WHAT is the job of a wedding photographer?

Well, according to Steve Tarling of Little Box of Memories, it’s about more than taking images of the dress, the venue and guest line-ups.

For Steve, each wedding is a unique opportunity to capture those little moments, those specific seconds in time that reveal the very essence of a couple’s relationship.

It’s about the flushed cheeks of the bride, the look in the groom’s eye as he sees his future wife walking down the aisle, the pride in a father’s face as he hands over his daughter.

These are moments that, as a wedding photographer with more than 15 years of experience, Steve is able to anticipate and grab on film to be recorded for eternity.

There is a real sense of person and place in Steve’s photography, and his personal touch combined with the flair and creativity of his specialist album designer Lynn, means that he is a much sought-after chap.

In this year alone Steve’s covered weddings not only in Suffolk but in London, Wales, Estonia and the Ice Hotel in Sweden, where he shared one couple’s magical winter wonderland experience.

Steve started out photographing weddings in 1993, and focussed on doing what every other photographer was doing – standard wedding shots.

But realising there was more to wedding photography, he quickly adapted his style to be more photo-journalistic, with editorial elements too.

As every wedding is different, every album is different too, with Steve focussing on personalities and feelings. The images should say ‘this is who we are and this is our connection.’

Steve said: “There is more to a wedding than faces. There are emotions on the day and it’s all about the love you have for your guests and family, which can’t be captured through posed pictures.

“The best part of my job is people picking-up their albums, or getting a thankyou card. Knowing that I’ve got photographs that represent them fulfils me creatively, but if they think I’ve represented them well it means I’ve done a good job.

“When people are grateful it gives me a sense of achievement.”

As well as the photography side of Little Box of Memories, there is a strong design element. Couples can choose from the classic Queensbury Album which inserts pictures into windows throughout in a layout of their choice.

But the most popular option for couples is the Graphi albums. Available with a leather, coloured acrylic or photographic cover, the books read like a story of your day.

Couples can be as involved as they like with the albums and can give the designer ideas regarding colour schemes and themes.

Parent albums and mini albums are available too, making ideal keepsakes to show off to friends or colleagues.

Steve offers another option whereby couples can have a disc of their wedding photography, leaving them free to print the pictures as they wish.

Before any wedding Steve runs through pricing with couples and talks about design, the types of pictures you’d like to see and anything that’s relevant to getting the best images on the day.

A flexible pricing list is available in three sections to allow couples to create packages that fit into their budget. The first takes into account the actual photography, starting at £495 for three hours.

The second takes into account the amount of images you’re buying. There is no minimum amount, but 80 pictures is £995.

The third cost is the album price which starts at £295 for a standard Graphi book or between £200 to £300 for a Queensbury album.

A special package is available at £4,950 to include eight hours of photography, a large Graphi album, two parent albums, eight guest books, a 40ins by 40ins canvas, a DVD in full resolution with the original images and a DVD in full resolution with all of the finished images.

Find out how to add the personal touch to your wedding photography by calling Steve on 01449 771119 or by visiting the website www.albom.co.uk