When you book a wedding photographer, you're trusting them with something that can’t be repeated. Moments that happen once, people all in one place, and a day that moves fast. So beyond how your photos look, it really matters how carefully they’re looked after.
This post explains, in plain English, what I do to make sure your wedding photos are kept safe at every stage - from the moment I press the shutter to long after I get home.
Three cameras, not one
As a professional London wedding photographer, I bring three professional camera bodies to every wedding.
I mainly shoot on two cameras throughout the day, with a third ready to go if needed. Cameras are very reliable, and I’ve never had one fail at a wedding (this has never happened, but it could) - but equipment is still equipment, and things can go wrong.
Having three cameras means I’m never relying on a single body, or even just one backup. If one camera were to malfunction, I can switch instantly and keep shooting without missing anything.
Dual card slots - every photo saved twice
Every camera I use has dual card slots. That means every single photo is written to two memory cards at the same time.
If one card were to become corrupted (this has never happened, but it could), there is already a complete copy on the second card. This isn’t a backup done later - it happens in real time as I’m shooting.
So from the moment your photos are taken, they already exist in two places.
Separating the cards before i leave
At the end of the wedding, before I leave the venue, I remove the backup cards from my cameras.
Those cards go straight into a card wallet, which I keep safely in my breast pocket. The primary cards stay in the cameras, inside my camera bag.
This means your images are physically separated. Even in a worst‑case scenario - like my camera bag being lost or stolen (this has never happened, but it could) - your photos are still with me and protected.
Backing everything up as soon as i get home
When I get home, it doesn’t matter how late it is. Your images are transferred straight away.
I copy the photos to:
my main working hard drive
a separate backup hard drive
a secure cloud server
Why this matters
Most couples never ask about this stuff, and that’s completely understandable. You shouldn’t have to worry about it.
But I think part of being a professional wedding photographer is quietly taking responsibility for the things you never see. Redundancy, backups, and systems that are in place just in case.
Your wedding photos matter. They’re not just files - they’re memories, family history, and moments you’ll come back to for decades. I treat them that way from start to finish.