Natural Light Wedding Photography Guildford Surrey
David Wheeler is photographer who has reached the pinnacle of his profession, including a raft of awards and the rare attainment of a Fellowship with the leading body which represents professional and fine art photographers, the British Institute of Professional Photography. I recently had a chance to watch David at work and then to photography his model.
I sometimes talk about the value of progressing through the distinction ranks. In the UK there are three professional ‘grades’ which you can work towards and study for if you’re a member of one of the recognised photography bodies such as the BIPP, Royal Photographic Society, The Societies, and the MPA. I believe there is real value in holding one (or more) of these accolades. There are three levels of distinction; Licentiate (the benchmark of professional competency), Associate (in recognition of defined artistic merit and technical expertise, and lastly Fellowship (the ultimate reward for services to the industry, unique personal style and technical excellence).
When I achieved my own Fellowship there wasn’t just about the sense of attainment. The boost in confidence will be obvious, but my Fellowship also opened a lot of doors for me. I began to be asked to speak at international conventions, and I became a brand ambassador for Olympus. I also have newer photographers come to me for help and advice, and tuition. And this is exactly why David was one of the speakers at the event I attended in Haslemere last week.
Although I don’t have much involvement in the wedding photography world these days, I find it a really interesting genre. There are so many styles of wedding photography ranging from the purely journalistic through to the stylised and ultra traditional. This can be a little confusing for some brides and my advice to them is always to do plenty of research in order to identify the style of photography you like, before you start booking a photographer. As with most services, you’ll normally get what you pay for. A photographer who’s well qualified will have had his or her work and methods audited and measured. Gaining a distinction (identified with the relevant lettering after the name) is no easy process and the higher distinctions of Associate and Fellow are incredibly challenging, with only a small proportion of professionals making the grade. The photographers at this level will also have a hard-won reputation to protect, and therefore you should expect solid work and good customer service.
There has been a trend in recent years for some brides to cut corners with their photography, hiring a cheap snapper or worse, a friend with a camera. This has led to a wave of complaints and a great deal of anguish when the photographs haven’t lived up to the expectations of the couple. Given that your wedding photographs will be the only tangible memories from your big day and the people who joined you, I think it makes obvious sense to try and budget for a competent photographer.
