Welcome to the 3rd part of my blog series looking back on the best photos from my 2013 weddings and a little bit of story behind each one.

I always ensure my bride and groom portraits are done soon after the ceremony. This is when the newly weds and I go off to a location away from the guests for 30-40 minutes of quality time to shoot some stress free, fun, natural shots of the happy couple. These are often the shots that mum and dad will have sitting on their mantlepiece, so they need to be good!

MK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding PhotographerMK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding Photographer This shot of Susan and Stewart is on one of the private beaches at Tunnels Beaches. I didn't have to give very much posing direction to Susan as she is a wedding photographer, no extra pressure on me then!!! In fact when I lay down on the ground to take this shot, Susan put her hand on her hip without me even suggesting and hey presto, a great pose and photo. Thanks Susan, I'll let you take the credit on this one!

MK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding PhotographerMK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding Photographer Another low down angle shot, so low I was almost eating the daisies! I do always bring a change of clothes to a wedding, just in case I get a bit mucky from laying on the ground. This is Robert and Pearl at Northcote Manor.

MK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding PhotographerMK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding Photographer If there is a nice sunset forming later in the day, I'll always suggest to the couple we go outside to get a few romantic sunset shots, just as long as it's not in the middle of the speeches though! This is Louise and Dave, pictured outside the Pier House in Westward Ho!.

MK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding PhotographerMK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding Photographer As I mentioned above, the shoot can also be fun. I'm always talking to the couple throughout the shoot, trying to make them laugh or get a reaction out of them that'll make a great shot. Dan is dutifully carrying Kirsty over the muddy grass to safety at Northcote Manor and of course I had to keep shooting!

MK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding PhotographerMK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding Photographer Nicola and Darren were such bubbly characters and a real joy to shoot. Here they are on the beach at Tunnels Beaches. This is one of the first photos I took during the session and a good example of a relaxed natural looking couple still a bit giddy with love after their ceremony. I love the expression on Nicola's face and the way Darren is confidently postured. Combined with lovely natural light and white fluffy clouds, this image it is a real favourite of mine.

MK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding PhotographerMK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding Photographer Sometimes we don't get any aforementioned lovely light, sun or fluffy clouds. This is North Devon after all! Yes, sometimes we encounter rain at a wedding, even during the bride and groom shoots. When this happens, a plan B is needed. Usually an alternative location, preferably indoors in the dry, or like here at High Bullen Country Hotel with Nicola and Ian and some umbrellas. Luckily they were keen to still have the shoot outdoors and when prompted started their rendition of 'Singing in the Rain'.

MK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding PhotographerMK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding Photographer Another example of shooting at sunset. Claire and Paul are pictured here at Ocean Kave in Westward Ho!, another personal favourite. I have this photo as the opening image on my website home page, thats how much I like it.

MK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding PhotographerMK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding Photographer We didn't have a sunset for this shot, just some angry looking clouds, but Liz and Richard made up for it with this lovely shot overlooking Croyde Beach. 

MK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding PhotographerMK Collins Photography, North Devon Wedding Photographer As if to hammer home the point one more time about sunset shots, I present this photo taken on a chartered boat along the River Dart near Dartmouth of Deniece and James. Like the last couple of shots above, you can see I occasionally like the bride and groom to face away from the camera for a little bit of variety, and not because they're fed up looking at me, honest!