Friday 18th March at Stockbridge Primary School. I did a marathon portrait session for a number of families to raise funds for the playground. The kids were great with only a couple of refusals (probably didn’t like the look of me) and I had a couple of P7 helpers who were super keen assistants (thanks boys!). I said you could bring pets and you did – but no ponies thankfully! If you want to see the photos they’re here I’ve added all of the photos now. If you don’t know the password mail me. Let me know which file you want as your free print and I’ll get it done for you. I wanted the images to be black and white for two reasons; 1) it focuses attention on the person and 2) it gets away from the notion of “school photos”. However if you want to see a colour version contact me and I’ll do that. Thanks everyone! – Leo

School Portrait Session

Billy the Kid

You can plan most things for a wedding with a good degree of certainty but you can’t know in advance what the weather will do. Providing your wedding ceremony and reception venue are indoors the weather shouldn’t provide that many problems – but indoor wedding photography can be restrictive and not representative of the day. No doubts about it – there are moments during the big day when you would like to be outside.

Natural light and the charm of your surroundings at that very special venue you hired – at great expense – will be important elements of your wedding photographs. If you have hired a venue in a Scottish castle with views out over mountains and sea or at a country house hotel with its beautifully manicured gardens then you will want to capture them in your photographs.

An experienced photographer will have a “Plan A” and a “Plan B” (bad weather). And (s)he’ll be prepared for both plans to go “out of the window”! Your photographer should have researched the location and know which locations to use in any weather.

On what is merely a grey, cloudy day a skilled wedding photographer will know how to make the best of the light. In fact for outdoor portraits this is the best sort of light – beautiful even light that’s kind to any face. Stormy skies add drama and a professional will know how to balance artificial light but retain that drama in the sky (just one more argument against leaving the job to friends and amateurs, but that’s another wedding photography story!) More problems present themselves when the rain starts to fall and the wind starts to blow, and for the bride, problems for her dress and hairdo in particular.

There are several options available to the wedding couple if the weather should turn against them and their wedding photographer’s best efforts.

One obvious strategy to insure against heavy rain and having to be photographed in interiors indistinguishable from a thousand others wedding venues is to choose a venue where exteriors protected by a high roof are available. Think pergolas, bandstands and canopied doorways. Photographers love doorways; the light falls off quickly and that beautiful soft light is back.

Indoors by a window is the next best thing. Window light makes for dramatic images – a large window with a wood panelled or stone wall and all sorts of possibilities open up. Photography is about light and this setting is wonderful.

In the absence of roofed exteriors it may make sense to have large white umbrellas on hand – I always carry several. Apart from protecting against the rain they diffuse the top light and reflect back the bottom light – soft light again! You may even want to bring your own umbrellas in other colours to match the bridesmaid’s dresses. Plenty of clips and pins for holding hair in place and battening down gowns won’t go amiss either. The wind can be used to our advantage too – with a bit of cover that natural wind machine can be useful!

The employment of umbrellas can dovetail nicely with another important strategy for wedding photograph success in inclement weather. That strategy is, in three words, “Go with it!” Embracing the conditions can not merely save the day – it may make the day. You can’t change the weather but you can change your attitude to it. A strong gale, a refreshing shower or even snow will make your wedding day a memorable one and add to the fun. I’ve seen the Bride arrive in “wellies” and it’s a great photograph. Who knows – perhaps that awful weather will forever be associated with happiness?

My wedding photography services are available to couples traveling to Scotland for their destination wedding. There are rules every couple should follow when looking for a photographer they will not meet either until very shortly before their wedding or on the wedding day itself.

Ideally when you and your partner are organising your wedding you will have the opportunity to meet your photographer and develop a relationship prior to the big day. No wedding couple wants to be photographed by someone who knows nothing of their taste and personality. Similarly, no wedding photographer likes to turn up on the day of the wedding and be given a strict shot list by a bride or groom he has never met. A wedding album that faithfully records the fun and emotion of your wedding day will be the result of a genuine rapport between you and your wedding photographer.

Most wedding photographers are not only glad to have a pre-wedding meeting but they often suggest a pre-wedding shoot. Of course, an occasion when this relationship building is not possible is when you plan to hold your wedding ceremony abroad. There are many companies offering planning for destination weddings and they include the scouting and employment of a photographer in the wedding package. Although a useful service this is not ideal because an understanding between wedding couple and wedding photographer is critical to capturing the appropriate record of the big day.

You can choose to trust the wedding planner’s recommendations but if you prefer to find your own wedding photographer in the Bahamas, Spain or wherever you choose to tie the knot then where do you start?

1. Where will you find information about local photographers?

The answer to question 1 is easy. Search “wedding photographer” + your wedding venue e.g. “Wedding photographer Malaga” on the internet. Don´t worry about the search terms in the language local to the wedding venue. If you only speak English then only search in English. You want a photographer you can communicate easily with. If they cater for speakers of your native language online the more likely it is they will be able to talk with you on the big day itself.

