Posing Secrets and Integrating Videography with Award-winning Photographer Paul Flannigan

Ever wondered how a professional photographer poses their subjects or integrates videography into their work? In this episode, we've got a treat for you! Join us as we sit down with the talented Paul Flannigan, an award-winning photographer with a knack for off-camera flash and posing. 

We kick things off with some lighthearted banter about everything from pizza and magic tricks to bathroom habits. Yes, you read that right! But don't worry, we get to the meat of the matter soon enough. We dive deep into the art of posing in wedding photography, with Paul sharing his unique techniques that effortlessly coax genuine, heartfelt moments from his subjects. Not only that, but we also explore the intriguing world of combining videography with photography, a move Paul has successfully implemented in his business.

In the spirit of growth and learning, we discuss the importance of learning from our mistakes. Paul shares a hilarious anecdote from his early days of wedding photography that's sure to make you chuckle. We wrap things up with a conversation about the Flash Masters community, expressing our gratitude for their support and inviting you to join us! We promise you a hefty dose of fun, learning, and camaraderie, so tune in and let's get flashing!

To find out more about Paul and to view his work, please visit his website: https://www.paulflanniganphotography.co.uk/

Follow Paul on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paul_flannigan_photography/

Join us in the Flash Masters community:

Website: https://flashmasters.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flashmasters/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flash-masters

Flash Masters is hosted by:

Helen Williams: https://www.instagram.com/helenwilliamsphotography/
Neil Redfern: https://www.instagram.com/neilredfern/

Transcript

Intro 0:01

Welcome to the Flash masters podcast. Flash masters recognizes and celebrates the best flash photography in the world through education, awards and community. To find out more and to join the Flash masters community, visit flashmastersco. Here are your hosts, Helen Williams and Neil Redfern.

Neil Redfern 0:22

Hi everybody, welcome to episode 58 of the Flash masters podcast, with me, neil Redfern, and me, helen Williams, and I'm very, very excited to say this knowing me, neil Redfern, knowing you, paul, the posing guy Flannigan, aha, aha. You're looking a bit confused, helen, I don't know. You've got to take part. Knowing me, neil Redfern. Knowing you, helen Williams. Aha, there you go.

Helen Williams 0:54

I still don't get it. On today's episode.

Neil Redfern 0:56

We are joined by an amazing photographer, an incredibly talented photographer. I've had the pleasure of knowing Paul. I don't know now for a year 18 months maybe.

Paul Flannigan 1:06

Yeah, I think in July 2021, maybe. Maybe when I started to get annoyed.

Neil Redfern 1:11

Yeah, myself and Paul got to each other through my Patreon and he's become a really valued member. He is an incredible photographer, as I mentioned, based in the North East and the UK, and his thing, I always think well one. It's obviously off camera flash. Paul's a Flash masters member and a multi-award winning Flashmasters member as well, but also Paul is exceptionally talented when it comes to posing. That's why I refer to you now as the posing guy.

Neil Redfern 1:35

And throughout this episode I'm going to be talking to you about when you're going to be doing your posing workshops, but we'll say that for later.

Paul Flannigan 1:42

Yeah, thank you very much for joining us. Thank you for having us Really appreciate it. It comes as a bit of a shock when you asked us to come on the podcast, but it feels like a real big step in my career to be able to say that I'm doing a podcast. I've already sent my sister and my brother a message and tried to explain to my mom what a podcast was. She didn't understand that. But no, I'm very, very proud.

Neil Redfern 2:02

What's your mom's name?

Paul Flannigan 2:04

Angela Hi.

Neil Redfern 2:05

Angela, I'm hoping you're going to be listed at some point.

Paul Flannigan 2:08

She probably will do. I'll have to play it back to her, but she won't understand what we're talking about, especially the Alan Powerage reference.

Neil Redfern 2:14

She won't do that, but my brother will appreciate that Excellent. Shall we start off, Helen, with just asking Paul some random questions that are nothing at all photography related.

Helen Williams 2:23

Yeah, because photography, that's just boring. So yeah, my first question to you is if you could be any animal in the world, what would it be and why?

Paul Flannigan 2:31

I think Helen will know the answer. Oh, it's very cool.

Neil Redfern 2:34

No, I thought you'd have to think about this Straight in.

Paul Flannigan 2:37

It will 100% be a cat.

Neil Redfern 2:40

Oh yes, You're welcome back here.

Paul Flannigan 2:42

We have our cat Charlie, who me and my wife are absolutely obsessed with, and I love how lazy they are, how they just go to sleep when they want to go to sleep. They demand food when they want food, and they don't really do much else apart from sleeping and eating.

Neil Redfern 2:58

Yeah, I quite like that. Yeah, it's just that I don't give a f***ing shit, exactly, yeah. Yeah, you just don't get that, we dogs Very good answer.

Helen Williams 3:06

Amazing. But what I was really wondering was do you like owls?

Neil Redfern 3:11

Well done Again. This is basically just a joke for me and Paul. Even Helen doesn't get that. Do you like owls?

Helen Williams 3:21

Paul knows a cracking owl sanctuary.

Paul Flannigan 3:23

Honestly, I know a cracking owl sanctuary Really do. This is where you need to then do it.

Intro 3:27

Like an owl is squawked, aren't you?

Paul Flannigan 3:29

Sorry, he said, you get me calling into the room.

Neil Redfern 3:31

Paul Helen has no clue and I'm sure more people listen, have no clue what this is all right, we apologise. He's just a few Alan Partridge in jokes happening. So, Paul, a massive Alan Partridge family.

Helen Williams 3:41

And I am not, and these all go right over my head.

Neil Redfern 3:44

You delivered it well. Oh, thank you. Yes, you did.

Helen Williams 3:46

yeah, I linked it in quite well. I came up with my question and then Neil was like, when you went to the toilet before he started, he was like asking, does he like owls? And I was like, oh well, that fits in with my random question. So that worked well.

Neil Redfern 3:59

Okay, this isn't actually an Alan Partridge one at this point. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, forget calories. You could only have one food. What would it be? A? Margarita pizza oh quick answer again Very boring. This is a man who knows his stuff.

Paul Flannigan 4:14

I've told you how fussy I am. I'm very, very picky, so there's nothing wild. I could eat pizza all day long. I've been looking enough to be on the Ben Connolly workshop this week.

Neil Redfern 4:25

Yeah, we should say actually the reason that we've managed to get Paul here in person, because we've actually debated, like taking the podcast on the road and coming up to New Castle or Northumberland to see you. Yeah, we had the chance to speak to Paul in person at home because you've just come back, literally in the last hour or so, from our Flash Masters ambassador Ben Connolly's five day work. First of all, how did you find, before we get onto that workshop, how was a five day workshop? That's intense.

Paul Flannigan 4:51

It was very, very intense. I am very tired. That's why I've taken the weekend off to try and recuperate before Doug kicks off again from Monday. But for a world renowned photographer to come to crew in the middle of no disrespect to crew A beautiful place?

Neil Redfern 5:09

No, he's like crew off Fantastic part of the world.

Paul Flannigan 5:12

In the middle of our winter, but is it this summer?

Helen Williams 5:15

Yes, yeah.

Paul Flannigan 5:17

And teach us what he knows was a privilege to be a part of Fantastic experience. Learned a lot to implement in the made business from January onwards. Very, very good. I enjoyed it.

