Photographer Showcase - Hannah Hall Photography

How did your photography journey start?

Completely by accident! I was on maternity leave and decided I’d offer some family shoots to fund a new lens… my first family clients were also my first wedding couple (but it took a lot of convincing on their behalf to get me to agree) - it worked out well, 11 years and nearly 800 weddings later…

What is your general photography style?

Candid, raw, honest, colourful, true to life.

What do you enjoy most about the job?

No two days are ever the same and I get the best seat in house on one of the most important days of people’s lives. What an honour!

What do you enjoy most about shooting weddings at Dodmoor?

I know that the team at Dodmoor have always got everything in hand and even on bad weather days, it’s never stressful because they really have thought of everything.

How do you approach shooting a wedding at Dodmoor?

To not deliver the same set of photos twice! I think when you shoot at a venue a lot (and I’ve shot at least 40 at Dodmoor!!) it’s easy to get complacent, so I always try to give my couples something new and different.

What are your favourite photo spots at Dodmoor?

The top lawn at golden hour, the drive (because it changes so beautifully with the season) and somewhere in some twinkly lights for a winter wedding.

How do you approach shooting a rainy wedding day at Dodmoor?

I can’t stress enough the importance of being prepared. While I used to live in Northamptonshire I now live on the edge of the Lake District where more weddings are wet than not so I don’t stop talking about having all eventualities covered. Ordering some brollies but not unboxing them so you can return them if you don't use them is my best tip, but also having a change of footwear that can tolerate mud better but also has a similar height heal to keep dresses off the floor so stop them sucking up more water than necessary. Ultimately though, you can’t change the weather or pretend it didn’t happen so the best thing you can do is embrace it and make it part of the story of your day. If you spend too much time worrying about the weather and your outfits getting ruined that’s less time having fun and being in the moment. 

What is your favourite part of the wedding day, from a photographer’s perspective?

I love prep because it’s usually a bit slower to allow me to be creative, I also get to know the VIPs at your day during that time. I love confetti, I love the post ceremony buzz and I really love speeches because they’re a wonderful opportunity for candids.

What advice would you give to couples for their wedding day, from a photographer’s perspective?

Hire professionals and trust them to do their job.

Be prepared for all eventualities (fans and sun cream just as important as brollies and wellies)!

Allow yourself to be candid and be in the moment. No one knows if the flowers aren’t quite right or the cake is the wrong flavour. 

Thanks so much to Hannah for sharing her story, and thoughts about photography and Dodmoor House!

Visit Hannah's website or social media to see more of his work or get in touch via email -hannah@hannahhallphotography.co.uk