Wedding Photographer | Claudia Rose Carter | UK & Worldwide

Hello world! It’s been another crazy week at G & C HQ. I was shooting Arkin and Simon’s civil partnership at a gorgeous East London hotel on Saturday and then Sunday was pretty much another day spent with the duvet and plenty films {on our brand new massive flatscreen – thanks family!} to relax as we didn’t get to bed until late on the Saturday. Hannah second shot for me and we ended up being awake until around 1am with wine and MG introducing her to the horrors and delights of TOWIE. The delight is in the horror, but you know.

So, here I am. I’d like to show you a teaser from Saturday. Here you go:

I love reflections.

This week I’m going to speak a little about story telling. The sign of a true dreamer. Not least the ‘artiste’ in me coming through.

I’ve always loved stories. I was a complete book worm when I was younger and my favourites were the ones that went in such depth into different worlds. Lyra Belacqua of His Dark Materials triology {Phillip Pullman} was my hero. The Never Ending Story was a favourite film. I had a pet sheep named Scruffy that lived in the field next door instead of human friends. I once nearly got stuck in quicksand due to a big exploration adventure around the farm I lived on. Etc… you get the idea.

When I first started taking photographs all those years ago, the world of photojournalism and war was that which sucked me in and intrigued me. I wanted to tell a story, show moments and memories through my photography. I wanted it to be a reflection of how I viewed the world.

Fast forward to present time and that’s exactly what I’m accomplishing. The way that I achieve what I do in my wedding photography is to take a back step on the day and look at what is going on around me. Try to look for moments and stories in the day. A few phrases that come to mind would be ‘natural wedding photography’, ‘documentary wedding photography’, ‘photojournalistic’ ‘reportage’ but I mix these with my love of portraits and a small element of creating the image as well as documenting it. You can view some of my portrait work on my pre-wedding shoots HERE.

I also blog to tell a story. There has been an ongoing discussion throughout the industry for the time I’ve watched it on whether to blog a small selection of your favourite images from a wedding or blog it as a narrative of the day. Both MG and I feel that your website is the appropriate place for your absolute favourites to be showcased and the blog is a place to tell a story. I also feel, from a potential bride’s perspective, that seeing an entire wedding inspires more trust than just a handful of images.

What do you think?

Love this gorgeous family and children photography by Meg Bitton. 

 

A random collection of inspiring images and some bizarre images too on RELIC.

 

MG and I have been watching the new Sherlock and loving it. Recommended.

 

Jamie Oliver always makes me happy for recipes and fun.

 

Good evening all! It’s Tuesday again. Come on… I did say right at the beginning that I may post a day or two later if I genuinely couldn’t post on the Sunday. And I really couldn’t this week as I was dancing and photographing my cotton socks off at the gorgeous Sab & Erkan’s wedding in North London. Here’s a teaser for you:

It was a great week all round including many gym trips and a rather wonderful relaxed boozy lunchtime at the King William IV in Chigwell. MG was shooting both Saturday and Sunday so on the Saturday I spent some time with the gorgeous Jeannie and her little ones Jack and Aiden. Here’s another teaser {!!}

This week I wanted to have a natter with you about PINTEREST. Now, I’ve mentioned it quite a lot over the past few Something Simply Special Sundays so I would imagine you may have checked it out already. If not, you’re in for a treat….

 

 

The above is a screenshot of my boards. You will notice there are some personal work boards, general photography inspiration boards but also boards with names above them. Those are my lovely brides and handsome grooms and many of them are included as contributors to their boards. It’s something I’ve been working on a lot this year and I really feel to be an integral part of my visual identity and brand ethos; working alongside my couples to really strive for the best. I want to be more present and integrated than just their photographer. I adore the whole experience and I endeavour to let them know I’m right there for anything they need advice or assistance with.

For an example, have a look at lauren & adam’s board here.

Utilising Pinterest in this way has really helped me a great deal with that. It gives me an insight into their imaginations and allows me to work with that. I always advise that I won’t try to recreate someone else’s work {if they pin from other photographers websites, or wedding blogs} but that it’s more the overall feel that I’ll really work with on the day.

I know many others in different industries that also use Pinterest and its versatility speaks for itself. Designer Melissa Love encourages her clients to ‘pin’ things that they love so that she can get a feel for who they are as a person when designing their websites and showcasing ‘THEM’ to the world. Wedding blogger Alexis Cuddyre from OMG I’m Getting Married {see an interview with her on this very blog HERE!} has a lot of gorgeous wedding related boards for her bridal readership – ideas for wedding dresses, colour schemes, cakes and also featuring ‘real weddings’ that are submitted to her.