Neil Redfern 5:30

Oh, excellent. Well, knowing Ben's work, it doesn't surprise me, and also he's passionate for teaching, because I believe some of you, the first day, I think, you started at 8 in the morning, finished at like 10pm at night, or something.

Neil Redfern 5:42

So, yeah, it's very, very intense, and hats off to Ben for doing this as well, especially coming all the way from Australia. It's also, from our point of view as well, been really nice to meet Ben, hasn't it? In person? We've been so lucky the past couple of weeks because, we mentioned in the last podcast, we met Jesse, a more of a planting person. We now met Ben Connolly in person. It's just a shame that they missed each other by two or three days. Yeah, two days, Because they would have been them three together would have been sparked to be flying.

Helen Williams 6:07

I think it just would have been a very drunken and wild time yeah.

Neil Redfern 6:11

So and also a personal thank you for most to Ben for all again. Ben, you've done four flashmasters, we've always appreciated it. And thanks for coming to the UK. I know that, as Paul just said, the feedback I've heard has been amazing. So if anybody gets a chance to go on a future Ben Connolly workshop, I mean I can't. I've not been on it, but from everything I've heard it's been amazing.

Paul Flannigan 6:31

So yeah, jump on it, but five days yeah that's amazing, I think with him you can just listen to him talk all day. He was getting emotional. If he doesn't mind us saying this, I mean I've just revealed that.

Paul Flannigan 6:43

now, I think it shows how much he's giving. Yeah, and you're sort of just thinking, wow, like I've got back and spoke to Neil today and I've just said it's going to make me change the way I shoot weddings, listen to his passion. And the best way to describe it was, instead of trying to brand myself as Paul Flanagan photography to couples, I wanted to sort of brand myself as Paul Flanagan, like you're investing in Paul Flanagan, I like that and obviously the photography is a bonus. But you know you get me from once you book it, once you book myself, until your images are delivered and something's beyond. You know they may have children and stuff and they may want family shoots, baby shoots and things.

Paul Flannigan 7:24

So listen to Ben talk about what he does with couples from the start of the book and process to the end was fascinating.

Neil Redfern 7:32

That simple change you just mentioned. There is actually a big mindset shift as well. Putting yourself off rather than the business, it's about you. I think that's really cool. Well, I've actually got two more questions. Favorite Beatles album.

Paul Flannigan 7:47

Get tough one. I probably have to see the best of the Beatles.

Neil Redfern 7:54

You're laughing when you don't know why you're laughing. I know the part you're like. That's it, I'm out.

Intro 8:03

I might as well just go and just do something else, because you guys are just yeah, you too with your portrait references.

Helen Williams 8:10

That's it.

Neil Redfern 8:10

I promise that is the last one. And last question for me have you ever had a chimney sweep at one of your weddings? Yes, I have. Amazing. People don't believe that this is a thing since we first mentioned it on the podcast a few weeks ago, since Drew first mentioned it, but in the northeast it is, isn't the most, so it's not you. No, no, people thought it was a wind up.

Paul Flannigan 8:30

Yeah, oh no, I genuinely thought it was a wind up as well. It was. It wasn't actually somebody they hired as a chimney sweep, it was this sounds ridiculous saying it. It was a page boy dressed as a chimney sweep. Wow, did he put stuff on him as well? Yeah yeah, I was outside the church grabbing photos of the bride walking like of the path in towards the church and then this random boy came around the corner with suit on his face and holding a chimney sweep and I was a little bit confused and thought child labor Fancy dress.

Paul Flannigan 9:04

So I just let it go. And then there he was sat front and center during the ceremony as well, which I thought was a bit odd. And it wasn't until I then spoke to the videographer when we were having the meal going. What to do with that?

Intro 9:18

That's so bizarre.

Neil Redfern 9:19

Did the couple know?

Paul Flannigan 9:20

Oh, they're the page boy.

Neil Redfern 9:22

Yeah, yeah, yeah, because I've heard in the past like couples who aren't aware and they just, it's just a chimney sweep outside the church when they walk outside and they've had one photo and they're done. Can we think pro rater? They must be the best paid suppliers in the industry.

Magicians and Bathroom Habits

Paul Flannigan 9:35

Probably yes, yeah, I do think, and this might be a question that you may have asked later on about what type of profession would you like to be in the wedding industry? If I wasn't in wedding photography? No, but we'll take it yes Good question. I would love to be a magician.

Neil Redfern 9:50

Oh, do you know any magic tricks?

Paul Flannigan 9:52

I do, I got really into magic through my brother when I was a lot younger and had the classic Paul Daniels magic set.

Helen Williams 9:59

Oh, I had that. Yes, even I did.

Paul Flannigan 10:02

Then I started delving into more expensive magic tricks and stuff and really, really enjoyed it.

Neil Redfern 10:06

Good things you learn yeah, yeah. How did we not know this before?

Paul Flannigan 10:09

In fact my wife bought us a deck of cards for Christmas because she wants us to get back into it and I'm very bad at biting me nails. So she says I've had a deck of cards in my hand, then I might be able to just keep shuffling and stuff and keep my hands busy.

Neil Redfern 10:25

But yes, a magician I couldn't do any now, but we can pretend to do one.

Intro 10:31

You can, just you want to see it.

Paul Flannigan 10:34

So no magician that can get three, four gigs a day. There's a very popular wedding magician in the Northeast. He does about three weddings, four weddings a day. Sometimes, wow, he turns up, he gets the best reactions, all the reactions that we want. Showing up braiding groom the back of a camera yeah, he's getting that every 30 seconds. Yeah, really, I can buzz all the time. And then he then throws his little smog, petal disappears and then he's gone and then he's got his money and I think that is a brilliant job.

Neil Redfern 11:08

Yeah, and no work afterwards.

Paul Flannigan 11:10

No work afterwards.

Neil Redfern 11:11

No culling no.

Helen Williams 11:12

I'm sure you've got to practice the tricks.

Neil Redfern 11:14

Yes, true, yeah, but he's not going back and downloading memory cards. He's saying it's three in the morning.

Helen Williams 11:20

No, maybe I need to learn some magic tricks.

Neil Redfern 11:22

Yeah, I don't know any. No, I do, Although at the first Shine Workshop when we had Martin Jones come for it, he was brilliant. He did actually teach me a trick. Oh did he. Yeah, I knew that, I knew. Oh, it was very memorable and it's a trick you could do with any pack of cards. I forgot it, but it worked. It was very clever.

Helen Williams 11:40

Oh, I must have been very, very impressed.

Neil Redfern 11:42

It stuck in my memory. Good answer. Good answer though, well.

Helen Williams 11:44

I've got one more random one that could get cut from this.

Neil Redfern 11:48

Oh God, helen asked me before we started doing this podcast do I ask this question? And I was like I don't even know if even for our podcast we go down this low. Oh my God.

Paul Flannigan 11:58

What is?

Intro 11:58

going on here.

Helen Williams 11:59

So this is linked back to whilst I was at Nine Dots and I was chatting to your fellow Northumberland guy, drew Dodd, who's obviously been on the podcast and first introduced us to Chimney Sweeps.

Neil Redfern 12:11

Yeah, that's how you know about Chimney Sweeps before Trudy mentioned it.

