Interview With: Anneli Marinovich
Company Name: Anneli Marinovich Photography
Location / Coverage: Based in Surrey, I cover weddings in the Surrey region but also the rest of the UK, as well as Europe and further abroad.
How did Anneli Marinovich Photography get started and how long has the business been going?
My husband is a wildlife photographer in his spare time and after we met in 2007 my passion for photography grew in leaps and bounds, moving away from mostly travel to candids. In February 2009 I finally decided to invest in my first ‘serious’ DSLR (Canon 450D). Around the same time, Wayne proposed and the hunt for a wedding photographer started! While scouring the internet for suitable wedding photographers in Cape Town, South Africa (where we tied the knot), I became fascinated by all the different styles of wedding photography and how beautiful it could be.
When we returned from South Africa in December 2009 I started thinking about wedding photography, having really enjoyed our experience with our photographer. I decided to invest in a 4 day Wedding Course with The Trained Eye, which was essentially a crash course in setting up your wedding photography business and covered everything from marketing and sales through to shooting and editing weddings. When I came back from the course I knew with 100% certainty that I wanted to be a wedding photographer. Still working full time, I started building my portfolio over weekends and by December 2010 I had shot 10 weddings. In April 2011 I will have been shooting weddings for a year. With quite a few weddings booked for 2011 so far, the year is set to be filled with wonderful moments and I am really excited about the brides and grooms I have yet to meet!
Have you always wanted to be a photographer?
I have always enjoyed taking photos, but it was only after the course in 2010 that I started seriously thinking about becoming a professional photographer.
Can you remember how old you were when you took your first picture? What was it of?
I don’t really have the classic “I took my first picture when I was 12” story to be honest! I can’t remember when I picked a camera up for the first time, but I remember playing with my grandmother’s really old camera which was clearly not working any more when I was a little girl, pretending to take pictures of pretty much anything that moved!
What makes Anneli Marinovich Photography different from other wedding photographers?
The main thing that makes me different from other wedding photographers is ME. My absolute joy and emotion at being part of the most special day of someone’s life shines through in every moment I capture and that is what I aim to offer each and every couple I work with.
What’s the best thing about the job?
The best thing about the job is that every couple I meet is different…every single time! I love discovering what makes a couple tick and then watching them come alive in front of the camera while they enjoy being together in their own little world. It’s truly amazing!
Of all the venues you have photographed weddings at, which is your favourite and why?
I have to say that my favourite venue was a field in Hampshire! The groom’s uncle had a massive field behind his lovely country house and so the couple decided to hire some tent-tipis and have a relaxed summer country affair…which it certainly was!
Second shot with Rosie Parsons
Where is your favourite place to take photographs?
On my doorstep! Surrey is a treasure trove of fields, hills, forests and rivers and the opportunities for beautiful light are endless! The best thing about it is that I only have a 5 minute walk to the field behind our house where the horses are always up for a shoot!
Does Anneli Marinovich Photography have a specialist style of photography?
I wouldn’t say I have a specialist style…because I get to know my couples during the engagement shoot I normally have a really good idea of what their style is when it comes to the wedding, which means that my style incorporates reportage photography as well as some posed shots I know will work for them. I am also always on the lookout to capture the moments no one notices on the day, but raves over when they see the photos afterwards!
Second shot with Rosie Parsons — www.rosieparsons.com
What other services can you provide apart from wedding photography?
I also offer lifestyle portraiture which can include family shoots, newborn baby and pregnancy shoots and any other type of portrait shoot you can think of! In the last year I have been fortunate enough to work with dancers and models that needed photos for their portfolios.
Do you have a favourite picture you have taken (If you can choose!)?
Wow, that’s really hard! There have been so many precious moments, but if I am forced to choose it has to be a shot I took of the happy couple (Amy and Jonny) eating ice cream cones on Southbank in London with a vintage carousel in the background. It’s such a fun moment and totally captures who they are as a couple — quirky, fun and so in love!
Second shot with Rosie Parsons — www.rosieparsons.com
Random Question…What is your favourite ice-cream flavour?
It has to be strawberry cheesecake which I know is predictable but oh so delectable, especially when it has fresh pieces of strawberry in it!
What’s your top tip for choosing a wedding photographer?
Find a photographer that really ‘gets’ you as a couple, someone you will feel 100% comfortable with on the day!
Where can I find out more about Anneli Marinovich Photography?
- Website: www.annelimarinovich.com
- Twitter: @AnneliMPhoto
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/AnneliMarinovichPhotography
