How does a couple choose their wedding photographer?

Choosing a wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions a couple will make while planning their wedding. After all, the photographer will be responsible for capturing the memories of one of the most important days of their lives.

But with so many options and factors to consider, it can be overwhelming to know where to start. In this blog post, we’ll discuss some key factors that a couple should consider when selecting their wedding photographer.

1. Style: The first thing to consider is the photographer’s style. Does their portfolio match the aesthetic that the couple is going for? Are their images posed or candid? Do they use natural light or flash? It’s important for the couple to find a photographer whose style resonates with their vision for the wedding day.
2. Experience: The next factor to consider is the photographer’s experience. Does the photographer have experience shooting weddings? How many weddings have they shot? A seasoned wedding photographer will have the knowledge and skills to handle any unexpected situations that may arise during the wedding day.
3. Personality: The couple should also consider the photographer’s personality. Will they be easy to work with? Will they make the couple feel comfortable in front of the camera? It’s important to find a photographer who is professional, yet also personable and easy to communicate with.
4. Reviews: Reading reviews from past clients can be a great way to gauge the photographer’s reputation and level of satisfaction. Look for reviews that specifically mention the photographer’s professionalism, responsiveness, and quality of work.
5. Pricing: Of course, pricing is also an important factor to consider. The couple should have a clear understanding of the photographer’s pricing structure and what is included in their packages. It’s important to find a photographer whose pricing fits within the wedding budget, without sacrificing quality.
6. Availability: Finally, the couple should confirm the photographer’s availability for the wedding date. It’s important to book the photographer well in advance to ensure that they are available on the desired date.

In conclusion, choosing a wedding photographer is a decision that should not be taken lightly. By considering these key factors, a couple can find a photographer who will capture the memories of the special day in a way that matches their vision and style.

To see my reviews click here, and to see examples of my pricing click here.
Thanks for reading and I very much hope to meet you soon!

Rebecca & James’ wedding at Irton Hall

Rebecca, from Whitehaven, and James, from Slough, were married in a beautiful Autumnal wedding at Irton Hall.
Their incredible cake was from Alison Fawkes, Suits were from Charles Menswear / Threads, the Bride’s dress was from Bridal House in Maryport.  The flowers were from Kochetova on Etsy.

Trudie & Mandy were married at Wetheral

Trudie and Mandy, from Milton, were married at the Crown Hotel, Wetheral.

Claire & Stuart were married at Wetheral

Claire, from Low Row and Stuart, from Farlam, were married at the Crown Hotel, Wetheral.
The Cake was by Kate Harrison, Suits were from Moss Bros, the Brides dress was for wed4less (with alterations by Jacquie Kidd).  The flowers were from Walltown Flowers Brampton.

Rachel & Chris’ wedding at Windermere

Rachel & Chris had an amazing summer wedding at Broadoaks in Windermere, it was a huge amount of fun to shoot!

Rachel & Chris, a nice thank-you card

I felt honoured to receive this thank-you card from Rachel & Chris following their wedding!  It was a hot summer’s day at Broadoaks in Windermere and a huge amount of fun.  Photos are to follow.

Libby & James’ wedding a Cockermouth Town Hall

Libby and James were married in a happy and emotional ceremony at Cockermouth Town Hall with the reception held at Summergrove.

Amanda & Brian’s wedding at Hunday Manor

Amanda & Brian, a lovely couple from Workington, were married at the Hunday Manor Country Hotel.

Jane & Peter’s wedding in Whitehaven

Peter and Jane were married in Whitehaven’s Civic Hall!

Emma & Chris’ wedding at Lodore Falls

Lodore Falls was the setting for Emma and Chris’ wedding.

Julie & Adrian’s lovely wedding was at Wetherall

Julie and Adrian were married at The Crown hotel in Wetheral.

Steph & William’s wedding was at Hunday Manor

A beautiful wedding at Hunday Manor, Steph and William are a lovely couple.

Jayne & Jason’s unique wedding!

Jayne & Jason were married at St. Bees Priory and the reception was held at Armathwaite Hall.

Rebecca & Adam – married between lockdowns

Rebecca & Adam were married at Our Lady & St Michaels Church in Workington with the reception held at 3 Hills Barn, Threlkeld.  A wedding between lockdowns!
A link to some more pictures on Flickr are here.

Update for wedding photography

The global pandemic has been difficult for everyone.  But now bookings for wedding photography are being taken and with safety in mind there’s no reason to worry about your wedding photography.  I’m ready to take your booking and work with you to produce the results you love while in complete safety.  Please get in touch to discuss your needs – examples of the packages I offer are here, and you can email me at dave@dave–wilson-weddings.com or give me a call on 07770-520000 and I’ll be delighted you got in touch!

