Choosing Your Wedding Photographer

After some recent articles in the press and television about some people who have been dissappointed with their photographers I thought It might be an idea to write an articlegiving some advice on my tips for choosing a wedding photographer in Northern Ireland
OK so you have got engaged and have decided on your location, you need to find a wedding photographer. Most importantly you need to find a photographer that suits you. Your wedding day is a unique event and one of the most important days in your life. Your wedding photographer is out there somewhere and there are lots to choose from. Some are part-time, others full-time; some come with professional accreditation others do not There is also a huge variation in fees and charges. How do you decide?

Here are some general ideas to help you choose :-
Choosing a date is just the start of what will likely be one of the busiest periods of your life. Your wedding can take so much work and planning and then it's over in a flash, the day can whiz by so quickly that it is easy to miss many things. That's why choosing a photographer is a crucial part of your plans as it is their job to capture the essence and spirit of the day in an enduring set of images that will last forever. No matter who you choose it is vital to feel relaxed and at ease with your choice

A good photographer will make you look like a star, but still capture the real you.

1. What should I look for in my photographer
Most importantly, when choosing a photographer you should choose someone you feel comfortable with and who produces photographs in a style you like as they are going to photograph one of the most important days of your life.

A photographer who is a member of a professional photographic will be able to produce work to a high standard in any situation. Always ask to view a complete wedding album from a recent wedding, and not just look at the photographers best photos.

Meet with your photographer prior to the day, and ensure they knows the type of pictures you want

2. Photographic Style
Over the last few years, there has been a great change in the range of photographic styles available from the classic traditional posed shots of groups of family & friends, signing the register and the cutting of the cake, etc to totally journalistic shots. In reality what most couples want is a mix but where even the ‘posed’ shots are relaxed and enjoyable.

Black & white images which are well composed and taken have a great timeless quality. Good photography should be about capturing emotion, expression, and of course story telling.

I will continue with some more later
Northern Ireland Photographer
Colin Turtle is a wedding and portrait photographer based near Ballymena covering weddings across Northern Ireland.
He is an award winning photographer and lecturer at The Societies Photographic Convention in London which is the biggest photographic convention in Europe.

Wedding in Broughshane and Templepatrick

On Saturday I had the honour of being asked to cover the wedding of Laura and John in St Patricks Church in Broughshane.  This was a bit of an unusual experience for me because even though I am from the area I dont get the chance to do that many weddings locally.

Add that to the fact that I have known Laura and her family for longer than I can remember and also know quite a few of the guests I am not ashamed to say I was a little bit more nervous than usual.

But I need not have worried...it was a lovely fun day..The weather was cold and damp and there were lots of showers etc but nothing could dampen the spirits and enjoyment we all experienced.

St Patrick's in Broughshane is a lovely old church with lots of character. Following the church service we all headed to Templepatrick and the reception was held in the Templeton Hotel.

The bridal party stopped for a short time at Castle Upton which is just opposite the Templeton.
The castle has some lovely grounds and creates a good backdrop for many pictures and even though the
weather was cold and wet both Laura and John and the rest of the bridal party were undeterred.

We sheltered between the showers and then popped out when the shower subsided to grab the shots we needed.

I will post a few shots in the next day or two.




Wedding Photographer Northern Ireland
www.colinturtle.co.uk

New Studio

For the past number of months I've been investigating a project that is going to completely transform the way I work.Up until now I have had a small office in my home for my wedding photography where I do all my admin and meet clients.

Well after many months of planning and various steps with appropriate agencies I have finally got to the stage where it is in progress and I will have a decent studio space.This has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember .
I have a decent sized space about 450sq ft with good high ceilings ,lots of work will be required over the next wee while  but it is a great challenge to get the building work started and then design the interior space to be both a practical and comfortable area to work in .

I really hope to be fully operational within a short time although I'd rather take a little longer and try to get things as good as possible rather than rush into decisions that might be wrong.

exciting times ahead.


Colin Turtle
Northern Ireland Photographer


Northern Ireland Photographer

The Giants Causeway - Northern Ireland

The other evening I had the pleasure of a trip to the Giants Causeway with another photographer for a little bit of landscape pjotography and chill-out time . The Causeway is now a designated UNESCO World Heritage site and its not difficult to see why. It is truely the jewel in the Crown for the County Antrim and indeed Northern Ireland coastline.


Whether you suscribe to the science of the Causeway being the result of volcanic activity on teh Antrim Plateau or prefer the Legend of Finn McCool building the Causeway to Scotland to fight Benandonner, and the ensuing legends.

For centuries tourists have gazed at the wonders of the Giants Causeway. The unique and uniformity of the columns which intrigue and inspire in equal measure.The Causeway demands that you allow your imagination to 'run wild' and think about the myths and legends,you simply cant help it.

