Priya & Nishil‘s Pre-Wedding Photoshoot
Sometimes you don’t have to light the subject; instead, light the background to silhouette them. If I had not placed a flash behind the subject, their bodies would have blended into the beach. I also like how it has emphasised the little drops of rain and the wind, giving a stronger sense of the weather and of what the couple was feeling at the time.
Here are a few candid wedding photos taken at Nunsmere Hall during Autumn (October) – interior and exterior. More to be added soon!
A barn wedding venue with rustic timber and a six-acre private lake in the rolling Cheshire countryside – Here are a few images I took when I was hired to photograph Bev & Sharron’s Wedding at Sandhole Oak Barn …
As an unobtrusive, documentary-style wedding photographer, my goal is always the same: to blend into the background and let the day unfold naturally. I don’t look to stage moments or force people into rigid poses. Instead, I focus on the genuine dynamics – the quiet nerves before the ceremony, the laughter during the lakeside drinks reception, and the calm energy of guests relaxing under the veranda.
I’m showcasing this wedding at Sandhole Oak Barn because has a great layout that flows naturally from the Oak Barn itself to the outdoor spaces – guests can move freely, and I can capture honest, unposed moments without ever interrupting the flow of your day.
While I am primarily based in Wales, capturing stories in my usual service areas, I regularly travel across the border into Cheshire and the surrounding areas.
If you are planning a wedding at Sandhole Oak Barn and want a photographer who will capture the genuine atmosphere of your day without making it feel like a photoshoot, let’s talk! I’d love to hear what you have planned for the day.
I’m considering starting a series of visually compelling images, behind-the-scenes stories, and a space for community dialogue. Each image tells a story – and I invite you to share your thoughts below!
Whether you’re critiquing the composition, the colours, or the story behind it, etc. Let’s make this series a conversation, not a one-way showcase. Please keep it polite and constructive!
Reading time: 10 min
Your photographer is one of the most important wedding suppliers you’ll hire. They’re the ones responsible for capturing every tear, laugh, and tender glance from your big day. But here’s something most couples don’t realise until it’s too late: there are a handful of completely avoidable situations that make a photographer’s job significantly harder, and in some cases, can ruin irreplaceable shots entirely.
Over the years I’ve had conversations with fellow wedding photographers who have shared their biggest frustrations – because who doesn’t like to complain every now and then. In no particular order, here’s everything you need to know:
This is one of the most common and most heartbreaking problems in wedding photography. You’ve spent months planning your first dance. You’ve chosen the perfect song. The moment arrives – and the DJ floods the room with a rainbow of spinning laser lights.
On the dancefloor, it looks magical. In photographs, it’s a disaster.
Laser lights project hundreds of tiny, bright, coloured dots directly onto the couple’s faces and clothing. No matter how skilled the photographer, those dots cannot be edited out without painstaking, time-consuming retouching – and even then, skin tones underneath are often destroyed. The result is photos that look speckled, and sometimes a bit amateurish through absolutely no fault of the photographer. That said, I can remove these dots if they are too distracting.
The simple fix: Ask your DJ – in writing, before the wedding – to switch off any laser or strobe lighting during the first dance, and to use a single soft spotlight (often called a “follow spot” or “pin spot”) instead. A warm white or amber spotlight looks stunning in photographs and still creates a romantic atmosphere in the room. You’ll have both the beautiful ambience and the beautiful photos.
Pro tip: Include this in your DJ briefing document and mention it again on the day. DJs default to their usual show – it’s up to you to tell them otherwise. I’ll usually have a quick word with them at the reception to see what lights they have set up.
Few things are more professionally frustrating – or more upsetting in hindsight – than a photographer losing the shot of the kiss because a guest has stepped into the aisle with an iPad.
It happens at almost every wedding. The officiant announces “you may now kiss the bride,” and suddenly six people leap from their seats, arms outstretched, phones held high, crowding the aisle. Your photographer – who has carefully positioned themselves at the end of that aisle for the entire ceremony – now has a wall of devices between their lens and your first married kiss.
