Supplier Spotlight: Manu Mendoza Photography

It's always SO lovely to meet people who are enthusiastic and passionate about what they do. And NEVER has this been more true than with Hampshire based photographer, Manu Mendoza. Spanish born Manu is quite clearly head over heels in love with shooting weddings, or as he likes to call them 'Love Stories' - how sweet is that?! So without further ado, I'll pass you over to our recent interview with the man himself - trust me, it's impossible not get swept up in this guys zest and fervour for photography! 1. Introduce yourself, and your business. Hola! I’m Manu, a photographer originally from Madrid (Spain) and based in Fleet (Hampshire), where I run Manu Mendoza Wedding Photography, aiming to tell true LOVE STORIES.

2. Why did you start your business? And how long has it been going? Well, I’ve been taking pictures as a hobby since 2001 while I was finishing my photography degree. I decided to become a full time professional photographer five years ago, in 2010. At the beginning I started shooting fashion editorials and look-books for several brands and fashion designers. However, fate brought me to the United Kingdom. When I arrived I saw that weddings here are very very different from the current trends and traditions that you can come across in Spain so I started to be really intrigued by wedding photography. I joined some courses about the subject and I loved it. What I am more passionate about my approach to wedding photography is that I can apply my fashion photography background with the artistic sense that I have inside of my to tell true love stories, to cherish for a lifetime. So, this is how and why I ended up setting up Manu Mendoza Wedding Photography, and I’m really proud of it :D. 3. What is your greatest achievement to date? My greatest achievement is very simple, but at the same time is what I’m most proud of. Maybe you would expect that I’m gonna talk about an award or a professional goal. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate those achievements too but they would mean nothing if you don’t have somebody to share them with. I do love to know that after a hard day at work somebody is waiting for me at home, don’t you?. For this reason, my biggest achievement is my partner. Since I meet him nine years ago I’m a different person (a better one) and I do feel complete. Do you know an old song called “Nature Boy” by jazz singer Nat King Cole? Well, the lyrics mean the world for me: “The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return”. I know, maybe it sounds a little bit corny, but without a doubt it’s an universal truth. What’s the point working everyday from nine to nine if you have nobody waiting for you or to share your life with? Sometimes we are way too focused on things that are simply not that important. Do yourself a favour and think about it :D. 4. How would you describe your photography style? My style is storytelling. I do love telling LOVE stories through my images. I work very hard to find those moments which not many people can see. Glances, expressions… My aim is to make you cry of pure joy when you see your photographs for the very first time. And not just the wedding day but the engagement too. For me is very important to know my couples really well and to give them an all-inclusive service that I named ‘the experience’. I need to make my clients feel special because it’s not just a very important next step in their lives, it’s quite stressful too. For this reason I work really hard to make my clients feel at ease during the process and giving them a part of me, something that they will never forget. Not just photography, a whole experience. 5. What is your favourite season to shoot a wedding in? I’m afraid I don’t have a favourite season to shot a wedding. Each season is beautiful to tell a love story. We all know that the majority of the weddings take place in the “wedding season”, from May to September, but what about a wedding during a snowy December? Or during a rainy March? Each season has its own charms! I can’t think of something more romantic and beautiful than an engagement photo-session under the rain or an autumn wedding day with leaves falling down. 6. Describe your dream wedding couple. They are people who appreciate photography and they are willing to invest in memories. Some of them are shy, some of them don’t like to have their picture taken while others are more extroverted. They come from different countries, they have different cultural backgrounds and finally, they love his/her partner regardless of gender. They usually have one thing in common, they have never worked with a professional photographer before but they want to have their LOVE story documented in a unique and artistic way. 7. Where would you love to shot a wedding in? I would love to shot a wedding in Ibiza, Majorca or Minorca. I think Balearic Islands are the perfect setting for a romantic and an ideal wedding. Or Seville, one of the most romantic places I’ve ever visited. Also, I fell in love with Wales and the South West of England during my last trips through the UK so I would definitely love to shot a wedding there. However, as I said before the season or the place is not the most important thing. People are. 8. From your industry experience, what’s your top tip for couples? My top tip would be to do what you want and stick to it. Wedding preparations are very stressful and sometimes everybody wants to have their say. Usually, brides find themselves forced to listen to and do what their closest family members say. Don’t get me wrong, your closest family members’ opinion matters but I believe that your wedding must be as you desire, your own way. For example, I heard about a bride who wanted to have their wedding in the forest, in a natural and fairy setting (love the idea! don’t you?). Also, they wanted a closest friend as a celebrant and have ‘the legal stuff’ done before at a registry. The problem was that the bride’s parents were kind of religious and wanted their daughter to get married traditionally, in a church. What would you do? The point is that obviously we all don’t want to disappoint our parents but at the same time we have to have our say in our own wedding. I think that the most important thing about your wedding day is that years after your big day you mustn’t regret about anything you did. Therefore, if you want a fairy wedding, go for it! 9. What do you think is one of the most common mistakes couples make with their wedding photography? Common mistake: couples usually aren’t aware of how important memories are. Years after your wedding day you will look back and as I said the most important thing is that you regret nothing about that lovely day. Having a professional that captures that day truly and makes you feel confident is a must. There are plenty of talented professionals out there, you just have to find the one that makes your heart tick. 10. What can we expect to see from you in the future? Easy, LOVE STORIES! You will see lots of them. I’m always pushing myself to capture love stories in a different way. Additionally, I’m teaming up with the best wedding suppliers in Hampshire to offer the best experience to my brides-to-be. 11. What is it you enjoy most about your job? I must say I’m blessed being the witness of so much love. I’m really fortunate of taking part of every single wedding or engagement session. I do love meeting new people and couples with different personalities, backgrounds etc… I enjoy helping them as much as I can and more! I’ve been a professional photographer for a long time but now, telling only love stories is when I feel happier. Seeing a newly wed couple crying the first time they see their pictures is… I don’t know, it makes me speechless! It’s much more rewarding than anything. You can find further info here or by following me on my social networks: ‣ Blog: http://www.manumendoza.com/blog-hampshire-wedding-photographer ‣ Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/manumendozaphoto ‣ Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/manumend0za ‣ Google+: http://plus.google.com/+Manumendoza ‣ Pinterest: http://uk.pinterest.com/manumend0za