Booking a wedding photographer is about much more than choosing someone whose photographs you like, it’s about finding someone whose approach feels right for your day.
If you’re considering me as your documentary wedding photographer, you probably have a few questions about how I work, what to expect and whether my candid, street photography-inspired style is the right fit for you.
Below you’ll find answers to the questions I’m asked most often by couples planning weddings in Bristol, North Somerset and across the UK.
From documentary wedding photography and wedding photojournalism to coverage, editing and delivery, I hope these answers help you feel confident that you’ll know exactly what to expect. And if there’s anything I haven’t covered, please don’t hesitate to get in touch…I’m always happy to chat.
Q: What is documentary wedding photography?
Documentary wedding photography is all about capturing your wedding naturally as it unfolds, without staging moments or constantly directing you.
Rather than creating photographs, I observe them, recording genuine emotions, real interactions and all the little moments that often go unnoticed. My goal is to tell the honest story of your wedding day through authentic, candid photographs you’ll still connect with decades from now. You can more in My Approach To Wedding Photography.
Q: Is wedding photojournalism different to documentary wedding photography?
Not really. The terms wedding photojournalism and documentary wedding photography are often used interchangeably because they share the same philosophy: capturing real moments rather than directing them.
I tend to use the term documentary wedding photography, but whichever name you prefer, the approach is the same: authentic storytelling, genuine emotions and candid photographs that reflect your wedding exactly as it happened.
Q: What is street photography?
Street photography is about observing everyday life and capturing genuine, unscripted moments as they naturally happen. It’s the approach that has shaped the way I photograph weddings. If you’d like to learn more, you can read my article on What Is Street Photography on my street photography website.
Q: So do you not take more traditional wedding portraits and group shots?
I do. While my main approach is documentary and candid wedding photography, I understand that some couples also want those timeless family photographs and portraits with the people who matter most. My Classic Package includes a selection of more traditional wedding portraits and group shots, alongside the natural, unscripted moments that tell the wider story of your day. Read more about my wedding portraits here.
Q: Do you provide black and white photographs?
No, I don’t. I’m booked for my unique candid, street photography-inspired approach, and colour is a huge part of how I tell stories my signature style.
My photography is rooted in observing real moments, capturing atmosphere, emotion and the unexpected details of your wedding day as they happen. Like photographers, such as Martin Parr, Joel Meyerowitz and William Eggleston who have influenced my work, I believe colour adds another layer of meaning and helps create photographs that feel authentic and connected to the moment.
Q: How many hours will you be at the wedding for?
I believe a wedding day is a story, and the best stories deserve to be told from beginning to end. Rather than working to a strict hourly limit, I aim to document your whole day.
Typically, I’ll be there from around an hour before your ceremony until about an hour after the first dance, capturing everything from the anticipation before you say “I do” to the celebrations on the dance floor. Every wedding is different though, so I’m always happy to be flexible if your plans require it.
Q: Do you shoot a wedding for just a few hours?
I can, but I genuinely believe the best wedding photographs come from telling the complete story of your day, rather than just capturing a small part of it. That’s why I don’t charge by the hour—my fee remains the same whether I’m with you for a few hours or from the preparations through to the evening celebrations.
My advice is always to make the most of having me there. The more of your day I can document, the richer, more meaningful and more complete your wedding story will be when you look back on it in years to come.
Q: What’s your location and where do you shoot?
I’m now based in Weston-super-Mare in North Somerset, not far from Bristol, and regularly photograph weddings throughout Bristol, Somerset and the South West. I’m also happy to travel anywhere in the UK and beyond. In fact. the furthest I’ve travelled to shoot a wedding is to Finland.
Whether you’re getting married in a city, by the coast, in the countryside or overseas, if you love my approach to documentary wedding photography, I’d be delighted to tell the story of your day.
Q: Do you charge travel fees on top of your wedding package prices?
No—there are no additional travel charges for weddings within 60 miles of the BS23 postcode.
For weddings further afield, there may be a small travel fee, but I’ll always keep any additional costs to a minimum and discuss them with you in advance, so there are no surprises.
Q: How many photos will we receive?
Every wedding is different, so I don’t promise a set number of photographs. Instead, I carefully edit and deliver all of the best images that genuinely tell the story of your day.