Helen Williams 12:13

There was one random conversation that we had where literally people almost whest themselves Sides were hurting like crying laughing.

Neil Redfern 12:23

I apologize in advance to anybody listening to this. You might want to skip the next two minutes.

Helen Williams 12:27

Okay, so basically, Drew decided to ask us, or he said I've got a fun fact for you, and he said that 50% of the people, the people, all of the people sit down to wipe their bottoms and the other 50% stand up and he said whichever side you're on, none of you believe that the other half ever exist. From there, we had a big discussion and lots of giggling and laughter on wondering how on earth, like the other half wipe their bottoms as they do.

Neil Redfern 12:56

All I could say is that we've had these goals in our answer before we watched one of yours. We have a difference on this.

Helen Williams 13:02

I know, but instantly I was like say what?

Paul Flannigan 13:05

So if Team, Sitter is our team standard.

Helen Williams 13:07

Are you a sitter or a standard?

Paul Flannigan 13:09

This is going to sound very weird.

Helen Williams 13:11

Oh my.

Paul Flannigan 13:11

God.

Neil Redfern 13:12

He's a third.

Paul Flannigan 13:13

He's a third, technically, because it's just the three of us in the kitchen that could maybe demo to give an idea.

Neil Redfern 13:19

Oh, God, we don't have a beater hand.

Paul Flannigan 13:22

But I'm sort of I'm doing a squat.

Helen Williams 13:26

Oh Well, I think you are now a team standing, because my issue and why I lost my I was just wetting myself and everybody who wasn't involved in the conversation is like what's going on as we're demonstrating or wiping our bottoms in the middle of a bar? But I was like, if you stand up, you poo's going to get clenched between your cheek and you're just going to make one hell of a mess. And that's where Drew then said well, standing, you're not like squeezing your cheeks together. It's more of a like a rise.

Helen Williams 13:54

So I was like see your squatting. So yeah, it's more of a squatting and sitting rather than standing.

Paul Flannigan 13:58

I think so, yes, I'm a riser, I'm outnumbered.

Helen Williams 14:05

I'm outnumbered. But yeah, it wasn't until the next day and somebody mentioned it to Neil and then Drew was like he's on the other team.

Neil Redfern 14:12

No Drew's on my side.

Helen Williams 14:13

Yeah, Drew's on your side. But, yeah, you're on a different team to me.

Neil Redfern 14:16

Well, maybe put a poll in the Flashbassers group to say sitting or standing and not explain what it means. Yes, yeah, there'll be no context. You had to look into the podcast to know what they were.

Helen Williams 14:25

Yeah, but that whole conversation was absolutely wild. I said people were like my chest hurt. I was worried I was going to bruise my ribs from laughing so much whilst people just got their heads around that.

Paul Flannigan 14:36

So yeah, I will admit something in this. Oh, I like it Again.

Neil Redfern 14:41

I probably hope this does get cut, but I'll still tell it just in case, because I don't know what it is. You won't need to say that before.

Intro 14:46

I don't know what it was.

Paul Flannigan 14:47

I'm frombed, but I like a sit down wee. Oh, a little treat, mm-hmm yeah well I really do, and it also says it.

Neil Redfern 14:56

No I, I, I I.

Paul Flannigan 14:56

I.

Neil Redfern 14:57

You don't do sit downweas. If nature means that both are happening at the same time, then yes, because otherwise it's a whole world of mess. But no, it's not, it's not, but I know I have heard it said before. Like a little bit of a treat, yeah, like a little. Do I like a sit down wee, yeah.

Helen Williams 15:13

This is when he found out that Paul has like nice heated toilet seats at home. He's like oh.

Neil Redfern 15:18

Paul does have a heated G-lay.

Paul Flannigan 15:20

Oh, he does.

Neil Redfern 15:21

I think he bought just for Ben Polly's workshop.

Paul Flannigan 15:23

Unfortunately it's out of battery at the moment, but I think it's been put on the models.

Neil Redfern 15:27

Yeah, there you go Right. Shall we move on to the wedding photography?

Helen Williams 15:30

We cover all sorts of conversations. It's all right to listen again now everyone, if you have had your ears closed.

Neil Redfern 15:36

So, paul, do you want to introduce yourself on your business, a little bit Like how long have you been shooting for? Because there's a very unique aspect to your business I think that people may not be aware of. Those in the Patreon will be. But what is Paul? Fanagan photography.

Paul Flannigan 15:48

I started in 2012 when I first went to New York, just brought a small little camera, took the odd picture of everything in New York, anything that was tall I took a picture of it, got back, started showing my brother, who was also obsessed with New York. The photographs that then led to another trip to New York the year after with my brother. So I thought I'll buy a fancy camera Nice and started using Did you buy it in New York? Was it B&H? No no, I have been at B&H with you.

Neil Redfern 16:19

I've never been. What's it?

Paul Flannigan 16:20

like, oh my God, like Toys R Us.

Neil Redfern 16:21

Yeah, can imagine what we cameras, yeah, and without the giraffe.

Paul Flannigan 16:28

So then, yeah, so that led on to just sort of just doing some landscape stuff to get practice and time for photography in New York, and in that time that led to my very first wedding, which was hilarious. I couldn't drive at the time, so I traveled to the venue in the car with the bride and dad.

Neil Redfern 16:46

Wow, in the back seat They've got to give you a lift.

Paul Flannigan 16:49

Yeah, because I couldn't drive Me wife, because she knew that I was nervous about it, she just came along for support. So she's in the passenger seat In this Rolls Royce, I think, as we arrived to the church and I'm just sort of like clicking away randomly. So that was my very, very first wedding. In fact, I mentioned this story at the Ben Connelly workshop actually, cause we were talking about colour pop.

Helen Williams 17:11

Oh, the best.

Paul Flannigan 17:13

So I did do the colour pop photo where it was black and white. What was popping? Flowers, Flowers yeah.

Neil Redfern 17:21

You're not a wedding photographer. If you haven't, colour popped.

Helen Williams 17:23

Like it's you know you have to do it.

Paul Flannigan 17:27

And that's still her profile picture. So that's a compliment. So recently I had won a flash masses award and I'd put it all over me Facebook and me Instagram and she put a comment on going oh, paul's an amazing photographer. He photographed our wedding. It's so amazing to see where he's got to now. But then you could see the little profile picture. Yeah, yeah, actually. So unfortunately I had to hate her comment.

Paul Flannigan 17:56

Cause I was just a little bit worried that somebody may click on it and go oh, that looks like a wedding, oh, my God, that looks like a wedding photo.

Intro 18:06

Oh, she had good intentions, oh bless.

Neil Redfern 18:08

So you've got more bookings off the back of it, yeah yeah.

Paul Flannigan 18:11

So that led on to maybe three or four in 2014. And then it's start to go a little bit high in 2015. And then I was working in retail at the time and then by 2018, it was a decision whether or not to go full time into the photography, but that decision was made for us because the business that I worked for went in administration, so that was the kick up the arse that I needed going into that summer. Then 2019 is when I started investing a bit more into the pause inside of my work, because I was comfortable relatively comfortable using flash from 2015 to 2018. But from 2019 is when I started wanting to get out of. Just my couples stood looking at each other Right now, look at me, give each other a case and I wanted to get out of that completely. So I did a pause and course and that elevated me business throughout the remainder of 2019.

