JLM Wedding Photography

JLM Wedding Photography

Category: Behind the scenes

The who, what, why and wherefore.

Basically these are the stories behind the scenes here at JLM Wedding Photography.

Follow me on my journey as I run the business, attend wedding fayres for the first time, discuss my camera gear, all that lovely stuff and more!

  • Best of… 2021

    Best of… 2021

    2021… what a year.

    For many it has been just a continuation of 2020, another year of suffering and heartache.

    Yet somehow, amongst all the trouble with the pandemic, worker shortages, chip shortages and lingering restrictions on our daily lives, these couples took a chance and walked down the aisle.

    It has been a year unlike any other for me.  I am so incredibly proud of every one of the 27,449 photos I delivered this year.

    2020 will forever be the year that wasn’t as far as weddings were concerned, let hope that doesn’t happen again.

    See you next year :-).

    James

    https://vimeo.com/658382544















































































































































































































































  • I Stand Against Racism

    I Stand Against Racism

    I want to make it clear that I stand against racism.

    I’m an easy going, non-judgemental kinda guy, always have been. I always saw skin colour as just another attribute of a person’s physical characteristics alongside hair colour and height.

    Now I’m starting to realise that ‘not being racist’ isn’t enough at the moment.

    I won’t pretend that I understand how difficult every day life can be for some. It is becoming painfully clear that there is a lot more going on than I have been exposed to in my life.

    I feel deeply saddened that, up until now, I have been ignorant to the true extent of the suffering my friends, colleagues and many of the amazing people I have worked with, are going through.

    I am going to continue to treat everyone as equal regardless of race, creed, gender or sexual orientation, because that is who I am and that’s how I think I would want to be treated.

    The difference is that, from now on, I will try to be more aware of how much more difficult life can be for some, and look for every opportunity I can to make it that little bit better.

    I plan to add something to my website to make my stance against racism clear. I already have a statement that lets LGBTQ+ couples know that their enquiries are welcome. I want to make sure everyone feels like their enquiry is welcome.

    Beyond that, I will continue to look for ways to join the fight against racism, just like I have been campaigning (in my own little way) against wedding related eco waste.

    In short, black lives matter, so if you guys and gals need me for anything, give me a shout. I know most people don’t confide in their wedding photographer, but please do feel free to reach out to me if you need someone to talk to, or if I can help in any other way.

    Best,
    James

  • Winter Wedding Photo Collection

    Winter Wedding Photo Collection

    Seasons… ya gotta love ’em. They keep life interesting after all.

    Spring… fresh flowers, full of joy

    Summer… warm evenings, loads of daylight, nice and warm (usually).

    Autumn… beautiful colours, gorgeous sunsets

    Winter… cold and dark.

    If you’re getting married in the winter then you may not be expecting great wedding photos.

    Worry not though, with a photographer experienced in shooting winter weddings 😉 even the weather can’t keep us from producing some slammin’ photos.

    All the photos in this gallery were taken between the months of October and March, or in the dark, just to make a point.















    Sheffield Wedding Photographer

    Just so you know, that was the first time I had ever used the term slammin’ photos.  Probably also my last.

    If you’re looking a photographer who knows what they’re doing in the winter you know who to call :-).

    See ya next time,

    James

  • How to (not) pose for Natural Wedding Portraits, Pigeon Style

    How to (not) pose for Natural Wedding Portraits, Pigeon Style

    Posing for Natural Wedding Portraits

    Are you nervous about the prospect of posing for wedding portraits?

    It is easy to assume that all the people you see looking cool, calm, natural and happy in wedding photos were confident and knew exactly what they were doing.

    Chances are they didn’t know what they were doing, and weren’t necessarily confident in front of the camera, just like you.

    If you’re looking for proof, look no further than this photo of pigeons looking natural, relaxed and in love. 

    They were not professional models and this was not a styled shoot.  I took this photo as the pigeons went about their business.

    Oh and before you run off thinking I’m comparing all my past couples to pigeons, it’s a metaphor!

    My Approach to Portraits

    For those who don’t know, I am a wedding photographer.

    Most of my couples will tell you that they didn’t like the idea of having their photo taken prior to their wedding day.  Some have even said it was causing them serious anxiety.  

    Those same people come to me after their wedding commenting on how I made everything so easy and that they really had nothing to worry about after all.

    So, what’s my secret?

    Above you’ll see that final pigeon shot, plus all the others I took alongside it.

    Basically I watch and wait for the right moment, snapping when I sense the right moments.

    It works just as well for people.

    Basically, I find a great spot for my subjects to stand, give a few basic pointers on where to point their bodies, and then walk away.

    As I’ve said many times before, I don’t pose people and I don’t make people smile if they don’t want to.  When you’re photographing people who have just gotten married to the person they love, happy moments of love and laughter just happen.  

    I just watch, wait and snap.

    Conclusion

    I took this photo of pigeons by watching them interact with each other, waiting for the right moment and snapping discretely.  This is exactly how I work with humans.

