The unanswerable wedding photography question

As a wedding photographer I am often asked about “colour vs black and white". Each wedding photographer has their unique style of shooting to capture fantastic wedding photos. Yes, while the subject within the photo plays a huge part of the picture (pun intended) there remains a few elements that can further enhance the emotion.

Quite often when I look at a photo that I have taken whilst photographing a wedding, I will simply “know” straight away that it is best shown in colour or Black and white. I firmly believe that the photo tells you what’s best for it.

Lets take for example wedding photography in the Lake District, the scene is Autumnal, there are hundreds of different shades of brown. That photo will most definitely look better in colour as the changing colour of the autumn wedding scene is telling the wedding story.

However, I find that images that are full of emotion, like for instance a groom seeing his bride for the very first time would definitely be best shown in black and white, that way the colour will not take away any of the moment. Sometimes a vivid colour photo can steal the stage from the subject.

So as the title suggested, when it comes to wedding photography, especially in a beautiful location like the Lake District there really isn’t a definitive answer.

Roll your mouse over the image, why not let me know which you prefer. use the comment bar at the bottom of this post

Getting married in the Lake District

So you and your fiance have discussed it and you have decided against a destination wedding ....too expensive right! so after carefull consideration you have decided to get married in the Lake District. Well done!!! but now i bet some of these thoughts re running through your head:

Lake district wedding
Lake district wedding photographer
Lake district wedding venue

Do i really need to go on, relax its perfectaly natural to start thinking about twenty different things simultaneously,

Film vs Digital ! - Which is better

As a professional Lancaster wedding photographer i occasionally get asked this question. I personally shoot digital. Is that a bad thing?. No its just different to film. Film vs Digital is like Mac vs PC, Nikon vs Canon etc. Both have pros and cons. I just happen to believe that digital wedding photography suits my style more than film.

For me the greatest advantage of digital is the ability to shoot, shoot, shoot. The only downside is memory card space, and thats getting cheaper by the week.
Digital allows me to express my reportage stye of wedding photography without the worry of rolls and rolls of film. The ability to shoot 5 frames in a second ensures that i get that one shot that captures the moment. Sure 4 out of those 5 might not be keepers, either eyes may be closed or there is a strange facial expression, but with digital thats no problem, you simply press the delete button.

The other main advantage of digital wedding photography is the ability to post process, that simply means that i can take an ordinary image and apply effects to it to make it even better. Colour wedding photos transfered to black and white with the click of a button.

Have a look at these before and after shots, they show the power of post processing, not only in converting to black and white, but also the ability to change the composition.

When looking for a wedding photographer, dont get hung up on the film vs digital debate, simply ask yourself if their images portray the style of wedding photography that you are looking for.

Single or Double

What are the pros and cons to having one or two photographers? I personally think that there is a place for both, however i prefer to shoot solo.

If you look through my images you will see that a lot of them are based on my subjects in their natural state. How many people do you know that freeze as soon as a camera is pointed at them, instead of a smile they look dead into the lens and something more akin to a snarl emerges. Now if there are two photographers wandering around i have found that there is more of a tendency for this to happen.

I personally think that the biggest compliment that i can get is to be told that the guests hardly noticed i was there. Thats just what i want, i am not one of these photographers that think that the sole reason that all these people are dressed up is to provide him/her with an opportunity to extend their portfolio. I like to blend into the background, my preferred lens is a telephoto, which means that i can get most of my shots from a fair distance. Being on my own, means that i can blend in with the guests, and will soon be easily forgotten as your family and friends get caught up in your big day

The other advantage is that, it is me that you have been talking to and emailing over all those months, its quite likely that we would have sat down together for a chat at least twice before your wedding day. So it makes sense that i should have a good idea of your expectations. The better i can get to know you the better pictures you will have. I will be able to anticipate shots easier, than someone who has just met you on the day.

