What happens if you are ill

Although I have all the relevant business insurances, my most important priority if I can’t photograph your wedding is that you have someone to photograph your wedding. I am part of a group of 80 of the UKs finest photographers and we look after each other in situations like this. If one of us can’t photograph a wedding, someone will be able to stand in to help out. Usually I would be able to offer a few options of different photographers and you would choose the one that suits you best.

This system has worked efficiently in the past and I have stood in for other photographers a few times. It means you don’t have to worry if I fall ill and equally it means you shouldn’t have to start your search for another photographer especially if it happens a few days before your wedding!

Do you travel?

Yes indeed, all over!

I’m based in Suffolk but I tend to travel all over the UK for a lot of my weddings. Travel within England included and any charges beyond that are at cost. I do also travel abroad for ‘destination weddings’ and I am happy to put together a quote specific to your wedding.

Are you insured?

Absolutely.

I have all the relevant Public Liability and business insurances. More importantly though, I always carry two cameras with me on the day to make sure that I don’t miss an opportunity on your wedding day. I also carry back up kit should my primary kit fail. Thankfully it rarely happens but good to know when it does, I can carry on without missing anything.

Who photographs my wedding, that will be you, right?

Yes, definitely, I’ll be the photographer for your wedding!

I don’t sub-contract or send out another photographer to photograph your wedding. You book me & that’s who will be there. If you would like, I can arrange a second photographer if your wedding needs it but I will always be the primary photographer.

Do you have assistants or 2nd shooters?

I tend to find that I am much more efficient without an assistant to look after or manage. I work quickly and carry all my kit on me – I try to be as self-contained as possible. I don’t need anyone to carry my bags, set up complicated lighting sets or hand me bottles of water as I go! I find also that I can blend in with the day much more, be a part of the wedding.

Sometimes I find that having a 2nd photographer is beneficial (note: ‘photographer’ as opposed to an ‘assistant’) but usually only if you want two situations photographed at the same time in different locations (bride and groom preparations, for instance) or if you have a large number of guests (175+). It’s rare that a wedding needs two photographers though.

Do you do any formal/group shots?

Yes, absolutely. I don’t limit the amount of group shots you may want but I do suggest that you limit the amount of groups to the VIPS – immediate family and bridal party. There is nothing worse than having to stand around for ages, waiting for the ushers to round up that one lost cousin/friend who has decided that they just need to nip to the loo whilst all your mates are drinking champagne!

They are a necessary part of most weddings but managed properly, they can be done efficiently without hijacking your day.

Click this link for more information on how to plan the photography and group shots for the day.

How long will you be at our wedding for?

For the majority of the weddings I photograph, I am usually asked to be there from bridal prep to after the first dance or from the ceremony to after the first dance. This is usually anywhere between 9-12hrs depending on timings.

If you need longer than this, that’s not a problem at all. That can be arranged in advance or agreed on the day but there will be a charge for any extra hours.

All coverage hours are consecutive and can not be split up.

Can we meet before we book? Do we need to meet?

More than happy to meet up, talk through your wedding and look through sample albums. We can meet in Suffolk or possibly in London, one evening after work (Mon-Thurs). If that’s difficult for you, we can arrange a video meet or even just a chat on the phone.

It’s nice to be able to have a chat before you book, make sure that I am the right person for your wedding. But it’s not essential. I often take wedding bookings without meeting up, answering questions via email or on the phone. We will have a chat about planning the day much closer to the day itself.

Copyright of photos

I retain copyright of our photos – clients receive a Personal Use Licence which allows unlimited prints/albums, shares on Social Media and downloads.

This Licence does not cover any Commercial Use with third parties – if Wedding Suppliers, magazines, websites or publishers would like to use any of my images they would need to credit us/link to our website or get in touch to buy the images from me.

Do you charge VAT?

Nope. This is always a sneaky thing that pops up in wedding budgets. There is no VAT on top of the prices quoted.

What happens if it rains?

Where ever you are getting married, whatever time of year you are getting married … you need a Plan B. And none more so if you are getting married in the UK! Your wedding will happen whatever the weather & I’ll photograph it, sunshine or rain. The only bit of the day we need to plan will be the group shots – we need to make sure that we have a space that we can do them indoors and that everyone involved knows this. We’ll go through the options for all this at the planning stage.

In the meantime, you’ll become an obsessive weather watcher and forecaster, especially in the weeks running up to your wedding.

Can I give you a list of photos for the day?

Beyond the list of groups shots and possibly a handful of other key shots you may want, I find that having a long list of shots counter-productive. If I’m constantly having to refer to a set list of required images then I’m going to miss all the important stuff you hire a photographer for in the first place.

Having said that, I’m more than happy to discuss required shots, go through Pinterest boards or any ideas you may have. If you’ve got something particular you’d like to incorporate into your day, no matter how unusual you might think it will be, let me know, the more unusual the better!

