!