Wedding Photojournalism Blog by Martin Neeves

Wedding Showcase at Ullesthorpe Court Hotel

2012-02-19T02:42:00.000-08:00

I will be exhibiting at a wedding showcase at the fabulous Leicestershire wedding venue Ullesthorpe Court Hotel near Broughton Astley this afternoon from 2pm to 5pm. I will be showing lots of examples of my unobtrusive style of reportage wedding photography as well as sample Graphistudio storybook wedding albums and traditional matted Jorgensen wedding albums. There will be other recommended suppliers at the showcase too.

Melissa & Andy's Wedding

2012-01-21T10:43:00.000-08:00

Here are a few photos of Melissa and Andy's wedding at The Warwickshire Golf & Country Club in Leek Wooton, near Kenilworth, Warwickshire.

Despite the wedding being in the middle of January, Melissa and Andy were very lucky to have a beautiful sunny day - even if it was a bit chilly (understatement!). Melissa's wedding dress was from True Romantica Bridal and her make-up was expertly done by Bernadette of Aromatics of Kenilworth. Bernadette really went beyond the call of duty as she volunteered to help Melissa and Andy's 2.5-year-old son Henry, to get dressed while Melissa put her dress on. Henry was quite happy for his "new best friend" to help him get dressed as they really hit it off, so Bernadette was able to save Melissa a lot of time. After the wedding breakfast, the guests' children were entertained by veteran children's entertainer Wizardy Woo. Apparently, Wizardy Woo entertained Andy at parties when he was a child, so he was the obvious first choice for their wedding.

The prize for pageboy-stealing-the-show moment of the day just had to go to the afore-mentioned Henry. He was standing with Melissa and Andy throughout the wedding ceremony and during the exchange of rings he stood between them, put his hands in the air and said in a very loud voice just one word: "STOP!" It was so funny. It brought the house down. A classic moment. These are the sort of moments are the reason I love photographing weddings as you never know what's going to happen until it happens. Love it, love, it, love it!

This was the moment Henry said "STOP!"

N.B. This blog covers just the wedding and portrait side of my business. Please see my Commercial / PR Photography Blog for up-to-date news about the PR, commercial, corporate editorial, architectural and aerial photography and videography side of my business.

Bron & Rob's Wedding

2012-01-15T07:23:00.000-08:00

On the day before New Year's Eve, I photographed my most local wedding for a lovely couple who live on the other side of the world.

While the bride and groom Bron and Rob live in Australia, they decided to leave the Ozzy sunshine behind and come over to the cold and wet winter in the UK to Rob's home village of Stoney Stanton (which is where I live) in Leicestershire to get married in St.Michael's Church.

It poured with rain all day, but that didn't stop Bron and Rob having a good time as they just enjoyed themselves indoors rather than outdoors. In fact the rain enabled me to take one of my favourite photos of the day, which was a shot of Bron inside the wedding car as she arrived at the church, shot from the outside, showing a rain-splattered window and a reflection of the bridesmaids smiling at Bron while keeping dry under a big colourful umbrella.

Trevor the vicar lead a superb service and he was really helpful to me as he let me stand next to the alter to take photos discretely (and without flash of course) throughout the wedding ceremony. Some vicars and registrars don't allow photography during the ceremony, so I am very grateful to him for this.

After the wedding ceremony, we had a very brief photo shoot in front of the church. The big colourful umbrella came in handy again! Then it was off to the fabulous Leicestershire wedding venue Ullesthorpe Court Hotel in Ullesthorpe, near Broughton Astley for a drinks reception and wedding breakfast. I was able to take lost of reportage wedding photos during this time of Rob and Bron and their guests. there were lots of smiles so they were clearly enjoying themselves.

Rob and Bron went away on honeymoon and then returned to Australia to have an Ozzy wedding blessing yesterday for their friends and family on that side of the world who couldn't make it over here. I hope the day went well for them. I doubt they will have had to use the colourful umbrella yesterday - unless they used it as a parasol!

