Hartley Weddings

Does experience really matter?

2012-01-09T10:03:00.000-08:00

I was at a party a few years ago and someone asked me what I did for a living. After explaining, the person I was talking to said, “Oh yeah, I'm a wedding photographer too. I did a three day course a few weeks ago.” He then went on to explain that he was a little bit worried as he had a booking for six months time and had never photographed a real wedding before.

What amazed me was his total conviction that he could do the job. Before I even got near a paying client I had studied the great art photographers, deconstructed their images, written ten thousand words on Modernist photography as well as countless other essays designed to open my eyes to the visual world on my degree course. I spent all my time learning how images work and then spent hours learning about how to create those images using different camera formats. Since then, over twelve years shooting images for a living has enabled me to put the theory into practice.

I spend a lot of time working on making images that 'look' really simple. That is the craft of photography, you control all the variables around you (light, scene, composition...) to create an image that communicates a feeling or emotion.

Experience is the reason it all works. I still get nervous before a wedding but as soon as I start shooting those nerves disappear and I just enjoy doing what I do best. When you are looking for a photographer for your own wedding always ask about experience. Everyone doesn't have to have a degree and there is no shame in just starting out. However, if you want consistently high quality images that will help you remember your day as the amazing event that it will be then you need someone who's experience can match your dreams.

Philip Hartley is a full-time professional photographer. He is formally trained with a degree in Art Photography and 12 years experience working as a press, magazine and wedding photographer in London and the South. His unique style is highly sought after for editorial and wedding photography commissions.

http://www.hartleyweddings.co.uk/

Just got Engaged?

2012-01-02T09:26:00.000-08:00

Congratulations and Happy New Year! I proposed to my wife at New Year myself seven years ago and after all the pressure of proposing was over I thought that I could relax for a while before I even thought about actually getting married. How wrong could I be?! Everyone was then asking the same question … 'WHEN?' So began my entry into the world of weddings and wedding suppliers. It may seem ridiculously soon to be thinking about these things, but good venues and suppliers do get booked up a long time in advance.

So my advice, for what it is worth, is pick a rough date, call a few venues to see how they are fixed and get the ceremony and reception venues booked asap. Once these are organised, it's time to think about all the other suppliers including your photographer. Personal recommendation is always best but if you don't have that, find a style of photography that you like and meet the photographer. An initial meeting is free and its a great opportunity to talk through your ideas and see if you click (excuse the pun!).

I would make a shortlist of your favourites and meet as many as you can. Ask to see full sets of images and don't be afraid to ask as many questions as you can think of at the meetings. Go with your instincts and choose someone you get on with, who has a real passion for photography and listens to what you want.

Another good idea is a pre-wedding or engagement shoot. You get to see what it's like having a professional photo-shoot and you can use the images on your wedding invitations. I'm always happy to meet couples and talk about their wedding plans. Don't be afraid to call and set up a meeting it's all part of the process of getting what you want on your wedding day. If you have just got engaged drop me an email and I'd be more than happy to hear all about your wedding.

Good luck and always keep in mind that your suppliers are working for you and not the other way around.

Philip Hartley is a full-time professional photographer. He is formally trained with a degree in art photography and 12 years experience working as a press, magazine and wedding photographer in London and the South. His unique style is highly sought after for editorial and wedding photography commissions.

http://www.hartleyweddings.co.uk/

Merry Christmas to one and all.

2011-12-23T00:50:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all the Hartley Weddings Couples (and everyone that has read this blog during 2011). THANK YOU so much for being wonderful and letting me be part of your lives for a day. I am so lucky to have met you all!

Hartley Weddings will be back bigger and better next year and I for one am looking forward to all that 2012 will bring. I have some wonderful weddings booked in and as usual some fantastic locations so keep checking in for some beautiful wedding photography.

Until then have a great Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

Wonderful Winter Wedding

2011-12-20T11:27:00.000-08:00

I love this time of year, there is a wonderful romance about winter weddings. Winter and Christmas evoke such strong image associations with us that if you work it right you can get some knockout images. It can be a bit of a challenge as winter weddings can be cold and it gets dark before 4pm but that's all part of the fun of being a wedding photographer. This is Alex and Dominic's wedding in London at the start of December. Alex's vintage inspired dress and Dom's tails put us into the early twentieth century sartorially speaking. So to keep this image looking as classic as possible we chose a cobbled street with no modern buildings. I included the taxi in the background for three reasons. Firstly as a visual clue to our London location, secondly this style of cab dates from the 1950's so it roughly fits with our visual time scale and thirdly to add depth to our image and evoke a story (as the viewer you can't help but assume that they have just got out of the cab and are on their way to an event). I love the way that if you know how the viewer will read the image you can add or subtract visual clues to help the process along.

Rainy day at the beach oh and it's your wedding day!

2011-12-01T04:24:00.000-08:00

This was Ian and Carolyn's Christchurch wedding at the start of November. The weather is always a concern at any wedding but as long as you have a plan B you can work it to your advantage. I love this shot, we drove the short distance to the beach and had decided that the weather was too bad to shoot pictures. Then Ian noticed that the rain had stopped so we hopped out of the car and walked to the beach when the heavens opened. I took just three frames and then we ran back to the car. We then shot the rest of the wedding inside in the warm.

Terravina Hotel Boutique wedding in Hampshire

2011-11-23T03:18:00.000-08:00

This is the beautiful Hotel Terravina Hotel in the New Forest. David & Clare wanted a private low key wedding and that is just what happened. It was the end of October the weather was wonderful and it really was the perfect day.

Perfect summers day in October at Kingston Maurward

2011-11-14T07:04:00.000-08:00

This is the wonderful Kingston Maurward Manor in Dorset back in October (bit behind with my posts). It is a wonderful venue and Keryn and James's wedding was just beautiful. On our walk through the week before I spent a bit of time discussing the weather and making sure that we had a plan B in case it was wet or cold. I remember saying 'if we are lucky it will be bright but it might be really cold". Then on the day it was just like a summers day! So if you want good weather forget June or July go straight for October!

