(And why it means so much to me)
I’m absolutely chuffed to bits to be able to say that I’ve just won my first This is Reportage Story Award.
The award was given for Jess & Martyn’s incredible wedding at Wharfedale Grange, and while any award is lovely to receive, this one feels particularly special.
If you’re not a wedding photography nerd (which, let’s be honest, most people aren’t!), you might be wondering what a Story Award actually is.
Unlike many photography awards that recognise a single image, a Story Award is given for a collection of photographs that work together to tell the story of an entire wedding day. Rather than celebrating one standout image, it’s about showing how a photographer captures the flow of the day from beginning to end – the laughter, the nerves, the emotion, the chaos, the relationships, the atmosphere and everything in between.
And that’s exactly why this one means so much to me.
It’s never been about one photograph
When I first started photographing weddings, I think I was probably guilty of focusing a bit too much on individual images.
You know the ones—the confetti shot, the first kiss, the sunset portrait. The photographs that naturally grab attention on social media and often become the headline images from a wedding day.
Those moments are important, of course, and they’re part of every wedding story.
But over the years I’ve realised that what I love most isn’t documenting the highlights themselves. It’s documenting everything that happens around them.
It’s the nervous excitement while you’re getting ready in the morning. The way your grandparents look at you during the ceremony. The tears your best friend is desperately trying to hide during the speeches. The flower girl who’s completely lost interest halfway through dinner. The dance floor antics that nobody quite remembers the next morning.
Those are the moments that bring a wedding gallery to life because they’re the moments that make your wedding uniquely yours. They’re often the photographs that transport you straight back to how the day felt.
The best compliment I receive
One of the things my couples tell me time and time again is that they barely noticed me on their wedding day.
That might sound like a strange compliment for a wedding photographer, but honestly, I love hearing it.
For me, it means people felt comfortable enough to be themselves. It means they spent their day enjoying the company of the people they love rather than feeling like they were constantly being photographed. It means I was able to quietly observe what was happening and capture genuine moments as they unfolded.
My approach has always been pretty simple.
I want you to enjoy your wedding. I want you to spend time with your guests. I want you to laugh, cry, hug people, dance badly and soak up every minute of the day.
The photographs come from that experience, not the other way around.
Why Jess & Martyn’s wedding was the perfect story
If you’ve ever seen Jess & Martyn’s wedding, you’ll understand why it was such a joy to photograph.
It was stylish and elegant without taking itself too seriously—a black-tie celebration packed full of personality from start to finish.
There were emotional moments and plenty of laughter. There were brilliant guest reactions throughout the day. There was Bongo Bingo. There was money flying through the air. And there was one of the most energetic dance floors I’ve photographed in a long time.
It was one of those weddings where every time I turned around, something interesting seemed to be happening.
Not because anything had been carefully staged or orchestrated, but because the people in the room were having such a genuinely brilliant time together.
That’s what makes a great wedding story. It’s not about creating moments for the camera. It’s about being surrounded by people who are fully immersed in the celebration.
More than an award
Awards are lovely. I’d be lying if I said they weren’t.
But what matters far more to me is what they represent.
Over the last couple of years I’ve become much more confident in photographing weddings in a way that feels natural to me. That has meant less directing, less interference and more observation. More trust in real moments. More focus on people rather than perfection.
This award feels like recognition of that journey.
Not because it tells me I’ve got everything figured out—far from it. There’s always more to learn, and that’s one of the things I love about photography.
But it does reassure me that the things I value most in wedding photography matter. The real moments. The genuine emotion. The connections between people. The story as a whole.
Thank You
A huge thank you to Jess & Martyn for trusting me to document such an incredible day.
And thank you to every couple who has ever welcomed me into one of the most important days of their lives.
Whether or not a photograph wins an award, being trusted to tell those stories will always be the greatest privilege.
If this award proves anything, it’s that the best wedding photographs aren’t always the loudest or the most attention-grabbing ones. Sometimes they’re simply the moments that help tell the story, and when those moments come together, they become something far more meaningful than a single image ever could.
Planning a wedding that feels like you?
If you’re looking for a photographer who’ll focus on the real moments rather than turning your wedding into a photoshoot, I’d love to hear about your plans.
My approach is relaxed, documentary-led and all about helping you enjoy your day while I quietly capture the story as it unfolds.
You can find out more about my packages and approach here, or get in touch to check availability and tell me all about your wedding.
