Like Paper beats rock, practical beats theory

There is a lot of theory when it comes to photography. It you pick up any one of a dozen photography magazine you will see that they are usually packed full of lessons and tutorials on how to take certain shots or create certain effects.

However at the end of the day, theory is just that. You can read all you want but unless you actually put things into practise you'll never know if you can actually do it. Or to put it another way, reading pilot manuals doesn't automatically make you a pilot.

Having been asked to be the lead photographer at the wedding, I was determined that I needed to get some practise for want of a better term. However weddings by their very nature don't come along very often, so I realised I would need to find a training course.

After much searching I eventually found one that seemed to have good write ups and fitted in quite nicely as the only other courses I found were not going to be held until either after, or the week before the actual wedding which was far too close to be helpful. So I decided to go for it.

Which is how I found myself driving down south at a rather early time on a Sunday morning. Now the course was taught by a Elizabeth Melvin of strangely enough Elizabeth Melvin Photography   . Now firstly her studio based at greatworth hall was totally gorgeous.

Secondly as this was going to be my first photography course, I wasn't sure what to expect. Fortunately the number of people attending the course was quite small and secondly, Lizzie the teacher was fantastic, very funny and soon had everybody at ease.

Now the morning was all theory which was actually quite interesting, which seems a strange thing to say mind you as I was going on about how I wanted practical experience and I was happy with theory. however it did give me a lot to think about that hadn't occurred to me before which was to prove important later ( more on that later too)

Mind you, once the models had arrived everybody was fairly itching to get outside, especially as after weeks of rain we actually had a day with bright blue skies and sunshine so we were all desperate to make the most of it.

Now initially I had forgotten one of the most important things and that was to dial in some positive exposure compensation to help the dresses appear white. D'oh! However after some feedback from Lizzie that was soon solved.

My second problem was that I was feeling a little bit nervous as well, as having only having experience with friends and family directing a stranger was a new experience.

However that was quickly knocked on the head when I noticed the models seemed a bit more nervous and lets face it they had more right to be nervous then me. I didn't have several people who I had never met before sticking camera lenses in my face!

Now the exposure compensation was only one thing to bear in mind. The next was lighting. No bride is going to want a picture of her squinting!

Equally as important thought is giving direction and as I went on, I felt my confidence growing. I suppose the best way to put it is, that I knew what to do and now knew that I knew it!

Still with me?

Lizzie was a fantastic teacher as she seemed to be keeping a close eye on everyone in the group without being overbearing as it were.

The next important thing we were taught was to make good use of your surroundings. Now I severely doubt that before the course any of us would have considered asking a Bride to perch on a fence but this is what what member of the course suggested and the results proved to be well worth the effort.

Even if at one point I was lying down on the floor to try and get a unique viewpoint. This lead to one of my favourite images on the left here which my Mum thought was taken by somebody else rather then me.

The trip across the fence also highlighted one of those differences between men and women. The women on the course were about having a panic attack at the marks getting on the dresses. The guys were simply shrugging and though they would need to be cleaned then :-)

Keeping with the theme of using your surroundings, take a look on the picture on the right. One of my friends thought I had got this by getting them to peer down the lens??

But it wasn't. It is actually a reflection of them from a bottom of a well they were peering down. I'm sure you'll agree it's a interesting and very different shot that would never have occurred to me before.

 By this point we were all having a tremendous amount of fun and as we moved round the hall we were all starting to recognise and use different locations to make some fantastic photos. However the interesting thing was looking quickly at some of the others shots was that we were all taking pictures of the same people in the same locations but were were coming out with some very different shots 

However I was also learning another good rule for shooting weddings. To keep on your toes!

One of the models saw they had a visitor and promptly ran across the car park, giving us a opportunity to capture a rather unique set of shots of a running bride. I think she might have regretted the sprint mind you as we then asked her to do it several more times.

Now unfortunately I can't show even a tenth of the photos I took that day simply due to the fact I took so many, and don't even ask how long I was processing them for.

However the processing gave me a chance to experiment with a very different styles as below and is still causing some great debate with my friends as to which style is better.

This would be female friends mind you. The guys tend to look at them, shrug and say cool.

All too soon though the fading light, forced us back inside. However what was nice was that the course ran on for sometime after the official "finish time" as lizzie continued to give us more hints and advice.

Now like most things to do with photography the course was a bit(iittttttt) expensive but was it worth it?

Yes without a doubt it was. It helped give me some practical experience and gave me lots of useful advice.

Which I was recently able to put to very good use when I visited the chapel where the wedding is due to be held. Scouting the grounds, I found myself quickly compiling a list of useful locations of where certain shots could be taken, thinking of certain areas in ways I wouldn't have done before.

Also when meeting with the Bride and groom I was able to make suggestions when talking about the shots they wanted taking and assure them that I was more then happy to adapt and change to their suggestions but also that I was fully aware of what they could want for me. For example the Bride wasn't sure if I would be able to come and do shots of her and the bridesmaids getting ready and was greatly relieved when I explained I had already planned that as a given.

So that highlights the final and most important lesson of the course. Anything you can do to lighten the stress on the happy couple, do it!

However despite singing the praises of this course, I have been rather overtaken by events in that it was a course organised by jessops academy which unfortunately closed along with the rest of the jessops chain.

But I do know that Lizzie does run other training courses herself and if you have a chance to go to one I would recommend that you do.

Because I certainly will if the chance and the right course presents itself.