2. What information should you look for initially?

With your list of wedding photographers sourced from the internet how do you begin vetting for the right one? The first things you should establish are professional credentials. Are the photographers in your list trained, certified and endorsed by a professional body e.g. Master Photographers Association (MPA) or the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers (SWPP)? (The latter has a significant foreign membership). If they are then they qualify for the second part of your vetting process. If they aren´t remove them from your list.

Having established professional credentials of a photographer don´t waste time examining their suitability until you know their availability. There are only so many weekends in the year and photographers will have dates booked well in advance. Send a quick e-mail to the wedding photographers on your list asking them their availability on the day of your wedding. You might also consider at this time eliminating those who do not answer promptly, say within two to three days.

When finally you have a list of qualified and available photographers who are keen and professional enough to answer your initial e-mail promptly the real work of finding your perfect wedding photographer abroad begins.

3. Without the opportunity to meet photographers in person what forms of communication and evidence can you use to make the best decision?

The easiest way to judge whether you click with your photographer is through a face to face meeting but of course getting married abroad that option isn´t available to you. You are going to have to make a judgement by other means, and in the following order.

Website

You can tell a lot about wedding photographers by the information they include or do not include on their websites. Look out for websites that are professional and that provide the best information not simply in terms of a photographer´s prices or experience but also his or her ethos and character. Do they sound like they’re on your wavelength and do they sound like someone you could get on with?

If a wedding photographer is proud of past work he should have plenty to show on his website. He should also be able to publish glowing testimonials from past clients.

Reputation

For the photographers on your list that pass the website test you should then look outside their website for mention of their names. Googling a particular photographer by name may bring up reviews of his work, good and bad. For those mentions in a language foreign use Google to translate. Photographers with predominantly good reviews and positive mentions stay in your list.

Wedding photographers can be the victim of malicious reviews that do not reflect their service properly. However, if there is a predominance of negative commentary then, on the “no smoke without fire” principle, erase them from your list.

Making the call

If a photographer´s websites is good and his or her reputation seems sound enough its time you made a phone call. A Skype call with a webcam link could be even better. The call is to have an informal chat and feel each other out. Any misgivings you have about the photographer´s general demeanour – too formal, too business like, too casual, too scruffy, too rambling – will probably be amplified when you meet in person. It is ultimately on the strength of the phone call, skype or webchat that you will make your decision on which photographer to choose. All things being equal between those you call with respect to ability, reputation, accreditation etc you should choose the one you click with best.

Checklist for choosing wedding photographer without first meeting face to face.

1. Professional, accredited?
2. Available on the day?
3. Speaks your language?
4. Prompt in reply to first e-mail?
5. Website squares with your style, wishes? E.g. ethos, character, testimonials
6. Does the photographer have a good online reputation – Positive reviews, mentions etc?
7. Phone call. Skype, webchat – do you both communicate well? Do you click?

I’m delighted to announce that I’m now able to offer the Queensberry Musee album – it’s the album that stunned the Wedding industry when it was previewed. The ultimate in desirability it’s built with loving care from inception to delivery. The highest quality materials have been sourced from around the world; embossed fine leather, vintage ribbon, cotton watercolour paper. It’s beautifully elegant and completely exclusive.

To accommodate this album I’ve added a new package to my repertoire – The Musee collection. Please contact me for more details about what’s included in this ultimate of wedding packages.

images courtesy of Queensberry New Zealand

This is an article reproduced from my main site. I wrote this in response to a question I was asked at a Wedding Fair.

At wedding fairs I’m often asked how a couple should go about choosing their photographer; often there are many photographers present, their work looks good so how do you differentiate between them?

I offer couples the following information; I don’t think it’s self promotion, just sensible ways to work out which photographer suits you best and ensure there are no unexpected surprises for you.

1. Talk! You need to get on with your photographer. You’re entering a relationship that may last over a year (and hopefully beyond!) from first consultation to delivery of the album. You need to establish a rapport so you feel at ease and this will be clearly visible in the photographs. They say we form our impressions of someone in the first few minutes and that impression is usually correct. So talk to your photographer and feel how you connect.

2. View a whole wedding. We photographers want to show you our best work and that will be on display at the consultation or wedding fair. However not all the photos taken at a wedding can be award winners. Some are a record of people and events, some are detail shots. They may well be nice shots but the photographer won’t be showing them off. So ask to see all the images delivered to the client. This will give you a better feel for sort of storybook that can be produced and the range of styles and abilities of your photographer.

3. View a few different weddings. Ask to see the images or albums from a few weddings. It sounds obvious but every wedding is different – even if at the same venue they all have their own special character, oddities (and challenges). Viewing several weddings will show you the photographers own style, timing and creativity.

4. Imagine yourself in the photos. There are plenty of good photographers around, thankfully, but we all have our own style. Wedding photography ranges from reportage to formal and in between you’ll find contemporary, traditional, art, fashion and so on. You may see an album and think it looks fantastic but can you really imagine yourself in that album? Again you should ask the photographer about his style and how (s)he achieves the shots. I believe that different parts of the day call for different styles – for example photographing the guests offering hugs and kisses after the ceremony is pure reportage. By contrast when the photographer gets time with the couple on their own he’ll be more likely to express his own trademark style. Hopefully you’ll be aware of this and it will reflect your own ideas.

