You see although everyone’s idea of the perfect shooting conditions is a nice sunny day – it’s the cloudy days that can sometimes present the most creative opportunities.   And we do get a lot of cloudy conditions in Scotland, so we may as well use them to our advantage.

Such was the case for our latest pre-wedding photography shoot with Robin and Kath. The chosen location was Monifieth Beach on the River Tay, a few miles east of Dundee.   The weather was kind to us – it was dry and bright, although cloudy, but it was very cold, so we had to work fast.

So when presented with the lighting conditions (bright soft lighting on a bright sandy beach) we have a few options on the types of images we could do – after a brief discussion with Robin and Kath we decided to go for a moody skies look – we would darken the skies to make the clouds look much darker and use off-camera lighting to make the couple stand out from their environment.

For the photographs on the beach, we setup the camera to under-expose the beach scene (i.e. make the background appear a litter darker than it really was) – this gives us the moody skies. I then setup my flash unit (or speedlight as we photographers call them) on a light stand to one side of Robin and Kath. We then program the flash to provide the correct lighting on the couple and help separate them from the under-exposed scene and add some impact to the image.  (Are you following along now…).

The reason we set the flash up off-camera to one side is to give some shadow and depth to our handsome subjects, rather than have the very flat look you would get if the flash was mounted on the camera itself.

Here then are the results of the photoshoot – Both myself and Robin and Kath were very pleased with the results, and we got the exact mood we were looking for on the beach scenes.

Robin and Kath are due to get married in just a couple of weeks time up at one of my favourite wedding venues, (and one of Scotland’s finest), Dalmunzie Castle in Glenshee, Perthshire. You can read all about Dalmunzie in a review I did of the wedding venue last year.

This will be our first of two visits to Dalmunzie Castle this year and both Morag and I are very much looking forward to it.

Like what you see? Want to see more? You can view our portfolio here.

Interested in speaking to us about your Wedding Photography or Portrait requirements? We cover wedding and portrait commissions throughout Scotland (and even further afield if you are planning a wedding overseas).  You can contact us by using the “Contact” menu at the top of the page, or you can reach us on 01259 210299 or 07887 835431 or via email at weddings@alanhutchison.co.uk

We’d love to hear from you.

P.S. In the meantime, we’d be delighted if you would be kind enough to leave comments and feedback for us below, our couples always appreciate reading the many nice comments we get on the blog, so please don’t be shy!  And if you have any questions about any aspects of our wedding and portrait photography, even a technical question, please feel free to ask.

Glasgow Science Centre was the couple’s choice of venue for the photography shoot, and what a great choice it was.  Great architecture, great weather and a great couple – an excellent combination!

Here are a few of my favourite images from the session:-

Interested in a Pre-Wedding Shoot?

We currently offer complimentary pre-wedding shoots with all of our Album packages and they offer an excellent opportunity to get some really cool images of you and your partner prior to your wedding day.

At the end of the session we present you with your favourite image as a mounted 20 x 16″ print – and if you wish we can create a signature area where you can get your weddings guests to sign the image on your big day – it makes for a wonderful keepsake.

Like what you see? Want to see more?

Please view our portfolio section to see some more of our work?

Want a Pre-wedding shoot but you’re already married?

Don’t worry, we also offer our “Aftershoot Sessions” – a chance to get some really contemporary photographs taken, perhaps to celebrate a first anniversary or even a special birthday.  Or why not get the wedding dress back on and do a “Cherish the Dress” shoot or even go a little wilder and do a “Trash the Dress” shoot?  Drop us an email using the Contact menu at the top of the page or call us on 01259 210299 or 07887 835431.

We’d love to hear from you.