Click this link for more information on how to plan the photography and group shots for the day.

How long before we see the photos?

I aim to have your photos ready in a couple of weeks after the wedding. Ideally as a nice surprise for when you get back from your honeymoon. As the wedding season goes on, lead times for processing get longer and it’s usually an average of 3-4 weeks by August / September.

When the photos are ready, I will send a link to your on-line gallery & a link to download the hi res digital files. I will post out a USB stick with all the hi res digital files on in the following week.

How do we book?

When you are ready to book, let me know to make sure your date is still available. I will then send you a link to a booking form and there is a £450 booking fee. Once I have both of those, I will confirm your date as booked and I will not take anymore enquiries for that date. The booking is not confirmed until both the booking fee & booking form are received. The balance is due a month before the wedding.

Please note, out of fairness to everyone, I work strictly on a ‘first come. first served’ basis. I do not reserve or hold dates and a booking is only confirmed once I have both  the booking fee and a completed booking form. Many thanks.

"My mate fancies photographing our wedding"

Occasionally I get asked if it’s okay if another photographer can come along and practice their photography at the wedding. That’s fine, right?

Well, it kind of depends. I’ve put in my contract now a clause which states that I will be the only working / professional photographer at the wedding. I’ve had a few bad experiences of well-meaning friends trying to hijack the photography for the day and stopping me from doing what I am there to do. Stepping in the way at crucial moments, annoying vicars during the ceremony, organising extra groups and sessions that delay the wedding ….

I do not want to discourage anyone from being able to take photos at your wedding at all. With camera phones being so good and digital photography being so accessible, most guests at your wedding will want to take a few snaps through out the day. I am not precious about that at all & am more than happy to work with it. I’m in more selfies at weddings than I care to admit! Most weddings I will end up having a chat with a kindly uncle who wants to talk technical stuff about cameras or helping granny take a photo of the bride with new camera phone she bought especially for the wedding but never really did get to grips with the manual. It’s about getting the best photos for you with out being stopped from doing so or stopping others from doing so.

Videographers, do you play nicely together?

Always! I am more than happy to work with a videographer on your day (and I’m pretty sure most of them are happy to work with me …well, no complaints yet!) Most photographers/videographers work well together – we’ll have a chat at the start of the day to work out the best way for all of us to get the most out of the wedding.

I can happily recommend some superb videographers with a range of budgets and styles to suit.

Do we need to feed you on the day?

A meal is always very gratefully received. (The only food I don’t eat is fish/seafood). If you can’t feed me or it’s impractical, please let me know in plenty of time so I can make sure I bring food with me on the day.

GDPR & Privacy

As of 25th May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a regulation in EU law on data protection and privacy for all individuals within the European Union. It formalises what was considered “good practice” in dealing with your personal data and protecting your privacy. It’s designed to protect you from misuse of any information you give to a company and make sure you don’t get spammed.

You can read my current Privacy Policy here. Essentially, the only information I keep will be any information you give me in the first place via contact form or email. It is stored securely on an encrypted hard drive . I don’t use the information for anything other than doing the work you have hired me for. I don’t send out newsletters or similar and if ever that changes, I will include an unsubscribe link for you.

Digital Files - The Geeky Bit!

The digital files are delivered as JPGS at roughly 5000px (on the longest edge). There are no logos or watermarks on the files. They are delivered with a “license to use” which allows unlimited personal use of the images.

I convert about 1/3rd of the files into black and white but I am happy to convert any images from colour to BW or vice versa.

Retouching

I will do minimal retouching to the images, if they need retouching ie: remove fire exit signs, telephone wires etc. Images can be retouched further if required but there will be a charge for these depending on how complicated the request is. Prices on request.

Covid-19

My commitment to photographing your wedding is the same as before – I will be there to photograph your wedding. If I can’t, I will find a list of photographers who can. It’s always been my priority to make sure your wedding is photographed and if I can’t do it, for me to find someone for you so that you don’t have to worry about that.

Booking Fees / Refunds

If your booking falls within the time that the government declares that your wedding can’t go ahead, then your contract with me is considered a “frustrated contract” (ie: although I am available and ready to photograph your wedding, I can’t). With this in mind, you can get a refund on your booking fee less any admin costs incurred on my behalf.

If you postpone your wedding and I am unable to photograph your new date, again this falls under “frustrated contract” and you can get a refund of any fees paid minus any admin costs incurred on my behalf.

If you decide to cancel your wedding or postpone it and I can’t photograph the new date but your original wedding date is not within the governments restrictions on weddings, then the existing contract terms and conditions apply.

You can see a fuller explanation at the CMA (Competition and Marketing Authority) and a more specific wedding industry related explanation of things at the Association of Wedding Businesses.

Got more Questions?

I’ve tried to put together the answers to the most asked questions I get.

Hopefully I’ve covered the obvious stuff but if there is anything here that I’ve missed or you would like to talk about, please feel free to get in
touch.