We love John’s work, we know you will too! Lucy
Captiv8 Photography is based in Thurso, Scotland, with the vast majority of my wedding and portrait work is in the Inverness area, and often further afield. My work sometimes takes me overseas as well as photographing at some of the best locations in Scotland.
Captiv8 is delighted to work regularly alongside Lucy and Cheryl at Premier Wedding Planners Scotland, and believe they are the best around at what they do. Everyone should have a wedding planner at their big day to take the pressure off, leaving everything for someone else to worry about while you concentrate on having a great day.
I think choosing the right photographer is one of the most important decisions any couple will make as this will be the lasting memory of the day. A bride will spend years planning what to wear, where to have the wedding, what her hair will look like, what flowers to have, and so on. In ten years time the photographs are all that is left and the way I shoot a wedding means that all these details are captured in such a way that generations later the grandchildren will be able to look back and see exactly how things were. I could write a book on the stories I’ve heard from brides who regret going for a cheap photographer, and in fact a lot of my clients are second time brides who refuse to compromise on quality after making the mistake before. That said, I appreciate that every bride is working to a budget, and I do offer some very affordable options alongside my top end packages. Digital advances in the last few years has seen a massive increase in the number of photographers who think they can shoot weddings to make some pocket money at the weekend. They are using your big day to practice, rather than learning the craft properly, and this is a shame as it’s not them that suffers when they fail to produce the goods.
I am starting to see a big change however, in the number of couples who are appreciating the difference in spending a little more to get top quality photography. Couples are definitely beginning to see that it is such an important investment. With that happening, people are certainly taking more of an active part in discussion and decision making related to the photography on the day. Modern brides have a clear idea in their head of exactly what they want. Many couples are cutting back on a lot of the extravagance on the day and spending money more specifically on the things that are important, like the dress, the venue and of course, the photography.
My own style has gradually changed over the last few years and I now shoot about 75% of the day in a photojournalist style, shooting natural moments, which is a very popular style. My clients like arty images which look good on a wall as much as in an album. Although I’m best known for dramatic and sometimes unusual images, this isn’t actually a huge part of what I do, as I don’t like to take over on the day and take the couple away for hours on end. I think the key is getting the reportage/posed ratio just right.
My portable lighting images are causing a lot of interest, as they can be quite dramatic, and these are the images people are asking for time and time again. Again it’s only a small part of what I do as I still like to shoot most of the day using available light as it captures the day exactly as it was.
I’ve always favoured black and white images and brides definitely like a good percentage of the images to be done that way. It’s classic, timeless and very simplistic. Black and white images have been a big part of what I do since I began shooting weddings, but in recent years I have found brides ask about black and white right from the start, as it is a vital thing for them.
There has been a massive shift over the last few years in the type of album clients want. In a very short time we’ve gone from very traditional, one image per page albums, to CD’s, then digital magazine style books, and now things are just starting to go back to a more traditional style, although very contemporary in the layout. Metal covered albums are my most popular, as they look very modern, yet classy at the same time. I see an increase in requests for digital files of the images now, especially as people want to have their pictures on social networking sites like Facebook and others. A lot of photographers don’t like giving files away but I have always been happy to let clients have the images, although I would advise they got their prints done at a professional lab so the quality is high.
In the next few years I think there will be even more changes as technology changes. People can have their images on their mobile phones, and with the new Apple Ipad being released this is yet another way to show your friends your images. There is also going to be a gradual merging together of the technologies between photography and videography, with cameras now having capability to provide either. Exciting times ahead.
The recession appears to have eased slightly this year and my diary is packed with weddings for 2010, with some really exciting dates in there, as well as some amazing locations. To keep up to date with what Captiv8 is up to check out our website www.captiv8.uk.com and our blog which has all the latest news and events on it www.johnbaikiephotography.com We are also on Facebook and Twitter so why not look us up there as well. If you have a wedding coming up, please give us a call on 0800 0699169 and arrange a meeting to discuss what we can do for you.
John Baikie ASWPP LMPA