are you actually based in Lewes?
how long have you been a professional photographer?
what’s your style when you’re photographing weddings?
what sort of photographs do you take?
where have you photographed weddings in Lewes?
how many packages are there to choose from?
do you photograph many couples who have been married before?
what time do you arrive?
do you take many photographs during the service?
do the packages include an album?
what is a PhotoBook?
so what do I get?
why do I want a CD?
all the photographs taken - what does this mean?
do you retouch any of our images?
some photographers charge less than you - how come?
how many prints am I likely to get with each package?
other photographer's packages offer us more images?
can I have any photographs in black & white?
can I buy extra prints from you?
do you travel further afield?
are you happy photographing Civil Ceremonies?
do you visit the venues before the wedding day?
do we meet before the wedding day?
I could get a guest to take some photos - why should I pay you?
when do I pay?
what do I do next?
are you actually based in Lewes?
yes! I live & work in Lewes - & have done for the past 15 years how long have you been a professional photographer?
I had to think about this one, but it's just coming up to 13 years what’s your style when you’re photographing weddings?
I’m very much an interactive photographer - talking to the guests, finding out who’s who etc. - I find that I get better photographs that way! what sort of photographs do you take?
my style is to take casual, informal shots capturing the story of the day - and to that extent, most couples just let me get on with it - leaving them to enjoy their day! The requirement for group shots varies - I always like to do one of the whole group - plus any others that are wanted (tip: make a list so you don't have to make it up on the day!). It’s usually best to get them done with as much expediency as possible. The volunteered (or otherwise!) assistance of a brother, usher or best man always helps to speed up the proceedings, otherwise terminal boredom sets in & your guests head for the bar! BACK TO TOP OF PAGE where have you photographed weddings in Lewes?
All of the venues, including Lewes Register Office, Grange Gardens, Anne of Cleves House, Lewes Castle, Pelham House, Shelley’s Hotel, White Hart Hotel, Lewes Town Hall & many of the towns Churches. Plus surrounding venues including East Sussex National (Uckfield), Barnsgate Manor (Uckfield), English Wine Centre (Alfriston), Mid Sussex Golf Club (Ditchling), Ringmer Church, The Chantry (Heathfield), Yew Tree (Chalvington), Crockstead (Halland) plus further afield venues. how many packages are there to choose from?
there are 5 packages to choose from - based solely on the amount of time you need photographic coverage for:
package 1 (1-2 hours)
package 2 (2-3 hours)
package 3 (3-4 hours)
package 4 (4-6 hours)
package 5 (unlimited)
for help in deciding which package is suitable for your wedding, go to my package guide page do you photograph many couples who have been married before?
yes - I’d say at least 50% of my weddings are “2nd. timers”. I guess the nature of the Lewes venues lend themselves towards the smaller, more modest weddings which are typical of couples getting married for the second time. BACK TO TOP OF PAGE what time do you arrive?
normally 30 minutes before the ceremony to capture the guests arriving (maybe a bit earlier if it’s a larger wedding, or a bit later for a smaller one) do you take many photographs during the service?
in Lewes (& other) Register Office it’s possible to take limited photographs during the proceedings & the Registrar always allows photographs of the signing of the register at the end. In Church weddings, the amount of photographs taken can be quite restricted - it’s down to the discretion of the Vicar (they vary considerably in their attitude to photography). I suggest that YOU bring the matter to the attention of your Vicar if it’s particularly important to you to have photographs taken in the church. BACK TO TOP OF PAGE do the packages include an album?
no! - to accommodate the small & medium sized weddings typical of Lewes, and at the request of many clients who just want a CD & professional quality prints, the packages do not offer an album as standard.
PhotoBooks can be chosen as an extra after the wedding if you wish, or you can or course put the prints in an album of your own choice. The comprehensive price guide (which I can post to you) contains details & costs of the PhotoBook that I offer as an extra. what is a PhotoBook?
with an A4 hardback Burgundy linen finish cover featuring a cut-out window on the front cover, & pages printed both sides on glossy photo-paper containing a selection of the images from your wedding day, PhotoBooks are the modern, contemporary way of displaying your wedding photographs. The comprehensive price guide (which I can post to you) contains all the details & costs - see PhotoBook page BACK TO TOP OF PAGE so what do I get?
EVERY PACKAGE Iincludes a CD containing all the high resolution (copyright free) images from your wedding so that you can print your own photos out at home, or get your own prints done, plus a complete set of 8"X6" PROFESSIONAL QUALITY PRINTS of ALL the photographs taken - supplied loose & boxed - no difficult, time consuming choosing of photos involved (& definitely no arguments!) - you get them all! why do I want a CD?
having a CD containing all your wedding photographs (supplied copyright free in JPEG format) gives you choice and flexibility without having to always go back to the photographer every time you want something - often at inflated prices. You can view the images on your own computer as well as printing out any of your photos on your home printer (however, I wouldn’t recommend printing many out like this - it’s expensive & time consuming). A much better way is to take your CD to a photo shop or use an on-line photo company (a professional one will always give better results) where you can print out all or a selection of your photos. You can also use the images to produce a PhotoBook (see my PhotoBook page), Canvass Wrap Prints, Digital PhotoFrame as well as producing more prints for your own album. Also, if distant friends & relatives want any copies of the photos, it’s so easy to just e-mail them a copy of the photo they want and let them print it out themselves! all the photographs taken - what does this mean?
all the photographs taken means after editing at my discretion & removing all the duplicates etc. do you retouch any of our images?
