Jacqui Matthews.
Her stunning work as a specialist wedding photographer has won her global status as the only British women to have ever won Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI). Looking at her work its no suprise shes at the top of her game, her incredible eye for detail & fantastic imagination sets her worlds apart in her field.
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1. How did it all begin with you & your photography?
I'm really not sure how my interest in photography beagan but as a young
child I remember sitting for hours looking through boxes and scrap books
full of old photographs. Many were of my grandmother's family, relatives
fallen in the second world war and also wedding pictures of distant family
whom I had never met yet felt suddenly connected to through those faded
black and white images. I was intrigued by the power of photography and how
images help us connect and relate to the past.
2. Tell us about the type of photography you specilaize in?
I am formally trained and qualified as a 'social' photographer which
typically embraces individual and family portraiture and the formal
recording of family and social occasions such as weddings, engagements,
christenings, graduations, birthdays and other special events. My particular
area of expertise is in wedding photography and this is no wthe mainstay of
my business. Brides-to-be like the idea of dealing with a 'specialist' when
planning for such an important day.
3. What has made you such a successes and what sets you apart from other photographers?
Reputation and integrity, without a doubt. It's the most important commodity
of any business. I limit myself each year to a maximum number of 25 bookings
which comfortably affords me the time to concentrate on giving each couple
the very best of my attention. My aim has always been to exceed client
expectation, I want the people I work with to tell their friends how great
their experience was. It seems obvious but being open, genuine, polite and
helpful towards clients, their families and friends and other wedding
professionals has really helped me develop an excellent referral network
which has become an invaluable business resource.
4. Tell us about your award?
Wow! The past 12 months has truly been the most amazing time for me. In
December I won the first heat of a global competition held in New York by
Wedding and Portrait Photographers International (WPPI), the final round of
the contest was held at their annual convention in Las Vegas in February and
I was thrilled to go on and win the Grand prize. To give you some idea, it's
the photographic industry equivalent of winning a British Olympic Gold medal
and I'm currently the only british female photographer ever to have won.
Then in March I was awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze in the British Institute
of Professional Photography's (BIPP) annual awards held in London's
Southbank.
5. What gives you inspiration?
I draw my inspiration from many sources including cinema, fine art, fashion
and even architecture. I like to look at other photographers' work but I'm
rarely influenced by it.
6. Who would you say has been your biggest influence?
That's a tough one! Probably my former employer, Frances Dumbleton who at
the very start of my photographic career gave me the basic skills and
confidence required to become the photographer I am today. I would also say
my mentor and now great friend Kevin Wilson, one of the finest wedding and
portrait photographers in Europe. He has so generously given many hours of
his time to encourage and assist me through a very tough qualification
process.
7. What is your favourite image from your portfolio & why?
I have two favorite images right now, 'Just Married' purely because of the
attention it has attracted and its success in recent awards and 'Monday's
child' which is a vintage style portrait of a young girl.
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8. What advice would you have for someone wanting to go into photography?
Find work assisting other professionals and get as much experience as
possible before going out there alone if this is your goal. You need to be
technically proficient enough to understand all the equipment you're working
with and, heaven forbid should the worst happen, how to recover a situation
calmly and quickly. Equip yourself also with people skills as you won't go
very far without these. Sadly many newcomers to the profession fail to
understand that it requires more than a fleeting interest in taking nice
pictures to make a successful career as a photographer. And on no account
should the general public be used as guinea pigs to further a fledgling
career in wedding photography, it's an extremely risky strategy and has the
potential to ruin a business before its started, particularly in today's
increasingly litigious climate.
9. What are your plans for the future?
I'm currently finalising building plans for a new studio/gallery which I'm
really excited about. I'm also working on a qualification submission to
achieve Fellowship of the BIPP, the highest level attainable for
professional photographers in the UK. Only one other female has achieved
'Wedding' Fellowship in the BIPP's 125 year history reflecting how very
difficult it is to achieve. Fingers crossed!
Pop over to my blog hun x
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