My preferred style of photography is relaxed, documentary. I want the photography to capture the natural emotions of the day, rather than stiff, "out of the book", poses that generally make people feel uncomfortable. I am conscious to subtly direct where needed though, to ensure you look at your best - imagine being directly under that ceiling light all day and nobody caring to mention it to you! My style doesn't involve taking you away from your guests for long periods of time. Your timings, preferences and dislikes will be thoroughly discussed with you prior to any event to ensure that you received a tailored service.
We do not sub-contract to other photographers, so you can always guarantee that Paul Walker will be the lead photographer. Paul may also accompanied by Kathryn on some of the bigger weddings, to assist at crucial times.
Our classic style of editing is timeless so your images won't look dated in 20 years time. They won't look as though they have had a pint of milk spilled over all of them or a teabag squeezed over the entire set - yes those photoshop filters do exist! There are many new trends in editing which may look different today but will undoubtedly look dated over time. All of our post production work is taken care of by Paul (we don't send our images away to a third party) and this ensures we have a consistent, timeless style and quality of work.
Like all photographers, receipt of the booking fee and completion of a booking form is confirmation that the date is reserved.
We have no restrictions on travel and have previously covered weddings in all reaches of the UK, and two international weddings to date.
1. Ensure that you have seen a range of complete weddings photographed in all weathers (not just the blue sky days!) and at different times of the year. Ensure that you are also looking at authentic wedding images, and not some model couple captured on a workshop or faraway destination that bears no resemblance to a real wedding! Also ensure you have seen lots and lots of images on any website or social media to acquaint yourself with the style of photography being delivered.
2. Just remember that discount or wedding package incentives, will NEVER make up for poor photography. It is far less likely to be a tailored service if you are just one of another 100 couples in any year on the wedding conveyor belt.
3. Check whether the photographer holds any qualifications, has years of experience or BOTH. All professional photography institutions have a qualifying structure commencing with Licenciate, moving to Associateship and finally, Fellowship.
4. Remember you are paying for the skill, experience and communication skills of your professional photographer. They should not just create amazing images but should help make the day run smoothly, give you and the guests a great experience and provide detailed planning as well as superb aftercare.
5. The industry is over-saturated with "photographers" so it's really important to look carefully at any shortlist that you are considering. Make an appointment to see them in person, if you can, and ensure you feel comfortable with them. They will be around for most of your wedding day.
6. Have you ever noticed how many photographers state, "Award winning photographer" but don't actually state what their awards are? The only reason we list our awards is to be transparent and assure our clients that these are all from the main photography institutions, i.e. MPA, BIPP, RPS or SWPP, and not "industry awards." Industry awards are often being flouted in recent years. They have a reputation for being fake and are often run by commercial syndicates wanting to sell tickets for big events, a bit like "buy your own award" or "canvas for votes" to your friends and family.
We have many international clients that have used our photography services, particularly for wedding elopements at some of Scotland's finest castles such as Glenapp Castle and Culzean Castle. Many of these couples have been based in the following countries: America, Canada, France, Bulgaria, Portugal, Norway, Australia, New Zealand, Bermuda to name just a few. Modern methods of communication means that it is straightforward to arrange a wedding from a distance. We have successfully arranged zoom calls to couples in New Zealand which is 13 hours ahead of the UK! We always do our utmost to help with any logistics involved in arranging a wedding in Scotland or elsewhere in the UK. We also have experience of international weddings, so if you wish for us to travel to you, that is also possible.
Yes, Paul is a full-time professional photographer and has qualified with three photographic organisations. He holds "Fellowship distinctions" from the Master Photographers Association, the British Institute of Professional Photography and the prestigious, Royal Photographic Society. The Fellowship distinction is the highest attainable qualification from any of the professional photography organisations.
We have both public liability and professional indemnity insurance. This is also a mandatory requirement of being a member of the Master Photographers Association, the main photography organisation for full time, professional photographers.
Yes, we have more than one back up, so rest assured, it would take an extraordinary clumsy day before we ask Grandpa if we can borrow his camera equipment!
We have worked with many companies from across Ayrshire and Scotland, and have many listed videographers on our links page. These are companies that we respect highly for giving you a "balanced" account of your wedding day with little or no compromise to the photography. Our preferred style for the couple shoot is to work uninterrupted and many videographers will work alongside us for a period of this time to capture a flavour of this stage of the day. It is worth checking whether any videographer needs any dedicated, directed time. If this is the case, this time will need to be carefully planned in to the schedule of the day. There are companies that can provide both photography and videography, yet often it's at the expense of the quality of one discipline.
Yes, many bride and grooms include a gift certificate on their wedding list for their guests to contribute. This can either be deducted from any chosen wedding package or used after the wedding for any of our fine art wall products.
I'm afraid not, and sadly that legendary Paul Walker is no longer around. You may see me in Monsters Inc. though (only joking!)
We can reassure you that all of our couples featured throughout our wedding galleries are from real weddings that we have shot and not simply models hired for the purposes of boosting a portfolio.
I'm afraid not, you'll need to speak to the band.
I'm afraid we cannot hold any specific dates unless a wedding booking fee has been paid and signed contract has been received. This applies to potential couples that may have visited us. We receive many expressions of interest in certain dates of the year and it is only once a booking fee has been paid (either in-person, over the phone, or via bank transfer) and the contract returned fully that any date is securely reserved. After many years in the wedding industry, this is the fairest system and is used by all of the photographers we know.
If you need to move your wedding date, please consult with us in advance of any changes to see if we can accommodate any new date. Many venues are providing couples with a few alternative dates to check with their photographer, this may include mid-week date options. If we can move your date to any future date, we will do this free of charge. If your wedding is going to be for less hours due to any restriction then we will also reduce the fee accordingly from any originally chosen package. In the unlikely instance where a date is moved without any consultation, and we are unable to photograph on the new date proposed, our booking fee or an element of this will be retained for the work carried out to date, e.g meetings, emails, telephone calls, contracting and maintenance of the contract since its receipt, database, draft client gallery, virtual showrounds etc. In the avoidance of any doubt, please speak to us in advance.