As promised, here's a few favourite shots from my epic post wedding photo shoot at the top of Ben A'an in the Trossachs. Before their wedding at the end April, Laura & Simon both being keen hill walkers, came up with the idea of a special photo shoot in wedding attire. Their chosen location was Ben A'an, which I believe was one of the first hills they climbed together. We decided 1-2 hours before Sunset would be perfect for the light should it be a Sunny day and it really didn't disappoint on the day! Below I've included a few favourite shots from the day and even a few fun outtakes! The evening of the shoot was a warm one. From the start the midgies were swarming us in the car park as we began our climb up to the summit! A small party of 5, consisting of Laura, Simon and I plus two close hiking friends Nikki and Graham, provided amazing support and helped with carrying all the necessary equipment needed to pull this off. Not only did they bring all the wedding clothes to change into, but also a reasonably sized tent for changing. It was quite a workout with all this weight in tow! The emphasise was on the dramatic for the photos, but we also wanted to have fun and keep things natural. The weather was perfect for the dramatic effect, with spells of cloud cover then dramatic Sunlight bursting out from behind them. With Laura & Simon in place at the summit, I started firing off the shots as the light changed. I wanted to get as much variety as possible in the short time window we had. Laura & Simon were naturals, so posing and ideas came very naturally! In retrospective I believe we couldn't have picked a better day to do this shoot. Any later in the year and we wouldn't have had that amazing Sun burst effect over Loch Katrine and the Sun would be high until 8pm. It all worked out perfectly with a clever bit of planning and execution, leaving some time at the end for a few funny shots as well (see below!). I really loved the results and I hope you do too! Well done team, I couldn't have done it without you! I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussions both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2024/5, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Edinburgh wedding photographer: providing fresh, beautiful and relaxed wedding photography. I’m happy to have a no obligation chat about your wedding. We can discuss your ideas about what you would like from your wedding photographer. Get in touch here - http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html
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Hello everyone! A Spring time wedding update for you all today. I thought I'd share with you my first wedding over in Glasgow for quite some time. Laura & Simon were tying the knot at Sherbrooke Castle in the Dumbreck district of Glasgow. It was my first time visiting this magnificent baronial building. Built in 1896, it's a good example of the type of house built by the middle class in the rather decadent late Victorian period and has a number of unusual features. The setting was perfect for a medium sized wedding, with the weather just about staying dry for us to get all the shots we required! From the minute I arrived there was a lot of excitement in the room. Laura was more than happy for me to hang around the preparations and capture all that was happening and we even had time to take some fun bridal party group shots before getting dressed. Laura excitedly awaiting Simon's arrival through the window of her bridal suite was one of the most natural and fun moments to capture during the preperations. It always makes my job so much easier when the presense of my camera is ignored. I know this can take some time to get used to, but these naturally captured moments are always far and away the most cherished memories! Below are a few of my favourite shots from that part of the day. We had plenty of time allocated to do all the photography in between the wedding ceremony and dinner. With Simon being a photographer himself, this made my job that bit easier. Both Simon and Laura were a great help and full of ideas for creative shots. Two group portraits in particular came out very well and are probably my favourite shots of the day! I've shared these below. The food was fantastic at Sherbrooke and if there's one thing I am after a full afternoon of shooting, is hungry! Food was followed by a lively Cèilidh at around 8pm and I finished up shortly after. I believe the dancing went on until late as when I left practically everyone was still on the dancefloor! In addition to covering their wedding day. I had planned a very special post-wedding shoot with Laura & Simon. Both being keen hill walkers, this was quite an exciting prospect as a wedding photographer to have the oppertunity to capture some very unique wedding photos. I was so happy with how they have turned out, I will do a whole blog post on the photoshoot soon! I hope you think my photos capture the atmosphere of the day well and that they bring Laura & Simon many happy memories for years to come. I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussions both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2024/5, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Edinburgh wedding photographer: providing fresh, beautiful and relaxed wedding photography. I’m happy to have a no obligation chat about your wedding. We can discuss your ideas about what you would like from your wedding photographer. Get in touch here - http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html Happy Halloween everyone! And about time I updated this blog with a wedding! I have picked Emma & Nacho's big day from back in April, which was an eventful and lively wedding full of celebration and dancing! Bride Emma was getting ready at the Bayswell Hotel in Dunbar, before heading to their church ceremony in Dalkeith, then meal and reception at the Strawberry Barn back in Dunbar. The Strawberry Barn is a perfect Wedding venue. The barn is a blank canvas for you to create your own, unique event which proves to be a popular choice with couples from the Edinburgh and Lothians area, this being the 3rd time I had photographed a wedding there! Our photoshoot began at the Bayswell Hotel where the excited bridesmaids along with