Tuesday 3 September 2013

Wedding Photographers County Durham

If you are planning to do your wedding in County Durham soon, you should make the event memorable by hiring the best wedding photographers County Durham. Remember, it is always good to capture special moments of your wedding day so that they can remind you of the promises you made to your partner. Given the importance of your wedding photos, you should pick the best photographers in County Durham. This is where Portrait Wedding Photographers can help you. They are a team of highly experienced and dedicated photographers that offer exceptional wedding photography services in County Durham. Their wedding base is located in Darlington, which has an abundance of great weddings venues within a few minutes drive. They are quite willing to travel to different venues to ensure you get the best wedding photography coverage.
Portrait Wedding Photographers County Durham
Portrait Wedding Photographers

Another importance reason why you should go for Portrait Wedding Photographers is they are owned and operated by a group of dedicated wedding photographers who have been in the photography business for more than two decades. These expert photographers have the skills and expertise to be able to offer you the very best wedding photos. You can then enjoy peace of mind knowing that your wedding memories are in safe hands. Portrait Wedding Photographers are the most highly regarded and highly recommended on Google. In addition to a high quality service, you will also be given your wedding photo proofs in just a few days!
county durham bride at Redworth Hall
County Durham Bride

These photographic artists have the state of the art photo editing suite, which is fully equipped to process and safely store all your wedding images. Refined processing systems and top quality computing power means that they are able to produce stunning photos in record time.

Communication and getting along is important and these photographers encourage you to contribute to the planning by discussing with you the most important aspects such as preferred locations, styles, etc. Flexible wedding photography packages enable couples to customise everything so that they have final say over coverage and how they want their photos presented.

If you are looking for reliable wedding photographers County Durham, then Portrait Wedding Photographers are the only company who offer you everything. You will be provided with not one but two specialist wedding photographers who will capture the most interesting moments to tell the full story of your wedding.

Having two photographers means that the photography goes smoother, faster, your guests will love you for that! And there will be different angles so that every photo look slightly different, unique and fresh. This really is the best way to make your wedding day truly memorable.


At this point couple start to think that all this skill, experience, it must be expensive! Well to hire wedding photographers in County Durham with this skill set could cost you around £1,200. But you can relax because Portrait Wedding Photographers has the best packages and the best prices for you. Their aim is to give every couple a chance to capture their big day without too much expense, with low booking fees and pay monthly options available. All this and prices for prints starting at £395, printable DVD for £695 and luxury handmade Italian story book albums for just £995. So you can have the best wedding photographers and still have enough for a round at the bar!        

Hotline: 07795 681 507 - 9Am to 9PM daily

Wednesday 21 August 2013

Wedding Photography Packages

In life everything is a balancing act, wedding photography packages also require getting the balance correct between on the one hand price, and on the other the depth of service you want. The one thing you should not have to balance is quality. The one thing in life that’s a guarantee is that low prices equals low quality which in turn equals very upset brides. So whichever package you decide to go for make sure the quality is there in everyone!

The Very Best Wedding Photography Packages:


As you would expect these packages contain everything you might want, at a price tag to match. So what kind of things does a bride expect, when the budgets run to a couple of thousand? Most would be looking for full day coverage from two photographers. Full wedding coverage would include things like the Bride getting hair and makeup done in the morning, commonly referred to as “Bridal Prep”. From here your wedding photographer would also capture pictures of the Grooms party and then guest arrivals at the church or other venue. What the wedding is all about, (officially) is the ceremony, two photographers here, can get the emotional shots from in front and the beautiful shots of your wedding dress and laid out train from the back. As you emerge, there follows confetti shots, maybe some more formal group shots and definitely some fantastic posed and natural shots of just the Bride and Groom together. In most weddings these photographs would make up the bulk, but for the Bride who wants everything there is much more. Photographs of the wedding breakfast and the speeches, then there’s the cutting of the wedding cake. As the evening draws on the photography takes a more informal role where guests are captured enjoying themselves and finally the newlyweds take to the floor for the first dance. This is usually where the wedding coverage ends, but it has been known for the photographers to attend more informal celebrations on the day after the wedding, maybe a barbecue or a pool party perhaps.