Boat rides, Brownsea Island and Brollies

2011-10-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

This image is from Jenna & David's wonderful wedding in Poole, Dorset. All my wedding photographs are taken on the day of the wedding and this is no exception. We popped out from the reception for fifteen minutes to grab the last of the beautiful evening light. I love this picture, the vintage umbrella adds to the pose and the boats next to Brownsea Island make the perfect background.

A taste of Africa in the Wiltshire countryside.

2011-09-28T06:13:00.000-07:00

These images are from David and Stephanie's wedding in Wiltshire. The first time I met Stephanie I knew I just had to shoot her wedding. As she described the wedding at our first meeting I knew it would be amazing and the day itself did not disappoint. We had a bit of rain in the morning but not enough to spoil the day. Stephanie had considered every detail which made the wedding a joy to shoot. Thank you Stephanie for letting me be part of your day.

David & Jenna's Pre Wedding Shoot

2011-08-10T08:59:00.000-07:00

So what is a pre wedding shoot? Well it's just that, we get together at a pre-arranged time before your wedding and spend an hour or so taking photographs of just the two of you. If you are a bit nervous about having your photograph taken this is an ideal opportunity to experience a professional shoot with no pressure.

This is David and Jenna's shoot and they decided that they would like some images taken at Shell Bay as it was where David proposed. It is a beautiful place and made the perfect backdrop to what was a really lovely afternoon.

Lyme Regis in the rain?

2011-07-28T04:56:00.000-07:00

Here we have a small selection of images from Hannah and Neil's amazing wedding in Lyme Regis. All week the weather forecast had predicted rain and sure enough on the morning of the wedding it poured down. I got to Lyme in the rain and braved the weather to get shots of the harbour. It doesn't look that bad in the photograph but it was really raining hard. I had my vintage brollies so I was all set for shooting pictures in the rain.

Then with ten minutes to go until the ceremony it stopped raining and by the end the sun had come out! It rained a bit later on but nothing that could spoil a wonderful day. Congratulations Hannah & Neil.

How to be a wedding photographer

2011-07-05T05:44:00.000-07:00

Image shot for the Evening Standard

Every so often I get emails from people asking to be my assistant and/or how to get into the business. I've had quite a lot of these lately and I feel bad that I don't have the time to reply to them, so I thought I could write a post and explain all.

I can only really tell you how I started so first stop college. I did a two year HND in photography after leaving school, then went on to do a Degree in Photography. All in all I did five years full time study. I then finally got a job on a local newspaper. This was fantastic training for me, driving all over the place and learning my trade. I photographed fires, floods, escaped emus, royal visits, cats in trees, dogs in trees everything and anything that goes into a local paper. After three years and working my way up to chief photographer I quit to join an agency in London.

Working in London pushed me really hard, I learned how to walk backwards while still shooting, change lenses in the dark and be in the right place at the right time(after being in the wrong place at the wrong time). Ultimately though I wanted to do more creative work and left London and went to work in a portrait studio. This new setting taught me about lighting and how to deal with clients.

After a while I got frustrated working for someone else and went freelance. I got jobs with the independent and this led to some magazine commissions.

Image shot for the Independent

I slowly started to get more magazine and advertising commissions and then I got married. After seeing what was on offer in the wedding market I saw a way of being really creative and making beautiful images. I started out shooting weddings for friends and then it just snowballed.

Images shot for the Independent

Now I know if you are reading this it all sounds really simple and you are probably thinking yes but how do I do it. Okay here are three simple rules.

Learn your craft - Shoot on manual is the single most important thing to learn, being a professional photographer is about using thecamera to get across your view. If you let the camera choose yourexposures for you then who's in charge here?

Do your own thing - Don't just copy what some else has done do what makes you happy and be original.

Stick at it - Nothing happens overnight and sadly people don't just offer you the perfect career on a plate. It takes dedication and determination but it is possible you just have to put in the leg work.

One last thing, if you are a recent graduate or want a career change this bit is for you. Sadly I don't use assistants or run work experience, I have developed a way of working that suits me really well and I work on the principle if it ain't broke don't fix it...

I hope this helps and good luck.

What's wrong with groups?

2011-06-10T08:53:00.000-07:00

Why do people hate group shots so much? The big issue seems to be that at some point in their wedding going lives people have experienced a wedding where the group shots went on for hours and everybody got bored and didn't like being shouted at by a photographer. So why are we blaming the humble group shot?
The group shot is a throw back to the past where cameras where huge and had to be on tripods and everyone had to stand still or they would be blurred. It's amazing how ingrained that idea is, the next time you go out watch when someone pulls out a phone and shoots a picture. Everyone stops shuffles together in a kind of rugby scrum and gurns at the camera. Just before the smiling and face pulling though they stand still for the picture. We haven't needed to stand still for a picture for at least the last forty years so why do we still do it?
Because we all think that's what we should be doing. The good news is you don't have to do that anymore.

If we look at the other side of the fence for a moment, from a photographers point of view photographing upwards of one hundred people is a tall order. If you say eight people to a group that's twelve groups five minutes for each group and that's an hour gone.

The solution is to approach groups shots in a new way. Involve people more in the story of the day and trust your photographer to build that story around your guests.

You can still have groups like the image above but make them fun so your guests don't feel pressured by the event. When it comes to group shots less is always more. Groups shots can look great and are a fantastic record for the future. Have fun with them and include them in your day because you want great photographs of your friends not because of tradition.

A guide to men's dress codes for English weddings

2011-05-24T08:59:00.000-07:00

After reading the comments about David Beckham at the Royal Wedding and how it was not the done thing to wear a winged collar with his morning suit I decided to research dress codes for weddings. So here we have a rough guide, if you like, of English dress codes for men.

White Tie
This is the most formal of all wedding outfits, the above example is from Dave and Kim's wonderful wedding last year. Dave and Kim are both in the armed forces and decided not to wear their uniforms but instead go for White Tie. I'm not sure if it is their military bearing but the guys really looked fantastic in their tails and wore them with such style and grace. This shot was taken as we were moving locations, I turned around and everyone was strolling down the road in a perfect line.

Apparently White Tie is usually restricted to evening wear and should technically be worn only after 6pm. However unless you are prepared to have all the gentleman change their attire at the stoke of six these etiquette rules seem rather unworkable. The formal wear for an event before 6pm is Morning Dress, hence the name.