Christine and Jeremy's Christmas Wedding

2012-01-02T08:10:00.000-08:00

Here is a small selection of wedding photographs of Christine and Jeremy's Christmas wedding at the very exclusive wedding venue Horsted Place Hotel, near Uckfield, West Sussex. I was honoured to be booked for this wedding as Christine is an excellent reportage wedding photographer with many years of experience, so I was really pleased she chose me to photograph her big day.

Being in the wedding industry, Christine paid great attention to detail and she told me that planning her wedding had taken over her life for the last few months! She chose Hot Pink Peony as her florist, who created some lovely Christmas-themed displays. Louise Large did a magnificent job with the bridal make-up, using an airbrushing technique for the foundation that I have never seen used before. Pianist Charlie Myers kept the wedding guests entertained with his excellent and wide-ranging repertoire. Like all great musicians, he made it so look easy - even though anyone who has tinkled the ivories will tell you, it is anything but easy!

Photography for winter weddings is always difficult when they are late in the day, due to the lack of light. The wedding ceremony started at 3.30pm and with sunset at around 4pm, I didn't have much light to play with and as the bride was a professional wedding photographer, the pressure was really on! It was a windy and rainy day day, so the overcast sky minimised any light coming through the windows too. Despite this, I still managed to take lots of photos by available light to give them a really natural feel and when I did have to resort to using flash, I used it in a sympathetic and creative way. What really made this set of photos was the big beaming smile was ever-present on Christine's face. Her happiness really shone through in the photos and it was lovely to be part of her and Jeremy's big day.

Family Portraits in Leicester

2011-12-17T11:48:00.000-08:00

I recently had the pleasure of taking some family portraits in Leicester of the Burford family. Mum and Dad (Marion and Brad) wanted a group shot of of them and their five sons. They wanted an active, lively shot against a bright white background that showed everyone at their best.

I took some shots of all of them together in one shot, but it is extremely difficult to get the perfect shot of all seven of them as I could get a great shot of some of them, but the others may not have such a good smile. While I got some good shots of all of them together, I knew it could be even better if I took shots of them in pairs, so I could work on their expressions and then digitally make up a group shot from four separate shots. This is the resulting photo. I think it works well.

Sophie & Andy's Wedding at Quorn Country Hotel

2011-11-28T01:24:00.000-08:00

Here is a small selection of photos of Sophie and Andy's wedding at the excellent Leicestershire wedding venue Quorn Country Hotel in Quorn.

Sophie started her big day by having her make-up done by Rachel Liney Hair & Make-up, before heading off to Quorn Country Hotel. They were very lucky with the weather as it was particularly mild (and dry!) for a November wedding. After the ceremony, the guests enjoyed a drinks reception and came outside for a few group photographs. While most of my coverage is candid and natural reportage photography, I usually take a small number of group shots, but I do that as quickly as possible to allow the couple and their guests to enjoy the day. Andy's best man Gary, helped me by rounding up the guests that were required for each shot, so he saved us all a lot of time. So thank you Gary! After the group shots, it was back in to the hotel for a superb wedding breakfast followed by a disco by Chris Chiverton of Bright Stars Entertainment.

This was a really funny moment (not for the dad though!) as a little girl bit her dad's finger while he was feeding her. He showed me the deep teeth marks in his finger afterwards. Ouch!

Prestwold Hall Wedding Fair in Leicestershire

2011-10-27T08:12:00.000-07:00

I will be exhibiting at Prestwold Hall Wedding Fair on Sunday 30th October from 11am to 3pm. Prestwold Hall is one of the Midlands' premier stately homes and as such, is a superb Leicestershire wedding venue. Full address: Prestwold Hall, Prestwold, Loughborough, Leicestershire, LE12 5SQ. As usual, I will have lots of wedding albums and photos on display. If you are planning a wedding, I would love to see you there.

N.B. This blog covers just the wedding and portrait side of my business. Please see my Commercial / PR Photography Blog for up-to-date news about the PR, commercial, corporate editorial, architectural and aerial photography and videography side of my business.

