Phil Evans Photography
     
Wedding Tips
7 Ways To Find The One For You | Print |  E-mail
 
Once the champagne has been finished and the most important day of your life draws to a close, your photographs will be the one lasting record of the romance, emotion - and the planning and attention to detail - that made it such a memorable occasion. If you’re not happy with the photos, it’s practically impossible to recreate them after the event. Photographs are memories in the making so choose your photographer carefully. Here are seven steps Phil Evans, (the UK’s First Master Craftsman with the Guild of Wedding Photographers), suggests that you can take to make sure that you find THE ONE for you:


1  Ask to see examples of their work. Its important that these are recent and of complete weddings and not just a selection of their best pictures. A good photographer should be able to show you preview wedding pictures from which previous couples have made their final album selection.

2  Your wedding album should capture the whole story of your special day and there should be a good mix of portraits, groups and story-telling pictures – so check that your photographer will stay to record the whole event. A good photographer will take as many photos as time and opportunity allow – without intruding upon your special day.

3  Make sure that you meet your actual photographer – and like them. Having your photo taken should be fun for both you and your guests. Only by having a good rapport with you photographer will you relax and enjoy yourselves in front of the camera, so examine the facial expressions the photographer has captured to see if people look as though they are enjoying themselves.

4  Check that your photographer will visit the venue with you (no matter how many weddings they may have done there before) to discuss your ideas. They should use this as an opportunity to get to know you both and to find out why your venue is special to you, so that it is reflected in your photographs.

5  A professional will be able to give you plenty of advice when asked, on how the day should run, how long things will take. However, they will never forget that it is your day and that you call the shots, but will work quickly and without any fuss to make sure that you have plenty of time to celebrate with your guests.

6  Wedding photography is a specialist field, so book an expert in the field rather than someone who is part time or usually takes portrait shots in the controlled environment of a studio and certainly don’t leave the responsibility to a friend or relative - it simply isn’t being fair to them.

7  Look out for the logo of The Guild of Wedding Photographers UK. A Master Craftsman of the Guild of Wedding Photographers has to be skilled in wedding photography. These are judged on 28 different criteria by a panel of expert wedding photographers, so you can be assured of consistent quality.

 With Phil Evans as your photographer you can be confident that you’ve found the one for you. The greatest fear that people have about photography is that after the enjoyment and expense, the photos will turn out to be a disappointing record of the occasion. In choosing Phil Evans as your perfect partner you can be assured of a truly amazing set of images that will always bring back the magic and the emotions of your special day each time you look at them.

So contact Phil Evans Photography now to find out how we can capture the magic of your special day…

 
Top Tips To Looking Great On Your Wedding Day | Print |  E-mail
Every bride wants to look amazing on her wedding day. You’ve probably been planning your special day for years, so it’s only natural to want everyone – especially your future husband  - to go ‘wow!’ as you walk down the isle. As importantly, your special day will be captured forever in your wedding photos, so you’re certain to want to look your best all day long.

A professional photographer should make certain that you look your very best in your photos – without the need for constant make-up retouches. They should visit your chosen wedding venue with you both to help you decide on the most flattering locations and backdrops for your photos.  Some pre-wedding photos while you’re there will help you to feel more relaxed in front of the camera. They’ll also boost your confidence, especially when you can see the stunning results and how great you look straight away on the back of the camera.

Top photographers will also use lighting to bring out your best assets. They’ll use natural window light to produce portraits that soften your complexion and give you that wedding day glow. They’ll choose shaded areas to capture the detail in your wedding gown or head for bright sunlight to create the strong dramatic fashion images that you see in Vogue or Cosmo magazines. Angles are also important. Instead of standing square on to the camera, make sure your photographer turns you 30 to 40 degrees – and you’ll immediately look half a stone lighter! Tilting your head to a 45degree angle will make your face appear slimmer too.

Here are our top tips for looking great on your wedding day:

•    Visit your venue for a pre wedding photo shoot so that you’re not worried about having your photo taken on the day. You can also see how your photographer works – it should be quickly and gently – without being ‘in your face’ or too cheesy.

•    Whether you use a professional or a trusted friend to do your hair and make up, make sure that you have a trial run before the day.

•    Avoid going for a dramatic new look on your wedding day. Stick to a more natural effect so you’ll still look like you – just a more gorgeous, glamorous version.

•    Pinky brown lipsticks whiten teeth, while orange or red can sometimes make them appear more yellow.

•    Make sure you invest in a good quality waterproof mascara – just in case!

•    Pluck you eyebrows and wax arms and legs at least four days before your wedding to give any unsightly redness time to fade.

•    Remember to get a few early nights the week before your wedding. This will help make sure your eyes are clear and bright, and your skin is glowing on the day. Have your hen party at least the weekend before your wedding so you’ve plenty of time to recover. Try to avoid excess alcohol too as this can seriously disturb the quality of your sleep.

•    Finally, relax and enjoy your day. I’ve photographed many, many weddings and never has there been a disaster that spoiled the day – so try not to worry – any little glitches that may occur will be minor and sort themselves out. And, you’ve chosen the best professionals to provide your catering, flowers, cars and photography, so let them do their jobs and take care of everything for you.

Plan your wedding so that you have time to take a moment to recharge your batteries, freshen up and reflect on the day so far – and for a quick cuddle too! This is the most special day of your life – so relax, have fun and enjoy yourself – that way, you’re sure to look great!  
 