Paul Flannigan 19:10

And then 2020. Yeah, yeah, only managed to shoot four weddings in that year. So then that led into 2021. And from July, the first, when things reopened in the UK to December, the 20th 2021, I done 56 weddings in that six month period and intense, which made us sort of not do as much of the flash photography because I was shooting some five, six weddings back to back. Wow, and that made us go down the pause and route with me couples and then implementing some flash photography at the nighttime, but still using them. Pause and techniques, yes. And then, thankfully, me business from then skyrocketed through 2022, 2023. And I'm in a fortunate position that I'm fully booked for next year. Amazing, about halfway in 2025 as well.

Neil Redfern 20:04

That's so good and you deserve it. I mean, I've got your website open here and, for those that aren't aware, the link to Paul's website is in the description. But go to Paul Flanagan and that's Flanagan with an I photographycouk. I just have a look at some of Paul's images. But yeah, it's absolutely stunning what you're producing, and you mentioned Paul's in there. I'd like to give like a bit of a shout out, actually to not to my Patreon, but you did a very kindly. You did a live stream within that Patreon, all about posing and prompts as well, where you were demonstrating how you pose couples and the prompts that you use with Gwyn, your wife, and that stream must have been, I think, referenced by the members more times after a live stream than any other we've probably ever had.

Paul Flannigan 20:45

He's not been conning these workshops.

Posing in Wedding Photography

Neil Redfern 20:47

We were sat in the pub last night, weren't we? And he came up again in conversation oh, Paul, that stream you did, that stream you did. And I know that people have used the prompts and what you showed in that stream at their own weddings and it's transformed how they've worked. So how did you first come about understanding the importance of posing? Because I see that as being your thing now, Like you are.

Neil Redfern 21:07

As I said in the intro, you're the posing guy and you pose in a way that doesn't look overly posed. It's like the prompts that you're using, obviously, are really working. The couples don't just end up in the positions that you're putting them in, but when I look at them I think, oh, they're having the best time and it looks so natural and I just take my heart off to you for that. It's amazing. I say that stream has transformed the way that people work and I took a lot of your prompts from there and used them. So at what point or how, did you come up with that technique and was the reason why you thought actually I'm going to go down this road a bit further?

Paul Flannigan 21:38

The poison cause that I bought was from two Americans and the stales of weddings in America compared to the UK are very, very different, so it was a case of taking the best parts out of their course and trying to implement them into the very short space of time we have with couples in the UK.

Neil Redfern 21:56

I'm jealous of how long people in other countries get with their couples often an hour, two hours, whereas, well we all know, sat around here sometimes it's minutes.

Paul Flannigan 22:04

Yeah, and you've got a coordinator saying we need you in, we need you in, so you've got to work quick yeah, when we have that 20 minutes is trying to fit in as much as possible, especially with how the weather can change in the UK as well. True, so it was a case of not just getting the couple out, getting them to stand in certain areas and just look at each other. I wanted to play games with them. I wanted them to relax. A big thing that I tried to say to couples is you might be nervous about this portrait session, but the more uncomfortable I make you feel, the better the photograph is. What I try to get me point across. That's right, which instantly makes them think oh well, if I'm feeling uncomfortable, then that's so good.

Neil Redfern 22:44

Yeah, go look at it.

Paul Flannigan 22:47

That means if they're feeling uncomfortable, then they know that the results should be good. I'll say the couples will go and stand in this spot just have a little bit of a chat. This is probably the first time you've even had a conversation today, because you've just got married confetti, drinks, reception, have a bit of a chat. If things aren't working the way I want them to work, then I will start to say oh, is there any chance that you just get nice and close to each other? Then we'll start going into some of the funnier side of things to get the natural laughs out of people instead of look at the camera and smile. I pride myself on. I never, ever, say that to my couples. I think it even could be on my website. It's just about trying to bring out the real smiles. Even though I'm kind of forcing it, it's bringing out the real laughter between them. It also makes them feel very, very relaxed.

Neil Redfern 23:36

Yeah, I totally agree and ironically we were talking the last podcast where Helen and I were models for Jesse Morrow and the plant.

Neil Redfern 23:45

And how, when Jesse Morrow was shooting us, morrow was talking to us a lot, she was communicating with us a lot, she was telling us jokes. You can see it in the photographs. We can see that we're genuinely laughing. And if they had I mean Morrow and Jesse would not do it. If they had said, like you just said there, okay, neil and Helen, can you just smile now? Or look at each other now we'd be like this is weird, this is really weird, and I think it's important that people understand, from a couple of point of view, how awkward that is. And also, you already realise that and you can feel it in the photographs, can't you?

Paul Flannigan 24:16

Yeah. So I mean, the most easiest posing technique that I use is is I call sniffing the head. So it sounds absolutely ridiculous, but most of the photos if you're probably looking at me website, you'll probably notice what I've done. It'll straight away give a smile from the groom, a smile from your bride, because it's very uncomfortable, and then I'll start ranking it up a bit, going. Come on, tell us how it smells.

Paul Flannigan 24:44

And then that straight away they'll be start laughing and I can even then go up another notch saying oh, I mean, this is one I've just been doing recently. I'll say, oh, just because I've got like a head sniffing only fans.

Neil Redfern 24:55

You're like a routine though.

Paul Flannigan 24:57

So, like straight away I can, I can grab maybe five shots there on the 35 whilst they're still sniffing each other's heads. I can then switch to an 85 and get another five shots. Love that. And there's 10 shots done in the space of 15 seconds. No, that's good. That's good, really good.

Helen Williams 25:15

That's the thing is like. Oh, I just want all the secrets. When we call them in.

Neil Redfern 25:17

Yeah, no, I was, I was. I didn't want to ask Paul any more of his problems because, well, one, you can join the Patreon and watch the live stream back.

Paul Flannigan 25:23

Anyway, I need to say that.

Intro 25:24

But what?

Neil Redfern 25:24

I really want Paul to do and it's one of my little side quests now is trying to convince Paul to see how good he is at teaching and at posing and hopefully one day he'll do his own workshop. Where's it going to happen? I don't know, Because in the page. You, you all, you have had so many people saying I come, I come, I come.

Helen Williams 25:42

Yeah, let's do it. We can model, we're practically professionals.

Paul Flannigan 25:49

Now, neil, there's a lot of pressure on his there, I think, with you modeling with Ben Connolly and then Jesse and Myrant.

Neil Redfern 25:56

No, I think we might retire now. Retire for the modeling.

Helen Williams 26:00

I painted it, but I'm actually loving it.

Neil Redfern 26:02

We're quite on a high. I think, paul, you would do so well at a workshop as someone who runs them and knowing, like the, the satisfaction you get, and you're ready made for it, as you proved in that stream. So I would. I would love it if you ever would consider doing that. I know if you're really popular.

Paul Flannigan 26:17

I appreciate you giving us the platform to do it. I really really enjoyed it. You know within days or in weeks, sorry. The comments I was getting through, not even just through your page, like directly to my Instagram feed or private messages on Facebook of how much help it's given them. And then arriving for the workshop and then meeting these people face to face for the first time and getting a lot of praise, there is a nice little ego boost.