I can imagine that it would be wonderful for interior designers as well as there are so many house related pins and boards. I can really get lost in it!

What are your own favourite boards? Share your links in the comments below, I’d love to see!

So much wonder to share with you this week! Go grab a cuppa and sit down to enjoy these luscious links.

 

 

I recently read a biography about Steve Jobs and have found a fascination in learning about the Apple and Jobs’ ethos. This article is pretty interesting.

 

10 ways to make your work day lovely – so cute!

 

I love the simplicity of Eefje De Coninck‘s work. Beautiful photography.

 

We’re currently running an INSPIRATIONS project in my Facebook group whereby each member has to pick a date in the next 38 dates and on that date, post to a blog or video that inspires them. THIS was one posted recently and wow oh wow I just adore it.

 

Isn’t this stationery by BerinMade just gorgeous?! Wonderful read as well. Look out on this blog for some new goodies relating to this :)

 

 

Have a great week guys! xo

 

I recently had the absolute pleasure of meeting Alexis from OMG I’m Getting Married blog for a coffee in the heart of London’s Spitalfields Market and I have to say, I just felt so at ease with her. Especially so that I had no problem in emailing her to ask if she would be interested in being interviewed on this blog. Amazingly she said yes.

As most of you regular readers will know, I try to also blog about things that others will find interesting or resourceful as well as promoting my own work. I really want to create a blog that people can trust and come back to.

Alexis, thank you for your little bit of help in making that dream come alive.

 

 

Hi Alexis, please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about what you do.

Hello! My name is Alexis and I am the founder of OMG I’m Getting Married. I am a graphic / interactive designer by day and blogger by night with an appreciation for all things design related. I love a bit of data visualisation and technology as well.

 

When and why did you start your blog?

I started OMG just over two years ago as a way to keep in touch with my parents who live abroad while I planned my wedding. It became a bit of an obsession and grew into something much bigger!

 

How did you find having previous experience in design when thinking about how you wanted it to look?

Good and bad :) My experience in interactive and digital media gave me the basic building blocks that allowed me to set up my own wordpress site and get it to do roughly what I wanted to, however, when I set the blog up I had no idea what it would become and now think it needs a bit of a redesign. Being a designer, I notice the small things that stick out that should be fixed! Especially since weddings are all about the details, I know my blog design should reflect this.

 

How do you incorporate YOU into your blog?

I only post stuff I like and I hope the tone of voice comes across as the way I speak to people candidly.

 

What do you do when you aren’t blogging?

I work a full time job as a designer at London based Design & Technology agency Digit.

 

Do you have any major plans for the blog?

Always. But less time to implement them!

 

What is your favourite thing about a wedding {including the planning, actual day and life afterwards}?

Oh man that is a tough one! I loved planning my own wedding so I guess the design aspect is the best!

 

What do you look for when photographers submit their work?

A lot of things, and I am still learning new things about photography every day! My favourite photographers are able to capture the entire story of the day from the details to the big moments – the macro and micro if that makes sense.

 

What is the best way for people to be able to contact you with ideas related to the blog {submissions, features}?

EMAIL! I’m trying to get better at it but because I work during the day it takes me a bit more time to get back to people.

 

Do you run competitions for bride {for example, to win their wedding florist or photographer or musicians}?

I do, but only if I think there are super prizes.

 

Do you have any recommendations for inspiring places that you like to visit in London?

Recently I’ve been trying to go to more exhibitions which has influenced my work as a designer, however I would say if you’re talking weddings, find interior spaces in boutique hotels, shops like the Designers Guild and restaurants for decor/theme inspiration.

 

What is your favourite film to watch over and over again?

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun.

 

Are there any other blogs that you read regularly? Weddings or other.

Weddings – Rock n Roll Bride, Love My Dress, Beyond Beyond and Reverie Magazine.

Design – Fast Company Design, It’s Nice That.

Technology – Creative Applications, Data Viz – Infosthetics, Information is Beautiful.

 

What are your 2012 life goals and work goals?

AAAAAH. I am actually just doing this with my husband since we have finally recovered from post wedding bliss / exhaustion / laziness.

I would like to make my blog awesome.

I would like to be amazing at my job.

I would like to spend as much time with my friends and family as humanly possible.

