Are you looking for relaxed, yet super stylish images that capture your wedding day?
Are you wondering who the man behind the camera from our photoshoot in Barton Hall was?
It was the very talented Karl Drage. We have been lucky enough to work with Karl on numerous occasions, and he never fails to exceed our expectations and absolutely WOW us!
Karl considers himself to be a storyteller, capturing all the key parts of the day as they unfold naturally with minimal intervention. Couples would describe him as being relaxed yet professional, instilling a comfort level that enables natural images to flow.
As well as playing around with lighting, he loves to put on a long lens and wander around in the background, capturing all those lovely, fun interactions between your guests.
We asked Karl some questions to get an insight into the mind of a photographer.
What makes Barton Hall good for photography?
From my perspective, much of the appeal of any venue is in the surroundings – the gardens, the architecture, all of those features you can use to create beautiful pictures. Barton Hall’s Orangery is just the most wonderful building, with light streaming in from both the south-facing side and through the gorgeous round domes in the ceiling. On a day like the one we were treated to for this shoot, it just looked sensational!
What's your favourite part of photoshoots?
I have a really good rapport with the KTV Venue Styling team, and they’re a great bunch to spend time with, so I would have to say I most enjoy the actual shoot itself, rather than the editing afterwards. I like to think that we are constantly pushing each other to produce better results, so it’s always great to see what they come up with next – they are yet to disappoint!
How long does it take to produce finished images?
That’s a bit of a how-long-is-a-piece-of-string type of question. Many variables affect that, the most obvious being the number of pictures taken! Some venues have more “distractions” in the background than others that are probably best removed. If it’s a shoot involving people, they might require more retouching than an already-perfect ceremony room, for instance. For real-world weddings, experience shows me that on average I spend about 4 hours editing for every hour of actual shooting. I do pride myself on getting edited images to my clients promptly, usually within 7 days.
What's been your favourite photoshoot so far?
That’s a tough one! My favourite photoshoots with KTV would have to be the ones we did at The Big Barn at Ashley, on the Northamptonshire-Leicestershire border, and the ones at Hill Farmhouse in Brigstock. We had brides for each of them, and for me, that just adds an extra layer of interest. The weather was incredible at The Big Barn, and the scenery is just beautiful. At the time, they were some of my favourite pictures I’d ever taken. The Hill Farm House shoot was similar in a lot of ways, but there are more features to work with there, and we were a bit more creative with what we set up for that one.
What is your favourite venue?
Lots of local venues are lovely (and there are several surprising gaps in the list of where I’ve photographed weddings locally!), but my favourite where I’ve worked would have to be Compton Verney in Warwickshire. The building is incredible, the grounds immaculate and feature-heavy, and it even has its own art gallery that you can use for pictures! It is a very special place.
One piece of advice for the best photos?
Be as flexible with timings as you can be. Easier said than done, I know. Things like the Ceremony and Wedding Breakfast times need to be adhered to rigidly, for obvious reasons, but the best pictures usually come when the light is at its nicest. That might mean looking for breaks in the weather on less-than-perfect days or being prepared to delay your First Dance for 15 minutes to dive outside at short notice to take advantage of a sunset. If you want nice pictures, you need to give yourself the best opportunity to get them!
Karl is friendly, funny and a lovely soul but most importantly he is insanely talented when it comes to photography…so if you’re struggling to find the perfect photographer for your special day then we would wholeheartedly recommend Event and Wedding Photography by Karl Drage