Make me beautifull

What you will find when speaking to different wedding photographers in Lancaster, is that they are all different. A pretty obvious statement you might think but its leading me to a point, and the point is, that just as their personalities, sizes, shapes, accents are different, so will their shooting styles be.

So what does this mean for you, well i guess it has a lot to do with the style of photography that you want during the day, some people prefer reportage wedding photography and others are looking for something thats more contemporary. Its the contemporary wedding photography style that is similar to what you may have seen in all those bridal magazines that you have bought.

If you show certain pictures to your wedding photographer they should be able to work with you, they will try and recreate them during your wedding day. Those photographers that are solely reportage may not feel so comfortable with this, just as a formal photographer will not feel comfortable if you tell him you want lots of candid images. Thats fine, there is nothing wrong with either photographer, they are just different, and thats why its so important to choose the right wedding photographer for you.

Click here for further explanation on reportage wedding photography styles and Contemporary wedding photography styles

Examples of contemporary photography

Examples of reportage photography

Can i "Go Large"

simplistic i know, but one of the most common questions i get asked is , once i choose the package can i upgrade it later. The answer to that is quite simple...YES!

Once you have booked a package you are quite entitled to add to it right up until i actually order the album. A lot of wedding photographers will be delighted to show you the various options available to you.

Another benefit to this is that in the long run you may save your hard earned money on the overall package, for instance ordering a parent album at the outset will cost a substantial amount less than trying to add one after you have seen your wedding album.

I like to know what style of wedding Album you would prefer before i shoot your wedding day, I often find myself “putting it together” in my head and trying to get certain shots. Another benefit is knowing for instance if the album that you require is going to be landscape or portrait, this will dictate which orientation i hold the camera for most of the shots.

For more info on the different albums available, click here.

What makes “that” wedding Photographer the one for you

Your wedding photographer should tick many boxes. First box - His or her pictures have got to ‘grab’ you and have that wow factor. Everyone has different styles and tastes - is their work going to tell the perfect story of your day. Second box - is the photographer interested in what ‘you’ require?

Is the photographer a likable person - you are going to be spending most of your special day with them!. Could you make friends with this person?. With those questions out the way - your closer to the right photographer for you.

How soon do i need to book my wedding photographer?

How soon you book a wedding photographer will depend on a number of components. The very first thing to consider, is at what time of the year you have planned your big day. If you plan on getting married during the better weather periods i.e summer months, then you may need to book your wedding photographer earlier than normal.

Another big consideration is the possible clash of your big day and a large sporting event. The very last thing you want is for your guests to tell you that instead of sharing your joyous day with you they would rather go and watch their favorite team in the cup final. Also look out for popular dates, for instance 08/08/08.

If having great photos is high up on your agenda then you really do need to think about booking as early as a year ahead. If you have fallen in love with a wedding photographer then i would suggest that you check first that they are available and then start looking for your dream wedding venue. This may seem a little back to front and not everyone feels that strongly great wedding photography. But just stop and think about it for a second.... A good wedding photographer will provide you with a wedding album that will be timeless. Other than your wedding dress, it is the one item that you can literally keep for the rest of your life. Corny?...Yeah but true :-)

Ashton memorial - A lancaster wedding photographers dream wedding venue

I have noticed that I am getting an increasing number of bookings to photograph weddings at Ashton Memorial. Not that I am surprised, more and more people in Lancaster are taking advantage of this amazing wedding venue Ashton Memorial is a wedding photographers dream location, it offers amazing shooting opportunities and has fantastic architecture.

The viewing gallery on the upper floor provides outstanding views of the local area, The lakeland hills are clearly visible, and blackpool tower and the isle of man can also be seen on a clear day.

The stonework reflects the colour of the sun and can be seen in hues from pale yellow through pure white to deep orange depending on the time of day and offers an image of inspiration and contemplation.

Located in the picturesque grounds of Williamson's Park in Lancaster, it is often affectionately referred to as the Taj Mahal of the north. The memorial can be seen from miles around.