Morning Dress
This is the classic formal wear for English weddings and as you can see from Alan and Bab's wedding it looks fantastic. The elements that set it apart from White Tie are the morning coat (fastened with a single button) as opposed to the dress coat or tail coat of White Tie. The material is very important with a morning coat as it is always a herringbone weave wool and is either grey or black, with formal stripped trousers. Morning dress is also the uniform for such notable public schools such as Eton.

Black Tie
This option is gaining ground in England for weddings and is very popular in the United states where British formal wear is unheard of. In Britain, we refer to this style as a Dinner Jacket and in the United states it is known as the Tuxedo. The origins of this popular style are distinctly English. Legend has it that in 1860 the Prince of Wales had his tailor (Henry Poole & Co) make a short evening or smoking jacket to be worn at informal dinner parties. A Mr Potter of Tuxedo Park came to visit the Prince and was asked to dinner, not having the required clothing with him he was sent to the Prince's tailors to have a jacket made. On his return to New York, Mr Potter wore his new jacket at the Tuxedo Park Club. The trend for this new type of jacket was quickly taken up and the result is that the dinner jacket is known as the Tuxedo or Tux in America. Again, technically, this type of suit is usually reserved for evening wear only (after 6pm) but with weddings these rules appear to be relaxed. It is also worth mentioning that the white dinner jacket is usually reserved for overseas travel. Apparently it is okay for Johnny Foreigner to see you in a white dinner jacket but no one else.

Informal
The Lounge suit or business suit is classed as informal in the strict English dress code. Because it is classed as informal there are many different ways that the suit and its components (shirt, tie, shoes) can be worn. At weddings especially you are free to decide on the colour of the shirt, the colour and style of the tie. You also have a broad range of footwear to choose from. As a general rule of thumb brown or tan shoes go with a blue suit but for everything else black is best. Having said that, it's your wedding and you can do whatever you like.

Kilts
As this is a loose guide to English dress codes I have not included any traditional Scottish wear. Paul above is a proud Scotsman and looked fantastic at his wedding. Englishmen can and do wear kilts to weddings but as I am unsure of the equally complicated etiquette of the wearing of such garments I would not dare to comment.

So gentlemen if you are invited to a wedding or indeed are the groom at your own wedding in the coming months please use this blog as rough guide only. English etiquette is a complicated thing and if you are at all unsure ask who ever has invited you to the wedding.

To my eternal shame I have been undone by the rules of etiquette in the past a little like the aforementioned Mr Beckham. My wife and I were invited to a Summer wedding to be held in a field (with straw bales) and we were going to be camping on site. The invitation said 'dress celebratory'. I asked my wife to clarify with her friends what this meant and was given the response "they don't mind what you wear". I stupidly thought as it was to be in a field and we were camping that it would be okay to wear jeans.

What was I thinking!

The bride and groom true to their word didn't mind a bit but the extended family and friends even if only in my own mind gave me the pittiable look of someone who doesn't know their etiquette from their elbow. If you ever get invited to a similar event I have three words for you - Linen, Linen, Linen!

Photo of the Week

2011-05-12T10:02:00.000-07:00

Part of the magic of an image not looking posed has a lot to do with the talent not looking at the camera. I know it sounds a bit odd but when the person in the image mugs to the camera that just breaks the spell between viewer and image. The TV show Miranda plays around with this really well when she stops and talks to the camera. Also because we are duped all the time by TV and film we instantly believe any image that we are presented with.

Ashley & Helen's Beautiful Wedding at Milton Abbey

2011-04-25T08:09:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Helen and Ashley who got married last Saturday at Milton Abbey, Dorset. It was a fantastic day and I have just put a few pictures from their set up for you to enjoy. I love Milton Abbey school it is such a wonderful place. It is so calm and tranquil it is the perfect place for a wedding. The buildings have such a wonderful heritage that everywhere you look there is a perfect background to your photograph. I hope you enjoy this set of images and I will get back to the photo of the week soon.

Photo's of the Week

2011-04-12T12:54:00.000-07:00

The idea with this was that I could just pick out one picture a week that may have been overlooked in the past. Something I really liked but may not have been seen before because another image from the same shoot stole the limelight. Now I have picked two images again as I just couldn't choose between them. This is Lee and Becky who were just superstars on their wedding day. This image is from a set we took after the ceremony and the one below was taken in the church.

Photo of the week

2011-04-04T03:49:00.000-07:00

Here we have an image from Dan & Stephanie's wedding last week. This is the moment just before Stephanie stepped out of the car.

This is the moment before sharing a giggle with her father, I couldn't decide between these two images so I thought I'd put them both up. This illustrates perfectly why weddings are so much fun to photograph. Everywhere you look there are the tiny interactions which when captured can bring us straight back to that memory in an instant.

www.hartleyweddings.co.uk

Photo of the Week

2011-03-28T06:48:00.000-07:00

This week we have Hannah and Jansen who got married in the New Forest. Jansen has a passion for Land Rovers and the great outdoors so it seemed very fitting to combine his two great loves ( the other obviously being his new wife Hannah). The couple got married in a lovely church in the New Forest and this photo was taken only a short off road ride away.

Photo of The Week

2011-03-21T00:55:00.000-07:00

www.hartleyweddings.co.uk

This is Ben & Thalia in the New Forest. The couple had a wonderful vintage theme wedding that just looked stunning. The attention to detail was just outstanding, this beautiful convertible Chevrolet is the only one in the country. Adding such an authentic vintage item to your theme really brings the whole look together.

Photo of the Week

2011-03-14T05:56:00.000-07:00

www.hartleyweddings.co.uk

'Photo of the Week' is going to be a new feature where I can pull out photographs that sometimes would never see the light of day. This image is of Dave and Kim on their wedding day. Kim wanted an image that was fun and quirky and I was more than happy to oblige. Kim is in the RAF (Dave is a Major in the Army) I took a Hitchcock film as my inspiration and went from there. I'm not going to tell you how this shot was done but I will tell you that the plane was real and that I have not photoshopped anything in or out of this image. Any ideas for a caption?

