Martin Beddall’s photographic career began at The Times in London, just weeks after completing a postgraduate course in Photojournalism. Learning his craft as he worked in the intense environment of a national newspaper and with the pressure of tight deadlines, the ability to ‘get the shot’ was vital. From portraits of world statesmen, celebrities and high profile businessmen, to hard news stories and more in depth reportage feature stories, he gained a broad experience of photojournalism that he now brings to his documentary wedding photography.
Photographing weddings began twelve years ago, with requests from colleagues at The Times and readers who had seen his work in the newspaper. Twelve years later, his approach to wedding photography is to treat it like an editorial assignment – to document the day as quietly and discretely as possible. Couples often comment that their guests hardly noticed him, yet they are bowled over by the scope of images he has taken. He provides a storyboard of photos that capture all the emotions and details of the day – moments the bride and groom will remember and also those they missed. He predominately uses available light to retain the atmosphere of the event and allow a more candid fly-on-the-wall approach.
Martin Beddall is based in West Sussex, and the majority of the weddings he covers are in the southeast of England, especially Sussex, Surrey, Kent, Hampshire and London. However, he has photographed weddings throughout the UK and Europe, and is happy to travel further afield. He is a member of the Wedding Photojournalist Association, the Association of Photographers and the British Press Photographers Association.