JOEL
skingle
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY WITH SOUL
the love story
Soulful,
Timeless,
Romantic
Hey, welcome - I’m Joel
I’m a relaxed, passionate wedding photographer capturing emotive and timeless pictures based in Richmond, North Yorkshire in the UK.
I want you to look back on your wedding photographs and instantly be back in the moment; to feel your memories.
“Joel made everyone feel at ease as soon as he arrived, building a rapport with anyone he spoke to. He understood exactly what we wanted, it felt as if he had known us as a couple for years.”
My approach is to be myself with you and your guests. I’m warm and genuine – I take pride in this and my couples will tell you the same – “it was like having another best friend there on the day.” This is so important on your wedding day – our connection; allowing you to relax and enjoy yourselves.
“And then the photos arrived …… oh wow!! The moment you receive the gallery of all of your photos is magical and the photos are just incredible. We LOVE all of our photos and every one of our friends and family love them too.”
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Happy Words
from happy clients
Yorkshire
the place I call home
“God’s Own Country” as it is affectionately known; Yorkshire is the most incredible place to both live and work. It’s absolutely huge and has such a diverse range of features – incredible coastlines and quaint coastal towns such as Staithes, Filey and Robin Hood’s Bay; the Yorkshire Moors where you can go for long walk and find a stone-built proper pub for a pint along the way; followed by a drive through the Yorkshire Dales for the most unbelievable scenery in the country. All this before you even start on the modern vibrancy of cultural cities like York, Leeds, Sheffield and Ripon.
I have lived in Yorkshire for 15 years now; attending Leeds College of Art and Design before settling in Leeds and starting up my wedding photography business a few years later. Leeds is an amazing Yorkshire city; it has always pushed creative thinking and vision. It is an inspirational city full of incredible architecture like the Town Hall and Harewood House; the Northern Ballet situated in the thriving cultural quarter of the city, Leeds Art Gallery and the extension into Yorkshire Sculpture Park – it is a thriving and vibrant place to stay.
Away from the cities you’ll find the amazing Yorkshire Dales where I now call home. Richmond is a Georgian market town full of character, surrounded by pretty, photogenic little villages. It was created by the Normans in 1071, the town developed around one of the oldest Norman stone fortresses in the UK, Richmond Castle, which was built on the ‘riche-mont’ that provided the meaning to the town’s name. The cobbled marketplace has to be one of Richmond’s best-known features, and the beautiful Yorkshire town has so many great walking routes along the River Swale, perfect for taking photos.
Being a wedding photographer in Yorkshire means I get to visit so many incredible locations. Yorkshire is full of quaint villages nestled alongside stylish & chic cities; offering an enchanting, picture-perfect setting for weddings, making it an amazing place to celebrate this special occasion. One of my favourites has to be a seriously stylish elopement in York; with the Shambles’ cobbled streets, the amazing photographic backdrop of York Minster, following the city walls to discover a panoramic view of the city and ending it all with a cup of Yorkshire Tea in the iconic surrounds of Betty’s.
Yorkshire is home to many up and coming restaurants exploring diverse tastes and the richness of local produce. The latest Michelin guide has awarded 8 of Yorkshire’s finest including Shaun Rankin at Grantley Hall, Tommy Banks for both Roots in York as well as the unbelievable Black Swan at Oldstead; and the newest entry Restaurant Mýse in Hovingham. The Star Inn at Harome remains one of Yorkshire’s finest and is definitely one of my favourites as a wedding venue too; the beautifully thatched roof is a sight to see! One of my very favourite wedding venues in Yorkshire saw themselves earn a Michelin Green Star – The Forge under Young Chef of the Year Jake Jones gained this for their sustainable ethos, bringing a new level of ‘estate-to-plate’ dining at the stunning estate restaurant.
Harrogate is also full of photo opportunities; its cherry blossom avenues near the Stray are the most incredible sight to take in. Harrogate is well know for being Yorkshire’s go-to destination for relaxation and indulgence, as well as luxury, boutique shops and quality cafes and bars. Its Spa history continues to shape the town with several superb spas, including the original Turkish Baths in the iconic Royal Baths building in the centre of the Yorkshire town.
No trip to Yorkshire is complete without a visit to Fountain’s Abbey which lies along the River Skell, west of Ripon. The Abbey, which is the UK’s largest monastic ruin, was founded in 1132 by Benedictine monks from St Mary’s in York. In the early 18th Century John Aislabie wanted to impress friends visiting his Yorkshire estate and turned the valley of the River Skell into spectacular Georgian water gardens. Inspired by French landscape gardeners, he and his son John created the Water Garden with its formal, geometric design.. In 1986 it was recognised as a site of cultural importance and granted World Heritage status.
Yorkshire really is just my absolutely favourite place in the world; quaint, chic and vibrant all at the same time which makes being a wedding photographer in Yorkshire a total joy. Yorkshire venues can offer an intimate atmosphere for couples seeking a romantic and cosy wedding setting or for those celebrating over a weekend who want an incredible, photogenic place they can come back and visit each anniversary – Yorkshire has it all and I cannot wait to create and capture an incredible set of natural and timeless images for you.
