Wedding photography advice / Hull, Yorkshire & beyond
How to choose an alternative wedding photographer.
Choosing an alternative wedding photographer? Start with photographs you love, then ask to see a whole wedding, including the darker bits of the day. Have a chat about how they work, compare the coverage and make sure you’re comfortable with the person behind the camera.
A brilliant couple portrait can get you onto someone’s website. What happens during the ceremony, speeches and party deserves just as much attention. Those are the photographs you’ll be looking through when you want to remember everyone being there.
I’m Dan, based in Hull and photographing weddings across Yorkshire and further afield. Here’s what I’d look at before handing over a deposit.
Look for an approach you like
Alternative can mean a lot of different things. Colourful clothes, a music venue, a favourite film running through the day, or just doing things in your own order. You don’t need to tick off a particular look to belong in someone’s portfolio.
Look at how they photograph people. Do you like the colours, the close-up moments and the way the surroundings appear? Could you imagine yourselves in those photographs without having to put on a different personality?
At Amy and Callum’s wedding at Social in Hull, there were DIY details, a chippy tea and plenty happening in the evening. Your day might look completely different. The useful question is whether you like how a photographer notices and records it.
Still working out what your day could look like? My guide to alternative wedding venues in Yorkshire has real examples of couples making different spaces their own. Use the ideas to explain what matters to you when you chat to a photographer.
Ask to see a complete wedding gallery
A portfolio brings together someone’s favourites from lots of days. A complete gallery lets you see how they photograph one wedding from the start of their coverage to the end.
Spend time with the ceremony, family groups, speeches and guests, as well as the portraits. Are there expressions and little moments you’d be pleased someone caught at your own wedding? Do people look comfortable? Does the editing feel consistent as the light changes?
If your plans involve a dark room or an outdoor ceremony, ask for a gallery with similar conditions. It doesn’t have to be your exact venue. And check whether the examples are real weddings or styled shoots: both can show creative ideas, but a real wedding shows how someone works with the pace and unpredictability of the day.
You can start with my wedding photography portfolio, then ask me about seeing a complete gallery.
For a feel for that variety, have a look through Lauren and Ben’s White Syke Fields wedding. Look beyond the couple photographs: the ceremony, guests and games are worth spending time with too. A blog is still a selection, so ask for a complete delivered gallery before making your decision.
Look at what happens after daylight
If you’re looking forward to the party, don’t stop browsing when the portraits finish. Look for evening receptions, dark interiors and busy dance floors.
Some photographers use flash for a punchy, energetic feel. Others prefer a quieter look where the available light allows it. Ask how they’d approach your space and look at actual examples. The aim is to find a result you enjoy, rather than choosing a technique because it sounds impressive.
I came to weddings from gigs and nightlife, and I bloody love a busy dance floor. If that part matters to you too, check both the evening photographs and how late your photographer stays.
Some photographers finish around the first dance. Some stay until the end. Ask what their evening coverage actually means, especially if the bits you’re most excited about happen later on.
For me, it’s a wedding-by-wedding decision. I get a feel for the night and what’s happening. At a more mellow wedding, I might feel I’ve captured enough a few hours after the first dance. Sometimes I stay until the evening food comes out; sometimes I’m there until the end. Every wedding is different, and so is every wedding evening.
If the late-night stuff matters to you, tell your photographer before booking. Make sure the coverage you agree includes it, and that you like the way they photograph it. A brilliant sunset portrait doesn’t tell you how they’ll capture a packed dance floor. If you’re booking me, tell me about anything you particularly want covered so we can plan around it.
Natty and Lottie’s Hackness Grange wedding is a useful one to browse: sunny gardens and golden evening light, followed by first-dance and party photographs indoors. Ask to see that range when you’re comparing photographers.
A wedding, not a photoshoot
I want you to have a wedding, not a photoshoot. You’ve got your favourite people in one place, and I want you spending time with them, getting stuck into the day and being yourselves.
