Under the spotlight today is the wonderfully talented Cornwall wedding photographer, Christian Michael.  Christian is a beautifully innovative photographer, mixing creative, reportage and photojournalistic styles to produce stunning wedding images.  Christian lives in Cornwall and has built up a depth of  knowledge and experience photographing weddings in the stunning scenery of the South West.  He works mainly in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset but has worked all over the UK and is available for commissions just about anywhere.

I’m thrilled to be able to exhibit some of Christian’s imagery, so enough from me.  Read more from the man himself in his interview with WPG:

Pendennis Castle, Cornwall

WPG:  How long have you been photographing weddings?
CHRISTIAN: I had the pleasure of being asked to shoot my first wedding at age 17 and despite feeling massive pressure I loved every minute of the day. My couple were delighted with their images and a seed was sown. I’ve been shooting full time as a wedding photographer since 2007 and document around 50-60 weddings a year.

WPG: What is it that you love about photographing weddings?
CHRISTIAN: I love the variety of photographic challenges. One moment you are working as a commercial photographer to get the detail shots, then a portrait photographer to get the people shots, then a landscape photographer to get the full scene of a wedding location. I also love the interaction you get with the bride and groom and their guests as I am very much a people person. I also thrive under pressure and I never forget that I am documenting the couple’s special day and their thoughts, ideas and wishes are always at the forefront of my photography.

WPG: How would you describe your wedding photography style?
CHRISTIAN: I would say that my style is very reportage. This means that I document the wedding day as it unfolds working very much as a ‘fly on the wall’ photographer. This means that I won’t take control of your day and direct it like some other photographers do.

WPG: Do you have a favourite type of wedding that you like to shoot?
CHRISTIAN: My favourite type of wedding to shoot is one where my clients have complete trust in me to document their day. I always take the opportunity to have a chat with them via phone/skype/email to assure them that I will provide a beautiful everlasting memory of their day.

WPG: Which areas of the UK and abroad do you cover?
CHRISTIAN: The short answer to that is everywhere! Being based in Cornwall means I document more weddings in the South West due to my location, but I have been requested to travel across the UK and abroad after clients have seen my images, and I have been recommended.

WPG: What is your approach to shooting a wedding?
CHRISTIAN: To record everything! As I mentioned in my ‘style’ I like to document the day as it unfold taking shots of all the finest of details, right from the morning preparations through to the first dance.

WPG: Which is your favourite photo?
CHRISTIAN: That’s such a hard question. I have so many favourites from my years in the industry, and each of them mean something, and remind me of a moment captured in time. If I had to choose one right now, I would say a shot of Nicole’s father seeing her for the first time in her dress after she walked down the stairs. His face shows such emotion, and Nicole went straight to sorting his cravat as she was feeling extra emotional too!

WPG: Do you have a tip or two for couples who are looking for the right wedding photographer for their wedding?/ If you were hiring a wedding photographer for your own wedding what would you look for?
CHRISTIAN: I would recommend that couples first decide what style of photographer they would like. If they are after lots of posed images, and vast numbers of group shots, then I am not the photographer for them. I got married a little over a year ago and my associate photographer documented my wife and I’s special day in much the same style as I do. I would check the photographer’s Blog for their recent work, to make sure that they are still producing great shots on a weekly basis.

WPG: What is the best piece of advice you can give brides and grooms to make their day go smoothly?
CHRISTIAN: Have a plan and don’t stress! It’s almost an inevitability that something won’t go quite as you expect it, or will run a little late, and I would say to wedding couples not to let it worry them and go with the flow! If you have good suppliers then they will be able to cope with almost anything that happens!

WPG: What are your favourite local wedding locations?
CHRISTIAN: My favourite local locations would be the Carbis Bay Hotel, as it’s directly above a beautiful beach, and Bovey Castle on Dartmoor as its simply stunning with the most amazing grounds.

Bovey Castle Wedding, Devon

WPG: What are some of your favourite destinations locations?
CHRISTIAN: The small island of Capri in Italy was one of my favourite International locations, and across the UK, I love shooting at Clearwell Castle in the Forrest of Dean and Leez Priory on the outskirts of London.

Leez Priory Wedding, Essex

WPG: What is the secret for a great wedding album design?
CHRISTIAN: Simplicity! I like to think that my photos tell the story of the day, and I see no need to over complicate the design with swirls, and faded images. I like to show off my clients images with either a crisp white or black background, but I always work with my couples to achieve the album design that they want.

WPG: What is your most memorable moment as a wedding photographer?/ Do you have a favourite wedding story?
CHRISTIAN: Oh there are too many to list! I’ve had no ‘horror stories’ but there are so many moments that leave a lasting impression on me. It’s always such an honour to document someone’s special day, and to be party to those special moments is privilege.