the mother of the bride eagerly helped Emma prepare for her big day. I was perfectly happy to stand back and capture all the moments as they happened. With a bridal party of 8, not including Emma. There sure was a lot going on in one room! I have included a few of these in my chosen favourite photos of the day below. One being the very special moment of the father of the bride seeing Emma for the first time in the dress. I love capturing these moments, these are what make the day so special for the whole family. We chose to do our couple shots in the grounds of Dalkeith Country Park due to time restrictions. This proved to be great choice for our wedding photos due to prior knowledge of the grounds. We were able to get some shots we really liked before heading to The Strawberry Barn in Dunbar. Emma & Nacho's reception included an Argentinian waltz in place of a traditional first dance. This was followed by a wild evening reception full of dancing and celebration, that I'm sure went on until the small hours after we had left! It was one of the mostly lively I have been to in recent years and very well planned out. Nothing held them back all day! Emma & Nacho have just celebrated their 6 month anniversary by revisiting these photos. I hope you think my photos capture the atmosphere of the day and that they bring Emma & Nacho many happy memories for years to come. I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussions both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2023/4, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Edinburgh wedding photographer: providing fresh, beautiful and relaxed wedding photography. I’m happy to have a no obligation chat about your wedding. We can discuss your ideas about what you would like from your wedding photographer. Get in touch here - http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html Just a wee update to let you all know I will soon be relocating to South Queensferry! It's feeling quite surreal at the moment and will be just as strange when I finally move. For those who know me, this is where I grew up and where my love of photography started back at the turn of the century (Sorry I just had to phrase it like that!). Photographing the Forth bridges, the towns landscape and finally weddings! My first wedding was in 2007 and really started to develop into a business by 2013. As it's been 15 years this July since that first wedding. I'm running a special Summer booking discount that you or someone you know might be interested in. Please get in touch! - Moments to be cherished forever. Packages start at just £745 with 15% Summer discount code GDPHOTO15 For bookings and enquires, please contact me at : [email protected] or PM via the Facebook page. For portfolio and package details, visit : www.gavindougan.com Featured on Rock 'n Roll Bride - https://bit.ly/2Oil7hA "...Excellent photography, a true artist... Our wedding photos are fantastic!" "...Gavin did a great job of photographing our wedding. His creative flair gave us some amazing and unique photographs that we will cherish forever!" "...Was a pleasure to have Gavin at our wedding; nothing was too much to ask, he made us feel comfortable and at ease" I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussions both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2022/23, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Edinburgh wedding photographer: providing fresh, beautiful and relaxed wedding photography. I’m happy to have a no obligation chat about your wedding. We can discuss your ideas about what you would like from your wedding photographer. Get in touch here - http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html Let's just skip 2020 shall we? A difficult time for everyone these past 13 odd months... There wasn't any weddings happening at all, if there was they were very small private events. 2021 saw relaxing of the rules (slightly) and my first wedding of the year, just last month. I'm looking forward to getting back into some sort of normality towards the end of the year! In the meantime I'm running a special Summer booking discount that you or someone you know might be interested in. Please get in touch! - Moments to be cherished forever. Packages start at just £715 with 10% Summer discount code GDPHOTO10 For bookings and enquires, please contact me at : [email protected] or PM via the Facebook page. For portfolio and package details, visit : www.gavindougan.com Featured on Rock 'n Roll Bride - https://bit.ly/2Oil7hA "...Excellent photography, a true artist... Our wedding photos are fantastic!" "...Gavin did a great job of photographing our wedding. His creative flair gave us some amazing and unique photographs that we will cherish forever!" "...Was a pleasure to have Gavin at our wedding; nothing was too much to ask, he made us feel comfortable and at ease" I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussions both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2021/22, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Edinburgh wedding photographer: providing fresh, beautiful and relaxed wedding photography. I’m happy to have a no obligation chat about your wedding. We can discuss your ideas about what you would like from your wedding photographer. Get in touch here - http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html Time for a blog update I think as it's been a while! I had a busy Spring/Summer shooting weddings all over Scotland. One I have chosen to share is the wedding of Richard & Jamie at the lesser known venue of Kippilaw House in the Scottish borders. Kippilaw House is a fabulous dream mansion in very private setting, secluded by it's own enchanting woodland. The house as it stands today incorporates the original 15th century tower with a large Georgian frontage in the palladium style. Known locally as the big hoose in the borders, I can see why this would be the choice of any couple to host their big day. Richard and Jamie had a fantastic day, I don't think I saw them once without big smiles on their faces. This made capturing all the natural moments effortless. They were very relaxed around the camera, 30 minutes or so was all we needed for photos after the ceremony. Giving them more time to mingle with their guests