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This afternoon I am thrilled to introduce you to one of my super talented Featured Suppliers, fabulous photographer Richard Milnes Photography.  This North West based wedding photographer is just as happy rubbing shoulders with Hollywood royalty (get him!) as he is working all over the UK and Europe. 

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He’s recently been accepted into the WPJA, the Wedding Photojournalist Association, an international network of vigorously vetted professional photographers and is the recommended photographer at some of the North West’s most prestigious venues including Sandhole Oak Barn, The Monastery, The Mere, Quarry Bank Mill and Colshaw Hall.

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More importantly though, he wants to meet you and shoot your special day.  Let’s say hello!

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How did you get into wedding photography?

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I was working for a creative agency and was made redundant, at more or less the same time my girlfriend, now my wife, bought me a digital camera for my birthday. I quickly fell back in love with photography and was taken on at Affleck’s Palace in Manchester to create a photographic document of the place before it was sold to a development company. This lead to several exhibitions including one at Urbis.

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It was some years later that I discovered that my aunt had worked as a photographer and had a book published with her work shot in the Sahara. Not only that but my grandfather (from the same side of the family) had been a photographer when he lived in Jamaica before the war. I guess it must be in the blood!

I’m entirely self taught and I now have the pleasure of teaching other photographers, which is a great thrill and something I thoroughly enjoy doing.

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Why wedding photography specifically?

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I’ve always loved photographing people, I guess that I’ve always enjoyed watching people’s reactions when I show them a picture of themselves that really blows them away. I’ve also plenty of experience working in the fashion industry, for commercial agencies and for magazines, all of which require a specific set of skills and all of those skills can be applied to pretty much every wedding I ever shot!

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I often hear other photographers state that they would never shoot weddings, well for me a wedding is one of the few opportunities as a professional photographer I can really let the creative juices flow and be entirely honest with the work I produce. I love weddings, absolutely love them!

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What is your favourite thing about being a wedding photographer?

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I enjoy the freedom that being a wedding photojournalist allows me, my philosophy has always been ‘do less, do it better’ and being left to my own devices allows me to anticipate a ‘moment’ before it happens, and to be ready for it.

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Meeting couples for the first time who are enthusiastic about photography is always a genuine pleasure and some even save up or make savings elsewhere to hire me, which is a always a real privilege and an honour.

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I honestly think that I have one of the best jobs in the world, I’m very lucky.

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How do you get couples to relax on the day?

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Like many photographers now, I use an engagement shoot as a great way of breaking the photographic ice with a couple before the actual wedding. On the wedding day itself, I work in a very calm, professional manner. I make sure that I’m available if needed and out of sight when I’m not. I have also been known to help out with the occasional little ‘emergency’ such as opening a particularly stubborn bottle of champagne, fixing a dodgy stereo system or offering some last minute advice to a nervous groom, bride or, more often, the best man!

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Any advice to any brides who don’t like to have their picture taken?

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The majority of brides tell me that they don’t really enjoy having their photograph taken and I think it helps when I explain to them that it’s perfectly normal. Occasionally a member of the wedding party – even the bride – may make it known that they are feeling uncomfortable when they are in front of the camera and I always take the time to explain that if they see me taking a photograph, they can relax in the knowledge that it will be a great picture, otherwise I simply wouldn’t be taking it.

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My journalistic style enables the bride and the wedding party to enjoy the wedding knowing that they won’t be expected to pose for the camera, smile when they might not feel like smiling or be made to stand out in a field for the best part of an hour shivering!

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What sort of makeup should a bride wear to look great in her pictures?

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Now I’m no expert on make up but I would recommend using a professional make up artist for obvious reasons – it can also provide excellent opportunities for candid shots! Whatever you choose to do, I would recommend that you stay close to your comfort zone and try and avoid reflective make up as this can sometimes show up with flash photography (again, apologies for my lack of correct cosmetics terminology!)

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Anything to avoid which might look bad on the wedding pictures?