Nailcote Hall Wedding Fair in Warwickshire

2011-10-22T00:56:00.000-07:00

I will be exhibiting at the Nailcote Hall Wedding Fair tomorrow (Sunday 23rd October 2011) between 11am and 4pm. Entry is free and there will be a prize draw. This excellent Warwickshire wedding venue is a stunning Jacobean 4 star country house hotel near Solihull (mid-way between Coventry and Birmingham). The full address is: Nailcote Hall, Nailcote Lane, Berkswell, Warwickshire, CV7 7DE. I will be displaying fabulous Graphistudio storybook wedding albums and timeless Jorgensen traditional matted wedding albums as well as having a slideshow of my reportage wedding photography. If you are currently planning a wedding, it would be great to see you there.

N.B. This blog covers just the wedding and portrait side of my business. Please see my Commercial / PR Photography Blog for up-to-date news about the PR, commercial, corporate editorial, architectural and aerial photography and videography side of my business.

Kelmarsh Hall Wedding Fair

2011-09-24T06:21:00.000-07:00

I will be exhibiting at a wedding fair at the fabulous Northamptonshire wedding venue Kelmarsh Hall tomorrow (Sunday 26th September) from 11am to 4pm. Kelmarsh Hall is an 18th Century country house surrounded by beautiful gardens and rolling countryside. It is only 5 miles South of Market Harborough, just on the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire border. I will have some sample storybook wedding albums and traditional matted wedding albums on show as well as a rolling slideshow of reportage wedding photography. If you are planning a wedding, it would be great to see you there.

Helen & Chris' Wedding at St. Paul's Church, Great Barr & Birmingham Botanical Gardens

2011-09-18T06:49:00.000-07:00

Here is a small selection of photos of Helen and Chris' wedding at St. Paul's Church in Great Barr. Their gorgeous little daughters Poppy and Lily May accompanied the happy couple up the aisle and throughout the ceremony. They really enjoyed the day as being bridesmaids.

You will see a photo of Helen holding up a toilet roll in the church. Needless to say, this is the first time I have ever taken a photo of a bride holding up a toilet roll in the church! It was a present from the vicar. I won't explain why - you just had to be there!

After the ceremony, the guests piled on to a vintage Midland Red bus and coach hired from Wheels.co.uk and headed off to the wedding reception at Birmingham Botanical Gardens, where everyone enjoyed a cream tea. This was more than a wedding as there were so many children there. It was a great family day out too. The children were entertained by balloon modeller and magician Ronnie Crackers. The absolutely loved him - so did the adults! The evening finished with lots of dancing to a live band. It really was a fabulous day for all the family.

Daniella & Nick's Wedding at Rothley Court Hotel, Leicestershire

2011-09-10T06:13:00.000-07:00

Here is a small selection of photographs of Daniella & Nick's wedding at the fabulous Leicestershire wedding venue Rothley Court Hotel.

Daniella's make-up was expertly applied by beauty specialist Katie Smitten, before Daniella and her bridesmaids headed off to Rothley Court in style in an pale blue Bentley Continental convertible. The day went really well, with wall-to-wall sunshine all day. The 260 guests enjoyed the speeches, followed by a hog-roast and then a magnificent chocolate fountain which was supplied by Sweet Tooth. The party then continued into the night to the sounds of a disco by Bang Discos. A great day was had by all.

Helena & Phil's Wedding at St. Peter's Church, Claybrooke Parva & Stanford Hall, Leicestershire

2011-09-04T05:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a small selection of photos of Helena and Phil's wedding at St. Peter's Church in Claybrooke Parva, Leicestershire. Their wedding reception was at the magnificent 1690's stately home Stanford Hall, near Lutterworth, Leicestershire. As Phil is Scottish, there was a large tartan-clad contingent - and very smart they all looked too. The weather helped to keep the Scottish theme going, as we had a few heavy rain showers, so we had to wait for a few dry spells before we rushed out to take a handful of posed group shots. As most of my coverage was reportage, the rain didn't adversely affect the photos at all as I just photographed Phil, Helena and their guests enjoying themselves inside rather than outside. The wedding was organised by wedding co-ordinator Julie Cooper of FAB!, who ensured that everything ran smoothly on the day. The guests finished a fantastic day by dancing the night away to Scottish country dance tunes provided by the excellent musicians of Belzebub Folk Band.

