I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Hannah from HdM Photography the other week. We chatted about are passion for weddings over Hot Chocolates and Lattes. We even have talked about a ‘Trash the Dress’ shoot soon which is very exciting! Hannah makes for a wonderful guest blogger on our site and here is why:
Name & company name:
I’m Hannah Dornford-May and I run HdM Photography
Where are you based & how far are you willing to travel for a wedding?
I’m based in Lancashire but have photographed weddings all across the UK and in Europe so love to travel!
How long have you been taking photos?
I’ve been taking photographs for around 3 years now, and have had my own business photographing weddings for just over a year.
How would you describe your style?
My style is a natural mix of documentary and relaxed portraits. There is so much emotion on a wedding day that you don’t need to direct it – just capture the moments as they happen. I also love to spend some time with the couple taking some very natural portraits of the two of them – this is a great chance for them both to have a breather, get away from the crowds for a moment and say hello to each other!
What made you get into wedding photography?
I started out doing a film degree and from that fell in love with still images. I then began photographing the local music scene around Manchester and from there the inevitable happened and I was asked to photograph a friend’s wedding. It all took off from there then when I fell in love with wedding photography and realised it didn’t have to be about formal group shots, old men with cameras stuck to tripods and dull, forced smiles! I’ve been really lucky that both my film background and starting out in the extremely fast paced world of live music photography has given me an excellent grounding in capturing weddings unobtrusively but with an eye for detail and the ability to anticipate a moment.
What sort of couple would be your ideal couple to photograph?
I’ve been extremely lucky to have worked with some fantastic couples so far, and they’ve all been completely different to each other. The main thing they’ve all had in common is that they’ve been completely and utterly in love with each other, excited about their wedding day and looking for great photography that captures their day as it happens.
Which Celebrity would you love to photograph?
There’s loads! Narrowing it down though I’d love to photograph Gwen Stefani as I think her style is brilliant and would make for some great fashion shots – and then if Gavin Rossdale was up for getting involved I’m sure we could get some beautiful couple shots of the two of them!
What in your opinion makes the perfect photo?
The best wedding photographs are those that capture the emotion of the moment and the feeling of the day. The ones where the couple are instantly transported back to their day and how they felt.
What is your favorite photo that you have taken?
It changes all the time but I think one of my all time favourites is this one – it was taken in a vineyard in the South of France, the sun was shining, everyone was having a fantastic time and the day was turning out exactly as the bride and groom had dreamt. The spontaneous kiss just shows how happy and in love they both are and how much they were loving their day.
What are your favourite wedding styles to photograph?
Any wedding where the couple have injected their own personality into it – a day that is all about them and what they love.
What tips or advice would you like to give to couples prior to being photographed?
Firstly before you even choose a photographer for your wedding day make sure you’ve met them, get on with them and can relax around them as well as love their images. For brides especially the photographer is someone you’ll be spending a lot of time with so it’s important you can be yourself around them!
Once that’s all sorted then relax and trust in your photographer to capture your day, and your emotions. The more relaxed and at ease you are the easier you’ll make their job, your personality will shine through and the photographs will be amazing!
What is the one thing you love most about your job?
Everything! It is a huge honour to photograph a couple’s day and to be a part of it with them. I can’t see it being something I’ll ever get bored of, I get to meet some amazing people and almost every day is different. What could be better?!!
x
Tags: HdM Photography, Lancashire Photographer