Behind The Camera: An Insight Into The Photographer

This week I found myself going for my daily walk down to the beach that is no more than a few miles away from my home. As I cast my eye across the bay, taking in the fresh air and the rare winter sunshine, it made me think about the past year and how it has changed my business. I realised that so much has changed in recent months, in all aspects of my life, but something that remains consistent is my desire to continue building my wedding photography business with a special focus on capturing natural, candid weddings.

With this is in mind, I want to delve deeper into who I am as a photographer, my background, and more importantly, what I can offer you as my client. As my website suggests, my name is Alexander, or Alex as I am more commonly known, and I grew up in Bridgend, gaining a photographic degree from Cardiff Metropolitan University.

I’ve been described as relaxed and calm, with a real eye for detail. I love photography and creating new, exciting photographs. I am a real stickler for not wanting to create the same old photographs as everyone else. I am a strong believer in formulating a relationship with clients because it helps to capture natural and relaxed photographs.

During your wedding day you can expect to see me exploring the surrounding areas and being adventurous with locations and various photography ideas. This process allows me to create unique photography and not the same old stuff that you see everywhere else.

I love working with clients that are happy to come with me and explore the grounds of the wedding venue as well as the outside of it. Different locations and alternative settings guarantee that your photographs are going to be unique and memorable. I mean, who wants the same as everybody else?

If you have spent hours flicking through bridal magazines and are fed up with looking at different couples, looking the same as each other in every photograph then I think it is worth you having a chat with us.

For more information about how we can capture your special day, as well as our availability, head over to our contact page. Hurry though, spaces are filling up fast for the remainder of this year and next.

Natural Wedding Photography | Everything You Can Expect

Natural wedding photography is more popular than ever and is the style that my couples choose to book me for. Clients love the natural expressions and the effortless relationship with the camera. They want this to shine through in their own wedding photos, but sometimes couples feel anything but natural and relaxed in front of the camera.

You’ve probably seen dozens of photographer websites with hundreds of images of couples looking natural and carefree. They even look as if they are having fun whilst being photographed. It is often not the case and I am here to tell you that feeling camera shy is completely normal and totally common.

As a natural wedding photographer in South Wales, I have seen hundreds of couples feel like this. They are nervous about their wedding photographs, not looking natural in front of the camera and realising that these are the only wedding day snaps they’re going to have in their lifetime.

Trust me, I know how you feel – why do you think I hide behind the camera?

A Feeling of Worry

Prior to your wedding day, you are going to have a thousand things running through your head and you may have some preconceptions of what is going to happen. You may be thinking that your photographer is going to direct you to look all in love, and then as if by magic, you and your partner are going to be transformed in to a pair of models that are total naturals in front of the camera. You might be feeling embarrassed because you’re not used to being in the spotlight and dread posing for photos.

Whatever is going through your head, I get it, and I have seen it a hundred times before.

This is the main reason why it is so important to find a natural wedding photographer that makes you feel at ease in front of the camera. By having someone that guides you through the process and supporting you on the day, you will be the ones in these photos looking all happy, romantic, and natural. Newly engaged couples will then be browsing through your photos and thinking the exact same things you had been thinking back when you were looking for a photographer.

Strong relationships

Not only is a wedding about a relationship between two people, but also the relationship between that couple and their photographer. I am a strong believer in this because I think that it will feel less like a stranger photographing you and less awkward. If you can have some fun and feel like you have a friend behind the camera, it makes a positive difference.

Where to focus

It might be easier said than done, and sounds like a bit of a cliché, but don’t focus on the camera. Your focus should be on your partner during the entire photoshoot. Engaging with your partner will project a natural connection with them in photos and also make them feel more comfortable.

During wedding photoshoots, I ask couples to talk to each other. If this doesn’t help, then I ask them to talk about their wedding so far and what they are looking forward to during the remainder of the day.

That awkward feeling

Some see that awkward feeling you get in front of the camera is a negative, but you can use this to your advantage. You see, mot of the time, those awkward moments are broken up by laughing and smiling which is perfect for natural shots of you.

You might be reading this with a confused look on your face but feeling awkward will force you to get better in front of the camera, as you start to laugh and realise that it isn’t that bad.

If you would like to learn more about natural wedding photography or would like to check our availability for your wedding, please use our contact page.

What the “firebreak” lockdown & rules mean for weddings.

On Monday we heard a statement from the Welsh First Minister, Mark Drakeford confirming what we have all been dreading, another lockdown. From Friday 23 rd October at 6.00pm, Wales will be forced to close its doors once again for a period of two-weeks to try and control the rise in Covid-19 cases across the country.

What does this mean for weddings?

Only wedding ceremonies will be permitted in Wales for the “firebreak” lockdown. During this difficult fortnight, receptions will be banned and only places of worship and registry offices will be allowed to host a wedding ceremony. It means that you will still be able to tie the knot with your loved one, but you won’t be able to celebrate with your family and friends afterwards.

How many people will be able to attend?

The wedding ceremonies due to take place between Friday 23 rd October and Monday 9 th November will be limited by the Covid-safe capacity of the venue. Each venue will have a different limit that they can support to ensure the safety of your guests and their staff.

What should I do next?

Speak with your wedding organiser and ask them what the latest guidelines will mean for your wedding and how many people will be able to attend. Your wedding ceremony will still be able to go ahead but you will be faced with the difficult decision of whether you mind missing out on a reception, or at least postponing it until a later date.

What will happen after the firebreak?

In short, we don’t know, and the next steps by the government will be decided based on the results of this short, sharp lockdown. We advise that you subscribe to our mailing list to receive up to date news on Covid-19 and the impact on weddings.

We hope that this post has been able to answer the questions you have about the latest restrictions that we face. From all of us here at Alexander Lewis Photography, thank you for reading and we wish you all good health through these difficult times.