Hey! I’m James, but everyone calls me THE HEFF.

This is where you learn some stuff about me, in the hope you like me and say

“I’d really like to have this dude shoot my wedding”

 

My first camera was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles camera. It had an image of a turtle inside the camera, so that when you took a photo, that Turtle would show up in every photo. It was rad and I keep promising myself that I’m going to buy another one and shoot some wedding stuff on it one day. So, if you’re having a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle themed wedding, I got you covered.

I love Nordic Countries, they are my favourite places to visit. I love a dramatic landscape, even more so if there’s the chance to see the Northern Lights or the Milky way. Living in brightly lit areas, I think it’s a shame that we rarely see the beauty of the night sky. I also have a bit of a fondness for Italy. I shot a wedding in Lake Como a while back and would love to go back, although next on my Italy destination list is Florence.

A few years back, I discovered wet plate photography. It’s one of the earliest photography techniques and has a raw beauty to it. It took me about a year or so to master it, it has to be one of the most frustrating yet rewarding types of photography I’ve ever done. I also seem to be amassing a bunch of Victorian Cameras, that I use for the process. It’s a nice break from the hustle and bustle of weddings as you have to really slow down to do them. In 2019, I’m definitely bring my wet plate gear to a wedding and shooting some portraits.

If I ever won the lottery, I would definitely open an artist/photography space and teach old analogue techniques, in this digital world there’s a real magic to seeing photos come to life the way they used too.

 

That’s me in a nutshell. Here’s how I approach weddings…

 

I don’t do cheese. There’s not going to be any “Look at me, now smile!”

I can be very loud. I’ve often joked that when I give up photographing weddings, I’m going to be a toastmaster. When you’re trying to get 120 people to line up for a big group shot, you gotta have a loud voice on you, otherwise its like herding cats!

I’m based in Kent, but I travel all over shooting weddings. I also shoot destination weddings abroad too, so if you’re getting married abroad, definitely hit me up.

I don’t plan in advance. Weddings are such fast paced, dynamic events that you can’t really plan what you’re doing in advance. For me, I play things by ear on the day and go with the flow of the wedding. I don’t stage manage it.

I am a problem solver. I’ve got brides dressed, I’ve sewn up split trousers, I’ve driven a bride to the church, I’ve done cravats and pocket squares. If there is a problem, yo I’ll solve it.

I essentially act like an extra guest at the wedding. I get involved, I talk to people, I dance on the dance floor. I find people let their guard down and relax more, when they see you as another guest rather than some dude with a camera. That let’s me get awesome guest shots.

I love a selfie. However I seem to be incapable of just doing a normal face. Instead I always have to do a mouth wide open smiley thing.

I like to experiment. I’ll shoot on different formats, I’ll shoot film, I’ll shoot Polaroids. Sometimes things work, sometimes they don’t, but when they do the photos look bitchin’ Here’s an ALL FILM wedding I shot

I have an amazing repertoire of dad jokes. I regularly use these during couple sessions to make things less awkward and get laughs and smiles

I’m not afraid to admit, that I do sometimes shed a tear at a wedding. Emotional speech? You can guarantee that i’ll be hiding my face with my camera because I’ve watered up

So if all of this hasn’t put you off, and you’d like to chat or book me, click this link, fill out my contact form and tell me all about your big day!