What does a destination wedding photographer in Umbria do when she is not shooting destination weddings?
Well, many things I suppose.
Of course, there is post-production, so that she can deliver fully post-produced high resolution images to her newlyweds in time. Also, there are photo albums and photobooks to build. And this is all part of her job.
Of course, there are other types of photoshoots she gets involved in. Fashion, portraits, events other than weddings, sometimes industrial photography too and interiors photography too.
But, more specifically, what do I do? The answer is, all of the above, and more.
More and more couples are taking advantage of non-traditional months and choose to have their destination weddings in Umbria celebrated in the months going from November to April, in order to find their chosen wedding venues available, as well as a wide array of all the other wedding vendors available, however, it should be said that the traditional wedding season for a destination wedding photographer in Umbria goes from May to October of each year.
Therefore, the months going from November to April are normally filled with other types of commitments, and sometimes, there is enough time for a small holiday too.
Hence, my decision to spend a long week-end in London in February should not come as a surprise.
In fact, first of all I have actually post-produced all my 2022 weddings (as a destination wedding photographer in Umbria, I find it is utmost important to respect my delivery terms, so that all my newlyweds receive their wedding photos on time).
Secondly, I wanted to reprise the tradition of travelling abroad after the pandemic, I felt it was high time I did that, and London was definitely my first choice.
As a matter of fact London has always been my first choice, I lived there for a long time (nearly 5 years) just after high school and it was, and still, is an amazing city, bustling with life, a place where everything can happen.
(You may wonder why I got back to Italy in the first place... a bit of homesickness, feeling fed up with the bad weather and love...but this is another story).
Anyway, I had the most glorious five days in London. This time I behaved like the most ordinary tourist, saw the Changing of the Guards, visited Kew Gardens and Windsor Castle, paid my respects to the late Queen, went to a West End Theatre for a musical (no photos allowed, so you have to take my word for it) and took long walks in one of the parks, ate fish'n chips, and, for the first time in my life, visited Battersea Power Station.
I remember seeing Battersea Power Station from the train window every time I was on the Gatwick Express on my way to Gatwick Airport (a lot less magical than the Hogwarts Express, I promise), and every time I was on my way back from the Airport to Victoria Station. A huge disused building, such a powerful image in my mind. I remember thinking it would have looked just right in Fritz Lang's "Metropolis".
Well, the building is now a shopping mall and there is a fantastic panoramic lift that brings you up to the top of one of the two white chimneys.
Well, I have been back a week and only today did I have the chance to take a look at all the photos I shot. You can view some of them below. Sometimes I cease to be a destination wedding photographer and become an urban landscape photographer. It's fun... I love my job..
One of the greatest moments of my London Week-end?
The Scots Guards playing Queen's "Don't stop me now" in the courtyard of Buckingham Palace..
