This is something I have been thinking about for a while. When a couple visit my website it would be a great way for them to read testimonials about the experience other couples have had with me and my wedding photography.

Whilst I want to keep my site as simple as possible I will soon be adding a testimonials page to help improve my photography business.

For example I was thrilled to receive positive feedback from Rob and Katie whose wedding I photographed just after Christmas at Cadbury house. It was great to read how much they liked my work and how easy it was to work with me. I don't often like to blow my own horn, preferring instead to let my photography speak for itself. However I don't think this is going to take me to the next level and a bit of marketing like this will help drive sales. I will be putting my shyness aside in the hope that this will help me generate more business in and around Bristol.

Labels: Thoughts, Wedding Photography

Labels: Bristol, Thoughts, Wedding Photography, Wedding Photography Locations

I'm really looking forward to photographing a wedding at the Hotel Du Vin this weekend. I'll be taking a new second photographer along with me this time. It will be really handy to have him to carry my kit around as I plan on using some big lights for the formals. Shooting weddings in winter can be a real pain due to the lack of light. I'll be bouncing flashes off the walls and ceiling rather than counting on high ISO wide apertures. The quality of light can be very natural and lighting is what good photography is all about.

Labels: Bristol, Equipment, Gear, Guide, Techniques, Thoughts, Wedding Photography, Wedding Photography Locations

So I recently needed a new bag for my wedding photography and this is what I bought. The Lowepro D400 AW Stealth Reporter. I already own a Lowepro Vertex 200 AW which almost carries the lot. The problem with a rucksack for the wedding photographer is that:

a) A rucksack can be quite bulky and certainly isn't discrete. Sure, I will pack it with everything to travel to the venue but then I'd take what I need and leave it somewhere secure.
b) Changing lenses takes way too long. To have to take the bag off, unzip it, switch lenses, zip it back up, put it back on will mean you miss the moment every time.

So I decided on buying a shoulder bag mainly because I need to change lenses on the go. Sure I use two cameras with two lenses but you still want to switch the wide-angle to the telephoto from time to time. I bought it from Jacobs Photography in Bristol on Whiteladies Road. The staff were really nice and they also had the 550AW and the 600AW. Whilst I had my mind set on the 550AW going in to the shop I quickly decided against it.

Sure it was a lot more capacity for a very small amount of money more however I wasn't prepared for how big it was! It genuinely is a lot bigger than the 400AW. To the point where it becomes the kind of bag you use for carrying a lot of gear from point A to point B rather than the kind of bag you carry around with you on the go. Not to mention that using a shoulder bag to carry gear around puts you under a lot more strain than a rucksack. Still, if you carry your camera(s) in your hand, or on another strap using this as a lens bag makes perfect sense in my mind.

The 400AW carries a 70-200/2.8 attached to the body (a 5DMKII) without any problems. I don't think it would carry a 300mm or a 100-400 though.

Whilst the image shows what I have in it, I would say you could carry another lens if you needed to. In addition there is a lot of space for wedding photography business cards, memory cards, a rocket blower and other small stuff.

Anyway, I hope this has been useful. Let me know what you think.

www.bertpalmer.com
Bristol Wedding Photographer

Labels: Bristol, Equipment, Gear, Thoughts, Wedding Photography

As part of the flickr Bristol Strobist group I was lucky enough to photograph Marina if only for an hour or two. I really jump at the chance to photograph models, especially when they wear a white dress as this really makes me think about the lighting because it can be challenging. When it comes to using off camera flash I consider myself to be able to hold my own up to a point. I've had a good amount of studio experience, but when it comes to venue's things are a bit different! I'm certainly no master but I have a good idea about what will work and what won't.

Sometimes it won't!

The shot here was done with window light only. I tried various setups with strobes, reflectors and all of that but I couldn't deny how good the light was and so turned the strobes off. I'm really trying to push off camera flash at the weddings I do. It really gives a different feel to the photographs, but sometimes the the best shots come naturally.

As an aside Ashton Court Mansion on the outside of Bristol seems like an amazing wedding venue from the point of view of the photographer. The grounds a stunning and I think you could get some really striking formal photographs in this location.

Labels: Bristol, Equipment, Thoughts, Wedding Photography, Wedding Photography Locations