One of my favourite parts of running and writing Brides Up North is the privilege of introducing my readers to the great local suppliers based right in their area. Today I am proud to welcome Janet of North West based business J Broughton Photography to the blog, to tell us a little bit about why she does it, how she does it and why she’d be a great choice to capture your big day memories.
All images by J Broughton Photography.
How did you get into wedding photography?
Well believe it or not my background is as a Financial Controller! I spent many years just knowing that I was destined to be doing something else but not knowing what that something else was and then I discovered photography. What started as a hobby about four years ago quickly became a passion and I started to study with The Open College of the Arts at the end of 2009 since I was really keen to become the best photographer I could be. I suppose you could say that I accidentally fell into wedding photography after a chance conversation in the street with someone whose son was getting married, when I explained I’d never shot a wedding the response was “Well everyone has to start somewhere”. So I did it and loved it and went on to do some second shooting and some training with Aspire to gain experience and skills and have never looked back. When I lost my job at the end of 2011 I decided the time was right to launch my portrait and wedding business, I’m incredibly proud to have gone from Financial Controller to Professional Photographer winning national awards in such a short time.
Why wedding photography specifically?
I love to meet and photograph people and with weddings I get to shoot my two favourite types of photography at the same time, documentary and portraiture.
What is your favourite thing about being a wedding photographer?
The fact that no two weddings are ever the same and that no matter how prepared you are you can never quite predict how the day will go, it keeps you on your toes! I also think it’s a great honour to be able to capture such an incredibly special day for someone and to know that my work will be treasured and looked at for years to come.
How do you get couples to relax on the day?
Couples who book my album packages also get a free pre-wedding shoot which I think really helps on the day, they have had the chance to be in front of the camera and experience my approach which is very calm and relaxed. Whilst I can’t stop them worrying about all the other things that are going on I like to think that by the time the wedding day comes around they feel they know and trust me enough not to worry about the photography.
Any advice to any brides who don’t like to have their picture taken?
Without a doubt it would be to have a pre-wedding shoot even though its more picture taking! I like to take my couples to a favourite outdoor location, I encourage them to interact with each other and not worry about the camera. I will give some gentle direction with regards to posing but it’s a very relaxed experience and helps even the most camera shy brides realise that it’s not something they need to be anxious about.
What sort of makeup should a bride wear to look great in her pictures?
Feeling great is a massive part of looking great in the pictures so I would encourage any bride to wear makeup that she feels comfortable with, don’t experiment with something totally different on the wedding day but have a trial run first and ask the people that know her well and she can trust to be honest what they think.
Anything to avoid which might look bad in the wedding pictures?
I can’t imagine anyone who puts a lot of attention into planning a wedding (as most couples do) choosing anything that is going to look bad! If your wedding is a reflection of yourselves and you stamp your own personality on it then it’s always going to look great.
Which celebrity wedding would you most like to photograph and why?
I’m not really taken by the whole celebrity culture thing. Every couple getting married are stars, even if it’s just for the one day.
Any really memorable weddings that you have captured?
I had a beautiful wedding recently where lots of things had been made by the families and there were meanings behind everything, it was very personal and lovely.
What sets you apart from other wedding photographers?
I think it’s really important for a couple to like their photographer as a person as well as admiring their work and I like to meet for a coffee and talk about my approach before anyone books me. I also meet up again close to the wedding to discuss all the details and by this point we will also hopefully have done a pre wedding shoot too. I believe that having a very personal and friendly approach helps everyone feel at ease on the day and that can’t help but be reflected in the images. The personal approach carries on after the wedding, I’d hate to leave people to choose album images on their own from a gallery so I spend time with the couple and help them to choose the images that work well together to make up the album. My albums and wall products are sourced from quality UK suppliers, I love the thought of a beautiful album being looked at by future generations so they need to be of the best quality.
What can a couple who book you expect on the day?
A calm and relaxed approach, unobtrusive documentary photography and some natural and relaxed portraits. My photography aims to tell the story of the day but without disrupting the flow of the day – I’m happy to give guidance on timings at the planning stage but wouldn’t dream of interfering with plans on the actual day. Many years ago we attended a wedding where the meal was significantly delayed by the photography and my husband still complains about it to this day. I aim to only be remembered for the right reasons!
What is included in your "package"?
Every wedding is different and I like to have the flexibility to price a wedding in a way that reflects the coverage that is required, for instance I’m more than happy to cover a small intimate wedding but I understand that this wouldn’t necessarily require a full day of shooting and I would amend prices to reflect this. Having said that no-one likes to contact a photographer without guide to prices so I do have a couple of packages that I can add to, or take from, to arrive at a bespoke package. As well as the day itself my album packages include a free pre-wedding shoot, those meetings over coffee, full size copies of all the images chosen for the album free of charge on a disc. Whilst I love the idea of everyone treasuring their images in a beautiful album I also respect that some people would prefer to have a disc and I also offer a digital only package.
Can you give us an idea on price?
Yes of course! I have two album packages, one with a beautiful luxury linen covered album at £1395 and one with a leather covered premium Fine Art album at £1595.
Can you do a discount for Brides Up North readers?
Rather than a discount I would like to give something extra and I’d like to offer all Brides Up North readers who book a 2014 wedding a FREE upgrade from the luxury linen album to the premium fine art album (worth £200).
How can Brides Up North get in touch with you or see more examples of your work?
There’s lots of my wedding and portrait work on both my website and my Facebook page – www.jbroughton.co.uk and www.facebook.com/jbroughtonphotography or I’m happy to talk weddings so give me a call on 07952 990642.
Brides Up North UK Wedding Blog – Images © 2013 J Broughton Photography
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