Archive for October, 2009
Audleys Wood Hotel wedding photography
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009I don’t usually (and by the way this isn’t a hint) get included within the ‘thank yous’ during wedding speeches. Subtlety and discretion being a stylistic key to how I like to operate as a photographer, I fade into the background pretty well during speeches, even though I’m not a Zara mens clothes waist size 30 anymore. So messages of thanks and testimonials are events that occur long after the wedding cake crumbs have been hoovered from the banquet suite floor. That in mind, a few thank yous of my own, to Alexis and Karlene. Thank you for inviting me to Audleys Wood; superb venue, amazing food, endless photo oppotunities. Thank you for inviting guests that laughed at my jokes during the group shot; always a bonus. Thank you for choosing a vicar who embraced photography as an important aide memoire. Now THAT, was one fabulous special day. Hope you enjoy your photographs in the review area.
Notley Abbey wedding photography
Monday, October 19th, 2009What is the collective noun for a series of post wedding edits that have nestled in our creative minds and Photoshop server files at Breathe Pictures HQ? An ‘excitement?’ A ‘romance?’ I’ve spent much of my summer shooting incredible wedding days and evenings. Following that, ‘our Natalie,’ resident retoucher and self proclaimed ‘Trustee Sidekick’ at the Thatcham showroom has spent her time revisiting each special day in post edit mode. So it’s with a huge serving of pride and gratitude that I post the following shots from Dan and Elinor’s amazing Notley Abbey wedding. Teamwork!
Wedding food photography
Saturday, October 17th, 2009It’s not possible at every venue I visit and Chef decrees the verdict as to whether my macros can come anywhere near his or her souffle. That said, if I have the right access and when working with a documentary album in mind, part of that wedding photography work may be something akin to a cookbook. Now as most of my friends and certainly my wife will testify, I ain’t no Jamie Oliver! So my inspiration for food photography shots comes not from my knowledge of how a dish comes together, but how I can make it glisten on a window ledge, or perhaps more importantly how I can shoot it within 20 seconds before the commi whips it away for the top table. Like most things in a wedding photographer’s day, there’s a limit to how long you have to capture. This is certainly not the life for a commercial photographer! Every year I maintain that a wedding photographer’s work should mature and develop. I’m trying to think back to how this has happened in my own portfolio. My memory being consistent with that of a 40 something year old, I can think back 24 months! Two years ago I was shooting brides under street lamps after tiring with the stark napalmed look of flash – Nikon became Canon in my kit bag. Last year it was fast lenses and close up portraiture. This year has definately been the year of documentary and food. Next year? I may even learn to cook.
Dishes prepared by chefs at Cain Manor, Notley Abbey and Silchester House, venues within the Bijou Wedding Venues group.
“Community” is back
Friday, October 16th, 2009
In 2006 I began to approach people in my home town of Newbury to sit for a portrait exhibition where ‘ordinary folk’ would become the star attraction and focal point. Newbury at that time had begun a transition period, diggers began to make their presence felt. Compton’s wonderboy Theo Walcott turned on the town’s Christmas lights and a certain cinema was given the green light after so much lively debate. The concept was simple enough; to feature people that lived, worked or impacted upon Newbury and it’s satellite towns. A policy of inclusion ensured that all those volunteering to sit were in the exhibition. This led to an exceptionally wide social demographic where photographs of the town’s Big Issue vendor comfortably shared space with that of the Queen’s Godson, Lord Carnarvon. Four years on, many of the sitters have changed direction. And so as the next decade begins, it seems appropriate to document the people of Newbury once more. To introduce new faces and welcome back old ones with new tales. It’s an open invitation as long as you fit the exhibition criteria. Contact neale@breathepictures.com for more details.
Not Alone – the movie
Monday, October 12th, 2009Well away from my usual diet of weekend romance and gowns of white, I’ve just popped some studio cast shots for a former colleague of mine for his upcoming movie, Not Alone. I worked shoulder to shoulder with producer Andy Thompson at a media company we helped found many moons ago. Gordon’s alive, this man used to make MY tea! The film stars Lucy Benjamin, Alexandra Moen, a very scary Bill Ward and Kika Mirylees. Can’t wait to see the screening.
Can someone tell me where 2009 went?
Tuesday, October 6th, 2009I have soaked this year up like a sponge, it’s been one of the best! Thank you thank you thank you to all our fabulous wedding clients – it’s been the busiest most artistically rewarding one yet and I’m thrilled that you chose me to photograph your special days. Before this starts to sound like a New Year’s testimonial to a previous twelve months of business though, I just wanted to create an ‘ickle’ wrap to the summer so that I can start blogging again. So, a couple of images from some recent nuptials then onwards and upwards into the dark evenings as winter descends and I really start to push the prime lenses to their limits.
Okay okay, so four images from near enough 10,000 presented to clients over the last two months!!! It’s been a fabulously busy period, watch this space for more.