Beautiful simplicity 

We don’t live our lives on formalities, so why would we want our wedding day memories to be full of them?

That’s the view of Aaron Morris, a popular East Yorkshire wedding photographer with a difference.

Aaron’s business is called ‘Beyond the Frame Photography and, as the name suggests, he is passionate about achieving a more natural style of shot, capturing those beautiful moments in every couple’s big day that are special because they come about by chance.

He describes himself as a documentary photographer, and gets so unobtrusively involved in the mood of each event that couples are almost likely to forget he’s there at all!

And his former career as a police officer shows itself in his eye for the most minute details of every special day.

He said: “Some people call what I do reportage but I would describe it as candidly capturing moments as they happen,” he said.

“A lot of the time, people don’t even realise that I’m there until they see the photos afterwards!

“I’ve seen a real change in what people look for from their wedding photography over the past few years and, while mums and dads often want to make sure they capture the formal groupings and get various relatives involved, the couples themselves mostly want to record the more incidental moments for posterity.

“The kinds of things I look to capture include someone laughing at a joke another guest has told, a beautiful sunset, and that point just after their ceremony when every couple is at their most loved up.”

Aaron’s top tips for achieving photographs you’ll love looking back on

1. Make sure you like your photographer! Are they someone you would go for a drink down the pub or a coffee with? This might sound odd but it’s really important that your photographer is the right personality match to you – after all, don’t forget they’ll be sharing what is likely to be the most special day of your life. My approach, as a photographer, is to be as unobtrusive as possible, for example mingling with wedding guests on the dance floor, in order to get the best, most un-posed shots. Others, though, might take a different, more formal approach, and you need to decide which kind of style suits you best.
   
2. Set some ground rules for your guests. Either put up a sign or talk to them beforehand about taking photos during the ceremony. You don’t want 100 smart phones flashing away or visible when your chosen photographer is taking your professional shots, as this will potentially spoil your own pictures from the day.
3. Hire a professional. In these days of ever more sophisticated smart phones, and other easy-to-use digital cameras, it’s easy to question the value of paying a photographer. And everyone knows an uncle or relative who is an enthusiastic amateur and wants to help by taking some of their wedding pictures. But just ask yourself how you’ll feel if – despite everyone’s best intentions – the resulting photographs don’t properly reflect your day. You really need a trained professional, who is experienced with wedding photography and can deal with any issues that arise and different weather conditions, to make all of your special moments are captured, in the right way. They will also know the venue and, if your ceremony is at one they haven’t used before, they will probably go and recce it beforehand to make sure they are well prepared. If the worst happens and they are unable to make it through illness or some other eventuality, they will also have insurance cover to provide you with a stand-in.
4. If you are shy of having your photo taken, agree a plan with your photographer to catch you unawares, concentrating on things that you and your partner, friends and family enjoy doing together, rather than formal shots looking straight at the camera. Living in the moment actually produces by far the best photos anyway, in my opinion.
5. Always prepare for the weather and have brollies at the ready so that you can carry on regardless and get the photos you want whatever it decides to do. You can buy or hire white brollies – and your photographer might even be able to provide some – which can actually look quite attractive in photos if you are forced to use them.
6. Don’t go over the top with group shots. If these traditional, formal shots go on for too long, they can really destroy the mood of your event and leave your other guests getting bored for potentially hours on end. I usually recommend no more than 20 minutes for group shots, focused on a few specific, pre-planned groups, swiftly followed by lots of fun, such as garden games over prosecco, for a better kind of outcome.
7. Make sure there are no extraneous details in your photos – get your guests to check their pockets for everything from hankies to mobile phones and keys, to ensure there are no ‘messy bits’ that will spoil your photos when you look back.
8. Above all, focus on creating the right mood around your day, with lots of games and entertaining elements. Have lots of things planned so that people don’t spend too much time just sitting around. This way, you can create the kinds of moments for your photographer to capture.

The above picture examples are of Jess and Chris's wedding in Cuba, Lauren and Jay's at Lazaat Hotel, Cottingham, and Simon and Ericka's ceremony at Sewerby Hall.

You can view more examples of Aaron’s photography via his website. You can contact him or call him on 07969 040884 for a free, no obligation chat about your own wedding needs.

For help and advice on planning your own event – and recommendations from our list of trusted suppliers, call us on (01262) 468160 or email us.