With all these photographs what would be the best ways to show these off? No we are not talking about key rings or mugs with your pictures on, but individually designed and lovingly handcrafted wedding albums. When all the very best pictures are assembled together, they become greater than the sum of the individual photographs. They all come together beautifully to tell the story of all that happened on the day you were married. Printed and then bound together on the best photographic paper available, embraced by covers available in fine leathers, metals, silks and other gorgeous materials. Various sizes are available to adorn the biggest of coffee tables.
Luxury Wedding Albums

For the most exclusive packages one wedding album, as stunning as it is will not be enough. Perhaps some items of wall art such as canvas prints or beautifully framed prints will bring more memories back to life. In today’s high tech world everyone loves mobile. Your wedding memories can be mobile too! Imagine having then available on your lap top, tablet pc, ipad and mobile phone. Instantly available to show friends and family when and wherever you may be.

Other Wedding Photography Packages:


To swing the wedding balance so that your investment in the photography is less, then there are photography packages where you can trim off some of the services you don’t need.

Maybe you feel that you could miss off the Bridal Prep, or the first dance perhaps. You could certainly down size on the album and go for something smaller, or with fewer pages or less luxurious covers. Many couples love having at least one framed enlargement around their home, a permanent reminder of this special day. So you could cut down on the amount of wall art and perhaps having the benefit of carrying your wedding photos is something you wouldn't miss either.


Can you see that by chatting with your wedding photographer, you should be able to pick the services you need and at the same time make your wedding package affordable? It is worthwhile noting too, that additional items such as parents albums, canvas prints and printable DVDs can normally be acquired after the wedding and don’t have to be included in the initial wedding package.

has been a professional wedding photographer since 1984, has owned his own studio and has taught at an arts college and adult learning center. He has written many article and blogs on wedding photography for the benefit of couples and inexperienced photographers. He still undertakes wedding commissions in the UK and abroad and he can be contacted through the following web links:

Saturday 3 August 2013

Ormesby Hall Wedding

Photographs from a Wedding at Ormesby Hall, Middlesbrough


All photographs taken by Portrait Wedding Photographers on 2nd August, 2013

Ormesby Hall, rear
Rear aspect of Ormesby Hall
Ormesby Hall sits in acres of beautiful, landscaped gardens, not far from the center of Middlesbrough. As you will see these fantastic ground make a wonderful backdrop for your wedding photographs. Ormesby Hall is also available to hold your civil wedding ceremony too.

Bridesmaids at Ormesby Hall
Ormesby Hall Bridesmaids
Here we have three gorgeous Bridesmaids at the front of Ormseby Hall, with the Mother of the Bride standing in the doorway.

Ormesby Hall, the Bride arrive in her wedding car
The Bride arrives at Ormesby Hall

The waiting is over, as here comes the Bride, arriving in style in her wedding car.

Ormesby Hall wedding, the confetti
Confetti at Ormesby Hall, Middlesbrough
After the ceremony the Bride and Groom emerge to be greeted by all their guests, showering them with confetti, bio degradable of course!

Ormesby Hall wedding
Wedding Party at Ormesby Hall
After the confetti our Bride and Groom lead the way into the magnificent garden to the rear of Ormesby Hall for a mix of formal and informal photos

Ormesby Hall, formal wedding pictures
Formal wedding photos at Ormesby Hall, Middlesbrough

With beautiful blue skies and Ormesby Hall as a background, this central flower bed made a great position for a few of the more formal group photos

Ormesby Hall bridal party jumping for joy
Jumping for joy at Ormesby Hall

Couples today love having a mix of formal and more relaxed, fun photos, here the bride and the hens jump for joy, with Ormesby Hall as the backdrop.

Making use of the natural features at Ormesby Hall wedding
Natural features at Ormesby Hall

Wedding photographers don't have to look far to find natural items at Ormesby Hall to use as backdrops, or as here as a frame.

Ormesby Hall, front aspect with Bride and Groom
Bride and Groom in front of Ormesby Hall, Middlesbrough


Before our Bride and Groom head off to their wedding reception, there was just enough time to capture them by the side of their wedding car in front of Ormesby Hall. 

Portrait Wedding Photographers would like to thank Erin and Mark for allowing us to publish a select few of their wedding photos. As always this wedding was full of smiles, fun and laughter, made to be that way by two very special people who were made to be together, forever.

If you would like to see more wedding photographs of weddings from across the UK, Italy, Cyprus, USA and the Caribbean, you can do so by visiting our wedding photography site:


Chief photographer for this Ormesby Hall wedding was




Saturday 27 July 2013

Explanation of Camera Operating Modes for Wedding Photography

camera mode knob
First of all this guide is not intended for professional photographers, who with years of experience will have their own preferred settings.

