One to One
This month, we tie the knot with Tara Statton to discover how she captures the details of a wedding event. Lauren Scott reports from the big day
We meet Tara Statton and discover the skills behind capturing wedding details
Wedding season is now truly upon us in the UK, running from around May to October. (Turn to page 24 and you’ll find more marital bliss in our Photo Active section.) This is because the summer months mark the best weather (supposedly), as well as a time when venues and suppliers can show off their wares in the best light (literally).
I’d come across the work of this month’s pro, Tara Statton, in a more organic way than I often do for these masterclasses. She’d photographed a mutual friend’s wedding in Cornwall, and I was captivated when I saw the final images on Instagram. Keen to discover and share more about her shooting approach – but understanding that I’d get in the way of a real wedding – I joined Tara for an open day at Midelney Manor (midelneymanor.co.uk), a romantic Elizabethan house that’s surrounded by gardens and woodland in the beautiful Somerset countryside.
Tara calls herself a natural-light wedding photographer, and this
means that she favours a simple yet still sophisticated approach. Although Tara is based in Devon, she happily travels around the south-west, and recently travelled with a couple to Venice to capture them renewing their vows. “Having lived in Devon my whole life, I can’t imagine living anywhere else,” she says. “We are spoilt for choice with countryside, beaches and pretty views. I love being a part of this wedding community, and being able to document one of the happiest days of people’s lives.” Later on in the day, I’ll find out just how important it can be to network and integrate yourself into the local ‘community’ of wedding suppliers.
On the day (a quintessentially sunny May bank holiday), travelling to the venue together gives me a chance to quiz Tara on her approach and passion for the genre. Weddings incorporate so many different subjects and styles – think portraits, still-life, food, reportage – which sparks fear in some photographers, yet joy in others. For Tara, it allows her to capture everything she loves, “from natural
fleeting moments to the carefully chosen details and breathtaking bridal portraits.”
Every pro has a different approach, look and style, and Tara’s is decidedly informal. “I capture couples and guests enjoying themselves as the day unfolds, rather than posing them,” she says. I wonder how she encourages shy or awkward subjects to play for the camera. She tells me that she uses prompts or gestures to encourage their smiles and affection. Couples will often have an engagement session before the main day. “These photos are just relaxed and beautiful portraits of them spending time together. I love to keep them chatting, walking and having fun or a quiet moment together. I never ask them to pose awkwardly or do anything they wouldn’t feel comfortable or natural doing. I just give gentle direction on what
I feel will get the best results.” Most couples loosen up quite quickly, and with Tara’s gentle direction, it’s easy to see why.
We arrive at Midelney early, which gives us (mainly me, as Tara has photographed there before) plenty of time to suss out the lie of the land. She shows me around the different areas, including a woodland area that’s well suited to golden-hour shots.
There’s no standard entry route for wedding photographers, so I want to find out how Tara got her career to where it is now. “I studied photography at university [Plymouth] and did a lot of portraiture, beauty, fashion... but it was always with a fine-art bent. I shot commercial stuff on the side, but then weddings became my thing.”
Having had some experience with a marketing agency doing social media, Tara knows the importance of getting your name out there. “I’d try to use visual platforms like Instagram to your advantage when you’re marketing. I use Hootsuite to schedule my posts for the upcoming week. It takes me maybe 30 minutes, but then it’s done.”
Another method of increasing exposure is networking, particularly when it comes to weddings. “One important thing to talk about is collaborations,” says Tara, while perusing and photographing the other stands at the event before it officially opens. “I often work on shoots with other florists, cake-makers, models, even photographers... all of which helps me to network and gain exposure.” During the shoot, I notice Tara planning a collaborative shoot with exquisite flower arranger Sarah of The Petal
I never ask couples to pose awkwardly or do anything they wouldn’t feel comfortable or natural doing