Highcliffe Beach Wedding

2011-02-01T02:21:00.000-08:00

Here we are at the wonderful Highcliffe Castle, for Helen and Aaron's beautiful wedding. Helen is also a wedding photographer so it was a real honor to be chosen to document her day. Aaron is a very committed surfer so photographs on the beach was another must have. In fact Aaron was even planning to get some surfing in on the honeymoon. The day was beautiful and after the ceremony at Highcliffe everyone went on to the Three Tuns in Bransgore. Thank you guys I had a blast at your fabulous wedding. this is small selection of the photographs we took that day.

Pre-Wedding Shoot at Highcliffe Castle

2011-01-11T03:37:00.000-08:00

I have been very lucky with the weather this week. This shoot was done at Highcliffe Castle on the 4th of January and it snowed half way through! I met Vienna when I was doing a shoot for Bournemouth University ages ago. She was studying there and had volunteered to model for us. If you live in Bournemouth you may have seen her on a big banner display at the top of town. The images we took that day are also all over Bangkok and other cities around the world to attract foreign students to Bournemouth.

Anyway, she gave me a call and told me that she is getting married in Jakarta in a few weeks time (sadly I am booked to shoot a wedding in London on the same day) and needed some pre-wedding photographs to put up around the wedding reception. She wanted them to look very English so her friends and family back home could see what a beautiful part of the world she has been living in.

I suggested Highcliffe Castle as it has the wonderful castle and the beach a few minutes walk away. Our only problem was the cold. I can add more light to make it look bright but sadly I can't do anything about the cold. Paul and Vienna where troopers though, especially Vienna as at times she had on a tiny dress. I would set up the shot, talk it through with Vienna and Paul and then they would whip their coats off and I would shoot it as quickly as possible. This worked really well and meant that they only had to stand there for a few seconds at a time.

On this image I had a light to the left side to give the highlight down Paul's back and on Vienna's arms and legs, and then a front light to give the impression that it's a sunnier day than this chilly January morning.

Down at the beach Paul and Vienna played around to keep warm and then we did a classic shot for the parents.

This final shot was Vienna's idea and it looks fantastic.

I hope they have a magical wedding in Jakarta and through these images they can have a little bit of England with them on the day.

How to Choose a Wedding Photographer

2011-01-03T11:17:00.000-08:00

Find someone you like.

This is the most important thing, make sure the person you choose to photograph your wedding understands who you are and what you like and don't like. Do one of those Prada or Primark type questionnaires if you have to, anything to ensure that the person recording your day is on your wavelength.

Ensure they are a professional.

Forgive me a little on this one but I get a little jumpy after spending five years of my life studying photography full time. Add to that a further ten years working in the industry to then meet people at shows who tell me they are 'wedding photographers' after taking a three day course.

Ask to see full sets of wedding photographs that clients have actually received. Everyone likes to show their best work but check out complete sets of previous couples weddings. Also ask the photographer exactly what qualifications and experience they have.

Ask all the questions at your first meeting.
Before you book your photographer, find out exactly what you will receive for your money. No one likes surprises and a reputable photographer will usually have booking forms and contracts that protect both parties and spell out clearly what you will and won't receive.

Don't get your uncle Dave to do it.
Really please just don't.

And that's it really, find someone you like, find someone who's work you like, find a price that suits and go for it!

Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year.

2010-12-23T04:51:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all the Hartley Weddings Couples. THANK YOU so much for being wonderful and letting me be part of your lives for a day. I am so lucky to have met you all! I will be back refreshed in January and ready for all that 2011 will bring. Until then have a great Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

Riverside wedding in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea

2010-12-15T06:48:00.000-08:00

This is wonderful bride Katie in front of the Albert Bridge in South London. Katie and Ed got married at the Chelsea Church and had their reception at Cheyne Walk Brasserie Chelsea. The Brasserie is about a hundred yards from the church so all the guests had to do was walk around the corner for the fabulous reception. Ed and Katie are such a great couple, they were really into getting great pictures and were such fun to work with.

I just love this image of Katie with her bouquet, this is just before she was about to walk into the church and she was really nervous.

Ed is stopping the traffic to come from the riverside to the church. I didn't get the cars in even though the traffic was bumper to bumper because I didn't want to date the image.

I haven't retouched this image it is exactly as it was shot, I shot it wide open to really just focus on the wonderful couple.

Again I shot this wide open to just focus attention on Katie and her fabulous dress. The final shot below is the happy couple with the venue behind them.

Once more unto the beach, dear friends!

2010-11-22T05:02:00.000-08:00

I absolutely LOVE this image! It really sums up the day. Natasha and Jonathan got married at the Christcurch Harbour Hotel and even though the venue is right on the water, Natasha wanted some photographs on the beach. I just love photographing at the beach so I was in my element. The beach is just such a romantic place to take photographs, I think it's because the beach has such positive associations. Natasha was just so happy all day she couldn't stop smiling and that made it really easy for me to get great shots.

Just another day at the Beach

2010-10-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

This is Zoe and Phil's lovely wedding that took place at the Christchuch Harbour Hotel. Even though the hotel is right on the water we decided to pop down to the beach at Southbourne to get a more natural look to the images. I love using the beach as a backdrop as it has universal appeal and always makes great pictures.

Sandbanks & Sailors

2010-09-29T02:47:00.000-07:00

The above images was taken earlier in the year at Poole bay with Brownsea Island in the background. This is the wedding of Chris and Lucy who got married in the beautiful Lilliput Church and had their reception in Lilliput just yards from the beach. The couple are very private people and didn't want too many images put online. I just love the bridesmaids playing on the beach and the couple in the dunes at Sandbanks beach. Oh I almost forgot, this post is called Sandbanks and sailors because we got special permission from the sailing club to use their pier, which makes the images even more precious as non sailors can't get anywhere near it.

Featured in Wedding Ideas Magazine!

2010-08-23T12:22:00.000-07:00

I have the great honor of being featured in the September issue of Wedding Ideas Magazine.
All the thanks go to Francesca for submitting her wonderful wedding to the magazine. I am really pleased and the pictures look great in print. Thank you Francesca for being such a great bride.

Solar power!