Thanks!
Dave Wilson

Katie & Simon’s wedding, the first of 2020

An intimate family wedding near Keswick for a lovely couple from Penrith.  Their wedding was in their favourite place – The Lake District.
A link to some more pictures on Flickr are here.

The lighter side

This made me chuckle.  While reading a Facebook group I came across this post.  Names are removed for privacy, but the point is that there are an awful lot of people who will undercut a professional wedding photographer by any amount just to get the work.  This is actually killing the business and while it gets the client a cheaper price it also means the client gets a massively sub-standard service.

Having said all this, everyone has to start somewhere.  But it’s worth saying that not all photographers are cut out to be wedding photographers.  Simply asking your cousin or Uncle Jim to take the pictures puts undue stress on them and is unfair, and likely the results at the end of the day will be disappointing.  I’ve seen this first hand unfortunately and the bride was gutted.

Adam & Rebecca’s engagement shoot

A beautiful morning was chosen to shoot Adam & Rebecca’s engagement pictures at Buttermere.  Their wedding is 16th May 2020.
A link to some more pictures on Flickr are here.

Kayeligh & Shaun’s wedding

Kayleigh & Shaun were married at St. Beghs Church in Whitehaven, the reception was at Hundith Hill – one of the most emotional I’ve had the pleasure of covering.
A link to a small selection of their pictures in the Portfolio section is here.

Kirstie & Stephen’s wedding

Kirstie & Stephen were married in a civil ceremony at Workington’s Helena Thompson Museum and the reception was at Whitehaven Golf Club.
A link to a small selection of their photos on my Portfolio page is here.

Karen & Tony’s wedding

Karen & Tony were married on a Spring day in a civil ceremony at the historic Sella Park hotel.
A link to a small selection of their pictures in the Portfolio section is here.

Sue & Marc’s wedding

Sue & Marc were married on a beautiful summer day in Whitehaven’s St John’s Church and their reception was Whitehaven Golf Club

Sue & Keith wedding

Sue & Keith were married in a civil ceremony in Whitehaven and their reception was at The Georgian House Hotel.

Rowan & Suzanne wedding

Suzanne & Rowan were married in a civil ceremony at Hundith Hill.  It was a fun day spent with very close friends & family.

Congratulations to Angela & Phil

Congratulations to Angela & Phil who were married in an extremely intimate wedding at the Bridge Inn, Santon.  It was with immediate family & friends in an extremely relaxed atmosphere.

Katie & Stephen wedding

Katie & Stephen were married at St John’s Church at Bigrigg then the reception was held at Hundith Hill Hotel near Cockermouth.  It was a beautiful Spring day and the daffodils were out in force!

More in the Portfolio – click here.

Ruth & Douglas wedding

Ruth & Douglas were married on a beautiful day in the historic St. Bees Priory and the reception was at the beautiful Hundith Hill Hotel near Cockermouth.  Congratulations both!

More in the Portfolio – click here.

Video of your special day also available!

I’m happy to be able to partner with Adam Lewis, a professional videographer in Cumbria, to offer you videos along side your photos.  If you’d like to get more information please get in touch with me and also see Adam’s website by clicking here.

Pete & Laura’s wedding

Pete & Laura got married at St Bartholomew’s Church in Loweswater.  The weather held and even gave a spectacular backdrop against the fells of Melbreak, Rannerdale Knotts and Grasmoor.
It was a very intimate wedding with a relaxed atmosphere.  Congratulations!

More in the Portfolio – click here.

Equipment boost!

I invested in some new top of the line equipment a little while ago now and I’m very pleased with the results I’ve been getting from the Canon 1DX mk2, 600EX II-RT flash and ST-E3-RT transmitter.

The new kit gives me greater flexibility in difficult conditions where others might struggle.  This really is the best photography equipment on the market at the moment and I’m proud to be able to be using this in my work.

Congratulations Mr & Mrs Walker!

David & Bethany were married at St John’s church in Hensingham and their reception was held at Hunday Manor.  A great wedding with a fantastic atmosphere!

For the pictures click here.

Claire & Robin married!

Congratulations to Claire and Robin who were married at The Bridge Inn at Santon!   It was a warm, friendly wedding!

Steve & Emma were married at Cockermouth

A beautiful, small wedding followed by an intimate reception at a converted barn was a really atmosphere.  Congratulations 🙂

What to YOU want from your wedding photographer?

