Top tips for choosing a wedding photographer

So wedding photographer prices are going to be at the forefront of  your mind when you are looking for the perfect wedding photographer for your day but there are so many things to consider and here are just a few:-

1.  Does the photographer have an address listed on their website?  If they don't then be wary as to why they don't.
2.  Does the photographer display a phone number?  If there are no phone numbers then how on earth are you going to contact them.  If they only have a mobile number, it doesn't show a commitment to their business by not having a landline; would you trust any other business that only had a mobile number? Just displaying an e-mail address does not cut the mustard and you should be wary.
3.  Check their website; if it is one of the many free ones such as blogger, worpdress.com etc then that person has not invested any money into their on-line shop window; ask yourself why.  This blog is a blogger blog but the author has a bone fide bespoke website.
4.  Check for proper galleries so you can get an idea of their style.  Also check for full weddings as samples.
5.  Look to see if they are qualified with any of the photographic institutions such as the BIPP, MPA and SWPP.  These are the main institutions for wedding photographers and if they are they will tell you in their about page; if not they will usually mention the word passion somewhere!
6.  If you meet with your photographer and they want to meet in a hotel or similar venue and not in their business premises or home; ask yourself why?  Photographers should want you to come to them so they can show you a wealth of work that would not be possible to drag to a third party venue.
7.  If they don't want to meet you at all; really ask yourself why?  I like to meet all my clients, sometimes it is not possible and some of my referral clients know how I work and want to book me because they know me from other weddings, but I would never discourage them from coming to see me.
8.  If you ignore all this and still go ahead and pay a booking fee then make sure you get an invoice with the name, address and telephone number of the photographer prior to handing over any cash.
9. Just because a business is featured on one of the major wedding blogs doesn't mean they are in a position to ratify them.  This shouldn't come as a surprise but a lot of businesses featured on these blogs actually pay to be on there and yes some pay to have an article written.
10.  Referral is a good way to go but this doesn't just mean from your friends; talk to other experts in the industry to see if they have people they can recommend, get a few from different sources and compare and contrast.

I hope this helps,

Claire :)

The author of this article is
www.woodlandhillphotography.co.ukhttp://www.woodlandhillphotography.co.uk/

Choosing Your Wedding Photographer

Well Hello Everyone,

Trying to find some of the best wedding photographers that you want to put on your shortlist can be a tricky old business, so today's blog is to help you with some criteria so that you can narrow down your search.

Firstly, really look through the whole site, look at the gallery and then try to find the photographers' pricing.  Lots will not advertise their pricing, this is fine but the ones that give you an idea are usually not too worried about their competition.

The gallery is very important but so is the opportunity to see full weddings.  With the popularity of You Tube and Vimeo it is now easier than ever for photographers to pop up some slideshows of full weddings. Again the ones that do are quite a chilled gang and confident in their own work.

Look at their qualifications and training; look to see if continuing professional development is a part of their business.  The photographers that continue to train and always look to keep their photography fresh are usually not going to go stale in their work.

If a photographer is cheap and I am going to use this word, then their photography will usually reflect this.  Now there is nothing wrong in being cheap but do not expect anything amazing; expect basic photography that will do the job but they will probably want to capture your day and not be bothered about setting the world on fire.  So if you are on a budget, please make sure your expectations match your budget.  In any event, you should still receive competent images.

Make sure that you photographer has all the necessary insurances; if they don't be warned.  Venues are becoming more and more aware of the vast number of photographers that do not possess Public Liability Insurance, which basically means if that photographer is responsible for any sort of damage of injury on the venue's premises; without the photographer having insurance, the venue will be liable.

Lastly, if you decide to choose a photographer that may either be on a budget or perhaps not full time, please, please make sure you get printed invoices and receipts from the regardless if you are paying by card or cash.  Your invoice/receipt is proof that you have paid for a service and your booking form is the contract that exists between you both so read it carefully.