That image of the kiss at the altar is one of the most sought-after shots of the entire day. Losing it to a forest of iPhones is devastating, and there’s nothing the photographer can do in that moment.
The simple fix: Have an unplugged ceremony – or at the very least, an unplugged aisle. Ask your officiant to make an announcement at the start of the ceremony asking guests to remain seated and to keep phones and cameras put away. A short, warm, well-worded request from the person at the front is surprisingly effective.
You can also place a small sign at the entrance to the ceremony space. Something like: “We’ve hired a professional photographer to capture today. Please be fully present and leave the photography to them – you’ll receive the photos soon!” Guests almost always respond well when it’s framed positively.
PS: If one of your guests is a photographer, I’m happy to have them stand next to me and grab a few photos.
Wedding days run late. It happens. Hair takes longer, the buttonholes won’t cooperate, someone can’t find their shoes. Photographers are used to this — but the problem is when no one communicates it.
Your photographer has planned the day around your timeline. If the ceremony runs 45 minutes late, that’s 45 minutes eaten out of couple portraits, family formals, and golden hour. Golden hour – that beautiful warm light in the hour before sunset – is fixedd. The sun doesn’t wait. Photographers can adapt, but only if they know what’s happening.
The simple fix: Give your photographer a realistic timeline (add buffer time in — always), and if things start running late, have someone — your coordinator, your maid of honour, anyone – send a quick message. That single text gives your photographer time to mentally restructure the day and protect the shots that matter most to you.
Family formal portraits – the group shots – are genuinely one of the most logistically difficult parts of a wedding day. Not because of any technical challenge, but because the moment the ceremony ends, family members scatter. They head to the bar, they pop outside for air, they slip away for a cigarette, they start chatting to guests they haven’t seen in years.
Getting 40 people into organised groups in a short window of time, without a proper list, while nobody knows where Uncle Graham has gone, costs enormous amounts of time. And time is the one thing a photographer never has enough of on a wedding day.
The simple fix: Prepare a written family shot list in advance, and share it with your photographer at least two weeks before the wedding. Appoint one or two people (ideally confident, loud ones who know the family well) to act as “wranglers” – their job is to gather and hold the groups while the photographer is shooting. When everyone knows the plan, a full set of formals can be done in 20 minutes rather than an hour.
Atmospheric venues are stunning – exposed brick, candlelit tables, fairy lights draped across low ceilings. But very dark venues create a genuine technical challenge. A photographer can bring off-camera flash, but in a reception space, heavy flash usage can look harsh, flat, and intrusive. It changes the feel of the whole room.
Some venues actively restrict flash photography, or the couple explicitly doesn’t want it. Without adequate ambient light, this puts photographers in an extremely difficult position.
The simple fix: When you book your venue, ask them what options exist for increasing the ambient light during the reception. Many venues have overhead lighting they don’t normally use but can switch on at a low level. Ask your wedding coordinator to ensure there’s enough light for photography – not just enough to “set the mood.” Share this conversation with your photographer so they can advise on what’s workable.
The couple portrait session – even just 20 to 30 minutes alone with your photographer during golden hour – consistently produces some of the most treasured images from a wedding day. And yet it’s often the first thing couples sacrifice when the day starts running late, or when they feel guilty “abandoning” their guests.
Those photos of just the two of you, in beautiful light, will be on your walls for the rest of your life. Your guests will barely notice you’re gone for half an hour.
The simple fix: Schedule the portrait session into your timeline and protect it. Tell your venue coordinator and your wedding party it’s happening. Think of it as a non-negotiable appointment, not an optional extra. Your photographer will thank you, and so will your future self.
Even a single burst of flash from a guest’s camera at the wrong moment can ruin a long-exposure shot, wash out a carefully lit scene, or cause the subject to blink or react. During a church ceremony in particular, where photographers are often working in low light with careful, considered settings, a sudden flash from a pew can destroy the image being captured.
The simple fix: Include a note in your order of service or ceremony programme asking guests to turn off camera flash. Your officiant can mention it too. Most guests simply don’t realise the impact their camera’s flash has – they’re trying to help, not hinder.