    What I’m trying to say is if I can get a photo of two pigeons looking romantic then I can do it with you and your partner too, no matter how rubbish at being photographed you think you might be.

    I would love to photograph your wedding day

    As you can probably tell, I’m a pretty laid back photographer.

    I take photos of people who are happy, so that I don’t have to keep asking people to smile.

    You know why they’re happy?

    Because they found the right photographer that suited them and the flow of their day.

    I might not be the right photographer for you, if you fancy getting in touch to find out then hit the button below.


    Check Price & Availability

  • I Don’t Use Proper Cameras to Photograph Weddings Anymore

    I Don’t Use Proper Cameras to Photograph Weddings Anymore

    No More ‘Proper’ DSLR Cameras

    Up until the end of last year I used proper professional cameras for weddings. 

    I had three Nikon DSLRs with fast, expensive, heavy prime lenses. 

    Read about those here: Gear, Tools & Techniques :: How I Approach Wedding Photography in 2018 and here: My Wedding Photography Gear 2017

    I had to use a fancy leather body strap to carry what was upwards of 5kg on my body all day.

    In October 2018 I started experimenting with a little mirrorless camera alongside my proper cameras to see if it could do the same job using a smaller, lighter and more technologically advanced camera.

    A lot of professionals have been switching to these little Sony cameras recently which gave me a little confidence.  Having tried it out I found that I preferred using the mirrorless over the proper camera pretty much straight away.

    Don’t get me wrong there was a pretty steep learning curve.  I was used to how Nikon cameras worked and I knew my old cameras inside and out, to the point where I didn’t need to think about using them, I could get on with taking photos and being in the moment.

    Eventually though I started to get to grips with the Sony and decided to get rid of the old bulky cameras and switch to these little fellas.

    Now I know what you’re thinking, especially if you are facing the prospect of me photographing you at some point soon.

    You don’t really care how heavy my gear is, you want me turning up with the right tools for the job, not some flimsy little toy camera.

    My New Toy Cameras

    I know these little squirts may look like something you’d buy for your toddler to stop them filling up your iPhone’s memory with photos of the coffee table.  They actually have the same sensor as the Nikon cameras I used to own.  They are quicker to focus and generally perform better than DSLRs in many areas.  Not all areas, but that’s another story.

    They are also really blinkin’ expensive, so don’t judge them by their size.  Also, don’t discuss that last point with my wife, she’s already pretty miffed that I went out and bought a bunch of new cameras.

    To be honest, I’m probably not the right photographer for you.

    What this means to you, the discerning customer

    For now, let’s carry on pretending that non-photographers are still reading this.

    If I am booked to photograph your wedding, or you are considering booking me, then you absolutely don’t need to worry that I won’t be able to get the same quality of photos that I used to be able to get with my old cameras.

    The only reason I’m bringing this up is because I don’t want to turn up on the day and you see my dinky little cameras and panic that you hired a toddler to take your wedding photos.

    In reality this change means that more of your photos will be keepers because I can respond (and get focus) quicker.  I can also blend in a little better because my gear is more discrete.  

    Oh and these are better for video too, so that means higher quality video clips in your slideshow.

    Video is actually the main reason I decided to make the change, again that’s a story for another day.

    So, what gear did I actually end up buying?

    You’re gonna get sick of me saying this, definitely a story for another blog post.

    Seriously, switching brands meant I had to get rid of all my cameras, lenses, flashes, batteries, even my trusty lens changer.

    All I have left from last year are memory cards and my bags.

    I’ve dropped a couple of photos as teasers, keep an eye on my blog for a proper deep dive into my camera bag post-Sony, coming soon.

    Conclusion

    I bought some new cameras and sold my old ones. 

    I am now a little happier and a little cooler. 

    My wife doesn’t think I’m cooler though, she thinks I’m an idiot for blowing all this money when my old cameras were fine.

    Bottom line, my style of photography hasn’t changed, just the tools I use to capture the frames.

    I would love to photograph your wedding day

    As you can probably tell, I’m a pretty laid back photographer.

    I take photos of people who are happy, so that I don’t have to keep asking people to smile.

    You know why they’re happy?

    Because they found the right photographer that suited them and the flow of their day.

    I might not be the right photographer for you, if you fancy getting in touch to find out then hit the button below.

    Check Price & Availability
  • My Favourite Wedding Photos of 2018

    My Favourite Wedding Photos of 2018

    When your job is photographing people on the happiest day of their life so far, it’s pretty tough to have a bad year.  I guess if I didn’t book many weddings, that would be one way.  Thankfully 2018 saw me travelling around to plenty of weddings so yes, this was another very good year :-).

    So before we go blazing headfirst into 2019, here is a look back at some of my favourite photos I took in 2018.

