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 **

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

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.

TUITION

NEED HELP WITH YOUR PHOTOS?

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.

I would like to thank our NHS and Emergency Services for the work they do and especially this year when we have all realised the work they do for us every day.

Please use the ink below to see my SPECIAL OFFER for our key workers.

Are you looking to hire a photographer for Your Wedding, next Corporate Event / Headshot Portrait?

© All photographs are the property of Matt Rock Photography 2020

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.

Kent Wedding Photographer - The beauty & power of one image

Are you part of our NHS or Emergency Services? Special Offer - see more information here

I made this wedding portrait a few years ago. 1st August 2015 to be precise.

It is a beautiful yet simple image of the Grooms Nan looking up at her grandson on his wedding day. It’s an image that can not easily be recreated or posed. It’s a powerful candid image that started out as a standard group photo.

This one image has had more than a dozen people in tears in front of me when viewing it at wedding shows.

(I have a very large framed print of it)

It’s normally the mother of the ‘groom to be’. Not because they know the lady in the photograph but because they see their own mother in the image and wish that she could be at her sons wedding.

Images can be powerful for all sorts of reasons. Some beautiful and some not so beautiful. But when you can see & feel the emotion in a photograph it can be a magical thing.

When I made this image, there were others too of course that were very similar. I’d call them a series of images which led to this one standing out as ‘the one’ for me to use.

Here are some of the other images that lead to this beautiful moment…

Although I consider myself a candid, documentary wedding photographer, (which is why I believe I was able to see this happening and then record the image) and I do still shoot group photos. As the first image shows, they are an important part of the day and who knew that I would get the result I did if I hadn’t started with this image below.

So, it started off as a typical group photo of the bride & Groom with his Nan and just evolved from there. I had stopped talking long before i’d stop shooting.

And this is the last in the series that I made.

I think that there is a kind of cheekiness to this lady and a look of pure delight and love on her face and I believe she approved of her grandson getting married that day!

Below are some other candid photographs that make me smile from this wedding back in August, 2015…