If you would like to book Christian for your wedding, his website is www.christianmichael.co.uk where you can find a full gallery of images. You can email him: studio@christianmichael.co.uk or call him directly: 01736 741518.  Take a look at more of Christian’s images in our gallery:

This stunning venue recently hosted the ‘Wedding For all Seasons’ wedding fayre, designed and organised by The Wedding Affair. Central to the fayre was the Design Quarter – an area set aside under the old priory itself for an amazing range of floral and wedding breakfast displays to take brides through the four wedding seasons in flowers and decorations. Yorkshire photographer Peter Boyd was kind enough to offer his stunning images of the event.

Firenza Floral Design in Halifax designed the ‘Springtime’ wedding quarter, created using scented flowers and herbs in a natural style. Flowers used include hellebore, tulip, hyacinth, ranunculus, various roses including scented garden roses, white broom, wax flower and rosemary. The central table included Hyacinth filled troughs and glass vases with masses of white broom.

Stationery was designed in complimentary colours and style to complete the look by Natalie Ramsell from I am Nat, chair covers were provided by Claire Mischevani and table settings by www.whitehousecrockery.co.uk, bridal dresses by Plush Bridal Boutique, from Pocklingtonm .

The Summer section of the design quarter was dressed by the fabulously talented wedding florists Horti Couture of Huddersfield. feature of the Horti Couture summer display was Darcy, a superb fresh flower bride incorporating thousands of chrysanthemum heads and her train, which blended seemlessly into the main table displays.  Darcy was made up of over 4,500 single stems of chrysanthemum heads all carefully and skilfully put into place.   The choice of flowers for the 12ft long central table display were cream scented stocks, sweet avalanche roses (the blush pink in colour), deep pink hydrangeas, avalanche rose (the ivory rose) pink bouvardia and dill.

The ‘Autumn’ section was designed by the incredible floral designers Twisted Willow Floristry from Rippon in the North Yorkshire and venue stylists, Catching Your Dreams from Whetherby. A beautifully rustic and warm Autumn design!

The Winter quarter was designed by Red Floral Architecture from Hyde in Cheshire. The hugely talented Mat Hepplestone and his team have designed flowers for some of the most prestigious events across the country and they did not disappoint here! Completely stunning!

A Wedding for All Seasons Designer Wedding Show at Newburgh Priory, designed and organised by The Wedding Affair
Tel: 0843 289 8504
Email: enquiries@theweddingaffair.co.uk
www.theweddingaffair.co.uk

Photographs courtesy of Peter Boyd Photography
Tel: 07793 200186
Email:info@pbphoto.co.uk
Web: www.pbphoto.co.uk

Our photo of the day today comes all the way from Australia and is by Brisbane duo Hailey and Andrew Bartholomew – better known as You Can’t Be Serious Photography. The couple are Sharn and Rachael and I’d just love to know how Rachael got up there in that dress? You Can’t Be Serious Photography specialise in fun and real photography and film making and if you were wondering if this photo shoot got any more serious?…. it didn’t. Now here’s one to show the kids ….

The DVD vs wedding album debate is a whole wedding post of its own but if you are about to choose your wedding photographer or if your wedding images are still languishing on DVD, take a look as our ongoing series of beautiful wedding album designs and get designing!

Todays wedding album is the gorgeous wedding of Amy & Tom, who were married at the luxurious Buxted Park Hotel in East Sussex. They chose a contemporary, storybook wedding album by Graphistudio to show off their stunning images. Photography is by East Sussex wedding photographer, James O’Brien Photography.

This image recently won the ‘Best Photograph of Estonia’ at the recent Baltic Wedding and Portrait Photography contest 2012 held in March. It’s just such a lovely, unique image, I couldn’t resist to include it as our photo of the day today. Tomorrow, I promise some much needed colour!! ♥ ♥

This photo was taken in Devon at the amazing Tunnel Beach wedding venue and despite the cold, windy April weather, the bride and groom were still up for a climb on the beach! I have to say that the bride looks remarkably relaxed considering that she is perched on what look like rather precarious (and very sharp!) rocks ….

I can’t show the image in it’s full glory in the width of this post so I’ve made it my masthead image this week. If you would like to contact David about your wedding photography you can contact him at www.davidpurslow.com where you can see a full gallery of his work.

The video was shot by the totally awesome Paperback Weddings who flew out from California just to film the wedding! Nick is English and met Maria in a bar called 86 in Hollywood. They both now live in Haslington in Cheshire where they have set up their own Photography and video production company – Studio 1208.