Neil Redfern 26:48

But it's deserve. I needed it.

Paul Flannigan 26:49

Honestly, I needed it and it was. It's lovely hearing that feedback and then you know helping others is brilliant.

Neil Redfern 26:56

Yeah, I did a critique stream while she was at Shine Access, who you won't have seen it yet. I can't remember an apologies to who the ever this was, but someone had submitted an image that was beautiful. It's a black and white shot of a couple walking towards the camera, the groom's in a tuxedo, the bride's got this beautiful dress holding a dress, and I was looking at it. I said that is just that's beautiful. I was struggling. There's certain images, moments there, lightings there, compositions there it was all really beautiful. It was gorgeous. Yeah, and I will struggle. In fact, I'm going to open up Lightroom because I want to compliment this photographer and give them a shout out. Whoever it was the point of this being, they said I learned this from the Paul Flanagan live stream. Wow.

Paul Flannigan 27:34

I think I know who that photographer is, because I think he sent us a message and he's sure as the four, or Christopher Curry yes, it would be Chris.

Neil Redfern 27:40

Curry yeah, I'm going to open up. I'm literally live. I'm not my library to make them all sure. But yes, it absolutely nailed it.

Paul Flannigan 27:48

I think the feedback I give them was the legs were crossed perfectly. Yeah, hand in the pocket, bride, maybe holding the dress, doing the Beyonce walk, as I call it. It was.

Neil Redfern 27:58

It was Chris Curry. Brilliant, brilliant image, chris, and I was struggling to say anything about it. But the point that I was trying when I was speaking to Chris on the stream about it, it almost doesn't look posed. We were looking at it and we think that's beautiful and we don't always critique why it works. So when we started doing that, that's when Chris mentioned that they come from your posing, because couples don't just walk like that, even though it looks so natural. And again, it shows you the power of the prompts as well. The prompts are massive. I'm sure the Beyonce walk, which was one of the, I wasn't going to give that away, but you mentioned it.

Neil Redfern 28:30

It's such a cool little trick Keeps on going, doesn't it?

Paul Flannigan 28:33

It's like it's one thing, yeah, and you can do about four or five walking scenarios just from a Beyonce walk, so I'll get them to walk towards us. Fire off another 10 shots, take a few steps back, do another walk, this time holding hands and a dress. Get another five shots. You can get 20 or 25 shots in two minutes.

Neil Redfern 28:53

Yeah, and that, especially for us in the UK, is we need to learn how to do this. And again, I can't stress enough that other people in other countries probably don't think it's true when we say we can have minutes and it's pressurized minutes.

Helen Williams 29:08

Yeah, there's always someone over there tapping their watch and just going. You know it's your time.

Neil Redfern 29:14

And I don't feel like we're being booked for good high amounts of money and it's we can't do our best work. Well, not just that. I just feel like we're gonna be judged on two minutes work. It's crazy the pressure. So knowing the skills that Paul is talking about here and hopefully will be teaching at his workshop is invaluable. Keep an eye on Paul's website because I'm gonna be badgering him to do this workshop. One day hopefully, I'm gonna say early next year, but this is my words, not yours.

Paul Flannigan 29:41

We'll see. We'll see. I know you're very busy at the moment.

Neil Redfern 29:43

I'll let you off at 23, 24.

Helen Williams 29:46

I'll book the venue. You've got some models.

Neil Redfern 29:49

I'm booking on the-. I wanna come on the workshop. Yeah, yeah, 100% me too.

Helen Williams 29:54

I will say I'm actually. I shouldn't have bit this. I missed your stream.

Neil Redfern 29:59

Helen Williams.

Helen Williams 30:00

I know it's one like, yeah, it's one that I do need to go back and watch, but I like said, I also need to come on your call, so that's gonna happen.

Paul Flannigan 30:08

I will book the venue. Let's do this.

Helen Williams 30:10

But I'm wondering can we also pivot? Because I'm pretty sure there's so many things that we could talk about with you, paul. But the thing that I find really interesting is that you've grown your business so rapidly. You're so proficient, you know, very talented with the use of flash, with the use of posing.

Intro 30:25

Thank you.

Helen Williams 30:26

Like there's so much you've already done, but not only do you photograph weddings, but you bloody film them too, like Multitalented.

Neil Redfern 30:36

How, how do you do all this?

Paul Flannigan 30:38

Do you want us to tell you how I started?

Neil Redfern 30:40

on the video side of things. Yeah, of course go for it.

Paul Flannigan 30:42

This was actually prior to learning. All these posing techniques and bookings were quite good and I really wanted to get into the video. I'm a massive fan of film. Again, a big thank you to me, brilla Brian, if he will be listening to this I know he will Hi.

Neil Redfern 30:56

Brian, what's your favorite film? Fight Club.

Paul Flannigan 30:59

Oh, good answer, yeah, I've watched it Neil's fucking happy.

Helen Williams 31:05

Hella's going. Who bet she hasn't watched that I have?

Paul Flannigan 31:08

Did you watch it, tyler Durden For Brad Pitt or?

Helen Williams 31:11

I definitely have. I would watch it.

Neil Redfern 31:13

Oh my god, I've watched it for a while In that, some people like that one interview with a vampire Brad Pitt, don't they? But I think, fight. Club, fight Club, yeah, 100%, yeah, anyway, we know what the first rule is so we'll carry on with the film chat.

Photography and Videography Integration

Paul Flannigan 31:28

So yeah, sorry. So I'm a massive fan of film and I'd wanted to get into video and at the time I was shooting on Canon 5D Mark IIIs. So again, another shout out to Flashmasters member Drew Dodd, working with him a lot, and I said, have you got any couples who would maybe like some video done? And he says, oh, I've got one coming up in a couple of weeks. So I shot that full wedding video in 120 frames a second. Wow, on manual focus, because the Canon 5D Mark III didn't do auto focus in 120 frames a second. But I was obsessed with Peter McKinnon on YouTube and I thought everything needed to be shot in 120 frames a second. And it's a lovely video. It's very, very nice.

Neil Redfern 32:14

That was impressive for the first one.

Helen Williams 32:15

Both of our boomers. I just looked over to Neil and his face was mirroring mine. The both of our mouths were wide open, like what.

Paul Flannigan 32:23

Manual focus on a 70 to 200 is the braid who was walking down the aisle, what it was so nerve-wracking. I've missed focus a lot of times but thankfully it was just to get a highlight film to get used to the editing.

Neil Redfern 32:36

I think the important thing for everybody to listen to this is obviously you're doing this Because he's no pressure.

Paul Flannigan 32:41

He's like bonus stuff, no cost at all.

Neil Redfern 32:42

Yeah yeah, it's a great way to get into it, when you can shoot with freedom, without the pressure of thinking all you know like the bride's expecting something. I guess that whatever you get, he's just, I'd say, a bonus for that.

Paul Flannigan 32:54

So then that led to then me asking Drew again have you got another couple? And he says, yeah, we've got one. This was all in a space of maybe three, no two months, maybe, right. So the next one I shot, I invested in a little bit of fancy little microphone for the groom. That video then went on to get 6,000 views in maybe six or seven days via the venue's Facebook page, which then led to an influx of inquiries of Brilliant, can we book you for video? Because I was in an experience of video, I thought, well, I need a charge of very low price.