The author of this work is me, Claire Hill
www.woodlandhillphotography.co.uk

Lovely words from Natalie and Darren who were married at The Spa Hotel Tunbridge Wells Kent

Thank you so much; you made me cry again you little minxers! :)

Ravensbourne School Wedding Venue in Bromley Kent

Good Afternoon Folks, Today's blog features a new wedding venue in Bromley, Ravensbourne School. I was asked to pop along and capture some images for them to use in their marketing. I must say I was most impressed with this venue. It boasts some marvellous architecture, a farm with the loveliest goats you could ever wish to meet, a great hall that has a real wow factor. I can really see this venue going from strength to strength and they have all sorts of plans for the grounds too, not that they are lovely enough already. I am posting a couple of images today of our gorgeous model wearing the one and only Emma Tindley Couture. Emma very kindly loaned us some gowns for the shoot and as usual they were perfection itself; well I would expect no less from Designer of the Year 2014 :) Alex Hill from Wonderful Weddings in Kent will be the wedding co-ordinator at Ravensbourne School and what Alex doesn't know about weddings isn't worth knowing to be honest. Now what a clever venue getting Alex on board :) So if you are starting out and planning your wedding I would definitely get in touch with Alex to have a look round this stunning venue. Have a fab weekend folks, it has been a busy few weeks for me. Lots of pre-wedding photography shoots, weddings, studio stuff oh and giving our new feastable a whirl. What is a feastable I hear you ask, well if you want to pop into my instagram account you can find out; pop on over to woodlandhillphoto and if you want to see bits and bobs that will only be posted there, give me a follow. Enjoy the warmth and the sun, Claire :)

Actors' Headshots - Amy Seymour, Jake Morton-Miles and Sunny Nersian

  Good Evening Folks, I do love doing Actors' headshots and recently we were back in the studio with our lovely Amy again to update hers. This time the brief was very specific so we had a good old chat and took some images to get just the right look that Amy's agent was looking for. Well it really is hard to take a bad image of Amy; even when we were mucking around and Amy was 'gurning' the images still looked fabulous! Last week we sat down and went through the images to choose the ones that we felt met the brief that had been set and here they are. I have supplied Amy with both colour and black and white versions. Today I have put a mixture up bar one as I thought it would be nice to show how the same image looks in both formats. Another really good piece of news that I have to tell is Jake Morton-Miles has been offered a place at the very prestigious Stella Adler School of Acting right in the heart of Manhattan. Their alumni reads like an A to Z of the best there is! There were only 32 places on offer and our amazing Jake has one of them. He beat over 1,000 candidates for his place but there is one place still up for grabs and they have not offered it yet. The Stella Adler team are now continuing to interview and I think the total candidates interviewed so far has reached 1,500. The fact he has been offered a place really is a testament to his talent, determination and sheer hard work. Well done Jake I am so, so proud of you and cannot wait to photograph you 'in situ'! I am also popping a recent headshot I took of Jake so that you can see how amazing he is for yourselves. Wow, how lucky am I to be photographing such talent, and talking of talent I will be doing a blog about Sunny Nersian soon too. She is another name to watch out for folks :)

Fulham Palace Wedding Venue - Claire and Johnny

Good Afternoon Folks,

I hope this finds you well and ready to read about the pre wedding photography shoot at Fulham Palace of Claire and Johnny. When I first met Claire we had such a giggle and wandering around the gorgeous grounds of Fulham Palace with them both was no different. We had such fun as we made all sorts of plans for their big day. This venue is set in the heart of London adjacent to the River Thames but it feels a world away from the hub bub of the outside world, this really is a tranquil paradise. Firstly there is the most gorgeous courtyard that takes me back to something a little Elizabethan for some reason (I don't think it is; note to self, research a bit of history) then a world of gorgeousness opens up along with a lovely cottage garden. I really do think we could be on a three week wedding photography fest here!! We spotted a very nice church just outside the grounds and I was all up for popping along to have a look; now Johnny is the font of all knowledge and informed us that this was the church that was used in the filming of The Omen; not wanting to have dodgy lines across my imagery I made a hasty retreat…oooooh scary!! I like wedding stories but not sure that would fit somehow and I would be petrified. I am in a very privileged position to know the dress Claire will be wearing as it is another magnificent creation from our very own Emma Tindley, designer extraordinaire. There were frequent "I know what Claire's wearing" chants in a sing songy voice to Johnny. Johnny the wait and the surprise will be all the sweeter when you see your gorgeous bride for the first time; she will take your breath away. Claire seeing Johnny waiting for you at the end of the aisle will melt your heart. You two are gorgeous, wonderful and everything in between and I cannot wait to photograph your day :)

