Archive for August, 2009
A trip down memory lane
Monday, August 17th, 2009Mark and Natalie’s wedding at Holy Trinity in Bengeo with a reception at Ware’s Fanham’s Hall is a commission that stepped right back into my youth ‘billingi’ years ago. I grew up in Hertford’s little known satellite town called Bengeo, a place by the way my Tom Tom refused to give me an ETA for as I edged up from Berkshire passing every motorway maintenence vehicle that’s ever been built. I’m sure they store them all on the M25 for personal humour. Some shots from the day with running commentary.
Mark just ahead of guests arriving. I haven’t been to this church since I was a boy scout, so it was strange to tread the carpet (which I swear they haven’t changed) to the alter.
I shot this twice. This was the initial (and better) grab shot as I emerged from the reception venue car park to find Mark and Natalie still in their vintage Rolls Royce. I was worried about excess motion blur and the loss of groom in the background so tried to set up a technically better documentary scenario. As always the reconstruction was a poor relative, so I stuck with the one my insincts initially got excited about.
Great Tythe Barn wedding photography – Darren and Linsay
Sunday, August 16th, 2009Darren and Linsay’s wedding took place last Wednesday in Gloucestershire at the Great Tythe Barn near Tetbury. It’s quite a unique wedding venue as many guests come here to stay the week with friends and relatives prior to a ceremony. The 16th Century Tythe Barn is surrounded by a hamlet of Cotswold stone cottages, some essential amenities and… Frank and Furter; GTB’s New Zealand Kune Kune pigs. (I suspect they laughed their little trotters off when they were named.) Strong Scottish flavour to this one, kilted groomsmen, a piper and Ceilidh, the latter being an informal Scottish dance requiring a sizeable degree of lateral concentration if you’re swinging a partner whilst trying to retain a little male dignity.
Rivervale Barn wedding photography
Sunday, August 16th, 2009It’s been good to see Rivervale Barn grow into a working wedding venue over the past year and it was even more special to shoot my first wedding there at the start of the week, Rivervale’s fourth. Double congratulations then; John and Moyra for the incredible turnaround that I’ve witnessed, from nought to sixty five thousand tiles in twelves months, and Alex and Carrie our bride and groom for the day. Rivervale has one of the finest ceremony rooms I’ve had the privilege to work in, huge floor to ceiling windows (there must be 40/50 feet of glass) that drop kicks light into the room in cathedral like fashion; a photographer’s dream.
Wasing Park photography – this one’s fashion
Tuesday, August 11th, 2009My time spent at Wasing Park is always spent documenting weddings, except today! Animal, Pierre Cardin, Polo all brands represented in a fashion shoot conducted for High and Mighty International. I even found some new nooks and crannies for wedding work previously undiscovered. A couple of shots for review, then bed, as tomorrow I’m Gloucestershire bound for Darran and Linsay’s wedding.
Chantmarle Manor wedding photography
Saturday, August 8th, 2009Chantmarle Manor in Dorset is, simply, beautiful. I’m being careful how I ‘pen’ this blog, as the bridegroom is an English teacher and a very good one at that. Too many commas so far Ben? But none before the ‘and’ word. I do love a comma. Ben and Yeri’s wedding is one that I would not have missed for the World. Take this at face value readers, but let’s be honest, a sunny day in Dorset in a country home with history dating back to the thirteenth century reminds me why I’m so darned (Americanism) proud to be British, or dare I say, English! Every couple I meet has a story and that’s what makes my job all the more special. Ben and Yeri are about to emigrate to Korea for a couple of years, so understandably emotions ran high. Some images from yesterday’s wedding. Subtitles by ‘emotion.’
First shot of the day.
Second shot of the day, but this one was screeeeeeeming for black and white treatment.
I know a few fellow wedding togs read this blog. Isn’t it about time ‘chaps’ we wrote to clergy with a reason why we like to stand at the front? Because, this, is what can be achieved. REAL emotion. Again I had to negotiate with the vicar with regard to being allowed to stand in a place where I could witness expression. The initial command was a resounding ‘no.’ I would be in the view of the congregation. Heavens? Am I that unattractive? I beg those that wish to be wedding photographers doing this as a weekend occupation to consider… (Ben, inappropriate use of three dots?) be subtle in church. Don’t jump across pews. Don’t rest your lens on a priest’s shoulder! (True, people do this!) Practise a subtle approach and you’ll enjoy a better relationship with clergy – and so, as a full time professional living off the actions of those that practise before me, will I!
Notley Abbey wedding photography
Saturday, August 8th, 2009Quite a story on this one. If I had a penny (etc etc), the most popular question asked about wedding photography is; “What happens if it rains?” Seeing that we don’t seem to be constantly bathed in sunshine in the UK, it does present an issue a few times during the year, though my ‘It can’t rain forever’ mantra rarely bites me on the proverbial. And so the Saturday just gone I was Thame bound to photograph Sean and Laura’s wedding at Notley Abbey. Despite the weather forecast not being the kindest, I thought we’d entered Sunshine valley as I drove up the impressive tree lined drive that leads to Notley’s front door.
You know me, sucker for a window lit shot. And there was plenty of sunshine around during the morning to provide it.
We had a lot of fun on the prewedding shoot, the ceremony followed the same line. The reason for their smiles? It was an outdoor ceremony and as one of the ushers started his reading, a horse started to join in in the background.
And then, the clouds started to gather!
We got through the ceremony before the heavens opened. This is probably one of my favourite shots from the day and it shows something very important. If you accept the rain as part of your day, embrace it and enjoy the occasion, you get magic all day long.
Being a headlining dancer on the Take That tour, the evening studio brought a few surprises…
“Greatest Day” the first dance.
Wasing Park wedding photography
Monday, August 3rd, 2009The weather wasn’t perhaps the kindest feature of Saturday’s Wasing Park wedding, but (trying to avoid cliches like dampen the spirits) that did little to cast a cloud (dash, did it) on proceedings. Fab day guys, one of those occasions where as a wedding photographer you have to be at your best when it comes to banter. There was a distinct Australian flavour to the day, groom Nick being an Aussie. He even grasped the opportunity to put the English crew to rights when it came to where the Ashes really belong. Did you manage to finish that whole hog roast Nick? Remember the challenge?