and enjoy the rest of their day. Below I have featured just some of my favourite images taken on the day. As you can see most of them are some lovely moments that I am sure they will cherish forever. I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussions both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2020/21, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Edinburgh wedding photographer: providing fresh, beautiful and relaxed wedding photography. I’m happy to have a no obligation chat about your wedding. We can discuss your ideas about what you would like from your wedding photographer. Get in touch - http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html I'm about to get going again with weddings for 2019. Time for an update then on the last few I shot towards the end of last year. A popular venue for weddings in the City Centre is Edinburgh Zoo. This was the first time I had shot a wedding here, for the big day of Susi & Chris at the end of September. It was a larger wedding so again I was lucky to have the support of Richie Laurie Photography as my second snapper. The majority of the wedding day takes place at the very grand Mansion House. Previously known as Corstorphine Hill House, the house was originally built in 1793 and as home to the Macmillan family was given a Scots Baronial makeover in 1891. In 1912 the house and surrounding estate was purchased for £17,000 by the The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, and Edinburgh Zoo opened here on 22 July 1913. I was shooting for the whole day around the house and grounds. Susi was keen to get some shots in the penguin enclosure, which proved to be quite a challenge but rewarding in the end! We luckily had it dry all day, and despite running to a tight schedule for our photo ideas we were able to create some lovely images that I hope Susi & Chris will cherish for years to come. Below I've featured some of my favourite photos from the day. You'll find they are a good mix of captured moments with a variety of traditional and contemporary styles. I hope you like them! I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussions both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2019/20, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Edinburgh wedding photographer: providing fresh, beautiful and relaxed wedding photography. I’m happy to have a no obligation chat about your wedding. We can discuss your ideas about what you would like from your wedding photographer. Get in touch - http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html With the wedding season for 2018 winding down, I thought it was about time to share another wedding from the Summer! It was great to be shooting in the heart of the City again for the wedding of Ilona & Alywn, at the City Chambers & afterwards at the Hilton Grosvenor. We even had time to take a wee excursion to Holyrood Park for some intimate portraits and the first time I photographed a bride in red! I photograph around the City a lot with my page Edinburgh HD, so I knew some nice spots for the bride and groom. We got the taxi to stop along Queens Drive at a spot photographers call "Magic Corner". The City really comes into view here when you pop over the hill. A popular route for tour buses and the like. It doesn't really get any better having Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Park as a backdrop for any Edinburgh photographer! Below I've featured some of my favourite photos from the day. You'll find they are a good mix of captured moments with a variety of traditional and contemporary styles. I hope you like them! I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussions both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2019/20, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Edinburgh wedding photographer: providing fresh, beautiful and relaxed wedding photography. I’m happy to have a no obligation chat about your wedding. We can discuss your ideas about what you would like from your wedding photographer. Get in touch - http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html Hello everyone, A very busy Summer for me in general. But with the Summer months being popular months for weddings, i really have been non stop! I have chosen a wedding I shot back at the end of June with Richie Laurie Photography to share with you. We were in Crail for the wedding of Kirstin & Louise, where they had chosen the very unique venue, the Cow Shed. The Cow Shed is located on the outskirts of Crail in the East Neuk of Fife, a beautiful corner of Scotland with stunning beaches, traditional fishing villages and pretty harbours...oh, and not forgetting a huge selection of golf courses too! The Cow Shed is full of original features, character and enjoys sea views across the Firth of Forth to the Bass Rock and East Lothian - the perfect backdrop to our “blank canvas” venue, giving you have the freedom to add your own personality. Below I have featured just some of my favourite images taken on the day. With their dog Poppy featuring in a lot of them! We had amazing weather all afternoon and I was really happy with the results. I hope you like them! I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussions both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2019/20, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Feel free to contact me for an informal, no obligation chat to discuss your wedding photography requirements http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html Wedding Season Update! - Beautiful personalised USB Folio's for Weddings in Edinburgh 2019/20!23/7/2018 I'd like to share a little bit about what i've been up to since the start of the 2018 wedding season :) With a busy August/September lined up, I have been flat out preparing my USB folios & albums for last years clients. I'm really happy with how they have turned out. All couples booking my Silver/Gold/Platinum packages will receive their beautiful photographs on a personalised USB drive with names engraved. Plus 20 6x4 prints of your choice from the day, with a choice of Walnut or Maple wood finish. Below I have included a few examples of what to expect from the final products. For more information please follow this link or the images below - http://www.gavindougan.com/new-personalised-usb.html. USB Folio - Walnut. Album - 8x8 Brough Blue I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussions both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2019/20, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Feel free to contact me for an informal, no obligation chat to discuss your wedding photography requirements http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html Hello everyone, a quick update on my busy start to the 2018 wedding season! In April, my first wedding of the year was with Louise & Connor at the lovely secluded location of Toftcombs House in Skirling, just beside Biggar. Nestled in 10 private acres in the stunning Scottish Borders countryside, and only 30 minutes from Edinburgh you couldn't ask for much more for your wedding venue. I really love shooting weddings in stately homes. No matter what the weather, you are guaranteed great shots in the usually large and fabulously furnished rooms. Below I have featured just some of my favourite images taken on the day, as well as a few shots of the house. I think you will agree with me that Louise & Connor's little girl Izzy stole the show in the photos! If you would like me to photograph your wedding, please drop me a message. Now taking bookings for 2019/20. Contact Me I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussions both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2019/20, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Feel free to contact me for an informal, no obligation chat to discuss your wedding photography requirements http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html Wedding Season 2018 - Beautiful personalised USB Folio's for Weddings in Edinburgh 2018/19!19/3/2018 The new wedding season is almost upon us, with my first date on 7th April! On the run up to April I have been busy finalising last years USB Folio and album package orders. The Walnut finish folios proving to be a popular choice with my clients. All couples booking my Silver/Gold/Platinum packages will receive their beautiful photographs on a personalised USB drive with names engraved. Plus 20 6x4 prints of your choice from the day, with a choice of Walnut or Maple wood finish. Below I have included a few examples of what to expect from the final product. For more information please follow this link or the images below - http://www.gavindougan.com/new-personalised-usb.html. I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussions both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2018/19, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Feel free to contact me for an informal, no obligation chat to discuss your wedding photography requirements http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html I thought i'd share with you some recent images taken in a gorgeous Autumn surrounding in Blairgowie - Perth and Kinross. I was working alongside Richie Laurie Photography, who I shoot larger weddings with. Pippa & James are getting married next July in their family home grounds, where we decided to take a few relaxed portraits before the wedding day. The plan was to time the shoot around October, so we could get all the lovely colour from the trees and fallen leaves. This was in abundance as you can see below! The woodland area around the gardens looked spectacular in Autumn, so i'm really looking forward to seeing it in the Summertime. Not only vast areas of land but a very picturesque bridge (see below) that crosses over the river Ericht. There was endless photo opportunities here! The idea of the pre-wedding shoot is to get you and your partner accustomed to being in front of a camera for any period of time. It also lets you see how I like to shoot, this will give you a better idea what to expect on the day of your wedding. It is quite common for people in general to be a little tense when they have a camera pointed at them at first. Getting those natural and relaxed shots requires you to be happy and relaxed in front of the camera So think of these shoots as a warm up to the big day! Below I have included some of my favourite shots from my shoot with Pippa & James. The pre-wedding shoot comes as part of my Gold & Platinum packages, with the aim to get you comfortable in front of the camera. As an extra it also gives you some alternative style portraits to enjoy and share with family and friends. I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussion both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2017/18, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Feel free to contact me for an informal, no obligation chat to discuss your wedding photography requirements http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html New for 2017/18 - I am now offering fantastic handmade photographically printed linen & leather albums. As part of my Platinum package. Available in 3 sizes - 8x8, 10x10 and 14x10 inches. I thought i'd share with you two albums I have recently ordered. For more album information please follow this link or click the images below - http://www.gavindougan.com/wedding-albums.html Featured below - 10x10 Pastel Calamine linen with black UV text. Featured below - 8x8 Hessian Oat linen with laser engraving. I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussion both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2017/18, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums For a copy of my wedding brochure, and to get a full quote. Please get in touch with as much information about your special day as possible. I'm sure I can work out a great deal for you! http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html Introducing my new personalised USB drives! All couples booking my Silver/Gold/Platinum packages, will receive all their beautiful photographs on a personalised USB drive, with names engraved. 