 Claire :)

Pre Wedding Photography shoot at The Spa Hotel Wedding Venue Tunbridge Wells - Natalie and Darren

Good Morning Folks, Yes it's me again and as promised I am bringing you the pre-wedding photography shoot of the very lovely Natalie and Darren. We had a great time wandering around the grounds of The Spa Hotel in Tunbridge Wells. I love this venue, it really is a smashing place to have your wedding whatever the time of year. I first met Natalie and Darren at the Spa's wedding fayre and we were giggling away so I was over the moon when they chose me as their photographer for their big day. I think finding the people who are going to make your day come alive is so difficult; not just for the mahoosive amounts that seem to have come into the industry over the last few years, but to find the right personalities that will make your day super special is daunting. Whenever I get chosen I always feel chuffed to bits and honoured to be a part of a truly special day. I like to get to know my lovely couples before their wedding and communication is the key. Natalie, Darren and I have been communicating a fair bit so when I met them for their shoot it was like I had known them forever, It is very scary to be placed in front of the camera so being familiar and comfortable really helps. The pre-wedding shoot is something I really advocate; not only does it help to banish those photography nerves but walking around the venue and visualising it for the wedding day really helps to make the day real and exciting, and you never know what plans will be made whilst we wander, chat and laugh :) As you can see the day was gorgeous, and I do love natural looking shots and still always observing the light and making the most of it; check out the shades gang, tres chic! You cant beat a good old kiss, and on any wedding day there will be loads of kissing so what better way to start that at the pre wedding shoot ;) We had plans for Darren but alas it won't happen because of the set up on the day, so there will be new plans afoot but crikey our Darren looks fab in front of a door. Another good thing about the shoot is to work out how people are in front of the camera, gorgeous Natalie is a smiler and wow she looks amazing. Needless to day I cannot wait to be a part of your day and yup as usual there will be tears; there always is! Claire :)

I'm Back!!

Good Evening Folks, Just a little catch up blog, firstly to apologise for the tumbleweed rolling across the page and to say hello I am back after a very hectic few weeks. I have been involved in a large shoot with various other bits and bobs for Sunny Nersian as well as helping Emma Tindley to prepare for her 2015 collection launch. We spent last week in London and the new collection went down an absolute storm. I have also been doing pre-wedding shoots, studio work for my brilliant clients, so a busy old time and my poor blog has suffered! Today I am posting a few highlights from last week in a little slideshow and an image with the stunning new tags Emma and Jill created for the new collection. Have a happy evening and if Natalie and Darren are reading this, your blog will be up tomorrow. Claire :) https://vimeo.com/91507079

