.
If Greyeye Photography weren’t such brilliant photographers, Brides Up North might be booking these Featured Suppliers as the entertainment instead. This comedy duo is quite the double act! Joking aside, they tell Brides Up North what they have to offer…
.
.
By Andy Garfitt
.
.
How did you get into wedding photography?
.
Andy: Believe it or not we got into weddings almost by accident! We never intended to shoot weddings at all and Greyeye Photography was set up as a portrait and commercial photography business, then out of the blue Matt booked us in for one! Because he’s like that.
.
Matt: Yes I am
.
Andy: Anyway we went along and we were both instantly hooked and knew this was what we were going to do. We had such a great time and have been grateful to all the couples since who’ve helped us to go from strength to strength.
.
Matt: With regards to qualifications neither of us have been formally trained other than by each other over the past 20 years…
.
Andy: Crikey is it that long?!
.
Matt: ..sure is, despite being very good friends we’re both extremely competitive with each other, in a friendly way of course, and we’re always looking to outdo each other a bit so that’s our background in a nutshell.
.
.
By Matt Tordoff
.
.
Why wedding photography specifically?
.
Matt: It’s just such a rush when you’re doing it, both in terms of time and the buzz you get from it. You constantly have to think on your feet and merge artistry with technical proficiency, every wedding is different
in some way and you never fully know what the day will bring when you pack the kit bag in the morning.
.
Andy: Yeah, no two weddings are the same and there aren’t many jobs where you can say that. We’ve been privileged to work with so many wonderful couples, it’s just a joy really.
.
What is your favourite thing about being a wedding photographer?
.
Matt: I’m a people watcher. Weddings are an absolute melting pot made up of friends, family, emotion, laughter, tears and romance. If you love to study people what more could you ask for?
.
Andy: Being trusted by a couple with such a responsibility is a great feeling, knowing that your work is going to become part of the story of someone’s life.
.
.
By Andy Garfitt
.
.
How do you get couples to relax on the day?
.
Matt: Well it starts before the day to be honest, whether it’s as a face to face meeting, over the phone or even over Skype these days it’s important to us to chat with the couples before. We spend quite a bit of time talking with them about everything but the photography to start with and then ease it into the conversation.
.
Andy: Yeah it’s really important to us to build up as much of a relationship with our clients as possible, and it makes it much easier on the day if they don’t feel like it’s just some stranger that’s pointing the
camera at them.
.
Matt: On the day it varies from couple to couple – some bride and grooms love the whole experience of having portraits and are fine but others need a little bit of support, we often just ask them to have a stroll or just take five minutes while we’re setting up a camera and in fact I take several shots that they don’t even know about.
.
Andy: Pretty much agree with what Matt said, most of the shots we take during a wedding the couple will never even know about until they get the DVD.
.
.
By Matt Tordoff
.
.
Any advice to any brides who don’t like to have their picture taken?
.
Matt: That’s pretty much most brides and grooms we meet! But yes firstly, make sure your photographer provides coverage prior to the wedding for the bridal preparation, this is your time to get used to the camera. Within a relatively short period of time you won’t even notice the shutter clicking and you’ll start to feel more relaxed and natural around the camera.
.
Andy: and it helps if you’re comfortable with the photographer too. You’d be amazed at some of the fears people have over how they look in a photograph, from, “I look fat from this side” to “one of my eyes always
looks bigger than the other on photos”. I’m not poking fun here. Some couples have real concerns over how they look and we always try to understand these before the day, and reassure them that photos of them looking like them, being themselves, is what it’s all about. We can’t all look like Brad Pitt…
.
Matt: Speak for yourself.
.
Andy: …thanks, and Angelina Jolie, nor should we want or expect to. We want you to look like you on the happiest day of your life.
.
.
By Andy Garfitt
.
.
What sort of makeup should a bride wear to look great in her pictures?
.
Andy: I think we both agree that, where possible, you should look to get a professional makeup artist in, there’s a couple of reasons for this. Firstly it’s one less thing for you to worry about on the day, like the photography, catering or ceremony you’re putting yourself in the hands of a professional who knows all the tricks and carries everything you’ll need with them. Also good make up artists will also offer a trial so you can assess for yourself how it looks.
.
Matt: I’d just add that the makeup shouldn’t be a million miles away from what clients are used to, if a bride is carrying a look which she isn’t used to or confident with then she’ll be more self conscious on the day.
.
.
By Matt Tordoff
.
.
Anything to avoid which might look bad in the wedding pictures?
.
Matt: We’ve managed to photograph all sorts in wedding pictures including a stuffed monkey once so we’re pretty relaxed about that sort of thing. The photos should reflect who you are, and if you want to have a stuffed monkey or wear a sombrero because that’s who you are then that’s cool with us.
.
.
Which celebrity wedding would you most like to photograph and why?
.
Matt: I would have quite like to have done Elizabeth Taylor’s, I think I would have got plenty of repeat business. Seriously though I’m rubbish with celebrity culture and I have no idea whose "it" at the moment.
.
Andy: I must apologise for Matt’s attempt at humour, sigh.
.
.
By Andy Garfitt
.
.
Matt: 😛
.
Andy: Anyway, I think maybe someone musical with some cools bands playing, maybe on a beach somewhere warm, with loads of crazy details and mad stuff. A celebrity who’d have a wedding like that.
.
.
If you were photographer at the Royal Wedding, what advice would you have for the couple? What would be your "must have" shot?
.
Matt: Crikey that’s a tough one. I don’t think I would have one must have shot but I would say that Will and Kate represent a pretty modern couple and their photography should reflect on that. I’d hate for them to end up with the standard set of austere portraits that get churned out every time there’s a royal event. Get some good photojournalism in there and capture the day as it truly happens.