20 6x4 prints also included. Choices of a dark or light wood finish (dark wood featured). For more information please follow this link or the images below - http://www.gavindougan.com/new-personalised-usb.html. I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussion both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2017/18, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Feel free to contact me for an informal, no obligation chat to discuss your wedding photography requirements http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html It's been a while since I last updated my blog, so I thought I would share some pictures from my first wedding of 2017. Rachel & Nick's lovely wedding day at The Caves in Edinburgh. In this post I have featured some of my favourite shots from the day. The Caves is a truly unique venue that makes up the sub-structure of the 18th Century South Bridge. There is no venue more Edinburgh than the Caves, or more Scottish, if you consider there was once so much Whisky stored here that it became known as "Whisky Row". The venue is arguably the most tricky to shoot in for photographers, it being so dimly lit. It is very atmospheric, full of candle lit corridors and coloured lights. My previous trips to the venue helped me prepare for the challenge of lighting in the main room. The image below show the venues cozy atmosphere with the dinner table display! Despite the lighting challenge for the photographer, I think the Caves is one of the best wedding venues Edinburgh has to offer. If you want your wedding photos to have that Old Town Edinburgh feel to them, this is the venue for you.
2016 was a fantastic year for weddings! I have selected a few of my favourite shots from the year to share with you here, Very much looking forward to starting shooting again next weekend at The Caves in Edinburgh. If you would like me to photograph your wedding, please drop me a message. Still taking bookings for 2017/18. Contact Me I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussion both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2017/18, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Feel free to contact me for an informal, no obligation chat to discuss your wedding photography requirements http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html With the busy period now over for the year, I thought i'd share some more highlights from this Summer's weddings. September was probably my busiest month I've ever had, with a wedding every weekend! My second wedding of the month was back at a familiar location, Cramond. Cramond is a village and suburb in the north-west of Edinburgh. At the mouth of the River Almond, where it enters the Firth of Forth. There is plenty lovely spots around for photo opportunities here. I have shot several weddings here in the past at Cramond Kirk. This time however, I was attending my first home wedding. Kathy & Gordon chose to get married at Gordon's family home. A marquee village filled the garden and the Sun came out right as the happy couple walked through their confetti shower. Every one did a great job on the day, it was one of the most enjoyable weddings I've worked, despite the tight time schedule! Photographer - Richie Laurie Photography is Gordon's brother, so I was assisted in shooting Kathy and Gordon with him. With 15 minutes max to do a shoot down at the River Almond before the meal. We managed to get our planned shots taken and get back to the house on time. I was pretty impressed we managed to execute this and be happy with our results! I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussion both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2017, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Feel free to contact me for an informal, no obligation chat to discuss your wedding photography requirements http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html Time for another share of what i've been up to. I thought i'd share some photos from a wedding I shot back in June. Louise & Paul's big day at Linlithgow Palace. The day started at the picturesque Linlithgow Palace for the wedding ceremony, with the reception taking place in South Queensferry's Boat House. Linlithgow Palace was one of the principal residences of the monarchs of Scotland in the 15th and 16th centuries. It is now a popular visitor attraction. I was worried about the amount of tourists being around at the time of the ceremony and getting in the way, but this didn't prove to be a problem on the day. There was lots of nice secluded areas around for photos in the ruins and palace grounds. We started here and then moved quickly on to South Queensferry's harbour for more photos, in the limited time we had. Both were great locations I hadn't shot weddings at before. And being a former resident of South Queensferry, it was nice to visit the place again after so many years! I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussion both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2016, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Feel free to contact me for an informal, no obligation chat to discuss your wedding photography requirements http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html Yet again I have been neglecting my blog entries! It's been a busy Summer for weddings, and now we are into September, it's looking like the busiest month of the year. I've been back and forth between Glasgow and Edinburgh mostly over the last few months. Some great venues like - Linlithgow Palace, Carberry Tower and something completely different... The West Brewery at Glasgow Green! I have shot a wedding here in the past but in the years since then, the venue has had a whole function area added at the back, and really makes for a unique wedding venue like no other. I thought i'd share some photos from a wedding I shot here back in May. Michelle & Neil had picked the West Brewery for their special day, and the booze and banter flowed! A lovely humanist ceremony in the afternoon, followed by one of the liveliest ceilidhs I've ever shot. Lots of dancing and laughs! I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussion both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2016, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Feel free to contact me for an informal, no obligation chat to discuss your wedding photography requirements http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html Last week I caught up with Emma & Daryl, at Portobello Beach for their pre-wedding shoot. The forecast wasn't looking good for the shoot, but it actually turned out to be pretty nice evening for photos!
