Styled shoot March 2024 - Matt Rock Photography

Styled shoot at Tonbridge School Weddings and events

I was contacted in February 2024 by Nicky from Nicola Rose Weddings and Events to take part in a styled shoot to promote some local businesses and Tonbridge School weddings and events.

We met at the school a couple of weeks before so I could see the locations and get a feel of how we wanted to create these image assets for us all to use and to promote our respective businesses.

A lot of work goes into these styled shoots; Assigning the team, getting everyone together to create a wedding themed shoot to promote what we do in our day jobs and mine of course is making the images that hopefully showcase what we all do. Using the drone I was hoping to give a sense of where we are and show the venue with a different perspective to show couples looking to book this wonderful venue an overview of it’s grounds and architecture. You can see that this venue is full of character and history. A little side note; I was lucky to get the drone in the air when I did as it wasn’t long before the sun went in the the rain came down…

“Tonbridge school is a public school in Tonbridge, Kent, England and was founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judde. It’s a member of the Eton Group and has close links with the Worshipful Company of Skinners, one of the oldest London livery companies. There are currently around 800 boys in the school aged between 13 and 18.”

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On the day I arrived to set up my cameras and drone then had another look around whilst the finishing touches were being made for the shoot; hair, makeup, suits, flowers, room decoration and cake all being prepared and made ready for the day ahead. I started with a nice fresh cup of coffee as always and got a few photos of the ‘bride’ before she was all finished, just to get warmed up before it was all go.

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After a few warm up shots it was time to get the wedding vibe going with some more styled images of the ‘bride and groom’ getting ready with hair, make up, dresses and suits.

During the day I tried to shoot in a similar way to how I work at a real wedding (documentary, candid in nature) although due to not having the time restraints at an actual wedding I was able to direct things more than usual with a few more re-takes than is normally possible.

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Now it’s all come together and if you are reading this whilst planning your own wedding, please get in touch to see how I can help you get the photographs you deserve from your big day.

If you have read this far, thank you! And if you liked what you read please share with your friends and family who may benefit from having an experienced photographer capture their big day.

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Suppliers involved with this styled wedding shoot were:

Photography - Matt Rock Photography 

Event organiser - Nicola Rose Weddings and Events

Florist - Bailey and Blossom

Venue - Tonbridge School

Videographer - Alin Cengher

Suits - Hardman & Hemming

Favours - Gwyneth Johnson Cake Designs

Cake - Artisan Cakes And Confections

Dress - Bridal Boutique of Jules

Female model - Cristina Maccarrone

Male model - Calum ORourke

Make up - Makeup by Evi 

Hair - The Makeup and Hair Bar

Hair Accessories - Deco Flowers

Content creator - Nadya Mamaeva

Retro cameras - Bailey Mansfield

Drone Photography by Matt Rock AND THE DJI MINI 2

Have you ever thought what your wedding or event venue looks like from above?

I use the little power house that is the DJI Mini 2 - photo of the drone I use below

Drone - dji Mini 2

The dji Mini 2 is an amazing little drone to fly and it’s been one of the best investments I’ve made in recent years.

To be honest it’s my first proper drone so I can’t really compare it to others but it works well for me and my business. The Mini 2 is small, relatively quiet, lightweight and can fly in quite heavy winds, which is handy when working in the UK.

I have only flown one other, smaller ‘toy’ drone before which was a great little drone to practice with as there were no automated flying aids; which help it stay in the air - the first time I took off I almost lost it and I had to retrieve it many times from neighbours houses and the top of my bathroom roof!

I bought it to learn how to fly a drone on the advise from a model shop in Dartford, Kent. It was a good investment to teach me how to fly and makes the dji Mini 2 so easy and lets me just concentrate on getting the image or video I need and so far i’ve not had any need to climb a tree to get it back.

The stabilised, 4K camera really does a great job at keeping the footage still when filming or shooting stills at a wedding venue or event space. I just pop my phone onto the controller, link it up and away you go…

Below are more drone shots from weddings and corporate events i’ve been lucky enough to work at.

Having drone shots of your big day or event will give you that different perspective that sets it apart from others.

It will set the scene of the day and elevate your cherished wedding album.

Are you getting married at your favourite church and want to get a birds eye view of the historic building?

Is your big day at a lovely Castle, a manor house or a golf course? if the answer is yes, you will absolutely love the views you get from the sky above and it really does give you a sense of where you said ‘I do’.

I made the cash investment into a drone and all the insurances that come with it a few years ago as I wanted to set myself apart and have a little something unique that will make your gallery that bit more special.

Drone photography or video won’t cost you any extra as I include it in all my wedding and commercial work and you can enjoy these photos (weather permitting of course) of your big day along with the more traditional ground floor view - approximately 5’’ 8’ high from the ground :)

Check out my other BLOG about ‘Beautiful Colour and Timeless Black & White’ A blog about how I now offer every wedding image in both formats - always….

Venues included in this bloag:

Hever Castle

Lympne Castle

The Darenth

Salomons Estate

Dartford Football Club

The Boathouse, Danosn Park

Detling Show Ground

The Castle, Westenhanger

Squerryes

Allington Castle

Chilston Park Hotel

Kent and London Wedding Photographer - Matt Rock

“beautiful colour and timeless Black & White”

* You can have both *

Matt explains his decision to offer both formats as standard, since January 2023 and why he’s never looked back…

Katherine & Neil

“Matt was one of the first people we contacted when planning our wedding and he was so helpful and friendly when we had issues with our venue. He was so easy to talk to about what we wanted, helping us decide what to book.

On the day he was really good at helping us get some really lovely shots- they show the whole day and everyone that was there so well! Loads of our guests have said how friendly he was- very happy with everything!”

Let me go back to July 2022 when I was about to trial a new wedding service that I planned to offer to my couples in the future. A service that would involve more editing and ultimately a lot more time spent behind the scenes with every wedding I shoot. My main goal was to offer an extra service that I hoped would be a welcome improvement to my current wedding business. So for the remainder of 2022 I started to surprise my couples and hoped this would be a welcome bonus when they received their new online wedding gallery.

It turns out that every couple really liked the fact they could choose which format they prefered to print out and hang on the wall. Result!!

With 100% positive feedback I received from July to December 2022 I just had to change how I did things and commit to offering this service as standard - so it was in January 2023 that I started to supply - at no extra cost - all of your finished, ready to print wedding photos in beautiful colour and timeless Black & White formats.

No you are more in control of how you show off your wedding photos.

Maisie & Jonny

“Matt was great to have as our photographer - we love the candid approach! He was very easy to work with, he took all the pictures we wanted and was great at getting shots of friends & family, the pictures turned out great and we couldn't be happier. We received loads of great quality pictures, and what's more he's fun to have around on the day!”

Making black & white images from colour ones isn’t just a case of clicking a button and making it a boring greyscale image - nobody wants that in their lives, or on their walls; washed out colour photos with no heart and sole.

In fact it’s a whole new process that involves looking more carefully at the highlights, shadows meaning a lot more work behind the scenes to get the black and white photos to look like a timeless moment at your wedding that you’d be proud to hang on the wall.

You can probably see from my website that I love black and white photos but I noticed I was finishing more and more photos this way and neglecting the colour ones a bit.

As my wife started to point out to me; most couples would probably choose colour over black and white if they had only one choice, so offering both up front meant I could satisfy my black and white obsession whilst also giving you what you want.

This also had another benefit which I hadn’t even considered when making this change; it meant that designing a wedding album would be a lot more straight forward when swapping black and white pages to colour ones, as they are already in the gallery and I can swap them with ease.

Here are some more beautiful examples; created in beautiful colour and timeless black & white photographs.

Alice & Edmond

“Matt was fantastic photographing our wedding, from the start to finish. The photo's he captured for us were a joy to behold. He was wonderful on the day expertly capturing some wonderfully candid shots and everything else. His positioning was so perfect that we didn't even know he was there during the big moments, allowing us to just focus on the day. It was a pleasure to have Matt as part of our big day and we would fully recommend him. Thank you Matt!!!”

Thank you for reading and if you want to get the most out of your wedding photos please get in touch and I can help you achieve the best wedding photos you have always dreamed of.

Venues featured in this post:

The Oak Barn Frame Farm, Kent

Hever Castle, Kent

Lympne Castle, Kent

The Ned, London

Banking Hall, London

The Royal Exchange, London

The Shepherd Neame Brewery, Faversham, Kent

Squerry’s, Westerham, Kent

One Warwick Park Hotel, Kent

** Why not check out my blog from 2020 with my black and photographs - Wedding and Portraits photographer - HERE **

Kent Wedding Photographer - Matt Rock 2023 review part 2

2023 Review - 2023 - Are you looking for a photographer for your wedding?

“Outstanding Photographer. Matt was extremely professional and made a huge effort with all of my wedding guests including making the children feel at ease. He captured beautiful memories without the need for posing and gave us exactly what we wanted in terms of a ‘photo view of our special day’. Highly recommended.”

