An interview with award winning photographer Andrew Coulter
click here to visit Andrew’s website
Today Andrew shares with us his personal experience as a wedding photographer including his favourite photograph, how he picked his own wedding photographer and how he battled through a snow storm to get to a wedding booking…
Thanks for joining us again Andrew.
Can you tell us what you love most about being a wedding photographer?
For me it’s the privilege of being part of someone’s big day. The first time you meet a couple it can feel a bit like ‘business,’ they’re booking you to ‘do a job’ but because a wedding is such a personal event and you are sharing that event with them right there, it’s really special. I’ve become good friends with some of my clients.
Also everyone’s usually having a great time at a wedding, they’re on really good form and it’s a great day. I love my job, it’s great!
What’s the one thing you do to build a relationship with a couple?
You need to get on with the couple, be relaxed. Sometimes with a personal recommendation, you may have already met them if they’ve been at a wedding you photographed so you may already have made a connection with the couple.
For me an engagement shoot is key, we can meet up, the couple can see what you can do and you’ve proved to each other you can work together really well.
Which is the photograph you are most proud of?
Ah, I love this one which I shot this summer. It was the last light in mid summer and really sums up the day for me. It sums up the style I’d love to do all the time…
How did you pick the photographer for your own wedding?
With difficulty! I used to live on the Isle of Mann so I booked the person who took over my business there – and yes, I still paid the full going rate!
Do you photograph your own family or are they like cobbler’s children and their shoes?!
I’ve photographed my sister’s wedding, my brother in law’s wedding, my parents’ wedding anniversary, so yes, I’ve done a few! My wife is pregnant at the moment with our first child and I had great intentions of photographing the bump along the way but I haven’t managed to do it yet, I must get on to that!
Can you tell us about something that could have been a disaster but wasn’t?
Ah! Remember that first really snowy winter we had 3 years ago? I was travelling back to Bristol from my honeymoon on Skye, we were due back home 2 days before I had a wedding booked at Bovey Castle on Dartmoor. When we got to Inverness airport it was closed due to snow, everyone from easyjet had just gone home. The nearest airport was Glasgow which would have taken us 12 hours to get to. The next morning we managed to get a flight to Birmingham airport where again we had to stay overnight. The next day we got a train to Bristol where my car was but the car was snowed in! I dug out the car and got home at 10.30 having been up since 5 am and I drove straight to Bovey Castle for the booking – I got there 10 minutes early! I had sorted out a replacement to be there in my place in case I really couldn’t get back but I was determined to be there myself if I possibly could!
Wow, that’s some story! Thanks Andrew for sharing those insights with us.
Do check out Andrew’s website here to see more examples of his brilliant wedding photographs.
Check back in tomorrow for another in our series of interviews with wedding professionals…
