"Amazingly, no picture of Talika appears when you Google ‘effervescent’. But it should do. The woman is like human popping candy..."
Read moreWedding photography at The ICA, London
I love The ICA. It’s a crisp, clean canvass on which to paint. Shelley and Alex obviously felt the same because their extremely laid-back wedding could easily be pictured in the Oxford English Dictionary under “cool”.
At every pre-wedding meeting, we would usually spend about 45 minutes chatting about stuff in general - then fill the last 10% of our time actually speaking about ideas and timings for their day! These guys are stylish: their main brief was that there was no brief.
After half an hour or so at the stunning St Martin’s Lane Hotel shooting the preparations it was a short walk across to the ICA in Carlton House Terrace to catch up with Alex and record the final few moments before the ceremony.
I always revel in the countdown nature to this part of the day. It goes from quiet, to a few people, to everybody - and then that wonderful wedding day tension reaches its climax with the arrival of the Bride. Suddenly there are pictures everywhere and it’s like trying to keep plates spinning.
I’ve been working in London for over twenty years, but every time I walk under Admiralty Arch and down The Mall, it hits me what an amazing city this is. This point is surely never lost on family and friends attending a wedding at The ICA, located at the very epicentre of our famous capital. Buckingham Palace five mins down that way, Churchill’s bunker and war rooms across the road, Horse Guard’s Parade behind that - all with Big Ben and London Eye watching over the scene. Amazing.
This day just flowed. Everything gelled happily and, departing mid-evening, I felt I’d seen a wedding exactly as it should be done. As little fuss as you can make it and as much enjoyment as you can pack in. Good for them.
Below, as usual, are only a few from the overall commission. Click any thumbnail to enlarge...
Engagement portraits on Box Hill
There is something wonderfully romantic about winter weddings. Their cosiness and candlelight make a lovely change to the brightness and light of summer season shoots.
Preme and Phil will be married just before Christmas at the lovely Fetcham Park, and to underline the winter theme we set off to Surrey's famous Box Hill one morning to capture some simple and atmospheric shots.
It takes a brave couple to head out into the November cold for their engagement shoot - and this was a really awful day of weather. Mercifully, Preme and Phil's 'can-do' approach ensured a lovely set of shots, completely capturing them as a couple, in my opinion.
I'm a great believer that 'fortune favours the brave' with photography. It can be over-thought and excessive planning often hampers the moment. By all means, have a rough idea of what you'd like to do, but leave as much as possible to chance - it brings nicer results. In this case, the steady drizzle, low light and mist swirling around the last of the Autumn leaves merely added to the final pictures.
Below, as usual, are only a few from the overall commission. Click any thumbnail to enlarge...
Wedding photography at The St Pancras Renaissance
Looking back at this commission, the timings and sheer ambition of the day makes me shake my head slowly with a wry smile. You know, I'm just not sure how we got it all done. And by "we" I mean 'Team Madhavi & Harry', because this one was about teamwork.
On the face of it the plan seemed pretty straightforward; everything would be happening at London’s spectacular St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, one of my favourite places to shoot. But just because it was in one place, didn’t mean it would be easy. There would be: guys’ preps, girls’ preps, a civil service, a Jewish blessing, an Indian ceremony then the wedding breakfast. Oh, and did I mention TWO drinks receptions? Just typing it is tiring.
In reality the shoot was never less the exhilarating. Madhavi and Harry were always brilliantly communicative with their ideas and the overall make-up of the day - and this is key - because the end result is always the sum of its parts. I feel the final selection really captures the atmosphere and emotion of these two wonderfully welcoming families simply having a ball!
Below are 100 shots, bigger than my usual posts, and these merely provide a taste of a terrific wedding with a very, very generous couple... I thank them greatly for asking me to be involved.
Click any thumbnail to enlarge...
Wedding photography at the St Pancras Renaissance
London boasts many grand locations. And while many have significant individual strengths like location, decor and history, I think The St Pancras Renaissance is one of very few in the UK capital to have it all.
I greatly value my position as an official supplier to the hotel; working there is always a delight. It’s also yielded some of my favourite wedding commissions over the last couple of years since the hotel opened after a lavish upgrade.
So, a great venue was in the bag. Now, enter Paula & Sam - and these guys are cool. Whenever we’d meet they would burst through the door, scooter helmets in hand, happily windswept and keen for a chat. From our first meeting on a freezing winter’s night, I knew these two would make great subjects.