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My job as a wedding photojournalist is to make sure that you have an honest, beautiful and emotional document of the greatest day of your lives to keep for ever. It is also my job to ensure that I capture the laughter, the tears, the fun and games, all of the ‘moments’ that you may have missed.

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All you need to do is to relax, be yourselves and enjoy. I will take care of the rest.

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Which celebrity wedding would you most like to photograph and why?

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I’m fortunate enough to include a few celebrity names amongst my clients, both in the UK and the US, so don’t think it would be fair to choose one!

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I was recently both the best man and the photographer at a wedding in Beverly Hills, California and amongst the wedding party during my speech were some big Hollywood names including Harrison Ford and Calista Flockheart – now that’s pressure – Ricky Gervais eat your heart out!

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Any really memorable weddings that you have captured?

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There are so many to choose from for all kinds of different reasons, some of my most memorable moments at weddings have been entirely unexpected – at a recent wedding in Cheshire, the bride had recently lost a close friend, who had planted an apple tree in her garden. She had a single apple amongst her flower display on the top table which was the only apple that the tree had ever produced. Moments like that can really stay with you. I photograph a lot of military weddings and often there are some incredibly emotional moments at these weddings, for obvious reasons.

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As for dramatic and stylish, one of my very first weddings was for a member of the US Olympic team and her husband who hired me to photograph their wedding in the Algarve. The celebrations were spread over three days, with the first day being a mini-Olympics on a beautiful beach, which became quite competitive with all of the athletes who were in attendance! The wedding itself was in a picturesque 12^th century chapel and the final day was spent chilling out aboard a private galleon. Wow!

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Are you married? Tell us about your day?

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Yes, I married my wife Cass in 2008 and I’m ashamed to say that we did away with tradition and travelled to Las Vegas (without Elvis) for a week of hedonism and escapism which was just brilliant. The day itself is a blur of amazing food, champagne and machine guns – seriously!

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Any funny stories to share?

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A bride once me told me that she had been to see a husband & wife photographer team before she came over to see me. Unfortunately for them, they inadvertently called her and left her a long, explicit voicemail message of themselves blaming each other for missing some important shots whilst returning home from a wedding! Ooops!

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There was also a registrar last month who was unable to pronounce the bride’s name correctly, despite repeatedly trying over and over again – this brought the house down and even the bride and groom were in tears laughing by the time she got it right. It happens!

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What sets you apart from other wedding photographers?

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There are so many wedding photographers now that even I find it difficult to tell them apart, so it must be a very difficult job for brides to make a decision on who to book. One of the reasons that my work stands out is that I produce very honest, emotive images which are edited in a very straight forward way. This means that whilst the latest editing trends and styles may come and go, my photographs will hopefully remain timeless and won’t appear dated a few years down the line.

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What can a couple who book you expect on the day?

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A very professional, fun and entirely painless experience. I see my role as documenting the wedding, not influencing it, so it’s important for me to work in the background and keep a low profile throughout the wedding wherever possible. I am a very sociable person however, and I do enjoy talking with guests, many of whom will have their own cameras with them and I’m always happy to offer advice to the budding photographers amongst them!

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What is included in your "package"?

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My package includes;

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• Full day coverage, 2 hours prior to service until first dance
• A handmade, Italian Wedding Book, 40 pages, 120 images, crystal cover
• Two duplicate parent books
• High resolution images
• Social media pack.
• Personal website
• All contracts, invoices and wedding information stored & signed digitally

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Can you give us an idea on price?

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My album package starts at around £2,300. 

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Can you do a discount for Brides Up North readers?

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I’d be delighted to offer an album package upgrade worth £250.  Please quote Brides Up North when booking.

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How can Brides Up North get in touch with you/ see more examples of your work?

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For my professional images, www.richardmilnesphotography.com

For a mixture of professional and personal work, www.richardmilnesblog.com

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Brides Up North UK Wedding Blog – Images © 2012 Richard Milnes Photography

Richard Milnes Photography is a Brides Up North Featured Supplier and this is a sponsored post

Contact Brides Up North to submit your business as a Featured Supplier

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