ABOUT ME
Hi there! I'm Ryo, the owner and photographer of Indigo Images.
I was born in Japan but grew up in the UK, and now live in Surrey with my partner.
We both love to travel and experience new places and cultures.
I've been passionate about photography since my teenage years when my uncle gave me his old film camera. After graduating with a BA(Hons) in Photography from university, I photographed fashion for while.
Since 2015 I adapted my skills and now run my own weddings and events photography brand Indigo Images.
Couples tell me I brought a relaxed, fun and happy vibe to their wedding day that put them and their guests at ease.
Your wedding is your unique story and I'd be honoured to tell your story through my photography.
I absolutely love what I do and can't wait to capture your special day!
"Yeah, but what are you really like?"
Fun, FRIENDLY, easy-going
WHEN I'M NOT PHOTOGRAPHING WEDDINGS YOU'LL FIND ME DOING:
|
☕️ At local cafes planning my next trips abroad
😶🌫️ Daydreaming about my bucket list activities
🏛️ Visiting Galleries and Museums
🥾 Going on long walks or hikes
✈️ Looking for planes in the sky
🥃 Whisky
📍 Geocaching
🛼 Rollerblading
🥘 Cooking (or eating!)
🎧 Chilling out listening to music
"But I'm so awkward in front of the camera"
I got you, I hate my picture being taken too.
I know that feeling of not wanting to have your photo taken, but trust me, there are certain moments in life that are worth capturing. From those special memories with loved ones to the unique personalities and emotions of those closest to us, photography is a way to bottle up and relive those moments forever.
I'm an easy-going, relaxed, and patient photographer who's here to make your experience as enjoyable as possible. I'm always happy to offer tips and advice and make sure you feel comfortable and every couple gets a complimentary pre-wedding shoot so that I'm not just a stranger with a camera turning up to your wedding.
With years of experience photographing amazing families and couples, I've helped capture memories that will be treasured forever. I believe in creating real, authentic images that truly capture the essence of a moment or day. And of course, I want to make sure you look and feel great in your photos! As my client, you'll be able to view beautiful images of yourself and feel confident knowing that I captured you at your best angle.
Trust me, you're going to look like the best version of you in front of my lens.
"What makes you unique?"
I strive to create meaningful, personalised images that authentically capture each couple's unique love story. My photography stands out due to the bespoke, documentary style approach I take.
I invest extensive time getting to know each couple on a deep level - their love story, personalities, values and vision. Through pre-wedding shoots and unlimited video calls, I aim to make them feel completely comfortable with me, like I'm an old friend there to document their journey. I learn what matters most to them so I can fully customise the process to match their wishes.
My goal is to capture the true essence of who they are as individuals and as a couple. I want their personalities to shine through vibrantly in the images. By taking the time to understand them, I'm able to craft photographs that reflect the intimacy, joy and meaning of their celebration. The images feel natural, candid and unscripted - telling the authentic story of their wedding day.
My images focus on real moments and emotions. Each photograph encapsulates the human connections, interactions and feelings that make a wedding meaningful.
My unique, bespoke approach has earned me consistent 5-star reviews. Many happy couples continue working with me for milestones like newborn shoots. I've also been honoured to be nominated by past clients for other photography awards.
I aim to create timeless photographs tailored to each couple.
KIND WORDS
AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING! What a fab photographer we had for our amazing day. Ryo really made our day special and the photos are incredible captured every part of the day perfectly!
Photographed and edited by me. not by AI
All the photographs I take are all edited by myself. I do not use AI based software such as Imagen AI or Aftershoot to do the editing.
Why is this important?
Because your wedding matters. You are not just hiring a photographer, you are hiring me. The art the photographer creates need to be bespoke and individual to you and your day. Each individual picture is selected and edited by me the 'old fashioned' way. The process of photographing your wedding is done with the exact vision of how I will edit it post production, it's not something I am willing to hand off to a computer to process.
In a world where things are getting harder to distinguish what's real or not, you can rely on me to make each images that I deliver authentic to you, without cutting any corners to 'get the job done'.
Where are you based and do you travel?
I am based in Hertfordshire just outside of London, UK and yes I love to travel! Any destinations 100 miles from Baldock, I will travel to for free. If you want me to photograph your story further afield it will require a travel fee depending on where it takes place. But no worries, I always try to find the most cost-effective way to get to your wedding.
What did you do before wedding photography?
I worked in fashion and advertising, mainly in London but also in the Netherlands and Germany as well.
You might have seen some of my photography in magazines and newspapers but you wouldn't have know they were my pictures.
When will we get our photos?
At peak season I aim to deliver all your photos within 8 weeks from your wedding day.
How will we receive our images?
You will get a personal and private gallery link, from where you can browse your full wedding and download all the photos as well as share them, choose your favourites, and also order prints! All the photos are provided in full quality with no watermarks.
How many pictures will we receive?
For a 10 hours coverage wedding, you will receive 900+ fully edited images. I always choose quality rather than quantity but I never artificially limit the amount of images delivered.
Do you edit the images?
Yes all images are both tonal and colour edited to make the pictures ‘pop’ and also in B+W. I am careful not to carry out extensive face/bodywork retouching in order to retain the natural feel.
How do we secure your services for the day?
I take bookings with a £300 deposit and provide a written contract, the terms of which we all understand and agree to.
Is a second photographer advisable?
I am confident in covering a wedding up to 120 people myself. Although getting that second angle and vision of the day can be really great as I can only be in one place at a time. Also perfect for covering the second prep location and reactions at the altar.
Do you have insurance?
Yes I am fully insured for both public liability and indemnity, and will be able to provide proof of insurance on request.
Do you supply wedding albums?
I believe I offer the best albums that are handmade in the UK. Please check out our albums page. We really don’t print images as much as we should. Our albums are leather bound and printed on archival paper that will hold the memories for a lifetime and even be handed down to the next generation.
Do you supply prints?
Yes! Special images should be printed and displayed. Every gallery comes with its own dedicated print store where you can select your image, and order prints directly to your door! Example Print Store:
https://gallery.indigoimages.co.uk/example/store/
How long is your full day coverage?
I work from morning preparation all the way through the cake cutting, first dance and into the evening celebrations. This is usually about ten hours depending on your needs.
What if we want more coverage over the allocated time?
No problem! I will make an individual customised quote just for you to cover all your needs.
What if your camera breaks on the day?
I carry at least one reserve for every piece of equipment to cater for any such eventuality. It's never happened yet but you never know.
How safe are my pictures from file loss and damage?
As soon as I return home, my memory cards are backed up locally to my private server and externally using a cloud backup system.
What equipment do you use?
All my equipment is tailored for wedding photography. Since 2017 I have used the Sony Alpha 9 series bodies and lenses from Sony and Carl Zeiss.
I need recommendation for suppliers, can you help?
Of course. with over 7 years experience in the industry I have worked with the best of the best! I will gladly point you in the direction of every supplier that I can personally recommend.
Can I pay by credit card?
Yes I accept credit card payment through Stripe or Paypal.
Do you supply USB Sticks?
USB's are available on request. As an effort to reduce e-waste I encourage all couples to use storage mediums they already own, as the last thing the world needs is more unnecessary products being made and shipped around the world.