Thank you so much Alexis for agreeing to be featured! For the record, I think the blog looks and is awesome already :) 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello, world. My apologies but it’s Tuesday today. I promise I was thinking about this on Sunday so it’s kind of a Sunday post… I’ve just been a little caught up with life. Saturday was Helen and Richard’s wedding in Hampton in Arden for which I brought along the lovely Cristina Rossi Photography as my second shooter {always a pleasure, CR} and oh wow it was a wonderful day. THANK YOU heavens for not raining on me. Here’s a quick teaser shot:

 

I was exhausted on Sunday so MG and I had a day of Batman and Daniel Craig – the perfect combo. Monday brought with it a much needed housework day so one bleached floor later and I was ready to rock n roll for dinner with our friend Eliane Rocha. We weren’t able to have the car yesterday morning so the gym has been postponed to this afternoon although MG’s done something to his ear. I’m shipping him off to the docs for antibiotics.

So, here I am on Tuesday and I think for this/last week’s Something Simply Special Sundays I’m going to elaborate on my feeling towards Saturday’s wedding. Hopefully some of you will find it useful as I always try to give away some kind of good information!

Lets go…..

I’ve shot A LOT of weddings over the past year, the majority of them with MG. My work has been viewed by his clients and vice versa leading to us actually having clients request us both at their wedding {love you Jones’!}. However, this was my first SOLO wedding so with it came an extra responsibility. As a second shooter I always strive to shoot my best and I treated weddings as though they were mine as much as I could without getting in the way. I yearned for that space… and I definitely received it with Helen & Richard. It was their show and my show in that regard.

If you read any of the top photographers on what they would advise those starting up to do, they’ll say to take photographs every day. Never let your camera out of your sight. I took that advice in the week leading up to the wedding, setting myself a daily task to document my life in 10 shots. I will be blogging my favourites from that project very soon. It trains your eye to see the light and take time in your compositions and I really feel it’s a great way to prepare for weddings or big shoots, although I always advocate shooting each day anyway {I need to follow my own advice a little more sometimes, I will be honest!}

I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be as I felt that the transition into my own weddings has been incredibly natural and long awaited. I was certain that I was going to do the best job for Helen & Richard that I possibly could. I had already spoken to the Vicar by email a few days prior so I was aware of any restrictions within their church {St Mary and St Bartholomew} and advised them that I wouldn’t be a pain! I would definitely recommend this if you can get hold of the Vicar’s phone number or contact details before. He also interestingly advised me later on in the day that it isn’t actually illegal to photograph the signing of the register and that other Vicar’s have just claimed it so that they feel in charge. Thank you Duncan for easing any nerves I did have.

All of the locations during the day were within 5 minutes walk of each other which was perfect for us not having to carry our gear around. We began at Total Images hairdresser, then on to Helen’s house {Cristina went to Richard’s mum’s and then to the Beeches pub up the road with the boys}, then on to the church, then to Hampton Manor – their spectacular wedding venue.

I send out a q&a a couple of weeks before the wedding requesting full times, names, group shots, etc so I was fully up to speed with where I was meant to be and when. It’s good to be prepared.

I have to thank Helen for being the most relaxed bride I’ve ever encountered and allowing me to drag her through the forest and mud in a 20+ ft train and heels. Richard also, you looked very suave and welcomed us into each aspect of your big day. It was a pleasure to be there.

I shot this whole wedding on a Canon MKII, a 35mm 1.4 and a 50mm 1.4 with a 580ex II speedlite for later in the evening.

Time to prepare for this Sunday’s wedding with the gorgeous Sab and Erkan!

So, as you must know by now, the happy list is where I share useful or happy links from the past week. It’s my favourite part to research!

 

 

A blog post by Sue Bryce on What Is Your Mission Statement? I’m going to set about writing mine over the next few weeks. Will you do the same?

 

Remember I posted about Instagram phone cases? Well, here is the pillow equivalent! 

MG and I have booked to help my dad out with the move to France at the end of May for 3 days. Bring on Bellac!

Zack Arias on our mobile addiction.

Looking for fonts? Here you go! 

Some pretty awesome photos of the gorgeous Emma Case by Chris Barber. 

 

 

 

 

Another week gone again, world. Crazy how time flies, isn’t it?! This week has brought us a lot of time at home working hard as our non-stop wedding season kicked off yesterday {Saturday} with A & D’s wedding which featured The Ivy; restaurant of the celebrities.

Today has been mostly relaxing and playing Batman on the Xbox (ah, life’s pleasures) but we also took a trip to our gym for a spot of light swimming.. which brings us in nicely to what I want to discuss with you today.

Exercise.

Yes, readers, you heard me. Before you click off the blog after the thought of “I’ve read all about this time and time again”, just stay with me. You know what I write comes from the heart. I won’t just give you facts and figures and reveal the amazing fact that actually three bars of Mars chocolate a day is good for your heart or some nonsense that these stories usually contain. I don’t even particularly like Mars chocolate so it wouldn’t be a useful fact anyhow.

No, I want to speak with you about YOU being in charge. YOU making the choices in your life.

