NEWSLETTER V
Hey, welcome to the fifth edition of my newsletter.
Coming up: Why I entered the Wedding Industry Awards even though I have reservations about it, and another ‘How I got the shot’ story.
Thoughts on the Wedding Industry Awards
I made the Regional Finals this year, and I thought I’d share my experience of this competition with you.
I first entered in 2020, but I didn’t make it over the line to qualify for Regionals. I needed to score 70 out of 70! (That was the regional average score that year.)
I scored 69.8.
So the next year, with my perfect 70/ 70 score, I made the regionals. But, guess who won my area (East Midlands), that’s right, a photographer who was based in London? But I guess it’s OK if you have a virtual office in Derbyshire, you can enter as a Derbyshire wedding photographer, right? You can’t make this stuff up. A cynical move, perhaps, because this photographer stood a better chance of making the Nationals by entering my area, perhaps? I’m not suggesting that I should have won; there, there’s a judging process. More on that below.
One positive aspect of entering was that I found the judges’ feedback to be extremely helpful. Basically, they slammed my website and my editing. This was good to hear because it helped me improve those areas.
Because of this benefit, I thought of entering in 2022.
However, I was told that they were no longer providing judges’ feedback because some of the judges were getting trolled by disgruntled entrants! So, I didn’t bother entering.
Why on earth did I enter this year then? I’m glad you asked. Since I entered last, I’ve finally found my style (Quirky and vibrant). My work is consistent, and I understand my ideal couples a lot more.
So, here are some questions for you:
- How would you define your style?
- How would you describe it in 2-3 words?
- How consistent is your work?
If you want to see the photos that I put in with my entry this year, you can do so HERE
How I got the shot
I rarely get something good from bride prep (it won an award from Inspiration Photographers earlier today).
Often, the prep room is crammed and is an absolute mess; personally, I find this setting very challenging, to say the least.
One of my goals last season was to capture a good prep photo. In fact, I always set myself mini challenges at every wedding to help me stay fresh.
Also, if I say to myself ahead of the wedding, I want to look for ‘x’, then I’m more likely to see it. If you want to try it yourself, go for a walk and say to yourself, ‘I want to see red cars’, guess what you’re going to pay attention to?
In this photo, I wanted to create something layered and something with a clear moment. I built the photo around a couple of ‘anchor points’ (static individuals, the bride and the woman in the foreground having her hair done).
I kept shooting with the camera above my head to try and include as much activity in the room as possible, and I stopped down to f8 to capture a lot of depth in the scene. Eventually, one of the hairstylists took a photo on her phone, and at the same time, one of the bridesmaids took a photo of the bride, and she had a big expression on her face.
I like the photo because it’s a great bit of storytelling. Within the frame, there are many different elements, and it’s another example of how shooting through a scene pays off.
This photo was taken at one of my favourite wedding venues at the incredible Molecey Mill
“It’s not all about the bride” – My new Workshop
My documentary wedding photography workshop will be running on 20th November in Nottingham!
If you want to create more consistent work across a whole wedding day, start ‘seeing’ new ideas at weddings and understand how I went from starting my business to becoming the best wedding photographer in Nottingham (at documentary work), you don’t want ot miss it.
Full Details here: documentary wedding photography workshop
(only 4 spots left)
Cheers and see you next month, Nathan
P.S. When you’re ready, I’d love to help you grow your photography business. Feel free to check out my wedding photography education page for details.
If you want the next edition of my newsletter, you can find it HERE