RELAXED, Fun

Wedding photography

Hi, I’m James. I’m a Nottinghamshire wedding photographer specialising in natural, relaxed and documentary-led wedding photography.

I’ve photographed at Swancar Farm and it’s exactly the kind of venue that suits the way I like to photograph weddings — plenty happening in one place, lots of character and plenty of opportunities for photographs without needing to disappear from your guests for ages.

If you’re looking for someone who’ll capture the atmosphere, people and all those little moments happening around you — without spending your wedding day constantly posing for photographs — that’s exactly how I work.

Swancar Farm Country House is an exclusive-use countryside wedding venue in Trowell, Nottinghamshire, combining rustic character with more contemporary spaces.

One of the things I particularly like about Swancar is that so much of your wedding can happen in one place.

You have a choice of ceremony spaces, the courtyard and grounds for your drinks reception and photographs, the Oak Hall for your wedding breakfast and the Orangery as the celebrations move into the evening.

There’s also accommodation on site, including the Old Stables for the night before your wedding, a bridal suite and guest bedrooms.

For couples who want their wedding to flow naturally without spending the day travelling between different locations, Swancar works really well.

From a photographer’s perspective, one of Swancar Farm’s biggest strengths is the variety it gives us without having to leave the venue.

You’ve got the countryside surroundings and grounds outside, the courtyard and architecture around the venue, and then completely different environments indoors.

That means your couple photographs don’t need to become an hour-long photoshoot.

We can take ten or fifteen minutes together, use a couple of areas around Swancar and then get you straight back to your guests.

If the light looks particularly good later in the day, we can always head back outside for another few minutes.

That suits my approach perfectly.

Your wedding photography should fit around your wedding — not the other way around.

Getting married at Swancar Farm

Swancar currently offers two distinctive spaces for civil ceremonies.

The Gallery sits upstairs in the Barn, with exposed beams and chandeliers creating a more intimate atmosphere.

The Glass Barn is downstairs and provides a lighter, airier alternative with direct access from the courtyard.

From my point of view, having different spaces available isn’t simply about how they look in photographs.

It’s about how the wedding feels.

During your ceremony I’m obviously capturing the big moments — walking down the aisle, exchanging rings and that first kiss — but I’m also looking around you.

Your parents’ reactions.

Your friends trying not to cry.

Someone laughing.

The little glance between the two of you when you think nobody is watching.

Those moments are a huge part of the story.

One reason Swancar works particularly well for documentary wedding photography is the way people naturally move through the venue.

Once your ceremony finishes, everyone can relax into the drinks reception rather than immediately worrying about travelling somewhere else.

And that’s when I can concentrate on what’s actually happening around you.

People catching up.

Drinks being poured.

Children running around.

Your wedding party having a laugh.

Someone hugging a family member they haven’t seen for ages.

While all that’s happening, we’ll still get the photographs that matter.

We’ll organise your family photographs without letting them consume your entire drinks reception and we’ll take a little time for some relaxed photographs of the two of you.

But then I’ll get you back to your wedding.

Wedding photography around Swancar Farm

Swancar gives us plenty of options when we do head out for photographs.

The courtyard, countryside setting, architecture and grounds give us different backgrounds without needing to go anywhere else.

But I’m not interested in dragging you around every possible photograph location just because it’s there.

I’d much rather choose what works for you, the weather and the light on your particular wedding day.

Sometimes I’ll give you a little direction.

Sometimes I’ll put you somewhere with great light and let you talk, walk and laugh together.

You don’t need to know how to pose.

In fact, most couples who book me tell me they’re awkward in front of a camera.

That’s completely fine.

My job isn’t to turn you into models.

It’s to make sure you feel comfortable enough that your photographs actually look like you.

See a real Swancar Farm wedding

I’ve put together a more detailed Swancar Farm wedding guide using my own experience photographing at the venue, including more photographs and what Swancar is like from a photographer’s perspective.

My approach to your Swancar Farm wedding

I’m James, the photographer behind 3rdEyeImages, and my approach is pretty simple.

I want you to experience your wedding rather than spend half of it being photographed.

I’ll give you direction when you need it.

We’ll organise the family photographs that matter to you.

We’ll spend a little time getting relaxed photographs of the two of you.

But for most of your wedding, I’ll let things happen.

I’ll be watching for the nervous looks before the ceremony, reactions when you see each other, conversations during your drinks reception, laughter during the speeches and your friends making questionable decisions once the dance floor opens.

Having photographed at Swancar Farm means I already understand the venue and how it works on a wedding day.

But that doesn’t mean I’m going to recreate somebody else’s Swancar wedding.

Your wedding shouldn’t look like their wedding.

Your people, personalities and everything that actually happens are what make the photographs yours.

If you’d rather spend your Swancar Farm wedding celebrating with your family and friends than constantly posing for photographs, I think we’ll probably get along pretty well.

Looking for more examples of natural wedding photography across Nottinghamshire? You can see more of my approach and weddings I've photographed throughout the county.

Photography + Content Creation

If you’d love your professional wedding photographs but also want the movement, voices and little moments from your Swancar wedding captured on video, Amy and I can cover the day together.

I’ll concentrate on photographing the story of your wedding while Amy captures wedding content alongside me.

Because we’re husband and wife and regularly work together, it isn’t two separate suppliers trying to work around each other.

We work as one team while keeping everything relaxed and unobtrusive.

Our full-day wedding photography + content creation package is £1,500, with raw video clips delivered within 24–48 hours and edited reels within 5 days.

It gives you two different ways to relive the same wedding — your professionally edited photography alongside the movement, voices and behind-the-scenes moments from the day.

Planning your wedding at Swancar Farm?

If you’ve chosen Swancar Farm and you’re looking for wedding photography that feels natural, relaxed and focused on what actually happens, I’d love to hear what you’re planning.

Tell me your wedding date and a little about the day you’re putting together and I’ll let you know if I’m available.

You can also take a look at my wedding photography packages before getting in touch.