Their day was an eclectic mix of personalities, fun, emotion and that oh-so-rare thing - laid-back formality. With everything wonderfully overseen by the events team at The Renaissance, the day zipped along at a pace with not one dull moment.
I’ll let Paula explain - how from their perspective - they felt it all went…
…………………………..
“As soon as Sam and I met Mark we knew he was the right person to photograph our wedding day. Relaxed, warm and an exceptional listener, he instantly understood our brief and never tried to change our vision, rather offer support and work with our ideas.
We started the journey together and our subsequent meetings (always with a coffee and an exciting story to tell) were filled with enthusiasm and a comfort it was going to be okay on the day. His photography is incredible – a beautiful mix of formal, black & white and our favourite – capturing special poignant moments throughout the day...”
…………………………...
In fact, for me this wedding had only one downside: suit envy. Now, I’m pretty sure Sam put his trust in Burberry on his wedding day. And I am therefore planning an intense spot of January sales shopping.
As usual here are only a handful of my personal memories as seen through the lens. Click any thumbnail to enlarge...
Wedding photography in Italy
Virtually everything I shoot these day is stimulating and enjoyable. But Jess and Andy certainly raised the bar by which all other destination shoots I attend are currently being judged.
Italy, a vineyard, walking distance from my hotel and a chance to play a little more with my BA iPhone app - where’s the downside?
Melanie Helen of Cranberry Blue Weddings, one of the industry’s leading organisers, introduced me to Jess and Andy during the early stages of their wedding preparation. From the very first drink we were all on the same page and it was set to be a terrific trip. I recall thinking I ultimately wanted to hand over the photography as kind of a creative box of goodies, all wrapped-up in a bow which was to be Italian countryside.
I’m a great believer that any wedding shoot needs to place the viewer right there in the location, not just show the attendees - and luckily for me, their plan allowed me to paint on a pretty broad canvass. The spectacular Villa Sparina, an hour north of Genoa, was the base for the wedding. Save for a 200m walk to the church, everything would take place at the Villa. With many venues this would mean turning around spaces for multi use, but here the garden drinks reception and candle lit wine cellar wedding breakfast provided amazing contrast, not to mention many opportunities for atmospheric photography.
I really hope the feel of the day comes across in the handful of images below. A fantastic time was had by all, and that’s in no small part due to the generosity and consideration of the couple themselves and their family support, in particular Jess's Mum's sartorial creativity. To their massive credit, Jess and Andy toiled away for quite some time, naturally with Mel's input, to ensure this wedding would provide unique memories for family and friends alike. From my viewpoint this was achieved, and then some…
Below is just a fraction of the overall set. Click any thumbnail to enlarge...
Behind the scenes: Mirror Mirror Couture studio shoot...
Blame Star Wars. I was 7-years-old when I saw the movie. Try as I might, I couldn't get my own head around the fact that this fantastic sci-fi world came out of one guy's mind. And I don't mean George Lucas. I mean his conceptual artist, Ralph McQuarrie.
From then on I only ever wanted to do something creative for a living. Photography ran in the family and so it was decided. The problem is that professional photography - in whatever area you work - is wildly different to what you might expect. Nearly every job becomes an (enjoyable) battle against time and logistics. As anyone who works in the creative industries will tell you: there’s a lot of frustration along the way.
So when you get a day in a studio when there's latitude to get things just right, via the help of a great team of people, you grab it and try your very best to end the day with absolute creative satisfaction. This was the case when I shot the new Couture range for Mirror Mirror Bridal at the stunning Renaissance Hotel, St Pancras.
The brief was to produce a simple, clean, stylish set of images which were all about the dresses, but it's surprising just how much work and tweaks are involved to create an end result which looks like, well, as if there was not much work and not that many tweaks required.
The designers, make-up artists, hairdressers, my assistant and an organiser overseeing the running of the schedule, all listed below, made my life incredibly easy on the day and I think the results really hit the mark. Less is most definitely more. The dresses are sublime but their aesthetic appeal was absolutely heightened by terrific models Tabitha Hall, Tijana Tambric and Emily Steer - all of whom were a joy to shoot.
