Rangefinder Rising Star 2022
I’VE BEEN NAMED AS ONE OF THE 30 RISING STARS OF WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY IN THE WORLD BY THE PRESTIGIOUS NEW YORK RANGEFINDER MAGAZINE
“THIS PRESTIGIOUS LIST RECOGNISES AND HONOURS WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS WHO ARE CREATING AN INDELIBLE MARK ON THE INDUSTRY”
I really can’t believe I just typed that. For years, I’ve looked forward to Rangefinder announcing their 30 Rising Stars and spent hours pouring over their work, being inspired by their beautiful narratives and eager to push myself further and harder.
To win this award, you need to be nominated by an industry professional or a previous winner. The process is shrouded in secrecy and it’s gained a reputation of being one of the most sought-after awards in the industry. So, you can understand my shock when I got the e-mail saying I’d been nominated.
To enter, you’re asked to submit 30 of your best images in a very specific order, to fully show your style across the whole wedding day. To say this was a difficult task is a huge understatement! I literally spent weeks combing through every gallery I’ve ever shot, deliberating over the smallest of details in every image, and finally ending up with my final 30 (which also changed multiple times).
Although this process was difficult, it was actually a very therapeutic experience and I’d recommend photographers anywhere to do a similar thing.
IT MADE ME APPRECIATE HOW MUCH GENUINE LOVE AND KINDNESS THERE IS IN THE WORLD AND HOW HONOURED I AM TO MEET SO MANY BEAUTIFUL COUPLES WITH THEIR OWN UNIQUE STORIES.
It also made me see how far I’ve come. It was only 3 years ago that I walked into my first ever wedding, armed with nothing but my Dad’s old camera and a heap of curiosity. So much has changed in those 3 years. Me and my now wife have welcomed two beautiful girls into the world, we quit our jobs and moved to the Isle of Skye, and have formed deep and meaningful connections with people from across the globe.
“WHEN YOU GET A CAMERA, YOU’LL NEVER SEE THE WORLD THE SAME WAY AGAIN”
A HUGE thank you to my Dad who sadly passed away before I started my business. It was his passion for photography that got me into it in the first place. When he got sick, I wanted to spend more quality time with him, so bought a cheap camera just to go out shooting landscapes. When he died, I inherited his gear and knew I wanted to use it for something good, so started this journey. He often said to me that my perspective on the world will change forever when I get a camera. How right he was!
WHAT I LOOKED FOR IN MY IMAGES
In the questionnaire I filled out for my submission, I was asked to define my style and approach. This is what I said:
“I’m drawn to tender, soft moments, but also moments of awe and magnitude. Even as a little kid, with my banged up 4 megapixel Nokia phone, I’d spend all day staring at the sky and would fill my phone with pictures of clouds – making images out of the moving clouds and wondering what lay beyond them. So, I guess you could say I’ve always been curious.
When I’m out and about, I always try to take note of what I’m seeing and feeling. As photographers, it’s all too easy to get stuck in the viewfinder and miss what’s actually happening all around us. But, by taking the time to be present, I’m able to recollect what it was like to be there when I’m editing and to lean into that feeling. My editing style is aimed at accentuating this and making it easier for the viewer to feel it too.”
Lastly, HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to the other 29 winners of this award. To be named alongside you all as a Rangefinder Rising Star is mind-blowing!
