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Monthly Archives: February 2010
Announcing the John Cleary Photography YouTube channel!
I’m really excited to announce the John Cleary Photography YouTube channel. I’ll be updating it from time to time with showreels of ‘genres’ or individual shoots. Here’s the first which contains some of my favourite wedding images: click here
So how do I choose the right photographer?
Last week I wrote about why couples choose to book a photographer. I hope that it gave you food for thought, and also that this week’s will do the same.
This blog is a slightly different take on “how to choose a wedding photographer”. I know that has been written about many times before, but I hope to add some value to the discussion without repeating much of what has already been said many times over (and on the whole I agree with!)
You will have some wonderful memories of your big day and you will want to keep those memories alive. Your wedding album will be one of the few things that are part of the cost of the day that lasts well beyond the day itself.
Most of the advice that I read about choosing a wedding photographer focuses (pun intended) on the photographer themselves and of course their photography. I agree with that advice but there is often a vital consideration missed out. The album!
Recent advances in technology have moved wedding albums on significantly, the traditional single photo per page with a cardboard surround is now very outdated. Modern digital printing methods allow all manner of different album styles ranging from traditional to the ultra fashionable.
Picking the right photographer is very important; you need to pick someone that you get on with, someone who’s pictures ‘move’ you, someone who will invest their time in getting to know you and to understand what you want, not tell you what you’re going to get. But (and this is the big but) don’t you also want someone who will deliver an album that you will be happy to look through in 1, 10, 25 or 50 years time without thinking this album is soooo 2010?
So time for a small advert…I use Queensberry albums, because they are gorgeous, because they are handmade, because they ooze quality and because I am confident that my clients will still be looking at them on their Golden Wedding Anniversary and thinking “I love these images and I love the album that they are presented in”. Will they remember me? I hope so! Will they still love their album and remember the story of their day with love and fondness? Definitely!
Wedding : Louise and Antony – John Cleary Photography
My first winter wedding and first wedding of 2010 was that of Louise & Antony, a fabulous couple who have become good friends since they booked last summer. The wedding was at St John the Baptist, Royston and the reception held at Chilli. Despite it being a cold February day it was a blast, with everyone enjoying themselves into the small hours.
Louise & Antony thank you so much for letting me share your day with you it was brilliant!
Why book a wedding photographer?
A controversial question to find on a wedding photographer’s blog don’t you think? It is a question worth asking though; why do a couple book a wedding photographer? What do they want from the photographer?
This is the first of 2 blogs I’m writing for those of you thinking about booking a photographer for your wedding. The blogs are designed to provoke thought about why you are doing it and what you want out of it. I hope it helps…
These are my own thoughts, they may not match up with your own so all the usual caveats apply (Your home may be at risk if you do not keep up repayments. etc). 
Some couple book a photographer to turn up on the day and take pictures. “Fair enough” I hear you say, “why else would you book a photographer?” And I agree up to a point….
Let’s think about why couples REALLY book a wedding photographer…..aren’t these the REAL reasons? ……
- You will have put a tremendous amount of effort into planning every last detail of the biggest day of your lives. Don’t you want to remember all of those little details that you put all that effort into?
- You will look the best you have ever looked in your lives. Don’t you want to capture forever how amazing you looked on that day?
- It will (probably) be one of the most expensive days of your lives, a gorgeous dress, beautiful flowers, delicious cake, fantastic wedding breakfast etc. etc. Few of them will last much longer than the day itself. How will you remember them all?
- It will be one of the few days in your lives when everyone who is dear to you both are gathered together and they’re there to see you. Don’t you want to make sure that such an incredible day is recorded?
All of these things are important and only happen once, it’s my view that a photographers job is to capture all of the above and more for all posterity in a gorgeous wedding album that you, your children and your grandchildren will treasure forever.
Part two will be published next week and offers a different take on the much discussed “How to choose a wedding photographer“.
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