Leanne & Andrew's Wedding at Bosworth Hall Hotel, Leicestershire

2011-08-26T02:30:00.000-07:00

Here is a small selection of photos of Leanne and Andrew's wedding at Bosworth Hall Hotel, Market Bosworth, Leicestershire.

The groom arrived in style in a very rare car - a Delorian DMC-12, which he hired from owner/driver Chris Hawes. Leanne and Andrew had a very happy day and they were very lucky with the weather as it only rained when they were indoors. Leanne has to be one of the most relaxed brides I have ever photographed. She remained calm and chilled-out despite a few hiccups during the preparations in the morning. All in all, I would say it was a very chilled-out wedding. Lovely couple.

The Wedding Photographer's Wedding Photographer!

2011-08-15T09:28:00.000-07:00

So who do wedding photographers get to photograph their big day when they get married?

Well, I have just been booked to photograph the wedding of renowned Sussex wedding photographer Christine Carrelo. Christine photographs weddings in a similar documentary style to me and she is an excellent photographer. Given the choice of all the photographers she could have chosen in the UK (and many that are based a lot closer to her Sussex home than me up here in the Midlands), I feel highly honoured that she chose me to capture her big day for posterity. It means a lot that such a highly-respected reportage wedding photographer trusts me to photograph her wedding.

Thanks Christine. I won't let you down!

Golden Wedding Anniversary in Leicestershire

2011-08-05T10:28:00.000-07:00

Wedding photography does not have to be just photographing weddings as it can be photographing weddings 50 years on!

I have just photographed Mary Ann and John's golden wedding anniversary celebration. They are a lovely couple and they have done so well to reach 50 years of marriage as not many couples get to celebrate their golden wedding these days.

Mary Ann and John had beautiful marquee put up in their garden, which is situated on a hill with an amazing view of the Leicestershire countryside, and the marquee had glass doors along two sides to make the most of the stunning view for their guests. The hospitality was expertly provided by Maverick Venues and the guests were treated to a live band, a group of harmony singers, two Indian dancers and a comedian. I stayed until 1am and the evening was still in full-swing. These people really know how to party!

Here is a small selection of photographs of the evening...

N.B. If you wish to hear news about the commercial photography side of my business, please view my PR & Commercial Photography Blog, as this blog just covers wedding photography.

New Wedding Photography Packages Video

2011-07-19T11:14:00.000-07:00

I have just produced a new video to showcase my wedding photography packages. In addition to just CD-only coverage, you can see my fabulous traditional matted wedding albums from Jorgensen of Australia and my stunning storybook wedding albums from GraphiStudio of Italy. All packages include a high-resolution CD of all your wedding photos.

The video is now live on the Wedding Photography Prices and Packages page of my website, but you can see it below too:

New Lifestyle Portraits Service - with NO Hidden Fees!

2011-07-17T10:56:00.000-07:00

I have just launched my new Lifestyle Portraits service, where I can take natural photos of you or your loved ones either on location or in the comfort of your own home.

Most portrait photographers charge very little for a sitting and then rip you off for really expensive prints, but I just charge one simple fee for the job and you get to keep the best 10 digital photo files - with a licence to print the photos yourself.

I have heard lots of horror stories about people who have ventured into photographers' studios on the promise of either a cheap (or even free) sitting and a free small print, but when they come to view the photos, they are pressurised into buying lots of over-priced prints as they are told that they have to decide there and then on what print they want and any that they don't order will be destroyed. I believe this practice is emotional blackmail, so beware if a photographer offers you a free or cheap sitting as it may cost you a lot more than you bargained for. One person told me they ended up paying £1,500 for a canvas wrap and another paid £2,500 for a canvas, a few prints and a CD of images. He said he felt totally ripped off and it has left him feeling very wary of dealing with photographers, but he didn't want to upset his partner by not buying the photos she wanted. If a photographer will not tell you how much they charge for prints before you book them (or if some of the digital files are not included in the sitting fee), then there is probably a good reason for it as they have something to hide. My print prices start at just £6.67, however, you don't have to buy the prints from me as the best 10 fully-optimised digital files are included in my sitting fee.

