My Style + Approach
“She managed to capture so many lovely moments as they happened” –Ben+Rebecca
Documentary wedding photographer
Weddings can be anything you want them to be! So I thought I’d share a little about my approach. And what I’ll be looking for on your big day, as a predominately documentary wedding photographer, based in Oxford.
Photography and particularly wedding photography is all about being ready for the moments before they even happen. It’s easy to be prepared for the predictable moments, the first kiss, the first dance etc. But my main aim is to to be ready for those unplanned moments that will hopefully mean so much more to you guys.
I’ve heard it called ‘proactive serendipity’, searching for the unexpected. You can’t just be waiting for a moments to happen, you have to be looking something, even if you don’t know what it is… And then making a judgement call about a moment’s potential and sticking around to see it through.
Below I’ve broken down my approach to different aspect of the day, and the sorts of images I’d love to capture for you. hopefully bringing you a bit of a fresher take on wedding photography than the old school cheese everyone was used to.
Your Memories
My main aim is that when you look back through your photographs, you hopefully aren’t just reminded of the moments themselves. You remember how you were feeling in those moments.. I don’t really like to pose people or tell anyone to repeat anything, all those photographs would achieve would be to remind you of me being annoying and interfering… And that’s totally missing the point, I much prefer to try and capture everything as it unfolds.
“Discreet, professional and with an incredible eye for detail. We will treasure her wonderful pictures forever!”
–Kitty+James
ALL THE EMOTIONS
You can’t pose emotion. Whether it’s tearing up saying your vows or cracking up listening to the best man’s speech, I want to capture it all! I love that a wedding day inspires the whole spectrum of human emotions. From thinking about the people who you wish were there, to being so grateful for all the people who are. Laughter and tears, proud parents and gushing grandparents. Silly kids messing about and couples getting swept up in the joy of the day.
THE HUMOUR
Capturing funny moments, people not taking themselves too seriously, brides stuffing their face with cake and kids breaking the rules!
Weddings are a pretty important, but they can also be hilarious and unpredictable.
I once wrote a piece about how I approached the image with the grandad passing the bubbles to his grandson. You can check it out here on the This Is Reportage blog page. It sums up what a wedding can be when you bring all the generations together.
Natural Portraits
A lot of couple portraits will make themselves naturally throughout the day, as long as you spend some of the day together. First kisses, first dances, listening to speeches with pints in hand, and having confetti chucked in your face. I know you’ve got a lot of people to catch up with, so sometimes you need to divide and conquer, but remember to periodically check in with each other, it’ll be over before you know it.
A Bit more posed
PORTRAITS
A lot of portraits of you will just happen naturally throughout the day, but it’s usually a good idea to take 15–20 minutes to escape the madness and go for a little wander. We can get some lovely natural photos of you guys having a bit of a breather, and remembering what the day is all about.
ALL THE DETAILS
Details are part of the personality of your day and I love how they create a colour palette for the set of photographs I create. I do try and get some of the details on their own, the wedding breakfast all set up before you enter and the buttonholes all laid out in the morning. But I love when a detail can be captured in a moment as well. They aren’t supposed to be a separate thing, they are a way of bringing your day together. So if you want a picture of your dress hanging up in the morning, you may need to prod me… I personally think it looks better on you!
It’s not all about you guys though!
You’ve invited everyone you care about to share your day. From people you see all the time to those you wish you could see more. I’ll try and capture them all! You also can’t be everywhere… So hopefully I’ll be able to have a nosey around and capture what everyone else is getting up to and fill in some of the gaps of the day.
Group Photographs
Some group photographs happen naturally throughout the day. But we can of course do a few of the traditional line ups as long as it doesn’t eat into too much precious celebrating times. I normally get you to write a list of ten groups, tops, and then get someone loud to help find everyone so we can get you back to enjoying canapés as quickly as possible.
Fun angles
Moments are the subject, but I’m constantly looking for creative ways to capture those moments. Interesting angles, fun reflections, use of depth of field, or lighting to enhance those moments. I want your images each to stand alone as pieces of beautiful imagery. To create images throughout the whole day that you’ll be able to proudly frame on your walls, not just the portrait images of the two of you.
I promise I’ve got you covered, SO ALL YOU NEED TO WORRY ABOUT IS HAVING
THE BEST DAY EVER!
And then you’ll receive as many images as I think tell your story. I hope you’ve survived my little ramble about how I approach capturing your big day, looking at my style and the things I look for. Hopefully it’ll help you decide whether I’m the right fit for you guys! I’ve also got a page about me too, in case you want to know who you’re inviting into your day.
A Few Kind Words
Jenny+Tom
Lower Damgate Fram
“I couldn’t recommend Lucy highly enough!! She photographed our wedding in June and perfectly captured all our happy moments. She was discreet and unobstrusive and was also a very calming and reassuring presence – which was exactly what I needed! If you’re looking for gorgeous, bright and natural shots, then look no further!! :)”
Andy+Jonny
Islington Town Hall
“Lucy-you are such a talented photographer. You have such a wonderful eye for detail and for capturing every magical moment. You absolutely capture the spirit and colours beautifully of whatever event you are photographing.
The images you take are so vivid and so exciting that it’s like reliving the whole wonderful day and evening all over again.”
Charlotte+Kit
Marcham, Abingdon
“Lucy was absolutely brilliant for our scaled back and relaxed wedding with 30 guests this summer. We decided to go ahead at the last minute and so glad that Lucy was able to capture the day so perfectly. She was both extremely professional and friendly and integrated seamlessly with our guests.”
READY TO
CONNECT?
Documentary wedding photographer Oxford
Whatever your plans are, I’d love to hear from you!
I’m based in Oxford, but wherever you’re celebrating, I’d love to come and capture your day! No wedding is too close or too far.
If you have any questions just send me a message, or check out my FAQs.