Chocolate Chip Photography
Wedding | Last Updated: February 12, 2021
Hi! We’re Chris and Shazia, a husband and wife team based in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.
Chris graduated from university with a degree in Media Production, and started his career setting up and running the media department for Nissan. Since then, he has worked in various locations around the world for BBC, ITV, Sky, Jaguar and UEFA… just to name a few.
In 2012 he and Shazia decided the time was right to set up Chocolate Chip Photography.
Chris LOVES films. His fascination with storytelling is embedded into the core of Chocolate Chip Photography. He gets much of his inspiration from movies.
Shazia always had an interest in photography but pursued Film and Television production in university graduating with both a BA and a Masters degree.
Soon after graduating Chris bought Shazia a DSLR and soon after she began photographing weddings.
Shazia finds most of her photography inspiration from art, fashion and film. She is the quieter, stealthier side of Chocolate Chip Photography. Her clients call her the blue ninja (because of her hair) because they never see her on their wedding day. She’s everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
For us, there’s nothing more important than family and that’s exactly what Chocolate Chip is… a family. Chris and Shazia have great relationships with their clients that transcend the typically client/photographer barrier. Our clients are now friends and our relationship with them is something that is extremely important to us.
Our work is commonly described by our couples as ‘Something a bit different.’
Cameras
• Canon 5D Mark IV (x2) – This was a game changer for us. The live view feature has allowed us to work a lot faster and shoot from difficult angles, and also with the cameras away from our faces we can capture people more naturally.
• Canon 5D Mark III (x2) – A real workhorse of a camera!
• Mint InstantFlex TL70 – Just for some instant film fun!
Lenses
• Canon 24-105mm f/4 – a very versatile lens we use a lot for larger group shots and shots on the dance floor.
• Sigma Art 35mm f/1.4 – great lens for reportage during the day and cinematic portraits.
• Sigma Art 50mm f/1.4 – My favourite focal length! I love using this lens for portraits.
• Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 – A very useful lens for when we have to get sneaky with shy guests, but also a great lens for portraits too!
• Canon 100mm f/2.8 – For detail shots.
• Canon 85mm f/1.8 – Great for sneaky shots in lower light conditions.
• Petzval 58 Bokeh Control Art Lens – For when we’re feeling fancy and want that lovely creamy bokeh.
Lights/Triggers
• LED Light panel
We prefer to use ambient light where we can but for winter weddings and evening shots we get creative with our flash guns for action shots on the dance floor. We also occasionally use an LED panel if we need an extra pop in a portrait session without affecting the ambient light too much.
Bags/Straps
• SpiderPro Dual Camera System (x2) – We love our Spider belts! Not only do they save our backs and necks from any pain after a long day, they allow us to be more hands-on with our clients without the worry of having a camera swinging around and potentially breaking.
Misc.
We always have a few protein bars in our bags because weddings are full on, long days and we always need a snack to keep us going! A sewing kit, plasters and scissors are also a part of Shazia’a kit and they always come in handy during bridal prep.
Our biggest piece of advice would be to be yourself!
The minute we started being ourselves in our business we became a lot happier with our work and attracted more clients who were like us. This leads to better relationships with your clients which, to us, is just as important as the photographs themselves.
www.chocolate-chip.co.uk | @chocolatechipphotography
Check out these 8 essential tools to help you succeed as a professional photographer.
Includes limited-time discounts.