Helen Williams 33:29

Uh-oh, so I was tick. I think you said a hundred bookings.

Paul Flannigan 33:33

I started taking in a few like quite a lot of bookings, which was then blocking up my photography bookings, so I actually had to stop taking the video bookings. I had to announce it on my Facebook and my Instagram. I'm saying I am not taking video bookings until I get a bit more experience.

Paul Flannigan 33:51

Then in 2022, I'd shot obviously a lot of when video. By then I got nominated for North of England wedding photographer of the year and North of England wedding videographer of the year. Spoke to another photographer and he says why aren't you doing both? So I thought I'm gonna go for it and start advertising photo and video packages. And I shot me first one in June of this year two A7 fours with presets built into the memory buttons. So just a quick flick grabbing just tiny little clips. That's all I need. The ceremony and the speeches is videoed pretty straight forward. It's just cameras on static tripods.

Paul Flannigan 34:35

I was trying to work by myself and then just grabbing lots of Smiling Mormons and a couple of portraits and stuff.

Neil Redfern 34:42

This is fascinating. We could do, we could put it on the whole thing on this, actually. So you're using the same cameras, because I don't. I mean, I'm an absolute novice when it comes to film. So the same cameras for both jobs? Yes, yeah.

Paul Flannigan 34:54

So I've got two A7 fours and they record very, very good video quality Just in 1080p. For the video side of things, if I was shooting a wedding video just by itself I'm not doing photo and video then they'll get the full shebang of feature films and highlight films and things like that yes, they do so much. But, once I do photo and video in their contract is the photography takes priority. This was good.

Neil Redfern 35:19

The next question. How you know, I'm sure everyone who listened to this has got the same question how do you decide which to go for?

Paul Flannigan 35:27

So I always hire. I never call them second shooters when this package gets booked, because I don't want them to think that they have the pressure of being a second shooter. I like to just say you're my assistant for the day, bring your cameras along, you can grab some fours. But there's never a time where I'll say to that assistant can you go and get groom prep for his? Now I'm gonna stay here.

Paul Flannigan 35:48

Yeah, I still do everything as I would normally do on a wedding day. He or she can just sort of sit alongside us and grab some moments and then they're there for I go. Actually, this might work quite well for video. Are you okay just to grab a few fours whilst I do this in video? Recently I brought my wife on board as well. She's just starting to get into the video side of things, so ideally we'll want a husband and a wife team, and so the last few Wednesdays I've done for the video. She's just come along, got a camera and a monopod and she can get a lot of the guests mingling whilst I'm doing the photography of that.

Neil Redfern 36:25

Lovely both of you to be able to do that together as well. Does she enjoy it?

Paul Flannigan 36:28

I'm hoping you say yes, oh, yeah, she does, yeah, yeah, she loves it.

Helen Williams 36:31

You haven't had any big arguments yet.

Paul Flannigan 36:33

No, oh it'll come.

Helen Williams 36:35

No, yeah Guarantee, although it might help because you're doing different roles.

Neil Redfern 36:41

I can't imagine she can come and she might have the way to get you shot. Martin Dygwood, disagree with her that it actually helps.

Paul Flannigan 36:48

So that four-dome video package. I did limit that to sort of just five weddings for this year as I was easing myself into it. That went into limited to 10 weddings next year. They're already fully booked. And then for the following year, I haven't officially put a limit on it and seven of them have already been booked. So I think it's something that I'm gonna try and really push a lot more so I can do more four-dome video packages, which inevitably will let us shoot less weddings throughout the year.

Neil Redfern 37:19

Yeah, I think it's such a great thing to offer because videos definitely become more prevalent over the past 10 years. Without a doubt it has, and I find I get a lot of inquiries now where couples will say do you offer video, can you recommend someone? So if you can keep it in house, that's got to be putting you in a much better position to get that booking, even for photo. If you can give them an easy answer, that's exactly the selling point that I see Huge advantage.

Helen Williams 37:45

I kind of hate you for it. I know Neil's going this is great and I'm like no, it's not.

Neil Redfern 37:50

No, no, I'm saying it's a great thing to offer. You're solving all the problems that couples have in one go.

Helen Williams 37:56

I know, but I secretly hate you for it because couples want it now.

Neil Redfern 38:00

And I'm like no, yeah, one stop shop.

Paul Flannigan 38:02

We all know what it's like to work with videographers that you don't get on with it.

Neil Redfern 38:05

Oh, we do.

Paul Flannigan 38:06

And obviously, over the course of time and the more weddings you shoot with videographers, there will be certain videographers that you recommend and I'll still stipulate that to couples. If, when they inquire about the photo and video package I'm not putting on the hard sell of you need to book me for photo and video, I will take a look at their venue. If their venue doesn't suit the space that I need to set up static cameras, I'll say you need to get a separate videographer. Oh, that's good If they're getting married in a church, immediate. No, I won't do that platinum package in a church. It needs to be venues that I know.

Neil Redfern 38:39

Exactly because the stress of setting up, because you're opening up, yeah.

Paul Flannigan 38:42

Some of the churches can be really large between the end of aisle and where the end at, so I always want to be able to reach the cameras that I can sort of grab when I need them.

Neil Redfern 38:51

Yeah, yeah.

Paul Flannigan 38:52

If I don't put on a hard sell. When somebody comes in for that photo and video package, I'll ask questions to make sure that they're comfortable and know what they're gonna receive from us in terms of the highlight film. And then if they say, oh no, we're looking, you know, for a big feature film, we'll love your video work, then I'll go then just book us for video work or book me for photography, and then I've got a list of videographers that I would love to work with that have a very, very similar style. Yeah.

Neil Redfern 39:18

What would be your advice for everybody who's maybe listening to this and thinking, oh, I might be interested not offering a full maybe film package, but maybe highlights? Whilst they're still doing photography as well, yeah just thinking, you know, I wonder if I can integrate somehow film into my packages. Again, I'm talking baby steps, but it's just wanting to test the water. I think it's something that you can definitely try.

Paul Flannigan 39:39

There's a local photographer to me that I've noticed has started to do it just to get that little bit content that you have on Instagram. That's a huge thing for social media these days.

Neil Redfern 39:48

video yeah.

Paul Flannigan 39:49

His style is really nice and he's been asking his questions and I've been giving them feedback and stuff. And now it's just starting to build up on where you could quite easily go into wedding videography here. And you know, in the morning when we're doing bridal prep this, there's definitely down times. In that point, just quickly flick it to video in the basic settings, yeah, just try and grab something quite nice and then go back into your photography mode again. Never during ceremony, never risk it in during ceremony, guess mingling. There's quite a lot of opportunity then to just go.

Neil Redfern 40:24

It's true. Actually, I'll get a few, because you're only talking seconds here and there. Really, oh, yeah, yeah For a highlight film.

Paul Flannigan 40:29

I just need 20 or 30 video moments in each section of the day really to build it and then you're just putting the audio of the speeches. Hopefully there's some good speeches. If there isn't, you've always got the ceremony as the backup and I think couples will really, really appreciate that. But I'm not saying go out and charge for it, just try it.

Neil Redfern 40:49

Oh no, you don't die, but I think, yeah, you make it sound like you could dip your toe in the water fairly easily. Probably the equipment we've already got. It's like we're going out and buying new cameras, oftentimes Just to as a bonus. I wouldn't even tell couples sometimes.