Some venues – particularly historic churches, stately homes, and licensed buildings – have restrictions on where photographers can stand or move. Your photographer may only find this out on the day itself, having planned a shot that turns out to be off-limits.
The simple fix: When you do your venue walk-through with your photographer (strongly recommended), raise access specifically. Ask the venue coordinator: “Are there any restrictions on where our photographer can stand or move?” Share the answer with your photographer so they can plan around it – not discover it on the day.
Everything on this list comes from the same place – wedding photographers care deeply about their work and about giving couples images that will last a lifetime. None of these frustrations are complaints about difficult people. They’re almost always the result of things nobody thought to mention, or simply didn’t know.
The couples who get the very best from their wedding photographers are the ones who communicate openly, prepare a realistic timeline, brief their guests, and trust the process. Do those things, and your photographer will move mountains for you.
Are you a wedding photographer with something to add to this list?
Or a couple who found this helpful? Drop a comment below – I’d love to hear from you.
Adding a second photographer is primarily about coverage and security. While a single photographer can capture a wedding beautifully, a second professional ensures multiple angles are covered simultaneously—such as the look on both partners’ faces during the vows or candid guest reactions while formal portraits are taking place.
From a logistical standpoint, a second shooter acts as a safety net, ensuring no moment is missed due to the physical limitations of being in one place at a time.
A Note on the Investment: The £300 fee for a second photographer is a direct pass-through cost. This covers their professional time and expertise on the day. While it results in a larger gallery of images for me to edit, the fee does not increase my personal profit; it is dedicated entirely to ensuring your day has the most comprehensive coverage possible.
Side note: since I am often the only photographer at a wedding, I opt to use a 24-70mm lens as I have to work harder and cannot be in all places at one time. If I have a second photographer with me then I tend to shoot with prime lenses. This can affect the look of images when it comes to things like depth of field and the amount of digital noise in low light locations. But I always shoot with two cameras (for redundancy) and one of them usually has a prime lens fitted, so this isn’t a major issue.
It depends on the scale and flow of your day. Here are the primary benefits:
Two Perspectives: One photographer can focus on the action (the first kiss), while the second captures the reaction (your parents’ faces).
Comprehensive Coverage: It allows for “getting ready” photos in two different locations at the same time.
A Safety Net: Having two sets of eyes and equipment provides an extra layer of security for once-in-a-lifetime moments.
Transparency on Pricing: The £300 add-on goes directly to the second professional joining the team. I do not take a cut of this fee. In fact, adding a second shooter increases my post-production workload, as there are significantly more images to cull and edit. I offer this option solely to provide more variety and peace of mind for couples who want every angle covered.
Congratulations! Your big day is approaching, and you’re thinking about everything – the dress, the venue, the guest list. But have you thought about how to be in front of the camera?
It’s completely normal to feel a little nervous or awkward about having your photo taken. That’s what this guide is for! Think of it as your posing rehearsal. While I will be there on your wedding day to guide, prompt, and find the most flattering angles, taking some time to practice together at home can make a world of difference.
Our goal is not to make you look like a rigid, posed doll, but to capture the natural joy, connection, and love between the two of you.
Confidence Booster: The more familiar you are with basic poses, the more relaxed you’ll be on the day. Relaxation is the key to genuine smiles and expressions.
Saves Time: When you know a few standard setups, we can move through posed shots quickly, leaving more time for you to celebrate.
Identifies “You”: Practicing helps you discover which positions feel the most authentic to you as a couple.
Improves Communication: It’s a fun way to practice communicating with each other and with your photographer.
Here are a few classic poses and connection techniques to try at home. Don’t take it too seriously – have fun, and focus on your connection!
Note: In these diagrams, the “poses” show typical body positions. We will always prioritize your comfort and personal style over rigid placement.
This is the quintessential “relaxed and happy” shot. It encourages natural movement and allows for beautiful, candid expressions.
