Frequently Asked Questions.

What areas do you cover?
I'm based in Preston, so I'm ideally placed to cover the whole of Lancashire. Other parts of the North West, such as Cumbria, Merseyside, Manchester and Cheshire, are also within easy reach.

What equipment do you use?
My main camera for weddings is the fantastic Canon EOS 5D professional digital SLR, the top choice for experienced wedding photographers the world over. This camera boasts a 12.8 mega-pixel full-frame sensor and the most advanced image processing currently available in a camera - together they combine to produce absolutely stunning results even in tricky lighting conditions that would foil lesser cameras. To get an idea of the quality of images produced by this camera, have a look at these two images:
The first image is an owl - this is un-manipulated and un-processed in any way and is exactly the way that it popped out of the camera, save for being compressed from the original 4368x2912 to a more manageable 1024x683 for Internet download. The second image however has not been compressed - but is a simple crop from the centre of the original image. Here you can see the outstanding detail and resolution captured by the EOS 5D, providing files which rival film in terms of quality and are suitable for enlargement up to poster size with ease.

As a backup and for special circumstances I use a Canon EOS-3 SLR - an extremely competent camera from Canon's professional film range. The EOS-3 features advanced, class-beating features such as eye-controlled focussing and is capable of producing outstanding results. When chosing film, mostly I use Fuji Sensia - and where conditions allow I may opt for Velvia. These are the highest quality slide (colour transparency) films from FujiFilm, and when compared with negative (print) film they offer outstanding colour rendition & very good contrast, and capture an exceptionally high level of detail. This makes them suitable for the highest quality prints and they'll easily cope with substantial enlargements without showing any degredation in quality whatsoever. Sometimes I'll also use Fuji Pro160S - a professional film specifically designed for portait work. Again, this captures extremely fine detail and is particularly good at rendering smooth skin-tones, making it ideal for wedding & engagement portrait work.

Where the situation dictates (either because of low light levels or for artistic reasons) I use a Canon 580EX external flash unit - this is the top of the range professional flash from Canon and was developed in conjunction with the EOS-3. With either camera this flash unit forms the perfect photographic partnership, and in the right hands they produce some absolutely stunning shots. I have a full range of lenses ranging from wide-angle to telephoto & macro, and, where appropriate, a useful selection of technical & creative filters from the Cokin Professional range.

What do you wear for a wedding?
Smart suit, carefully ironed shirt, sober tie and very shiny shoes! If there's something particular that you need me to wear then just drop me a line for a chat. Normally I'll shed the jacket fairly early on as this gives me increased freedom of movement but it's your day - if this causes a problem then just let me know!

What kind of pictures do you take?
That all depends on you! You'll have your own idea of the wedding album that you want to see and every wedding is unique, so you can expect me to be asking lots of questions about the style of photography you want! Reportage-style albums are growing in popularity, reducing the number of traditional posed group shots and replacing them with informal, unposed, almost candid photographs of your family and friends having fun and celebrating your special day. My background is in nature and wildlife photography so this suits me just fine - wildlife doesn't pose for you, it's never where you expect it to be and it gets flustered if you get too close, too obvious or too persistent - just like wedding guests! I've become an expert in seeking out eye-catching images that will help you remember your day forever, and give you an album that you can be proud of!

For any wedding we'll need to talk at length about the different possibilities and styles. For the Gold package this can be over the phone with additional details via e-mail or on the day - although if you're passing please do pop in for a coffee and a chat! For the Platinum package however this must be a face-to-face meeting, and should ideally include both the bride and groom, as well as the person paying the bill! We'll explore every aspect of your wedding from the formal group shots that you need to the overall photographic style for the day, the lighting conditions at your reception and even the colour of the cover for your wedding album! Wherever possible I'll also visit the venue well in advance in order to start planning the best shots to take. I'll also speak with the minister or registrar conducting the service in order to explore the shots that can be taken - it is very unusual for photography to be allowed during the service itself except for the signing of the register - but we'll agree all the details well in advance to give you less to worry about on the day.

