Meet Our Gang Cat Lane Photography

Why did you want to become a photographer?

When I was a teenager, I had ME/CFS and was off school most of the time so I picked up a camera out of sheer boredom!

As I slowly recovered from my illness, shooting got me out and about more and it was quickly apparent that portrait photography spoke to me the most.

After I left college I established myself as a creative portrait photographer. I started assisting a very kind friend who allowed me to come along with her to weddings and I realised how much I loved the challenge of it. The following Christmas break I sat down and made a wedding-specific website and the rest is history!

Do you have a specific photography style?

My approach is to blend in as a guest. But I’m also not afraid to take charge when it comes to organising things like confetti and family photos to ensure everything runs quickly and smoothly with the best results!

My style of photography has a softness to it but is also vibrant with true-to-life colours.

I love everything; special moments, details, portraits and just generally capturing the atmosphere for a comprehensive coverage of a couple’s wedding day.

What advice would you give couples when choosing their photographer?

My main advice is to trust your gut, not just with choosing a wedding photographer but any wedding supplier.

You will know quickly after chatting with them whether they’re a good fit for you. I think this is especially important when it comes to photographers. You are spending a lot of time with them and you want to know that you’re going to feel comfortable with them being around all day.

Don’t be afraid to enquire and do it as soon as you are considering them if you want someone in particular. Photographers start booking dates over a year and a half in advance and it’s so heartbreaking to hear from an amazing couple that I’ve already booked on their date. But even if you are booking at short notice always enquire – you never know if they might still be free!

See if you can book a Facetime, phone call, or coffee, if you think someone might be a good fit. It’s the best way to know if you gel properly and a great opportunity to request a full gallery or a couple of images from a wedding day.

It’s so important to see what an actual couple has received for their full set of wedding photos. What you want to see is consistency across the day in terms of the quality of photography, the style of the editing, and if they are good at capturing the entire day and not just one bit (e.g. portraits or details).

Last of all, get the best photographer you can afford as this is the one part of your wedding you can’t afford to cut costs on. It’s so cheesy but the photography is the one thing you have left after the wedding madness is over (next to your partner of course!) and you want to make sure you have a photographer that did your day justice.

What makes you happy?

With work: amazing couples that I love hanging out with. They make my job the best job in the world and I feel so privileged to meet so many incredible people each year. I love the moment when I send off a finished set of wedding photographs knowing the couple will see them soon and relive their day.

In my personal life: I’m a very curious person and into self-development, psychology, and what makes us into the people we are. It’s so fascinating to me and psychology is something I would have gone into had I not become a wedding photographer.

I love my cat; she makes me happy every single day and I love her company whilst working from home. If a couple gets ready at home and their cats are there you know pictures of them will end up in their set of photos!

Lastly, I feel very fortunate to have found wonderful friends in the wedding industry and I love spending time with them – even if we are working on our laptops whilst we hang out!

What do you love most about your job?

I’m totally obsessed with weddings, they fulfil my love for a challenge as wedding coverage encompasses thinking on your feet and capturing so many different things: moments, portraits, atmosphere, and details.

I also love the creativity and unique stamp each couple puts on their day. It makes every wedding new, fresh, and inspiring!

What trends are you loving at the moment?

I love the drive towards British-grown flowers; they always look so beautiful and cohesive with the seasonal element. More couples seem to be going for larger installations too such as arches, hanging arrangements, or table backdrops which I just love.

I’m excited to see more celebrant-led weddings, especially ones that are tailored towards the couple and tell the story of their day. I had the privilege of photographing one led by Katie the Celebrant and it was such a talking point with all the guests about how personal and lovely it was.

Finally, I’m obsessed with brides and mums doing speeches; I’m starting to see a lot more of that. It’s always wonderful, heartfelt, and a joy to shoot.

Why should our couples choose you?

My tagline is “beautiful, non-intrusive wedding photography” and I hope that it succinctly describes my style and approach!

I think my couples want to have their wedding day captured by somebody who not only genuinely loves weddings but is truly invested in the story and love that has led them to their big day. I love every part of weddings and being asked to capture them is the best job in the world.

My passion lies in capturing the spirit and emotion of a wedding day, and I think it’s this approach combined with a portfolio of vibrant yet natural photography that my couples book me for.

I understand the importance of keeping couples relaxed by maintaining a natural, candid yet professional shooting style, whilst still capturing all of the images needed to create a beautiful visual story of the day. This includes candid moments, stunning portraits, atmospheric storytelling, and beautifully captured details.

Finally, I love couples that want to hire me because our personalities click too! It’s wonderful when we get on so well it just feels like we are hanging out, having fun, and grabbing photos whilst we are at it. I’ve made wonderful friends in my couples and it’s such a joy to stay connected after the big day!

Who is your dream celebrity wedding couple?

I’m not big into celebrities if I’m honest, but if I could have the opportunity to photograph Keira Knightley (even though she is already married!) I would die a happy lady!

Complete your wedding planning with Cat’s photography

We love having Cat as one of our preferred suppliers so we highly recommend checking out her photography page on the links below:

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