Lucie and Chris

For each of the weddings that we are booked for one of the first things I like to do is hold a portrait session with the bride and groom to be. This is a great way to break the ice and get us working together and is also great fun. For next year's weddings ideally we hold a portrait session when the booking is confirmed and then another one a few weeks before the wedding date.

Lucie and Chris are one of next year’s couples, and are getting married next July at Rockingham Castle. Last night we went over to Rutland Water for their first session.

They were very relaxed together, not at all camera shy, and I got some nice relaxed images of the two of them. In between the general rubbish that I talk to relax people we talked about the great opportunities that Rockingham Castle will provide for thier wedding photography, and although it's eleven months away I'm looking forward to it already!!

Here are a few from last night:

Birmingham model shoot

Amongst photographers there are some who have nothing to do with other photographers, seeing them as their competition, and there are others who regularly exchange tips and ideas, continually inspire and support each other, and every so often get together to improve and move their photography forward.

I'm very fortunate to be a member of a fantastic community of the latter, who communicate on a daily basis via an on line forum, supplemented with an annual convention in America and regular get togethers ('GTG' in forum speak) of local members this side of the pond.

Today was one such day when around a dozen of us met at The Mailbox in Birmingham for lunch and then had the pleasure of photographing two gorgeous models, Ellie and Laura. We'd intended to photograph the girls around The Mailbox, but a vigilant security guard quickly spotted us and moved us on. To be honest he did us a favour as we stumbled across the tower and portico of the nearby St Thomas' Church and the adjoining peace garden, and we spent the next couple of hours photographing the girls around there, with some fantastic light and shade to play with.

Here are a few of the images, starting with an image of Ellie taken in The Mailbox before we were moved on:



A couple more of Ellie, between The Mailbox and St Thomas':





A couple of Laura around the pillars at St Thomas':





And a couple more of Ellie in the adjoining peace garden:

Big, big thanks to Gill Taylor for arranging the day, getting us together, and for sharing her expertise with us so freely. I'm looking forward to the next one already...

Kerry and Sam are married!

We were delighted to photograph the wedding of Kerry and Sam today. They were married at All Saints Church, Naseby, and their reception for family and friends followed at Hothorpe Hall.

It was one of those days when everything came together and everybody had a great time - okay, for the groom, best man and father of the bride maybe it was after they'd done their speeches!!

We found plenty of opportunities for great images in and around Hothorpe Hall, and had a great day with you. We hope that the rest of the evening celebrations were fun and can't wait to catch up with you to go through the images with you. Here's a little taster:













Congratulations! We wish you a long and happy future together as Mr and Mrs Newbery.

Katrina and Chris are married!

Katrina and Chris got married today at Rockingham Castle and then enjoyed a lovely reception at the Kettering Park Hotel and Spa.

Their family and guests, who came from as far afield as America and Cyprus, must have enjoyed the splendid setting of Rockingham Castle with it's beautiful gardens, although after some of the recent 'summer' weather that we've had today turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year so far.

Here are a few early favourites that hopefully Katrina and Chris will see before they go away for their honeymoon.











Congratulations, Mr and Mrs Jones! I look forward to catching up with you on your return.

Another day, another walk!

Photography is certainly going to keep (or should I say get?) me fit. After yesterdays short walk with Max today it was off along the former railway line to the south of Market Harborough, the Brampton Valley Way, and then across the fields to a little pond.

I was there with Natalie and Nicola to photograph Ethan, Leon, Ruby Tuesday, Scarlett O' Scarlett, Eli and Peaches.

I'd photographed Ethan, Leon, Ruby Tuesday, and Scarlett O'Scarlett a few months ago when we went to my favourite outdoor studio, around the streets and alleyways of Market Harborough. The countryside was a nice contrast - although we did find a nice distressed background in the park after the walk (!) - and I'm pleased with my initial selection that follows.

Peaches:



Eli:



Scarlett O'Scarlett:



Ruby Tuesday Wednesday Thursday:



And then back to my 'normal' type of background, Leon:



Ethan:



Lots of fun, and thanks for introducing me to another great location!

