How would you describe your business?
I am a creative photographic storyteller, capturing weddings, events and people in a unique and individual way.
What is your favourite thing about being involved in the wedding industry?
CREATIVITY…I feel so inspired by my friends in the wedding industry, either by other awesome photographers or stationers, dress designers and stylists. Its wonderful being surrounded by creative people it adds to my own work and passion to explore new ideas.
Can you describe Coombe Trenchard in three words?
Quirky
Artsy
Relaxed Elegance Erk thats 4 sorry!
What spaces do you find particularly enjoyable to photograph at Coombe Trenchard
I'm an outdoors girl so the wooded area of Coombe Trenchard is a natural draw for me. The dining area with the buffalo skin covered walls is an incredibly sumptuous and interesting backdrop for bridal portraits.
What advise would you offer to couples when choosing their photographer?
Think about your own personal style and choose a photographer that you think could best reflect that, I find a lot of my clients are similar to me, so we click!
My couples often laugh and say they have been stalking my work for the last year. GREAT….do your research.
Try not to make a decision based on budget alone….I know thats tricky as everyone has a budget, but your photographs are with you for a lifetime and longer not just for the day its definitely worth investing.
Arrange a meeting or SKYPE meeting to say hello to your photographer.
Look at complete weddings not just the edited good stuff from a selection of weddings.
Go with your gut feeling its usually right.
Do you recommend having an engagement shoot, and if so, why?
YES,YES, YES, an engagement shoot is such a valuable exercise. Most couples are nervous about being in front of the camera, this is a great way to meet your photographer and find out how it all works, most of my couples actually enjoy the experience and love the photos. I treat engagement shoots a little mini adventures, we head out to a pre planned location and get to know each other and take some pictures at the same time. It leaves you with one less thing to worry about on the day.
What do you feel is important when capturing a wedding day?
Weddings are filled with all sorts of emotions and thats what I look for first and for most. Relationships between couples, family members and friends are amazing to capture and are so important in the storytelling. I love photographing the couple the most but I also work really hard to get an amazing record of your guests enjoying themselves, the details, the venue the environment and your family.
Finally, what excites you most about your job?
Meeting and connecting with people…clients often feel like friends and its actually quite sad when the wedding is over and the albums have been delivered. Im a big believer in PEOPLE and while my industry and its technology is insanely brilliant, I am a people person and being able to deliver images that make my clients cry (in a good way) is the most rewarding part of my job.
We implore you to take a look at some more of Clare's beautiful work on her website here.