Designers: Maria Yiannikaris & Jane Freshwater at Mirror Mirror Bridal. Wardrobe: Natasha Yiannikaris at Mirror Mirror Bridal. Hair: Anna Acerbi & Michele Antiga at Hair Supreme. Make-up: Andrea Flynn, Pamela Skantzos at Pamela & Andrea + Andrea Elsby Jones at Mirror Mirror Bridal. Stylist: Penny Cullen at Love Scarlett. Studio assistant: Alexandra Nicolaides. Hotel coordination: Clare Legg at The Renaissance, St Pancras.
Click any image to enlarge, or enjoy the 'behind the scenes' video produced by the terrific Kissing Gate Films
From the archive... #16
Enough said...
Wedding photography at Braxted Park
In emails exchanged with Ayla post-wedding, she referred to the planning, preps and day itself as a "fairytale". It's the perfect word to describe this lovely couple who were keen to let go and have a brilliant party.
I think I knew Ayla and Arron's day was going to be smooth and classy affair when I arrived at the beautiful Queen Anne house, Braxted Park for our initial meeting. There, I was met by not just an excited bride-to-be, but her Mum and future Mum-in-law as well. We took a turn around the parkland and had a great, free-flowing chat about ideas, plans and timings. It was obvious this shoot would yield some genuine, happy memories.
There is a little bit of everything in this commission. A battalion of bridesmaids, 250+ guests, drummers, dancing and cash everywhere (literally). What's not to like?!
It was a pleasure to be asked to be a part of this wedding and I guess the stats tell the tale: after 3 weeks their online wedding set had received over 65,000 separate pic views - wow. I hope they all liked the set as much as I enjoyed my involvement.
Below, as usual, is just a fraction. Click any thumbnail to enlarge...
Zoe & Steven, Wedding photography at Hampton Court
I don't want to sound negative, but one of the reasons this set is so pleasing to me is that the day was so bad for weather. It rained. All day. And not just rain - the weather Gods chucked in some gale force winds as well.
This is the day when you open your bag of experience and pull out whatever can help you, because when the weather is stacked against you this much all the tricks of the trade are needed.
You find a doorway for the group shots and thank an Usher for holding the brolly over you. You catch any break when the rain subsides to nip out and shoot externals so you slip them back into the timeline during the edit. And you hope beyond hope that the bride keeps a sense of humour... and on that score Zoe was an absolute trooper.
As a bride, it must be so disheartening to look out of your hotel and see rain coming down like nails. But as you can see from Zoe's radiant smile, the obvious delight at being married cut through the gloom. Ultimately the rain didn't - and doesn't - matter.
On a warm, dry day we would have been out and about shooting in the wonderful gardens of Hampton Court. But since everything had to be inside, you knuckle-down and try to make plan B work as close to plan A would have done.
For me, it often leads to a greater sense of satisfaction when things are stacked-against you and you still bring home the bacon. After all, that’s the value of commissioning a professional photographer - not a mate/uncle who happens to have an SLR.
As usual here is a fraction of the set. Click any thumbnail to enlarge...
Farrah & Robert, Wedding photography at Kew Gardens
Everybody loves Kew Gardens. It's that place you went when you were a kid - loved the flora and fauna and the butterflies - but perhaps never truly appreciated.
Back in the Autumn, I was in the car after a meeting, checking voicemails. Chief among them was a very polite message from a woman called Farrah. She asked about my availability to shoot her wedding in January. To this day, what sticks in my mind about that message is just how considerate she was to apologise for calling on a Sunday. In this day and age, that's pretty impressive.
Fast forward a couple of meetings and there we are at a freezing, drizzly Kew Gardens the first weekend after Christmas. So many venues would have struggled to put on a show in these conditions, but led by Kew's Ruth Denton the day ran seamlessly.
The day revolved around three separate locations within the Gardens, plus an initial visit to Farrah and Robert's home to shoot the preparations.
The couple held the service in The Nash Conservatory (think understated grandeur), the Princess of Wales Conservatory for drinks (think mini Eden Project), then the The Orangery for the wedding breakfast. Each building boasting a character all its own.
The day was laid-back, different, interesting and in my eyes a very happy occasion. It had a little piece of everything and you could easily describe Farrah & Robert in exactly the same way. Working for them was a pleasure and hopefully this shows in the shots.
Click any thumbnail to enlarge...
Through the lens... Farm Street Church, London
Two weeks ago saw my latest commission at the epic Farm Street Church in London's Mayfair. It's always been one of my favourite places to work since my first job there some years ago.