— Sarah & Rober Fox - 28th July 2023

I always love going back to Allington Castle in Maidstone. This lovely couple were planning their wedding at another venue and they were let down at the last minute due to closure. When Sarah called me to let me know they had to change venues and they chose Allington Castle I was so happy! They had a beautiful day and the sun shone brightly.

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Everyone loves a beach wedding. The weather was hot and the sun was out all day. We started at the Yarrow hotel for getting ready then onto Piermont Hall for the ceremony and once they were married we all walked down to the beach for some drinks and great food at The Pavillion, Broadstairts.

And that was the Beach wedding in Broadstairs. What a fun wedding day. Three locations, Hot sun and sea air.

Photographer - Me… @mattrockprophoto

Venues:

Allington Castle

The Yarrow Hotel, Broadstairs

Pierremont Hall, Broadstairs

The Pavilion

Kent Wedding Photographer, Matt Rock Photography - my 2023 review

looking for a wedding photographer for your wedding?

I thought i’d share a little insight to some of my wedding work and reviews from 2023 with some of my favourite images… I might have to produce another, blog part two as I hadn’t expected to include so many and there are lots of weddings not featured.

Wedding at South Lodge Hotel Brighton Road, Horsham, RH13 6PS, and then onto The Cider Trap, Wobblegate Farm

“Matt is amazing!! Our pictures have completely blown us away!
Matt was so easy to work with, his communication was spot on and we felt completely safe in his hands!
On the day, Matt was great! He made us and our wedding guests feel so at ease, and as a result got some brilliant candid pictures that really captured the spirit of our day! Can’t recommend matt highly enough!”

— Sarah & Martin 20.12.23

Photographing weddings at this time of year is a real joy; with all the lights, cosy warm rooms and the anticipation of Christmas just around the corner. This was a standout wedding in 2023 for me because the groom was a friend who i’ve know for a few years and also a great videographer / film maker himself. The lovely family and friends that attended this wedding always helps make my job that much more fun!

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Wedding at Lympne Castle, The St, Lympne, Hythe CT21 4LQ

“Matt was one of the first people we contacted when planning our wedding and he was so helpful and friendly when we had issues with our venue. He was so easy to talk to about what we wanted, helping us decide what to book.

On the day he was really good at helping us get some really lovely shots- they show the whole day and everyone that was there so well! Loads of our guests have said how friendly he was- very happy with everything!”

— Katherine & Neil 28th October 2023

Autumn is an amazing time of year for weddings and the outcome is beautiful photographs to cherish forever - simple as that. The colours are beautiful, the weather is unpredictable and Lympne Castle really shines at this time of year. I’ve been on the recommended list of photographers at Lympne Castle for a few years now and always love coming back. The Bride & Groom were very welcoming and their gust were fun to work with. Really loved this one!

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Wedding at 0ne Warick Park Hotel, 1 Warwick Park, Tunbridge Wells TN2 5TA

“Matt was great to have as our photographer - we love the candid approach! He was very easy to work with, he took all the pictures we wanted and was great at getting shots of friends & family, the pictures turned out great and we couldn’t be happier. We received loads of great quality pictures, and what’s more he’s fun to have around on the day!”

— Maisie & Jonny - 5th August 2023

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The sun doesn’t always shine in August and this was one of the only wet weddings I shot in 2023. Despite this, it was the perfect venue for a rainy day. There was no outside space to use apart from a public footpath but it was enough to get some great outdoor photos and we had a break in the rain until after we’d finished the groups. So it may have rained but it didn’t disturb or intrude on the photos and the fun. Some of the wedding were Scottish so lots of Kilts on show and half of the family were from France and they performed a family tradition after the first dance and it was fantastic atmosphere. Wonderful day!

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Wedding at The Oak Barn, Frame Farm, Iden Green Rd, Benenden, Cranbrook TN17 4EZ

“We couldn’t be happier with all the photos we had taken on our wedding day by Matt Matt made us feel so relaxed and we hardly knew he was there. Matt captured so many lovely memories from throughout the day and we love how the pictures tell the story of our special day so perfectly. We have had so many lovely comments from the photos Matt took.
Would highly recommend :)
Thank you”

— Liza and Dexter - 7th July 2023

Hot hot hot! Lovely wedding and we all survived the heat. I’m lucky to be a recommended supplier here at The Oak Barn, Frame Farm and have been for a couple of years. The first time I was lucky enough to shoot here I knew it was going to be a popular venue. The guest were all very friendly and the couple were welcoming and it felt like I spent the day with a group of friends. Always my favorite way to enjoy a wedding.

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“Matt was a dream on our big day. He was efficient, funny and a great part of our wedding day. He worked candidly for the majority of the day, which is what we wanted, but he still got those ‘posed’ shots that were important to us.
He also turned around our final photos a lot quicker than we expected and we are so happy with the result and the photo film too - which made me cry happy tears! We currently have over 200 photos favourited for printing, which just tells you how happy we are! Thank you again Matt.”

— Kelly & Oliver - 16th June 2023

Another hot day at this wonderful wedding. A gorgeous couple and really friendly too. I felt so welcome with their friends and family which helps me enjoy the day far better and I’m lucky that I get lots of weddings who’s guests are friendly and welcoming. Another fun bunch of people, great venue and a very hot and sunny day. Oh and I almost forgot; this was the first wedding i’ve shot smoke cannons. For some reason they have passed me by until now.

If you decide to use these cannons at your wedding you must be very careful and I would recommend sticking to just the bridal party. They are fun and can make for some lovely colourful photos but proceed with caution….

If you made it this far - THANK YOU! - Hope you enjoyed seeing a little window into my 2023 weddings if you or a friend would like to chat more about your wedding get in touch below.

Photographer - Me… @mattrockprophoto

Venues:

Salomons Estate

The Oak Barn, Frame farm

Lympne Castle

South Lodge

Wobblegate Farm, The Cider Trap

One Warick Park Hotel

Salomons Estate Wedding Photographer

Wedding of Kelly & Oliver at Salomons Estate - Matt Rock Photography

A summer wedding at Salomons Estate in the idyllic county of Kent, UK, is a perfect blend of romance, natural beauty, and timeless charm. From the enchanting gardens to historic buildings Salomons offers an exquisite backdrop for couples to tie the knot. As a wedding photographer, I had the pleasure of documenting the magic of Kelly & Oliver’s recent summer wedding and I am excited to share the unforgettable moments and stunning images from this beautiful celebration.

The possibilities for making stunning outdoor photographs are endless here. The bride and groom, surrounded by beautiful flowers and lush greenery, radiated love as they exchanged vows against the backdrop of the venues grounds.

Salomons Estate boasts a rich historical heritage, and many couples choose to tie the knot here. Situated just two miles outside the spa town of Royal Tunbridge Wells, Salomons Estate is a stunning Victorian mansion, designed by the acclaimed architect Decimus Burton. Set in 36 acres of rolling gardens, parkland and woods, it enjoys an enviable location in the heart of England’s garden, yet within an hour’s travel of Central London. The grandeur of this mansion adds a touch of timeless elegance to any wedding.

Incorporating drone photography of Salomons Estate made on the day of the wedding

Weddings are not just about picturesque settings and beautiful details; they are about the emotions, connections, and joy that fill the air. Throughout the day, I focused on capturing candid moments of laughter, tears of joy, and embraces. From getting ready to the couple's first dance and the heartfelt speeches these images tell the story of the love and happiness shared by all.

“With the opportunity to have both your wedding ceremony and reception at the Manor House, we pride ourselves in offering a personalised and bespoke service, working to the very highest of standards. We guarantee you will be the only wedding party at the Estate, enjoying our picturesque grounds and charming views.

Couples also benefit from the services of a dedicated wedding host, who will assist in the coordination and delivery of your wedding celebration. Your wedding host will assist in offering supplier recommendations, from florists, photographers and entertainment options.

Our food and drink is locally sourced by our in house kitchen team. Able to accommodate any special requests, we offer a complimentary food and wine tasting ahead of your celebrations.”

— Quotehttps://www.salomons-estate.com/weddings/

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With the sun shining brightly overhead, the couple and their loved ones gather in Salomons beautiful terrace gardens. The gentle breeze cooled us down a little as they exchanged their vows beneath a beautifully adorned arch. Each embrace and smile is captured, immortalising the cherished connections formed on this special day.

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As a wedding photographer, my goal is to immortalise the essence of your special day through beautiful, creative, and timeless photos and portraits. I believe that every couple deserves to have their love story documented in a way that reflects their unique style and personality. With an artistic eye and a passion for storytelling, I strive to create images that will be cherished for generations to come.

