This video shows how paranoid the whole world has become when it comes to photographers.

This photographer was taking photos in the street and was arrested because he didn`t want to give his details to the officers there. He was under no obligation to do so but the all-powerful anti-terror and anti-social laws put him in custody for eight hours.

I have been ask a few times what and why I am photographing but as yet the officers have shown common sense in the matter and realised that a terrorist would probably be a bit more covert than I was being.

The world has gone bonkers. This is a very interesting watch.

After a brief courtship I have now joined forces with the guys at Welshot Imaging photographic academy as a mentor/trainer/teacher (god help them!)

Welshot Imaging’s Photographic Academy is where the fun is to be found. We bring together professionals and enthusiastic amateurs for exciting workshops in inspiring locations. Our members learn and have fun with people who share their interest in photography, no matter what level or type of kit they have. We don`t train professional photographers, we train everyone, no matter what their skill level is.

My first training session (gulp!) is on the first meeting in the new Llandudno academy on Wednesday May 26th at 6.30 at The Royal Hotel, Llandudno. I will be running a basic studio lighting session with a lucky model and a few studio lights and other bits and bobs

We intend to have a “Spring has Sprung” BBQ in the Garden Function Room as well as the garden.
This evening will be designed for all the family to come and have some summer fun and enjoy a great BBQ and for new people to the Academy to come and meet us, see what we do, learn a few things and talk to other like minded photographers. Events are still being finalised but will be emailed to you when complete.
The cost will be £15.00 per person for the BBQ and is payable direct to The Royal Hotel on the door. This Academy Evening and all the events that we will be putting on will be free of charge. We will, however, need to know numbers so registration to lee@welshotimaging.co.uk is essential.

It`ll be fun and informative so I hope to see you there.

From their reaction I could tell that they loved their slideshow of wedding images and they went away smiling, which is always great to see.

Here is one image from their big day in St. Georges Hotel in Llandudno and there are some more if you scroll down this blog.

Llandudno wedding photographer

I have received my Enhanced CRB (Criminal records bureau) certificate today. That means that I have passed the extremely strict checks that the police and other government agencies do for people that have to work with children.

This now means that I can work with schools, nurseries, youth clubs and any other groups that may have children in.

So please feel secure in the knowledge that if you want to use my services you will be getting someone who is trustworthy, honest and an all round good guy.

I entered two images from recent weddings and was lucky enough to get bronze in both catagories. I would have liked gold, obviously, but for a first try I should be pleased. I`ll try to enter something each month and I`ll be trying to win as well.

The first image is Sian, taken in Portmerion this August. See their wedding images here. Entered in the “bridal portraiture” competition.

Conwy wedding photographer

The second image was taken at the wedding of Rosie and Lee in Bangor-on-Dee this July. You can see their wedding images on my old blog here. This image was entered in the “contemporary wedding image” section

North Wales wedding photographer

I`ve been experiencing some email problems. Some are getting through and other have not..grrr…….

So if you have sent any emails to me that have bounced back to you please try again now or use the email address below.

Sorry about this guys. I hope the problem has now been rectified and we can get back to normal again.

tonyfanning-photography@ukonline.co.uk

Firstly, thanks to Gareth for taking the shots of me working with Ruth and Con who were married only last weekend and who are now enjoying a little R&R in sunnier climes than Conwy.

If you look at the images below , the first one is me shooting and the second is the shot I was actually getting at the time. There are three differing shots to see

A shot of me by Gareth.

conwy wedding photographer

The shot I was getting at the time.

conwy wedding photographer

A shot of me by Gareth.

conwy wedding photographer

The shot I was getting at the time.

conwy wedding photographer

Another shot of me by Gareth.

conwy wedding photographer

The shot I was getting at the time.

conwy wedding photographer

Are you getting married soon?

Do you want amazing wedding photos?

If you answered yes to all of these questions then you can claim 10% discount off all my wedding packages. How cool is that!

This is just to say thanks to all our overworked, under-valued boys and girls in the army, air force and navy.

Just let me know which service you are in when you contact me and you can have 10% discount, no problem.

Stay safe guys, and thank you .

Wedding photography FAQ`s

Here’s the first in a series of posts of frequently asked questions about wedding photography. While I’ve given my own answers, a lot of these should apply to any good photographer. These FAQ`s are constantly evolving so if you have any questions that you would like answered, send me an email and I’ll put it in the next set!

This first set is all questions about planning a wedding and booking a photographer.

How far in advance should we be looking for a photographer?
A photographer should be one of the first things you book. Especially if you’re planning on getting married on a Saturday during the summer, you are probably going to have to book a year or more in advance to get the photographer you want. While you may get lucky, these dates book up fast and once they’re taken,they’re gone.

