Faq's
Here are some of the questions I would ask a photographer, and hopefully some answers to your queries
Why is Photography Expensive?
On the face of it photography seems to be very expensive especially when you compare some of the wildly differing prices out there. If you ask any photographer that takes their business seriously they will not run it with minimal equipment. There are two main arms to my business, wedding and portraits and I have to have the equipment to ensure that I can run both efficiently, effectively and with the artistry that I love. Alas this does not come cheap; one question to ask any potential wedding photographer who only possesses one camera “what would you do if your camera broke on my wedding day?” I take extensive back-up equipment with me to every wedding and I have also purchased cameras that are exceptional in low light and my equipment will change with the changing seasons too. For my portrait work I have been steadily building lighting, back drops and props again in order to offer you variety this certainly does not come cheap. It’s not just about the photography equipment either, my office has to be up to the job and this again requires a significant investment to be able to run my business properly. Photography is not about the equipment alone, I have spent a long time training and gaining qualifications and again this requires a significant financial investment. The result is I have learned my trade and can cope, especially with weddings whatever the weather can throw at me. On top of that I have insurance for both my business, to protect my clients, assistants and on top of that the insurance for all that equipment I have just mentioned. I need to be able to fund the samples that are used in my business along with the day to day costs so it all adds up before I have even thought about trying to earn a salary. Unfortunately there are many photographers out there who are incredibly inexpensive and I am afraid to say that they will be in for a horrible shock when they come to balance their books and find that they may have made a loss. Worse than that if they are operating their business on minimal equipment and training then it is you the client that could lose out in the long run. The old saying, you get what you pay for still remains true.
What is the Ethos of Your Business?
Well you have probably gathered from reading the rest of my website that I am not a ‘pile ’em high, sell ’em’ cheap type of gal. I like the bespoke nature of my business and my clients are very important to me, so ferrying in and out great hoards of people would not make me at all happy. I want my clients to feel special and exclusive and I want my service to them to be exceptional. If you click here to read my testimonials then I think that you will get an idea about me from my clients. I always feel so touched when I read these and it is truly special to see that my business is just as I have envisaged. Again going back to that darn price thing; because you are spending a little more with me means that you are getting a truly bespoke and memorable service. That is not to say that ‘pile ’em high, sell ’em cheap’ is wrong, it’s just not for my clients.
Are You a Member of an Organisation?
Yes I am a qualified member of the British Institute of Professional Photographers, the Master Photographers’ Association and the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers and the Guild of Photographers. I hold and Associateship with the BIPP and the SWPP, a Licentiate with the MPA and I am a Craftsman of the Guild. I am entitled to use the designatory letters ABIPP, CrGWP, LMPA DipPP, SWPP and I am an Accredited Master Photographer. All members of the MPA are full time professional photographers and have to be qualified with them in order to be a member. All members of the BIPP have to earn their primary income from photography and they must be qualified with them in order to be a member.
Are the Images on Your Website Your Own?
All the images that you see on my website are from actual commissions with real people. I do not post any images on my website from training days or seminars. I personally do not feel this is an honest reflection of my work as they were not taken in real situations with all that goes with any commission. If I did post an image it would go on my blog and would clearly state this was taken at a training day or seminar. To date you will not find any such image as again as these are for my personal use to memorise techniques to be used in a future commission. I feel it would give a false impression of my work, and I prefer to wait until I have captured it for myself with real people in a real situation as they are the best and the most exciting anyway.
Are You Insured?
I have Public Liability, Employer’s Liability and Professional Indemnity and my insurance certificates are available to any prospective clients when they meet with me. Incidentally if you are getting married there are insurances available from external providers for a Bride and Groom to purchase. I would definitely look into this as you may be in a position where you have to postpone your wedding; for example you or a family member may become ill and to lose so much of the money you have invested in your wedding day would be truly upsetting.
Why do You Think Professional Photography is Important?
Firstly I think the photography for a wedding is important as it is a timeless reminder of your day. I know that there will be plenty of people who have been to weddings and stood on the periphery to capture their impression of the day; and this is important as well. The thing to remember, standing back and capturing images that have been inevitably set up by the professional photographer and running the whole day yourself are two completely different things. A wedding is a very fast paced experience with lots to capture in relatively short space of time. Within that time frame there could be lots of things that crop up and the photographer has to take them in their stride and carry on regardless. If your friends and family have not had experience of this along with the extensive training, then your images may not be the timeless memories you envisaged.
Although different, to capture the ongoing memories of life are again timeless and it is an honour to be a part of the process. There is something quite wonderful to be a part of my clients’ most memorable times. So for me; yes professional photography is important.
What Happens if you are ill on My Wedding Day?
