Perhaps it is because my first Saturday job was in a shoe shop that I am writing this post!

However, a recent post on the Herefordshire Brides and Wedding Suppliers Facebook group and a recent third place for one of my photographs of ‘Alternative Wedding Shoes’ (see this post on my blog) got me thinking.

So here are some of my favourite wedding shoes from the past few years.

This pair of Jane Shilton heels started my shoe collection back in 2009 and (the picture on the left) won a joint first in a national competition voted for by wedding photographers. As you can see from the little picture along, they were photographed on the bride’s black kitchen work surface looking out into their garden. A few in camera tricks and some secret weapons resulted in a prize-winning picture.

That will do nicely!

These shoes were the first that really caught my eye and made me realise how important the bride’s shoes were to her and how much they reflected their personality and what they wanted from their wedding day. Not only are they heels to die for (or from!) but they were a colour that couldn’t be missed.

After seeing these and realising that shoes are almost as important as the dress, I made sure that I always captured a picture of the bride’s shoes at every wedding.

Now these are awesome! I’m not sure that the ‘diamonds’ were laid by hand or that they were real (my current client group doesn’t extend to that level – yet!), but they looked amazing, especially on the gloss wood in the bridal suite at The Chase Hotel, Ross on Wye.

No prizes, but can you guess what I put them on to get the picture?

Answer after the next picture featuring the same shoes…

Hannah should know, they were her shoes! And it was the bedside table.

Knowing that Hannah & Chris (and the majority of their family & friends) were into skiing, we had to do something different and get the boots in there somehow. As they were a young, modern couple, they brought a lot of ski toys along to the wedding and we had a great time getting the group shots and these complimentary pictures as well.

Now these are shoes for brides whose fiance that is much taller than them. Combine this with a little photographic trick or two (in camera of course – no Photoshop cheats here!) and it is possible to cut the height difference even further without making either person look silly.

As for these shoes, I think that the flower finishes them off and says something extra about their wedding day.

The previous picture was a grab shot (hence the extra foot in the picture) and not one that I am especially proud of. However, I do like to try different ideas for photographing weddings – including shoes – and this was my first time photographing at Homme House.

Not all of them work especially well and, while not a ‘bad’ picture of this bride’s wedding shoes, it is not an arrangement that I can see myself repeating too often. Especially as it makes the shoes look like they are different sizes!

This is however and arrangement that I have managed to capture many times and have never had to ‘set up’ so it always remains natural. And why shouldn’t the groom get his shoes in the picture as well. After all they complete the picture of the wedding day and, in this example, have taken more thought and cost than the bride’s shoes. (This bride got hers for a fraction of the cost from eBay!)

These were the ‘stand by’ wedding shoes for the bridal party at a marquee wedding in the bride’s family garden / farm and were, thankfully, not used despite the rain on the day. They were all hand painted by the bride and bridesmaids shortly before the wedding during a family get together. A great idea for alternatives to the ‘hen party’.

They say that you are only as good as your last…

Well this was my last wedding in 2011 and this, along with a matching picture of the bride’s flowers, would make a great page in the wedding storybook album.

Whichever style of wedding shoes you choose (boys & girls) be sure that they are comfortable first – you will be spending a lot of time standing up on your wedding day – and say something about you and your wedding.

I do however, have some work ahead of me to translate the ‘studio’ content into ‘location’ venues that I will be using at weddings but the lighting and camera techniques will translate very well once I am finished with them.

There are also plans for a ‘sexy’ style of pre- or post-wedding photo shoot, or maybe a Valentine’s gift to the ‘husband to be’ or just perhaps to make yourself feel sexier. However this idea pans out it will be an excellent addition to the wedding side of the business. Plans are already underway for a test shoot in the next month – so watch this space for some pictures from that.

During the day, Damian had five sets lined up for us, all using different lighting set ups and techniques which he explained to us as we went through. I have included one picture from each set in the gallery below: two light ‘romantic’ pictures, a concept shot and two ‘darker’ images.

For me there was quite a bit of reinforcement of things that perhaps I already knew, but knew that I wasn’t doing particularly well. To have it taught by an expert really brought it home that this is what I need to concentrate on this year. It was the little details and some very subtle changes to the pose or the light that differentiated my pictures from Damian’s on the day.

I know that one thing I still need to work on is ‘posing’ and, with that in mind, I have booked on another training course in April with another Damien – Damien Lovegrove.

Thank you to everyone who voted for me. I am really chuffed to now have two of my wedding photographs going into the yearly final to become the SWPP ‘Member’s Photographer of the Year’.

Fingers crossed for the rest of the year and for the final.

Keep jobs and money in this country. Reduce carbon emissions and help our planet recover.

