Anna Pumer

Wedding | Last Updated: February 12, 2021

Hello! I’m Anna, a wedding photographer in Brighton, UK, specialising in fun, vibrant, happy wedding photography.

I live in a tiny colourful flat with my partner Todd (also a wedding photographer) and my two cats.

I’ve been shooting weddings since 2013. I used to be a sub-editor for various magazines in London, and didn’t have a camera, let alone any photography skills. Then I booked a month’s tour around The Rockies and got my first DSLR for the trip.

Instead of taking landscape shots of the most beautiful mountains in the world, I found myself photographing people, as I find them more interesting. One of my travelling buddies told me I was really good at capturing moments and that I’d make a great wedding photographer.

I’m the sort of person who jumps in feet first without a second thought, so that’s exactly what I did!

I love taking fun wedding photos. I don’t take life too seriously, and I think that makes my work (and the way I work) stand out.

I take the mickey out of people, laugh loudly, chat to everyone and basically blend right in as if I’m just another wedding guest.

I attract relaxed, colourful couples who want to have fun and be silly.

Since early 2019 I’ve shot all my weddings with Todd, as it turns out it’s loads of fun to shoot together, and allows us to be much more creative and relaxed – plus people seem to love having a fellow couple doing their photos.

When I’m not shooting weddings, I have a side hustle critiquing websites for photographers. It started as a favour a couple of years ago, and has now grown into a proper business, which I’m currently expanding to include all creatives.

I’ll still shoot weddings until my knees give in when I try to crouch down for speeches, but this is a fun way to work through winter and keep myself busy. I don’t like to sit still!

I’m totally not a gear-head – for me it’s all about the things I use allowing me to be creative. I’m a massive Fujifilm advocate though, because they’re small, light and allow me to be super creative and run around like an overexcited child at weddings.

Like many wedding photographers, I was shooting with a pair of Nikon D750‘s for years, but as soon as I tried a Fujifilm camera back in 2016, there was no question it was The One.

I started my Fujifilm journey with the X-Pro 2, which was a fab camera but had some issues – mostly the lack of tilt screen and the awkward lift-and-turn dials. Then came the X-T2, which was a revelation, with a higher-res EVF, a tilt screen and buttons and dials in all the right places.

This year I moved on to the X-T3 – it’s basically the same but better… and anything that makes life easier I’m on board with.

I generally stick to just one or two lenses most of the day, one on each camera, which means I’m spending more time watching people (and snaffling wedding cake) than changing lenses.

Cameras

I love my XT3‘s because it’s like they read my mind. Todd and I have named our cameras after dogs we’ve looked after while housesitting around the country – mine are Lola (Shih Tzu cross) and Stan (old English sheepdog), his are Rafi and Dido (Kokoni puppies), and I’ve covered mine with cat stickers – why wouldn’t you?

Lenses

I love my Fujifilm 18mm f/2 (27 equivalent) pancake lens, because it’s so tiny and light and discreet and means I can take cool up close documentary shots without anyone noticing.

Most of the time I shoot with a Fujifilm 35mm f/1.4 (50 equivalent) – it’s the perfect focal length for the way I shoot, I can get up close and chat while telling the story.

I also use the Fujifilm 56mm f/1.2 (85 equivalent) for portraits and some candids, which is just beautiful and makes everything look fab.

I have a Samyang 12mm f/2 (16mm equivalent) lens for the dancefloor, especially when it’s packed and I can get really close.

Lights/Triggers

Lighting-wise, I use 2 x Godox TT685F, which have inbuilt triggers and receivers, so I can do off-camera flash easily. I use bounce flash for dark rooms and backlit flash for dancing. I love these flashes because they’re easy to use, don’t need triggers, and they’re super cheap!

I work my kit hard, plus I drop things, and get them wet in the rain (like that time I had to shoot a wedding on one camera in Corfu after getting caught in a monsoon on the hen do and killing one of my XT2s).

Bags/Straps

I use a Vinta camera backpack: it’s beautiful, safe (back opening) and fits my gear perfectly, with no wiggle room! It also doesn’t look like a camera bag, so I’m less conspicuous.

I also use a Think Tank belt (that wedding guests call the Batman Belt) with a Think Tank pouch for holding lenses, cereal bars, etc. I’ve added 2 x Spider Holster plates to attach my cameras and have many things hanging off the belt – earplugs, batteries, memory cards and a lens cloth.

Hardware & Software

I use Photo Mechanic to cull as it makes it super easy to blitz through the thousands of photos I take, and Lightroom to edit. I have a preset that’s vibrant, colourful and punchy, which suits my photos.

I also love the Pomodoro app to make sure I actually get stuff done (it times your work time and your break time) and downloaded a cat memes app on my phone for editing breaks…

Misc.

Snacks are super important (I get hangry!) so I always have either Nairns Oat bars or Boka bars (appropriate name!) – these are the only ones I’ve found with no sugar (I quit four years ago although wedding cake will always be my kryptonite), and they’re super tasty and quick to throw down my throat between prep and ceremony!

My biggest tip for wedding photographers is to wear earplugs during the dancing portion of the day. It only takes a few minutes to cause permanent damage, and costs a tenner to get earplugs… I use Alpine PartyPlug earplugs (foam ones are worse than useless), which dampen the damaging tones and still allow you to have conversations.

Also, comfy shoes. They will make or break a wedding day for me. If my feet hurt, it makes me feel more tired and I flag really early. I wear Vans with squishy insoles (in my branding colours – hot pink, orange, teal and blue!) or black Nikes.

www.annapumerphotography.com | @annapumerphotography