In addition to seeing the candid moments, I love to incorporate artistic composition and creative techniques into my work. I use various elements such as lighting, framing, and perspectives to create visually stunning images that evoke a sense of beauty and intrigue. From unique angles to creative use of natural light and the surroundings, I strive to add an artistic touch to your wedding photos and portraits.

While trends come and go, timeless photography never goes out of style. I aim to create images that will stand the test of time, allowing you to relive your special day with the same emotions and excitement years down the line. By focusing on classic poses, elegant details, and a clean editing style, I ensure that your photos will remain timeless and cherished for years to come.

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One of the most anticipated and memorable moments of any wedding celebration are the speeches.

The speeches are an opportunity for loved ones to express their love, admiration, and well wishes for the newlyweds. As a wedding photographer, I understand the significance of these speeches and aim to capture the essence of these heartfelt moments through my lens, always looking for the emotion & storytelling aspect of wedding photography.

The first dance is a romantic and intimate moment where the couple becomes lost in each other's arms, surrounded by the love of their guests. I discreetly document the tenderness and emotion displayed as they sway together.

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If you're looking for a wedding photographer, contact me to discuss my availability and lets chat about how I can help make your wedding special.

Wishing you a beautiful and unforgettable wedding day filled with love and laughter!

Watch their photo-film below - 4 minutes 46 seconds.

Photographer - Matt Rock

Venue - Salomons website

Dress - Dress Dreams

Suits - Moss Bros & Studio Suits

Flowers - Miranda Jayre Andrews

Hair - Bridal Hair By Kerrie

Make up - Avril Jarrett

Lympne Castle Wedding Photographer Matt Rock

A chilly winters wedding at Lympne Castle - Christmas - 2022

Emily and Mike were so friendly it was a pleasure working with them on their big day! Here are some sneak peek photos of their wedding at Lympne Castle.

“Lympne Castle has been providing hospitality to visiting nobles since the 12th century and in itself has a fascinating history stretching back to Roman times; beneath the foundations of the Castle are the remains of Portus Lemanis (the sea came right up to the door 2,000 years ago!) and much of the stone used to construct the original castle and next door church came from here. Nowadays we still pride ourselves in making our guests welcome and with comfortable modern additions, they can now enjoy an unforgettable medieval experience but with 21st century improvements, although some people do claim to have seen the odd ghost still happily going about their business after many centuries.”

— Lympne Castle website

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Keep reading to find out about a SPECIAL OFFER for our Emergency Services and the NHS…

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NEW FOR 2023

My couples have really enjoyed receiving their sneak peek photos soon after the wedding day and I’m happy to say I will be including this as standard for all 2023 weddings.

** Due to very positive feedback over the last few weeks I am now offering all finished photos in both COLOUR and BLACK & WHITE **

Now you can decide for yourself the way you want your wedding photos to be printed.

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Emily & Mikes wedding was a very cold winters day in late November.

Kate, Aimee & the team at Lympne Castle had just finished putting up their Christmas trees and decorations ready for the 2022 festive winter weddings to begin.

My day started with the bride and groom getting ready and this is a fun part of the day for me as there’s always lots of excitement and nervousness in the air.

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Before the wedding breakfast starts I always like to make some portraits for the bride and groom. These can be traditional portraits and more natural portraits to compliment the candid photographs I make all day and capturing the wedding as it happens.

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It’s alway a good idea to have a microphone with the speeches in The Great Hall so everyone can hear what the best man has to say about the groom - but the secrets are safe with me - I never tell…

During the winter months when the dark nights start a lot earlier I like to use strobes (flash) to make the couples portraits. This can often give these winter wedding portraits that little something special.

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See some more weddings from Lympne Castle below - music photo-films -

HIT THE PLAY BUTTON IN THE CENTRE AND TURN THE SOUND UP - aprox: 3 min long.

Anna & Carl - 2022

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Harriet & Tom - 2022

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Lucy & Micheal - 2022

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Drew & Nick - December 2021

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Amy & Nathan - 2017

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If you got this far - Thank you for reading and I wish you a very healthy and happy

NEW YEAR!

2023 - here we come!

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Wedding - Lympne Castle - Speak To Kate

Photography by: Matt Rock Photography

You can see another blog from June 2020 - Lympne Castle HERE

The Oak Barn Frame Farm Wedding Photographer

A Hot Summers Day Wedding at The Oak Barn - August 2022

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The Bride, Naomi getting down on the dance floor at The Oak Barn

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Soon after the wedding my clients receive a sneak peek selection of photographs to see. I know how exciting it is to get your main gallery sent through so it’s lovely to be able to send an initial selection over.

It was about 34 degrees when I arrived at The Tickled Trout in Maidstone, Kent to see Sam and his ushers before heading off to see Naomi, his bride to be. The boys were in good spirits and all ready for the day ahead. Some were a little delicate, two were nervous and the rest were full of banter.

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Their Ceremony was held at their local Church, All Saints, West Farleigh.

“All Saints is a small Norman church, built around 1100 AD and situated in a beautiful open position near the river. It has several architectural features such as two tufa arches thought to have been removed from a nearby Roman settlement….”

Naomi & Sam’s wedding at The oak Barn, Frame Farm was so much fun to work at and it makes my job an absolute joy to do when you have a friendly group of people. The couple were so relaxed on the day and they seemed to enjoy every minute which is what it is all about.

So when the first dance started it wasn’t long before the party was in full swing!

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Deana & Tim started their vision to make Frame Farm into a wedding venue in September 2017 and it took 16 months to make it a reality. It is nestled in a peaceful valley below the village of Benenden. The grade 2 listed barns provide a stunning setting for weddings, parties, events and holiday lets with every convenience for private or corporate clients alike.

Deana, Tim and their team at The Oak Barn really make everyone feel welcome and it is a venue that you should consider for your wedding - for more information visit their website HERE.

Ceremony: All Saints Church

Venue: The Oak Barn, Frame Farm

County: Kent

Suppliers - Instagram:

Photography: @mattrockprophoto

Venue: @theoakbarnff

Make up: @gemmatutt_mua

Hair: @laurensimpsonhair

Suits: @slatermenswear

Rings: @goldsmiths

Flowers: @wanderlust_floristry

Music: @entertainmentnationuk - Krazykeys

You can see my other blog from The Oak BarN - HERE

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The Oak Barn Frame Farm Wedding Photographer

I WORK QUICKLY, QUIETLY & UNOBTRUSIVELY;

CAPTURING THOSE CANDID MOMENTS YOU NEVER KNEW HAPPENED.

A KENT WEDDING VENUE TO FALL IN LOVE WITH

“Matt,
You were an absolute legend! Thank you so much, I had so many comments about how nice you were and that you fitted in perfectly to the day. I can’t recommend you highly enough.”

— Mrs & Mrs Ellis

When Emma & Bradley first contacted me and asked me to be their wedding photographer, back in January 2021, I asked the same question as always; “where are you getting married?” Often the answer is one i’m familiar with or at a venue I have already worked at.

However, The Oak Barn, Frame Farm in Kent was not one of those venues. Actually I’d never heard of it, let alone worked there before. So the first thing I did was look at their website and it looked lovely. So I was very excited when they booked me as I knew it would be a special place for me to work.

I was not disappointed...

The wedding day itself went really well; lovely guests and great weather, which is always a bonus when it comes to the unpredictable English climate & even more lucky for the helicopter pilot!

I started the day as I normally do - candid photos of the the bride getting ready and then it was a quick 25 minute dash through the countryside to the church for their ceremony. I say a quick dash, it was more like a hair raising race through lots of twisty small country lanes trying to follow the brides wedding car…

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After some light refreshments it was the Bride & Grooms time to go and catch the helicopter and meet us all back at the venue.

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Play the music photo-film below and turn up the volume…

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If you would like to book your Award Winning Wedding Photography contact me HERE for more information

Suppliers below:

Venue: @theoakbarnff - Website here

Hair & Make up: @makeupangelcouk

Ice Cream van: @indulgent_ice_creams

Dress Alterations: @bridalalterationsmaidstone

Sax Player: @davebraziersax

Photography - Me! @mattrockprophoto

Follow me on social media:

The Darenth Wedding Photographer - Matt Rock

The Darenth, Shoreham

Kent Wedding at The Darenth

Rebecca & Xavier during their portraits

“Thank you SO much. All our family and friends said how much they loved you!
These are AMAZING thankyou so much, you do such fantastic work!
You have made our week!”

— Mr & Mrs Tinto; Bride & Groom

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Photo-film - Press play and turn up the volume - 3 minutes 45 seconds

Rebecca & Xavier received there complimentary wedding photo-film as part of my SPECIAL OFFER to our NHS & Emergency Services staff - See this offer HERE

A beautiful September wedding photographed last year at The Darenth, Shoreham.

This was a beautiful day in September, the weather was great and after meeting them at the venue for their complimentary wedding pre-shoot (part of my Emergency Services special offer) a few weeks before I knew straight away they were a lovely couple - Being a wedding photographer is even better when you work with friendly, happy couples.