Many of the camera users I know, including those I spot at weddings taking pictures have their cameras permanently stuck in auto mode. I am not knocking auto mode because a lot of knowledge and electronic wizardry has gone into making this a “best fit” option for many photographers. I just wanted to let you know how you can use some of the other settings to perhaps take an even better picture.

TV – Shutter Priority. When you select this mode, you are telling the camera which speed to use, the electronics in the camera then work out the best aperture for a perfect exposure. So why is shutter speed important? If  you are taking pictures of motor cars racing, or your children running in the park, if you have a fast shutter speed you are more likely to stop the action perfectly. If you had a slow shutter speed then you would find that the cars were blurry and perhaps the arms and legs of your children.

“At a wedding” – I choose speeds faster than  1/60th to ensure there is no blurring. However during the first dance I switch between speeds and I prefer slower than 1/10th as this captures the movement in the brides dress as she is swept across the dance floor.

AV – Aperture Priority. When you select this camera mode, you are instructing the camera which aperture to select. Once again the cameras electronic circuits work out the best shutter speed for a perfect exposure. The most common use of aperture priority is to control the amount of background blur.

“At a wedding” – I choose a wide aperture f16 or above to ensure everyone in a group shot is in focus and so is the background. I would chose an aperture of f4 if I wanted to blur the background.

M - MANUAL . You set both the shutter speed and the aperture. There is no need to fear this setting. You use the light meter indications inside the camera viewfinder to either expose correctly, or under or over expose as necessary.

“At a wedding” – I would use manual mode sparingly. Preferring to use either TV or AV.

P – Program.  If you are a beginner and haven’t got time to work out the best settings for shutter speed and aperture, then please use this mode. The camera adjusts the settings for you automatically. Keep an eye on them though, as shutter speeds can drop down and cause motion blur at lower light levels.

“At a wedding” – If I wanted to get a lot of general shots in similar lighting conditions I would use Program. Why? Because sometimes getting “the shot” or “capturing the exact moment” is more important that twiddling knobs!

ISO – This is the one important factor, not controlled with the mode knob, but is heavily interlinked with its use. The higher the ISO number the more sensitive the camera senor is to light. So you would choose a higher ISO number when shooting inside a church, for instance. Be careful though, because the higher the ISO the grainier or noisier your pictures become. Try taking a series of pictures at different ISO settings. When things get too noisy, go back a setting and then try not to use the higher settings unless it is a must have shot.

Photography either as a professional or as an amateur should be fun. Get out there and experiment, using the different modes and see what effects this has on your pictures. There are still lots of camera clubs about and certainly lots of forums to help you on the internet. Take lots of photographs and do print the ones you like. Photographs look different in print, than on your computer screen.

has been a keen photographer since the age of 9. At 10 he was taking, developing and printing black and white photos in his own darkroom. In 1984 he shot his first wedding as a professional. Since then he has won awards from the master photographers association and taught photography at a local college.


Wednesday 17 July 2013

How Will You Choose to Display Your Wedding Memories?

Weddings are all about getting that one day right. Everything has to be perfect in every way. This is one of the most important days in an individual’s life. That is why capturing those memories is essential. When planning for a wedding, getting a wedding photographer is one of the most important decisions. You have to get someone who will get those beautiful moments in the best possible way. Besides your memories, photographs are the next best thing that reminds you of that important moment in your life. Hiring a wedding photographer should be done with the uttermost care. You have to find someone who is reliable and dependable. Photographs are all about capturing the moment. That means the location has to be picture perfect, so to speak. A good photographer will know the best locations to take those wedding photographs. 


The best part about having photographs of your wedding is that you get to show them off. They are a reminder of the good times. There are a lot of ways that can be used to show off those wedding photographs. With advances in technology, exhibition of photographs has gone to a whole new level. Gone are the days when people had just photo albums to show case their memories. Now there is so much that can be done with photography. So much art can be created from your wedding pictures.

 Canvas - Printing photos on canvas is one of the ways that you can go with those wedding shots. With this type of medium, the images are printed on an art canvas substrate. This is then wrapped in a frame, or you can choose to hang it as it is. You can get a variety of frames for different photos.

Digital Photography - With concepts like digital photography, there are a variety of new ways that photographs can be exhibited. One of them is through wedding slideshow. You can have images of your most precious moments created in one montage to tell a story.

Memory Sticks or Pen Drives - You can also have your wedding photographs stored on a memory stick. This means that you can have access to them whenever you want. All you need is a device to view them or print. With a memory stick, you can also upload them to share with friends and family via email or facebook.