P.S. My assistant photographer ( and lovely wife ) Morag can’t stop herself checking in on Living TV’s Four Weddings series – Four brides pitch their weddings against each other for the chance to win a “dream” honeymoon – whatever possesses these people?  Sheer madness.  It’s dreadfully trash TV but somehow Morag can’t seem to stop herself from watching it.  We should however add that anyone that wants to book us for their “Robin Hood” themed wedding – Erm, the answer will be a polite “No thank you”.  LOL

P.P.S. If you are looking for a slightly more sensible source of TV-based wedding inspiration, check out Wedding TV on Sky 266 or Freesat 400, or better still go grab yourself a copy of Real Life Weddings magazine.

It’s fair to say that Scotland has had an interesting Winter so far this year, so the weather was always at the back of our mind when planning this particular shoot.

Nicola and Paul elected to have their photoshoot in Edinburgh’s fabulous Royal Botanic Gardens – the idea being that if the heaven’s opened we could get inside the famous Glasshouses for some shelter.

As luck would have it, the rain stayed away for most of the time and we managed to do all our shots outside.

Although I’m sure we would all like to have a nice sunny day when getting our photographs taken, you can see from this set that you can still get lovely colourful shots even on a dull overcast day, just like it was last Sunday.

Nicola and Paul will be using the shots from this session to be made up into a custom designed Wedding Guest Book – we will also make up some cool Moo cards which will feature their pictures and the website address where their guests will be able to view their final wedding pictures.

The couple’s big day is just a couple of weeks away now and will be held at the Orocco Pier in South Queensferry. Orocco Pier is a fabulous wedding venue with its stunning location between the two Forth Bridges and its own little private beach area, so we’re really looking forward to this one.

I’m off to check the tide timetables to see if we can get them down onto the Beach.  Okay, I know it’s still the middle of Winter but we’re hardy us Scots, don’t you know!

This pre-wedding photoshoot saw us walking around the beautiful grounds of the Stirling University Campus. The University’s grounds are huge and I was fortunate to find a couple of new locations I’d never used before – including the stunning brick wall that you can see in a few of these images – this is right at the back of the university grounds where it backs onto Logie Kirk.

Jacqueline and Tam are getting married in Bridge of Allan Church near Stirling and have chosen one of Scotland’s finest hotels for their wedding reception, the world famous Dunblane Hydro.  The Hydro (now a Doubletree by Hilton property) has had a recent refurbishment, so it will make a stunning venue for their wedding.

So from these photos you can clearly see the hot pink coat, the stunning brick wall and the campus. But what about the Abba tribute band? Well that would courtesy of Tam who on regular occasions dons a wig and platform soles as his alter ego Benny in Scotland’s finest Abba tribute band, Abba-Cadabra.

I can’t wait for this wedding whan Tam says “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do”, and to see whether it’s Jacqueline or Tam who will prove to be the “Dancing Queen”.  Thanks for being a pair of real “Super Troupers” on an otherwise cold Scottish day.

Like what you see? You can view my portfolio here.

This time it was the turn of Tracy and Greg from Stirling.

Like most grooms-to-be Greg was a little bit apprehensive about the photoshoot and didn’t quite know what to expect. Fortunately he soon relaxed into it and the results speak for themselves.

It was a typical Scottish November day – damp and cold.  Tracy and Greg however, were real troopers and quite happy to sit or even lie on the ground in the pursuit of a “cool” image (pardon the pun). The results were some stunning, and indeed very cool pictures.

Tracy and Greg get married next April at the Stirling Highland Hotel which is a stunning venue for their wedding. They also have permission to have their wedding photographs taken at nearby Stirling Castle, which is often referred to as Scotland’s finest example of castle architecture.  So this will be a fantastic backdrop for their wedding photographs.

Can’t wait!

Like what you see? Want to see more? You can view my portfolio here.

Of course, whilst a good location helps to make a good photoshoot, its all about the couple.  For this shoot we have Carrie and Scott from Alloa – they are getting married next year at the fabulous Royal Hotel in Bridge of Allan which is just outside Stirling – an excellent choice of wedding venue.