2010-08-10T03:16:00.000-07:00

Here are the images where I have used the available light.

Shining light on a subject

2010-07-21T07:06:00.000-07:00

Here are some examples of creating my 'wedding editorial' look by controling the light and using the colour in the scene to the best effect. The next post will show the images where I used natural light and went with the limited depth of field.

What is 'wedding editorial' ?

2010-07-10T02:34:00.000-07:00

For this post I thought I'd share some of the secrets to my 'wedding editorial' style of wedding photography. The main thing is how I use light. Very much like a wedding, on a magazine assignment you get a time and a place and you have to shoot the job there and then. Sometimes I'd get sent to shoot a portrait of someone literally in a basement. No windows and just one overhead light, you can't take the person outside because this is an environment portrait of them at work.

Magazines want bright colourful images, you can't shoot a really grainy image with just a small part of it in focus. The solution? Bring your own light. So over time I put together a lightweight portable lighting kit that I could take anywhere. Now if it's overcast or I want to achieve a particular look I can control all aspects of the light to create the image I want.

With this wide shot you can see how the above image was created. I wanted Carolyn & Simon on the bridge but it was dark under there because of the trees. So I add a bit of light and now it looks like the sun is coming in from the side and lighting them naturally.

For my next two post I am going to show the lit images and the natural light images separately so you can see the differences between them.

Wedding Preview : Carolyn & Simon

2010-07-05T07:43:00.000-07:00

Carolyn & Simon got married at All Saints Church in Branksome and had their reception in a marquee in Simon's Grandmothers garden. It was a fantastic day and their will be more images to follow. The above picture was taken in Coy Pond in Bournemouth.

Does it take longer to get great pictures?

2010-06-02T05:34:00.000-07:00

I get asked this a lot. As soon as I say that I 'light' some of my wedding work people get that worried look on their face and ask ' does that take more time?'. The simple answer is no it doesn't. Let me explain a bit more about how I work. I love colour and to get vibrant bright colour it helps to have lots of light around to reflect those colours. If you get married on a sunny day with those light fluffy clouds all around then it's all good*. However if the sun goes in, it rains, or you are in the shade those colours suddenly don't look so vivid because the amount of light hitting them and then hitting your eye is reduced. The solution - one word - FLASH.

I love flash but it has a bad reputation because most people including some photographers just don't really understand how to use flash and that is a real shame. In the above image my assistant ran backwards downhill with a portable flash and I shot the images from the side. The result is a fun image with tons of colour. I could reproduce this image anytime because I was not at the mercy of the sun but had effectively my own sun in a box, in the form of a portable flash.

* There are other issues with strong overhead sunlight but we will save that for another post.

What's in a name?

2010-05-12T08:09:00.000-07:00

As you may have noticed from the new heading I am having a re-brand and changing the name Pier Photography to Hartley Weddings. The main reason is to make it easier for search engines to find me. The original name made it easier for me to shoot portraits and weddings under the same brand. I have decided to stop offering portraits and needed a name that 'says what it does on the tin' as it where.

I was talking to a client the other day about her wedding and we were discussing the merits of confetti. When I was going through my archive of images for the new site, I pulled out some of the images either side of a classic image of mine. I love these images because of the colours and the way the rice bounces off the hard floor. People don't use rice very much but photographically speaking it makes great images. So if you are planning a wedding try rice instead of confetti for a whole new look.

The power of a photograph

2010-04-21T04:25:00.000-07:00

I love images and photographs. Now I know that as a photographer, that's my job and should be a given, but some photographers get into this business because they love the gear, the cameras, those multi-pocketed waistcoats, computers, Photoshop, the complex mathematics involved.... Or they like to go on workshops where they get to take pictures of women with not many clothes on – what's that all about? I got into this because as a child I used to draw all the time, I'd draw anything and everything. That led to art school where I swapped painting to learn the art of photography. That started a life long love of images and imagery. I was taught the power of photography by studying the great photographers and the history of the medium. I don't think I really understood the real emotional power of a photograph until I was much older though.

The above image was taken by my dad in 1974 whilst on holiday in Wales, I am the grumpy one on the left. I adore this picture, the contrast between my sad face and my brothers happy one is what pulls it all together. I have no memory of this event, yet this tiny slice of time has been sat in a drawer waiting for me to rediscover it ever since. It brings tears to my eyes every time I look at this image as my mother sadly died three weeks after I turned thirty.

I don't wonder what camera it was taken on or what the shutter speed was. I wonder, 'what's my brother so happy about?' This is why I love photography, the ability to use an image to connect with the viewer on an emotional level.

What is post production?

2010-04-19T03:29:00.000-07:00

Put simply post production is altering an image after it has been taken. Often referred to as ‘post’ or “I’ll photoshop that out later”. In the old days post production involved using a host of chemicals to process your film. Then you would use an array of techniques in the dark room to get the effect you wanted when you took the photo.

This general technique still holds true. I shoot everything on manual because that way I can control every part of the image and get the shot I want. It's partly true that with the help of technology you could shoot everything on the auto setting and then run your images through photoshop to clean them up. Only partly though, as if you shot everything on the auto settings the camera would be making all the decisions.

For that reason I thought I'd share my approach to taking a photograph and possibly illustrate why knowledge and experience will always beat technology hands down.

Photographers generally are very protective of the RAW file. That's mostly because it's a bit like showing your working out on a maths problem, you want people to see the image you had in your mind when you took the photograph and not how you got there. So in the interests of transparency here is the RAW file.

This is the file just as it came off the camera with no retouching at all. Because the sun was behind the couple I needed to add a bit of light in the front of the image to even up the exposure. If I had shot this on the auto setting the camera would have exposed for the brightest area (the sky) and the foreground would be completely dark. I was not looking to shoot a silhouette so by adding additional light I was free to create the look I was after.

Here is the final image. I have tweaked the colours, darkened a few areas to give the couple more impact and removed the fence in the back ground. The fence is a good example in my opinion of a good use of photoshop. I tried every angle I could while shooting to not get the fence in but it just wasn't going to happen. Without the fence the image looks more natural, it's only a small thing but it really does make all the difference. I can't stand to see an image with a needlessly cluttered background it just shows that the photographer was not aware of what they were doing.

