Supplier Focus: Ahuvi Photography

Here at Whitewed, we love seeing businesses grow, and we are lucky to have so many talented and ambitious business owners on our directory. 

This month we asked Jonathan Lockwood of Whitewed approved Ahuvi Photography to tell his super successful business story.  Jonathan is a hugely talented Photographer who really captures the spirit of your wedding day in bright and vibrant imagery.  Jonathan is professional and has a lovely natural way to put you at ease, he also enjoys being creative with his photography, as you will find out!

Here he shares how and why he started his business, what proud moments and challenges he has achieved and faced, how he made lockdown work for him, and what 2021 has in store...

Tell us about Ahuvi Photography, the photographer behind it and what you offer

I know what you’re thinking – ‘Ahuvi’, that’s an unusual name. Why is it called that? Well, Ahuvi means ‘My Beloved’ and I chose it because it was short, unique and had a beautiful meaning.

I’m Jonathan Lockwood, owner of Ahuvi, and I just love capturing weddings and providing quality, creative photography with a professional but fun approach.

What made you take the plunge and go for it?

A few years previous to starting Ahuvi, I tried to set up a wedding photography business with someone I knew already in marketing. He wanted to make a big business, offering everything from photography, video, to invitations and more. I on the other hand wanted to concentrate on just the photography, to do it right and do it well, but he wanted me to run the whole business. I knew it wasn’t right, so I stepped away thinking that’s the end of my dream (of course, we are still both friends). But I still had a desire in my heart to run a photography business, although I just didn’t know how.

Another friend of mine, who also loved photography, asked me if I’d set up a business with him. A little wary I went away and thought on it. I knew I had to do it, but I knew it had to be me driving it forward. He never did join me (except as a second photographer on a couple of occasions), but he gave me that spark of inspiration to go for it myself.

What have you loved so far?

There are two things that I love – interacting with people and being creative. Photographing weddings is the best combination, as I get to chat to guests and help them feel welcome and relaxed, and then I get to play creatively with my cameras and during editing.

I love it when guests think that I must be a relative of the couple (when in fact I’ve only met them perhaps once or twice before) because I feel I capture better images by engaging with people. I also love seeing a couple make their vows and feel honoured to be there to capture it.

I especially love it when a couple ask for one of my ‘cinematic poster pics’, giving ideas for a movie theme that I can then spend time designing after capturing a cleverly posed image on the day, adding all sorts from lightsabres, to magical wands, to Captain America’s shield!

What challenges have you faced that you weren’t expecting? How have you overcome them?

My initial challenge of starting a photography business was that I had no equipment and no money. I borrowed a camera here, a lens there, installed a 30-day trial of photoshop on one computer here, then downloaded it again on another computer I borrowed – for me it was literally ‘beg, steal and borrow’ (although, I would never really steal!).

As I grew, I would plough whatever I earnt into the business, buying second-hand gear to begin with until I could purchase the pro camera and lenses. It took time, I didn’t believe in loans. If I was going to do this it had to be based upon my own efforts to know that it was legitimate for me. I think that initial challenge has prepared me for any challenges that follow – if you know you can make it with nothing, you know that you can find a way to overcome what’s ahead.

Has there been anything that you were expecting to find tough but it’s not been that bad?

Moving to Salisbury, Wiltshire! I moved here from Kent two years ago now and absolutely love the area. But when all your clients and work has been based elsewhere it can be very difficult to rebuild in a new area. The hardest part of that is being known, it takes time to meet new people and for them to discover your photography.

I guess it’s not been that bad as I still have wedding bookings all across the south of the UK, but I have found that I am now starting to be known and recommended locally. The joy of doing a good job for one wedding is that you’ll generally find that their friends then book you.

A little birdie tells me you’ve been super busy during lockdown with a new service, do tell us all about it.

So when the first lockdown hit I had no choice but to temporarily close to look after my gorgeous little boy. Weddings were postponed until the end of the year or year after.