My day started as it often does, by heading over to their home to meet Rebecca & her bridesmaids as they were getting ready for the big day.

Bridal prep is a good place to start your wedding photos and I love capturing everyones excitement, nerves and anticipation for what the day will have in store for us all.

Rebecca & Xavier found me via The Darenth in Shoreham; and booked me back in January 2021 - I’m lucky that Kerry & Jason who run The Darenth recommend me to their couples; which means I work there a lot and it’s a perfect place to tie the knot with many options to have your ceremony indoors or out on the lawn.

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After the ceremony they had a chance to chat with all their friends and family and have some celebration bubbles before going outside. This is a good opportunity for some group photos; which I feel is a small but very important part of the day.

I shoot in a documentary style throughout the day and I candidly capture the moments that happen at a wedding by observing what happens without getting in the way. However I believe it is important to have a small amount of group portraits made of your closest family and friends. I love to get these where ever possible before the wedding breakfast.

There was even a bit of time for Xavier to see the wedding car on the way…

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As soon as we were back inside, the wedding breakfast was ready to begin and the food was served. This means only one thing.

The speeches were not far behind.

Followed closely by the party and first dance.

Whilst everyone is having fun and eating their meal I am still busy saving and backing up all the images i’ve made up to that point before getting to work again after the meal to capture the wedding party and first dance - we can’t be too careful with these precious images and by the time I go to bed they will have been backed up 4 times in 4 separate places.

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If you would like to book your Award Winning Wedding Photography contact me HERE for more information

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Award Winning Photography: Matt Rock - @mattrockprophoto

Venue: The Darenth - @weddingvenuekent

Location: Shoreham, Kent

Videographer: @mooncastfilms

DJ: @devotedeventsuk

Other blogs featuring The Darenth

• Emma & Luke 2020

• Lucy & Peter’s wedding 2019

• Being a recommended Kent wedding photographer

• How to choose your wedding photographer

• The Beauty and power of one image

Make sure you follow me on social media - below - to see some more up to date content

BEAUTIFUL - CREATIVE - TIMELESS

The Castle, Westenhanger, Wedding Photographer - Matt Rock

The wedding of Denise & Joe - Westenhanger Castle, Kent - August, 2019

“Hi Matt,

The photos are amazing! We love them all. We have been recommending you left right and centre to everyone who’s looking for a photographer too.

We are glad you had a good day and we have heard nothing but praise for your work from our guests since the wedding.

Thank you and we hope to work with you again in the future.

Joe & Denise ”

— Bride & Groom, Joe and Denise

You may know by now that I am a Kent Wedding Photographer and I love photographing castle weddings. So having been on there preferred supplier list for a few years and having my images featured on their website shows I know this Kent wedding venue well. This is one of my favourite wedding venues in Kent - and maybe the only Kent wedding venue to have a ship in it’s grounds...

The wedding of Denise & Joe was much anticipated and I was looking forward to it ever since they booked me - quite a long time in advance. We first met at an open day they attended at Westenhanger Castle and as the recommended wedding photographer I was there and able to speak with them. We ended up making some portraits that day and got on really well too which is always a good start. I think having a pre-shoot lets you gain a bit more experience being in front of the camera and these portraits can help many couples get used to their photographer too. A lot of us aren’t too keen on having portraits made of us, however couples have always given good feedback and said their pre-shoot helped reduce their nerves and anxiety on the day.

I am a documentary & candid wedding photographer throughout the wedding which is achieved by observing what happens; almost from another wedding guests point of view. I blend in with the wedding rather than controlling it. So this does not involve me telling anyone where to stand, what to do or anything else that interrupts the natural feel and pace of a wedding day. These photos will make up 85% - 90% of my work during the wedding but most couples are still keen to spend 15 minutes or so making some beautiful, natural looking portraits to compliment the candid style for their wedding album. Plus the fact that I am a portrait photographer means I’m a bit biased when it comes to shooting these, as I love to make portraits.

The day started as many weddings at the Castle, Westenhanger do.

With Champagne!

The weather was perfect too and since the day before was very wet, I wasn’t expecting the sun to shine.

But not a spot of rain was seem.

Bride preparations always seem to start with something fizzy. At Westenhanger Castle the prep is held within the large room upstairs in the main building. I say large room but I really mean 3 large rooms. Denise and her girls had use of all 3 rooms so her and her bridesmaids could have their hair & make up done in one room, the food was laid out in another and the 3rd room can be used as the dressing room or you can relax on the large double bed whilst you wait for your turn.

This all happens upstairs whilst downstairs is another of the great castle rooms which is often used for when the boys turn up. They can make themselves look as beautiful as the girls do - and never the two will meet - until it’s time to get married of course! Wedding photographs of the boys getting ready is often missed but when your wedding venue is set up like this one it means I can move from one room to the other quite easily to get those candid moments no-one else notices - but the ones we love to look back on. Oh and if you make sure you ask a barber to be one of your ushers you can pick up some good deals on the perfect hair do too.

Now the bride is almost ready, it’s time for the father-of-the-bride to come and see his little girl in her wedding dress for the first time… This can be a great time for those candid photos with lots of emotion.

Portrait - Bride with Flowers

After her Dad has had a moment with his daughter it’s time to walk her down the aisle and get married, so it’s off to the ceremony where all her guests are waiting. Westenhanger Castle has different options when it comes to ceremony rooms and an outside space too. Denise & Joe’s wedding ceremony was inside the main building. Which has a dark, atmospheric vibe with light pouring in through the windows to give us some beautiful photos.

After they had their ceremony, the confetti was thrown high in the air and the congratulations, hugs and kisses had started, there was a little spare time for the couple and their guests to have a drink, a little catch up and for the best men to go over their speeches for the 10th time. Before the wedding breakfast couples often want to spend a short time making some portraits. This can give them a little time together and a little chill time - Portraits are only about 15 minutes or so and before they know it we are heading back in for the speeches.

For me as soon as the couples portraits are done, I go back to candidly capturing the wedding again. It’s also the time of the day when everyone eats, drinks, gets entertained by the the speeches and the cake cutting.

There was also an impromptu game of Mr & Mrs! It’s funny what you find out about your clients…

   P  A  R  T  Y    

T  I  M  E

What a lovely Kent wedding, spent with friendly guests in a beautiful Kent wedding venue with perfect weather too.

PHOTO-FILM

Hit the play button in the middle to watch Denise & Joe’s - Photo-Film below.

Photo-films below - To see another wedding at The Castle, Westenhanger press play on this images below and turn the music up.

Wedding below was in 2017

Another photo-film from 2018 below - press the play icon and turn the music up.

Hit the play button in the middle to watch another wedding from Westenhanger Castle - August 2018

View the wedding blog of Kayleigh & Jack - Westenhanger Castle - September 2017 BLOG

If you would like to book me to photograph your wedding with creatively candid, natural, photographs that document your big day and maybe some beautiful couple portraits too, please get in touch HERE. I am a Kent wedding photographer however I am available to work all over the UK and I’d love to work on my first European wedding in the near future too.

Are you looking to book your wedding?

VENUE: The Castle, Westenhanger a call - details HERE

CATERING: NOSH mobile catering - details HERE - I tried the SPICY LAMB BURGER which was very - very - tasty…

IF YOU RECOGNISE ANY SUPPLIERS INVOLVED THAT I HAVE NOT MENTIONED, PLEASE DO CONTACT ME SO I CAN INCLUDE THEIR LINK ABOVE. 

The Castle Westenhanger - Kent Wedding Photographer - Matt Rock

A look back to September, 2017 - The wedding of Kayleigh & Jack - The Castle, Westenhanger, Kent.

Due to COVID-19 there was not much work on in 2020 and early 2021, so I thought I would take a look back at ‘the old days’. To a wedding held at one of my favourite Kent wedding venues.

This wedding has some great memories for me and I can not wait to work there again this year. (all being well of course)

Kayleigh & Jack were recommended to me from both The Castle, Westenhanger and their friends; a couple I had worked with the year before. Recommendations is where most of my wedding work comes from.

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The weather was good, the couple were really lovely and everyone seemed to have a great day celebrating Kayleigh & Jack’s wedding. One word to describe this wedding was ‘FUN’.

It was 14th September 2017 and as is often the case, my day started at 11.30am.

When I turned up at Westenhanger Castle the bride prep was all going well and no-one seemed to be too stressed, which is a good start to any wedding day.

I normally work alone during a wedding and most of the time the day starts with bride prep. The first time I get to see the groom is often at the church or ceremony venue. However, The Castle, Westenhanger is a venue that i’m able to shoot the boys getting ready as well. This is because there is a dedicated brides room upstairs and the boys use downstairs. They never see each other before the ceremony starts but I can go between the two rooms getting both sides of the story.