 

 

Lets begin…..

 

I’ve struggled with my appearance for years, as do the majority of women {if not all, you aren’t fooling us Paris Hilton!} As a child and young teenager I swam, played tennis, badminton and football in the garden. I won medals for throwing things because my arms were strong and my fitness was high. Then came teenage years and with it bowls of pasta watching Trisha when I was meant to be at school {sorry, mum!} and… as we all know… no carbs before marbs! Needless to say I lost my fitness, forgot what exercise meant and fell into a low.

I’ve dropped in and out of gyms at all different prices and all with the THOUGHT process of “I’ll go all the time and I’ll see the figure I want in X amount of time”. Each time though I let my negative thoughts get in the way {“I’ve been going for two weeks and I see no difference… waaah!”} and the memberships were yet again, cancelled.

Then it struck me. In January 2011, I began to make choices for myself and I viewed amazing consequences. I finally began to tap in to the mindset that I create what I chose and realised that it wasn’t about my being worried that the Virgin Active staff thought I was mad or that my trainer would be angry with me for not coming and honestly…I actually didn’t have the right to decide that was a reason for not going still. I acknowledged that I needed to take responsibility for myself. I joined the Pure Gym Edinburgh {cheap and cheerful – see link here for clubs near you – highly recommended for the price} and began to set about in just GOING and not needing a result. I turned it around so that my going was more important than the outcome of my going. That actually I should try to enjoy myself when I was there rather than wait to enjoy in however many months time what I would look like.

You feel like slapping me right? So did I. I bought in to ALL of the rubbish. I didn’t have nice enough clothes or I wasn’t doing the right CV machines or people were looking at me or I wouldn’t lose any weight and it’d be a total waste of money and oh that money could be better spent and I had all the years in the world to re-join. In fact I even started JUST going to the gym to use the free internet in the end because I didn’t get past the door. SLAP. Are you reading this feeling familiar? SLAP to you too!

I’d finally reached a good point. I was feeling great. The more I went, the more I enjoyed going. The more time I spent there, the more I settled in to it. And, without needing to, I was losing the weight. And then it fell apart again. I moved… 450 miles… to London. Where there wasn’t an easily accessible gym, not one that I could afford. Luckily I spent the first couple of months living on soup, yoghurt and granola and quorn chicken pieces so I didn’t add much back on. I remember walking down Wanstead High St in mid July to properly spend time with Gary wearing this black bodycon dress with a zip the whole way down the front that I’d bought in Zara, no tights, black wedges and a small cardi and I felt amazing.

Then came the pasta and the popcorn and my own financial instability rendering me unable to sign up permanently to the gym. All the old excuses came back up again.

And. Then. I had enough. I’ve put on about a stone {approx} and although I don’t pay much attention to weight and more to just whether I’m comfortable with how I look… I MISSED the experience. I knew I could cut out a lot of food and eat healthier and that would take care of it. But… I missed {ew moment} sweating. I missed that rush. I missed stepping out in to cold air and just feeling it hit you. I missed hitting the FASTER button on the running machine and feeling my muscles pull on the weights. More so, I missed that I could make that choice.

So, we made it. I’m incredibly lucky that we’re not far from a well established gym with a pool and multiple courts and classes and that we have the time and stability to be able to sign up permanently, but still…. That decision was made and we won’t look back.

And my DAYS it’s amazing. I just feel happy. I feel happy in the morning knowing we’re going, I feel happy in the car there, I feel happy BEING THERE, I feel happy in the shower before coming home, I feel happy in the car on the way home, I feel happy the entire day knowing I’ve gone and I feel happy in the evening knowing I’m going again the next morning.

Honestly. I won’t start giving you information on why exercise is good for you, we all know why. I will however ADVOCATE that it’s good for me.

I really wanted to highlight this with you today not just because of the exercise aspect to it, but because it was MY CHOICE that got me there. My taking responsibility and through being terrified that it’s too expensive/we can’t go enough/we won’t go/people will look at me/we’ll hate it/it’s a drive we still get up and go.

And, it’s our plan to go every single morning.

What have you been putting off that will just take you one decision to make? That wall you think you have to climb really isn’t that high… you know. Let me know. I’ll be there supporting you!

 

I’ve been reading a lot of Chase Jarvis’ blog this week again after a 7 month break. I really love how involved he and his team get with the social world and how they speak about all different things. Check out his YouTube channel here also which has some great interviews and performances from bands live in his studio in Seattle.

Here are some great links that I noticed:

How To Become A Pro Photographer In 5 Simple Steps

The Next Time You Have A Great Idea

The Hit List: 13 Things Crucial For Success

Ten Things Every Creative Person Must Learn