This is a few if the shots I took...The light was not the best and there was not a lot of cloud to add to the skies but I am relatively pleased with the results. I also forgot some of my filters so had to improvise which was fun.

Landscape Photography Northern Ireland

2011 Bridal Shows and new products

It's that time of the year again when there are a few Bridal Fayres so I thought I'd post the details of the ones that I have on the agenda for the next couple of months.There will most likely be more later in the year.

Our diary is filling up quickly, especially for 2011…but I still have some dates available.

Ross Park Hotel
The Ross Park bridal Fair will take place on  Sunday 20th March 2011, 2pm-5pm

I am delighted that this year I have been invited take part so will have a stand in the Kells and Connor Suite.

So if you are planning to visit pop in and say hello and see what we have on offer. I might even have a few sweets !!!

New Albums
I am hoping to introduce some additional brand new albums to my range over the next few months.These have just been released for 2011 from the suppliers so are not yet available but hopefully it will not be too long. In the meantime I have to make do with some brochure shots of the new albums.However all my current albums will be available to view at the bridal fayres.

I will also be showing the brand new DVD slideshows of wedding imaages which are now available.
We are also offering some new wall art products in addition to the normal framed prints, acrylics and canvas wraps

Wedding Photography in Northern Ireland

 

Wedding Photography in Northern Ireland

Thisi is just a wee bit of self promotion by posting a link to a short video slideshow showing showing some of my work . It will hopefully give a feel for the type of wedding photography that I do but there is no substitite for actually meeting with your wedding phtoographer and personally discussing all your requirements.

Wedding Photographer Northern Ireland
http://www.colinturtle.co.uk/

Getting Married in 2011 or 2012

Well I just thought I'd post this wee note to tell everyone that there are still a few dates available for 2011, if you are getting married this year please get in touch for a chat.

A lot of couples have also been in contact for 2012 and quite a few dates are now booked up and there are a few really well orgainsed people who have booked for 2013 !!!

So for all you couples out there who have not yet booked your photographer please give me a call.We can arrange to meet for a chat over coffee and I can show you some fo my work , there is absolutely no obligation.


Wedding Photography in Northern Ireland
e-mail: info@colinturtle.co.uk
www.colinturtle.co.uk

Happy Valentines Day - Special Offers

It seems like no time at all since we celebrated Christmas and the New Year and already here we are at Valentines Day!


But romance is certainly in the air and it's a great time to get engaged and with Spring is just around the corner celebrate new beginnings.

Hopefully winter will soon come to an end and Spring sees thing start to warm up for the busy wedding season in Nortern Ireland.  I just love to get out there and photograph couples who have either just got engaged, or even those who simply want to celebrate being together in a more original way than buying a bunch of roses...

A pre-wedding or engagement shoot, it's a great way to get to know me and also get to see how it feels to have photography session - a kind of taster before the big day.

If it's a portrait session, it can be an excuse to get close and a bit of fun and flirting in the great outdoors can feel like a bit of a spring clean!

If you book your wedding photography between now and the end of March I am including a free 'lifestyle'
shoot . If booking a couples portrait session I am offering a standard 'lifestyle' portrait session for £100 in a place of your choosing, including prints and a movie slideshow from the day.

If you want to have some fun, have a great day out, and do something a little different, then give me a shout

Wedding Photography in Northern Ireland
e-mail: colin@colinturtle.co.uk
www.colinturtle.co.uk

Northern Ireland Wedding Venues

OK folks so we are blessed in Northern Ireland in that there are literally hundreds of potential venues for your reception and ceremony. So I thought I might do a small series of articles on some of them.

These articles are just some basic notes and should not be considered to be any recommendation or otherwise of any particular venue they are simply some information that you might  find useful in your quest for your ideal wedding.

So where to start: Well I might as well start close to home and cover the hotels around Ballymena, I will then expend to others in County Antrim and beyond. This is an ongoing project that will run for a few months .

Article on the first in the list to follow shortly


Northern Ireland Wedding Photographer
http://www.colinturtle.co.uk/

SWPP Convention -- Shattered

I have just got home on Monday evening after 5 exhausting days in London at the biggest photography convention in Europe.
This year I was honoured to be asked to take part as one of the guest speakers and to give two masterclasses. So I flew over for a total of 5 days .

While there I met with some of the icons of world photography and got to attend several lectures and mastercalsses given by others. I had a fantastic time though have to admit that I am now feeling totally exhausted. Though totally inspired and really looking forward to forthcoming weddings



Colin Turtle Northern Ireland Photographer
http://www.colinturtle.co.uk/