With this is mind, I am keen to promote a group on Facebook specifically for Herefordshire Brides and Wedding Suppliers (just search Facebook for that phrase if the link doesn’t work for you). The idea is for brides to maybe find suppliers by using the group, and also for brides to get useful wedding tips from suppliers etc.

Just through this group I have discovered people, services, venues & companies that I never knew existed in Herefordshire and I have been in the industry for over 6 years. If you are getting married for the first time, I’d expect that you would be able to find quite a few people to contact to hep with your wedding just through this group.

It has only been live for a few days and looks set to expand quite rapidly. Take a look, ask to join and find the local suppliers you need to help make your wedding the one of your dreams.

While you are on Facebook, if you have not yet visited my Facebook page, please do so and ‘Like’ my page so that you can be kept up to date with all the comings and goings of a Herefordshire wedding photographer.

but also the main album supplier I use (SIM2000 Imaging) has been voted by the SWPP members as the best ‘Professional Album Supplier’ for 2011.

Congratulations to them (and to me, I suppose) and I can see no reason why I should move from an industry leading British supplier anytime soon.

Their albums are amazing (at least the ones with my pictures in…) and the service and speed of production amazing. Who needs Australian or New Zealand made albums when we have such talent in the UK?

Secretly, Kham was also hoping that by waving her magic wand they would have a winter white wedding as well.

Unfortunately, the snow arrived a day late, but there was at least a decent amount to be seen on the fells themselves behind the hotel (once the rain and cloud had vanished to leave a clear and bright sky lit by a full moon.

It was a wonderful experience and an amazing first destination wedding for me to photograph. I love the Lake District – so beautiful whatever the weather.

I hope that you like the pictures.

In the meantime I’d like to wish all of my wedding clients a very merry Christmas holiday and a peaceful start to 2012.

Thank you to everyone who has ever put their faith in me as their wedding photographer and trusted me to capture stunning wedding pictures for them.

Without you all I wouldn’t have anything to write about and would have to look for a real job! Ho! Ho! Ho!

The short answer is that it depends upon which style of viewing you choose and how long you want to wait to see the proof versions.

What are proof versions?

These are essentially a cull of any unsuitable or duplicate images from the set. The remaining 200-250 images are then subjected to a quick edit using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom before being renamed and exported. These images will look ‘flat’ and lacking in contrast or vibrancy on your monitor or in the proof book as they have yet to receive a full edit of each individual image in Adobe Photoshop. I guarantee that every image presented in your album (or in a print order) will be massively different to the proof versions. Have a look at the ‘Retouching Photographs‘ article on my blog for a little more of an insight.

This is where you have a choice about what happens next.

You can opt for speed (online) or ease of access (Proof book).

Online viewing and ordering

This is typically has a very quick turnaround time of a few days, so you could be seeing the photographs before you fly or sail off on honeymoon. If you jet of the next day, then you will be able to get access to the images from any internet connected computer no matter where in the world your honeymoon is using the link and access code I send to the bride and groom when the images are ready. I only give the access code to the bride & groom, but they are free to pass it on via email to whomever they see fit and, as it is secure, you will only be able to gain access to the images if you have the password.

On the downside, the monitor or device you use to view the images will probably not be colour calibrated correctly and will most likely have a slight green tint to it or perhaps not be bright enough to give a true representation of the image. It can also be hard to visualise the product if you are ordering framed wall art, sterling silver framed prints, etc.

Password protected and secure on-line proofing galleries

Proof book

These are included in the Superior and Ultimate Collections as an addition to the online gallery detailed above and are still proof versions so do not represent the finished images in your album.

These are printed six to a page, about 3″ on the longest side, in a hard back book with its own presentation box and delivered to your door in less than two weeks, at the same time as your wedding ‘Thank you’ cards if you have allowed me to design them on your behalf.

With this option you get to keep a copy of all 200-250 images with you and can show them to friends and family without having to get access to the internet or have the password with you. And you won’t have to worry about any colour casts from dodgy screens.

Proof books: an ideal way to show your wedding pictures

Number 10: Bridesmaids
The bride wanted each of the bridesmaids to have their own identity by having a unique colour of ribbon and flowers and she wanted these recorded in their album. I love the simplicity of the images and the detail the pictures show.

Number 9: Churchyard
This is about as close to landscape photography as I get! It is the split focus with the emphasis upon the flowers placed there by the bride that morning and the footpath leading the eye to the church that makes this for me.

Number 8: Behind the bride’s back
The bride, naturally, was not concentrating on what her bridesmaids were doing behind her so I captured their actions for her. It is pictures like these that the bride and groom love as it is parts of their day that they never got to see.

