Our wedding Services

About Kam

For those of you who have booked Abraxas Photography or are thinking of doing so, the following interview with Kam is a useful insight in to the way he works and what he feels Abraxas Photography is all about. I also took the opportunity to ask what the word ‘Abraxas’ means?!

Seth: I first met Kam about six years ago when I was commissioned to produce a website for Abraxas Photography. I was really pleased when he kindly asked me to write a little bit about him for this latest website, so I suggested an interview which he was happy to do.

In 1996 after studying and working for other commercial and wedding photographers in Bedfordshire and London, Kam formed Abraxas Photography.

Kam: When I started this business I wanted to provide a service that would be professional, reliable and offer the very best customer service. My aim has always been to enjoy what I do and have time for my family.

I knew the hardest aspect would be to build a team that genuinely cared about the work and were highly motivated. I was teaching photography at the time and was fortunate to find two students with real potential whom I felt that I could work with. After a long training period, both Ed and Lesley have continued to work with me for many years, and have both become exceptional photographers.

Seth: Julie runs the office and is responsible for pretty much running the business; however I’ve always been impressed that one of her main roles is to ensure that client’s are dealt with professionally and efficiently. As she explained to me ‘we are working for possibly the single most important day in someone’s life’.

Kam: Julie’s background as a former Trading Standards Information Officer has helped us enormously as she is fully aware of rogue traders and bad service. She’ll use her previous experience and be up to date with new working practices to ensure our customers are looked after.

Another important aspect of Julie’s role is to source our range of products.

Seth: Kam hasn’t ‘sold out’ by offering potential clients inferior photographers to work for him. He’s simply turned work away or recommended other photographers when he has been booked. I’ve personally witnessed him at wedding shows telling people that he is fully booked for their wedding date even though their wedding isn’t for two years. By not using other photographers to work for him that must mean a loss in potential earnings?

Kam: ‘The temptation to use photographers I haven’t personally trained to cover my weddings has obviously been great, as I turn away many couples every year. The risk involved in trusting an untrained photographer, and possibly letting the client and Abraxas Photography down is not worth it. Other photographers may say that it’s bad business, but I’m not driven solely by the financial rewards.

In a few cases we have had couples plan their wedding date around my availability which is quite a compliment.

Seth: I asked Kam about the name ‘Abraxas’, its meaning and why that name?

Kam: I’ve had so many people ask me that question over the years. The word ‘Abraxas’ has several meanings depending on where you look, however as far as I’m concerned the word is a ‘mystical gem’. I believe it to be anything as long as it brings good luck.

The other reason for choosing ‘Abraxas’ was simply down to the business name beginning with the letter ‘A’. I thought this would help to get first listings in business directories! So I simply looked up an appropriate word in a dictionary! There are times though when I wish I’d gone for something much easier to remember and pronounce but it’s far too established to change it now.

Seth: Kam’s background in photography includes commercial photography and lecturing at colleges in Bedfordshire and London (which he really misses). But it is wedding photography that he really specialises in. Unlike others, he doesn’t claim to be a master of all trades and is an attitude that has to be admired:

Kam: I’m not a portrait photographer, I don’t shoot christenings or sports events as there are other photographers out there who have more experience in those fields.

Unfortunately too many photographers claim to be specialists in every form of photography. If you look at most photographers’ websites, they will do anything from weddings to underwater photography and claim to be experts in all fields.

Seth: By specialising in one area makes complete sense, I can see how it would give more confidence to those using you.

Kam: I don’t have the right equipment or in-depth knowledge to be a portrait, sports or wildlife photographer so I don’t pretend to be a professional in those fields.

Seth: When it comes to wedding photography Kam really comes in to his own and his expertise, experience and enthusiasm has to be seen to be believed.

In 2008 Kam was featured on Wedding TV’s flagship show ‘The Wedding Breakfast’ and won the award for ‘Most Creative Business’. In 2006 his wedding images were used by international giants Fuji, and in addition to this much of Kam’s work has been featured in magazines and wedding publications.

Seth: When I first met Kam I had no idea about wedding photography other than every family wedding photograph I have seen always looks so ‘cheesy’. Wedding photography was always quite boring to me until I’d learned about Kam’s approach and style.

The photography is ‘realistic’. By this I mean when Kam poses people for photos they are set in a relaxed and natural way.

Kam: ‘Over posing’ can look tacky and usually dates very quickly. The best images are those that look natural, where people are not embarrassed by looking at themselves doing something silly, cheesy and tacky. Too many photographers use photo manipulation software such as Photoshop to add effects. Photoshop is a fantastic tool when used properly, but most ‘photo effects’ date extremely quickly.

Seth: I asked Kam one final question, has the word ‘Abraxas’ bought good luck?

Kam: Fortunately yes! Like any business there are difficult times, but on the whole when I think back to some of the weddings I’ve shot there are a lot of memories that I’ve been responsible for preserving. The weddings I’ve shot and the albums that have been put together are going to be passed on for generations way beyond my years. How good is that?!