Solemnizations of your weddings can take place on the ground floor, in addition your evening reception can also be catered for When you book be sure to ask if you can have access to the top of the memorial. Lovely wedding pictures can be taken up there and on a sunny day the Lake Districts will form the perfect backdrop to your wedding.


Did you know that the story behind the building of the memorial is very romantic, James Williamson also known as Baron Ashton built the folly in memory of his second wife Jessy!!

The Butterfly house nearby, also makes for some stunning shots, a number of couples I have shot have had pictures taken inside

The warm tones of the evening sun reflect very well off the stonework, shades of yellow to deep orange can be seen depending on the time of day and the season.

I have shot weddings at Ashton memorial in all seasons, and each brings its own beauty to the occasion

Ashton Memorial
Williamson Park
Lancaster
Lancashire
LA1 1UX

Click here for Ashton Memorial and Williamson Park memorial

Kevin Lindeque
Wedding photographer in Lancaster, Ashton memorial

Planning your wedding ......Part two

Okay, so here is part two (sorry for the delay, I have been out of town)

Now remember we are looking at the big picture here, this is based on the sort of discussion that you may have with your fiancé, shortly after he has proposed.

Choosing a wedding guest list

We have discussed the wedding budget, the theme, and the location, now comes the really tricky bit...The wedding guest list. Boy can this be difficult, not only do you have the budget to consider, (remember that every one you invite has an associated cost). But you will also find that family politics will come into play. Firstly there is the problem of what I call invitation by association; this is when you have to invite “bob” because you have invited “Bill”. My advice is to work backwards, remember your budget? make sure that this is considered at all times. Decide on a set number of people (before you start thinking of whom they are) and then do your best to stick to it.

Once you have a figure in mind, start from the top down, write down all the people that you really care about, these will be close family and friends, and then think about the important people in your life that you really respect or have been an inspiration to you. They may not be the people that you chat to on a regular basis but they do have a special place in your heart. When it comes to work colleagues, be careful that you don’t fall into the trap of inviting people because you feel you have to, think of it this way, if you left your job who would you keep in regular contact with?

Whatever you do don’t forget about the people that may have contributed to your wedding day. All hell will break loose if they don’t get an invite.

Choosing a wedding dress and other attire

Again this is very much dictated by budget, your dress is the most important item and i would suggest that an appropriate amount of the budget is allocated towards it. Then there are the suits and dresses for the bridesmaids and ushers, and let’s not forget the Grooms attire, believe me these can quickly add up, so make sure you shop around. Decide on a colour (remember your theme) my feeling is that the groom, ushers and bridesmaids should all follow the central colour of the bridal dress and integrate seamlessly with the overall wedding theme.

Choosing a Honeymoon destination

Now the fun bit, obviously this will have to conform to your budget, but you need to both agree on where you are going, just like regular holidays there are high and low seasons, so book early to avoid any disappointment, consider what activities you may want to do, are you both very active, or would you prefer to snuggle up in front of a fire for two weeks. One of the most important things to consider is the room; it should be comfortable and meet all your needs, after all that where you will both be spending a lot of time ;-)

Choosing wedding entertainment

There are a number of professionals that now have to be considered, firstly music, are you having a disco or a band. Remember that not all venues allow live music and don’t forget that the band normally starts charging from the time they arrive including setting up so make sure that they are not hanging around because the venue hasn’t cleared the room yet. When considering your choice of music think about your guests, will they be wanting to dance the night away to current music of the day or would quiet background music be more appropriate?
You may also consider a magician or caricaturists

Planning your wedding..........Part One

Great, so you have got the date set, now let’s start painting the picture with very broad brush strokes.

Planning a wedding doesn’t have to be stressful, but lets be honest it is probably going to be, so you really need to take your time and plan, plan, plan. Hopefully you will only get married once so seize the day, enjoy yourself and prepare for one of the most exciting days in your life.

