I'm sure you've got lots of things that you'd like to find out before you consider booking me as your photographer. I've tried to provide answers to most of the usual questions below. However, please get in touch at hello@mattallenphotography.co.uk if you can't find the answer you're looking for.
Rather than pigeon-hole myself with a particular style of photography, I prefer to adapt my work to suit the needs of the couple whose wedding I'm photographing. This will involve plenty of discussion between us, where I'll aim to get a complete understanding of your favoured type of photography and any particular images that you'd just love to have. I'll ask you to put together a mood board of favourite images so that I can get a feel for what you'd like me to produce. You'll see from my portfolio that my work covers a variety of styles, from formal, to candid, to fun and the all-important 'money-shots'! If I had to describe my style of photography, then 'relaxed' would be the headline word.
Yes. Rather than just showing off the images that I want you to see, I have complete albums available that cover the whole wedding day from couple prep, to cake cut and first dance.
I have a variety of packages available that cover varying amounts of time and suit different budgets. These can all be viewed here. There is also the option to tailor-make a bespoke package to suit your special day. Please contact me so that we can have a chat about this.
This will depend upon which package you choose. For example, my Silver Package provides 5 hours of cover, whereas the other packages are typically 8-10 hours - essentially the whole wedding day. Of course, there's flexibility with this and I won't disappear off home if there's a key moment still to be captured!
This will be down to you and what you'd like to include in your collection. We'll discuss this beforehand to make sure that I have a full list of your required images. Of course, I'm also able to make lots of suggestions of popular images and show you examples beforehand.
I certainly am! I have Professional Indemnity Insurance, and Public and Products Liability to the value of £2million.
I studied GCSE Photography (grade A) at the age of 16 but opted not to seek any further formal qualifications in the subject beyond that. Instead, I've gained 31 years of experience behind the lens.
I've been fortunate to work at many fantastic venues throughout the East Midlands and beyond. If I haven't worked at your venue as the main photographer, chances are that I've worked there as a second-shooter, supporting the main photographer. Where possible, I'll always try to visit a venue beforehand so that I can get an idea of the layout and possible photo opportunities. At the very least, I'll carry out online research into the venue and also look at the work of other photographers who've captured a wedding there.
This will depend upon the package that you choose. For my Silver and Gold packages, I'll be the sole photographer, although I may be accompanied by a lighting assistant. My Platinum packages include the services of a second photographer, allowing us to capture more of your big day.
I'm part of several networks of professional photographers and in the unlikely event that the worse should happen, I'm able to reach out to call upon their services to ensure that your day is covered.
My passion for photography began in my mid-teens and ever since, there's not been many events where I've not had a camera in my hand! I began shooting studio portraits and school proms in 2014, taking up weddings a couple of years later.
As most weddings are formal events, I'll dress accordingly. This usually means that I'll be wearing a black shirt and trousers and smart shoes. If, however, you're going for a more relaxed feel, just let me know and I'll do my best to blend in with your guests!
I know that you're going to be super-excited to see your photos and I can't wait to share them with you, so I'll always try to get them ready for you as soon as possible. I like to aim for a 2-3 week turnaround, but during the busy wedding season this may not always be realistic. At the very most, your photos will be with you within 6 weeks after your big day. So that you've got something to look forward to, I'll post a 'sneak-peek' of some images on social media within a couple of days.
I believe in fairness and treating people how I'd like to be treated myself. With that in mind, you're free to print as many copies of your photos as you like - I give you the full rights to do this. You can create your own albums and artwork and share your images on social media, although I'd be very grateful if you tag or acknowledge me as the photographer when you do this please. For any venues or other suppliers that wish to use your images, I just ask that they contact me for permission beforehand - I'll always be willing to grant this.
You're free to arrange for your own prints and albums once you've got your images. However, I can also offer these products to you at competitive prices. Even if you were to contact me a year after your wedding, I'm still willing and able to create an album for you. I'm also able offer a photo booth as an add-on to provide a bit of fun for your evening guests!