If you're not sure what you would like or if you're stuck for ideas - don't worry! I genuinely love what I do - I can give you plenty of inspiration and guide you through all the different options and possibilities.

What happens after the wedding - how do I choose the pictures for my album and enlargements?
At soon as the wedding is over I'll create a personal page for you on my website, and this page will contain your wedding images. All the pictures available on this page are stored as mid-size jpegs - typically 800x533 in size - making them quick to download but at the same time showing plenty of detail so that you can pick the ones you like. Once you've chosen your selection the prints and enlargements are printed at the highest available quality by a reputable, professional processing lab - NOT printed at home on a consumer-quality inkjet printer. Your guests can also order prints and enlargements directly from the site via a password-protected page.

How many photographs do you take during a wedding?
Very difficult to say - every wedding is different! However, the Gold package tends to give between 150 and 200 shots, with the Platinum package typically yielding between 300 and 400 - although weddings in excess of 600 shots are not uncommon. I'll take as many beautiful pictures as I see opportunities for - I don't count them as I take them, and I don't charge extra for additional shots. You can be absolutely sure that I'll record your wedding in stunning clarity and detail throughout the time I'm there.

Do you digitally manipulate photographs?
I manually check every image that I take for exposure and colour balance, and adjust it as necessary. However, more than a slight tweak is very rare - I prefer to make all my decisions before I press the shutter button - every single photograph I take is carefully considered and planned for lighting, framing, background, camera settings & viewpoint and a host of other details. This allows me to produce images that are beautiful, clear, very highly detailed and which capture every aspect of your wedding in fantastic resolution.

Sometimes I might consider it best to get an imperfect picture while it is available and then manipulate it later - this is particularly true of reportage style shots and usually involves the removal of distracting or unsightly background items. However, with proper planning, thought and consideration to every shot, the need for manipulation can usually be avoided.

In addition, all pictures printed at certain sizes (including 10x8) are hand-cropped. This is because the basic images are in a 3x2 format, and would normally yield prints at 12x8. Left to their own devices the processing lab would simply trim an inch from each side of the print, but that might not be the best way to go!

Your prices are very reasonable - worryingly reasonable in fact! Does this mean that really you're no good?
Absolutely not! I've been very fair with my prices, to give you the best and most realistic deal available. By planning better and working harder on the day I can spend less time adjusting your pictures in post-production, and so save both time and money while maintaining the highest image quality. I've also made the best of recent advances in technology - my pro-spec digital camera captures images with the same quality and resolution as film but at a substantially lower cost and quicker turn around. All this enables me to keep my prices low.

However, for weddings taking place before the end of 2007 my prices are even lower still. After years of successful wildlife photohraphy I'm making the move to weddings - the basic principles of a spectactular photograph remain the same but the subjects are a little different! I'm in a kind of catch-22 situation - without a massive portfolio of weddings it is difficult to get bookings, and without the bookings it is difficult to grow my portfolio - and so it goes on!

So, just at the moment, my need to grow my wedding portfolio and website is greater than my need to make a massive profit from each wedding. You'll get the same professional standard of photography but at a much reduced price, and since future bookings depend on the outcome of your wedding album you know that I'll be doing absolutely everything I can to make sure you get the best possible results! Compare my prices and the standard of my photography with any other photographer in the area and you'll see that you just can't get a better deal - nobody will put more effort behind your wedding photography!

Do you just photograph weddings?
Birthday parties, christenings & baptisms, aniversaries, Bar Mitzvahs - whatever your occasion, I'll be overjoyed to capture the moment for you. To date I've not photographed at a funeral and to be honest I can't imagine much of a demand - but if you would like to celebrate your loved one's life with as much joy and enthusiasm as they lived it, then please do call me for a chat.

How do I book you to photograph my wedding?
Give me a ring or drop me an e-mail! Then we can have a chat and make sure that I'm absolutely the right photographer for you. If I am - fantastic! £200 secures your wedding date, with the balance payable 2 weeks in advance of the wedding.