At this stage of your wedding planning don’t get too caught up in detail, that can come later, much later, for now just concentrate on the basics. Agree with your fiancée (sounds good to say that doesn’t it) some of the bigger decisions…Lets run through some of them.

Hopefully your wedding day is about 12 months away. Good that leaves you with plenty of time, but that doesn’t mean you can be complacent.

Budget

Oohh this can be a tricky subject, who is going to pay? If Aunty Joan pays will she want a lot of say in the decisions? Should you take out a loan? Will our parents pay, there are a lot of options here and quite likely it could be all of the above. In my opinion gone are the days when tradition kicked in and the bride’s parents paid. Whoever pays one thing is for sure…you will need a water tight budget. (More on this to come)

Where will the wedding ceremony take place?

Church wedding or civil ceremony. I am a church man myself, as a wedding photographer I feel that the church conveys a lot more emotion than a civil ceremony, the lighting is often softer which lends itself to stunning wedding photographs, however there is a place for civil ceremonies, some people like the fact that they can get married a lot quicker with a registrar, plus don’t forget your can write your own wedding vows (now that’s romantic). Remember if you do choose to get married in a church you will probably need to visit it several times in the run up to the wedding, so make sure it’s not too far away.

The wedding theme

Now this should be the fun part for you girls, the guys usually want to start mowing the lawn at this stage of the conversation, but don’t worry girls, he will be writing his fair share of invitations and tying pretty pink bows don’t you worry. When it comes to a theme, think of your own personality you will “just know” what’s right and what’s not. The theme can often be dictated by the time of year or the wedding venue, it could be a soft romantic theme or a theme to match an historic castle. Go with what feels right. But a word of advice don’t be tempted into purchasing goodies for your theme yet, mark my words you will change your mind at least once.

Check back soon for part two!

Choosing a wedding date

So he’s proposed….and you said yes. Congratulations, there must be a million thoughts running through your head!

What will my parents say?

I love my ring!

What will my friends say?

I love my ring!

Where will the reception be?

I love my ring!

I have to find a wedding photographer?

Shall we just elope?

We need to set a wedding date?

First things first, get the date set, but that may be tougher than you think.

The wedding date is very important; it will stay with you for eternity and symbolise that special moment in your life when you said your vows. You may want to choose a date that is already special and has some meaning to you both for instance; you could choose one of your parents or Grandparents wedding date, or the day you first laid eyes on your Fiancée?

Let’s just remember a few things…. first think about the time of the year, do you want a beautiful winter wedding or a sunnier summer wedding, (I personally love autumn weddings, there is something about the light that makes for beautiful wedding photographs), next consider the wedding venue, if you have your heart set on a particular wedding venue then there is no use setting a firm date until you know that they are not booked.

Make sure that you consider other important dates in the family, relative’s birthdays etc. Make sure that the important people off your guest list are going to be around, check with them that they haven’t planned to spend that weekend on holiday on the other side of the world

Have fun planning your wedding!

Advent Calender

Christmas is nearly upon us, and today my kids started eating the chocolates out of their advent calenders. That got me thinking........you see just like kids looking forward to that big day well brides are just the same. Once their weddiing day is set, most things in the world revolve around the ever nearing date.

From what brides have told me, at first days and weeks drag by and you seem to think that there is loads of time, but then there comes a point at which you think..Crickey! where has the time gone, there is still so much to do!

So i thought what i would do is create my own wedding style advent calender, a daily morsel, designed to satiate the appetite of all you brides out there.Whether you are getting married in Lancaster or some far flung wedding destination, the great leveller is time, it moves at the same pace, no matter how rich or poor you are, if you are getting married in a church, or having a civil wedding. Brides everywhere are counting down to that big day!

Be sure to come back each day......if you have the time ;-)

FAQs

I thought I would take the time to answer some of the more common questions that I get asked. For instance as a reportage photographer I will often get asked, what does reportage mean, well have a read below and hopefully you will be enlightened.

