Introducing Richard Murgatroyd Photography
We know documentary wedding photography is having its rightful moment currently - and may that never change - but our post today is from the man who truly embodies documentary wedding photography wholeheartedly: one of our 2020 exhibitors, Richard Murgatroyd, is only a National Geographic-featured award-winning documentary photographer, so absolutely no biggie folk! A magician at capturing the spontaneous moments of fun and raw emotion and a fan of exploring new places, we chatted to him about his work, his influences and his advice for couples and their wedding photography.
Why did you decide to set up your own business?
Being a professional photographer was something I’d dreamed of doing since a child. However it was only when I was getting married myself that I truly understood how awesome weddings and wedding photography could be in the right hands and it was truly inspiring.
So a few years ago, after spending too long wondering ‘what if’ I got to the point of ‘why not’ and I’ve never looked back.
What's been the coolest/best moment of your career so far?
I’ve been lucky enough to have more than a few. The ones that get the most oohs are the glamourous locations – mountain-top villas in Ibiza, beachside resorts in Mexico, Medici villas in Italy or lakeside bush-camp weddings in the Australian Outback.
One of the most surreal was early in my career assisting at a Jewish wedding in Monaco where they flew in John Legend playing the first dance. I’ve sat next to the magician Dynamo at a wedding breakfast last year – he was a thoroughly nice chap, and at another wedding I had a triple world balloon champion perform one of the most incredible routines right before the first dance.
Outside of weddings a standout moment was my first two commissions to India for the charity Dogs Trust Worldwide and seeing the images getting picked up by my boyhood photographic idols, National Geographic.
Who or what inspires you?
Photography-wise it’s pictures that make me stop and wonder, whether it’s at the marvelousness of how it’s taken or, more importantly the overwhelming sense of feeling, emotion and narrative.
What inspires me most though are the couples I meet. I love getting to know them: what they do, how they met, what makes them tick and what they are looking forward to most about their wedding and their future together. Come their wedding day I’m pumped to do my very best by them.
Describe the type of couple you are hoping to meet at Most Curious
People who love life, like to laugh and have a sense of connection to each other. I love getting inspired by the venue, styling, season, details, dresses and even the British weather. But more than that it’s the couples, their personalities and their relationship with one another that make it what it is.
What do you think the most Curious couples will love about your work?
Firstly and fore mostly I hope people will fall in love with my photography. It’s very human and packed with emotion and feeling. But I think the right couples will equally feel excited that they have found someone that they can trust, relax completely, and that will help bring out the best version of themselves on their wedding day.
What do you love most about your job?
In short there really is nothing I don’t love with the exception of doing my accounts.
Being a wedding photographer truly is just one long buzz. From meeting and booking a couple in the first place through to the wedding itself: the excitement during bridal preparations. the emotion coursing through my veins as a bride walks up the aisle, trying my best not to laugh or snort out loud during the speeches to joining the chaos on the dance floor. Then there is the anticipation of loading images up on my computer for the first time and reliving it all, the excitement of pressing send on the gallery to my clients, and receiving the overwhelming gratitude and kind words from my couples and their wedding party.
What advice would you give to couples when it comes to wedding photography?
Book your photographer for who they are as a person as much as their style of photography. Most people are a little apprehensive about having their picture taken. It’s totally natural. So if you look at photographs of other couples and think that can’t be you then think again – everyone you see had similar thoughts and inhibitions that, come their wedding day, disappeared in the right hands.
So find the right person that will let you be the most awesome and authentic version of yourself and whom you feel comfortable around whether you’re shedding a tear or shredding the dance floor.
Reckon you and Richard would get along? (We do, he’s SUCH a gem). Come and chat to him at the fair about your plans by grabbing your tickets on our shop!