Hello and welcome!
After a whirlwind season of wedding awesomeness, it's been great to resurface and take stock of the past twelve months. I want to start with a huge thank you to all the amazing couples who invited me to share in their special day. Each and every one of you has presented me with the perfect opportunity to let loose my creativity and to help me to grow as a documentary wedding photographer.
As a result, I'm super proud to have won fresh awards for my 2022 documentary work from world renowned organisations The Wedding Photojournalist Association and Photographers Keeping it Real.
How do I know if a photographer will be the perfect fit for us?
It might sound obvious, but one of the most important factors in choosing a wedding photographer is to first figure out together what you want your own wedding photos to look like. When a couple comes to me and says, we simply want you to document our day, just real emotions, laughter and happy tears, no cheese or awkwardness, then I know they've researched my work, connected with it, and that we'll be a great fit.
I definitely recommend delving deep into a photographer's portfolio until you really get a feel for their unique style. If you can start to imagine how it felt to be at those weddings, find yourself relating to the little moments, then you're already connecting with their storytelling. If there's no connection, then move on. Chances are you're not a great fit for each other.
"We cannot thank you enough for the time, care and effort you put into our wedding. You captured the day perfectly, being everywhere and nowhere all at the same time!
We love how you caught all of those little moments that we didn't get to see (particularly those cute and ridiculous things children end up doing!) and you captured the amount that Joe and I make each other laugh which is such an important part of our relationship.
Every photo is beautiful and we so enjoyed reliving our day through your amazing pictures.
Thank you for being brilliant!"
Ryan & Joe, Pangdean Old Barn, February 2022
Being a great fit is a two-way process; I try to suss out from the get-go whether couples have enquired with me solely because I'm on a venue's recommended list and therefore a safe bet, or whether they simply had to contact me after relating 100% to the images in my portfolio.
My favourite weddings to capture have very little to do with the venue, the time of year or even the weather. It's the genuine welcome I receive from the couple, their friends and family for me to just be a part of their celebration and to document it from within. When people trust me just to do my own thing, they forget about the camera and I just blend into the proceedings.
To help you decide if I could be your perfect photographer, I've put together a little video of some of my favourite storyelling moments from 2022. Every wedding I photographed is featured, with venues ranging from Sussex barns and churches to beaches in Devon and Brighton. Hit the volume, go full screen and immerse yourself.
This is my take on capturing the unique story of each of my couples through
the happy, the fun, the emotional and raw.
This is how it felt to be in that moment.
I am a storytelling wedding photographer. I capture moments. Candid, completely unposed moments of pure emotion. Laughter and happy tears. Reportage photography that documents your day in the way you want to remember it - genuine and real.
I observe unobtrusively. I look for the light. Then I watch and anticipate. It's what being a true documentary wedding photographer is all about. And I absolutely love it.
That was 2022. So what's in store for 2023?
My year kicks off in February in perfect style, just how the last year ended - with an intimate elopement at Tunnels Beaches in Devon. I'll be returning to my all favourite Sussex barns and South Downs manor houses, plus enjoying several amazing venues that are new to me too, including quirky Bluebell Railway, Brighton's Proud Cabaret and beautiful Farbridge, one of the few Sussex barns I haven't yet had the pleasure of photographing.
But what I'm most excited about is working with all the couples who've chosen me to capture their day because they trust me to tell their stories exactly how they want to remember them. Some I've met already on Zoom; others I'll be meeting first at their pre-wedding shoot in the New Year. Getting to know my couples is one of my favourite and most important parts of our wedding relationship, which often lasts well over two years from the first enquiry through to delivery of the wedding album.
"We knew from our first meeting with Jenny she was exactly what we were looking for. Every contact or meet with her was fantastic, great communication, she really listened to us and what we wanted.
Needless to say we were thrilled with our wedding photos, they perfectly captured our day, lots of our guests commented on how hard working she was, how she got stuck in and how friendly she is and we couldn't agree more. I would highly recommended Jenny for your wedding and thank her for capturing such wonderful memories.
Here's our review, thank you so much again, honestly we couldn't be happier."
Laura & Lauren, Long Furlong Barn, July 2022
Want to see more 2022 wedding reviews? Just click here!
As I write, I'm around 75% booked for 2023 so there's still availabilty, although predominatly outside of June-August. And if you're looking at 2024, now's the perfect time to nab the remaining Summer dates before they go.
So if my images speak to you and you'd love to have your own wedding story captured like this, please do request my brochure for more information. I would really love to hear your plans.
Jenny x