ABOUT NEIL, THE FOUNDER OF MULU PHOTOGRAPHY, natural wedding photographer in St Albans

Welcome to Mulu Photography

Behind the lens

Whilst I live in Hertfordshire I have shot weddings across the UK and Europe in my evocative style. I shoot candid, editorial images or as many would say, natural images with genuine emotions

I love weddings, just as well given the career choice, but I love the story of each wedding and i love to make new connections with couples, who I often see as many of my bookings come from recommendations and I am also invited back to do family portrait shoots after the wedding.

I was a TV and Radio Producer and worked on many TV shows. TV taught me a lot about story telling and imagery and they are principles that stick with me today to create your love story

So, how did I end up here?

Those rock and roll, partying days in the media couldn't last forever so I swapped it for photography. I trained in wedding photography under two very established wedding photographers who taught me how to see, anticipate moments and find chase the light for glorious photos.

I love what I do and I hope that genuinely comes across in my images. I never get bored of having a camera in my hand, in fact I am at my happiest when I do. Every shot is different, every couple is unique and every wedding is special.

As a natural, documentary wedding photographer, I have been creating wedding stories for over a decade and I have covered all styles of weddings; Hindu to Druid, Sikh to same-sex and right through to the traditional white dress wedding. I love them all.

I have been lucky enough to have shot in a wider variety of locations also. Everything from marquees to country houses, art deco cinemas to haunted chapels (apparently, but the spirits seemed pretty well behaved the day I was there), oh and lots of farms and barns, great locations....the list goes on!

Me in a nutshell...

I love floral shirts! Be kind!

I have an addiction to spicy food

I went to art school, yes Art schools are everything you think

I was a TV producer for the BBC for 10 years...I have some stories of the famous!

My team at the BBC won a BAFTA and yes, after party's are exactly what you think!

I have shaken the hands of Paul McCartney, Robbie Williams, Kylie Minogue, Cher, John Hurt and many others...haven't washed my hand since!

I have also had the pleasure of take the photos of a few celebs also

I'm a decent drummer, terrible guitarist but pretty good at the ukulele (four fingers, four strings, that's how I roll).

I'm also a terrible snowboarder, despite decades of trying! But I remain enthusiastic

I LOVE dogs, the bigger the better, but all dogs...pretty sure i was a dog in a former life!

My approach to weddings

I love taking photos and I love weddings, just as well given the career choice. However, it's much more than that. I love the emotion, the fun and the details of every wedding that ensures no two are the same. Above all, I love getting to know the couples.

As a natural, documentary photographer I want couples to spend less time posing and more time enjoying the day, thats what I deliver for you.

Let's start with a chat. There's no obligation, I would never hard sell, but let's have a chat about your plans and Mulu Photography. That way you can see whether I am the one for you. Let's hope so!

98% of couples book me after our first chat.

Sound fun? Then feel free to get in touch.

Look forward to hearing from you!

With thanks, Neil

WHAT IS DOCUMENTARY PHOTOGRAPHY

GET IN TOUCH

What areas do you cover?

Although based in Hertfordshire, I cover the whole of the UK and internationally also. My prices are for weddings within a 100-mile radius, so additional travel fees of £50 will apply to cover costs over 100 miles in the UK. If I am required to stay over those costs will need to be factored in. That said, I'm a cheap date, so it doesn't need to be Park Lane standard and we can work that out together. Quite often you will know better than me where to stay locally.

Can we meet before we make a decision?

Absolutely, I would insist on it. You need to be confident you are not only booking someone's style you like but also someone you actually like to spend time with. After all, that person will be around a lot on the wedding day. We can meet in person, or if distance is a problem then lets do a video call. That meeting is totally non-committal, just a chat, great coffee and to discuss your plans, my style and anything else you wish to see or hear. Oh, just to be clear....the coffee is on me...unless its a video call.

Do you stay all day and cover everything?

The Wedding Collection comes with an all-day agreement, so yes, I am there until you get fed up with me, which is shortly after the first dance, usually. The day starts with the bridal prep and ends in the evening and covering everything in between. If you need me to stay longer, such as for a surprise that has been arranged, then I will, of course, be happy to do so.

How many images will I get?

It's about quality and not quantity. You want photos that you want to look back on regularly and relive the day, not 10,000 that you barely look at. As a wedding photographer, it is my job to tell the story of the day and capture the best moments to give you the photos that you want to look back on and cherish. As a result, I tend to provide about 350-450 images from a shoot on average.

What style is your photography?

I see it as documentary storytelling, capturing the joy and emotion of your wedding day through documentary photography. I wander around, capturing moments and not interrupting the day. However, I do also pose some simple elegant shots so you have options for printing later and which enhance the story of your day. See 'My Style' under Info for more details about my style.

I hate having my photo taken, is that OK?

Don't worry, so many people are in the same position. Some of the best photos I have captured are of people who really don't like having their picture taken, that way when a great image comes through it is totally authentic. I like to think I have a calming, relaxing nature and this helps on the day for you to be relaxed. In my experience couples become a lot more relaxed after the 'I do's'

Can I see a full wedding that you have shot?

Absolutely! I am happy to send links, but there are also examples in the blog. Although not full weddings it should give you a flavour of what I present back to you. The blog can be found here: Mulu Blog or you can also see examples on my YouTube channel here

Will you be the photographer on the day?

Yes, I will be the photographer for you on the day. I know, you will be bored at the sight of me by that stage!

Do you charge extras, such as travel fees?

Not for the wedding, the Wedding Collection price is the price you pay, there are no hidden extras. However, I do charge an additional fee for a wedding over 100 miles away by car or if I have to add flights and hotels. For those, there will be a cost to cover a stay over nearby to the wedding, but let's discuss it to see what the arrangements are on the day and take it from there.