David Cullimore

Hey there! I’m Dave, the man behind David Cullimore Photography. I’m a wedding photographer based in Buckinghamshire, UK.

My style is mainly documentary with some couple shots thrown in for good measure.

I’ve always been creative and have loved art right from an early age. It wasn’t until 20 years later that I realised I should have stuck with that instead of going down the path of an IT career…

I built up a career in IT which was always interesting and exciting, with plenty of new tech coming out constantly. I’m a bit geeky and love tech and gadgets/gear!

In the back of my mind though, I knew I wanted to do something creative – I was just never sure what exactly.

It wasn’t until several years later that I really wanted to get a DSLR for my holidays. A delayed flight to New York for a friend’s wedding and compensation in the form of a wad of cash, and I quickly headed to the duty-free shop to buy myself that DSLR I had been looking at for months (Canon 500D).

Of course, this was the usual “I’ve got a great camera but no idea how to use it” scenario and I ended up taking several pictures with no clue as to what I was doing. But that’s where it began, my love for photography and the drive to constantly improve.

Fast forward a few years: I was asked by my wife’s boss if I’d photograph their wedding! Nothing like a bit of pressure… 😊

After that, a second shooting and a few gigs of my own got my portfolio building, learning a huge amount along the way and now running my business full time for the last year and a half.

What I love about being a wedding photographer is that while there is generally the same sort of things going on, there’s always some challenge or an opportunity to be creative.

I try not to deliver the same thing over and over and I’m always tweaking my setup and trying new techniques, experimenting with ideas that may or may not work. Why didn’t I do this sooner!

I’m a pretty laid-back guy (some say horizontal) so I like to keep things relaxed on the day, which hopefully makes things like the couple shots go smoothly and they can enjoy that moment together rather than me posing them in some weird awkward position.

One part of the couple’s day I really enjoy is the party, where I can get right in there on the dance floor. It’s part of their day and I don’t see why you’d want to leave so soon after the first dance. The best stuff happens later!

My Gear:

Canon 5D Mark III – I have two of these. My original workhorses, but one is now sat there as a backup.

I’ve always loved the way Canon gear fits in my hand. It’s comfortable and easy to use, so I’ve always stuck with Canon. Still a great camera, although I think I might get another EOS R or whatever Canon’s next iteration of the R series is.

Canon EOS R – There’s a lot of hate online for this camera but I love it. Yeah, there aren’t two card slots, I know! I take several precautions, backups, etc, on that front. But… the AF is leaps and bounds ahead of the 5D Mark III.

It also feels great in the hand – I’ve tried the Sony A9 and didn’t like it mainly for that reason. I’ve tried the Fuji although not the latest Fuji X-T3, which I liked, but I still come back to Canon every time.

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 – This was my first piece of L glass, which I occasionally use if needs must. I’m looking to trade this in for the Canon EF 24mm f/1.4 as I only use the 24mm end these days if the room/dancefloor is small.

Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 – If I could only ever use one lens, this would be it. I probably use this lens for 90% of the day. It’s just a fantastic lens. Attached to the Canon EOS R; I just love this setup.

Canon EF 85mm f/1.4 – This is my go-to lens for portraits. It’s a beast and as it’s on my Canon 5D Mark III it’s heavy. But it makes things sooo pretty!

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 – I rarely use this lens but I still carry the thing around with me. It’s got me out of a few tight spots recently where I’ve been relegated to the back of the church or told I must not move from my spot during the church ceremony. So, while I keep wanting to sell it, I keep having situations where it’s saved me on more than one occasion. I may be brave enough to sell it one day.

Godox V850 II – I have four of these but generally only use three unless I really need to expand the setup. I think I’ve only ever used TTL once in my life, so that’s why I opted for manual flashes.

The best thing about these is the battery life – it lasts for ages and if they do need charging, they are quick. Secondly, they have built-in receivers, so no separate receivers floating about in my bag. All controlled by the Godox X Pro C.

MagMod – These modifiers are such a great invention. I use the grids mainly and occasionally the gels and MagSphere. They are really flexible so you can add multiple together easily. And then they can be stuffed in my bag at the end of the night without me worrying about breaking them. I need more MagMod stuff! 😊

Manfrotto 1051BAC Mini Compact Stands – These stands are really durable and relatively lightweight; one of the best investments I’ve made over the years. They haven’t failed me yet.

Spider Holster SpiderPro DCS V2 – I have a love/hate relationship with this. It’s great in that my shoulders and back are not destroyed by the end of a full wedding day. But I’m constantly having to tighten the thing, and it also likes to start pulling my trousers down, depending on how I have it around my waist. Now I simply have one camera on my shoulder and one on my hip held by this holster, which seems to be working out better.

Torch – Used to help focus for any night shots, if it’s pitch black. And then for finding our way back to the venue.

Dell XPS 15 – I’m not an Apple fanboy; I love the iPhone and the iPad, they work well, but Mac OS makes me want to throw the thing out of the window. Plus, cost to power ratio this machine is a bargain compared to anything with a shiny Apple logo on it.

Oh, and when I upgrade my OS so it doesn’t break Lightroom!

Coffee flask – I seriously couldn’t survive without coffee. I love my coffee! On that note, time for a coffee…

www.davidcullimore.com | @david_cullimore