Mobile Phone - You can also opt to have them in your phone so they go with you wherever you are.

iPad or Tablet PC - After the wedding photographs have been taken, you could ask to have them presented to you on a new tablet. This is something that is fairly new and has the added benefit of you having anew iPad!. With your photos on your mobile device, you can see them at a larger size than your phone whenever you want to. You can put one up as wallpaper. This way, you can see it whenever you look at your phone or tablet or computer. It also makes it possible to have your best memories when you travel.

Framed Prints - You can also exhibit your wedding photographs in a more traditional way. By having the best photos framed. You can get beautiful frames and display them on your walls. This way, everybody in your house has a chance to see them.

One thing is guaranteed, if you get a professional, experienced photographer their skills will deliver you the quality photos you want. Once captured you can have your memories displayed in anyway you choose.



With professional wedding photography experience dating back to 1984, Portrait Wedding Photographers are experienced, reliable and easy to get along with. Covering the whole of the UK and taking assignments overseas in areas like Florida, New York, Italy, Cyprus and Dubai. They also only use the best wedding album manufacturers in the world - Graphistudio from Italy.

Wednesday 10 July 2013

Wedding Photography Should be Inside-Out

How do you choose a wedding photographer, is a question that has been asked by brides for years and years. The process is made more difficult, because it’s not like buying a car. When you buy a car, you can see it, you can sit in it, have a test drive, feel how it handles, even how it smells.

Wedding photography is different. You are investing in something that, yes you can view sample albums, but it’s not your experience.  So you don’t know the extras that the service brings. I know photographers that have bought photos from stock libraries to complete an album, and when asked is this all your work, what do you think they say? Errr "of course."

But do you know something, something more important than photographs? To be a great wedding photographer the greatest skill you need is to be good with people. Taking pictures is secondary! OMG I hear you say. Let’s think about it some more. Most couples still get married at a church and then go off to some hotel for their reception. The reception provides a wedding coordinator don’t they? But are they with you as you and your Bridesmaids get ready? Are they with you at the church? No they are not. But you know who is....Your wedding photographer!

wedding photographer duncan
Duncan Malloch Master Photographer on wedding duty

I know that not every Bride wants pictures at her home, getting ready. But a good photographer will insist on being there. Why? Because they want to photograph your wedding inside – out!

What do you mean photograph a wedding inside out? I mean that by building up relationships with close family and friends your wedding photographer becomes an insider, not an outsider! This matters because nearly every Bride nowadays wants natural looking photographs at her wedding. Can you see how these beautiful natural photographs are more easily obtained by an insider, a temporary member of your family?



By being there at the start of your day a wedding photographer gets to know everyone. Gets to meet Dad and help with his tie and button hole. Takes pictures of the Bridesmaids and can offer advice on how to hold their flowers for the best results. The photographer gets to know the Bride, know what makes her tick, can deflect stressful situations and can get her to smile without asking her too.
If everyone is more relaxed do you think you will get better photos?
If you want some advice about choosing a good wedding photographer:

·         Ensure that they offer Bridal preparation coverage
·         Talk to them on the phone to see if you feel comfortable with them
·         Only then should you check that their photography is to your standard
·         Check prices and agree on a package (including bridal prep)
·         Relax

I am of course not saying quality of photographs is unimportant, what I am saying is do you really want to spend the best day of your life with an idiot who tells you to smile all the time? Or with someone who helps you, offers advice and can make you smile or laugh, like a favourite uncle?

Duncan wedding photographer at first dance
Duncan Malloch covering the first dance at a wedding


Whichever wedding photographer you choose, have a fantastic wedding day. Inside out!

Check if Duncan is available for your wedding - CLICK HERE
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Tuesday 9 July 2013

Expert Wedding Photographers Can Capture Your Most Precious Memories And Make Them Live For Ever

If you have your big day coming up, there are so many things to be concerned about. While  most of these  tend to focus  on how  to make  the  day a  success, there  is  one  thing that  will ensure  that  your  memories  are remembered forever, your wedding  photographs. To ensure that you get blissful memories of your day, most couples prefer to hire the services of expert wedding photographers. Though these services cost, these experts are the best you can get when it comes to capturing those special moments, so it is more of an investment.

The knowledge of expert wedding photographers becomes more essential if you are having your wedding in an exotic resort, far from home. Professional photographers have an innate knowledge and experience of wedding venues and variable lighting conditions,  and can suggest all the “cool” locations for photographs. With these experts, you are totally assured of professionalism, friendly and personalised services, services  that surpass your expectation.

