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I had the most fabulous day at Hardwick Hall Hotel yesterday, shooting and filming the Brides Up North Wedding Belles photo shoot with a bevy of Northern wedding industry lovelies and amazing photographers Mandy Charlton and Emerson Photography. Watch out for the big reveal coming soon on Brides Up North wedding blog!
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For the meantime though, lets chat to another fabulous photographer and wedding blog Featured Supplier – a Yorkshire lass this time – Adele from Blue Lights Photography. Adele and I first met when captured some great images of this wedding blogger to accompany an article in Hitched Magazine.
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To see the article, click here
To see the shots, click here
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Now, without further ado, lets chat to Ms Blue Lights Photography…
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How did you get into wedding photography?
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I have always been into taking photographs, so I don’t think it was any surprise when I said that I was setting up Blue Lights Photography. My earliest memory of having a camera I was 3 years old, and getting
ready for starting “big school” so the headmasters used to come and visit and I remember hiding behind the door and jumping out taking photographs of him (no film in the camera). I suppose you can say I was
in to reportage photography years before it became popular! I don’t have any formal qualifications at all, I started studying a home study Diploma in Photography, just as I started freelancing with a local photographer, and soon I was too busy to even think about finishing it. My Brides love the fact that it’s a real entrepreneurial drive and photographic talent that has got me where I am today.
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Why wedding photography?
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Wedding photography is just amazing. I wanted to give brides beautiful images they could treasure forever, from a female’s perspective. There aren’t many of us about in Yorkshire. I went into Wedding photography
with a different head on my shoulders, I wanted to stand out for the right reasons from my competitors.
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What is your favourite thing about being a wedding photographer?
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I get to meet the couple months, sometimes years before their big day. I’m there on hand for any questions and a lot of my brides add me as a friend on Facebook. I build up rapport and a lot of my brides become
good friends. But not only that, its knowing that they’ve chosen me to be there on their special day. Wedding photography is a privilege!
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How do you get couples to relax on the day?
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Its not just about getting them to relax on the day, it is making them relaxed with you as a person from the first initial meeting, and that’s how you get them to relax on the day. I speak to them like they’re real people! I’m interested in their Wedding as a whole, not just my part in it, and I like hearing about how they met etc.
Because we can talk like friends, we take it from there. Its nice to hear couples after the first meeting say “I was dreading my wedding photographs, but you’ve really relaxed me, I’m not going to worry now.”
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Any advice to any brides who don’t like to have their picture taken?
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I don’t personally like having my photographs taken, and sometimes the fact I’m not this skinny person helps us normal sized brides to be relax!
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I do a pre-wedding photo shoot with all my bride and grooms to get them used to having their photographs taken, but I also get them to look at photographs they like! And we go from there…
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What sort of makeup should a bride wear to look great in her pictures?
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Make up should be something similar to what you normally wear, but remember you will be wearing it all day. If you can, get a professional make up artist in to do your make up. Not only is it one less thing for you to worry about but they are used to making people look beautiful day in day out! They can tell you what make up to last, what will look better in photographs and so on.
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Anything to avoid which might look bad in the wedding pictures?
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Make sure your cravats are done properly (if not I can help) the dress is laced up correctly (if not I can help) and you have no hanging tags on show!
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Which celebrity wedding would you most like to photograph and why?
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Emma Bunton! I know she has just recently got engaged to Jade and after almost 12 years together, I reckon they’ll have a beautiful wedding that’s all about the love for each other and the family they have
together rather than a bit media storm.
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Any memorable weddings that you have captured?
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Each Wedding Is memorable for each and every reason. From the bride and groom surprised by Mum who had organised fireworks, to just seeing a couple in love – weddings are beautiful.
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I’ve only photographed one wedding that made me cry during the ceremony itself – normally it’s the speeches that raise a lump or a few tears.
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What sets you apart from other wedding photographers?
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I take the time to learn and find out all the details and build up a really good rapport with the bride and groom. This is to enable their wedding to be as relaxed and unique to them as possible. As I meet
them at the very early stages – then this means that I get that special time to build that bond. And I don’t do packages. Not being married myself, I wanted to give brides choice and flexibility, that enabled those on a budget to have images to treasure forever also. If she wants to just book us for photography and then buy an album after the wedding that is fine. However, currently, our photography price also includes the following:
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Pre-Wedding photo shoot
Venue visit with bride and groom
DVD slideshow of pre-wedding photo shoot and wedding
20 Thank You cards
Online web gallery access & 100 postcards with access details for guests.
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Can you give Brides Up North an idea on price?
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Half Day price is £595, Full Day is £735 – we do a bespoke quotation for anyone that is over 50miles/1.5hours drive away. Prices for albums vary from £360 to £926 so a lot depends just on what the bride and groom want- and the number of spreads – however I listen and advise on the best route to go for. I will not say they need a more expensive album or a Full Day photography if they don’t.
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Can you do a discount for Brides Up North readers?
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Yep! Brides Up North readers can have a discount of 10% they just have to quote BRIDES UP NORTH on their enquiry.
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How can Brides Up North get in touch with you/ see more examples of your work?
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You can see more of my work on the website, the blog and face book. Alternatively why not email or call and we can meet up to view sample albums and discuss your Wedding Day in detail.
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Phone: 01226 872 491
Web: www.bluelightsphotography.co.uk
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bluelightsphotography
Twitter: www.twitter.com/bluelightsphoto
Blog: www.bluelightsphotography.co.uk/blog
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Anything else we should know?
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We cover Nationwide weddings as we believe that a postcode should not stop you having me as your wedding photographer if you so wish. We also advise bride and grooms to book your Wedding Photographer as soon as you have your date and your venue booked – as we are now taking 2013 bookings!
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Brides Up North UK Wedding Blog – Images © Blue Lights Photography
Blue Lights Photography is a Brides Up North Featured Supplier
Contact Brides Up North to submit your business as a Featured Supplier
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