Digital Photographer - USA (2019-07)

K

erryJamesisthe
ownerofBath-based
weddingphotography
serviceATallLong
LeggedBird.Shespecialises
in“timelessdocumentary
weddingphotographythat’semotiveand
humorouswithasprinkleofchic”.Inthis
interview,sherevealssomeofthesecrets
ofhersuccessinachallengingand
competitivefield.

Howdidyourinterestinphotographyin
generalfirstbegin?
Ilovedlookingatphotosasachild;itwasn’t
abouttakingpictures,itwasmoreabout
lookingatfamilyphotosseeinghowthings
lookedinthe‘oldendays’andhowpeople,
carsandpushchairshadchangedoverthe
years!WheneverIvisitedanyfamilyIwould
alwaysgettheirphotoalbumsout.Ilikedto
takethephotographsoutofthealbumtosee
iftherewasanythingwrittenontheback,any
nuggetsofinformationsoIcouldvisualisethe
storybehindthepicturebetter.IfeltlikeIwas
dippingintoapastmagicalera.Iprogressed
toowningmyfirstredKodakcamerawhen
Iwas9;Ihaditthreedaysandlostitatthe
BlackgangChineontheIsleofWight,neverto
beseenagain!

Whatattractedyoutowedding
photography,specifically?
IhadnoideaIwouldbeawedding
photographer,Iwasabouttofinishmydegree
inGraphicCommunicationwhenafriend
askedifIwouldbeinterestedintakingsome
photosatherwedding.Ibecamesoexcited
atthisprospect,Ithought,“Maybethere’s
somethinghere?MaybeIshouldconsiderthis
asacareer?”.Ithenbegantoimaginewhat
anincrediblejobitwouldbe,neveractually
workingagain,justdoingwhatIlovedand
gettingpaidforit.Theseedwaswellandtruly
plantedatthatpoint!

Whatweresomeofthefirstexperiences
youhadofweddingphotography?
Afteracceptingmyfriend’soffertoshootat
herwedding,IdecidedIshouldgetsome
practicefirst.Aworkexperiencejobcame
upwhileIwasatuniversitytohelpawedding
photographerout.Ijumpedatthechance.It
turnedouttheguywhohadaskedforhelp
wasn’taweddingphotographeratall,buthad
beenaskedbyafriendtoshootthewedding.
Hedidn’thaveacluewhathewasdoing,and
thecamerahehadwasoutoftheark.The
wholethingwasacompleteshambles:the
guythenwentontopublishaslideshowusing
allofmyimagesandbrandeditashisown,
claimingtobeaweddingphotographer.Iwas
notimpressedandfeltthathewaspotentially
deceivingfutureclients.Iinsistedheremoveit
fromYouTubeimmediately.

Above

Rockin’theboat

Warmeveninglightasthesun

dipsandtwinklesthroughthe

treesandapassionatekiss

sharedbythenewlyweds.A

perfectmomentcaptured

Righttop

Havingablast

iloveGabby’sfacialexpression

andtheenergyofthismomentas

shebattlesherwaythroughthe

congregationatKingscoteBarn

intetburytogreetherfather

Rightbelow

PollyandHenry

ifi could shoot another wedding

all over again, it’d be Polly and

Henry’s wedding! Great family,

great light and a day full of

emotion, fun and love

How would you sum up your professional

style, if asked?

Real, natural, colourful, humorous with a

splash of chic! I want to tell the true story of

the day as beautifully as possible but also

with humour and including all the things that I

know will make the photos interesting in years

to come.

What equipment do you use and why?

I use two Canon 5D Mk IV’s and Canon prime

lenses. The reason why is because we had

Canon at university and it’s what I knew

best. The first full frame camera I bought was

Canon. I quickly built up my kit and know it

like the back of my hand. I have experimented

with Fuji and Sony mirrorless but we didn’t get

along. I’m always happy to try different brands

but it would have to be significantly better

for me to end my love affair with my sturdy

reliable Canons. I use prime lenses as they

let in so much more light than zooms, I love

the romantic feel of the shallow depth of field

when shooting at high apertures, especially

when doing portraits.

Describe a time when things went wrong

and how you dealt with it?

Well, I have been cautious and have only

(touch wood) had two incidents. The first one

was when I managed to knock a full pedestal

of flowers over in the church seconds before

the first kiss (cringe). I was trying to get a

good composition and forgot that there

was a step and took a tumble. Luckily it was

a christian wedding, and they forgave me

afterwards. The second was a bad decision to

follow some wedding guests from the hotel

to the church. They got lost, I got in such a

panic I couldn’t operate Google maps on my

phone to find the directions. I ended up driving

up a one-way street and abandoning my car

intervieW