While choosing  the   right wedding photography  package  can be  a tricky  proposition, your  wedding is  a one-off event and  it is best to leave nothing  to  chance.  If you want your wedding to be a picture perfect event, there are various platforms from which to outsource experienced wedding photographers.  Local wedding photographer’s  with many reviews on Google is thought to be simply the best resource when it comes to choosing your wedding photography. Not only are these professionals knowledgeable of the location and venue, but they also have a proven track record. Reviews on Google give you a third party insight, by real people, as these reviews can only be given by verified Google users. So you can rely on these reviews being authentic and unbiased; you can definitely use them to evaluate a local wedding photographer. At the top of their trade, expert wedding photographers will ensure that the service you’re getting is worth every penny. Here’s how:

Local wedding photographers with many trusted reviews online should be able to show that they have many years of experience and skill.  This is the basic reason why hiring a recommended wedding photographer is key. While this may not seem relevant at first, it will become evident when they start shooting your  pictures. The  truth is  that you need pictures  with  interesting  backdrops not just posed  in front of  a church. If  you hire an expert  local photographer, it  is  most probable  that they will know your venue and the best  locations  to  capture your  wedding  pictures.

Most expert wedding photographers working locally are immensely “connected” to all other wedding service providers. As you know planning and executing a wedding is no easy task. A local wedding photographer can recommended people like dress suppliers, florists and car hire companies, they know a lot more about weddings than just taking awesome pictures. Through their many years of experience and service, they have gained these contacts and knowledge by being specialists in the wedding business. In the event that you require help with a certain aspect of your wedding, it’s possible that a local photographer will help you out.


Remember that through the various reviews on Google local, you can get hold of a professional wedding photographer you can trust. You simply need to see how many reviews there are, then go through them and see what other couples liked about the whole experience. Then it is just a case of feeling if you will be comfortable and enjoy sharing your wedding day experience with your chosen company. Hiring a  local expert wedding photographer doesn't have to cost a fortune and you are guaranteed beautiful, ever lasting memories of your wedding! Congratulations!

Portrait Wedding Photographers provide wedding service across the UK, Europe and USA

Thursday 4 July 2013

Why Having a Professional Take Your Wedding Photos is the Best Option

Photographs are the best part of every event. They will live on years and years after any occasion and when the event is your wedding day then no one would want to compromise in capturing their precious moments for the long term. Photographs are the best way to preserve memories and your wedding day is the one that you will want to remember forever. So it is good to hire a professional photographer who documents your special day in a personalized and professional manner. To avoid the disappointment after the event, hire an experienced and professional photographer for your special day in advance and then you can relax knowing you are in safe hands.

Although you may have several friends or relatives offering to take the photos for you instead of hiring a professional photographer, but the benefits of choosing a professional to take your wedding are here:

  • ·         Taking perfect pictures are not as easy as it seems. An average person can’t make your pictures spring to life, whereas professionals have experience, skill and artistic eyes to capturing the essence of every event. They are experienced in what they do and they will also ensure your pictures are beautiful. Would your friends or family members have that experience to capture the important moments during your big day.
  • ·         Professional photographers focus on the bride and groom and people or things that you want to capture as your special moments. If you let your friend to do this, would you end up with exactly what you want?
  • ·         Remember paid professionals are there to provide you with the best service, give advice and will ensure you have many beautiful wedding photos to treasure.
  • ·         They have great ideas for unique poses and shots as they have been doing this for years. Your family and friends won’t know how to make you look your best and might miss those special moments, whereas a professional knows when things are going to happen, by instinct. Hiring a professional will ensure you to have unique photos of your best day.
  • ·         Professional wedding photographers concentrates on their job and will never miss any important moments during your wedding. Many are there from bridal prep to first dance to ensure every moment is there for you to re-live.
  • ·         They use latest technology and editing software to create special images of your memories. They will capture your images and then give them whole new look that makes your memory book just the way you want it, maybe convert to black and white or add a soft focus effect.
  • ·         They have multiple album options that simply are not available to anyone other than professional photographers so if you want a really awesome wedding album, there is only one choice.


Professional photographers have excellent cameras, lenses and know how to manipulate the light for the best pictures. But overall it is not the equipment but the experience that really counts. A passion for being around people, of knowing what looks fantastic, options to make your album look simply awesome. The best wedding albums are only available to professionals, so really there is only one choice.

Check out Duncan Malloch and Portrait Wedding Photographers, with packages from only £395