Wedding Photography Tips from Adrian Spencer, UK-based Wedding Photographer

Adrian Spencer, the owner of Will Hey Wedding Photography, originally from Cheshire, England got an itch for photography during his travels in Asia, South Pacific and South America:

“At that time my trusty point and shoot was never out of my hand and although technically I had no idea what I was doing, it helped me hone my composition and develop a style of my own. When I returned to the UK in 2008 and found the economy in tatters rather than returning to the 9-5 grind, instead, I decided to forge my own path as a photographer. With the help and support of my now wife I have been very lucky to turn this dream into reality”.

Wedding photography is known to be one of the most stressful fields demanding photographer’s ability to quickly adapt to the changes in light and environment and “switch gears” without hesitation. Have you worked out some techniques that work every time?

“In terms of speed you have to invest in the equipment. Whilst I am a believer it is the photographer not the camera that makes a difference, the top end gears gives you the freedom to shine. Be it the image quality of the lenses, the speed of focus or the astronomical ISO range pro gear costs a lot but it more than delivers”.

What part of the wedding is your favorite to photograph and what gives you the most stress?

“My favorite part of the day is undoubtedly the prep. Always good fun and with a little high jinx and drama it is the most natural part of the day to shoot. The most stressful is the family formals. Not a technical challenge but rounding up guests can be like herding drunk, angry cats”.

You have many touching images where you catch some very emotional moments. What is your secret?

“You get out what you put it. You have to be upbeat and positive all the time, the second you let any stress show it will be reflected in the body language of your bride and groom. One lesson I learned quite recently is never, ever say anything negative during a shoot. If you know a posed shot isn’t going to work for whatever reason never express it as it will plant the seed of doubt and damage the confidence of your subjects. If you know it is rubbish, take it anyway and delete it later. This has the added bonus that just occasionally you will review the images and be surprised that maybe it did work out!”

With such a great variety of images from so many beautiful and exciting weddings, tell us about the wildest one you got to photograph?

“I have had some crazy times at weddings. For me, the most fun are Asian celebrations. It might be the number of guests (upwards of 500 at some!) but the joy and energy in the room is palpable and when they hit the dance floor – wow!”

How did Addicted Presets have helped you in your workflow?

The Addicted Presets have really helped speed up my workflow by automating a lot of tasks and also reminded me just how versatile Photoshop Lightroom can be. It is astonishing how powerful they are when it comes to adding a distinct feel to an image and Addicted has done a great job creating something for every occasion. The Vintage set in particular allows a simple but effective way of applying a creative dynamic”.

Photography by Will Hey Wedding Photography

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