Hi Everyone
For my blog today I am going to look at some top tips for wedding photographers in Scotland and how this links in with conference photographers in Edinburgh and Glasgow. As an event photographer in Glasgow and Edinburgh, I am often asked what my favourite event is from the perspective of a photographer and I can honestly say it is very difficult to have a favourite, they all have their advantages and different creative challenges but overall, event photography gives me a buzz. you don't really know what is going to happen next and you derive a lot of satisfaction from providing some joy to the clients after the event to remind them of the day, or weekend. When I photograph conferences in Scotland, I am trying to tell a story, to create a series of unique images that summarise the day and to show the emotions and different stages of the event. Now whilst we all know wedding photography is totally unique, it does have some basic rules that apply to other types of event photography in Scotland, including conferences and even sport. So here are just some tips because wedding photography requires a lot of practice and dedication. So here we go:
1. Whilst there are set images the client has asked you to capture, you should at all times of the day, be trying to capture emotions and in the case of weddings that emotion will be joy, if you can do this, you are half way to producing some good images.
2. Know the venue and timings inside out well before the big day, so you have an idea where and when you will shoot specific situations.
3. Take 2 cameras and 2 of everything really but don't overdo the lenses, you will only have to carry them around with you and you could get stressed worrying about someone helping themselves to your equipment. You will need a zoom, wide angle and maybe a macro.
4. Get to know the couple in advance, so they are not strangers to you on the day and let them know what is expected of them, including any worries they may have.
5. Look after your memory cards like they are gold dust, use twin slot memory card cameras if you can.
6. Don't forget to take close ups of the details ie favours, flowers, ribbons on dresses etc. The couple have paid good money for these things and it is good to have a few reminders in their photos.
7. Don't panic, if you prepare in advance everything will be fine and try not to rush, just make sure you don't miss the key moments ie bride and groom exchanging rings, father and bride coming down the isle etc. I usually find that I can relax a bit once the couple have been married and they are also then more relaxed and therefor more likely to look good in the photographs.
8. Be polite to the guests, they are close friends and relatives of the couple after all, but do not be scared to assert yourself if necessary ie if they are standing in the way trying to photograph the wedding couple with their phones.
9. Take a number of photos of the same thing, just to make sure you have a few in focus, you won't have much time to check your screen, this also applies to conference photographers and event photographers in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Scotland.
10. Finally, enjoy the day, if you can enjoy the wedding and you feel part of the day, then the photos will benefit and your clients will be very happy.
Anyway, hope that helps, more wedding photography tips and some conference photography advice coming soon.
Until next time.
Kind Regards
Colin
www.colinwrightphotography.co.uk
Hi Everyone
As a professional conference photographer in Edinburgh, Glasgow and throughout Scotland, I have a wide range of experience in photographing events in Scotland and whether you are a wedding photographer in Edinburgh, a sports photographer in Glasgow, or an award ceremony photographer in Scotland, its the same set of rules and all the genres interplay with each other because they all involve uncontrolled photography, although some more than others, sports photography for instance offers less control over what will happen than at a conference photography event. Rugby can also be a bit easier to predict than football, due to the action remaining in one area for a period of time, as opposed to football when the action can transfer from one part of the pitch to the other, the rules are the same however. So for what its what its worth, here are some top tips for the event photographer.
1. Do your research, so you can predict as much as possible, with a conference, it is the timing of the speakers and the programme, for sport, you have to develop an understanding of the rules and to be able to predict what will likely happen next and in this case you can learn a lot from watching sport live.
2. Find the key players at the event and communicate with them regularly , in addition to creating a good impression, event photography, with the exception of some sports, is about trust and establishing good relationships, as much as it is about talent.
3. Position is everything and this is true of all types of events, whether you are photographing sport, conferences, birthday parties, or any kind of event, where you stand is crucial. For instance as a wedding photographer in Glasgow, I once had to constantly assert myself to the amateur snappers, most of them with phones nowadays that my position was the priority and I even had to remind them that the wedding couple would not have been pleased if their photos had been less than perfect due to guests in the way and blocking the professional photographer.
4. Reacting fast is crucial in all event photography commissions, you cant afford to miss the key moments at a wedding, you must pay attention at all times during sport and this also includes when the ball is out of play, you need to watch the crowd, check out the reactions of the participants etc, remember when the famous photo of Eric Cantona was taken for instance.
5. Vary the lenses you use, try wide angle, at a conference to get all the participants in, get down low for rugby, so you are level with the players and you may get that magic try photo, its not all about long lenses, usually up to 300mm is fine and the rest is taken using shorter focal length lenses.
6. Don't forget to capture the emotions and this one is crucial, ie the emotional bride or father in law, the goal celebrations, the speaker at a conference who manages to generate laughter at the event, the list is endless.
7. Break the rules sometimes, try new angles, different gear. I have used my infrared photography gear as a wedding photographer in East Lothian and Edinburgh and the clients were delighted with the results.
