Who are you?
Good question !
I’m Lisa. I’ll be the primary photographer at your wedding along with an amazing second shooter, if that’s included in your chosen wedding photography package.
I’ve been a photographer for almost twenty years, which makes me sound very old but those decades photographing the good, the bad and the utterly fantastic in various corners of the globe have treated me well!
Where are you?
I’m based in the West Midlands although I still have a base in Manhattan and am happy to travel wherever is required within the Britain or overseas.
For weddings, there is a mileage charge if the round trip to the venue is over 100 miles.
If an overnight stay or flight is necessary, the client will customarily meet those costs.
What’s an engagement session ?
A pre-wedding shoot is the perfect way to help you relax in front on the camera on the big day.
You’ll know me that little bit better and you’ll be used to the camera !
You can choose the location and wear your Sunday best or your pyjamas, if that’s your style !
I’ll edit the photos and a couple of weeks later they’ll be ready for you to view.
From approximately twelve edited images, you can choose one to be printed and mounted as a signing board for your guests to leave their well-wishes at your reception.
Personalised guest books are also available and you’re welcome to order any of the images taken at the session.
How many times can we meet prior to the wedding?
As many times as you like !
My preference is to meet with you initially to discuss what it is that you’re after as far as the wedding photography is concerned.
I always pay a visit to your chosen venue whenever this is possible, where I will try and meet with the wedding co-ordinator and have a good look around for locations to use on the actual day.
You are more than welcome to accompany me on this visit if you choose.
We will see each other again for your pre-wedding shoot where we can discuss any further questions you may have and you are always welcome to contact me via email or phone at any point prior to the wedding (please keep within business hours ! )
What is your style of photography?
After a decade working in New York for newspapers including The Guardian, Daily Mail, The Times and Sydney Morning Herald and prestigious magazine titles including Marie Claire, Elle, Time Magazine and Madison, my style is very much a mixture of photo-journalism and high-fashion.
True photo-journalism means capturing the genuine article.
Nothing is corrected, recreated, staged or posed.
There is no shot list and no formal group photography.
By using my knowledge of the photojournalistic style for your bridal preparations and mixing it with dramatic high-fashion poses for your first photos together as newly-weds, you’ll get the very best mix of styles while still retaining a consistency in the images that will be obvious in your album showing the story of your day.
Unlike a true photo-journalist, I will also set aside a twenty minute session for the formal photography which leaves us plenty of time to get the two of you and your bridal party kicking up your heels and having fun.
How many photos will you take on the day?
Who knows ? !
At a 6 hour wedding, I can expect anywhere between 400 and 800 images on my camera, more if I’m photographing the evening reception too. I have no limit.
If there are fabulous moments to capture on camera, I’ll be there shooting them.
How long will you be with us for on our big day?
This depends on the package you choose. It can be anywhere from 5 hours up to 10 hours.
All packages are fully customizable meaning that you get to choose how long you want me to stay around and you also have the option of extending my hours on the day.
How many photographers will be there?
I am the primary photographer. Depending on the package you choose, I may be working with a second shooter meaning we can capture more images for you from different angles.
It’s great working with another photographer and always interesting to see how their photo of the same event differs from your own. Very often, the two will work wonderfully together to tell the whole story.
I often have requests from assistant photographers who would like to hone(SHARPEN) their craft at a real wedding.
I will always check with you beforehand if this is the case and you are perfectly within your rights to request that I use them at another wedding.
How long will you take to photograph us after the wedding?
This is up to you. For some people the newlywed photographs are the most important part of the day’s photography and therefore like to allot extra time to get the photos and location just right.
Others prefer to spend that time supping on champers with their guests !
I like to ask for half an hour of your time after the formal photography has taken place. Ten minutes of this can be with your bridal party, ten minutes with your family and ten minutes with just the two of you.
If you’d prefer to split this time into three sections, that’s no problem. Just keep in mind weather and lighting restrictions!
Will my guests be able to buy prints after the wedding?
Of course, and to save you the hard work of ordering them, all images will be online in a password protected gallery for your family and friends to order directly from me.
I don’t like having my photo taken!
All of your concerns will be discussed before your big day to take into account any worries you may have.
The pre-wedding engagement session is designed to give you the opportunity to talk with me about things like this and learn ways to relax infront of the camera.
I have photographed supermodels, superstars, babies and animals (!) Along the way, I have learnt countless methods to make you look as spectacular as you possibly can in front of the camera.
Rest assured, I will happily share my top tips with you!
What digital manipulation do you perform?
I give each image a basic edit in time for your primary viewing session.
The photos I take on the day rarely need much manipulation other than perhaps a slight colour balance tweak but if more extensive editing is something you are keen to have done, a selection of your images for use in the album or in printed products can be edited to magazine standards.
I have years of experience with Photoshop meaning that my edited images will still retain a natural appearance – your radiant beauty and happiness on the day will shine through so please don’t worry about the odd wrinkle, they make you all the more beautiful!
However, no-one wants a spot on the end of their nose in their wedding photos or a shaving cut on their cheek.
Imperfections such as these will be erased as if they never existed!
Do you carry spare equipment?
I always carry back up cameras and equipment.
When will we get our album?
Once I have received your final approval of proposed layout and which photos you would like, the album typically takes about 6 weeks to be ready.
What if it rains on our wedding day?
They say rain on the wedding day is good luck so let’s get out there and make the most of some wonderful photo opportunities.
I have wellies and brollies in my bag of tricks!
A little bit of rain never hurt anyone but if it’s teeming down and you’d prefer to stay indoors, I’ll have found a few nooks and crannies to shoot in for this very eventuality on one of my pre-wedding venue visits.
What happens if you are ill on our wedding day?
I am impervious to sickness !
But if the worst did happen, I would refund all of your money and try to find you a worthy replacement. The wedding photography community is a very helpful one and I have some amazing support out there who would be happy to step up and do you (and me) proud.
Do you reserve the right to publish the photos?
Yes. Without being able to advertise and market myself I wouldn’t be able to offer such classy work, because I’d be weddingless !
