The Backyard Photography Company

My most memorable wedding was the very first wedding I photographed in 2016. The bride & groom were relaxed outdoor loving couple. They planned a relaxed wedding at Orange Tree House & the bride was very keen to have her dog & horse involved in her day. Her parents didn't seem keen & had told her it would be too stressful & complicated. I attended the practice rehearsal a couple of evenings before the wedding & the bride's mum pulled me to one side & let me in on a very special secret. They'd it all planned that as the couple left the church & turned the corner that the bride would be surprised by her horse & dog. I'll never forget the smile on the brides face or the tears of happiness rolling down her cheeks. Safe to say the groom got a bit of banter as the bride was more emotional seeing her horse than him!

Relaxed, natural, honest, warm, documentary

I'm most proud of the relationships & friendships that I've built with my couples. I genuinely care about each & every couple I photograph & I love learning about them & their story.

Do your day your way.

I love when couples keep it really relaxed. One of my couples last summer walked into their ceremony together, it wasn't planned, it wasn't a first look, the bride just ran across to her groom & they had the most perfect little moment together before surprising all of their guests walking into the room as if they were strolling into their favourite pub.

I like to keep my process simple. After the couple reach out to me, generally via my website. I like to get on the phone for a relaxed chat. Once we know if we're a good fit & our personalities match we then meet up for a coffee. When the couple are ready to book they pay a small booking fee, sign their contract and then we get to planning their pre wedding adventure shoot. By the time I arrive at their wedding they'll have a good feel for me as a person & know how I work as a photographer.

For me, a wedding is all about marrying your best friend & the most important photo for me is a quiet, natural, intimate moment between the couple. I want you to look back at that photo on your 50th anniversary and feel all the emotions that you left on your wedding day.

I guess documenting the brides reaction as she was surprised by her horse & dog.

We live in Northern Ireland & it rains a lot regardless of the time of year so I say embrace it. Grab an umbrella & a blanket and have fun in the rain. Rain makes for beautiful photos so don't be shy.

I got into photographer as a kid learning to process black & white film photography at home. I've loved it since as long as I can remember & have had so many cameras over the years & taken millions of photos. I've always loved telling stories of the world how I see it through my camera.