Please CLICK HERE to see more details about my lifestyle portrait photography service.

A Great Reason to Turn Down Lots of Weddings in July!

2011-07-13T09:18:00.000-07:00

This time of year is the peak season for wedding photographers, but this year I don't have any weddings this July. This is the first time for many years that I haven't photographed a single wedding in July, but before you think this is because couples have not wanted to book me, it is not! My partner Joanne and I were expecting our first baby in mid-July, so as I couldn't run the risk of having to leave half-way through a wedding to rush to the hospital, I had to turn down lots of weddings in July and early August. This was frustrating for me and disappointing for the many wedding couples who wanted to book me, but I can't think of a better reason to turn the weddings down.

As it happens, I now could have taken on all the weddings in July and August as our gorgeous little baby daughter Sarah decided to arrive six weeks early! We weren't prepared at all as we hadn't packed a bag and our ante-natal classes were due to start that weekend. As Sarah was so premature, she spent the first three weeks and two days of her life in the Special Care Baby Unit of the George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton, where all the staff looked after her (and us!) so well. We are grateful for all they have done for us. Sarah is home now and doing well.

Here are a few photos to show what I have been photographing in the last few weeks instead of photographing weddings:

Wedding Photojournalist Association

2011-05-18T06:35:00.000-07:00

I am delighted to announce my acceptance into the Wedding Photojournalist Association (WPJA), an International, membership-based organisation representing professional photographers skilled in the documentation of weddings and events in a candid, unobtrusive style. As a WPJA member, I am pleased to join the ranks of some of the most talented wedding photojournalists in the world as judged by their technical, creative and visual aptitude.

The WPJA is not an organisation that can be bought into, as membership is only granted to photographers whose work is of a high-enough standard. Many photographers say they shoot weddings in a reportage style, but when you look closer at their photographs, you can see that much of their work is staged. WPJA membership is only open to true reportage wedding photographers (also known as wedding photojournalists or documentary wedding photographers). I am very pleased to have been accepted. As a member, I will be held to strict membership standards regarding image quality and content, technical and creative technique, website and marketing professionalism, business ethics and communication. In turn, I gain prestigious affiliation with one of the industry’s top professional organisations.

Please view my Leicester Wedding Photographer website to see lots of examples of my reportage wedding photography. You may also wish to view my Reportage Wedding Photographer video that illustrates my approach to unobtrusive wedding photography. Why not give me a call on either 01455 271849 or on 07973 638591 to discuss your big day?

Leicestershire Wedding Fair

2011-04-15T09:03:00.000-07:00

In my continuing tour of Leicestershire wedding fairs, I will be exhibiting at Catthorpe Manor wedding Fair this Sunday (17th April) between 11am and 3pm. I will have lots of wedding albums on display - both modern storybook and traditional matted albums to suit all tastes. The address is Catthorpe Manor, Lilbourne Road, Catthorpe, Near Lutterworth, Leicestershire, LE17 6DF. If you are planning a wedding and looking for a wedding photographer it would be great to see you there.

My New Wedding Albums Have Arrived!

2011-04-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

My new sample wedding albums have now arrived. They are traditional matted wedding albums from Jorgensen of Australia. I think they look fabulous and they exude quality. Here are some photos of them...

Jorgensen Art Album with Premium Leather cover in Cooberpedy black leather

Jorgensen Art album with premium leather cover (in Cooberpedy black leather) and presentation box.

Jorgensen Art album with printed velum title page.

Jorgensen Art album with black bevel-core mats (with white inner core).

Black Jorgensen Studio Art wedding album with black pages and plain black mats and white border around prints.

I still supply the amazing GraphStudio storybook wedding albums as they are simply stunning and they fit my documentary style of photography very well, but now with my new classic matted albums, I can cater for couples with either traditional or modern tastes.

Follow this link to see a video about my reportage wedding photography.

Wedding Fair in Leicestershire

2011-03-01T01:40:00.000-08:00

I will be exhibiting at a wedding fair at Rothley Court Hotel in Leicestershire this Sunday (6th March) from 11am until 4pm. The hotel's address is Rothley Court Hotel, Westfield Lane, Rothley, Leicestershire, LE7 7LG. It is a fabulous Leicestershire wedding venue, so it would be great to see you there.