Helen Williams 41:04

Exactly, they're going to do some of that this year. And you're kind of hand-holding all the way, apart from, like ceremony, sets up on tripods. You're just literally just hand-holding.

Paul Flannigan 41:11

That's part of my style and that's what I like about it as well. I will use a monopod sometimes if I'm shooting video by itself, but when I'm doing photo and video, I really like the hand-held look. It's raw. You know sometimes video shots in a wedding on a gimbal will look gorgeous, but the amount of time that you need to set that up to achieve that shot.

Paul Flannigan 41:31

Some of my favorite dancing videos I'm actually bouncing along to the music as they're dancing and bobbing around and it makes it look like I'm right in the middle of that. I'm shooting on an 85. The dance floor is empty, to be fair.

Neil Redfern 41:47

But I'm in the middle of it, it's a static. You would look really boring. Exactly, yeah, if.

Paul Flannigan 41:51

I was on a 16 to 35 wade. You would see that there's just five people in the middle of the dance floor, but I'm along say them and just bobbing up and down on an 85 until somebody smells, and that's all I need.

Helen Williams 42:05

I was working with my favorite dance floor videographer the other day and I was properly watching him, yeah, and he almost had like a rock, like a forward and backwards rock in and out and, yeah, his dance floor work, he makes the dance floor look like it's bouncing.

Neil Redfern 42:18

That's a really clever little tip though.

Helen Williams 42:20

But it was just a forward and backwards rock with his camera, just very subtly. But I'm like, oh, I know what it turns into and, yeah, I'm always looking at his work going. Yes, like his dance floor, it just gives so much energy.

Paul Flannigan 42:32

Is that Adam Wing? No, no.

Intro 42:36

Sorry, you're very good too, say who it is, though.

Neil Redfern 42:38

It's Danny Laverlet from.

Helen Williams 42:39

Laverlet Productions.

Neil Redfern 42:40

And I absolutely adore Danny's work. You mentioned him a few times to me, yeah.

Helen Williams 42:45

Yeah, I'd really like him to do a promo video for me, if ever I'm going to have one, but I was like that's going to look so ridiculous, I'm bringing my own videographer to a wedding to video me.

Intro 42:55

Forget the bride and groom. Today's all about me.

Helen Williams 42:57

I've got my own production team. I'm that famous. But I just thought it would be really good because I love dance floor too. So I thought it would be really nice to have some footage of me on the dance floor and doing my thing.

Neil Redfern 43:08

But we'll see, I think you should, I think you should do that.

Helen Williams 43:11

Yeah, we'll see.

Neil Redfern 43:11

Yeah, I was saying, if you want to look at any of Paul's work again Paul Flanagan photographycouk the link is in the description. But have a look there you can see some examples. And, yeah, you make it sound very achievable. I know there's a lot more to it For us. For me, the struggle would be the editing. How would you find that in comparison? For me, listening, you think, oh, I want to do this. I don't know how to edit the editing is definitely a large chunk of your time.

Paul Flannigan 43:38

Obviously, when it comes to photography, we can put a preset over the top of it. There's a really nice base straight away for us to then work on them for us, and now with the advantage of AI, then that quickens things even more With the video, and definitely in particular with my style of video, is I can't use AI to just create a wedding film.

Helen Williams 44:01

I bet it's coming though.

Paul Flannigan 44:03

I will do. But my wedding films they take a lot of time because if I'm doing a wedding film and the couple are clearly very much in love with each other and love to show it in their Portrait sessions absolutely gorgeous, and we've got some fantastic sunsets and stuff like that that video will probably start with that, because that was the big chunk of their day, was the emotion, whereas then I will get weddings where it's all about the party, yes, and it's all about the dancing, so I'll start their wedding video with that because, you know, we might not have had time to do Portrait, but they're dancing with their friends.

Paul Flannigan 44:42

So I kind of feel that that's why the video does take a little bit longer, because every one of them is very unique the way I do it, it's not just a template. I don't just go right. Bridal prep, ceremony, speeches, guest mingling, dancing, it's not like that. Even my feature films are extended highlight films. A big thank you to Adam Wing.

Neil Redfern 45:03

Adam's amazing. I've known Adam for years.

Helen Williams 45:05

Yeah, I know he's brilliant. You've been on Adam Wing's partner, have you been?

Neil Redfern 45:09

on their podcast. I've happened on their podcast, yeah, howard, and Adam's podcast, think wedding business. Shout out to their podcast. Yeah, yeah, adam's brilliant and he's great to work with as well. Genuinely, you mentioned before about we are on the work site work with Slip. Well, there are certain videographers. It's not quite as easy. Adam's a dream to work with.

Helen Williams 45:26

I've never worked with him. I'm sure I'd love his work too, yeah, no he's brilliant.

Paul Flannigan 45:30

That's what I try to sell myself. When people just book us for video, I'll always say your photographer is more important. Adam may not like it here and saying that, but I will, you're right.

Neil Redfern 45:40

I know I'm right. I know I'm right. Love you, Adam.

Paul Flannigan 45:43

I will say your photographer is the most important person there and I'll just sit alongside them. You don't want your photographer dragging you to one spot and getting these lovely photos and then your videographer going no, we need to now go over here. You just need to work together as a team to make the day a lot easier for absolutely everyone Could not agree more.

Neil Redfern 46:02

We've had experience everywhere. That's not quite being the team. Ethos hasn't quite been there.

Helen Williams 46:07

No.

Paul Flannigan 46:10

Brilliant.

Neil Redfern 46:12

We all know those names.

Helen Williams 46:14

No, but there's someone who's on my list.

Paul Flannigan 46:17

I will hear that story once this podcast goes off. We will indeed. Yes, you will.

Intro 46:22

Oh, wind me up well watch me go.

Neil Redfern 46:25

So yeah, thank you, paul, that is genuinely so, so interesting. I'm sure everybody listening will be fascinated by how you managed to incorporate bulkers, because not many do. But I do think going forward, the way that everything's going now in the industry, at least having the ability and understanding a little bit of film, is really important. Yeah, helen's wins him, because I think she knows it's true what she does.

Helen Williams 46:48

It is, it is, and there's been for years. I've been like no, you can't do both, or like I'm really against it, but I know, I know that my business will be stronger if I can find a system to be able to work it in.

Neil Redfern 47:00

I think and I know we've got the problem here with aspect ratios and but we can put a stop to content creators by just getting a little bit of film here and there.

Paul Flannigan 47:08

I completely agree with that, yeah.

Neil Redfern 47:10

And we spoke about content creators. I don't think we'd ever have a content creator on this podcast I thought you said about them.

Helen Williams 47:16

Well, yeah, we've had people offer and they'll say, yeah, maybe not, but yeah, I had one more question, Paul, Before we started recording.

Neil Redfern 47:24

You mentioned you had an interesting story for a previous one and we generally don't know. You said it was a bit of a horror story.

Paul Flannigan 47:30

During the Ben Conley workshop we were having some of the eating. I was talking about the importance of sharing your horror stories with other wedding photographers. Yeah, no matter how embarrassing or how bad it is, if you tell a photographer your worst story, they will learn from that mistake.

Helen Williams 47:48

Yeah.