What should we be looking for in a photographer?
Price is of course a major factor, if a photographer is way out of your budget then there’s not much you can do. Of course, you may also have to re-asses your budget or be able to negotiate. The biggest factor though, is the service they are providing. Are you comfortable with this person? They will be spending the better part of the day with you and you should be comfortable with them. Is their portfolio consistent? Look at the photos as a whole, not just individually. I will not hesitate to show you a whole wedding from start to finish, in fact if you want and have the time, you can see every image from every wedding I’ve ever shot.

How much should we pay a photographer?
This is very personal and will vary from couple to couple and photographer to photographer. Most bridal guides will tell you to allocate about 15% of your budget to photography. If photography is important to you, you may allocate more to get a better album or a higher end photographer. Most of my clients pay about £1200 for a complete package. Yes there are photographers out there who will charge a lot less, but there’s usually a reason. The world’s best wedding photographers charge upwards of £6000 to shoot a wedding and are still booked every weekend (or more).

Why is photography so expensive?
This is a touchy subject, and not a lot of photographers know how to answer it.We provide a service that is highly specialized and has high overheads. While you can buy a pretty good digital SLR camera for under £400 now, a professional should have much more than this. I personally have almost £8000 worth of camera gear that I use almost every day. This includes specialized lighting equipment; professional cameras and lenses and back ups for every camera, lens and flash, just in case something goes wrong.
It takes a lot of time to provide a professional level of service. While we may only shoot for a few hours, after the wedding there is still a lot to do. I spend 30+ hours after every wedding editing each photo so it’s perfect,designing an album and making sure that my clients are well looked after. Many photographers who charge very little for their services will simply burn the files onto a CD straight from their camera, leaving the client to deal with them. While these photographers might spend 12 hours working on a wedding they spent 8 hours shooting, I spend at least 40 hours working with and for each of my clients.
It also takes a lot of experience to consistently be able to shoot well in the high stress environment of a wedding. Before I ever shot a wedding I spent years shooting lower stress events, and getting to know my equipment. Anyone can pick up a camera and get lucky for a few shots,but luck isn’t always on our side.

What are the different types of proofs?
I offer two different kinds of proofs. The first is the online proofs. This is a password protected gallery where you can see all the photos from your wedding day. Through here you can also order prints, digital files or other products.You can choose to share this gallery with friends and family, or not, it’s up to you. If you do decide to share it, your friends and family will be able to order as well.
The second kind is a proof disc. This is usually a DVD and contains low resolution watermarked files which you are free to copy and email to friends and relatives or use on Facebook, Bebo etc. While it’s not a replacement for an album (the photos aren’t as big or high quality), it’s a good place to start in planning one.

Why should we do an engagement session?
I love doing engagement sessions because it gives us a low stress situation to get to know each other in. We’re not worrying about getting the dress dirty, or getting to the reception late and we can be a little more casual than we will be on the wedding day. While they usually run 1-2 hours, they can go longer if we’re really into it. Afterwards, you’ll have some great casual, maybe even silly, photos that you can use for announcements, wine labels, even a guestbook (these have been a hit with couples and guests).

OK, I’m going to take a second to talk about engagement sessions. All of my packages now include this session.

I love doing these sessions. We get to play around, get to know each other better and just have fun. Most couples choose to do them outside, but we can shoot in studio as well, or at an indoor location. The session usually lasts about an hour, but it can take as long as you want. If you’re up to it, we can spend the whole day shooting, from mountains to beaches to town centres.

The main reason why this session is important is that it lets you get to know me better, how I shoot, how I pose you and how we get along. Not everyone gets along perfectly, and when I shoot all day with someone, like at a wedding, I like to know that it will be fun and good for everyone. If we don’t click, then you’re better off finding a different photographer.

Another great reason is that you will get used to having me (and my camera) around you. Most couples take a little while to warm up to having their picture taken. Once your wedding day hits, you’re going to be stressed out enough without wondering what on earth this crazy photographer is doing. By getting together before hand and doing some stress free, casual shooting, you get to see the results of my antics and learn to trust my eye. This results in a much less stressful wedding day.

A great product I can offer you from your engagement session is a keepsake guest book. These awesome books include your choice of photos and even text (ask your guests questions about yourself, or ask for funny stories) with lots of blank space for your guests to sign. Rather than having people sign a book that you’ll put in a box and never look at or a frame that you’ll hang for a couple years and then replace with something else, you’ll have a keepsake you can keep on your coffee table as a great conversation piece.My guest book can be seen here.

So before you blow off an engagement session as something you don’t need,consider the great benefits and the fact that it won’t cost you anything but an hour or so of your time!