Past couples have described me as a guest with a camera, or said it felt like having a friend there. That’s very much how I want it to feel. I’ll chat to your guests, fit in with what’s happening and photograph the moments as they come, rather than keep stopping everything for the camera.
“Relaxed” appears on plenty of photographers’ websites, mine included. Ask what it means in practice. The way someone works will be part of your day, so choose an approach you’d enjoy being around.
Will they mostly watch what’s happening? When will they step in? How do they help with portraits if you feel awkward, and who organises the family groups? Tell them if you’re worried about being taken away from your guests for ages.
Most of my day is spent photographing what’s going on. For couple photographs, I’ll find a good spot, give you a bit of help and keep things moving. I usually suggest a little wander of around 10–15 minutes, fitted around your day. You don’t need to rehearse poses or work out what to do with your hands.
Have a call before booking. Mention anything that would help you feel comfortable, whether that’s taking things slowly, choosing a quieter spot or working around accessibility needs. You should feel able to ask questions and explain what you want.
You can see another setting in Alex and Louise’s Little Wold Vineyard wedding, with couple photographs among the vines and a terrace full of guests and musicians. Think about how much time you want for each part of your own day, and ask your photographer how they’d fit around it.
Compare the coverage you’ll actually use
Two packages described as “full day” can cover different things. Work out which parts of your wedding you want photographed, then compare the start and finish times against those plans.
Check the total price, including travel and any extras you’re considering. Ask what you receive, how the photographs are delivered and the expected timescale. If you’re considering a second photographer, ask what they would add to your particular day.
My wedding photography packages explain my coverage. If you’re unsure where your plans fit, tell me what’s happening and we can talk it through.
Read the reviews, contract and terms
Look for feedback about the experience as well as the finished photographs. How was communication? Did people feel comfortable? Were the groups handled well? Recent reviews can help you work out what spending the day with someone might be like. You can read what my couples have said here.
Before paying, read the contract and terms. Check the payment schedule, changes or cancellation terms and how image use is handled. Ask about their arrangements for illness, equipment problems and keeping photographs safe. If something’s unclear, ask for an explanation you understand.
Six questions to take to your call
- Can we see a complete wedding with similar lighting or a similar setting?
- How will you guide us during portraits and organise the groups?
- What time would our coverage start and finish?
- What is the total cost, and what do we receive?
- What happens if you’re unable to attend or equipment fails?
- When should we expect the gallery, and can we agree our preferences about public sharing?
See the people as well as the details
These photographs come from real weddings, with preparations, ceremonies, speeches, couple time, details and plenty happening at the party. There’s a DeLorean in the mix too! Look at the quieter moments alongside the big ones. Which would you want in your own gallery?
Have a nosy through Chloe and Aaron’s festival wedding at Pitch 21 or Louise and Tessa’s Back to the Future wedding to see more of those days.
A few more alternative styling ideas
Boots, leather jackets, dark flowers and a moon-and-stars cake: these photographs are from the Church – Temple of Fun styled shoot in Sheffield. This was a planned creative shoot, rather than a real wedding. It’s useful for styling inspiration and seeing another side of my work, alongside the real wedding examples above.
A few more wedding photography questions
Should we send a Pinterest board?
A few examples can help explain what you like about colour, atmosphere or light. Say what draws you to them rather than expecting every photograph to be recreated. Your own day will have different people, spaces and moments.
Does our photographer need to have worked at our venue?
It can be helpful, but it isn’t the only thing to consider. Ask how they prepare for somewhere new and look at work from similar spaces or lighting conditions. My wedding venues page is a starting point if you’d like to see places I’ve photographed.
What if we don’t want certain things photographed or shared?
Discuss that before booking. Explain any private moments or preferences about public sharing, ask what can be managed on the day and make sure you understand what you’re agreeing to.
Fancy having me there?
If you like the photographs and the sound of how I work, have a look at my alternative wedding photography, then tell me your date, venue and the bits you’re excited about.
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