Photography has become such a part of my life that I just couldn’t possibly give it up, so I had to look for a way to use it during this unexpected season. A friend in Swindon mentioned doing 360 virtual tours for businesses and schools, as it was perfect way for them to welcome customers into their venues safely and allow them to explore and get an immersive view. Since then I have been busy photographing lots of schools and businesses, helping them to still connect with potential parents and clients when the current conditions make that very difficult or even impossible.

Can you imagine visiting your list of prospective wedding venues from the comfort of your own home all in an evening? I have even set up a way for venues to give a live guided tour to couples with video chat within the tour. It’s been a great learning experience. You can find it at http://360.ahuvi.co.uk. 

How else have you expanded from your original offering and why?

I have had couples ask me at wedding fairs if I do a ‘rustic style’ of photography. Now, normally I do a more vibrant style, but that has now begun to change.

I did a wedding for the son of a good friend of mine last year who specifically asked for a rustic look, so we spent time back and forth playing with settings to get them the look they wanted. But since that wedding I have found so many couples are asking for that specific look that I think I’ve only had a couple of ‘vibrant style’ weddings since! And because I’m someone who loves to make the whole process of wedding photography, from start to finish, an enjoyable experience I have adapted to the needs of each client and offer either the vibrant or the rustic look when taking bookings.

How important is your community of wedding supplier friends to your business?

I always love working with others and being able to recommend them. In Kent I built up some great friendships with other suppliers, including great photographers (we would occasionally refer each other when we couldn’t cover a specific date). In Wiltshire I am once again slowly getting to know suppliers here and have been able to recommend some of them to upcoming weddings and have even worked with some on weddings and in helping them (just recently working with the fantastic Lennox at Misters Discos (a Whitewed Trusted Supplier) to help capture images and video of his DJ setup for his new website).

I always believe having good links with others is essential.

Who cheers you on?

My Wife is my biggest support, she’s fantastic. But I always find that most of my support comes from previous weddings. They’re the ones who publish articles in wedding magazines with my photos, they’re the ones who constantly tell all their friends about me. I’ve very grateful for the friendships that have come about because of photographing a couple’s wedding and I always then love seeing them at another friend’s wedding.

When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?

At first, I wanted to be an Airline Pilot. But once my youthful imaginations had come back down to earth (see what I did there…) I realised I wanted to work in photography since spending all my days in the darkroom at college - yes, I was the nerd who spent his lunchbreaks in there trying all sorts of different photographic techniques! I’ve always loved doing creative things – design, video, building treehouses! I honestly couldn’t think of doing anything else. This job is just me to a tee. Although, I do wonder what it would be like to be an actor…?

What is the best advice you’ve been given?

When I started my business I loved looking at other photographers’ styles and seeing if I could reproduce and try out different creative techniques. One photography company I admired was based in Indonesia – they just had such great skill in capturing images. So I decided to get in touch and ask for some tips. The owner, a man called David, was such a wonderfully humble guy that he took the time to write back to me and give me some incredible advice.

Apart from the usual ‘always seek to grow your skills’, he mentioned that who I am and the values I live by should be what governs what I do. Doing good for others, being hospitable and serving, treating each person with value and respect and then applying my annoying habit of wanting things to be perfect, always trying new things and playing around until I can master something or get it right.

What’s especially interesting is that the name Ahuvi, when I first discovered it whilst searching online, had a paragraph that summed up its meaning:

“A family people, love harmony, giving, good, noble, concern for others is their top priority, talented and creative with a tendency to perfection” – it was as if the name was somehow meant for me.

In your day to day role, what can’t you live without?

I know what you’re thinking – he’s going to say ‘camera’! But as I’ve mentioned before, I’ve done this once before without any gear.

I think the one thing I truly can’t do without is ‘faith’.

Faith in myself to do the best I can, faith to press on when it’s tough, and faith that I can provide for my family (especially during a pandemic!). But also a faith in something greater than myself. It keeps me grounded. It keeps me going.

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It's been a delight to learn more about you and your business Jonathan, thank you for sharing your Ahuvi Photography story so far with us. We so admire you and all that you've achieved - and we can't wait to follow your progress and see what happens next!

From the Team at Whitewed