Devil's Dyke Pre Wedding Shoot: Tara + Ben

June 07, 2017 • Leave a Comment

When I first met Tara and Ben, I knew instantly that they were perfect for each other! Many of my grooms are naturally a little uncomfortable about being in front of the camera, but not Ben! A former model, Ben was a complete natural, and his obvious love for Tara shone through on their pre-wedding shoot with his permanent ear-to-ear grin and affectionate hugs. Tara was equally comfortable and clearly enjoyed the hour we spent together on their pre-wedding shoot at Devil's Dyke.

There are many reasons why I include a pre-wedding shoot with all full-day weddings - which you can read about here - but a key one is to get the couple's feedback on their images ahead of the big day. What I love in a particular photo might not be the same as my couple, and every bride and groom are different, so I use this critique to ensure that I capture their couple photos exactly as they'd like on the wedding day itself. I might see a beautiful expression, while the bride may only see her laughter lines. Or she may dislike her face in profile. Or her left arm! You get my point. Most couples (and brides in particular) have some body insecurities, and it's really, really useful to know what these are beforehand! So, for maximum feedback, whilst still keeping things quite natural and fluid, I try to shoot from lots of different angles, and gently direct the couple for a wide range of poses and expressions.

The challenge for Tara and Ben on the shoot was to stop them collapsing into fits of giggles for 5 minutes to capture their more serious side! This really didn't matter though, as their natural emotion and laughter was exactly what they both wanted from their day - and exactly what they got! Both from their pre-wedding shoot and on the day itself.

It was a bright, sunny day in May when we did their pre-wedding shoot, so I was glad (photographically speaking) that the couple had gone with my suggestion for an evening shoot when the light would be softer. I remember coming away from our shoot feeling really excited for their late Autumn wedding (another reason I like to do a pre-wedding shoot!), which the couple had planned at Ditchling Barn to be a true and unique reflection of their personalities and who they were. I'll be telling the story of their wedding in my next blog post, so watch this space!