I often get asked why I offer pre-wedding photo shoots, so I thought I’d use a recent shoot with the lovely Sam and Donnach to explain why I think they’re a fab thing to do!

We live in a digital age, one where we’re more likely to send en email or a text than we are to meet up in person to chat, and this is applying more and more to booking wedding suppliers, from photographers to wedding venue decorators. In theory this could end up meaning that I don’t get to meet you before the day of the wedding, which of course isn’t technically problem, but it’s far nicer to have had a chance to get to know each other before the big day.

So that’s one huge benefit of having a pre-wedding photo shoot, we actually get to meet in person and put faces to names, and it’s also a really good warning to my couples that I’m a tad crazy, at times rather hyper, overly enthusiastic, and have a tendency to come out with what can only be described as bad dad jokes.. I can’t help it, they just come out! Apparently I seem to attract couples who have very similar personality traits to me, so we’re all in this together ;)

The next huge bonus is you get to see how I work, and hopefully by the end of the session you feel comfortable about being in front of the camera. As Sam and Donnach quickly found out, I don’t pose people, not ever, I let couples be themselves by standing together and chatting, or going off for a walk, and I try and stay out of the way as much as possible. It usually makes people laugh that I like to hide in bushes, or lay down on the floor… it’s all in the name of art, it is! If you want a tiny bit more guidance then of course I’ll happy place you where I feel you look most comfortable, but I find the more natural you are together the more happy you’ll be that your images portray who you are.

Lastly, now you have a few new social media profile photos to choose from, and it doesn’t get much better than that, right?! Not forgetting the ones your Aunty Joan wants to print out and put in all the Christmas cards this years…

Thank you Sam and Donnach, I can’t wait to be shooting your beautiful wedding at Askham Hall next month.

Cath x