8. Look at what you have done and study where you can improve.
9. Keep your editing as short as possible, cropping and exposure should be your limit for most sports photos, whilst you may get the opportunity to work more on some wedding and conference photos later due to the time involved, but remember time is money, I learnt this as a sports photographer, getting home at night and having to work on the images and send them off right away, there was no time or energy for any fancy stuff.
10. Finally, enjoy it. I get a buzz from all types of event photography and I usually come away feeling high at the end of the photoshoot. I also feel I have been part of the event and can't wait to get home to see the results.
So hope that helps. Until next time.
Kind Regards
Colin
www.colinwrightphotography.co.uk
Hi Everyone
Today I will be looking at how professional photographers move into or expand into a new genre of photography and for this blog I will use my own situation as an example.
As you know I am a freelance event and conference photographer Edinburgh and Glasgow, who also sells fine art infrared photography from around Scotland. That is not to say I haven’t tried other ares of photography and I have been trained in studio photography, sport, portrait, landscape and PR. As a former newspaper photographer I have a wide range of skills and from that base, I started a a wedding photographer in Scotland, also doing portable portraits and sport. I am now returning to wedding photography in a big way, in addition to other areas of photography that I was involved in years ago. One of these genres is pet photography in Scotland. As I am now the proud owner of a dachshund, I have been photographing the wee one since we got her and having undertaken a fair number of pet photography assignments in Scotland in the past, it is in this area that I now intend to expand in. So how will I do this, well I have already done a fair bit of training to update my skills. I was an analogue film photographer when I last photographed pets, so I am learning more about the wonderful advantages and range of options for photographers in relation to using digital equipment for pet photography. I am also learning as much as I can about dogs and cats, specifically different behaviours in dog breeds, in addition to equipment updates suitable for the job. Next will be the marketing, through my website, word of mouth and linking in with dog owners and organisations involved in the industry. I don’t have a studio but I will use portable lights and backgrounds, as well as travelling to good outdoor locations, as the best pet shots combine the subject with the surrounding landscape. So watch this space. Next will be tips on dog photography, with DSLR cameras and your phone.
So until next time.
Kind Regards
Colin
www.colinwrightphotography.co.uk
Hi Everyone
Today I am going to look at the topic of specialism and the professional photographer in Scotland. As an event and conference photographer working in Glasgow and Edinburgh and around Scotland, I normally specialise in event photography in Scotland, especially conferences. However as I was a newspaper photographer in Lothian, I have that all round photographer thing going, which helps me adapt. So the big question is should we specialise in one area of photography, well the answer is yes and no to be honest. You should concentrate on what you are good at, but this can be in more than one area. I am a conference photographer and an infrared photographer, in addition, my event photography skills work well with wedding photography in Scotland, in addition to award ceremonies, parties, and any kind of event really. You also need to look at the market and see the expanding areas and the quieter times, wedding photography is generally seasonal, although more and more Scottish weddings are happening in the winter these days and there is a backlog due to the pandemic, however this is also being affected by the cost of living crisis, so all these factors interplay an need to be examined in your marketing strategy. So you can keep adding to your specialisms, but at the same time using a bit or realism ie if you don't have a studio, you may want to avoid studio photography, however, you can offer on site images with portable lighting. I am also looking at doing more dog photography in Scotland and hope to expand in this area, so it is an ever changing environment, as long as you remain focussed and adjust your marketing strategy accordingly.
Hope that helps.
Until next time.
Kind Regards
Colin
www.colinwrightphotograpy.co.uk
Hi Everyone
This week we will be looking at what the professional infrared photographer in Scotland can do to utilise their time in the winter. As a professional freelance event and conference photographer working in Edinburgh, Glasgow and around Scotland, I tend to concentrate on conference and event photography in Edinburgh and these events are mostly, although not exclusively indoors. However, I don't put my camera away for the season. There are many ways to keep active as an infrared photographer. Someone once said to me but the trees look bland without the foliage in the winter, this may be so, but there is still a lot to be said for winter infrared photography. Fist of all, your converted infrared camera is a high dynamic range device and even on a slightly overcast day, it can be a useful tool to create something just a little special. Also, as we know the weather in Scotland can change by the minute and you will get some great opportunities to capture the sun, no matter how infrequent this may be, plus your favourite destinations are quieter in the winter. Now is also a good time to edit some of these photos you took in the summer, sort out your software, learn some new skills in infrared. This applies to all types of photography and the pandemic was a great example, the ability to motivate yourself during downtime is vital. Asa conference photographer in Edinburgh, I updated my IT equipment during the pandemic and strengthened my photoshop skills, in addition to networking with other people working in the event industry, so I would be ready for event photography in Edinburgh when things re-commenced.
For infrared, there are lots of other things you can photograph. Did you know that metal comes out great in infrared, so all these vintage cars, old boats and planes, will look great even out of season. You can also source out some good locations for the spring and summer.
More news now on a different front, I will be starting a new gallery in Pet Photography in Scotland and hope to have this populated as soon as possible, so keep an eye out for mor on our furry friends soon.
Hope this helps, until next time.
Kind Regards
Colin
www.colinwrightphotogrpahy.co.uk