Does it take more time to shoot this way? I actually find it quicker because I have been honing this technique for years. It's all about being prepared for all eventualities, if it clouds over like it did on this shoot no problem I just add a bit of my own light. The other thing is no one ever notices, as a photographer I actually take this as a compliment. If I can get a great set of images and no one realized how I did it - fantastic the magic is still alive. Unless they read this of course - oops.

The Girls ten feet tall and in glorious technicolour!

2010-04-14T02:00:00.000-07:00

A while ago a friend of mine Zoe Sinclair who is part of the artistic duo 'The Girls' asked me to shoot a promotional photograph for her. She needed the image to promote her new artisitc endeavour. The press release puts it like this.

"In a new collaboration with The Photographers Gallery, The Girls will be artists-in-residence in Selfridges' Ultralounge (lower ground floor), Oxford Street, London".

I love Zoe's work and was honored when she asked me to photograph her and Andrea Blood the other half of the duo. We did the shoot at the end of December on location in a lock up garage. It was freezing cold very cramped but the Girls were fantastic and I just love the photographs. They spent days setting up the background which was very detailed. I went to see the work this week and didn't realize until I arrived that they had blown up the photographs ten feet high by about twelve feet wide. They looked incredible and the detail of the background really showed up so that all their hard work really paid off.

I just love the colours in these images The Girls really knew what they wanted and were great fun to work with.

There is so much detail in this image that you only really see when the images are huge.

Here is the same image at the entrance to the ultalounge where the art work is located.

Lastly here I am with Zoe and Andrea at one of the entrances to the Ultralounge in the basement of Selfridges. The Girls will be there until the end of April so if you are in town please go check it out it's fantastic.

Easter Bunnies all round

2010-04-06T06:38:00.000-07:00

I had the family over for Easter and it was great to relax and have fun. I managed a couple of days without taking a picture but by Sunday afternoon the gold bunnies had caught my eye and the camera was out of the bag. I decided to keep it simple though and just use one lens and no flash.

Just as I finished with the bunnies Sam woke from his nap so him and grandma were next on my list. It was food time so as grandma fed him I took his picture. As he is not allowed chocolate he had to have porridge, which at first didn't go down that well at all!

Golf anyone?

2010-03-31T01:45:00.000-07:00

This is the last image from the set but I liked it so much I wanted to put it first so if you didn't look at anything else at least you saw this. This is Becky and Lee's wedding that took place at St John's Church in Holdenhurst village with the reception at Iford Golf Course in March. Becky and Lee were just fantastic on the day. It was a very cold day but they really had fun and gave me a fantastic shoot. As soon as I saw the driving range this image popped into my head, if I'm honest though this image as been with me for a while. As you drive into Bournemouth you can't miss the driving range, especially at night when all the flood lights are on. I have been wondering about how to do a photograph here for some time and then Becky and Lee gave me the opportunity - Thank you guys.

Sunny thoughts on a rainy day at the Guildhall.

2010-01-27T04:33:00.001-08:00

Here are some images from Val and Simon's wedding on the 16Th January at the Guildhall in Poole. The Guildhall is a lovely venue that was fully restored in 2007. This is Simon standing outside just as the heavens open.

There is a lot of space inside and the Poole registrars were just amazing. They let me do whatever I wanted photo wise and that really led to a relaxed wedding despite the rain outside.

A short break in the weather made it possible to shoot outside after all. The old town makes a wonderful backdrop and despite the cold Simon and Val did a fantastic job of looking warm and making some fun images.

I really like the classic look of this photograph, the black and white really makes it work.

Val and Simon's reception was at the Priory Hotel in Wareham. It is a beautiful venue and the above shot was taken in one of the dinning rooms with a fantastic fresco painted on the wall.

The speeches were downstairs and proved to be a real hit with everyone.

Including the bride!!

Harry Potter and the beautiful wedding.

2010-01-13T04:37:00.000-08:00

Okay it's Canford school and not Hogwarts but you get the idea. Canford is such a great venue with it's stunning grounds and beautiful rooms. The great hall is just like Hogwarts, with wonderful oak panelling and huge stained glass windows.

Here are some more images from Jodie and Paul's wedding from the 19Th December.

To enter the building you have to go through this huge door, it's like entering a castle. The piper was having a quick practice when I noticed him outside. I love finding this type of shot as it shows off the grandeur of the building and the piper is Paul's cousin so it's a personal image too.

I just love the expression on Jodie's face as she sees Paul for the first time that day.

Exchanging rings.

I really like the feeling that this image gives with the light streaming in through the window.

Time to have fun. I took Paul and Jodie off for forty five minutes to shoot some portraits around the grounds.

I think this is the oldest part of the school.

I love the stone as a background, I just put a light up and Paul and Jodie do the rest.

The speeches are a great way for me to show a bit of the room and the guests in a non obvious way. This shot from behind Paul as he is giving his speech really brings home how daunting it can be talking in front of a large audience.

And finally a group shot. I have cropped this from a larger picture of everyone, I really like the tight crop just showing the bride and groom and a few friends and family.

Wonderful Winter Wedding

2009-12-22T07:05:00.000-08:00

Where has December gone? This is my first post this month!! I have been so busy with commercial jobs that I just haven't had the time to update the blog. However the above image is from Jodie and Paul's set following their wedding on the 19th of December at the Canford School. I will post more from this set soon, for now though I need to deal with my backlog of jobs and then go and brave the shops for some last minute Christmas presents.

Wellies, Welsh mountains and getting THE shot!

2009-11-18T05:09:00.000-08:00

How far will I go for a great image? As far as it takes. That doesn't mean it's a hassle though most of the time it is just a matter of looking at things in a new way. Weddings are all about things being special, special day, special dress and special places. I love it when people have the courage to go for what they love. Why be the same as everyone else?

This shot of Nerys was shot in the field next to where she got married. It was just beautiful, I love the romantic feel of this shot and the fact that it is so unique to the couple.

Does size really matter?