.
Andy: Look at you on first name terms with their Royal Highnesses! But I do agree. It’ll be really disappointing if we just get to see the usual “royal photos”. I think I’d like to have a shot of them with us, that’d be nice.
.
.
By Andy Garfitt
.
.
Any memorable really beautiful/ moving/ stylish weddings that you have captured?
.
Matt: I was at a wedding last year that was literally organised in 6 weeks including entertainment, marquee, church, cars, dresses, suits, rings, 200+ guests and everything. It was all pulled together so quickly because the brides mum had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and the bride desperately wanted her mum to see her walk down the aisle. The amazing thing was it was one of the happiest wedding’s I have ever been to, from the very moment I walked in the door I knew everyone was there to celebrate. It was really touching, combined with the fact they got married in the same church as me 10 years previously which brought back some happy memories I’m not too proud to say I definitely had a tear in my eye more than once.
.
Andy: I’d have to pick one for totally personal reasons, I was honoured to be the photographer for one of my oldest friends when she married a lovely Italian fella. It was in a little village up in the mountains in the North of Italy and was just amazing, there was so much love you could taste it, and food! Oh the food! We had 14 courses!
.
.
By Matt Tordoff
.
.
Are you married? Tell us about your day?
.
Matt: Yes I’m married to Liz and we have 3 wonderful children, Max, Amelia and Zack. In many ways it was a typical English wedding with a church and hotel reception. It was long before we were shooting weddings but I always had an eye for it as we refused to get married in the church our parents wanted us to as it looked like a 70’s swimming pool. I’d share some pictures but this was back in the old days and that was before the days of allowing clients copyright and digital images.
.
Andy: My wife and I just recently celebrated our second anniversary, with our first son Daniel who’s now nine months old. For our wedding day, we really just wanted to have a massive party with everyone we care about. So we had a short ceremony at a lovely hotel and then a party with a great live band. I do feel a little guilty about the day for one reason though. Not only did I give Matt the honour of being my best man, but he was our photographer too, and all his family were with him! Sorry fella.
.
Matt: Should think so too!
.
Andy: We had a great do though, and I have to admit the pictures were pretty good.
.
.
Any funny stories to share?
.
Matt: A couple I couldn’t possibly share come to mind.
.
Andy: I’ll share them, at the bar, later, when no one else is listening.
.
.
By Andy Garfitt
.
.
What sets you apart from other wedding photographers?
.
Matt: We’re pretty relaxed and easy going fellas so I hope most people who book us on the strength of our work and who we are but we’ve based our entire service around just that – it’s a service and not a product so we’re very much a part of the service. We love what we do and we’ve tried to take all the worst bits of wedding photography and leave them out of the picture.
.
Andy: Ooo quality pun,”out of the picture”, nice.
.
Matt: So we don’t do any of the nonsense about booking a certain amount of hours and charging overtime if you happen to go over by 10 minutes, we’re there from the lipstick going on and we’ll stay well into the party.
.
Andy: We’re also aware that this is the 21st Century and people aren’t content with an album with 30 pictures in it any more so our package includes a DVD with high resolution images. Our clients can put them on Facebook, print them out or get them printed on a mug if they like. We do also offer some wonderful albums too of course.
.
.
By Matt Tordoff
.
.
What can a couple who book you expect on the day?
.
Andy: Relaxed, and friendly photographers who will be there throughout the whole experience.
.
Matt: I’d also hope that when they get their pictures they will see a lot of their day that they didn’t get to see at the time.
.
.
By Andy Garfitt
.
.
What is included in your "package"?
.
Matt: Either Andy or myself as lead photography, an option to have a second shooter if desired, a DVD, shared copyright on the photo’s, an online gallery, full day coverage and a selection of prints. Oh and if you book Andy some rubbish jokes.
.
Andy: *Don’t think there’s any need for that 😛 You can also book both of us for the full Matt and Andy experience for a supplement. Rubbish jokes included.
.
.
By Matt Tordoff
.
.
Can you give us an idea on price?
.
Andy: Sure can. We used to look around at other photographers and get really confused by their pricing so we couldn’t imagine what it would be like for couples trying to work it out so made one of the simplest pricing packages in the business, it’s £1200 for either of us. That’s it.
.
Matt: Even Andy can understand that!
.
.
By Andy Garfitt
.
.
Can you do a discount for Brides Up North readers?
.
Matt: Oooh go on then, you’ve twisted our arms, we’ll say a 5% discount off all booking’s made before July 2011. How does that sound?
.
.
By Matt Tordoff
.
.
How can Brides Up North get in touch with you/ see more examples of your work?
.
Andy: We have a website http://www.greyeyephoto.com, which explains our service and Matt and I have separate galleries up there. Mine’s the good one.
.
Matt: Full contact details are on there and you can even get to our personal blogs from there as well. We’re also on Facebook (just search for Greyeye Photography) and we both have Twitter accounts for all you Tweeters (Twitter names: MattTordoff and AndyGarfitt).
.
.
By Andy Garfitt.
.
.
What sets you apart from each other then?
.
Matt: Photographically you mean? I’m better.
.
Andy: *You wish. We have complimentary but different styles that you can see in our gallery. I’m more diplomatic.
.
.
By Matt Tordoff
.
.
Anything else we should know?
.
Andy: We love each other really.
.
Matt: Do we really want to end the interview like that?!
.
Andy: We respect each other really?
.
Matt: No need to go too far.
.
Andy: Oh ok. No there’s nothing else you should know.
.
.
By Matt Tordoff
.
.
Greyeye Photography is a Brides Up North Featured Supplier
Contact Brides Up North to submit your business as a Featured Supplier
.
.