So this one is obviously for couples planning their wedding and one I do get asked but not as often as I would have thought. So what would happen? I always say to my clients that it would have to be impossible for me to physically make it to your wedding; if driving was an issue then I have an exceptional Husband who would step in. So what would happen if the worst happens; well I have a small group of trusted photographers that I would call upon in the first instance (as they would me), we trust each other to step into the breach and make your day truly memorable. If they were unable to assist then I would call upon the professional organisations that I belong to and they would assist me in finding another photographer qualified to the same standard to step in. I am very serious about what I do, so I never consume any alcohol the night before a wedding, I take care in the food that I eat and I certainly do not party on down until the wee hours. I need to be fresh, vibrant and alert to give you the best of me. To be honest I don’t even drink alcohol when I return home from a wedding as I am too dehydrated; I am one rockin’ chick I can tell you, but as my Husband is happy to discover I am a cheap date!!!! Oh and one last thing, I always have antibacterial gel or wipes in my handbag too; yeah party on down baby!!!
Wedding Venues
What Wedding Venues have I Photographed at?
Here are just some of the wedding venues that I have had the privilege to photograph in. I have also been to wedding venues of farms, marquees and all sorts of lovely hotels in and around the area and this list is a work in progress! If you click on the venues it will take you to my blog posts or slideshows showcasing the weddings I have photographed there. Keep checking back as this this is being continually updated, so what isn’t underlined now may well be later!
Alexander House, East Grinstead, West Sussex
Anchor Inn, Barcombe, West Sussex
Ashdown Park Hotel, Wych Cross, Forest Row, East Sussex
Avisford Park, Arundel, West Sussex
Aylesford Priory, Aylesford, Kent
Beacon Hotel, Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Buxted Park Hotel, Uckfiled, East Sussex
Birling Manor, Eastbourne, East Sussex
Brooklands Hotel, Weybridge, Surrey
Brookfield Barn, Lower Beeding, Horsham, West Sussex
Broome Park Hotel, Canterbury, Kent
Burford Bridge Hotel, Dorking, Surrey
Chalk Lane Hotel, Epsom, Surrey
Cisswood House, Lower Beeding, West Sussex
Clandon Park, Shere, Guildford, Surrey
Cliveden House, Taplow, Berkshire
Coltsford Mill, Oxted, Surrey
Crockstead Farm Hotel, Newick, East Sussex
Cowdray Park Golf Club, Midhurst, West Sussex
Crondon Park Golf & Country Club, Stock, Essex
Dale Hill Golf Club and Hotel, Ticehurst, East Sussex
Dorset House, Bury, West Sussex
East Court, Meridian Hall, East Grinstead, West Sussex
Farleigh Golf Club, Farleigh, Surrey
Fulham Palace, London
Gate Street Barn, Bramley, Surrey
Goodsoal Oast, Burwash, East Sussex
Goodwood Hotel, Goodwood, West Sussex
Gravetye Manor, East Grinstead, West Sussex
Great Ote Hall, Chailey, West Sussex
Haxted Mill, Edenbridge, Kent
Hayne Barn House, Hythe, Kent
Herstmonceux Castle, Herstmonceux, East Sussex
Hever Castle, Edenbridge, Kent
High Rocks, Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Herstmonceux Castle, Herstmonceux, East Sussex
Horsted Place, Uckfield, East Sussex
Hotel du Vin, Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Jeremy’s, Balcombe, West Sussex
Lewes Registry Office, Lewes, East Sussex
Lingfield Park Marriott Hotel and Country Club, Lingfield, Surrey
Little Silver, Tenterden, Kent
Lympne Castle, Lympne, Hyth, Kent
Manor House Hotel, Shere, Guildford, Surrey
Millbridge Court, Farnham, Surrey
Norfolk Arms, Arundel, West Sussex
Northbrook Park, Farnham, Surrey
Pangdean Barn, Pangdean, West Sussex
Pelham House, Lewes, East Sussex
Nutfield Priory, Redhill, Surrey
Painshill Park, Cobham, Surrey
Royal Eastbourne Golf Club, Eastbourne, East Sussex
Salomons, Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Selsdon Park Hotel, Seldson, Surrey
Slaugham Place, Slaugham, West Sussex
Smallfield Place, Smallfield, Surrey
Southend Barns, Chichester, West Sussex
South Lodge, Lower Beeding, West Sussex
St Georges Hill Lawn Tennis Club, Weybridge, Surrey
Swallows Oast, Ticehurst, East Sussex
Tenterden Steam Railway, Tenterden, Kent
The Effingham Park Hotel, Copthorne, West Sussex
The Felbridge Hotel, Felbridge, Surrey
The Grand Hotel, Brighton, East Sussex
The Great Barn, Rolvenden, East Sussex
The Millenium Copthorne Hotel Gatwick, Copthorne, West Sussex
The Ravenswood, Sharpthorne, West Sussex
The Spa Hotel, Tunbridge Wells, Kent
Thistle Hotel, Brighton, East Sussex
Tonbridge Castle, Tonbridge, Kent
Tythe Barn, Petersfield, West Sussex
Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, West Sussex
Wakehurst Place Seed Bank, Ardingly, West Sussex
Westerham Golf Club, Westerham, Kent
West Heath School, Sevenoaks, Kent
Wickwoods Country Club, Albourne, West Sussex
Wiston House, Steyning, West Sussex
Worth Abbey, Worth, West Sussex
Yew Lodge, East Grinstead, West Sussex
Weddings
Hello!
