advice Archives - Page 2 of 2 - London & Cornwall Wedding Photographer Marianne Taylor | Creative wedding, couple & family reportage photography covering Cornwall, London, UK and overseas

The magic of Cornwall: plan a romantic getaway

May 25, 2015 · 1 Comment

As I’m getting closer to the BIG MOVE over to Cornwall (woop!), I thought I’d share some of my recommendations for romantic getaways. Whether you’re planning an engagement, pre-wedding or anniversary shoot, you couldn’t ask for a prettier setting than the quintessentially British seaside town of Padstow, or the wild and rugged coastline around Newquay, with its multiple beaches, such as Watergate Bay, which is the perfect place to stay if one or both of you would like to try your hand at surfing!

Cornwall is a stunning county, set on a peninsula completely surrounded by the sea, with a dramatic coastline, stunning cliff-tops, miles of sandy beaches and picturesque fishing harbours. It offers so many things for a perfect couple’s getaway – from the art scene to the food scene, walking trails, water-sports and amazing Celtic history. It’s also easy to reach by air with its own airport and regular flights from London and other European cities (with Exeter airport only a short drive away with even more flight destinations), or by train and car.

The picturesque fishing town of Padstow.

Kelly & Nik’s anniversary session in Fowey.

St. Ives, a gorgeous seaside town brimming with arts, culture and Cornish atmosphere.

My recommendations for romantic places to stay in the north Cornwall area (where I’ll be based) include:

Watergate Bay Hotel
Perfect for a beach holiday, especially for keen surfers – this hotel offers a little bit of everything for everyone. Be active or just chill and enjoy – everything is designed to offer you the best of Cornish hospitality.

Scarlet Hotel
Cornwall’s escape for adults only, offering luxurious rooms each with their own individual outside space, is your chance to get away to for a private romantic break. Stunning views of gardens, cliffs, sea and sky, great food at the Scarlet restaurant and the in house Spa treatments on offer will go a long way to recharging your batteries.

Beach Retreats
Self catering holiday homes with that extra touch help you make the most of your break away. Pre-order groceries for your holiday and arrive to everything packed away and ready for you.

Fistral Beach Hotel
Breath-taking cliff top views from luxurious rooms with your choice of added extras to make that special occasion just that little bit extra special. Check out the special break packages on offer and book your seaside adventure now.

Headland Hotel
A family owned hotel or self catering cottages with spectacular views, Cornwalls only 5 bubble spa and fine dining available – there is something to suit everyone’s requirements for the perfect romantic get-away.

Pen & Cam’s anniversary session on Pentire Head in Newquay.

Whether you’re a first-timer, or an avid Cornwall visitor, I guarantee your time there will hold precious memories. Let me capture those memories in a Together Session, while you are relaxed and enjoying a special time away. I can showcase your love story and create timeless memories to treasure forever. No matter what the occasion is, it’s all about the two of you together, focusing on one another and celebrating your love.

Contact me here for your Together Session in Cornwall.

How to get started with a photography business

February 20, 2015 · Leave a Comment

How to get started with a photography business. Click through to read.

I receive questions about photography & about being photographed almost daily. I share some of my favourite questions on the blog, so that everyone can benefit from the answers.

Q: I have photo skills but don’t know where to start in a business direction & don’t have money to buy better equipment or develop a nice brand image. HELP?

That’s wonderful that you want to start your own business! Congratulations on taking the first step and declaring your intention.

I’m not going to lie, starting a business is hard work filled with a hell of a lot of sacrifices, especially in the first couple of years. I suggest you hold on to your day job while you figure out what kind of photography you want to do. Draw up a business plan, research, research and research some more. Start offering your services at an entry level price and save any money coming in for gear and setting up your business. Connect with people who can help you with your initial visual identity, but don’t invest too much money on branding until you’ve been in business for a while and know exactly what your brand is about. The number one factor in succeeding is perseverance. The difference between survival, EVEN when you’re successful, is being prepared to work hard and stick. it. out.

So yes, it’s not a glamorous answer, but it’s the truth. If you’re prepared to work hard, always keep developing your skills to make sure what you’re selling is up to scratch, keep learning about the business side (as that’s what you’ll be spending most of your time on), and be organised, slowly but surely you will move towards full-time entrepreneurship. Do be honest with yourself about whether you love the idea of running your own business, as much as you love photography. If the answer is no, you might be happier being a photographer working for someone else.

If you do decide to go for it, learn to get comfortable with promoting yourself. Blog your work, interact with other photographers, network with people in the industry, just be consistently out there and the work will come. Don’t waste money on paid advertising when you’re starting out, you have all the free tools (such as different social media platforms) you need online, you just need to find the time to learn to utilise them properly.