Wakehurst Place Wedding photography in Ardingly West Sussex - Rosemary and James

Good Afternoon Folks, This week we are back with wedding photography at the most beautiful wedding venue, the one and only Wakehurst Place in West Sussex to celebrate the marriage of Rosemary and James. What an utterly sublime day for the both the weather and the seeing Rosemary and James' happiness as they were married and ready to start a brand new chapter in their lives. I was so happy to see a wonderful Janeymac cake resplendent in the library and as usual it was another masterpiece from lovely Elaine. Rosemary was so relaxed and she had every reason not to be as the hotel where she was getting ready had a power cut so all preparations had to be done without any electricity; yup folks that can be quite tricky in the hair department but Rosemary was unfazed and looked radiant. As usual it was wonderful working with Katie and the team who are so professional in everything they do. I have included a couple of detailed shots in today's images as these are so important in any wedding day, I just love this first one as James picks up the ring just before he says his vows to make Rosemary his wife, then the next image is the wonderful moment that never fails to disappoint, the ring actually going on Rosemary's finger. No matter how many times I see and photograph this moment I always find it exciting and emotional. Rosemary and James' friend sang beautifully for their guests and I have included this image as I love the little moment they are having together as they are being serenaded. Now we all have to have the 'signing' of the register shots and these are in abundance at their wedding, but hey it is good to have a bit of fun once in a while and I love this, shall I, shan't I look from Rosemary and James is oblivious…we girlies are being a bit minxish! Why do I love Wakehurst so much, well just look at the formal gardens; whatever time of year the gardens continue to delight and this is no mean feat from the team at Kew who maintain this beautiful but mahoosive property. Boys will be boys, but don't ever change! For me weddings are all about fun, romance and happiness and I just love it when the lads muck about (I actually encourage it). It is great to laugh and we had so much fun doing these shots, so thank you lads you are brilliant. We now have a little bit of romance, a moment from a couple so very much in love and last but not least today a carefree moment as they wander back towards their guests…love it! There is all sorts of exciting things going on at WHP Headquarters at the moment and I think combined they might just keep me out of trouble…..or will they!!!! ;) Claire :) www.woodlandhillphotography.co.uk

Lovely words from Faye and Alex who were married at The Ravenswood Sharpethorne West Sussex

How lucky am I so have the best clients in the world :) Thank you for your lovely words xxx

West Sussex Wedding Photography at Worth Abbey Worth - Red and Théo

Good Morning Folks, Hoorah a wedding photography post from a beautiful wedding at Worth Abbey, Worth, West Sussex featuring today's gorgeous couple Red and Théo. The rain was relentless on their day but Red saw this a nature giving her day rain to wash away the old ready for their new lives together, and these wise words came from her mother in law. I love that everything in life has a positive and did it hamper the fun, oh no; we may have slipped and slided (not a proper work but the only descriptive that seemed to fit) a bit and I think I commando rolled (unintentionally) over a hay bale, followed by my able assistant but we did it with aplomb :D The day started at Red's parents' house and there was excitement abound during the preparations; we then made our way to Worth Abbey, which is just breathtaking, to photograph the boys. I knew the service was going to be something special as Red's bother was in charge of the choir that had travelled all the way from Oxford to sing, and wow when the music started shivers went down my spine and I found it really emotional. For me it was like hearing the Kings College choir and I had to pinch myself to make sure I was there, what an honour. Writing this brings it all back and makes me quite teary! We then headed back to the house to enjoy the reception. I think the rain did impact on one part of the day and that was the garden that Rachel, Red's mother had been perfecting for months ahead of the big day. All was not lost though as I was able to pop over to photograph it before the marquees were erected. When I was editing the images I could not believe that it rained as much as it did because the day was full of love, happiness, joy, positivity and the determination to enjoy every last bit. So let's have a chat about today's images; I love this mother and daughter moment, I think once the dressing starts it all becomes real and that mix of nerves and excitement really kicks in. A little glance to each other of reassurance is always just lovely to capture during the service, and this service was just magical. For me this shot makes me a little teary yet again. Rachel giving Red communion wine to her daughter for her very first holy communion as a married woman; wow to witness and capture this makes my job such a joy. Oh yes, it rained, then rained and rained some more and yes we managed to get outside. As I am a positive type of 'gal' just look at the richness in the depth and colour. Today is my bits and bobs day; we all have those little jobs that build up so today is the day to get them all done. Oh and an update on the new washing machine, love it; it's quiet and steams stuff, oh happy days! I won't make any promises on what is coming up next because I keep changing my mind!!! Have a great week folks, Claire :)