I guess you are reading this because you are planning your wedding, so huge congratulations and I hope you are having lots of fun planning your big day and I want to say thank you for having a look at my website. There are tons of photographers out there so it means a lot that you are having a browse at my work.
Where I Photograph
My wedding photography starts at £850.00 and I photograph weddings all over West Sussex, Kent, Surrey and East Sussex and the odd few in Essex too.
Why I Love Weddings
I am not a conveyor belt type of ‘gal’ so I limit the amount of weddings I photograph each year. Part of the magic of photographing weddings is to actually have a relationship with you, I like to offer you a bespoke service before, during and after your big day. I don’t want the most special day of your lives so far to be just another job, I want to photograph stories, your unique story. I want to laugh and cry with you as I think emotion needs to flow through the lens both ways for images to have that ‘je ne sais quoi.’
I love getting to know my couples before the big day; this makes such a difference to the images and helps with the emotionasl flow I just mentioned. Chatting is where your day starts to take shape and the magic begins, the excitement builds and plans are made. For you as a couple something happens…you are no longer afraid of being in front of the camera and on the day you will both be seasoned pros and looking beautiful darlings 🙂
My Style
So what’s your style I hear you say; well it’s an eclectic mix of classical portraiture, a good dollop of drama (I love a bit of drama), lots of quirky fun along with my documentary style, which is the glue to my stories. These are the elements that bring the story of your day alive to produce the timeless memories that will be forever your wedding day.
My Approach
I would love to meet with you to have a chat about your plans and I am loving that you are considering me as one of your potential photographers. We can have a good old chat over a cup of something and cake as I do think that wedding planning should always involve cake!! It will also be a good opportunity to look through lots of full wedding slideshows, wedding albums and printed work. Most important of all you will be able to ask me all the questions that are so vital when making such a big decision. Being fully informed will help you when making your final choice of photographer. I don’t just show you cherry picked images, you will see whole wedding stories. I photograph weddings all through the year so whatever time of year you are getting married there will be something to watch.
One last thing I don’t do the whole hard sell thing, so if you do get in touch don’t be afraid I will be on your back day and night as I won’t!!
Consultation – Come along for a chat so we can discuss the exciting things you have planned for your day and how I fit into them as your photographer.
Have a Think – It’s important not to make any snap decisions, so it’s good to have the time to think and ask me any questions you may have forgotten.
Booking – Yay you are booking me as your photographer! I will send you a booking information form and an electronic contract. Take your time to read everything and once I have these back, I will generate your booking fee invoice.
6 Months Before – I will send you a Wedding Day Cast list and your 6 month invoice and I will make a start on your timeline.
6 Weeks Before – We’ll have finished your family and friends photo list for the day. The timeline will be complete so that you know what I will be doing and when on your big day and this is the time for the final invoice.
On the Day – Eeeeek it’s here; enjoy every moment.
Delivery – Please allow up to 6 weeks for me to edit your beautiful wedding, dependent on the coverage you have chosen I will either post your memories to you or I will be in touch to arrange a viewing and collection of your made to order print box.
Wedding Enquiry
If you would like some more information or to enquire about availability I would love to hear from you, so get in touch by filling in the form below.
Wedding Prices
- Coverage from the bridal preparation until the first dance; maximum 8 hours attendance.
- Your fab wedding day images with reproduction rights for printing and sharing on a USB memory stick in gorgeous packaging.
- An on-line gallery to share the happiness of your big day all over again.
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- Coverage from the bridal preparation until the wedding breakfast, about 5 hours coverage.
- Your fab wedding day images with reproduction rights for printing and sharing on a USB memory stick in gorgeous packaging.
- An on-line gallery to share the happiness of your big day all over again.
- Coverage from the 30 minutes before the service until the First Dance; about 6 hours coverage.
- Your fab wedding day images with reproduction rights for printing and sharing on a USB memory stick in gorgeous packaging.
- An on-line gallery to share the happiness of your big day all over again.
- Coverage from the bridal preparations until the first dance.
- Your story as a slideshow.
- Your fab wedding day images with reproduction rights for printing and sharing on a USB memory stick in a gorgeous print box with 10 mounted photographs worth £495.
- An on-line gallery to share the happiness of your big day all over again.
- 100 keepsake cards with gallery details to pop into your thank you cards.
- Coverage by the hour to suit your needs
- Your fab wedding day images with reproduction rights for printing and sharing on a USB memory stick in gorgeous packaging.
- An on-line gallery to share the happiness of your big day all over again.
£250.00 for the first hour and £200.00 for every hour thereafter