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Candid, documentary wedding photography is best when it starts at the beginning.

Which is why my wedding collections offer full day coverage, starting at the bride prep. (and groom prep if possible) This helps to make your wedding album complete and when you look back on your wedding day in the years that follow it will give you the chance to re-live it all over again - from start to finish.

“Set in 14 acres of magnificent Kent countryside, The Castle Westenhanger has it all. A medieval castle steeped in history with a stunning manor house, castle turrets, and romantic ruins, it’s the perfect location for your dream wedding.

Dating back to 1343, The Castle Westenhanger enjoys a rich history and was once King Henry VIII’s preferred party palace. It has since been lovingly restored into a fully licensed, exclusive-use wedding and events venue with three stunning inside and outside ceremony options.”

— https://www.westenhangercastle.co.uk

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I try to fuse together my candid photos with some natural portraits where possible. I find this can give the couple some time to breath and think about what they are about to do.

This portrait above was made once the bride was ready and before she was about to walk outside to meet her groom.

The image below is of the groom and his best man just after he saw Kayleigh walking out of the Castle door for the first time - his best man can tell the emotions are now starting to get real.

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There isn’t long to wait until the wedding breakfast is served and the dreaded speeches to begin. This is always a great time for candid emotional photos. Nerves and the fear of public speaking is always on show here.

My advice would be to embrace the fear and enjoy it because as soon as it’s over you will probably want to say more.

Anyway it’s really the best man who needs to worry. There is a lot more expectation on him to be funny and of course interesting.

Tip for the best man:

Not everyone finds the best man stories appropriate to share with the rest of the guests...

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As soon as the wedding breakfast has been eaten and the speeches are finished, it’s time to welcome the evening guests, cut the cake, let your hair down and start the evening off with a bang.

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This was a wedding i’ll remember and the Castle Westenhanger is a great venue to hold your wedding day celebrations. See link here: https://www.westenhangercastle.co.uk/

If you would like to get in touch and find out what I can offer you for your big day, please contact me on 07970668592 or see the ‘contact me’ link below.

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Photo-Films from The Castle, Westenhanger

Photo-Film

Hit the play button in the middle to watch Kayleigh & Jacks Photo-Film below.

PHOTO-FILM

Hit the play button in the middle to watch another wedding from Westenhanger Castle - August 2019

Photo-Film

Hit the play button in the middle to watch another wedding from Westenhanger Castle - July 2018

Photo-Film

Hit the play button in the middle to watch another wedding from Westenhanger Castle - August 2018

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View the wedding blog of Denise & Joe, Westenhanger Castle - August 2019 - BLOG

BEAUTIFUL - CREATIVE - TIMELESS

Venue: Westenhanger Castle

Photography by: Matt Rock Photography

Tel: 07970 668592 - E: matt@mattrockphotography.com

Kent Wedding Photographer - Matt Rock

The Manor Gatehouse - Dartford Registry Office

The wedding of Jon & Andrew - 31 March 2021

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Like most weddings from last year Jon & Andrew had to re-book their wedding from the end of 2020 due to - YES you’ve guest it, more restrictions, lockdowns and all the other terms we have gotten used to in the last 15 months.

This meant it was going to be my first wedding of 2021 and what a lovely start to the year it was. Jon & Andrew are great. They have been together for over 27 years and in the UK gay marriage has been recognised since 2014. Which begs the question…. Why has it taken them this long? I guess life just gets in the way and then a little pandemic happened. But finally the 31st March 2021 was set. Their day was always going to be a small wedding; Mum, Sister, brother-in-law and of course me their wedding photographer.

I went to their house for a few candid photos of them first and then after a small detour to pick Mum up we met all at the Manor Gatehouse - the historic registry office in Dartford, Kent.

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The Manor Gatehouse

“Henry VIII chose the site to construct a Manor House between 1541 and 1544 for his personal use. Anne of Cleves was given the Manor House as part of her divorce settlement by Henry, and lived there between 1553 and 1557. Elizabeth I retained the use of the Manor House but only stayed there on two occasions. Today it is just the Gatehouse that remains, offering a choice of two rooms for ceremonies.”

— Quote https://www.akentishceremony.com/register-offices/056a7474/

After a short but lovely ceremony we headed outside for some photos before heading off home. I said it was a small ceremony but it was a very important one. We were meant to go to Eagle Heights afterwards for cream tea, however due to restrictions that was not allowed.

Although Jon & Andrew have asked me to photograph the event and we will be meeting again this afternoon - 19th May 2021 - the day I am writing this blog. So that’s something to look forward to later - We all love a bit of cake...

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Photo-film below - turn up the volume - 3 minutes long

To be continued….

BEAUTIFUL - CREATIVE -TIMELESS

Venue: The Manor Gatehouse, Dartford - Part of A Kentish Ceremony

Photography: Matt Rock Photography

Tudor Barn Wedding Photographer - Matt Rock

Wedding Photography at The Tudor Barn, Eltham, London.

“The Last remaining Tudor Barn in London”

— https://www.tudorbarneltham.com

Getting Married In a Pandemic

2020 was a year of cancelations and postponements and I was booked in to shoot a few weddings at this wonderful venue in 2020. Becky & Paul booked me to photograph their wedding a month or so before as they were originally due to be married in another country.

This was one of those surprise late booking wedding assignments…. I was recommended by a couple of different clients who’s weddings I photographed in the past and it was great to catch up with some familiar faces. Getting recommendations is a great confidence boost to any photographer - it shows that clients do really appreciate what you do. What I didn’t know until I arrived at The Tudor Barn was that two of the groom’s brother-in-laws were old friends of mine from senior school, over 30 years ago… It got even more weird when one of those friends is married to my sons teacher!

There is a lot of pressure on me at a wedding day because you only have one chance to get it right.

Everyone who runs their own business knows that reputation is VERY important and it doesn’t matter about how good you were for the last wedding. You will only be judged by the wedding you are working on that day for that couple.

So, I was recommended, which adds to the pressure, then you know two old friends are there watching you work and then you realise that your sons teacher is there too (the sister of Paul, the groom) So to say I felt a bit more pressure at this one was an understatement. Add to that the fact it was only my third and last wedding of the year due to COVID-19 meant (and I don’t mind saying this) I was a bit out of practice too.

Photographing the bride, her friends and her family getting ready is a fun part of the day and is important to capture. It is a time where I try to blend in and just be one of them. Observing the conversations, nerves, excitement and the amazing multi tasking that goes on too. I do love the candid fly on the wall nature of the images it’s possible to make at this time.

It was now time for me to leave Becky to finish getting ready and join the Groom for some photos of him and the other guests before the bride arrives for the ceremony.

I have found over the last 14 years or so that EVERY wedding is different but most of them follow a similar structure and timeline. So until this point the wedding day felt quite normal - as normal as it’s been up to 2020 at least. But the new 2020 COVID wedding format was going to appear again as soon as I arrived at The Tudor Barn for the ceremony and celebrations - A smaller than normal guest list and a bit less freedom to roam and of course Face masks…

With the ceremony over it was time for the Bride and Groom to say hi to their guests and then go outside for some more photos. Some candid photos, groups, couple portraits and most couples like to have some confetti thrown over them too.

Then it was onto the speeches - where I always find out some embarrassing info on the groom!

I do love to photograph weddings and this one was great to be apart of too. I am looking forward to what 2021 brings and I hope we can get a little more normality back in the wedding industry soon. Seeing old friends and past clients was a bonus too!

Music Photo-Film below:

Thanks for reading and as we look to March / April and the summer of 2021, let us hope it will be a bit more ‘back to normal’ and weddings can once again be a regular occurrence in our diaries.

Suppliers:

Ceremony: The Tudor Barn, Eltham, London

Dress: Together Forever Brides Crayford, Kent

Suits: Reiss

Rings: RPS Jeweller Hatton Garden

Flowers: Highflying Balloons & Flowers Welling, Kent

Need help deciding on your wedding photographer? See my BLOG below for some more inspiration.

““pandemic noun
plural pandemics
Definition of pandemic
1 : an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area (such as multiple countries or continents) and typically affects a significant proportion of the population : a pandemic outbreak of a disease
a global pandemic
Influenza pandemics seem to strike every few decades and to kill by the million—at least 1m in 1968; perhaps 100m in the “Spanish” flu of 1918-19.
— The Economist””

— — https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pandemic

Getting married in a pandemic - Kent Wedding Photographer - Matt Rock

Wedding Photography at The Manor Gatehouse, Dartford - 2020

2020 was a bit of a curve ball for us all.

I was all set for my busiest year of shooting weddings since starting my business way back in 2006.

It was 2019, and I had a busy year after winning the Kent Wedding Photographer of the Year - 2019. I was all prepared for a busy year ahead; I had a minor operation booked in for the start January 2020 (which went well thanks to our amazing NHS) and my first wedding of the year was booked in for late March. So plenty of time to rest and recover before the hard work and fun started.

