Behind the lens: five minutes with irockvisuals

When did your passion for photography begin? How long have you been a wedding photographer? Growing up in my home town, Artvin, Turkey, I was always in awe of the natural beauty of the mountains, trees and wildlife. Moving to Bursa, a much larger city, and always being a creative, I learnt to breakdance and I found this such a passionate outlet for me, also keeping me well disciplined.

Meeting my wife, whilst she was on holiday in 2002 and then moving to England with her in 2005 allowed me to experience new cultures and see some amazing places. It was then that I started to take photo's. I enjoyed the editing, making a picture really come to life.

Friends and family kept telling me I had a real talent, especially with my use of light and suggested I follow the professional photography path. So, after much studying here I am. I started to photograph weddings in 2016 and have met some incredible people along the way.

What would you be doing if you weren't a wedding photographer? It would have to be something creative for sure. I qualified as a personal trainer and taught street dance to children in schools for a while until my photography really took off, but I love all things sporty. I also enjoy cooking and trying out new ideas with food, so who knows.....maybe a chef in my own restaurant.

What's your favourite part/moment of a wedding day to capture? I enjoy all of it, but I really like the time with the couples when I'm taking their 'alone' shots. It's a real moment of relaxation for all us without the chaos of lots of people around. Some of the speeches are a real eye opener too and I love to see the reactions to some of the comments!

What's one of your most treasured memories from photographing weddings? I think it has to be how spontaneous some of my couples can be during the photographing of their day. I've had a fair few treasured moments, however two really spring to mind.

I had one couple whose venue was based right next to a play park. The bride and groom were up there with the kids on the swings and zip line. Their smiles made for amazing and very different pictures.

I also had a very nervous bride and groom that thought they'd be really awkward during their photo's. By the end the bride was loving it and actually told me it was one of the favourite parts of their day. She was dragging her groom around trying all sorts of poses! Their wedding party and all the guests gave us a standing ovation as we left, which was amazing.

Any golden nuggets of advice you've learnt along the way? Never stop learning. It's amazing what you can learn from other people too. I like to see how other photographers work and I'm always studying and love trying new techniques with light and video.

What's your favourite film/food/song? My favourite food will always be Turkish! So much variety and always makes me think of home! Wherever I travel in the world I always compare the food to Turkey. I love R &B and Jazz, but to be honest I love most music so it's always on in the background. 

Find out more...
Eray and Claire Kaya
www.irockvisuals.com | eray_kaya1983@hotmail.com
Facebook: eraykayaphotography | Insta: irock_weddings