    Note that I said favourite, not best.  Remember that the photos I take are of real people, doing real things on real wedding days.  I don’t pose people and I don’t try to recreate magazine style wedding photos.  What that means is that, whilst other ‘best of 2018’ blogs will be showcasing spectacular works of art, here you will find just a plain old bunch of photos of happy people.

    I would love to photograph your wedding day

    Getting married and looking for a photographer? I would love to be involved. If you’re the kind of couple that prefer the photos to happen naturally without turning your wedding day into a photo shoot then give me a shout, let’s find out if I’m available and then we can go from there.

    Check Price & Availability

  • 4 Reasons Why I Might Not Be The Right Wedding Photographer For You

    4 Reasons Why I Might Not Be The Right Wedding Photographer For You

    The last time I checked there were over 17,237 wedding photographers living on my street.  

    You have a heck of a lot of choice when it comes to finding a wedding photographer.

    Does that make it a buyer’s market?  Maybe.  You can easily find someone willing to photograph your wedding whatever your budget.

    I can tell you that I wouldn’t want to be looking for a photographer right now though, because literally anyone can pick up a camera and call themselves a wedding photographer.  How are you possibly going to narrow down your options and rule out all the cowboys?

    Well, I’m here to help you cross one off your list.  Me.

    Here are 4 reasons why I’m probably not the right wedding photographer for you.

    I have my own style and it isn’t trendy!

    Like any other art form, wedding photography follows trends.

    A few years ago all the trendy photographers were emulating the popular Instagram style filters of the time by giving their photos a sort of washed out look. 

    Before that the trend was heavy white vignetting and the dreaded black and white with a pop of colour.

    Nowadays many popular photographers are following the trend of muting the colours, leaving images looking rather brown. 

    I’ll be honest, I think it looks good if done well, but it just isn’t me.

    I always favour emphasising natural colours, so things look like they really did at the time.

    Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not ripping on those who follow trends.  I do like the look, it’s just not me.

    So, if you’re after instant Instagram-able wedding photos, maybe I’m not for you.

    I don’t coach, guide or pose people

    Professional models know how to strike a pose and look amazing every time the camera takes a shot.  Good for them.

    If you’re not a professional model then you’ll probably be expecting a photographer to put you into special poses, arrange your limbs in such a way as to make you look like you really know what you are doing.

    Well, not if I’m your photographer.

    I don’t tell people what to do or how to stand. 

    I work with real people who are happy, in love, and really just want a break from the chaos that is their wedding day. 

    I just leave couples to enjoy each others company and quietly watch for the right moments to capture.

    If you like to be contorted and manipulated into magazine style poses then I am definitely not the right photographer for you.

    Speaking of magazine style poses…

    My photos don’t look like glossy Vogue cover images

    You know those hyper-stylised, ultra glamorous celebrity wedding photos?

    They probably took hours of planning, an entire team to pull together and a tonne of time that the couple didn’t get to spend with their friends and families at their wedding.

    Sorry, you ain’t getting photos like that at your wedding if you choose me.

    If you end up stuck with me all you’ll get are hundreds of photos of you, your family and friends enjoying themselves.

    For portraits, you’re just going to have to make do with a good old fashioned sunset.

    I’m too expensive

    Like I said at the start, there are thousands of wedding photographers around.  Enough that you can easily find someone to fit your budget. 

    Even though my prices are actually pretty closely aligned to industry average in the UK, I’m definitely not the cheapest.  I don’t compete on price.  In fact I don’t think of myself as a competitor at all.  If you love my photos and my approach to taking photos then you will find my prices perfectly reasonable. 

    If you don’t think I’m worth it then I’m probably not the right photographer for you.

    Conclusion

    I have just given you four really good reasons to not choose me as your wedding photographer.  In reality there are probably loads more factors that should effect your decision..  

    There only needs to be one thing that makes someone the right photographer for you, and that is something you can’t put in a list. 

    You are looking for someone with the right attitude, the right personality and who gives you the right feeling when you talk to them and look at their past work.

    This article is all about making you think about what is important when choosing your photographer. 

    If you came up with other reasons why I’m no good for you I would love to hear them, genuinely.

  • My Three Principles of Wedding Photography

    My Three Principles of Wedding Photography

    Everyone needs principles, right?

    Without wanting to sound too corporate, these guiding principles are effectively my mission statement.

    They represent the core values that I strive to maintain throughout all my dealings as a wedding photographer.
    (more…)

  • Full Day Wedding Photography :: What you can expect

    Full Day Wedding Photography :: What you can expect

    Proper Full Day Photography Cover :: No Alarms & No Surprises!

    This is what you will get when you book me to photograph your wedding for the full day. (more…)

  • Gear, Tools & Techniques :: How I Approach Wedding Photography

    Gear, Tools & Techniques :: How I Approach Wedding Photography

    I know what you’re thinking.

    Another photographer blabbing on about his camera gear.

    Well, as much as I do love discussing camera gear, this update is really more about how my tools and techniques will benefit you as a bride or groom-to-be.

    (more…)