I’m constantly looking for ways to improve my wedding photography service and I always listen to comments. Why not get in touch and tell me what you want from your wedding photographer?

Jaime & James wedding pictures

Jaime & James were married in St. Bees and had a unique reception at The Bower House in Eskdale.
More pictures in the Portfolio section

Naomi & Carl’s wedding

Congratulations to Naomi & Carl, their wedding was small and intimate which their guests loved.

Hannah & Phil’s wedding pictures

A stunning setting lending to some great pictures.  Congratulations both, it was a beautiful day.
More pictures in the Portfolio section

Louise and David’s wedding pictures posted

A beautiful wedding which was a pleasure to photograph.  Congratulations Louise & David.
More pictures in the Portfolio section

I’ve become Canon Professional Services newest member!

I signed up to Canon’s Professional Services today, not all photographers qualify; there are strict criteria to become a member of this exclusive service and take advantage of its benefits which are access to priority repairs, a dedicated helpdesk, technical support, exclusive CPS benefits and much more.

I’ve bought a new camera!

I took the plunge and decided to get an additional full frame camera so I bought the Canon 1Ds mk3.  I was out to test it tonight and the results are stunning, it’s certainly a tool which will help me do my job better!

New Canon cameras announced

I’m due to buy another camera body to keep up with my demand for ultimate quality.  But here’s the dilemma – do I buy the 5D mk3 or hold out for the 1D X?

If I get the 5D I’ll need the battery grip.  Both are full frame cameras and their specification sheets read well.  At least I can afford to wait and see how they pan out and keep my eye on availability and price.  I might even wait until well into Summer which will allow the market to settle a little and any small bugs to be ironed out in Firmware updates.

Whatever the decision it’ll be a good investment and compliment the existing equipment I have already.

Emma & Ryan’s wedding in Whitehaven

Emma & Ryan were married at St.Peter’s church in February 2012, it went without a hitch and was a beautiful service.  Congratulations to you both 🙂

How cheap is your wedding?

I came across this posting on the Internet, just to sum it up;  “I am starting to see a lot of brides suing their wedding photographers both in Great Britain and the US. Seems some brides are going for extremely cheap deals and then are amazed when they get duped. Even someone who is doing wedding photography as a hobby may not be worried about their reputation or name. Whereas a photographer who has spent a lot of money on their “Brand” is probably going to try fix bad PR.”

I really need to stress, don’t skimp on your wedding photography, it’s a record of one of the biggest days of your life.  I’ve seen the results from some very cheap wedding photography and it’s really not worth it.

Dave Wilson Weddings is an established business providing you with professional wedding photography.  Have a chat with us about your requirements, we’ll give you the best deal we can with a reputation to back it up.

Dave

Wedding photography discount offer

Happy new year to all our customers!

The great news is that I’m still running a discount.   There’s catch, just great value.  All you need to do is quote “10% WEB DISCOUNT” when booking.

I look forward to working with you and wish you every success in the future.

30% discount on all wedding albums!

I'm pleased to announce that I am offering a 30% discount applied to all photo albums for wedding photography booked before the end of February 2012 - just in time for Valentines Day :)

As with all bookings, a deposit is required.  Please <a href="http://www.photographynorthwest.com/contact/">contact me</a> to claim this discount and to book your wedding photography!

Does your wedding photographer know what they are doing?

With the UK economy as it is I see an increasing number of amateur photographers being asked to cover Your Big Day. Is this a good idea? Or is it a false economy?

Well, the problem is that many clients have the same expectations from an amateur photographer as they do with the professional images they see in the wedding magazines.  After all, anybody can be a photographer, right? And if that’s true, why not save the money and put it towards something else? WRONG.

It’s true that anyone can press a shutter – but it’s a vastly different thing to have them deliver professional quality images at a wedding. Wedding photography is considered by many to be one of the most difficult, challenging and high-pressure photography jobs around. You have to be master of multiple photography disciplines and you have no luxury of a re-shoot if things don’t turn out.

So what are these differences between an amateur and a professional wedding photographer?

The Amateur;
– “has taken pictures at weddings before”.
– will not understand how light and the camera works, his favorite camera setting is “Auto”.
– doesn’t see the need to spend £400 on an external flash because his camera has a pop-up flash.
– might have a flash but always uses it pointed straight ahead. And it is set to Auto of course.
– has one or two consumer grade zoom lenses.
– gets his prints from a high-street shop.
– will unlikely be able to provide an album (if he does, his selection is limited because most high quality album manufacturers only produce work with professional photographers).
– will not provide a contract.
– can’t give you guarantees… if the wedding pictures don’t turn out, oh well.