Then came COVID-19…

Fast forward a year to December 2020 and out of the 32 weddings I had booked in, only 3 of them were able to go ahead due to government restrictions.

To say it was a stressful year professionally is an understatement. However, I still count myself very lucky. Receiving the government grants, having some great clients who were still prepared to stick with me and some who paid their fees upfront. This meant I was able to keep my business going and look forward to a busier 2021.

We are still not out of the woods just yet, but with the vaccine being rolled out and an amazing NHS - it’s got to a positive move forward.

2020 will be a year to remember - or maybe forget.

Amy and John were great throughout all of this. They had originally booked me almost 2 years before, in 2018 and their original date was set for 10th April 2020. They even recommended me to John’s sister and I shot her wedding in 2019. But as soon as the lockdown was looking like a possibility their date was soon changed to later in the year and we postponed it to 14th November 2020. At this point we were all hopeful this virus would be under control by the summer of 2020.

As this new date approached however it was clear that things were getting worse - not better. So they made the difficult decision to move their wedding date for a second time and bring it forward to 30th September 2020. Which as it turned out was a great move on their part as another venue lockdown was just around the corner…

Below are some of my favourite memories from their wedding day - 30th September 2020

So that was the moment it all happened - all the years of planning a wedding, postponing it twice, a pandemic and the compulsory wearing of face masks.

It all came down to the fact that two people just wanted to get married!

That’s it!

There was not going to be any lavish after party with 150 guests, no big embarrassing speech from the best man, no DJ, no first dance and no honeymoon.

Just two young people who were desperate to get married and start a new life together as Mr & Mrs.

Then it was all down to the local pub for burger & chips & few drinks.

It was great to be part of Amy & John’s special day and although it was not as they would have chosen, I felt they still had the best day, spent with close friends and family. I mentioned before that i’d photographed John’s sisters wedding back in 2019, so for me it was good to catch up with the family again too.

I made a music photo-film from their wedding and you can see this below.

Thanks for reading and as we look to March / April and the summer of 2021, let us hope it will be a bit more ‘back to normal’ and weddings can once again be a regular occurrence in our diaries.

Suppliers:

Ceremony: Manor Gatehouse, Dartford Registry Office, Dartford, Kent - A Kentish Ceremony @kentishceremony

Pub: The Malt Shovel, Dartford, Kent @maltshoveldartf

If you know any suppliers that I have missed, please contact me me as I would love to include their details here.

Need help deciding? See my BLOG below for some more inspiration.

“pandemic noun
plural pandemics
Definition of pandemic
1 : an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area (such as multiple countries or continents) and typically affects a significant proportion of the population : a pandemic outbreak of a disease
a global pandemic
Influenza pandemics seem to strike every few decades and to kill by the million—at least 1m in 1968; perhaps 100m in the “Spanish” flu of 1918-19.
— The Economist”

— https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pandemic

Make better family photos - 3 simple rules & a bit of luck

Matt Rock shares 3 simple ideas to help you make better family photos.

Life can be all about chances, luck and seeing opportunities when they arise - but the more you put yourself out there, the more luck and opportunity you will get.

This BLOG and the video below came from meeting a lovely lady whilst on a very wet camping trip with friends in Norfolk. So the moral of this story is to chase your dreams, take every opportunity when it comes your way & go for it!

A few weeks ago I was asked to make a short video for the NHS as part of their Christmas party / online get together. They were looking for some tips and tricks on how to improve their family photos over the 2020 Christmas period and I was happy to help.

DISCLAIMER:

It says ‘Photography Masterclass’ which is a little hard to get my head around as I will never consider myself as a master photographer … or a master of anything!! But i’ll go with it for now as that is what they called it.

• So, for the record, I did not name the video myself - Smiley face / wink emoji....

The other point I would like to quickly make is that this is my FIRST EVER attempt at making a You Tube video. It’s very weird seeing and listening to yourself on a video & I cringe when I watch it. - So be kind… :)

All the views are my own and the elements within the video are just some things I look for when I make my own photos; either Professionally or personally.

So push play, enjoy & hopefully learn something new too.

Don’t forget to read the rest of the BLOG below the video.

Video below - just over 10 minuets long.

So let’s get into my top 3…

There are 3 main areas you should look out for when making photos of your family and friends:

• LIGHT

• MOMENT

• COMPOSITION

My style for weddings and events is often candid and natural, although as a portrait photographer I do like to mix it up a bit & make directed portraits where possible without controlling the whole event or wedding.  

LIGHT

Firstly, I consider this to be the one of the most important things you will need to look for when it comes to making good photos…  Light.

If the light isn’t great the image can look flat or too dark, too bright & washed out.  So when I’m working I am always looking for the quality of light  - not how bright it is.  So, I either need to create the light myself with flash or another external light source like LED or if it’s at a wedding or an event I will often need to look for best the Ambient light.  

Now, good light doesn’t always mean bright or lots of it.  But you do need to look for the quality of it. This can be the position or direction of light, the colour and the strength of light. Being aware of the quality is very important and something you will get used to seeing the more you look and practice. 

At weddings or events I’m often there to candidly document the day - to tell the story of how the wedding went from the eyes of a guest or to showcase the business, clients and employees. I’m not there to tell everyone where to stand or who to talk to.

For 99% of a Wedding and Event work I use ambient light (light that is already there) like the sun for example. Therefore windows and doors are often a good place to be.  Especially if you are working in a dark castle or an old building. 

My image style if often quite contrasty and has been described as cinematic.  I love shadow & I love black and white images.   

Here are three examples of having window light and using it to my advantage.  

Ambient Light - Leez Priory, Chelmsford - 2017

Ambient Light - Lympne Castle - Kent - 2017

Ambient Light - at home - 2019

All of these photographs are using sunlight, either from a window or an open door and because the sun isn’t facing them it’s not too harsh. Using good quality, soft window light can really help with the overall feel of an image.

Below is another example of window light - an image of my two on an old steam train ride, Halloween - 2018.  The window is behind them this time and just wraps around their faces without being too harsh. 

Window light - old steam train - 2018

Our friends baby playing

So when you are at home look at the windows you have in your home, look at the direction the window is facing.  You might have a beautiful window which has the sun beaming through it in the morning that is far too strong but when the afternoon comes, it turns into this beautiful soft light which would be perfect for a portrait. 

MOMENT

At home on the swing

This can often be the split second of time that you see happening in front of you.  That moment that tells a story.  

The light might not be perfect, the composition might not be the best but the moment really brings back memories and emotions. 

The ‘moment’ for me is the hardest one to capture - because often we need to keep looking for it and anticipate it if we can.  You need to watch what is happening and anticipate what will happen next.  

Watch a scene unfold, then wait a bit longer. 

• The look on the brides face watching her nervous husband speak at their wedding.   

The Kennels at Goodwood - 2017

• The proud little glance from the grooms Nan. 

Wedding - 2015

• The tight loving squeeze from the bride and the squashed face of her grandad.

Westenhanger Castle, Kent - 2017

• A fun photo opportunity on the dance floor. 

Westenhanger Castle, Kent - 2017

Waiting for the moment can be fun but you need to be ready for it - and yes, that sign was meant for me…

Wedding, Southend Barns, Chichester - 2018

Some moments can be very historical too. Especially during difficult or challenging times. But they will still be interesting to look back on in the future.

Facetime & Face-masks during the first Lockdown - 2020

You could try this with your family too.   Watch and listen to what is happening and try to anticipate what is likely to happen next.   You will often have a better idea with your own family, so give it a go.  

I would probably suggest getting the Christmas dinner on first though.  Or give the camera to someone who is not in-charge of the food.

One more thing I would add when trying to capture the moment over Christmas is try not to say ‘SMILE’ or ‘CHEEEEEEESE’ All you will get is a false, awkward look and the natural moment will be lost.  

Wait for when the time is right

My kids love it when I make portraits of them - 2020

Trip to the woods - 2020

 Right, onto the last one now:

COMPOSITION

So, you have seen the light you want to use, you’ve been waiting patiently for something interesting to happen, now is the time to compose the image correctly.

Composition is one of those things that can make a good photo great and there are some rules that you can follow - or at least think about.

A lot of them you probably learnt in art class at school - all those years ago.…

Some of these ‘rules’ are:

• Rule of thirds

• Viewpoint

• Framing

• Repetition

• Pattern

• Leading lines

• Negative space

• Focus point

• Depth of field

• Rule of odds

There are lots of ‘rules’ to think about, but you need to remember photography is very subjective - what I like, you might not like. So it really is personal taste.  

Here are just a few to think about over the holidays.

Rule of thirds.

Minis Bay, Kent

You can see in this image the subject (my little girl) is in the lower left third of the frame, the horizon is in the top third and there is some negative space to the right of the image and her legs are leading your gaze to that space.