My focus is on quality rather than hitting a number, so you’ll receive a complete collection of authentic moments, real emotions and all the little details that make your wedding uniquely yours.
Q: When will receive our photos
You’ll receive your fully edited wedding gallery within 14 days of your wedding.
I know how excited you’ll be to relive the day, so I make it a priority to deliver your photographs as quickly as possible, without compromising on quality. But I will get you a few early peeks to share online.
Q: How will we receive our images?
Your photographs will be delivered as full-resolution digital images as JPG files in a private Dropbox folder, ready for you to download, share and enjoy.
You’ll have access to your gallery for three months, giving you plenty of time to download and back up your images.
Q: Can we have the digital RAW files of the images?
No. RAW files are unfinished working files, much like the negatives from the days of film photography. They aren’t a true representation of my work.
The photographs you receive are the finished, carefully edited images that reflect my style and the way I intended them to be seen.
Q: What editing do you do to the images?
Every image is individually edited with careful adjustments to exposure, colour and contrast to ensure it looks its best. I don’t use heavy filters, trendy presets or editing fads that may quickly date.
My aim is to keep your photographs timeless, natural and true to how your wedding day looked and felt.
Q: Do you belong to any professional bodies?
Yes. I’m a qualifying, award-winning member of the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA), one of the world’s leading organisations dedicated to documentary wedding photography. Membership is based on a photographer’s ability to consistently capture genuine, unscripted moments, and the WPJA celebrates photographers who tell the authentic story of a wedding through natural, candid images rather than staged poses.
Q: What awards have you won?
I’ve been fortunate to receive a number of awards for both my wedding and street photography. As a documentary wedding photographer, I’ve won several awards through the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA). Outside of weddings, my street photography has received multiple international awards and has been widely exhibited.
If you’d like to see more of my awards and exhibitions, you can see a full list on my street photography website.
Q: Are you insured?
Yes. I have full wedding photography insurance, including professional indemnity and third-party liability insurance, which is something many wedding venues require before allowing a photographer to work on their premises.
It gives both you and your venue complete peace of mind that you are working with a fully insured professional.
Q: Do we need to feed you on the wedding day?
You don’t have to, but after photographing your wedding for most of the day, a meal is always very much appreciated! If you are providing a meal for your suppliers, I’d be grateful if you could include me.
It also means I can take a short break, recharge, and be ready to continue capturing the important moments and evening celebrations. I usually eat separately and quickly so I don’t miss anything important.
Q: How do we book you?
Once you’ve got in touch, I usually suggest we arrange either a relaxed coffee meeting or an informal online video call where we can chat through your wedding plans in more detail and make sure my approach is the right fit for you.
After our conversation, I always recommend taking some time to discuss everything between yourselves before making a decision. There’s absolutely no pressure, I want you to feel completely confident that you’ve chosen the right photographer for your day.
When you’re ready to book, I’ll send over the wedding agreement form for you to complete, along with the booking deposit (currently £250). Once these have been received, your wedding date is officially secured and I’ll look forward to being part of your day.
Q: When do we pay the final balance?
The remaining balance is due one calendar month before your wedding date, minus the £250 booking deposit already paid.
Payment can be made by bank transfer, and I’ll send you the details and a reminder ahead of the due date.
Q: What happens if we need to cancel our wedding?
I completely understand that sometimes circumstances change and, unfortunately, weddings occasionally need to be cancelled.
If you cancel your booking one year or more before your wedding date, your booking deposit will be refunded in full. If cancellation takes place six months or more before your wedding date, 50% of the deposit will be refunded. For cancellations made less than six months before the wedding date, the deposit is non-refundable.
However, I understand that every situation is different. If there are unavoidable or compassionate circumstances behind the cancellation, I will always consider these on a case-by-case basis and discuss the options with you.
Still Have Questions?
I hope these answers have given you a better understanding of how I work and what you can expect when you choose me to photograph your wedding. Every wedding is unique, and sometimes the best conversations happen when we simply chat through your plans.
If there’s something I haven’t covered, or you’d just like to find out more about my approach, please feel free to get in touch. I’d love to hear about your wedding and what makes it special to you.