Carrie and Scott had never had professional photographs taken before so I don’t think they knew quite what to expect and approached shoot with a little trepidation I think.  This is one of the key reasons I try to do all our pre-wedding photography in a quiet location at a quiet time of day – that way you can relax into the shoot and not have to worry about any bystanders watching proceedings and wondering if the couple being photographed are some new reality stars or something!

Once again we came away with a great set of images of a great looking couple. Thanks guys.

Now that we are back home in Scotland, today’s blog post shows the results of the pre-wedding photoshoot I did with Eilidh and Peter just before I left on holiday.

Eilidh and Peter are getting married next July at Alloa Baptist Church and then onwards to Stirling Management Centre, which is located within the grounds of Stirling University (one of Scotland’s finest Educational establishments).  Stirling Management Centre is an excellent Wedding Venue which is often overlooked by couples in favour of the traditional hotel function suite.  So if you are planning a wedding in the Stirlingshire area, be sure to add them to you shortlist of potential venues.

I arranged to meet Eilidh and Peter at the Stirling University Campus and we took some shots in the beautiful grounds there.  Then we nipped down to the area surrounding the “new” Stirling Bridge, which links Stirling Town Centre and the Railway Station with the new part of town. This area is currently being re-developed from the remnants of the old Players Cigarette factory (how time passes!).  The pace of the re-development has been very very slow and I really feel for the businesses located over there – however it does present some excellent photography opportunities.

As a Scottish wedding photographer I am always looking for new locations and this was the first time I’d taken a couple to this particular spot and fortunately it worked out great and we got some really cool images.

Just before jumping on a plane for the States I emailed the images to Eilidh and Peter and I was very pleased to receive a lovely reply from them when I was away, saying how much they loved the photos.  Thanks guys, it was great fun taking the images and I’m really looking forward to your wedding next year.

For my latest pre-wedding photoshoot, Stirling-based couple Laura and Ollie had asked me if they could bring along their dog Sam. I was more than happy to oblige (although I must admit to a little trepidation). I’d never considered myself a pet photographer, but fortunately it all worked out fine, and Sam proved to be an absolute star.

Laura and Ollie are getting married in July 2010 at Logie Kirk in Stirling and then on to Stirling Management Centre, in the grounds of Stirling University, for their wedding reception.

For their pre-wedding photographs we headed up to Bridge of Allan Reservoir on the outskirts of Stirling, a favourite dog-walking spot for the couple, and an excellent location for photography.

Although nervous at first Sam soon settled down in front of the camera and as you can see from these images, was very quickly vying to steal the limelight away from Laura and Ollie.

Of course we can’t have the Scottish countryside without a little rain, but it all turned out well and we had a wonderful photoshoot resulting in some stunning images.

In Morag and Simon’s case their choice of location was to be the spot where they they originally got engaged, Wallace Monument, one of Scotland’s most popular tourist attractions.

As a Scottish Wedding Photographer who was born in the shadow of “The Wallace”, this is a particularly favourite location of mine and is right bang in the middle of my home patch of Central Scotland.

Wallace Monument stands proud on Abbey Craig rock high above the town of Stirling, and was opened to the public in 1861 to recognise one of Scotland’s greatest heroes, Sir William Wallace (or as Hollywood now affectionately knows him, “Braveheart“).

Nowadays, you can actually get married at the top of Wallace Monument – just keep your fingers crossed that it’s not too windy a day!.

In Morag and Simon’s case they are getting married next year at the stunning wedding venue of Airth Castle Hotel, once owned by the family of another Scottish hero, King Robert the Bruce.  Airth Castle Hotel and Spa is one of Scotland’s premier wedding venues and will make a stunning backdrop for Morag and Simon’s wedding photography.