2009-11-16T07:38:00.000-08:00

Usually I don't really care for cameras and gear, I'm all about the images and how a photograph can influence your mood or really bring back the memories of when it was taken. I've been a Nikon user since I first started photography and have owned or used every professional Nikon camera since the Nikon FM2. I know people don't believe me when I say this, but a camera to me is like a spanner to a mechanic, it just helps me do my job.

Another thing I don't think people realize is that I only ever use the manual settings on my cameras. There is no auto setting to match my flashes with my camera, it's still old fashioned maths and experience. Around six months ago I invested in the new Nikon D3x.

As a customer why does this matter to you? One word really – quality. The quality is just stunning. The photo above is a full frame image taken from a beach session. Below is the enlarged part of the frame that shows someone sitting on the sand. You don't really notice on the original without the comedy red circle.

But on this enlargement you can clearly see someone sitting on the sand. Now why does quality matter? Well you never know what you are going to do with your images in the future. You have the option to have a huge print on your wall but you also get a much finer and detailed image when it is printed smaller in your album.

There are two other reasons for using the Nikon D3x. The second is that it can make a backup of your photos as you go along. Unlike any other brand of camera it records to two flash cards at the same time. So what? A wedding is a one time only deal, I always have a backup camera and now I have double the security for greater peace of mind.

The last reason is that it is bullet proof, a professional tool that is meant to be used everyday and produce stunning results. The Nikon D3x is well worth the investment if you shoot photos for a living.

The last Tango in Beaulieu

2009-11-11T03:58:00.001-08:00

I was lucky enough to be able to shoot a wedding at the Beaulieu motor museum recently in the heart of the New Forest. I had actually never been to the location before and wasn't sure what to expect but I shouldn't have worried it's a fantastic place for a wedding.

Jon and Sam had a great car that actually belonged to one of their friends. As we were driving to the venue it clouded over and the sun went in, so I pulled out my lights and now we have a picture that looks like it was sunny. Who said the camera never lies?

On the walk through the week before the wedding I noticed the helicopter seeds of a sycamore tree right next to the venue. I really liked the idea of using them like confetti so on the day I had two of Jon's ushers throw up big handfuls of them on either side of the couple. I really like the natural look it gives this image.

Beaulieu is such a great venue it has so many great locations to shoot images.

This last image is a mixture of reportage style but with a little bit of extra help on the light front. I have a light next to me on the right which is freezing Sam and Jon and letting me blur the background a bit to add a bit of atmosphere to this image. Sam used to be a dancer and the first dance was always going to be an event for her. This image is unique because everyone else was in front of the couple watching the dancing and I popped in behind them to capture all the action.

Trees, Tees and Tiaras

2009-11-04T04:17:00.000-08:00

Don't you just love a getting ready shot? It doesn't have to be elaborate, just you in your dress with your hair just finished. Wouldn't it be great to have a stylist everyday? I love the simplicity of these shots, they just shout getting ready. Kate was a fantastic client she came to our first meeting with a print out of wedding photographs that she loved. I love it when that happens having images to work with really helps me find your style.

This image is not a typical wedding image (taken at Canford Magna Golf Club) and I love that! Sean was a bit worried about having his photograph taken but once I had assured him that I didn't need him to 'perform' in front of the camera he relaxed and we got some lovely images.

It's a simple thing but just looking off camera gives this image a more intimate feel and really brings the viewer in. Just spending a bit of time before the wedding checking out locations can make all the difference to the feel of an image. Photography is so much more than just taking a picture. You need to have a plan to get the best from the day.

Kate and her mum having a great time.

I like to mix the pace and style of my images. The above image is a lit portrait and a bit formal and the images below are more reportage in style. I find if you just shoot one style it all gets a bit samey. The key to making an image stand out in a set is variety.

I like to get my couples to be hands on! To show emotion in an image there needs to be emotion happening when I press the shutter. Just a simple cuddle can really make a picture.

This last image is my favourite of the day I think, although my favourite image changes every five minutes! A bit of movement a natural backdrop - I love it!

Why choose Pier Photography?

2009-10-30T06:38:00.001-07:00

Now on this blog I talk about 'lighting' and someone said to me the other day that they didn't understand what I meant. So I have pulled out some images form a portrait shoot to illustrate what I mean when I mention adding light to an image. Most wedding photographers just use natural light and that's great, I use natural light all the time. Sometimes though, when the sun is not shining or you are in an alley for example and you still want an image with depth and colour you need to add a bit of light. Why bother? I bother because it makes better images.

In the above image you can see my light in the far distance lighting the wall and background and just off camera to the left is another light giving me a highlight down the arm.

Now we have the background light the side/rim light and the front keylight lighting the face and bringing out the colour of the dress. Now the position of the front light just like the sun is creating a shadow around the nose. We can move the light or just ask the talent to move to face the light.
Hey presto! a finished image that uses three lights in the setup. I love the control using lights gives me, if it's raining or a dull day it's not a problem I just add light where the sun would be and we are good to go.

Beach time again with Pier Photography!

2009-10-20T04:04:00.000-07:00

From the very first moment I met Francesca she bowled me over! She is beautiful and she wants to have her wedding photographs taken at the beach! I'm in. That's it where do I sign, this is the perfect moment for me, a bride who loves photography and images as much as I do. The shot above was taken in the little lifts that take you down to Bournemouth beach.

I absolutely LOVE this photograph. I wish I had a picture from my wedding like this. You could be in Barbados! This image just sums it all up for me, a relaxed stroll along the beach on the day of your wedding - what could be better?

Because Francesca was so focused on the type of image she wanted she was more than happy to have fun in front of the camera. That's the key to great images really you just need to relax and have fun. Every time I meet a couple they always tell me that they hate having their photographs taken but on the day they just go with the fun vibe and we make great pictures together.

This image was so much fun, there was a little boy in the far distance with a bucket and spade. I don't think Francesca or Richard noticed but I had to keep moving around to keep him out of frame. Now people are always saying to me can't you just photoshop it out? While the short answer is yes I can, I think that is just plain lazy. A few seconds more concentration makes a better image.

The eyes have it! Honestly, I have a fancy pants camera, a box of lights and a wealth of experience but nothing, NOTHING beats the connection between the photographer and the client. Francesca has this down! she looks confident and beautiful as hannibal used to say ' I love it when a plan comes together!'