Top Five Photo Tips For Wedding Guests | Print |  E-mail










By now you’ve probably received your wedding invitation: It’s official – you’re soon to be a bonafide wedding guest. And, the chances are, that you'll be bringing your camera to the wedding along with a gift or two for the happy couple. While most couples hire a professional photographer to photograph the ceremony and reception, there's still plenty of room for you to also capture this special occasion on camera. Not only will you have a super record of the wedding for your own pleasure, but will delight your friends when you show them a set of photos from their wedding of moments that the professional photographer did not see or wasn't asked to cover. To help you take some really great photos, here are some of my top tips:


1. Get To Know Your Camera.
Do you know how to turn off the flash on your personal camera, or change its settings to best suit the lighting at a given moment? Get to know your camera before the day if you know you’re going to want to take lots of photos at the wedding. Practice taking photos of people both indoors and out, so that you get to know how your camera performs in different light conditions, and can adjust your settings accordingly. Cameras can easily be fooled by light subjects, such as white bridal gowns, or dark backgrounds, such as trees. You need to know what adjustments to make to your camera to help compensate for such events.
 Depending on the time of day, flash may help your picture or hurt your picture. If you’re trying to take group photos of the wedding guests on a late summer afternoon, for example, or take photos of the couple’s first dance out on a darkened dance floor, your goals may be very different. In the former situation, flash might ruin the natural light, while in the latter not using your flash could give you a dark, blurry shot. In fact, at most weddings, I usually turn off my flash as it spoils most wedding pictures, especially outside.
The single one thing you can do to make the most dramatic improvement to your photos is practice, practice and practice!

  2. Flatter Your Subjects.
People are often wary about having their photo taken, so anything you can do to make them more confident and relaxed will give you better photos. Be honest and mean the compliments you give, as a fake will be instantly spotted – and resented. Remember the good advice given to Thumper in the Disney film Bambi, ‘If you can’t say something nice – don’t say anything at all!’
 Be relaxed yourself, and smile. Smiling is infectious and you’ll soon find people returning yours with natural smiles of their own, instead of the usual cheesy fake ones you see in many wedding photographs. I am passionate about weddings and really enjoy taking stunning photos and this is contagious – if you’re confident and obviously having fun, those around you will relax and have fun too. And that’s when you’ll get those fabulous natural expressions.
Flatter your subjects aesthetically, too. It’s best to capture your subjects in a soft light. Though you don’t want the light to be too low, a nice soft glow is ideal. Try to stay out of direct sunlight, especially with the bride in her white dress. Consider the mood created by the lighting and location. For example, sunset is often the perfect time to capture people at their best as the lighting is soft, warm and perfect for capturing romantic moments.

3. Change Your Perspective And Get A Little Closer.
One of the first things my son was taught on his A level Photography Course at College was to shoot without looking - because you’ll get nice surprises that way, like an image framed in an unusual way. With a digital camera, this kind of experiment won’t cost you anything so it’s always worth a try. Of course, at a wedding you might want to keep your eye on the events of the day, but try changing the level of your camera: Bend down, hold it up above you or off to one side. Change the vantage point and see what that does for your picture.
Another particular problem I notice with amateur photographs most of the time is that people are not close enough to what they’re trying to photograph. You’re standing way too far away, take a shot, and then find all this stuff in the picture you didn’t want that distracts from the subject of your image. Come closer, think about what is in the background of your photo (and each corner) and you’ll avoid simple distractions that ruin a great photo, such as telegraph poles coming out from the top of the bride’s head!

4. Tell A Story But Be Ready For Anything!
A lot happens during the course of the wedding day. There are countless opportunities to capture the key events that tell the story of the day. Try to put yourself in the mind of a storyteller, watching events as they unfold. Remember that a story is not just about the central plot and characters so look out for those opportunities in which the guests of honor and their guests interact in interesting and exciting ways. For instance, a great photo may be of the bride and groom stealing a quiet moment together, flopped down exhausted together on a sofa.
A good story also paints a picture that fills in all the fine detail: Take photos of the little things, such as Great Aunt Flo boogying on the dance floor, or the little bridal attendants fighting to collect confetti from the floor. Be prepared to capture those moments that stand out.
Most good photos depend on a little bit of luck, and half the fun of photography is the challenge of the unexpected. You couldn’t possibly plan everything, so you just have to be there and be in the moment. Plenty of surprises happen during a couple’s big day. Just keep your eyes open, and not just on the happy couple. Try to anticipate what might happen next, look for expressions and you’re bound to capture some of them!

 5. Be Creative And Have Fun.
Often wedding photos taken by guests end up as one straight shot after another of the bride and groom and other guests there at the time – or as recreations of the professional’s wedding images, either taken over his shoulder, or stood by his elbows. There are some moments at a wedding that everyone wants to catch on camera, but even as an amateur photographer, you should never jostle someone and ruin their shot for the sake of your own! And, while you may want to capture those picture-perfect moments as badly as the professional photographer, he’s the one the couple have hired so do try to be conscientious of where he is standing and how your flash may affect his work.
I’d suggest it would be more fun to experiment, try a different tactic than yet another staid photo of smiling faces. For instance, many wedding photographers don’t take ‘table shots’ of the guests because these photos aren’t usually purchased by the bride and groom. This is the perfect opportunity for you. But shoot them like a pro: Have some of the people at your table stand up and move behind those still seated and take a group shot. Take care to avoid showing the entire table complete with half-eaten food, instead concentrate on the faces of the guests. Remember, the bride and groom can't be at every table to take part in the festivities, so your candid photos can show the guests having fun in a way that the professional photographer isn’t likely to capture.

  So now you should be ready. It’s time to put on your wedding outfit, check you’ve got plenty of memory cards for the camera – and get out there to shoot the best photos you have ever taken. But remember, as a guest, taking pictures at a wedding should be about experimenting and enjoying yourself in equal measure. If the picture makes you happy, it’s a good picture!

Good Luck
Phil Evans