The inspiring internal space got me thinking about that magical 30-45 mins just before a the wedding ceremony starts, as the atmosphere builds, family and friends arrive and anticipation fills the air.
The church is tucked away in Mount Street, just off Berkeley Square and there is something quite Narnia about it. A relatively modest doorway opens up into a cavernous space - a room that has witnessed over 150 years of activity. It's like the wardrobe into another world. In a matter of steps you exit fashionable town and emerge deep into history.
I have always enjoyed this chunk of a wedding day, the point when I am able to search out quiet scenes and detail. These photographs provide context within the wider selection and, once edited into the reportage material of the main players, they really set the scene and complete my pictorial overview of the day.
Of course a wedding is primarily about the couple. But they have chosen their location(s) with care and they often have family significance. So it's vital to tie in these 'detail' images with the people shots and priceless moments which make their day unique.
Click on any photograph to enlarge....
Sarah & Scott, Wedding photography at the RSA London
When you shoot a wedding at a single location, it can sometimes present as many issues as it solves. Often, where venue staff turn around a room for multiple uses it can impact on timings, restrict guest movement and frankly can look a bit messy.
But there is none of this at the 250-year-old Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, tucked away in John Adam Street, just off the Strand. How can you not adore an organisation founded in a coffee shop?
Early December saw my first shoot at the RSA and it has immediately become one of my favourites because it’s the exact opposite of the the issue outlined above - this venue offers significant variation. I love it.
My clients, Sarah & Scott, wanted a simple, stylish, people day. Their wedding ceremony took place in the vaults, three floors below street level, an atmospheric environment enhanced by candlelight. It was interesting, historic, romantic and thoroughly appropriate for December.
Once married, it was up into the Great Room for drinks and ultimately the guests settled into the gorgeous, contemporary Benjamin Franklin Room for the wedding breakfast. This was one of those commissions that whizzed by, an absolute pleasure to shoot.
I was so grateful to be welcomed in and generously treated by the family. Their calm, genuine ambience contributed to a very personal set of photographs, exactly what we all hoped to obtain.
As usual, here are just a few to give a flavour of the day. Click any thumbnail to enlarge...
Viktoriya & Ryan, Wedding photography in Chelsea
You never know who’s watching. This is especially true of being a photographer at a wedding.
At a recent shoot where the bride was a close friend, Viktoriya was discreetly in the process of planning her own big day.
She was still to secure a photographer, and that day I appeared on her radar. She liked what she saw and so, after a quickly arranged chat at the Bluebird cafe in the Kings Road, we were in business.
This shoot was a crisp, stylish and as London-centric as it gets. A small, intimate ceremony at Chelsea Registry Office was followed by the drinks reception on a chartered boat. A couple of hours motoring down the Thames and we reached our our ultimate destination: The Bingham, Richmond. It’s a stunning boutique hotel perfectly in keeping with the feel of Viktoriya and Ryan’s day, and the ideal spot for a gorgeous wedding breakfast.
I love the opulence and that glorious sense of celebration you get with a Russian-London wedding. To my eyes, there’s an element of old-fashioned movie star about Viktoriya’s look. This is complimented by Ryan’s immaculate black tie - together, they make a classic, effortlessly photogenic pair.
Save for a small number of swift family shots just before the meal, I was left to play quietly in the background and pick off portraits and moments. This is an ideal brief for me, and I think this carte blanche approach shows in the many of the quiet shots of friends and family which are evident in their wider set.
There’s a good chance I’ll be back shooting at The Bingham very soon (fingers crossed), so it just shows how good work leads to good work, the mantra of my freelance career.
Below are just a few examples from a splendid day in town. Click any thumbnail to enlarge...
Through the lens... Christmas 2013
Credit for this idea sort of goes to my friend, Stacey Jackson, the irrepressible Canadian singer...
Over dinner one evening she berated me for not doing enough social media and self-promo... "you don't need a reason, man - just get them out there!". Doesn't do to disagree with the Stae.
So, here is the start of a series I'm going to call 'through the lens'. Basically a little corner of the site where I will regularly show shots which haven't been seen in blogs, and are possibly too left field or quiet for the portfolio. It's also a chance to lift the lid on some technical info for each featured image, something people ask me about a lot.
The first batch comes from commissions shot over the Christmas period, at weddings staged at The St Pancras Renaissance, Hampton Court and Kew Gardens.
Click on any photograph to enlarge....