I certainly do! Part of the process of digital photography is editing (sorting) and enhancing the images . . . and it takes forever! Enhancing is the process of optimising the images on the computer (using image editing software - usually PhotoShop), and as I said above - it is VERY time consuming indeed! It is used to crop, brighten / darken, add contrast, increase the colour and generally get the very best out of each photograph so your prints are as good as possible. BACK TO TOP OF PAGE some photographers charge less than you - how come?
good point! Firstly, you don't get any PRINTS - and certainly not 8"x6". Secondly, they won’t be edited - and more importantly - they won’t be enhanced (as above). This means your photographs aren’t properly finished. I cannot emphasize enough that taking the photographs on the day is “the easy part”- it is the subsequent computer work which makes all the difference (and takes all the time!). However, because you won’t be given any prints with your package, you won’t realise until it’s too late! how many 8"X6" PROFESSIONAL QUALITY PRINTS am I likely to get with each package?
it’s difficult to give an exact number - the figures below & on the price guide page are meant as a guide - and in fact are usually exceeded. However, due to unforeseen circumstances (especially the weather) this number may occasionally be reduced
package 1 (1-2 hours) 80+ 8"x6" professional quality prints
package 2 (2-3 hours) 100+ 8"x6" professional quality prints
package 3 (3-4 hours) 120+ 8"x6" professional quality prints
package 4 (4-6 hours) 150+ 8"x6" professional quality prints
package 5 (unlimited) 200+ 8"x6" professional quality prints BACK TO TOP OF PAGE other photographer's packages offer us more images
true! When photographing a wedding it’s easy to “click away” and take hundreds of photographs - many photographers do - it sounds good to offer hundreds of images. However, it’s not the quantity that’s important. It’s down to the skill of the photographer to take photographs that are focused and meaningful, rather than the “if I take enough I’m bound to get it” approach. Also, as I mentioned above, editing & enhancing the images takes a VERY long time. Photographers offering many hundreds of images (especially those offering no prints) are almost certainly not carrying out this essential computer work needed to produce the very best quality prints. can I have any photographs in black & white?
yes - although all the photographs are taken in colour, they can also be produced in black & white. Quite often I will choose a few appropriate images from your wedding photos and supply them in black & white - just to add that extra something! can I buy extra prints from you?
yes - you can buy extra prints in 2 ways - individually (minimum of 5), which are supplied in white folders made of textured board with a gold embossed design, or complete sets (which are supplied loose & boxed as your original prints) - see additional prints page BACK TO TOP OF PAGE do you only photographs weddings in Lewes, or do you travel further afield?
being called "lewes wedding photographer" you can guess that many of my weddings are in Lewes! However, I'm more than happy (and do) to travel further afield - please ask if it's not local. are you happy photographing Civil Ceremonies?
absolutely! OK, I’ve only done 2 so far . . . so let's do some more (both girls - so bring on the boys!) do you visit the venues before the wedding day?
if it's a venue I haven't photographed at before, I will usually pay a visit before the wedding day to familiarise myself. All the Lewes venues I know quite well by now, so it’s not usually necessary BACK TO TOP OF PAGE do we meet before the wedding day?
it’s up to you. For a small wedding it’s not usually necessary - the arrangements are normally straightforward. For a larger wedding with more complex logistics, it maybe advisable to meet 1-2 weeks before the wedding day to “fine tune” the arrangements. I could get a guest to take some photos - why should I pay you?
good point! Of course, some couples do get a guest to photograph their wedding, and I’d be lying if I said they were all disasters. However I have spoken to & heard of quite a few couples who, having gone down this route, wished they hadn’t! The reason for this is not primarily that the quality of the pictures is awful (although I’d like to suppose that the quality of mine were better of course!), but if you’re a guest asked to “take a few photos” you have a conflict of interest. A “guest is a guest” and is invited to your wedding to do “guest stuff". A professional photographer attends just as that - a professional photographer. My sole purpose is to take photographs - that’s it, nothing else, just photos! Also, a professional photographer has the acquired ability to interact with people to get the best shots, as well as detailed knowledge of the local venues - Lewes in my case. when do I pay?
payment is made IN FULL on receipt of your photographs. what do I do next?
give me a call or e-mail me your postal address & wedding date and I’ll send you a comprehensive price guide. BACK TO TOP OF PAGE | 
