Wedding Planning by Katherine Courtney - and 5 minutes with me!

I recently met up with two absolutely fabulous girls with a beautiful creative vision.  Katherine and Courtney are the duo behind Katherine Courtney Wedding Planning & Coordination.  I'm very excited at the prospect of working with them in the future on both some styled shoots which we are planning, and of course on some weddings this year. They write a wonderful blog as well as being very active on Pinterest with their ideas.  They recently did a short piece on me talking about my inspiration and way I view the wedding photography industry.  You can read the piece here.  I'm looking forward to writing for me soon about the importance of wedding planning.

The transcript for the interview is below:

KC:  How long have you worked within the industry?

HA:  I have worked in the photography industry for 5 years having retrained after 10 years of working in events and marketing.  I used to book photographers for my events and it was always a career I held in high esteem – at the time I never dreamed I could actually become a photographer myself.  However, a combination of luck, opportunity and a lot of hard work have turned that dream into a reality and I’ve never looked back.

KC:  What inspires your work?

HA:  My inspiration comes from a lifetime of travel and experiences and I gain a lot of ideas for poses and techniques from fashion magazines, portrait and fine art photographers and film.  My first degree was in History of Art and so I have always had a love of imagery.  When working with wedding clients I am often led by them as people and the way in which they love.  I take my creative cues from their relationship and how they like to express it.

 

 

KC:  What three “tools-of-the-trade” are a must have?

HA:  My 5d Mk 3 cameras, my Shootsac (essential for carrying spare lenses, batteries and cards when on the move at a wedding) and huge amounts of energy!

KC:  Any advice for our brides?

HA:  Always meet with your wedding photographer.  Your photographer will be close by your side for much of the day and it’s really important that you have a good personality fit.  If you have the opportunity do a pre-wedding shoot then this is very useful.  I offer this as part of my standard package as I think it’s so important to get used to being in front of the camera and to build a relationship with your photographer BEFORE the big day.

Don’t be afraid to be honest about you want – at the end of the day it’s your day so work with your photographer to ensure you get the type of photographs you want but do listen to their advice – they will have done hundreds of weddings and can be a great source of information about what works and what doesn’t and can guide you in planning a smooth and successful day.

KC:  What trends do you forecast?

HA:  Wedding photography has changed dramatically over the last 10 years from being very formal and formulaic to a more natural and documentary style.  I love that wedding photography has developed into the creative and personal expression it is now and that is why I was attracted to working in the industry.   There will always be trends in wedding photography but I’ve always believed in simplicity.  I don’t want to use gimmicks in my photography or post production but to capture a scene in the most natural, beautiful way that will stand the test of time.

Yoga at Formentera Yoga

I have just returned from my second yoga retreat of the year with Jax. The first being in Morocco (you can read about it here) and this time at the main base for Formentera Yoga at the blissful Gecko Club. Having previously only been to Formentera for lunch on a past Ibiza trip I was delighted to have the opportunity to explore the island a little more. The beaches are Caribbean in their white sands and azure seas, and at this time of year it's warm but not crowded. This trip was more of a working holiday as Christian and I were planning a day long shoot for Formentera Yoga to provide them with new iconic images which were in line with their spiritual practices, whilst capturing the beauty of the island. We spent a couple of afternoons after morning yoga looking at locations - we were spoilt for choice with striking backdrops of lighthouses (La Mola), piers, woodland and of course the sea.

We were all so excited with the results. For me personally  it was an inspiring  learning process collaborating with Christian Banfield who is an experienced photographer and director as well as having Jax bring her own creativity, individuality and styling to the shoot.

In terms of the yoga - if I had the money and time I would come on retreat once a month. Listening at the end of the week to the group testimonials was moving - Jax had taken a group of individuals from all over the world and ranging from complete beginners to teachers themselves and unified them in a desire to feel happier, healthier and more alive and the tools to do so.  Her teaching had been 'life changing' as one beginner asserted. There were plenty of nods of affirmation to this comment - she had spoken to everyone's needs.

The perfect trip was finished off with a delicious meal thanks to Lana at Passion Cafe on Playa den Bossa opposite Space.

Writer Lucy Kite was on this trip writing an article about the retreat for the Mail on Sunday on 1st July and some of the images from the shoot will be used.  Lucy is a yoga teacher herself with similar philosophies to Jax so I don't doubt that the article will be anything but glowing.

Jax is going to be running a couple of taster sessions in London in Queens Park on 12th August.  Drop me a note if you are interested and I'll send you the details.