A short walk with Max...

Today was a short walk across the fields at Wistow with Max, a Newfoundland, and Faye, Adele and Debbie. We'd tried this a couple of weeks ago but gave up after a few minutes after we'd all been drenched by a downpour. Today the weather was much kinder, overcast and relatively close, but thankfully no rain.

The plan was to go for a few minutes across the fields to wear Max out so that I might have a chance of getting his attention and getting him looking in the general direction of the camera

A couple of favourites with Max:

Almost (I'm slightly to your left, Max):



That's better (and the magic word was 'walkies'!):



And then a few portaits by the side of the church:

Faye:



Adele:

Debbie:

And no rain!!

Urchin Clothing

Today was the first shoot at the beginning of a very hectic period which sees four weddings, a couple of pre-wedding portrait sessions, several family portrait sessions, a model shoot, and a couple of small commercial shoots all in just over two weeks!

We started today with a shoot for Urchin Clothing. A couple of weeks ago we had the stock shoot, photographing their latest clothing lines, and today it was the the turn of Nikki Urchin and Lauren Urchin to be photographed in the Urchin gear.

Nikki Urchin:

Lauren Urchin:

And at various Urchin activities (spot the spontaneous Mexican wave, which isn't quite the same with two people!):

More shoots are being planned, so watch this space!

Emma and Sam at Holdenby House

Had a fun shoot this morning with Emma and Sam in the grounds of Holdenby House, where there was a fantastic variety of backgrounds to photograph them against.

Just beyond the church there was a bright door, with just enough age to make it the perfect backdrop:







And although it looked dark inside the church the quality of light was quite beautiful. This first image of Sam was taken using just the available light (okay, it helps that my D300 performs minor miracles in such conditions!):





And Emma just inside the church porch:



The grounds include some amazing works by David Shilling. They're made of stainless steel, polished to a mirror-like finish to create large reflective sculptures, and provide quite a contrast to the traditional gardens. Here's Emma 'emerging' from one of the sculptures:



Thanks Emma and Sam. You really got into the swing of things. I can't believe that you haven't done this before!!

What is it about Australians?

I've been meaning to post this since late June, when I returned from a few days in North Yorkshire.

Anyway, just what is it about Australians that makes them such great photographers?

I'd booked May's Jerry Ghionis workshop way back in October, as soon as the the workshop and bookings were announced. With one or two smaller seminars later in the year that was to be it for this year. Then at the SWPP convention in January, in London, one of the speakers that I definately wanted to see was David Williams. I had read so much on various forums about David, what a fantastic teacher he is, a great photographer, and a really nice, genuine person too. I even went as far as telling a number of friends who had also gone to the convention that if they saw only one speaker, David was the one to see. He didn't just live up to expectations, he exceeded them, and then some! I determined there and then that when he was next in the UK leading one of his 'Almost Alone' workshops, I wanted to be there.

That's how I came to spend three incredible days in late June in North West Yorkshire with nine like minded photographers.

How it was only three days I have no idea as David packed some much into those three days that I am still digesting all that we did! Without giving away too many secrets from the workshop, we covered a range of related topics which I'm slowly starting to apply to my photography.

Firstly, an image of David himself, taken using his 50mm f/1.4 lens on one of my cameras, and then converted using his means of converting colour to black and white:



And then a detail minature of images taken around Keasden Church on our foray there on the Wednesday:



Big, big thanks to David for a wonderful experience. I'm looking forward to becoming a serial offender...

David and Debbie are married!

Congratulations to David and Debbie who got married today - or it could be yesterday, depending on when I finally get to post this (!) - at St James Church, Mapperley, followed by their reception at the Bestwood Lodge Hotel.

They don't fly away until Monday for their honeymoon, so I'm posting an early taster of their images so that they can see some before they go away.









Hope you like them, Mr and Mrs Webster! Have a great honeymoon and we look forward to going through them all with you when you're back.