Goodwood - Revival Festival - 2019

You will see another example above, the subject (the camera operator) is off to the right third and there is some negative space to the left of the image.

Another portrait example below, shot through the car window which has beautiful soft light and is naturally framed by dark the areas from reflections of the trees (framing is explained more below). It also shows the rule of thirds and some negative space to the right.

Camping - 2020

Viewpoint

Minis Bay

When making photos of children, try to get down to their level. Most photos of kids are from your view point - looking down at them. Try to get to their level. It can make a more interesting viewpoint and show the world through their eyes.

Framing your image

Corporate event - Museum of London - 2018

Look for natural frames to focus the viewers eye. It can take them to the area of the image you want them to look at. This can be light patterns as seen above, shadows, other objects in the room and many more.

The image below has a few different aspects which I used to isolate the speaker, the light on top of the audiences faces, the viewing platform above and the great ambient lighting thanks to the museum.

Corporate Event - Museum of London - 2018

You can use other people in the image too… The image below was shot through the best mans arm, framing the bride and groom.

Wedding - 2020

This is the same wedding - below - and this is the best man I used to frame the bride & groom in the image above - shot just a few minutes apart.

I used the venue to frame the best man. The curtains were a natural frame for the image below.

Wedding - 2020

Environmental objects can almost want you to use them. Using this mirror to frame the bride.

Wedding - 2020

The doorway at Lympne Castle is another example of a natural frame. I just needed to put the couple in-between the castle doors to frame them in this directed portrait - below.

Pattern and focus point

You can incorporate pattern into your family photos too which can make an image interesting and be used to bring back memories. The image below will remind me of my time in Turkey, having a beer at the beach bar overlooking the sea.

Turkey - 2019

Pattern along with good light can be used with all photos, like the one below. The pattern of the blurred area (known as Bokeh) can make an image interesting to look at.

My garden

“bokeh (/ˈboʊkə/ BOH-kə or /ˈboʊkeɪ/ BOH-kay; Japanese: [boke]) is the aesthetic quality of the blur produced in out-of-focus parts of an image. Bokeh has also been defined as “the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light.”

— https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bokeh

The image below shows how focus point as with framing can draw your eye to the part of the image you want to be seen. However the out of focus area still shows a dinner party kind of scene.

Christmas time at home

Another example of how focus point (and framing) can help you take the viewer of your image to where you want them to look is below. I wanted to make a photo of this fly-by during the historical Goodwood Revival Festival last year however I also wanted to incorporate the people and their old fashioned clothes that were at the event.

This image shows two men (out of focus) looking at the aeroplanes I wanted to capture and I think it makes the image more interesting with them included.

Goodwood Revival - 2019

One more thing to think about is details. When you are making your next family album, little details can bring your photos together. These images - below - clearly show the time of year. These might not be photos that you would print out and put into a frame and hang up but in an album they can work really well.

I hope this BLOG has been helpful and given you something to think about when making your own family memories with your camera.

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If you want to chat more about improving your photos I am happy to arrange a one to one session or book small groups of like-minded people to take their camera skills to the next level.

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© All photographs are the property of Matt Rock Photography 2020

Darenth Valley Wedding Photography - Emma & Luke 2020

The Darenth Wedding Photographer

Recommended Wedding Photographer

Emma & Luke booked me for their wedding back in March 2019 and were meant to be married in June 2020 at The Darenth, a lovely wedding venue in Shoreham, Sevenoaks, Kent. This venue has changed so much over the last 4 years and it should be a venue you look at too. One of the great features at The Darenth is that you have the option to get married inside or outside.

So with the date set it was all go go go and looking forward to the wedding… Then 2020 happened! Being the year it is, over 95% of weddings were postponed to later in the year or into 2021. Emma & Luke wanted to move the date back to August 2020 and of course I still wanted to be involved and lucky enough I had the date available too.

We managed to get the new date booked in a couple of months later for August and they had a lovely outside wedding planned. Lots of couples book a pre-shoot to get used to the camera before the big day but due to COVID-19 and lockdown, we didn’t have many dates free for theirs so we met just a couple of days before the wedding for some photos and then it was wedding time soon after.

Pre-shoot at The Darenth

Planning a wedding can be one of the most stressful times for some of us; making sure all the people you love are there, the dress is perfect, the venue knows what you want, the groom arrives sober and the best man doesn’t ruin the day with the worst speech in history! Alongside that there are all the other little details that need to be planned, booked and paid for. Then add a little virus into the mix - COVID-19 - and it can take on a whole new level of stress.

But Emma & Luke seemed to be so relaxed and calm about it and the day went perfectly. Ok, it wasn’t exactly how they planned it to be but they got their outdoor wedding they wanted and all their close family and friends were there to celebrate with them too.

As with most weddings I shoot, coverage starts with the Bride getting ready. I love to blend in & capture these images of the excitement and sometimes chaos.

Watch their Photo-film below - just hit the PLAY button

As I said, I love starting the day shooting bride preparations. It’s a time that is full of expectations, nerves and excitement. I can really get the natural photos that I like to get which tell the story of the day. It also gives me the chance, if time allows, to get some beautiful portraits of the bride too.

As Emma came out of the house it started to rain very lightly - This was not a good start as she was all set for an outside ceremony at The Darenth and we were all a bit concerned about it getting worse...

However, by the time we’d arrived at The Darenth the rain had stopped and it was back to the original plan of having an outside ceremony - although it was very windy - terrible for my hair!

But I don’t think Luke the groom was too worried.

After a few reception drinks & the cake was cut, we were off out for some portraits & group photos. Then onto the Kings Arms, Shoreham for some food and more drinks. We took the short walk, just down the road & over the beautiful bridge.

The Darenth is situated near to the lovely little village of Shoreham, Sevenoaks. About a 5 - 10 minutes walk away and a great place to go for some couple portraits after your ceremony.

With all that has happened in 2020 with COVID, this wedding still went ahead and it was a great wedding day. Although it was a bit different to a wedding in a normal year, due to you know what but the wedding was a big success and from an outsiders point of view it went very very well and everyone seemed to love being there to celebrate it with Emma & Luke - I know I did! Yes it was different but every wedding I have ever photographed since 2006 has been different.

The one thing I try to do with every wedding is tell a story of the day and this wedding will be one of only a very small number of weddings that took place in 2020 (this was my first 2020 wedding & I’ve photographed just 3 up to this point - November 2020) and that will be the story these two lovely people will tell their grandchildren many years from now…

“What year did you get married Nan?”

“Let me tell you about COVID 2020…. “

The Darenth - Contact the team:

Station Road, Shoreham, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN14 7SA

info@thedarenth.com - 01959 522944 - www.thedarenth.com

DARENTH VALLEY PHOTO-FILMS - BELOW - PRESS PLAY & TURN UP THE VOLUME

SUPPLIERS:

Venue: The Darenth

Pub: The Kings Arms, Church St, Shoreham, Sevenoaks TN14 7SJ

Flowers: Mr Flower Ltd - https://mrflower.co.uk

Dress: Wed2b - https://www.wed2b.co.uk/bridal-shops/london/kent/wed2b-bromley

Rings: Beverbrooks - http://beaverbrooks.co.uk

Photographer: Matt Rock Photography

Other supplier information will be added as soon as possible.

Portrait Photographer London

Portrait for the Global Indian Series - Rajan Nazran - 2020

Portrait of Rajan Nazran - for The Global Indian Series - 2020

I have had the pleasure to get to know Rajan over the last year or so and I was happy to help him with the portraits he needed for a couple of projects he has going on.

When I arrived at his home I was greeted by a man who I knew is very well travelled, confident and loves a chat. What was quite unusual is that he seemed relaxed and very excited to be having his portraits made - this is often not the case with most people.

Rajan was dressed in a black suit, open topped light blue shirt but had no shoes or socks on. This can be quite normal when you are only shooting a headshot or a 3 quarter length portrait for someone at their home. I was just glad he was wearing trousers!

After getting all the equipment inside I started to set up the studio; lights, stands, camera, backdrop etc. It was at this point that his lovely wife offered me a fresh coffee and as always, you get asked if you want it black or white, with or without sugar etc. But she asked if I wanted it with vanilla essence?

Now, I love a story - which for me is usually in the form of photos rather than words - but I do love a story.

Or in this case a back story… Back stories can make an ordinary story have meaning and are more memorable. This is helpful when I’m shooting corporate events and to use story telling shots in the final set of images. You can see some examples of corporate events here.

When I get asked if I want a coffee, it’s usually followed up with more questions like; do you want milk? Sugar? Cup, mug, strong or weak?

But I can’t recall ever being asked if I wanted vanilla in my coffee. Me being me I had to ask more about it. His wife then told me the story of how and when they acquired it. It turns out they were in the Dominican Republic and bought it off a farmer - he poured it like draft beer straight into this bottle for them - as fresh as it can be. This wasn’t one of those tiny yet expensive little bottles you can pick up from the local supermarket, it was a large plastic bottle full of dark liquid.

