Lucas & Danielle’s London Surprise Proposal

“I reached out to Stan on short notice to plan a surprise proposal in London and he was amazing to work with. From planning to execution everything went smoothly. He picked an amazing spot to shoot it and walked around London for an hour with us afterwards and the pictures turned out perfect. My fiancé and I couldn’t have been happier with how the whole day went. It was an absolute pleasure getting to meet and work with him on planning a day we will never forget!”

— Lucas

Lucas and Danielle came to the UK from Canada for their holiday at the end of April. Lucas loved London and had decided to propose during their trip. He was particularly fond of the architecture but knew Danielle didn’t like crowded spaces, which was a challenge in busy London.

The location we came up with was Abingdon Street Gardens - a quiet spot in Westminster, overlooking the Palace of Westminster and Big Ben.

Lucas did a great job, executed the plan perfectly and Danielle said YES! After their proposal, we wandered around for an hour or so during which I photographed them being themselves and having some lovely moments as a newly-engaged couple.

We joked about how brave pigeons in the UK are and I’m thrilled I managed to get one in flight in one of their photos!

About Me

Hi, I’m Stan and I’m a documentary wedding photographer based in Folkestone, Kent. I also enjoy working as a proposal photographer in London and the UK. My approach and style are all about beautifully capturing the candid moment - natural, authentic and unposed. Find out more about how I photograph proposals here.

What’s in my camera bag as a documentary wedding photographer

I remember when I first started in photography I used to watch videos and read articles with similar headlines.

I was in the stage during which photographers put too much thought into their gear and believe gear matters a lot more than it actually does.

It was only when I obtained all the equipment I thought would be a “game-changer” that I realised it was only a part of the whole picture and not the most important one.

Nevertheless, I’d like to show you what’s in my camera bag as a professional documentary wedding photographer.

I am and I’ve always been a Nikon shooter. I don’t think photographers switch brands much. Most of us stick with whatever brand we start with. It’s too costly to switch and in most cases, not what you think you need anyway.

The camera bodies I use:

• Nikon Z7ii

• Nikon Z6ii

The lenses I use:

• Nikon Z 35mm f1.8

• Sigma F 85mm f1.4

• Nikon Z 70-200mm f2.8

• Tamron F 24-70mm f2.8

Flash:

• Godox V860III

The rest of the stuff in my bag is mostly backup and cleaning bits and bobs. Spare batteries, spare memory cards, headache tablets and mints.

Photography gear is without doubt important in the outcome of one’s work, ultimately, there are certain limitations cheaper gear imposes on various aspects of photography. At this point in my photography journey, I’m fixating on equipment a lot less than I once used to and instead focusing on other aspects of the craft I can improve on.

Wildlife photography at Kearsney Abbey Gardens and Russell Gardens in Kent

Little Egret, 2020

Without a doubt these two parks are a must-visit for anybody who enjoys wildlife and bird photography.

Kearsney Abbey Gardens and Russell Gardens are two adjacent parks in South East Kent near Alkham Valley.

A mere 15-minute drive away from my home in Folkestone, the parks were a perfect place to begin my wildlife photography journey.

Wren, 2020

Thrush, 2020

Kingfisher, 2020

Squirrel, 2020

The parks are homes to species like the kingfisher, little grebe, grey wagtail, little egret, heron, swan and much more.

As well as the species mentioned above you can find most of the common birds such as robins, blue tits, wrens, thrushes and tree creepers.

Common kingfisher, 2023

Mandarin duck, 2024

The latest species I got to photograph at the park was a visiting Mandarin duck and a Great Cormorant. The Mandarin duck became a local attraction in March but is no longer at the parks.

Great Cormorant, 2024

Little Grebe, 2020

A few Little Grebes are permanent residents in both parks. You can see and photograph them pretty much all year round.

Cygnets (baby swans), 2020

Swans are among some of the permanent residents at the parks too. Cygnets can be spotted in late April, the beginning of May most years.

The parks and not only superb for wildlife photography but also for family days out in nature. The tea rooms on site are great for a cup of coffee and a sandwich for lunch and there is free parking from 7 am to 7 pm every day.

Mandarin duck, 2024

Head over to the park’s website https://www.kearsneyparks.co.uk/ where you will be able to find detail information about the facilities, parking and how to get there.

Primrose Hill Surprise Proposal - She Said YES! (Katy and Dhanesh)

“If you are a looking for a photographer who will go above and beyond to capture your special moment, Stan is your man!

When you book someone 24 hours before your proposal on an Instagram strangers recommendation, you’re not sure what you’re going to get. But what was delivered were timeless memories that we, our friends and family will treasure for a lifetime. Such good photos that we booked him for our wedding, and once again Stan delivered!”

— Dhanesh

Long Shots Pay Off Sometimes

On Friday last week, I got a message from a nice chap called Dhanesh asking if I was free the next day for a surprise proposal in London. Long shot… but it paid off. I’m over the moon I took on the challenge.

There were so many variables and unknowns that could’ve gone wrong but despite everything Dhanesh executed the plan perfectly. And most important of all - Katy said YES!!!

We started at Primrose Hill where he proposed, and walked down to Camden Market where I photographed them being themselves and having some nice moments after the proposal.

About Me

Hi, I’m Stan and I’m a documentary wedding photographer based in Folkestone, Kent. I also enjoy working as a proposal photographer in London and the UK. My approach and style are all about beautifully capturing the candid moment - natural, authentic and unposed. Find out more about how I photograph proposals here.

Wedding Photographers Shooting Street Stuff in London

A while ago when I was first looking into wedding photography somebody said that street photography is the closest genre to weddings.

Back then it didn't make so much sense. I thought surely portrait photography is the closest, but now it makes perfect sense.

I think there is so much in common between street and wedding photography, in particular documentary wedding photography. You are just there with your camera and you are waiting for something to happen. Waiting to capture a moment and or capturing something still which is part of the story.

Wedding photography is like street photography on steroids. There is so much going on during weddings. Laughter, tears, wild moves, quiet and peaceful moments.

Below are some photos from my second attempt of street photography - this time I was joined by a gang of photographers. Olly, Becci, Charlotte and James.

And the gang…

Olly Knight - my mentor and friend (mentor in 2024, hopefully friend forever)

Charlotte Bradley

James Richard

Charlotte Bradley & Becci Wiles

My first experience with street photography wasn’t particularly enjoyable. It was way out of my comfort zone. I was on my own and dived right in the deep.

I jumped on a train from Folkestone to Canterbury through Dover. It was my first time on a train in the UK and I was trying to end up where I wanted, and not somewhere completely different.

Because of this I couldn’t really enjoy photographing much at the train stations. Then I went to Canterbury without a particular location in mind, and there wasn’t much going on. I felt like I was doing the wrong thing pointing a camera at strangers and didn’t enjoy it much.

I’m so glad the bad first experience didn’t stop me from doing the second one in London with the gang of photographers.

Looking forward to the next one!