Phil Barnes Photography

Phil Barnes has portrait photography down to a fine art!As a keen amateur photographer myself, when it came to organising a photographer to shoot our wedding, my wife-to-be insisted that I take on that particular duty, and start the process very early, as I was likely to be incredibly fussy.I spent many days scouring the internet, looking through a lot of decidedly average photographers, before coming across Phil’s work, which is stunning, and absolutely speaks for itself. After making a shortlist of photographers (of which Phil was right at the top), I made contact and was absolutely delighted when he said he was available and willing to shoot our wedding.Phil suggested beginning with an engagement shoot as a means to both get to know him as a photographer, and also to get comfortable in front of the camera. Having done a fair amount of portrait photography myself (including a few weddings actually) I was reasonably happy with the ins-and-outs of a photo shoot, but neither me nor my wife-to-be had spent much time on the other side of the lens, so found it to be a very useful exercise. And the photos Phil shot on the North Norfolk coast were works of art!If you’re reading this review you’re probably already aware that Phil Barnes can take stunning portrait photographs, so I’ll try and concentrate on a few of the other aspects.Firstly, the engagement shoot was highly beneficial, as he directed us a lot during that, teaching us how to act naturally in front on the camera, meaning that on the wedding day itself, he didn’t have to direct us much at all.In terms of organisation, Phil spoke to us a lot in preparation (both in person and via email) and he went above and beyond to understand the nature of our wedding, and ensure that our personalities were reflected in the photos he took. We wanted something fun and personal. He understood that implicitly, ensuring that aspects of the day were captured naturally, and in the documentative style we discussed.Watching him work on the day was fascinating. For most of the day, Phil managed to stay remarkably unobtrusive, beautifully capturing life from the sidelines, but seamlessly changing gears when it came to portraits and groups shots, ensuring the key photos were captured expertly, without looking posed.In terms of the package, we went for a two photographer set-up, with Peter Meade being second shooter. Whether you choose to hire Phil or not, if you are employing a wedding photographer my biggest piece of advice would be to have two photographers. There is only so much one person can capture, and having key events like the ceremony and speeches shot from multiple angles makes an absolute world of difference. Peter was excellent, and given Phil’s level of professionalism and eye for detail, I have no doubt any other photographer that Phil would bring as a second shooter would also be of a very high calibre.In total we received over 800 beautifully edited pictures back from Phil. I’d describe myself as having a critical eye — typically, when I get back from a long shoot, I’m lucky to find a dozen or so shots which I am really pleased with — but Phil’s final edited batch contained a mind-boggling number of breathtakingly good photos!From the get-go, Phil did everything he possibly could to provide the best possible package for us. He’s a highly experienced photographer with a phenomenal eye for a beautiful shot. He gets to know his subjects and understands their needs like few photographers I’ve met before, perfectly balancing his expert professionalism with his warm personality.Phil Barnes is the kind of photographer other photographers want to hire. I would not hesitate to recommend Phil to anyone looking to hire a portrait photographer for any occasion. And if he’s available to shoot your wedding, quite frankly, I can think of nobody I would recommend more.

We are absolutely chuffed to bits with the photos Phil took for us recently. We convinced him to drive a very long way, and he was with us for nearly the whole day! He took photos of our daughter (8 months old) and us around our house and outside on our farm. It was so relaxed and wonderful to have photos taken in our own environment because it felt like he captured us as we really are. Each photo is a real treasure. We would definitely recommend Phil to anyone who is considering hiring his services! You won't be disappointed :-)

Phil is a talented photographer. His candid reportagestyle shots captured the atmosphere of our wedding, allowing us to relive it time and time again. Those who'd seen the finished result said they felt like they were there. He kept calm and cheerful, which is so important on this kind of day. One of my favourite photos is one I wasn't sure I wanted on the day but we put our trust in Phil and are so glad we did. I still can't get over how great the photos are. Surpassed my expectations and would recommend Phil highly for any special occasion.

Phil joined my family for a special birthday celebration and I cannot praise him enough. His photos are an utter delight and really captured who we are, individually and in our relationships. Phil himself is just an incredibly delightful person to be around. He put everyone at ease, answered questions from those who have an interest in photography, remembered our names (there were 8 of us!), adored the dog and made every single point of contact (in person and by email) easy and enjoyable. I honestly can't recommend him enough and everyone in my family feels the same way. Thank you Phil.

Phil is an excellent photographer and really goes that extra mile to make sure that he gets all the right shots. He is amazingly creative and comes up with original ways to set up the photos. Most of all he is incredibly patient, flexible and understanding of what you are after especially when it comes to getting that perfect photo. Which makes for a very personal service with the finest attention to detail in his work.

I would definitely recommend a photography session with Phil! He was great throughout - very responsive to my initial emails, flexible and accommodating in rearranging location and day at my request and due to the weather and fantastic at the shoot! The whole family commented on how great he was - friendly, funny, energetic, knowledgeable - he made everyone feel at ease and the photos reflect this, they are great. Quick turn around in editing photos and what a great way to treasure our family reunion. Thank you Phil!

I have recently used Phil Barnes for a photo shoot and found him to be very professional, dynamic and excellent value. I would highly recommend him to others.

I chose Phil Barnes to do my newborn son's first photoshoot and I couldn't be happier with the photos. He was very patient with my baby- even gave him time to have a nap in the middle of the shoot! The photos are beautiful and they arrived on DVD, wonderfully presented in a personalized case and 'Phil Barnes photography' box. I would definitely recommend Phil for family photoshoots!

As a business we were so lucky to find Phil Barnes Photography. Not only is Phil a tremendous photographer, he's also unfailingly kind, patient, friendly and has a cracking sense of humour. As a small boutique holiday let business, we needed to replace all my 'iphone' photos of our properties with proper 'hotel standard' internal and external shots with the 'wow' factor ready for our new website and also for our Airbnb pages. We could not have asked for more or better. Phil went the extra mile on each occasion and we loved his focussed creativity and mission to get the best shots possible. We are absolutely thrilled with them all. On top of that, Phil innovated with drone footage so soon visitors to our new website will be able to click a link and 'walk through' each apartment and cottage as though in real time. With such a focussed attitude, commitment to detail and very reasonable pricing structure, we will continue to use Phil Barnes on all of our property developments in 2022. Needless to say, very highly recommended! Louise Thorley, p@ds Ltd.

Phil is both a fantastic photographer but a genuinely great chap!Do not underestimate the importance of having a cool calm and experienced photographer for your big day, he will probably be the person you spend the most amount of time with!!Our day would not have been as special without him there. What we didn't expect was the guidance and help he gave us throughout the day, little things you could never plan for, but with his wealth of experience he guided us through.Nothing was too much trouble, he was genuinely excited when he found a 'good spot' for a photo or captured a great moment.He stayed longer and worked harder than we could ever have imagined.Prompt, smart, professional throughout, and like a master of his art sneaking effortlessly within our marquee without being noticed.Book him, you will not be disappointed!