How to Practice:
Hold hands loosely (don’t grip!). Interlaced fingers can look tense. A loose, “over-under” hold is usually best.
Walk slowly toward an imaginary point in the distance (or away from it).
You can look ahead, but look at each other frequently. Share a joke, smile, or say something funny. The goal is connection, not a military march.
The photographer will capture the moments in between steps and when you look at each other.
This is a versatile pose that creates a lot of connection points between you. It’s often used for romantic, intimate portraits.
How to Practice:
Turn your bodies mostly toward each other (creating a shallow “V” shape), then shift one of your hips slightly more forward than the other (closing the “V” to become “chest-to-chest”).
Partner 1 (shorter): Rest your hands gently on Partner 2’s chest or waist. You can rest your head lightly on their shoulder or chest.
Partner 2 (taller): Bring your arms up and wrap them gently around Partner 1’s waist or lower back.
Key Connection: Connect: Lean in slightly so your foreheads touch, or Partner 2, gently kiss Partner 1’s temple. This is about physical proximity and tenderness.
This classic pose shows off the couple and your outfits beautifully, but the key is to make it feel natural, not stiff like an actual prom photo.
How to Practice:
Stand side-by-side, but slightly turned toward each other, so your inside shoulders are close.
The Arms: Instead of the old “arm-linked-stiffly,” have the partner closest to the camera bring their inside arm through the other’s arm. The other partner then places their hand gently on that forearm or hand. This creates a much softer “drape.”
The “Close”: The partner on the outside can place their far hand gently on the other’s waist.
Look toward the camera, or, for more romance, both look in the same direction off to the side (a “future gaze”).
This is a very easy and universally loved pose for capturing sweet, quiet affection. It’s perfect when one partner is noticeably taller.
How to Practice:
Partner 1 (taller): Hold Partner 2 gently around the waist or shoulder, pulling them close.
Partner 2 (shorter): Nestle in close to Partner 1, resting your head gently on their shoulder or the crook of their neck.
Key Connection: Partner 1, you can lean your head against Partner 2’s or gently whisper something in their ear. Partner 2, this is a great moment to let out a genuine laugh or smile at what you hear.
Tip: Keep your hands soft. Don’t squeeze tight!
If we have a bench, stairs, or a grassy hill, a seated pose offers a great variation and a chance for a new kind of connection.
How to Practice:
Find a comfortable place to sit. Avoid sitting straight on; angle your bodies slightly.
Connection: Bring your bodies close together.
One partner can put an arm around the other’s shoulders. The other partner can rest their head on that shoulder.
The “Nuzzle”: The taller partner can lower their chin to gently nuzzle the other’s hair or temple. This pose looks best when both of you are looking down and away from the camera, or looking softly at each other.
Remember, these are guidelines, not rules! We will adjust for your comfort and style on the day.
“Always a Micro-Bend”: Try to avoid locked elbows or stiff, straight legs. A tiny bend in joints (elbows, knees) creates softness and better flow.
Soft Hands: Keep your hands relaxed, not balled into fists or stiff like claws. Rest them gently on each other. If you don’t know what to do with a hand, tucking a thumb in a pocket or holding onto your partner’s sleeve works well.
Posture is Everything (Almost): Long necks look elegant. Imagine a string pulling the top of your head up. (But don’t get stiff!)
Connect at Multiple Points: Good posing creates multiple points of contact (hands, shoulders, hips, heads). This looks and feels more romantic.
Let Out a Breath: Right before I take the shot, I’ll prompt you to exhale. It naturally relaxes your shoulders and face.
Trust Me: If a position I suggest feels odd, it’s probably because it looks amazing to the camera. Trust my eye!
Remember: This is a guide to help you feel prepared. On your wedding day, my priority is not to make you master these poses perfectly, but to capture the joy, the fun, and the absolute love you share. Practice a little, then relax and trust your photographer to do the rest!
Here are a few sample photos from a couple who hired me because they liked my natural and relaxed approach!
Gus and Tina hired me for my unobtrusive natural style, here are a few of their wedding photos!
Leave a Reply