So, on to the photographs from their pre-wedding photoshot at what was NOT a “semi-private” location by any measure.  Cue the magic trick of making 300 tourists, also visiting Wallace Monument that day, disappear……

Glenskirlie House and Castle is a simply stunning wedding venue and is very popular with couples throughout Scotland.  Glenskirlie House and Castle can be found just off the main M80/A80 Glasgow to Stirling road at Kilsyth Road, Banknock on the A803.

Laura and Allan decided on Stirling as the backdrop for their pre-wedding photography and we decided on Stirling’s Kings Park as the initial location.

However, being in Scotland you can never be sure of the weather and it started to bucket down with rain. Of course, scottish wedding photographers are always prepared for a spot of rain, so plan B was implemented and we found a number of areas of shelter around the town in some really cool locations.

Laura and Allan handled the rain like troopers and we all agreed we ended up with some really cool shots.

Thanks for being such great sports!

The location for this photoshoot was North Third Reservoir which lies up in the hills just South of Stirling in Central Scotland.  This was where Stuart originally proposed to Margaret so it was an ideal location.  Stuart did however propose at the top of the cliffs you can see in these photos – However, I think he took one look at me and figured it might be safer for us to take the low road and head for the waters edge rather than consider the potential danger that he might have to carry me (and my camera equipment) back to the car. Wise choice.

Weather is always a potential concern for an outdoor photoshoot in Scotland, but whilst it had been threatening rain all day, it stayed dry and we even got got a few rays of gorgeous evening sunshine.

The other problem us Scottish Wedding Photographers have to contend with now and again is the mighty Scottish midge (aka mosquito).  The midges and horseflies were rampant that day and I have the bites to prove it.  I also had to clone a few of the little flying beasties out of these shots, and ditch more than a few out of focus shots as I wafted the little blighters away.

Fortunately all ended well and we had a fabulous photoshoot with great results.  Margaret and Stuart are having a Marquee wedding next year in Kippen near Stirling, Central Scotland.  Let’s hope the midges give us a little peace that day.

We recently enhanced this package by replacing the mounted print with a brand new offering that is designed to showcase the best images of the day and to present them in a truly unique manner.

The Wedding Guest Book is a customised product designed to showcase the images taken of you both on your pre-wedding shoot and incorporating lots of space for your guests to write their messages of congratulations. This is a wedding guest book that is truly like no other.

What better way to start of your wedding preparations than to get out into the Scottish countryside and take some wonderful images. Although we are based near Stirling, we can actually organise a pre-wedding photoshoot almost anywhere convenient. So whether its a favourite haunt in Glasgow, or a beauty spot in Edinburgh, (or even your marriage venue itself), we’ll find the perfect backdrop to the start of your wedding preparations.

Featured in these images is the Wedding Guest Book we created for Alicia and Paul who are getting married in July. This photoshoot took place at Glamis Castle in Perthshire.

The free pre-wedding photoshoot offer must finish at the end of this month. So if you have a date set and have yet to book your photographer, give us a call.

A couple of weeks ago on a delightfully sunny weekend I found myself up at the great wedding venue of Dalmunzie Castle in Glenshee, Perthshire to do a pre-wedding photoshoot with Ian and Jill.

Although I am based in Stirling, as a Wedding Photographer I market my services throughout the whole of Scotland, so it was not unusual to find myself in the Central Highlands of Scotland.

I will be photographing Ian and Jill’s wedding day at Dalmunzie Castle in July 2010 and this was an opportunity for all of us to get to know each other better and most importantly for them to assess my skills as their wedding photographer.

On a pre-wedding photoshoot such as this we’ll typically aim to capture around 10-15 great images that the couple can then use however they wish (many couples use them for save the date cards or frame their favourite image as a family keepsake) .

Ian and Jill were great fun to work with and in the end we presented them with around 25 images which we will use to create a fully customised Wedding Guest book (more about that in an upcoming post).  Family and friends can view the full collection of images in the clients area.

