How did I end up becoming a Wedding Photographer in Essex?

To be honest I think that this is the most asked question I get (after what is the cost for wedding photography?)

  Well, it is a long & winding road that never had Photographing weddings as am intended destination. I guess to get us to the present, we must go to the beginning… or close enough that is relevant!

The Analogue years…
  I have always had a keen interest in photography, right back from being a school kid & my old 110mm film camera where you would open & shut to advance the film (who remembers those?) before moving onto 35mm film compact cameras. Once I got a job & was a “grown up” (some would say that this day hasn’t actually arrived yet… but what does my partner know?) I purchased a Practica BX10 with changeable lenses – great for photos… not so much the cost of film developing or keeping my then Girlfriend happy whilst I swapped lenses on a day out. Life got busy & I decided to put a pin in my hobby for a good decade or so.

Agfa 110mm Filfm camera Olympus Trip MD2 - 35mm Compact film camera Practika BX10 SLR camera

Living in a Digital world.

 I remember the exact day I realised I wanted to get back into Photography – it was 14^th December 2008 & at Wembley Stadium for the race of Champions sat in the stands watching the likes of Michael Schumacher, David Coulthard, Sebastian Vettel & co. racing round a man-made circuit on the covered pitch. As amazing (& freezing cold) as this was. It was seeing people with these massive cameras & lenses waiting to enter made me want to scratch that itch again.

 10 days later (after bouncing around many different types of pocket digital camera) , my Christmas bonus arrived & I was able to purchase my 1^st DLSr – my wonderfully basic Nikon D40, complete with stock lens & big telephoto lens (well I thought it was at the time). With 2 small kids I started using them as models & began snapping away, attending local car shows & attempted to capture images like I had seen in magazines (never has the phrase “all the gear & No Idea” been more apt!)

Nikin D40 DSLR Camera

Time to Chill & get serious.

Around this time, I was an avid follower of the Basingstoke Bison, a British Ice Hockey team in Basingstoke, where the entire family were season ticket holders & I started taking my camera to games occasionally & sharing them on social media with players & fellow fans. Around this time the teams official photographer left & I was asked if I would mind getting more involved & doing it on an official basis & there started is where my professional Photography journey started in earnest!

 Almost every Saturday between September & May between 2010 & 2018 was taken up capturing the team This is where I learnt how to use my camera properly & as the years went by & I invested in better equipment, my images improved (as did the team) & being there to capture the team lifting 5 trophies was something special. I finally stepped back & allowed someone else to have the honour of capturing this amazing sport & only covering one or two games a season recently.

Basingstoke Bison Goaltender Dean Skinns makes blocker save Big hit! Joining in the Celebrations Celebrating with the fans

 Chasing the dream...

 As I mentioned earlier, I have always had a love of Automotive Photography & really wanted to carve out a career in this field to emulate the amazing images from Motorsport & Octane magazines. I was fortunate enough to get onto the Media team as one of the official event photographers for the Wilton Classic & Supercar annual event for its final 2 years in 2014 & 2015 as well as its monthly Breakfast club – the Wilton Wake Up (that I actually named!). From there I started attending track days at Goodwood & fell in love with the place & especially the Goodwood Revival, That I attend each September for my annual busman’s holiday. Alas with the market being flooded with unbelievably talented photographers. I decided I needed to step back from this professionally & focus on weddings & events. Only capturing occasional events such as Concours of Elegance at Hampton Court each September (Yes September is my annual Car Month!!)

Mclaren P1 leaves the stage at Wilton Classic & supercars "Give me Goodwood on a summers day & you can forget the rest...."

The Stunning Bugatti Type 57 atlante Coupe by Gangloff leaves Hampton Court Palace dueing the "Grand Depart" of Councours of Elegance Majestic

 Carrying Wedding Trains & Chasing wedding Planners

 In 2014 a very good friend of mine got in touch asking if I would photograph her wedding? Having only Photography experience in Ice Hockey, Events & Automotive, the thought of capturing someone’s wedding day petrified me. The pressure involved of getting it right first time as it is the most important day of a couple’s life was terrifying & I didn’t want to destroy that memory. 

 Fast forward to January 2015 & I got another message saying that she has not been able to find anyone & asking if I would reconsider & there would be no pressure if the photos weren’t great as they just wanted a few pictures & needed someone that they could trust to do it? – after a couple of days thinking I finally relented & agreed to capture the day. Two weeks of intense research ensued with all the cheesy Cliché wedding images that were popular at the time included.

the long walk A room full of Joy "do you have to?"

 For someone who like most photographers has always suffered with “imposter syndrome” I don’t mind telling for it was a very stressful day, however I made it through with no hiccups or dramas – Yay for me!

  & 2 weeks later & delivered my 1^st wedding gallery to an ecstatic couple.

I was hooked! – why was I so stressed about this? – It’s fun & I get the opportunity to get creative & get to hang out with lovely families as they come together to celebrate!!

Classically romantic "all together now..." Check them out...

So, I started saying “yes” when people were asking if I did weddings & in 2020 I actually stopped marketing myself as an “Automotive, Wedding, Ice Hockey Photographer that also captures family portraits & Corporate headshots” (Catchy huh?)  & niched down to just weddings & events.

 However, 8 years after my first wedding I now 100% consider myself to be a wedding & Event Photographer Based in Southend-On-Sea, Essex, covering the whole of the UK & beyond.

Stolen moments Here come the boys... Let's do the conga!

   I found that being an introverted photographer actually helps me to capture those Candid wedding moments that people love, (although that doesn’t mean that I won’t politely shout at someone to turn Auntie Jean in the right direction to face the camera for the group photo).

Whoe doesn't love a Smoke flare? Love Wins Who wants a Drink!?

 So there you have it – how I became Grant King Wedding Photography. I did warn you it was a winding road. But here we are.

 Thanks for reading.

• Grant