DOCUMENTARY WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER DERBYSHIRE

Unposed, unstaged & unobtrusive

Hello, I'm Simon & I photograph the wedding stories of informal couples who like to go off the beaten track and do things their own way.

I work in a documentary style. Capturing real moments and emotions. Unstaged, candid, unposed. It makes for fresh, dynamic and intimate photos that live and breathe. Images that remind you how it felt to be there on the day.

Because a wedding is really about two people coming together - and their family and friends coming together. The real stories are found outside the normal & formal moments.

I'm regularly booked up a year or two in advance - so please get in touch and tell me about your story & we'll see if we're a good fit!

I'm based in Derbyshire and regularly shoot weddings and events in and around the surrounding Midlands Counties and Peak District.

let's talk about YOUR wedding

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY PRICING & PACKAGES

HATE HAVING YOUR PHOTO TAKEN?

Me too.

I have some great (?) stories about photographers who've made me feel really awkward and want to hide those photos at the bottom of a dusty draw never to see the light of day again.

So I've always made it my mission to not make those photos & experiences. To not bring that control and to roll with the day.

Yes, we may take some portraits. No, I'm not going to be telling you where you're chins and elbows and eyebrows should be pointing. We're just going to take some time out of the day (10 minutes or so) and we'll find a nice spot or two where you can be together and I'll make some photos. It's easy. Promise.

And if you want, we don't even have to do that - and I'll make great images of your special day anyway.

AS SEEN ON

WEDDING STORIES

How it felt to be there on the day

Relaxed & Natural Wedding Photography at The Whitworth Centre

Hazel Gap Barn Wedding Photography

Rustic Country Wedding @ Floral Media - Kate & Chris

Odda's Chapel Wedding Photography - Annelies & Louis

Eyam Hall Wedding Photographer - Julia & Alex

West Mill Wedding Photographer - Emma & John

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Do you do group / formal photographs?

I do - about half my couples still want group shots at their wedding. I try to get through this part of the wedding day quickly and efficiently so if you can try to keep it under 10 combinations, and rope in a helper who knows who everyone is to help gather people it would be a great help on the day.

Do I need preparation photography?

I don't think you need lots of photos of having makeup applied. But my aim when turning up is to capture the feelings and relationships of the morning. The anticipation and excitement on the wedding day. It also gets you used to having a wedding photographer around early in the day. I love to capture both of the couple where possible.

Do you do Wedding Albums?

Yes - I use Folio Albums. They are beautifully crafted, local, eco-friendly and the staff have excellent attention to detail. I have a very customisable Fine Art Album, or a more budget friendly Palette Album - full details are here.

Do you travel?

Although the majority of weddings I shoot are around Derbyshire, and the Midlands / Peak District (Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Staffordshire, West Midlands, Yorkshire) I do love to go on wedding adventures further away & charge for accommodation and travel expenses as needed. If it's less than two hours drive from Derby it's just considered local and included in the normal wedding package.

What equipment do you use?

I use small Fuji mirrorless cameras. After using DSLR's and systems with all the bells and whistles I fell in love with using a lighter system that just felt like a small film camera. I try to travel light on a wedding day, and use flash only in emergencies, as I usually like to capture the ambience of the day and I believe the natural light is a big part of that.

What have Documentary, Reportage and Photojournalism got to do with wedding photography?

Documentary Wedding Photography, or reportage or photojournalism are all the same words for the same thing . It's a way of capturing the day where you don't try to control it and affecting the wedding day as little as possible. There are different ways of doing this - some photographers stand back with a big zoom lens so they're not part of the proceedings. Some like to get into the thick of things and be there in the day. I do the latter as I believe it results in more intimate, involved photographs that make you feel like you are there.

I take a lot of inspiration from press photographers and street photographers - people out in the world capturing and telling real stories about real people.

Bride and father descending stairs at Hoar Cross Hall

Do you edit the images? How long does it take?

Your wedding photographs are usually ready about a month after the wedding. I do a lot of work on your photos to make sure they tell the story of the day in the best way possible. You can read a bit more about my editing style here.

How do we book you?

We always schedule a chat (or a meeting, if you're in or around Derby / Nottingham etc) about your wedding. I like to get to know about what you want from your day, and in particular from your wedding photography. If I'm the wrong photographer for you I want to be honest about it and help you find the right person (although If you've got this far down the page and are still reading I seriously doubt it).

After that I send out a booking form and contract and ask for a 25% deposit to secure your wedding date.