A Wedding Photographer in Essex. Laura & Ian at the Roslin Beach Hotel, Southend.

I have been having some interesting discussions lately on various wedding planning groups about how to define your photography style. In particular, there has been talk about documentary wedding photography. Now I have never claimed to be a documentary wedding photographer. Why? Because I am more than that in how I am creative and I want more than that from my connections with couples.

90% of how I work is candid, I want to collect and curate a story that's authentic but the other 10% that's where my skill set comes out to really play. I know how to engage who I am photographing, I know how to put people at ease and get them to show their true selves. I know how to photograph couples really in love and what prompts are needed to encourage couples into the right frame of mind.

Laura and Ian were no exceptions. I had 10mins for couple photos outside The Roslin Beach Hotel in Southend, Essex. The amazing venue where they were hosting their wedding party after the official bit was done in Italy. 10mins with two people I have never met before, who are slightly stressed after running a little late. 10 mins to get them into a frame of mind where I can photograph them as they are, madly in love. That takes real skill because it's often a side of themselves a lot of people don't really show.

And that's how I define myself as a wedding photographer, that in that 10min timeframe I can create photos as beautiful and honest as these and then let my couple go out and enjoy every single second of their wedding day.

By the way Laura & Ian totally smashed it with the wedding entertainment. They had a brilliant magician, a mariachi band and a bloody good DJ. always remember your wedding is a reflection of what you create from it.

Enjoy the photos!
Ami xx