The Professional;
– understands how to get the best from any lighting situation from bright sunlight to dark churches.
– can quickly adjust camera settings blindfolded.
– highly skilled at using ambient light, bounced flash, fill flash, and off-camera lighting.
– understands the principles of photojournalism, portrait photography, creative posing, and composition.
– can show you multiple examples of wedding galleries from past clients.
– has enough experience to help your whole wedding day run smoothly.
– has dealt with a host of wedding scenarios including churches, castles, ballrooms, beaches, and parks.
– has shot small weddings, large weddings, traditional, modern and unconventional weddings.
– knows the flow of a wedding day and can anticipate where to be, what to capture, and can adjust to the unexpected.
– can provide valuable advice on your timetable and recommend family group shots.
– has shot hundreds of thousands of images and knows his equipment inside and out.
– has mastered the end-to-end workflow through years of experience.
– provides a contract outlining all relevant facts on the services and products provided and at what cost to the client.
– provides a contract which helps to reduce any misunderstandings between the client and the photographer.
– has insurance to cover himself and his equipment.
– has access to the highest quality professional photo labs.
– works with high-end album manufacturers who only sell to professional photographers.

Phew! I bet you never thought of all that.  Well it is all true and this is why wedding photography is expensive – and should stay expensive.  And I didn’t even include things like accountancy and tax bills, new equipment and maintenance costs, travel expenses and of course … reputation.

So as you as now looking for a wedding photographer make your decision with all of this in mind. And please, please, PLEASE don’t get a family member to do it for you!!

Adelle &Jordan’s wedding in Whitehaven

Adelle & Jordan’s marriage was emotional, they were married at St John’s in Whitehaven and continued to the Hundith Hill Hotel in Cockermouth.

Click HERE for a select few pictures.

Lyndsey & Craig’s beautiful and intimate wedding

Lyndsey & Craig were married in a very intimate service at the wonderful Chequers hotel in Dalton in Furness.
Friends and family watched the joyous occasion while the sun shone!

Click HERE for a select few pictures.

Best wishes for 2011

With 2011 well under way, here’s looking forward to meeting all my new clients in 2011 and beyond. With a lot happening this year I’m excited about ensuring your special day is treasured forever.

Gary & Lisa’s wedding, Cockermouth

Gary & Lisa were married at All Saints Church in Cockermouth, their afternoon and evening reception at the Hundith Hill Hotel also in Cockermouth.

The photos were taken at the Hundith Hill’s well kept gardens and the weather was fantastic!

Ed & Sam’s wedding at Windermere was amazing!

Ed and Sam were married at the Lakeside Hotel on the shore of lake Windermere.

A very picturesque location, I took them on a rowing boat so I could shoot picture in the middle of the lake!

Anna & John’s wedding in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA

An amazing trip to the USA saw me photographing the wedding of Anna & John – an incredible privilege.

They were married in Fallasburg Park next to a stream, the park providing the amenities for the reception and evening party.

New equipment addition – Canon 70-200mm f2.8L IS USM II

As part of my expansion plan for the best Canon professional equipment, I bought the new mk2 version of the already superb Canon 70-200 f2.8 image stabilised lens along with the 2x Canon extender.

Well worth the outlay, this lens is simply amazing!

The wedding of David & Nickie in Whitehaven

David & Nickie were married at the Whitehaven Registry Office with their photographs at Egremont Castle and the Seacote Hotel at St. Bees who also provided the reception and evening facilities.

Peter & Moji’s wedding at Cleator

Peter and Moji were married in a civil ceremony at The Ennerdale hotel at Cleator who also provided the reception and evening facilities.

On-location shoots included the extensive Ennerdale Hotel gardens and Hen Beck Bridge with the river flowing past as a backdrop.

Amy & PJ’s wedding in Warrington

Amy & PJ were blessed with more fantastic weather for their wedding in Warrington.

The wedding took place in the beautiful St Barnabas’s Church in Lovely Lane, with Drivetime providing the reception & evening party.

Richard & Libby’s wedding in Rotherham

A very beautiful wedding as Wentworth Castle in Rotherham as the venue, the sun beating down on a perfect day.

Gary & Jane’s Christmas wedding at Muncaster was amazing!

Gary & Jane were married at Muncaster Castle, what an amazing and historic venue especially at Christmas time, it was very special.

The intimate service and dining afterwards was a pleasure to be part of.