Occasionally, I like to offer something different to my wedding clients. A little extra something that is both unique and personal to them, to surprise and delight (hopefully) and to say thanks.
It’s often said that “you don’t take photographs, you make them”, and I find that’s especially true of wedding photographs. To make great wedding photographs takes a combination of things – skill and experience with a camera, yes but also an understanding between the clients and the photographer. This is why it’s really important for me that before a wedding we get together not just to go over timings and details of the day, but so I can get to know a bit about just who my clients are, their personalities, likes, dislikes, their tastes in music, films books, how they met, and what makes them laugh. That way I can try to reflect some of their personality into their photographs.
Sometimes a couple will really grasp why I’m asking all this stuff that “has nothing to do with taking pictures“, they get that we are making photographs together, not just taking them, and when I can get a couple who go the extra mile to help us create something special, I like to say thanks in my own way. Sometimes, I’ll just make a fun little video from a sequence of their photos, or I’ll make a wacky Lomokino movie.
Earlier this year Verity and Martyn totally rolled with the fun side of their wedding, and as they were both comic book fans, I created them a totally unique and bespoke gift which told the story of their wedding day in comic book form.
And recently, Cheryl and Chris, had a great vintage styled wedding at The Midland Hotel. Carol (aka Itsy Bitsy Vintage) and I got to know them pretty well during the course of their preparations (Itsy did some amazing styling for their big day – blog to come soon!), and I decided to create something suitably vintage inspired as a way to present their photos and to say thanks for being fab! So after picking up this vintage (1960’s) 3D View-Master, in it’s original packaging at my local car boot sale, I decided to make them a bespoke reel of their wedding photos for use in the viewer! The slides are sadly not in 3D, but it’s still a fun thing to use. View-Masters are an iconic piece of photography history that still have the power to amuse and enthrall people today. I just love it! In fact I’d love to keep it! Hopefully they will love it too!
And the moral of this tale? Go the extra mile for your photographer, you’ll be glad you did, and he’ll thank you for it!