Paul Flannigan 47:49

So this is mine.

Helen Williams 47:51

And people can learn from this.

Paul Flannigan 47:54

So this was only maybe a third or fourth wedding I'd ever shot and the couple was sat down having a meal. I was eager and wanting to take more photos, so I thought, oh, I'm going to get the flowers and take a picture of the rings. Oh, no, already making me want to win so.

Paul Flannigan 48:14

I grabbed the bouquet, I grabbed the rings off the couple, I positioned me flowers in front of a window, placed the rings in the flowers and started clicking away. Where I'd set this up was not too far from the toilet where all the guests walked past, so I guess what passed and said their usual long day for you, isn't it?

Neil Redfern 48:35

Yeah, how many pictures of you taking.

Paul Flannigan 48:39

So I'm now chatting to this guest for five minutes and then, once he'd finished talking oh no, turned back around automatically. Just went to pick up the flowers and then heard the noise of rings falling Inside or outside. Inside, oh, that's something. Yeah, like a little window extractor, what's it called? I don't know, Like where there's grids and holes essentially oh, I'm wincing.

Paul Flannigan 49:07

So I instantly thought, oh, what have I done? But then I can't then get on your hands and knees and start looking for the rings, because if a guest comes out of the toilet or goes to the toilet and says, oh, what are you looking for? So I had to stand by the bar. And if there's any, only fools and horses.

Neil Redfern 49:25

Oh yeah.

Paul Flannigan 49:26

I'm now leaning against the bar to one side.

Neil Redfern 49:29

Play it cool. Play it cool.

Paul Flannigan 49:32

Looking from left to right, brought me four now and got the torch on to see if things sparkled. Thankfully, oh good, both rings, maybe two, three feet from each other, and I was okay. So the lesson learned from then on was, if I ever do any ring shots, I'm in total focus. No one can distract me. Then rings are clinging to my hand. They are giving back to the couple.

Neil Redfern 49:59

I can totally see that that would happen, though it's such a natural human thing to start talking to somebody, yeah, and then you will forget, oh.

Helen Williams 50:07

Oh well.

Intro 50:07

I'm glad that they were there, yeah.

Helen Williams 50:10

If that's a disaster for the number of weddings you've shot, then actually you've done really well.

Neil Redfern 50:15

It's also lucky, because it might not have been the wedding five if that didn't get the number of yes. Definitely, oh yeah.

Intro 50:21

I can tell like another story from the same wedding. Oh yeah, please do.

Paul Flannigan 50:23

We love this. So from that same wedding I've then got back. This is when we lived in our flat, so my office used to be in the living room, so I'm now uploading the four doors into late room whilst chatting to my wife. It's distractions you don't like, isn't it?

Neil Redfern 50:38

I really don't like distractions.

Paul Flannigan 50:40

I've put in my first couple of cards and carry on chatting, and then put my next card in, carry on chatting. And then I go back to the monitor in this white box and it just said cancel or OK on Lightroom. And I've just hit enter and then carried on chatting, Realised that everything from first dance onwards had gone and I didn't know where it went. I thought Not sure what's happened there, so I thought it's fine, they're on the cards. Putting that next card. I will explain. Sorry, this is when I was shooting on a Canon 6D. I think so, mate. I've only had one slot. Putting me next card. Sorry, putting the card just to get them back off. No images on that card. Now, this gives me anxiety.

Neil Redfern 51:21

I don't like this At the time.

Paul Flannigan 51:25

I started to pull on my T-shirt, like Hulk Hawking, because I was starting to get so frustrated. Hulk and me and then LAUGHTER.

Intro 51:38

Honestly, as soon as this goes through me it's not pleasurable here to say it.

Helen Williams 51:42

No, that feeling when you see a heart just jumps to your mouth and you get dropped.

Neil Redfern 51:47

I've never lost an image, but I've had moments where, for a stupid area, you put in the wrong card or whatever and you feel like you've lost something and it is awful. So then.

Paul Flannigan 51:56

I then had a look in the trash folder on the Mac and thankfully all the images have been put in there and still to this day, I do not know what that pop-up box of late room said.

Neil Redfern 52:08

When you were talking, I was thinking I'm not sure what this could actually mean.

Paul Flannigan 52:11

No idea. So now, when I return from a wedding is if I've still got my suit, jacket and shirt and tie on. I'm still in wedding mode. So when I get back from a wedding now and I'm uploading the photos, I'm still in my suit and jacket.

Neil Redfern 52:27

Yes, it worked.

Paul Flannigan 52:29

Because I'm still working Me. Wave now and noise Once I'm not in my suit.

Helen Williams 52:31

jacket, then take a check, then it's later. Yeah.

Paul Flannigan 52:38

When Paul takes that tie off she can get a catwoman costume on again, we need to add context.

Neil Redfern 52:49

Gwyn makes and performs cosplay, so that's the right term. So yeah, when Paul's talking about Gwyn being in a capsule, it's for work reasons.

Paul Flannigan 53:00

Well, I don't think it's just for work reasons let's be honest, I'm doing the finger. Yes, it's a huge march.

Intro 53:07

Paul's winking at us in a big way.

Helen Williams 53:11

He's a lucky man.

Neil Redfern 53:12

I'm going to talk about the hand gesture he's now making. Oh God, oh honestly, those stories like that. They start off funny and I just say oh.

Neil Redfern 53:21

God, at least it's happy ending again, wow, oh Okay. So I am just interrupting this podcast because Paul started asking Helen and I some questions, and they were brilliant questions, really, really good. It's got quite deep actually and, dare I say, a few tears were shared by, I think, all of us at some point. So what we're going to do is we're going to save those questions we ended up talking for about an hour for a future podcast. So keep an eye out because it's going to be very different. I don't think the talk has been mentioned once in that podcast, but it was really nice for Paul to ask us these questions and I think we've all been very honest with our answers. So that will be a future podcast.

Gratitude and Workshop Invitation

Neil Redfern 54:01

So what we're now going to do is finish this podcast, but I just want to explain why. It might sound like a weird cut. So, paul, thank you so so much for joining us. This has been one of my favorite podcasts we've done. It's been brilliant. It's been so nice getting to know you as a real person, not just through a screen, and honestly, as I said at the end of the other podcast, it's a shame that we've got a bit of distance between us, because I think me, you, helen Gwyn, would get on like a house on fire for this local local. So thank you for spending the time with us and thank you for all you've done for Flash Masters and everything and for this podcast.

Paul Flannigan 54:32

Again just to say a massive thank you to the two of you guys. Honestly, like the community here in Flash Masters and your paper on group, what you've done on YouTube his 100% helped me get to where I am today and thank you, mate. I really want to say thank you for that. I really really appreciate it. You don't understand how much I do appreciate it, but I genuinely.

Neil Redfern 54:55

No, it means a lot for you to say that Thank you. I can tell from looking at you that it's genuine and it's very, very kind. Repay me by doing a workshop, yeah. If you'd like to join us in the Flash Masters community? You can do so at flashmastersco. Look out for Paul's workshop coming in 2024. 100%.

Intro 55:15

This is happening.

Neil Redfern 55:16

And until the next one, we will see you soon.

Helen Williams 55:20

And don't forget to keep flashing.

Neil Redfern 55:23

Cheers, paul, thank you, thank you.