Say your
Wedding vows in yorkshire
You really can plan a wedding of any style in and around Yorkshire with its incredible array of wedding venues – you’ll be spoilt for choice! Whether you are hoping for an indoor or outdoor ceremony, your reception being a luxe, lavish affair in the ballroom of a country house or just two of you stealing away to celebrate your elopement in a chic city orangery; dream of walking down a magnificent staircase as you make your way down the aisle or making the most of the Yorkshire scenery with a marquee wedding by the sea – you can choose from any of these options throughout the county.
A barn wedding can play to different wedding vibes; think rustic and rural, hay bales as ceremony seating with a cascade of twinkling fairy lights around the altar or modern and airy with huge amounts of glass to reflect the light throughout your reception – Yorkshire has barns in abundance; this is a trend that was made for this place! A few of my favourite wedding venues have to be Bunny Hill Weddings, Eden Barn, Thirsk Lodge Barns and Tithe Barn – that backdrop of Bolton Abbey cannot be matched; it is quite simply, spectacular. Exposed brick, original wooden beams, cow stalls, stone flag flooring and panoramic views are the order of the day and often give newlywed couples control over how to dress the reception space – florals, drapery, ribbons, candlelight – the choice of wedding styling is endless.
Luxury estates, country house retreats and city chic hotels are another incredible choice for your nuptials in Yorkshire. An impressive driveway that takes your breath away when encountering grand architecture, panoramic countryside views from your reception, homely charm whilst relaxing in the Yorkshire countryside – sounds idyllic doesn’t it? A country estate as your wedding reception venue is the ultimate in luxury and classic romance for your marriage; making your vows under high, elaborate ceilings with a meadow of beautifully scented flowers around you, taking a stroll across manicured lawns to discover secret gardens, beautifully curated interiors for your photographs in the cooler months – what’s not to fall in love with? And with a selection of the UK’s top luxury wedding venues on our doorstep in Yorkshire; from Grantley Hall to Thicket Priory, Birdsall House to Howsham Hall – it’s an impressive list for couples to choose from.
There is no doubt that marquee weddings allow for couples to take complete control over their wedding day; particularly with the help of a luxury wedding planner to keep you on track. Marquees are the perfect choice for a wedding channeling quiet luxury; understated elegance in a minimalist yet sophisticated fashion – think old world romance with the modern influence of neutrals and clean lines. Think a wedding marquee with a glass ceiling, clear sight lines, layers of stylish décor and understated glamour throughout the thoughtfully curated aisle details. Yorkshire has many beautiful marquee sites available to hire for weddings including the Walled Garden at Helperby, Newburgh Priory, Norton Conyers and Jervaulx Abbey to name a few.
Photographing
Photographing
My photography journey started with an interest in capturing landscapes before developing a love for wedding photography and the different aspects of a wedding that come into focus throughout the day. When I moved to North Yorkshire the inspiration for landscape photography only increased for me as there seemed to be a new picture to capture around every corner.
One of my favourites has to be Hawes and Hardraw Force waterfall – this spectacular location was used in the film Robin Hood Prince of Thieves. Taking beautiful photographs here on a 16mm lens; 11 seconds at f/22 with ISO 200 leads to incredible pictures of highest single drop waterfall in England; a spectacular photography setting. The waterfall is set behind The Green Dragon pub and was also an inspiration to William Wordsworth who visited the waterfall with his sister and wrote in 1799 “We walked up to the fall; and what would I not give if I could convey to you the feelings and images which were communicated to me?”
James Herriot – the Yorkshire Vet, wrote many books about his travels and adventures around the Yorkshire Dales. These descriptions of the stunning Yorkshire scenery were then brought to life in the television series based on his book; All Creatures Great and Small. Many of these inspirational views and locations provide stunning backdrops for Yorkshire wedding photographers.
The excitement of photographing landscapes, people and architecture with a 35mm film camera and not knowing until the film is developed if what I have seen through the lens would be captured, is unmatched. Shooting film well takes dedication – from checking the available light; composing the subject of your images patiently and carefully, and waiting until the exact moment to click the camera’s shutter. Film photography evokes a sense of nostalgia, it feels vintage and old-world glamorous to take film photographs during a reception. This is in some way because of the physical, tactile nature of the images that are produced – film photos have a beautiful, grainy aesthetic and so have a completely different look to those taken digitally. Getting to hold those images in your hands after they have been developed; seeing these pictures as real photographic prints makes them so much more authentic than just the image you see on a screen. The wait time for your film to be developed increases this feeling of importance, you are eager to see what you have created; and so those pictures become precious – you remember that feeling of longing, which in turn ensures you make the most of each and every exposure – especially on a wedding day.
Now I shoot the majority of my work; including weddings, with mirrorless, digital cameras which means I am able to instantly see the outcome of what I have captured. This; in turn; allows me to be more creative with my photography and increases the storytelling ability of my pictures; and also meaning I have more time to capture natural, emotive moments candidly. Creating an image is the job of a photographer; and a good wedding photographer does this exceptionally – this is their art. Shooting digitally gives immediate feedback as to how the picture looks. This allows me, as a wedding photographer, to add another layer of creativity with lighting, and angles as these cameras have such an increased capacity with added memory cards.
The increase in camera technology has now enabled me as a photographer to push the boundaries of what was once possible with slower shutter speeds, higher ISO, and greater quality RAW and jpeg files. Being able to bring all this experience and technical knowledge to a wedding day leads to better images and photography service overall.
Yorkshire Wedding Photographer – Joel Skingle
Soulful, timeless and romantic photos and film by award-winning Yorkshire wedding photographer