The complete set of FAQs van be found at http://www.kevinlindequephotography.co.uk/

What is your style?

My Style undoubtedly sways between contemporary and reportage, I always try to capture those moments at a wedding that really give a feel for the emotion of the day, I shoot lots of natural candid images. During the day I try to have some time with the Bride and Groom to cover the creative shots.

What does "contemporary photographer" and "reportage photographer" mean?

A Contemporary style means that during the day we will nip off to shoot some creative images, these are the kind of images that you may see in bridal magazines. Whilst being slightly more posed the emphasis is still on fun, from moody and romantic to saucy and fun.

Reportage is a documentary style that captures the story of the day; it is completely unobtrusive in fact you will hardly notice me, a lot of it is shot with a telephoto lens which means that I will often be in the background. This style produces natural looking life like pictures that are void of that wooden staged look. I try to capture those moments in life that truly define a person or an event. Reportage is all about timing, from capturing the tears welling up in the groom’s eye as his bride walks down the aisle to that look of pure delight as long lost family members see each other again.

Does that mean you don’t do formal photography?

No not at all, groups shots are an important part of the day; it will often be the only time in years that several generations of the same family are all in one place. At your initial wedding consultation we will discuss the various groups that you want photographed.

Do you always have a pre wedding consultation?

I prefer to but I also understand how busy life can be before a wedding.

Where do we meet?

I will meet you anywhere you like, sometimes at your house sometimes at mine, as a Lancaster wedding photographer I will often have a coffee with you in Lancaster town centre, however meeting at the actual wedding venue gives us both a chance to get a feel for the place.

Do I need to pay a deposit?

Yes when you commission me a £400 deposit is payable, the balance is due 28 days before your big day.

How many pictures do you take?

That depends a lot on what’s happening on the day but can vary between 300 to 600.

How soon can I see my pictures?

Whilst you are enjoying yourself on honeymoon I will be working hard at getting a selection of your pictures ready, typically 2 to 3 weeks after the wedding you will be able to view the initial proofs.

Where can I see them?

A selection of your images will be available online, (for 3 months) they will be password protected; all your family and friends will be able to share in the memories of your wedding day.

What happens next?

Once you have chosen your selected images for the album, I will start the design process, a PDF file will be e-mailed to you for your approval, once you have approved the design, the album will be printed and hand bound in Italy.

How long will the album take?

Once you have selected the images for your album you can expect to wait for approximately 4 to 5 weeks. (It will be worth the wait!)

Choosing a Photographer

(How not to do it!!!)

There are so many different things to organize when you get married, everyone says that first things that should get sorted out are the photographer and the venue. Here are a few tips:

Get Googling

One of the best places to start your search is the web, carefully choose your search terms, for instance in my neck of the woods you would type "Lancaster wedding photographer". Putting your search in "inverted commas" means that you wont drag up sites that have the words, Lancaster and wedding and photographer somewhere on the site. Using the commas means that you only identify sites where Lancaster wedding photographer is strung together as a sentence.

Visit each photographers website. Carefully review his or her portfolio. Try to concentrate on the quality of the images, don't let fancy websites fool you. The most important thing to consider are the images. Do they convey what it is that you are after. Keep clicking dig deep down into the site and make sure that the photographer is consistent.

Get in Touch

Now is the time to ring or e mail, (My e mail address at Kevin Lindeque Photography is kevantlin@yahoo.com). You can start sorting the wheat from the chaff, by a simple means of elimination, consider budget, photo style (mine sways toward reportage), availability and above all do they feel right, do you think that you can get on with them, after all they will share one of your most memorable days with you.

Get to meet them

Now that you have a shortlist of wedding photographers, get to meet them. I normally meet somewhere mutually convenient, we would normally meet in Lancaster or i could come to yours. It is important that both the bride and groom attend. Think of all your questions beforehand, write them down if necessary and don't be afraid to ask.

Good Luck!!!