So to help with your decision-making process, I thought I would suggest some sensible questions, and at the same time give you my response. Kind of like talking to myself really (but don’t tell anyone).

1. How would you define your style?

I personally shoot mostly with a photojournalism (or reportage) style, but I mix this with a blend of contemporary posed images. I also try to work in some “wow” high fashion style photography as well.   Ultimately however, I work with you to get the final “mix” just right, but I aim for a contemporary rather than traditional look.   I want to be able to tell the story of your day in pictures, and ensure everyone has a relaxed and fun time doing it.

2. I have certain ideas I would like – can you do these?

Of course – I love to hear new ideas.  I’ll try anything and work with you to get the look you want (Within reason – just don’t mention parachutes).

3. Can you show me a complete set of recent wedding pictures?

On this website you’ll find some examples of my work. However, when I meet you both face to face to present my photography, I will show you examples of a number of completed weddings – so you are seeing what a final finished album would look like, rather than just my favourite images.

4. Are you insured?

Yes, I am fully insured for Public Liability and Professional Indemnity and all our equipment is covered for loss damage, flood, plagues of locusts etc.

5. Are you a member of any professional photography organisations?

Yes. I am very proud to be one of only twoScottish photographers to have attained membership of the prestigious Artistic Guild of the Wedding Photojournalist Association (AG|WPJA).  Membership is extremely tightly controlled and less than 5% of all applicants are actually accepted.  I am also a fully Qualified (LSWPP) member of the Society of Wedding and Portrait Professionals (SWPP).

6. What happens if you fall ill on the day?

I take an aspirin and plough on. On a more serious note, being a member of two professional associations, I have access to their “SOS” systems to help out in a crisis.  I also maintain reciprocal relationships with a number of other photographers who offer standby support if such an event were to occur.

7. What happens if your camera develops a fault?

I have backups, and I have backups for my backups. Basically I have a huge range of professional camera equipment and I duplicate everything. So if a camera or lens were to fail I have another to hand.

8. What happens if it rains?

We all might get a bit wet and I love a good challenge!  Unfortunately in Scotland, this does tend to happen quite frequently, so I always plan for it and will discuss a “plan B” with you before the big day. I also carry a couple of very handy large umbrellas and my cameras can withstand a lot of rain – basically it won’t stop you having stunning pictures.  (One of our best ever weddings was shot in Monsoon rain conditions on a dark November afternoon.)

9. Can my other guests take pictures?

Of course they can.  I positively encourage them to get involved and can quite often be found handing out little titbits of advice to fellow photography enthusiasts.

10. Can you take a picture of my favourite Aunt / Uncle /  Cat etc and how long will all the family group shots take?

Yes, yes, and yes – if there are any “must-have” pictures on the day, just let me know. All I do ask is, that if there are a lot of “formal” group images to be taken, then please allow me a little more time within your planning schedule.  When working out the time required between the Ceremony and the Reception I always suggest allowing 5 minutes per formal family group and if you are doing a group shot of all guests then allow 15 minutes.  Then add 15 minutes for the general congratulatory hugs etc after the ceremony. Then think about how much time you want to spend your two selves on your Couples shots – the longer you spend the better results, but on average we spend about 30 minutes with a couple on their own.

11. When will I see my pictures and when will I receive my Album, oh and do I get digital copies of my images?

My objective is to have your images ready for viewing by the time you return from Honeymoon (14 days generally).

I initially layout the draft album design and will then sit down with you to approve the final layout. Once finalised I then allow two to four weeks to get the album back from the printers and into your hands.

We provide a disk of digital images with all of our wedding collections – in this modern age of electronic communications we believe it would be ridiculous not to provide you with these.  Please note that these are not provided copyright-free – copyright remains with us as the photographer, however we grant you a license to use the images for personal use.  We also provide an online gallery where friends and family can order copies of any prints.

