Wedding Photographry Filled With Emotions

Please introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Philip Thomas, and I'm a photographer who has captured weddings since 2006. I'm fortunate to have been mentioned a Top 20 wedding photographer in Texas, won numerous awards with the WPJA, Fearless, ISPWP and my work published in many wedding magazines.

I'd give it a shot and love to shoot weddings using geometry and to master the use of available light.

How did you become a wedding photographer?

I'm British and moved from the UK in 2006 having traveled the world for over a decade. Before that, I was working for a newspaper photographer, worked in a studio and even the camera retail space. After I moved to the USA, to marry my best friend, I was shooting headshots and model portfolios. I fell into shooting a wedding as an afterthought when I realized many former news journalists were shooting weddings on the side as supplemental income. I'd give it a shot and love to shoot weddings using geometry and to master the use of available light.

What do you like the most about your job?

Meeting folks from all walks of life. I'm curious by nature, and I'm continuously improving my craft, never fully satisfied, I'm always looking forward to making my last wedding the best work.

How would you describe your style?

Primarily, I anticipate moments and capture images unobtrusively. My typical clients are abhorrent about posed images. I'm the anti-cliché photographer avoiding trends and style which are prevalent in the wedding industry. I shoot in a documentary approach.

Photography should be the most important as a great photo will stand the test of time.

Why is wedding photography important?

I can only speak for myself. Weddings are a celebration and of course, need to be documented — a rite of passage for many, the world over. Wedding photography is one of the most challenging genres to photograph well. Right now, it seems post processing is playing a dominant role in wedding photography. Photography should be the most important as a great photo will stand the test of time.

How many photos do the couples get following the wedding photo session?

5-10 minutes. Nothing too fancy but I try and be artistic. The couple is already aware of my style from my website, and in my early meetings, I educate to the couple that groups and posed couple shots will be minimal so as not to hold them up from celebrating their union with friends and family, at a cocktail party, for example. After the wedding, couples can expect around 700-1500 edited images in black and white and color.

What makes a wedding photography session a success?

I try to take the couple shots just after they've tied the knot, so then they're already happy. A successful shoot would be me coming away, and the clients are still smiling and relived its completed.

The people who are attracted to my work love photography and don't want tons of staged imagery.

How does a typical wedding photo shoot go?

When you say how long is a typical photo shoot I'm assuming you mean a portrait session or group photos. These days, many of my clients prefer a 'first look.' What this is, is the couple see each other before the ceremony, saving time for group shots after the service, and have them taken before. Most group photos are wrapped in twenty minutes with 5-10 minutes with the couple. The people who are attracted to my work love photography and don't want tons of staged imagery. I don't dictate the choice of a 'first look' as this is a very personal matter for the couple to decide. Like much of the day, I want to photograph a couple's day unobtrusively without photographer interaction, as then in my mind, I'm altering their story.

My role as a photographer at a wedding is to be unobtrusive, but most importantly is I will not be asking the couple to smile at the camera or use large and long lenses to get the shots.

Many couples are shocked to find that wedding photography typically costs several thousand dollars. Why are the prices so high?

Because for many of us, the $ amount is based on a budget of our livelihoods, the business expenses of running any self-employed full-time business, the cost of digital cameras and production workflow even higher than it was with film, the experience of the photographer and the quality of the photos.

Can I get a wedding photographer for $1000 or less?

Sure. That's a loaded question. But I will not recommend any for that price point as there is a gamble on behalf of the paying customer. It could be that a client can find a photographer who is building a portfolio or just starting their career. I would certainly be sure you get the photographer you hired when signing a contract. My services start at $4500 with a full service of handcrafted albums and a USB of high-resolution printable files at $6500.

What are the top 3 favorite wedding shots that people ask to take?

I don't get clients who request that — all clients who book me book based on not staging images or setups.