I will be exhibiting at various other wedding fairs in Leicestershire and Warwickshire throughout the year. Watch this space for details.

Wedding Fair in Warwickshire

2011-02-22T01:48:00.000-08:00

I will be exhibiting at the Rugby FM Wedding Fair at Dunchurch Park Hotel (Rugby Road, Dunchurch, Warwickshire, CV22 6QW) this Sunday (27th Feb) from 11am to 3.30pm. I will have lots of wedding albums on display and a slideshow of loads of my reportage wedding photographs. I have been told that my stand will be in the marquee where they will be holding the fashion shows, so there will be plenty going on and lots of other Warwickshire wedding vendors to see too. It would be great to see you there.

New Range of Weddings Albums

2011-02-07T07:56:00.000-08:00

For many years now, I have been supplying the fabulous storybook wedding albums from GraphiStudio of Italy. I will continue to supply them as I love them! However, I have just started supplying traditional matted wedding albums from Jorgensen of Australia, for those who prefer more formal albums.

Jorgensen produce bespoke hand-bound traditional matted albums in their workshops in Australia. Their craftsmen pay great attention to detail and they never compromise on quality. If you want an album with a classic, exclusive feel, Jorgensen albums are definitely for you. It's crazy that you have to go to the other side of the world to get albums of this quality, but believe me, you do.

I can supply three styles of Jorgensen albums: Pro-bound (their top-end iconic bespoke album), Art (a chic, urban collection) and Studio Art (afordable chic albums that will never date).

I will upload some photos of my display albums to this blog as soon as they arrive - hopefully at the end of February. In the mean time, here are some photos of my new range of albums that have been supplied by the manufacturer.

Pro-bound album

Art album

Black Studio Art album

White Studio Art album Cover

Black Studio Art album cover

White Studio Art album

White mats on a Studio Art album

Black mats on a Studio Art album

Lutterworth Wedding Fayre

2011-01-27T11:07:00.000-08:00

I will be exhibiting at The Lutterworth Wedding Fayre at Lutterworth Town Hall (Market Place, Lutterworth, LE17 4DF) this Sunday (30th Jan 11am to 3pm). It looks like being a great show with lots of local Leicestershire wedding suppliers. If you are planning your wedding, it would be great to see you there. I will have plenty of wedding albums for you to view as well as lots of wedding photographs on a continuous slideshow.

Just back from SWPP Convention

2011-01-16T06:45:00.000-08:00

I have just returned from the Society of Wedding & Portrait Photographers' convention in London and I am now brimming with new ideas to keep my wedding photography service bang up to date.

I will be introducing a new range of traditional matted wedding albums in addition to my amazing GraphiStudio storybook albums which I will still continue to supply. While the traditional albums will be of a classic and timeless style, they have a very modern design combined with uncompromising build quality. These new albums will mean that I will shortly be offering a complete new range of packages. I will release more details about the fabulous albums very soon - WATCH THIS SPACE!

15 Years and Still Going Strong.

2011-01-05T06:08:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my brand new reportage wedding photography blog!

It is now exactly 15 years since I started my Leicestershire wedding photography business, so I thought it was about time that I started a blog. I don't know where the years have gone (as they have flown by), but I am very grateful to all the couples whose wedding I have photographed over the years. I am even more grateful to those who have said such nice things about me. Click here to view some of their comments.

I love photographing weddings, as I photograph them in such a discrete way that I capture the true emotions and one-off moments that make weddings so special. It is like being paid to people-watch! What's not to like about that?!! This approach leaves the bride and groom free to enjoy the best day of their lives without being shouted at by a bossy photographer.

If you haven't already seen it, have a look at my Leicestershire Wedding Photographer video that illustrates my documentary approach to wedding photography. I much prefer to being behind the camera instead of in front of it, but it was quite fun making the video. You should see some of the out-takes! There's a thought....perhaps I should send them to "You've Been Framed"?

Thanks for viewing my blog. I will add to it as often as I can over the coming weeks, months and years.