12. How can I actually be sure that you’ll be any good and that we’ll get along?

Well I’ve won numerous awards and last year I won the SWPP Members Choice Wedding Photographer of the Year award – the SWPP is one of the worlds largest associations for professional awards – the award was voted for by my fellow professionals.  On our album collections we also include a complimentary pre-wedding photoshoot, so you’ll have a chance to experience our photography skills first hand before the big day.

13. Being Wedding Photographer of the Year doesn’t that mean you’ll be very expensive?

Our prices start at just £995 (midweek weddings start at £695), so we can provide you with award-winning photography whatever your budget. Apart from the Wedding Dress and the Wedding Rings, your Wedding photographs are most likely going to be the only tangible items you will have left after the big day – memories are precious, so you deserve the best of quality for your wedding day.

14. Who will actually take my photographs?

That will be me, Alan Hutchison.  For busier weddings my wife and business partner, Morag, will also be on hand to assist me during the day and will also be taking photographs, but I will be the main photographer.

15. So if we have two photographers on the day – will that cost me more?

No. For our weekend weddings, you will normally have two photographers on the day, but we don’t charge you for an extra photographer, as the bulk of the photographs are taken by me.  At smaller, more intimate weddings I would typically attend that wedding on my own, to ensure that the intimacy is maintained.

16. Do you cope well under pressure and what about any emergencies on the day?

Yes I’m a fairly relaxed individual, so I find I cope well with pressure – just last year we photographed the Wedding of Wimbledon Doubles Champion Jamie Murray. His Best Man was his brother and World number 4 Andy Murray, so the wedding was surrounded by the World’s media – that was a very high pressure situation as we also had to release a formal photograph to the Worlds press just 30 minutes after the ceremony – not something we normally have to handle at a typical wedding.  For emergencies we’ve found that keeping a sewing kit to hand  is fine for 99% of all wedding emergencies.

17. How far ahead do I need to book?

That is entirely down to you. I only shoot one wedding on any one day, so to avoid disappointment you should try to reserve your date as soon as possible.  However, in these modern times a lot of couples plan their wedding in a relatively short time period, so I can and do get bookings at relatively short notice. So the upshot is, book early if you can. But if you do have a last minute booking just ask – if I can’t help you, I can perhaps help find you an alternative photographer.  Currently we are booking weddings up to two years ahead.

18. My Wedding is not in Scotland is that a problem?

Not at all.  Firstly we do weddings throughout Scotland – for more remote locations we may ask for a small travel or accommodation supplement if a trip would require overnight accommodation.  We can also do weddings anywhere in the United Kingdom and also Overseas – again we would add a travel supplement but this would be just to cover our expenses at cost. We have a vacation home in Florida so I’m used to working in very hot and very sunny conditions, so we wouldn’t have any problems photographing a Wedding in any location – just ask.

19. Wonderful. How do we take this forward?

It’s very straightforward. Why don’t we arrange an initial meeting, you can tell us all about your wedding plans and we can show you some more of our work?  We are based just outside Stirling and have a purpose built viewing gallery so that we can present our work to you in the best way possible.  If you are contacting us from a distance or are based overseas we can arrange a telephone conference call and present our work to you over the Internet.

20. Great. How can we get in touch?

Easy. Complete our enquiry form by clicking the Contact menu at the top of this page or give us a call on 01259 210299 or 07887 835431.

Right.  Just one more question.  Can I get a coffee?

Of course, the coffees are on me.

So there you have it – if you have any other questions not on this list, please feel free to ask me directly or stick them into the comments and I’ll come back with an answer.

If you would like to view our Portfolio you can do so here.

If you would like to make an appointment to discuss your own wedding photography requirements, then please complete our contact form or give us a call on 01259 210299 or 07887 835431.

When we discussed the plans for the Photoshoot the couple immediately suggested Glamis Castle, and Alicia knew exactly when – “Let’s wait until the daffodils are out – for me they represent Scotland”.  Alicia’s timing was perfect.