Sussex wedding photographer's blog » Wedding and corporate photography from Lucky Dog Photography

Melissa and Joe booked me as their wedding photographer last August and were my first wedding booking of the year. They both live in London, but have family in Brighton and Hove and chose to get married here. I started the day at The Hilton Brighton Metropole on the seafront where Melissa, her Mum and bridesmaids were preparing for the day. It did seem like a small bomb had been let off in the room by the time I left, but Melissa and her crew were looking great.
The wedding was at Sacred Heart Church in Hove, I turned up just as Joe, family, best man and ushers were arriving. I’d visited the church the week before to introduce myself, and to find out their policy on wedding photography. I try to do this whenever possible so I know exactly what I can do on the day. I was shown round by Deacon Paul, who was really helpful, and told me I could do almost anything, as long as I didn’t run around waving my arms in the air. I try to be as discreet as I possibly can during every wedding ceremony, but it’s great to know that you won’t be annoying anyone if you move quietly around the church.
The ceremony was conducted by Father Carl, who, when Melissa said she was feeling a bit nervous on arrival, confessed that even he got nervous at weddings. During the ceremony, bride and groom both looked like they were enjoying every minute.
Melissa and Joe had told me that they wanted a few shots on the Hove seafront, so we drove down there after the ceremony. I was worried earlier in the day because the weather was so gloomy, but by this time the sun was out and the light was a bit too bright (Never happy us photographers!). We managed to get a few shots, then the bride and groom had a quick glass of champagne before we headed off again.
The reception was held at Pangdean Barn in Pyecombe, just outside Brighton. I’ve been here a few times now, it’s a great venue and they always manage events very nicely. It was a bit too cold to stand in the gardens so most of the socialising went on inside. Even though it was freezing, the light was OK, so we went outside for the group and formal photos. After the groups I had just enough time to take a few more photos of the bride and groom before it got dark, and they went back in for the wedding breakfast.

Melissa preparing for her wedding at The Hilton Brighton Metropole

The bridal bouquet

Joe and his brother waiting in the church

Melissa and Joe exchanging rings

Melissa and Joe coming out of the church after the ceremony

The newly weds on the seafront in Hove

On the seafront

Enjoying some February sunshine on the seafront

Walking back to the car along the seafront

Last one before leaving for the wedding reception

Bride and groom having a glass of champagne in the car

Joe getting a lift at Pangdean Barn

Joe and Melissa posing in front of the barn at Pangdean

Another quick shot before the wedding breakfast at Pangdean

Enjoying some confetti inside Pangdean Barn

The wedding rings in front of the (cheesy) cake

Melissa, Joe and friends after the wedding breakfast

Information on booking me as your wedding photographer in Sussex here

John and Stephanie booked me as their photographer for their wedding at Newick Park Hotel in East Sussex last week. I went to check out the hotel before the wedding and thought it was one of the nicest venues I’ve seen this year. A lovely old manor house set in beautiful grounds, there’s a lake, a gazebo, gardens and views over the surrounding countryside. In summer this would be a wedding photographers dream, in winter it becomes a little more tricky.

I got to Newick Park an hour or so before the wedding ceremony. I wanted to get a few shots of the bride in the daylight before it disappeared completely. There’s a quality to natural light that’s hard to duplicate with flash, and this was going to be the only chance I got before darkness arrived. I was quite pleased with some of the photos of Stephanie in the bedroom window seat. I also managed to get plenty of details such as the shoes, dress and the bride’s hands, all useful when it comes to putting an album together.

The ceremony was at 2.00pm in the library. The registrar was happy for me to take some photos during the ceremony, I just had to stop for the vows so I didn’t disturb the moment. By the time it was over it was beginning to get dark, so everybody came out for a quick group shot at the front of the building before the reception. That was it as far as outside photos went, the light went, the rain started and we were inside for the rest of the day. I had brought some studio lights, so I set up in the library and we took some formal photos and family groups. This worked well, but shooting inside with lights is quite different to working outside on a summers day, it takes a lot longer to organise and you can lose a little spontaneity in the process. We were quite lucky at Newick Park, as there’s plenty of space to work in, but using lights in smaller venues can be difficult.

For the photos of the bride and groom on their own I used a smaller lighting set up, just a speedlight and umbrella on a stand. These aren’t quite as powerful or versatile as proper studio lights, but it means I can move around to different spots and vary poses quite quickly.

Winter weddings seem to be becoming more popular, I’m certainly getting a few bookings for this time of year when they used to be quite rare. I try to think of anything I can do to get better results in winter conditions and this is my list so far:

• Check the venue for suitable spots for photography. Make sure there is a large clear area available for groups. Arrange for furniture to be moved if necessary.
• Make use of any natural light that’s available. Try to take shots earlier in the day.
• If the room looks dull, think about dressing a section of it for the photos, drapes, flowers, chairs for posing etc can all help.
• Bring studio lights and set them up before the ceremony if possible.
• Use off camera flash, speedlights with umbrellas etc. If you are covering a whole day bring lots of batteries.
• If it’s dry, look for well lit buildings or streets that could make good backdrops
• Make sure curtains can be drawn if you have to work in front of windows, they will reflect lights. Look out for mirrors too.

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