The pre wedding shoot helps the couple get an idea of what to expect from your photographs on the day. As well as getting to know each other better and discuss any ideas. Simple, relaxed portraits that can be shared around with family and friends before the big day. For wedding package ideas, or if you are interested in having a pre-wedding shoot, please check out my Packages page, and/or Contact Me! I am looking forward to another exciting year of weddings in 2016. 2015 was a busy year, photographing in many lovely venues around Edinburgh, the Lothians and beyond. I thought i'd share with you some of my favourite images from 2015. My favourite venue being The Royal College of Physicians, a unique historic venue in Edinburgh's New Town. The Victorian and Georgian rooms are filled with stunning original architectural features, perfect for the wedding photographer. I also enjoyed shooting at Doune Castle in Stirlingshire for the first time in July. A medieval stronghold dating from the 14th century. These are both very different venues in their own right, but both full of exciting features that really help make your shots stand out and offer something different. I believe every wedding and every couple is unique and I try and reflect this in my work. The creative process for me begins with each couple and their personal vision of their wedding day. Through meetings and discussion both at home and the chosen venue, we arrive at how best to capture and present your day.
With lots of fresh new ideas for 2016, please have a look at my wedding packages and albums at the links below - Wedding Packages Handmade Photographically Printed Albums Feel free to contact me for an informal, no obligation chat to discuss your wedding photography requirements http://www.gavindougan.com/contact.html Wow, a busy start to the summer months for weddings this year. 3 in the space of a few weeks in June, has kept me very busy. Shooting by myself and with Richie Laurie Photography, every wedding was very different to the next! One day before leaving for a holiday in Munich, I was shooting a wedding for the first time at Cottiers in Glasgow. The lucky couple Lynsey & Duncan. A newly renovated Theatre, bar and restaurant in the heart of Glasgow's West End. Cottiers Theatre, originally Dowanhill Parish Church, was built in 1865 by William Leiper with designs by Daniel Cottier who created the intricate decoration and beautifully appointed stained glass windows. Lynsey & Duncan hired me for the full day, starting at the very posh Hotel Du Vin, where Lynsey and her bridesmaids prepared for the big day, was a great place for photos. Very nice lighting throughout the building, with some great features, including giant stained glass windowed staircases! (Image above) Unfortunately, the bridal car ran into trouble on approach (to the hotel, not to the wedding venue!) And a back up car was quickly arranged. I tagged a lift with Lynsey and her dad and managed take some fun shots on the way to Cottiers. I was shooting Lynsey & Duncan's wedding by myself so I knew I had to be on the ball with the days busy schedule, and besides a slight mishap with a lens... Everything went exactly as planned! Lynsey was very keen to get fun and candid images of the day so I tried to do this as unobtrusively as possible, letting everyone settle into enjoying themselves rather than me ordering and positioning people. The bridesmaids helped a lot in creating these images, lots of fun and banter after the ceremony led to some of my favourite images of the day.