Also. Don’t forget to HAVE FUN with it all!

Are you a photographer or an aspiring creative business owner? Her Lovely Heart is my way of helping heart-led creatives to run their businesses with purpose, freedom, and joy. By subscribing to the Inspire Your Inbox letters, you’ll gain access to a library of free resources and worksheets, plus regular letters of inspiration from me straight to your inbox. Click here to join and receive instant access to The Library.

How to take intimate candid shots of people

January 31, 2015 · Leave a Comment

How to take intimate candid shots of people.

I receive questions about photography & about being photographed almost daily. I share some of my favourite questions on the blog, so that everyone can benefit from the answers.

Q: How do you get such intimate candid shots of people without spooking them? Everyone always seems so natural and relaxed in your photos.

Thanks for the question! These are my favourite kind of shots to take at a wedding, and I especially love them at the getting ready stage and later during the cocktail hour. There are so many lovely moments and authentic interactions to catch at these times.

There are couple of different approaches to taking candid photographs of people. First of all, let’s talk about the technical aspect of photographing these moments. Personally I tend to shoot fairly close up, with a 35mm or a 50mm lens, so I’m definitely in the moment with the people, and I mingle quite a bit with the guests when photographing the cocktail hour. However, I often get comments afterwards to the effect that no-one saw me the whole day, so they were surprised to get all the photos they did!

With my approach to candid photography the biggest factor is demeanour. If I were to act awkwardly people would be awkward in my pictures. When I approach people in a way that doesn’t make them feel like I’m doing something weird, they’re not spooked. I have been told that I come across quite calm, which can be a good addition to nervous situations, and helps with the intimacy.

My assistant generally shoots candids with a longer lens (often the 100mm), which lets her sneak shots from further away without people noticing. I myself have started using the 85mm a bit more as well, it’s sometimes nice to be able to catch moments from slightly further away. Obviously the different focal lengths create a visually different kind of feeling to each other as well, and the compression of a longer lens creates a lovely ‘social portrait’ look rather than making the viewer feel like they’re part of the action.

How to plan for photography on your wedding day

October 31, 2014 · Leave a Comment

How to plan for photography on your wedding day. Click through to read.

I receive questions about photography & about being photographed almost daily. I share some of my favourite questions on the blog, so that everyone can benefit from the answers.

Q: I’m a bride planning a wedding and I’m wondering if you have any advice about what we should be aware of and take into consideration in regards to our photography during the day?

A: Congratulations on your engagement!

First of all, take some time thinking about the style of photography that most speaks to you. Be honest about what is important to you – are you keen on traditional images and formal group shots, or is it more important to you to catch the real moments – and choose your photographer accordingly.

While preparing for the actual day, think about the details and colours, as well as the kind of atmosphere you want to create, and try to instil your personality into everything – the more individual the style of your wedding is, the more interesting the pictures will be. If you’re getting married outside, check out how the light falls at the time of your ceremony. If one of you is under weird spotty light, you might want to consider moving slightly, or having some sort of cover, such as fabric or a parasol, to even out the light.

Expect everything to take a little longer than your initial instinct is, and then write down a schedule for the day – and remember to give this to your photographer. Also keep in mind that if you do want formal group shots, make a list of the groups and designate a person in your wedding party who will get these groups organised – and, you guessed it, give this information to your photographer. Expect each group to take around 3-5 minutes (when you start adding the times up you realise how much time this takes away from actually capturing what’s happening on the day, which is why I limit the amount of group shots I take).

If creative portraits of the two of you are important to you, allow at least 30 minutes to be spent alone with your photographer. If you’re after some magical sun-flair shots, the best light for those is generally around one hour before the sunset, so see if at least some portrait time can be worked into your schedule at that time.

For me personally, the most important thing you can do is to ENJOY your day and let me capture your happiness in a relaxed environment. So once all the planning is done and the big day is upon you, just let go of the reigns and trust the professionals you’ve hired for your day!

The magic of Cornwall: plan a romantic getaway

How to get started with a photography business

Q: I have photo skills but don’t know where to start in a business direction & don’t have money to buy better equipment or develop a nice brand image. HELP?

How to take intimate candid shots of people

Q: How do you get such intimate candid shots of people without spooking them? Everyone always seems so natural and relaxed in your photos.

How to plan for photography on your wedding day

Q: I’m a bride planning a wedding and I’m wondering if you have any advice about what we should be aware of and take into consideration in regards to our photography during the day?

Find me also on

Search