It did make the fresh mug of coffee (strong with milk, no sugar) taste very nice and yes, I did buy one of those very small yet very expensive bottles of vanilla on the way home that day - and no it doesn’t seem to taste the same… But then again it hasn’t got the backstory.

Portrait of Rajan Nazran - Nazran Roth - 2020

It was a pleasure to photograph Rajan in his home and we managed to shoot a good selection of images for him to choose from.

Rajan is a 2nd generation British Indian. He is an experienced journalist with his work featuring in the likes of TIME Magazine, The Daily Telegraph, Fortune and now exclusively with the Indian Express Group.

I did say that Rajan loves to chat and I also said I love stories…

For the last 15 years Rajan has travelled to over 50 countries taking on some of the biggest conversations, covering stories from around the world. His journey has taken him to the edges of the Amazon Rainforest, battling against hurricanes of the Caribbean, being taken hostage in Eastern Europe and facing Ebola in West Africa.

With all the stories he has from around the world, I had to ask him where he got his bracelets from.

His eyes lit up and with keen interest he told me the silver one on his right arm is a Sikh bracelet called a Kara. The others on his left arm are from St. Lucia, Malaysia & India and the FIT-BIT was from Curry’s - PC world, London.

Meeting new people and telling their stories with my photographs is so much fun and a wonderful job to have.

Let me chat with you about your next big project.

Have you just started your new dream job, or begun the first steps to being self employed or have you had your old photograph too long and it’s time to show the world that you have matured.

If you or your staff need a headshot or portrait for their new profiles - get in touch.

If you would like to discuss your story and book your portrait get in touch with me - details below.

See my BLOG on Headshots - “Do we all need a professional headshot or portrait?”

Camera and lenses used: Fujifilm XH1 Fujifilm XF50mm f2, XF23mm f2 @fujifilmx_uk

Rajan’s websites: https://globalindianseries.com

Instagram: @globalindianseries - @thenazrans

A little behind the scenes image showing the set up of how we made his portraits - with no shoes or socks...

BTS:

Black suit, light blue shirt - no shoes or socks.

Kent Wedding and Portrait Photographer Matt Rock - Black and White Photographs

If you are like me, you love seeing beautiful, creative & timeless black and white photography.

Wedding Photography - Candid photograph of a bride - Allington Castle - Kent - 2019

When I make an image during a wedding, portrait shoot or a big corporate event, I always like to make it look as natural as possible - so it doesn’t look stiff, posed or forced. Working in a documentary style means these will often be candid images, during corporate events or weddings and sometimes they will be a directed portrait where I am in complete control of how the image will look; with lighting and expression etc - often during a Wedding portrait shoot or a studio portrait session. These photographs can then be processed to black and white or kept in colour during the editing stage.

Below are some black & white images of my work during portrait sessions and inc. weddings, corporate events and portrait shoots.

Black and white images will give you that timeless look which feels unique to this style and look as good in the future as they do now.

Corporate Events - Museum of London

Studio Portrait

Corporate sports events - QPR - 2018

Candid Portrait

Natural / directed Portrait

Family Portrait session - Kent

It is my job as a portrait photographer to look for the best light or create it and then to get the best expression from the people in front of the camera - without directly asking them for it.

Black and white photos seem to be less complicated and more future-proof, without splashes of colour to distract you the viewer from the subject matter or overall scene.

As I said, I am always looking for the best quality of light for my photographs. Whether it’s available light from a window in a room, the sunlight and shade outside or the studio lights I have set up. Quality of light or interestingly the shadow is even more important with black & white as the tone can set the mood of an image and when you add to that, the moment and composition it can be very powerful.

Do they look nervous before the wedding? - Are they happy that the pressure is now off of them? - Or are they in love during a bit of quiet time together?

Wedding Portrait of Groom - window light

Event Photography - Goodwood Revival - September 2019

Corporate Events - London

Corporate golf days are always interesting to photograph - The London Golf Club

My love of black and white images does not mean I only shoot this way.

There are often different reasons for shooting in colour and or black & white - my clients wants and needs will affect this for the most part and often the client needs a colour image for what they are using the images for. But sometimes they let me make them how I want to as well.

Firstly, thank you for reading this far down, I hope you enjoyed what you have seen.

If you are looking to hire a multi skilled photographer to capture your corporate event, wedding, portrait or headshot, please get in touch.

Equipment used: Fujifilm XPRO 2 & XH1 with 16mm f1.4 - 23mm f2 - 50mm f2 - 90mm f2

Other useful links: Documentary event Photography - Headshot Photography - How to choose a wedding photographer

All Images and copyright belongs to Matt Rock Photography.

Westheath Weddings, Wedding Photographer

Being the recommended Westheath Wedding Photographer is great because I love working there - here’s why…

Are you part of our NHS or Emergency Services? Click HERE to see my SPECIAL OFFER worth £590.00.

The large beautiful staircase as you walk into Westheath is just one of the many features that make this 18th Century Kent wedding venue special - even the doorbell is interesting to look at. It looks like it could tell a few stories and seen many things over the years. There is plenty of space at Westheath; as it is set in 32 acres of land, which gives you and your guests plenty of privacy for the whole day.

If you have looked at my website, you will know I love to produce black & white wedding images and Westheath does lend itself to them really well too. Below are a selection of both colour and black & white photos, although I must admit there are probably a little more b&w…

Walking inside the venue and seeing the grand entrance somehow makes you feel very welcome. This has a lot to do with the staff of course who are really lovely and nothing is too much trouble. As your guests start to arrive they tend to meet by the stairs and then slowly move round to the bar area for a quick drink before being shown to their seats for the ceremony. This gives me plenty of time to people watch and candidly photograph the start of the wedding day, whilst also documenting the brides preparations in the Diana room upstairs which is a large sized room with plenty of windows and light. Then I’ll go downstairs to meet up with the groom and his ushers too.

3 minute Photo-film below - hit the play tab & turn the volume up too.

Contact the team here and find out how to see this beautiful Kent wedding venue.

West Heath School, Ashgrove Road,
Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1SR

Web: https://westheathweddings.com

Tel: 01732 468993

Another Photo-film below - turn up the volume

Along with all the land and privacy that Westheath gives you on your wedding day, you also get the choice of ceremony locations too - which is always good. Your wedding breakfast room overlooks the gardens to the rear of the venue with lots of big windows to let that beautiful light in. It’s all very peaceful - unless of course you are the best man.

They are often seen pacing up and down in the bar area or re-writing the odd story they have been told not to say.

Once all the speeches are finished, the room is turned around to become the evening party room, so whilst the room is cleared, tidied and swept; it’s back to the bar to watch the newly married couple cut their cake then buy the best man a drink and learn a little more about that speech he just gave.

I do get asked what I like about being a photographer & photographing weddings and I guess the answer is I like to photograph fun, happy people enjoying a good day. Listening to a good story, and seeing old friends or family reunite.

My aim is to candidly re-tell that story with photographs rather than words so that your wedding album can be made and loved for years and generations.

I love weddings where people are relaxed, don’t worry about the things that don’t go quite to plan, but laugh about it and get on & enjoy themselves and enjoy the day for what it is meant to be and not get upset if the flowers are a slightly different shade of pink than were originally ordered. Where the Father of the bride says it from the heart and the best man’s speech is borderline offensive. Believe me, I have heard some funny and very offensive stories from best men over the years where the Bride & Groom had no idea what was coming next. It makes for lovely memorable, if not surprised looking images that can last forever in your family wedding album.

I love this sequence of images from a wedding from last year - 2019. Speeches from; Father of the Bride giving his daughter a hard time, the nervous Groom & the Best man ‘keeping it real’

So if you are planning a wedding in Kent, you like the look of this wedding venue and you haven’t quite made your mind up, take a look at Westheath Weddings and you won’t be disappointed.

Then you can sit back, relax and enjoy your perfect wedding day, the way you want it.

What will your wedding story be?

Westheath Wedding Photographer - Matt Rock Photography

Kent Wedding Photographer of the Year - 2019 & LTG Natural Photographer of the Year - 2019/2020

If you would like to book me to creatively photograph your wedding in a natural, candid, documentary style, fused together with some natural looking portraits please get in touch below.

Some of the companies involved - see below - If you know anyone else who was involved in any of these weddings please contact me here and I can add them to the list.

Featured Wedding Venue: Westheath Weddings - West Heath School, Ashgrove Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1SR - Web: https://westheathweddings.com - Tel: 01732 468993

Photographer: Matt Rock Photography - BOOK NOW

Flowers: Paula Florist - 07774132795

Makeup: www.gemmakeupbridal.com

All images copyright © 2006 - 2020 - Matt Rock Photography