Ok so that heading is completely misleading. These aren’t the best wedding photographs I shot. The truth is, I have no idea which are the best wedding photos I took. Only my couples can decide that because they are who I shoot for, and they are whose opinion matters. They will see different things in these photos than I will. And what they see in them and how they value them will change over time; as they will for me.
Going through over 65000 images took me a bit of time… I mean it did take me a whole year to shoot, cull and edit so I don’t know why that fact surprises me. And I’ll be honest, I didn’t go through them with as much time as I would have liked – I have a LONG TO DO list. Instead, I went with my gut. Which images jumped out at me. Which photos made me feel something looking at them. Honestly, most of them did because I am so lucky to love what I do and who I work with. There were a few trends though, and that’s why doing this review has been so good for me as I head into shooting my 2023 weddings. It’s let me see what works when it comes to wedding photographs in 2023.
Dogs and kids at weddings
They say you should never work with animals or children…I completely disagree. The dogs and kids I met at weddings this past year added so much life, humour and spirit to the galleries. They don’t care when they see a camera coming and they LOVE to just be themselves and embrace all the craic that comes with a wedding. There’s a lesson in there for sure.
Light Light Light
I mean I know it may be kind of obvious, but lighting is make or break when it comes to your wedding photos. And the difference it made when we could align timelines around golden hour, or when I had more time to play with the light. It was just epic. The colours. The golden tones. It’s not always possible, but when it is, it really does light my soul on fire.
Your Wedding Your Way
I loved how many of my couples did things their way in 2022. Whether it was having smaller micro weddings and elopements or just doing certain elements differently. From scrapping the cake cut to heading for pizza before the ceremony to doing a private outdoor first dance, those little moments are what made weddings stand out and made for really unique photos.
Imperfectly Perfect
For me, there is no such thing as picture perfect. My favourite shots are not the ones that are perfectly posed or curated. They’re the funny inbetween moments. They’re the sweet moments. They’re the moments when things go wrong, but you fully embrace it. Mindset is everything when it comes to a wedding, and I loved it when my couples really just relaxed into their day. The trust they put in me allowed my work to go to a different level and that makes all the difference.
Wedding Detail Photos
One of my goals going into 2022 was to really improve my flat lay images and detail shots. Having got married myself during the pandemic, I know the thought that goes into those little details. They deserve to be curated and captured in a more creative way. I still won’t say I’m going to spend hours doing them, because I do believe that there is nothing more important than moments. And I will never be a fan of the dress on a hanger shot, it will always look better on a bride than it will hanging up. But I have really enjoyed capturing the details this past year, and it’s been lovely to see the progression.
Being a Wedding Photographer in Northern Ireland
Is quite literally the biggest honour and joy. Going through last year’s work brought a tear to my eye multiple times. It was one heck of a year, especially after the two that preceded it. Crazy to think at the start of the year we were still subject to restrictions and by the end of it, it was business as usual and then some.
I never take it for granted when someone books me to capture their wedding. They are quite literally inviting me to one of the most special days in their life. Every single one of these couples has trusted me with themselves, their families and their memories. I get to hang out with them, get to know them and I leave being woven into a bit of their history and they are left with a little bit of my heart.
I want to say thank you to all of you. Every single one of you who invested in me, it means more than I can say. All the lovely parents and grandparents that I adopted over the year, I love you and am so thankful for every kind word, hug and smile. And to my fellow vendors who make the days even more fun. The sense of camaraderie makes what can be a lonely job not so lonely.
Roll on 2023, I’m coming for you and all you epic couples.
And if you’d like me to be part of your day, you can get in touch here.
My diary for weddings and elopements in 2024 is open now. Lx