Probably the most enjoyable part of the day for me was the laughter filled speeches (and stand-up comedy!) which came with a few surprises and shocks for everyone! For the first dance, the venues low-lit theater provided an intimate setting as family and friends looked on. This was followed by a photobooth hire, that took over my job in the late evening. This proved a huge success looking at the results and is proving a more and more popular addition to wedding events (See my wedding-studio package here). Leaving the venue in torrential rain, we were very lucky to have such nice weather all day. Fingers crossed for dry summer months as the wedding season kicks off, I will be posting more from my wedding blog very soon! Time for my latest wedding update. In November I had an autumn wedding at Pollok House in Glasgow for the wedding of Jenny & Martin. This time shooting with the help of Solid Images Photography. A grand country house near Glasgow city centre, Pollok House is Scotland’s answer to Downton Abbey and gives a real taste of upstairs/downstairs life in the 1930s. Set in the scenic surroundings of Pollok Country Park, which is also home to the Burrell Collection. It made a nice change shooting a wedding through in the West. I have only shot a few wedding in Glasgow and have enjoyed visiting some new and unique wedding venues. Pollok House and Pollok Country Park were definitely some of the most picturesque surroundings I have photographed at for a wedding in 2014. Jenny & Martin had chosen to have their special day entirely at the house and grounds. Oscar and I were there for the full day and shooting with a two photographer set up our aim was to capture every moment of the day in a discrete documentary style which I hope the images in this post reflect. Being a November wedding we were a little concerned about the weather for the day. Forecasts had been mixed and there was a high probability of rain in the afternoon. As it turned out we were extremely lucky on the day! We wrapped up most of the group shots and shots of Jenny & Martin around the grounds at around 4pm, just as the heavens opened! It was torrential rain for the rest of the evening, luckily the reception and ceilidh was to be held in a specially erected marquee next to the house. This allowed Oscar and I to really experiment with flash lighting set ups, which we were to rely on for the rest of the night, using our skills and imagination best we could to create striking and original images.
There were big laughs at the speeches, followed by a lively ceilidh which it seemed every single guest took part in! All in all the entire day went without a hitch, we were very lucky with the weather but everything came out as we planned... Well, apart from getting an image of Jenny & Martin with the parks Highland cows. They really didn't want to get their photo taken! It was a great crowd at the wedding and Oscar and I really enjoyed our part in Jenny & Martin's big day. It's been a while since my last wedding photography post so I have decided to choose a favourite wedding from this Summer to share with you all. In July I was shooting with Richie Laurie Photography at a more unusual location for a wedding - Our Dynamic Earth in Edinburgh, where Julie & Chris were tying the knot. With the spectacular backdrop of Salisbury Crags and the impressive canopy structure, Our Dynamic Earth is a unique venue with a subtle heritage twist. We were shooting for a full day here, with the ceremony and reception being entirely at the venue. It was a lovely sunny day, a stroke of luck with the weather, which Richie and I seem to have when we shoot weddings together! For the best coverage of a wedding day. Richie and I like to shoot using a technique called near and far. A two photographer package that captures every aspect of your day. This is the technique we adopted for Julie & Chris' wedding. While Richie photographed at close range and with interaction with guests, I photographed from a far, capturing the candid moments. Sometimes capturing the best moments of the day. In this case, I was happy with what what was achieved and I don't think anything happened that we missed out on! I have included a selection of my favourite images from the day in this post. For Richie's gallery of Julie & Chris' big day, please visit this link. An interesting aspect of weddings at Dynamic Earth is the wedding party and it's guests receive full access to the attractions for their reception. After a lovely humanist ceremony, we had some time to walk around everything on offer, we managed some interesting photographs in some interesting locations, from the cinema to the jungle area!
I enjoyed photographing the wedding at Dynamic Earth, lots going on over a large area, makes it brilliant for photographers to go wild with their creative ideas. A nice change from the usual church grounds and gardens. Also being in the city center, there are lots of options for photos in the surrounding areas. With the picturesque backdrops of Arthur's Seat and the Salisbury Crags not 10 minutes walk away you really are spoilt for choice. Weddings these days are all about variety, and Dynamic Earth was a venue I could easy get used to photographing at regularly. I hope future weddings prove as interesting as this venue was! |
Gavin DouganI am an award winning photographer based in Edinburgh. I currently work in freelance Wedding & Event photography, but enjoy working in all photographic fields. I'm always trying out new things in my work and I love a challenge... Archives
October 2023
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