A kissing couple, enough said.Thank you guys for having fun with me and trusting me enough to go with my ideas on the day and generally just being Fabulous!

Norfolk, natural light and a bride in six inch heels.

2009-10-13T02:31:00.000-07:00

Even though I am based in Bournemouth, Dorset I travel all over the place to photograph weddings. This wedding as the tittle suggests was photographed in Norfolk, the house in the distance is Laura's new husbands parents house and it made a wonderful backdrop to the images. I love the playful nature of this image, I didn't want to shoot an obvious picture of Laura's shoes and when I saw her walking in front of me I knew I had the picture I wanted.

The above shot is an image of the little church on the edge of the estate that Marcus and Laura where married in. Again this church has family connections and needed to be included in the set. When I arrived in the morning the sun was behind the church and if I had shot it as it was I would have ended up with a silhouette which was not what I was after. I had to shoot it then as I had no time to get back later in the day. So what to do? I needed something to soften the sunlight and also make a more interesting image. I walked under the trees and the image I was looking for jumped out at me.

I'm known for using light in my photography and by that I mean using flash to knock out the shadows under the eyes if the sun is behind you or just adding a small highlight that only the trained eye would see. The next few images are examples of natural light and if the light is coming from the right direction it can look wonderful.

This last image is an example of using additional light that hopefully you don't notice. With all the natural light behind the bride if I shot this with only available light the brides face would be in shadow. The solution? to add a light to the brides left positioned through a window so it looks natural. I think in future blogs I will talk more about how I approach photographing a wedding and the craft of using light to create images.

Highcliffe, The Lord Bute and a Morris Minor

2009-09-23T08:19:00.000-07:00

I love this image of Louisa and Chris leaving Highcliffe Castle. I think what I like most about it is that it is not a conventional image. There is a lot going on, the reflection on the windscreen, the driver and the car behind all make it a busy image. Even with all that going on there is something that gives this image a feeling that I think really sums up the excitement of just getting married.

This shot of Louisa was shot in the Lord Bute using just natural light from the windows to the right of us. It was all about the sneakers for this shot, Louisa had swapped her high heels for a more comfortable option and that little detail makes this picture.

These last two images I shot as Louisa and Chris practiced their first dance in the grounds of the church opposite. I love the natural feel you get from shooting close in as your subject moves around you. Again we have a neutral background that just lets the subject shine.

A Beautiful Interuption

2009-09-23T06:52:00.000-07:00

Since starting this blog finding the time to add posts has been difficult. When not taking pictures I tend to be out enjoying the great outdoors. With this only being my third post in four months I must try to do better. With that said I am posting the first photographs of my son who was born last week. He is my wonderful baby boy and he and his beautiful mother are all doing fine. So if the blogs become even more infrequent you will know why. In the above picture he is two days old and a bit jaundiced, I could have shopped that out but I love him just the way he is.

Here he is in a natty little blue stripped number, with grandad's hand in for scale.

And finally I love his little feet, they were so soft for the first couple of days! You can just see his electronic tag on his left foot that he had to wear all the time he was in hospital. I will get back to blogging about wedding photography soon but I think this might become the most photographed baby of all time.

The Perfect Beach Wedding in Dorset.

2009-08-20T01:57:00.000-07:00

I love living close to the sea, it has a power that I find enthralling. When I am not working the beach is where you will find me come rain or shine. So when a client wanted to incorporate photographs on the beach into their wedding at Highcliffe castle I jumped at the chance.

I spend most of my time before a shoot looking for a location that will add to the scene but not overpower it. Successful photography is about keeping it simple image wise and letting the subject matter speak for itself. This less is more approach is really the secret of my photography but as with most things that people tell you are really simple (like say surfing) in practice it is much harder than it looks.

For an image to have a timeless quality you need a surrounding that is neutral. If you look at any image that has people or buildings within it you can date them easily by looking at the clothing, hair styles, colour styles and building design styles. The dress and a suit in it’s simplest forms have been around for many years. As a result they don’t really date, yes styles change but the basic dress and suit combination is a timeless classic. Add that to a beautiful natural location and you get wonderful images that will look as good in twenty years as they do now.

The beach is the perfect location for a timeless wedding photograph because it represents a classically romantic image. I love this type of shot because the location adds so much but never overpowers the scene. Sian & Chris were such a great couple they really knew what they wanted and I just gave them pointers as we went along.

I really love this moody sand dune image, for me it really captures the whole romance of the day. Just two people alone on a beach on their wedding day. I like to interrupt the frame by putting the long grass between the viewer and the subject, it gives the image a closeness that just photographing them straight on would never capture.

After the beach we used the wonderful backdrop of Highcliffe Castle to make some of my favourite images of the whole day!

More tears than an oscar speech.

2009-06-15T04:08:00.000-07:00

Everyone around me is crying. The groom, the er, other groom the best men/ladies the parents and most of the guests. All I can say is that it is lucky I have a big camera in front of my face to hide behind.

This is my first gay wedding and it is brilliant! I’m not sure weather I should call it a gay wedding but civil partnerships sounds so formal, this was a riot!

The first thing that struck me was how much love there was in the room. Although this was a formal occasion it seemed so free and open. Jan and Craig managed to have avoided the pitfalls of having what other people want you to have and really going with their hearts. I’m sure Sharon McDavitt (she was a total angel to me on the day) their wedding planner has a different opinion but thanks to her the whole day had a relaxed and fun vibe.

Unusually because of the lack of convention I did the editorial style wedding photographs in the morning before anyone else was there and we had a blast. You wouldn’t think that Jan is not a big fan of having his photo taken!

The next big bit for me was the speeches. I like the speeches as it is a great time to capture people reacting to either being spoken to or about. More tears, the whole event should have been sponsored by Kleenex. Again the whole room was in tears and when Craig spoke directly to his father I was happy to have the camera to hide behind again.

Later came the dancing nuns but I will leave that to your imaginations!

I want to thank Jan and Craig for being so open with me and letting me share their day. I had only met them once before but on the day it was like we were old friends. It was a really privilege to photograph them on what I hope will be the happiest day of their married lives.