QUESTIONS
A little more about how it works.
Every event is different, but there are naturally a few questions that come up regularly. We have answered some of them here.
If there is something you would like to know that isn't covered, please get in touch. The best way to understand whether Exclusive Events is right for your occasion is often simply to have a conversation.
What exactly is Exclusive Events?
Exclusive Events brings the experience and quality of a professional portrait studio into the heart of an event.
We create beautifully lit, predominantly black and white portraits of your guests during the occasion itself. There is no lengthy sitting and no expectation that anyone should know how to pose. We provide the setting, the lighting and, most importantly, the direction.
The result is something rather different from conventional event photography: a collection of individual, couple, family and group portraits created while the people who matter to you are already together.
Is this a photo booth?
No.
A photo booth is designed to be quick, automated and entertaining. Exclusive Events is a portrait experience, photographed personally and individually directed.
There are no novelty props or instructions to squeeze everyone into a predetermined frame. We take a little time with each person or group, adjusting the composition and lighting where necessary and allowing personalities and relationships to come through.
It can be every bit as much fun as a photo booth. The difference is that the photographs are intended to last considerably longer than the evening.
Do you replace our wedding or event photographer?
Not necessarily, and very often we complement them.
A wedding or event photographer has the important job of documenting the occasion as it unfolds: the people, atmosphere, speeches, details and spontaneous moments.
Exclusive Events does something different. We create a dedicated portrait environment within the event, allowing guests to step away for a few minutes and return with portraits that might otherwise never have been made.
We are very happy to work alongside another professional photographer and will always respect the work they have been commissioned to do.
What sort of events do you photograph?
Weddings, private dinners, significant birthdays, anniversaries, family celebrations, black-tie occasions, awards evenings and corporate events all lend themselves beautifully to the experience.
In reality, the common ingredient isn't the type of event. It's the people.
Whenever an occasion brings together people who matter to one another, there is an opportunity to create something worth keeping.
Do our guests need to know how to pose?
Absolutely not.
In fact, most people who step in front of our camera begin by telling us that they dislike having their photograph taken.
That's perfectly normal.
We don't expect guests to arrive knowing where to stand, what to do with their hands or how to look at the camera. That's our job. The first few minutes are usually spent talking rather than photographing, allowing people to relax before we begin.
You can read more about that on The First Five Minutes.
How long does each portrait take?
Usually only a few minutes.
Some people are immediately comfortable in front of the camera; others need a little longer. Couples, families and larger groups naturally require slightly different amounts of time.
We don't work to a stopwatch. The aim is to work efficiently enough to remain part of the event, but never so quickly that the experience begins to feel like a production line.
How much space do you need?
Less than you might imagine, although sufficient space makes an enormous difference.
The exact requirement depends on the background, lighting arrangement and type of portraits we are creating. During our initial conversation we will discuss the venue and identify an appropriate area that allows us to work without intruding on the event itself.
Where necessary, we can also liaise directly with your venue or event planner.
Can we choose the background?
Yes.
Black and white backgrounds form the heart of the Exclusive Events visual style, but the choice will depend upon the event, the venue and the atmosphere you would like to create.
We can discuss this beforehand and recommend what we believe will work particularly well.
Are all the finished portraits black and white?
Black and white is at the heart of the Exclusive Events aesthetic and will usually form the principal collection.
There is something wonderfully timeless about removing colour. It allows expression, gesture, light and relationships to become the important things in the photograph.
Where appropriate, however, we can also discuss colour imagery as part of the commission. The final approach is agreed before the event rather than imposed afterwards.
How many guests can you photograph?
That depends on the event.
Guest numbers, the length of time available, the balance between individuals and groups and the natural rhythm of the occasion all affect how many portraits can reasonably be created.
We would rather create a considered collection of exceptional portraits than promise an arbitrary number. Once we know more about your event, we can give you a much clearer idea of what is achievable.
Can you photograph over more than one evening or event?
Certainly.
For celebrations taking place over several days, destination weddings, conferences or larger corporate occasions, the portrait experience can be incorporated into more than one part of the event.
It can also evolve. An informal welcome evening and a black-tie dinner, for example, offer very different opportunities for portraiture.
What happens to the photographs afterwards?
Every selected photograph is individually finished to the same standard as the work you see throughout this website.
How the finished collection is delivered will depend upon the commission and will be discussed with you beforehand. We want the way the photographs are experienced afterwards to feel every bit as considered as the photography itself.
Are our photographs private?
Yes, unless we have specifically agreed otherwise.
We photograph private occasions and understand that discretion is not an optional extra.
Images are not published on our website, social media or elsewhere simply because we photographed them. Any use beyond the agreed delivery of your collection is discussed with you and permission obtained beforehand.
The photographs you see on this website are here with permission.
Do you travel?
Absolutely.
Exclusive Events is available throughout the UK and internationally.
Travel requirements vary considerably depending upon the location and nature of the event, so these are discussed openly as part of the initial conversation.
How do we know whether it will work for our event?
Talk to us.
Every event has its own character. The venue, number of guests, timing, available space and, most importantly, the people themselves all influence how we approach it.
Exclusive Events isn't an off-the-shelf package and we don't believe it should become one.
Tell us what you're planning, who will be there and what you would love to remember about it.
Then we can begin the conversation.
LET'S TALK