Crieff Photography
A pair of familiar faces at Crieff Hydro
Say ‘hi’ to Brian & Paula from Crieff Photography
What made you become a wedding photographer?
Brian: My father was a wedding photographer and I used to go along with him to shoot what I loved – the candid moments. Years later, I did a photography degree and worked in a number of photographic fields to later come back to my real interest – weddings! Meeting Paula in 2012 and both being creatives, we were keen to start a business together in the area we loved – Perthshire.
Weddings are like no other photographic genre because you become very involved and invested in each couple; you are there for them and it’s always different each time as each wedding is unique.
Paula: meeting Brian rekindled my love of photography, which I had studied at art school. I am a total wedding addict in every sense, so the opportunity to work with Brian combining the two was too perfect.
Is there anything you think you’ve learnt so far from being a photographer?
We have learnt that to listen carefully to what each couple wants from their day and put them firmly at the centre of what we do. We’ve also learnt that wedding time and real time are two entirely different things – your day will fly in!
If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing instead?
Brian: I would be living in a lighthouse taking photographs of sea eagles and counting whales, taking trips in between to photograph Scotland from a small light aircraft. It would always be photography – it’s integral to who I am.
Paula: I would be living in Italy, with a villa full of lop eared rabbits and spaniels running around. And of course, I’d be visiting Brian in his lighthouse!
We are both glad however that we are doing this!
Where do you get your inspiration from?
We both look at a lot of current wedding blogs to keep up to date with trends. We also never go anywhere without a camera – capturing images is second nature to us. It goes beyond inspiration and is simply who we both are. Our images are about capturing the genuine, authentic and natural in a wedding day so inspiration comes from real life events as they happen, never posed ones.
What do you love most about wedding photography?
We love that each wedding and each couple is totally unique and that weddings are occasions which bring out the best in people. We get to capture genuine images of people at their most joyful and happy.
How would you describe your photography style?
Our style is candid, natural and creative. We dislike heavily posed or artificial looking images – we firmly believe that you should be able to see your genuine relationship in your wedding photographs. Your gallery will be predominantly images which are candid as the moment happened and we are always unobtrusive. Our editing style is artistic – each image is hand touched and never batch edited. The best images, in our opinion, are the ones which happen naturally.
On average, how many weddings do you roughly do in a year? Have a guess!
We strictly limit the number of weddings we shoot in a year to ensure that we are giving our best to each couple – a wedding gallery typically takes 5 days to edit. we meet all couples first to ensure that we are the best fit for you and that we can provide what you require.
Can couples give you a list of specific shots they would like?
There is a big trend in a Pinterest list of “must get” shots and we understand that some brides find this reassuring. However, not all wedding days follow this list naturally and we would prefer that our couples trust our creativity and expertise to get all the shots in a way which genuinely reflects the day. We are happy to shoot family groups as required.
Is it okay if other people take photos while you’re taking photos?
Yes of course unless you are actually meant to be in the shot or put an iPad in front of our cameras as the bride comes down the aisle!
What would be your best tip to give to future couples on choosing a wedding photographer?
Look at lots of photographers and ask to see full galleries, not simply their best images – that way you are getting a clear picture of what your gallery will look like. Meet them first – they are with you for the duration of your day, so you have to feel comfortable with them. Ask about their experience and training – have they studied photography as a degree or have they picked up a camera and just done a little , or even, no training at all? Ask about their equipment – they should be shooting on two full frame cameras with backups and fast lenses to be able to cope with all lighting and weather conditions. Are they insured? Most importantly trust your gut – do you like the images in their galleries and their style?
What advice would you give couples to ensure that they get wedding photos they love forever?
Relax and enjoy the day – that way you are being yourselves and the images will reflect this. If you are on a budget, stretch to the best photographer you can afford – after the day is over only your images are going to be your reminder of your day.
How far in advance do I need to book my wedding photographer?
We are accepting bookings 2 years ahead and have had to turn down a number of enquiries 18 months ahead because we are sadly booked. After your venue the next two big things to book are band and photographer to get your supplier of choice.
