Capturing emotions

I wanted to write a blog post about this, because I think it is the most important thing in your wedding photographs.  When I manage to catch those really emotional moments, it brings the images to life and records the bits that really matter on your wedding day.  And this is how the story of your day gets told effectively.  Whether it's the nervous and thoughtful moments of the bride and groom as they prepare for the wedding, or the way the groom feels as he first sees his bride; the parents bursting with pride during the ceremony, or the joy and laughter of all the people that you chose to share the event with you - these are all such important parts of the day.  When I watch what is happening around me at a wedding, this is what I'm really looking out for.  I love seeing the way that the bride and groom look at each other, and capturing those incredible glances between them.  I love the feel of the anticipation before the ceremony, and the release and celebration afterwards.  I think it's amazing to watch your friends and relatives, and see the experience that they are having.  Of course there is more to wedding photography than just that - the beautiful venue, the details of your day, the stunning dress, etc.  And of course these bits will also make up really important parts of the story in your photographs.  But the element that really makes the images spring to life, and the thing that will transport you back to your wedding, year after year in the future, is looking at those emotions again, and remembering how it all felt at the time.

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Susie & Scott get married in Petritoli, Italy

Adele & Jamie get married in Dartmouth, Devon

Robyn & Peter's wedding at Muddifords Court Country House, Devon

My 2011 faves: some of my very favourites from last year


Thanks for reading!  I'd love to hear your views on this... please do leave a comment below and tell me what you think.  Thanks :)

Rachel & Callum: pre-wedding session

It was really lovely to spend some time earlier this year with Rachel and Callum.  It's a little while until their wedding, but we decided to venture out into the chilly January weather and do their engagement photo session at a gorgeous spot that they know on Dartmoor. I'm always delighted when couples suggest somewhere special that we can visit for these sorts of photo sessions - I think that the familiar location can help people relax, which then helps me get to know you better.  And it's also so much nicer to have your photos to be taken somewhere that has special meaning, as the images will be worth so much more to you.  Rachel and Callum have spent many happy times at Spitchwick, Dartmoor, so it was great to be able to visit there with them.  The muted greens and browns were beautiful for their photos, and we had good fun playing around with some different poses and exploring the undergrowth!  I'm really looking forward to their July wedding, particularly as I'm hoping the weather will have warmed up a touch by then :)

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My 2011 favourites: a selection of photos from last year

Katy & Pablo: engaged

Any questions? Some answers to things that you might be wondering about!

Robyn & Peter's wedding at Muddifords Court Country House, Cullompton

It started off as a wonderful snowy morning, with a light covering of flakes on all the trees. The snow turned into very cold rain, but it didn't dampen the spirits of anyone at this wonderful February wedding.  Robyn and Peter are the first couple to get married at this brand new wedding venue, and what an amazing choice they made!  Muddifords Court Country House is a real gem, with the most fantastic buildings and grounds and the loveliest owners, Nicky and Pip.  Even though the weather was too miserable for us to get outside and explore the grounds, the indoor spaces more than made up for it.  The Cider Barn, where the ceremony took place, is the most incredible and intimate setting, with all the candles set out around the original cider press.  And the Shippen is the perfect space for celebrating afterwards, with its amazing beams and stunning details.  Robyn's flowers by La Luna Floral Design were just incredible.  Nicky and Pip at Muddifords have put a huge amount of effort into creating this venue, and I very much look forward to photographing other weddings there in the future!  But first here is a look at some of the highlights from this one:

You might also be interested in:

My 2011 favourites: a selection of wedding photos from last year

Adele & Jamie's winter wedding in Dartmouth, Devon

Susie & Scott's destination wedding in Petritoli, Italy

Wow factor winter wedding flowers

I wanted to quickly share these amazing flowers with you - just stunning, from La Luna Floral Design, absolutely perfect for brightening up the cold February wedding!  Hopefully also nice for adding a bit of colour to your Tuesday.  I have no idea what in the world those pointy red ones are, but they impressed me!!  I think they look amazing...