That's what has always drawn me to weddings. Not the details, although they're beautiful. Not the schedule, although months of planning have gone into it. It's the people. The relationships and the moments that could never happen with anyone else.

One of the first things couples often say to me is, "We're really awkward in front of the camera." I completely understand. Most of us aren't used to being photographed, so it's easy to imagine spending the day wondering what to do, where to look or whether you're smiling the right way.

Over the years, I've learnt that people don't relax because they're told to relax.

They relax because they trust the person standing behind the camera.

That's why getting to know each other matters so much to me. By the time your wedding arrives, I don't want you to feel like there's a photographer following you around. I simply want you to feel that Ian is there. Someone you know, someone you trust and someone who's quietly looking out for you. When you stop thinking about the camera, you're free to enjoy the people around you, and that's when the photographs become their most honest. I don't create those moments. I simply recognise them when they happen.

One of my favourite compliments from couples is, "How did you get that? I didn't even know you were there." I always smile when I hear it, not because I was trying to disappear, but because it tells me you spent your wedding exactly as you should have done: laughing with friends, hugging family and being completely present with the people you love.

That's always been my hope.

Not simply to create beautiful photographs, but to give you the freedom to enjoy your wedding without feeling as though you're performing for a camera.

As the years pass, something else happens.