Number 7: Sparkly bridal shoes
It seems that wedding shoes are a way for the bride to make a big statement about her personality in a way that the dress isn’t expected to. These were captured in a small bedroom where the bride and bridemaid’s had been getting ready – so pretty messy. But all it needs is some nice light, a bit of wood (the bedside table) and a photographer’s eye.

Number 6: Beautiful bridal portrait
Natural window light, a beautiful bride and a simple composition are all that is needed to get great portraits in a few seconds before the bride goes off to get married.

Number 5: Couples Portrait
Every winter I look back over my year and identify areas that I need to work on. This year it has been trying to inject more intimacy into the time I spend with the bride and groom so it shows in their portraits. I wouldn’t say I’ve cracked it yet, but I have definitely made big progress this year and this is one of my favourites.

Number 4: The Groom
When I look at other photographer’s work, I rarely see great portraits of the groom; Certainly not in the same way that you do the bride. And why not? After all, he is getting married to and has contributed to the wedding day. Don’t you think he deserves at least one portrait in the album?

Number 3: These shoes were made for…
Alright, so this is actually two pictures; but they work together as the bride and groom (and their families and friends) are both massively into their skiing. We talked around a number of ideas to incorporate this into their wedding day, and this came out as one of my favourite images.

Number 2: Recessionals
This was an area I was working on last year as I had discovered a few new techniques. And I think that I have cracked it now using a “Get closer. Shoot less.” approach. As I couldn’t decide between them, I thought that I’d put up both to share.

And now for my favourite wedding image from 2010…

Number 1: Bride & Groom together
These two were amazing – so trusting of me that I was allowed to shoot by the delivery hatch for the hotel’s restaurant for this shot (and several of the bride alone). They were skeptical, but the result is my favourite picture of the year.

What are your thoughts on my ‘Top Ten’?

Have you seen any images you prefer on other posts through the year?

Or do you, the bride and groom, have a favourite image that you would like to share?

Let me know your thoughts by leaving a comment at the bottom of this post.

All courses will start at 10.00 am and finish at 4.00 pm.

The courses I am running, at the moment, will be:

• March 25th: Getting to grips with your DSLR;
• April 29th: DIY Wedding Photography;
• September 23rd: Photography: From idea through to print.

As a qualified teacher and a professional & experienced photographer, you will be assured that these courses will be well thought out and structured to give the greatest potential for your development with the right balance between theory and practical throughout the day.

The ‘Getting grips with your DSLR’ course has run twice at SHDC now and has been very well received both times. The other two courses are new for 2012, but both promise to be just as exciting as the DSLR and the portraits courses that I have run there before.

Getting to grips with your DSLR

If you don’t know your AV from your TV or your iris from your shutter, then you will benefit immensely from this course.

A back to basics approach to your DSLR which investigates the major functions of your camera and how they affect your photographs. The relationships between them will also be explored.

You will leave feeling a little dazed, but also a lot more confident to take control of your camera and create pictures with thought and not just capturing images.

You will need to have a DSLR camera (any make or model is fine: Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Fuji, Sony, etc.) as opposed to a compact camera to gain the most from this course.

Weddings without the stress

If you own a DSLR and know someone who is getting married this summer, it is likely that they will ask you to photograph their wedding for them! If you were daft enough to say ‘Yes’ and are beginning to panic about it, then this course might just put you off completely!

If you said ‘No, I’ll do some extra photographs to compliment your professional photographer’, then you will benefit from this one day course.

The day will be split into three sections:

• planning the day (with the bride & groom);
• photographing the events (lighting, composition, groups and other ideas;
• and preparing the album (post-processing images & designing albums).

There will be theory and practical throughout the day with opportunities to ask questions at any point, but it will be quite a fast paced day with a lot to cover and more to think about if you are going to cover their big day in full. Most of the time will be spent on the second section – photographing the events, as this is where I expect most people will be needing support and guidance.

Photography: From idea through to print

Preparation > Capture > Processing > Printing

That’s the plan for the day!

We will discuss a host of issues at each stage and there will be demonstrations throughout the day. Bring a note pad and pen (or laptop) as this will be a fast-moving day with lots of top tips and handy hints as well as solid practical advice.

Do not expect to be taking many pictures as there is so much to cover that it will be mostly demonstration. However, there will certainly be ample opportunity to ask questions and pick my brains.

• Preparation: equipment checks, sourcing ideas, scouting locations, etc.;
• Capture: lighting, posing, ideas, themes, etc.;
• Processing: Using Adobe Lightroom (or Apple Aperture or Adobe Photoshop Elements) and Adobe Photoshop (or Elements or GIMP), essential tools and terminology;
• Printing: preparation, presentation and finishing it off.

A lot to take in and think about, but a day that will make a difference to how you approach your photography.

These photographs are some that were taken either by students on recent courses. I hope to see you on one in 2012.