5. Study the album choices. There is a wide range of choices from album suppliers and the quality is reflected in the price. Can your photographer show you an example of the album you’ll receive? Many lower end albums are digital albums – the image is printed directly on the page and several may be overlaid or intersected. Higher priced albums have prints laid on the page with a matt framing the image. Which do you prefer? How many images are you being offered? Is that number enough for a complete album? What costs extra? Are parents replica copies available? The album is the biggest overhead a photographer faces and that will be reflected in the photographer’s rate. Remember that in wedding photography you tend to get what you paid for!

6. Is your photographer professionally qualified? If your photographer has the weight of the MPA (Master Photographer’s Association) or SWPP (Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers) behind him, not only is he more credible but he’ll have demonstrated a level of ability to become part of that organisation.

7. USP. What is your photographer’s Unique Selling Point? What differentiates one photographer from another? It may be their unique style, their album manufacturer or something else so ask why you should choose them.

In December last year I was delighted to be photographing the wedding of Anna and Fraser in a very cold and snowy Edinburgh. The reception was held in The Signet Library. I have to say that the Signet Library is a pretty stunning venue; breathtaking in fact – surely one of Scotland’s hidden gems. I love the way it has so many different settings; pillars and large windows, sweeping staircases and majestic halls. Lots of photo potential. Planet Flowers did beautiful work with the flowers and the room looked palatial. The ceremony was held down at the Holyrood Palace end of the Royal Mile in the historic Canongate Kirk which looked very Christmassy in the snow. It’s the venue Zara Philips has now chosen for her own wedding so you can tell it’s a “well kent” Scottish landmark. Picturesque it may have been but, at minus 5, it was no place to be dilly dallying in a wedding dress so it was quick dashes between the venues. Not many weddings have their own pipe band on show so it was wonderful to see the reaction of the guests as a full pipe band marched into the venue just before cutting the cake. Another thing I loved about this wedding was the photo frames that had been left for guests to pose behind. I have to thank Saskia for her sterling efforts in getting everyone to pose for me – and I think we got most of the guests looking like they’re having fun!

The photos can be found here and the password is Anna’s maiden name.

Flowers by Planet Flowers

OK it’s November but what a beautiful morning! As I head up to the George Hotel it’s crisp, clear and sunny. The trees still wear their autumnal colours and the pavements are carpeted in gold, bronze, auburn and yellow. When I met the girls in the hotel there was a buzz of excitement and anticipation. I photographed the shoes and flowers and Lucy was doing the makeup and chatting away – such a lovely happy atmosphere. Then I headed down to the foyer to meet Graeme and chat with the guys. We took some shots outside the hotel and the funny thing about the George is that, being on a busy street, it always attracts the interest of the tourists; they can’t get enough of those kilts! The next thing I know everyone’s ready, the harp is playing and we’re awaiting Jo. This is where the work really starts for a photographer and it’s all systems go! I love it when everyone’s so lovely and welcoming and the day just flows and I think to myself “what a wonderful job!”. Being Scotland the weather wouldn’t do what it was told but top marks to Jo and Graeme for braving the elements to get some natural light shots. So it rained, but a lovely couple and a lovely location makes for great photos whatever the weather. The day went superbly and I’ll never forget the sight of the Dutch showing us Scots how to really do a ceilidh! The photos can be found here the password is Jo’s new surname. Contact me if any problems.

We headed off to Hopetoun House for Anna and Fraser’s pre-wedding shoot. What an impressive sight to behold! No not Fraser, a stunning, imposing building in a sweeping estate. Courtyards, fountains, staircases, colonnades. Incredible. I wasn’t so sure about the “Tiger Room” and I’m sure you can guess who lives (lived) there. It’ll be a wonderful location for the wedding but also great for the pre-wedding shoot. The avenue of trees we used will be completely different in December (if we’re brave enough to venture out that far!). The guys were great fun and I think it show in the photos; it all bodes well for the big day! The photos are here

I photographed Neil and Elizabeth’s re-commitment ceremony in two amazing locations; The Witchery and Edinburgh Castle. The rooms in Witchery are incredibly plush and decorative and having lovely window light adds to the atmosphere of the place; great for photographing the detail of the day. Edinburgh Castle I’m sure we all know but a fabulous place to have such a ceremony and, well, if you’re gong to use a Castle where better?! The photos are here and the password is Neil’s surname.

I did a pre-wedding shoot with Jo and Graeme around the Stockbridge area – there are lots of good locations here and it’s perfect for this. There are lots of cafe’s too so that always helps! Like a lot of couples I think the guys were a wee bit apprehensive but once we got going I think they soon soon eased into it. Besides the shoot isn’t about me; it’s about two people about to get married and I think the couples relish the opportunity to give each other a bit of attention (in spite of me being there with my camera!). It’s amazing how many people say they enjoyed it – but it’s just a bit of fun to get to know each other and have a laugh. Well, they guys were, and looked, great so we got some lovely photos that are ideal for their signature print – and it all bodes well for the wedding! The photo’s are here. Enjoy!