Medium wave moments, black and white grit
Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
Well, this is my ‘goodbye old decade, hello new,’ post. So, as I round off 2009 and begin a fresh decade, I’ll start with giving a little personal detail about myself, an admission if you like – I am, always have been, always will be; an anorak. There, I’ve said it. Not quite so startling as admitting a drinks problem I’m sure and some people may prefer the term enthusiast, but hailing from my early days in broadcasting where anyone with a slightly more than unhealthy obsession in the technical nature of the business was referred to as ‘Anorak,’ it seems only fair to apply that label to yours truly. There was a time where I could recall every medium wave frequency and assign it to a radio station and region – even in Aberdeen (290 metres medium wave – and where Nicky Campbell was ‘born’ – see?) I spent, like many adults will recall, many hours with a radio under the sheets into the wee small hours, ear pressed firmly against a solid state transistor, tuning a dial across a myriad of stations that only came out at night such as Radio Luxembourg. When I clear my late mother’s loft in the next week or so, I am hoping that I find a dog earred, well worn and much loved old edition of the IBA handbook. Mum kept everything, and for all of my teens, that handbook was the most important piece of literature in my life. On my final approach path into actually broadcasting over two decades ago, I was so bitten by the craft, that I even found myself studying the artistic pauses (known as dead air) – trying to find a reason why the broadcaster had used it – reference Simon Bates, Our Tune. I guess now, I can refer to them as my medium wave moments. Magical, at times irrational, most certainly obsessional. And so, a mite over two decades later, and I find myself once more obsessed, not with medium wave crackles and beautiful artistic pauses, but grit, grain, mood and what I can only describe as the guts of a black and white image. Ralph Gibson, Josef Koudelka, Helmut Newton – have captured all my imagination for instance. The guts, the grain and emotion in their pictures drives me in much the same way that the original Radio 1 brat pack used to – I’m far too young to remember pirate radio of course. The buzz phrase at Breathe HQ, seems to be ‘let’s inject some more guts into our photography.’ In the same way that radio throttled my attentions all those moons ago, I’m now re-obsessing – but this time about photographs. I’m obsessing about light, I’m obsessing about form, I’m obsessing about grain, I’m obsessing about the shadows and sheer depth of an image. I’m obsessing about good old fashioned exposure and print values that frequented the lives of the masters that seems to be edging out of existence as people find that button in their editing package marked ‘grayscale.’ I’m amazed that even my professional peers will press that button and believe they’ve created a black and white image akin to the beauty, depth and style produced by the likes of Bob Carlos Clarke. See? Now doesn’t this sound like the verbal wanderings of someone who should ‘get out more?’ Or perhaps, and the real reason behind this final post of 2009, you’ll accept this as my way of wishing everyone who has subscribed to this blog, or occasionally clicks in, a happy new year, with all my hopes that a new decade brings us all what we’re seeking. For me, that’ll be health and happiness for my family – and that ever elusive perfectly toned image – with loads of grit. Anyone who writes a blog will recognise that publishing one of these things can be somewhat of a cathartic exercise. Anyone who has or will be commissioning me over the next year will equally recognise why I get a glint in my eye when the light, mood and moment come together for my photographic version of a medium wave moment. Happy New Year, and I’ll sign off with a handful of good wholesome grit, I hope.
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?
Where are they now? Emmie and Alex, Silchester House
Wednesday, July 29th, 2009I shoot a reasonable amount of weddings each year for professionals in the creative field, so being requested by a fellow wedding photographer to shoot her Silchester House wedding was flattering indeed. In Emmie’s words; “Our wedding day was the best day of our lives (we’re supposed to say that aren’t we?!) It was such a good day though and we enjoy looking back and remembering it all 16 months later. Alex is still counting bricks for a living (quantity surveying) although of late has been trying his hand (or should I say fists) at boxing and winning! I am still in photography and education. We still live in Tilehurst in our lovely little house with Mr Jinks the cat. No kids yet, we are far too busy enjoying ourselves!” So a few shots from their Silchester wedding that I enjoy, and my thanks to you both for keeping in touch. Don’t let that guard down Alex, jab jab and then… oh, you know.
Notley Abbey prewedding shoot – Laura and Sean
Monday, July 27th, 2009We’re about to enter the busiest August wedding season we’ve had at Breathe and frankly I can’t wait. I just know we’ll all emerge the other side richer for the wonderful things we witness and amazing people we meet. Talking of which, meet Laura, Sean and their amazing son Dylan. I look forward to a fabulous day at Notley!
Where are they now? Annabel and Mike
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009It’s fair to say that most of us are so preoccupied being busier than busy in this hectic go go non stop You Tube Google World we frequent personally and professionally, that we forget to take stock and remember sometimes where we’ve been and what we’ve achieved. Well, I’m going to try and redress that with the following blog feature. It won’t be long before I’ll be batting at the 200 not out wicket, a double century of weddings; experience that began tentatively covering my best man’s brother’s wedding as a favour, to a career that has taken me across continents. I’ve been trained and mentored by some of the industry’s finest and found new important friendships with fellow pros that share the following professional impulse; a desire to document a day so uniquely special to each client and do it whatever the weather, whatever the day and even when England are playing a World Cup match that’s actually on a channel we don’t have to pay for. We’ve been tremendously lucky at Breathe in that we established a social portraiture and wedding photography business in Newbury earlier this decade that has not only provided us with an income to feed hungry family mouths, but introduced us to some fabulous couples and families. It’s their stories that enthuse upon me that weekends were not made for drinking beer and watching X Factor, and so I begin a series of blog entries about the couples I have witnessed saying ‘I do’ through a selection of lenses. 3rd February 2007, Annabel and Mike were wed in Windsor with a wedding reception at Great Fosters near Egham; a grade one listed building that is remarkable for a list of reasons that would make this blog unreadably long. In Annabel’s words: “Mike and I are doing great, still living in Windsor. We’ve been back to Great Fosters for our last two wedding anniversaries, which was really lovely. We always pay homage to Jane Austen’s curtains. (A reference to the fact that needing to darken a scene whilst photographing the couple round the hotel, I whipped these historic items closed risking the demise of one of the World’s most historic curtains.) Mike went out to South Africa in June on a boys tour to watch the Lions. He ended up doing the highest bungee jump in the World off Bloukrans Bridge (about 216 m) – crazy fool. All 18 stones of Yorkshire goodness dangled on a piece of elastic! Other than that, we’re still at the same house but have been giving it and the garden a bit of a makeover. No baby Annabel and Mikes… yet.”
Breathe Pictures launch new web design
Tuesday, July 21st, 2009For those zooming straight through to the blog from Breathe’s splash page, take a click to our main website from Breathe links. It’s a brand new design! It’s been updated with new galleries to promote wedding photography in Newbury our hometown and has many new and unseen images. For those who have prompted, there will indeed be a whole new section on portraiture coming soon, but with the nuptials season in full swing, right now pretty much all of our attentions at HQ are devoted to that cause. It’s a busy August with the best part of half of it being spent at celebrations across the south of England. Personally I’ll be clocking up some miles too shooting weddings on the coast; Dorset being one of my personal highlights as that’s where I spent many of my childhood holidays. So take a moment to visit the new site, let me know what you think of it in the comments section here, I’m a big boy and happy to take some constructive crit.
Wasing Park wedding photography
Sunday, July 19th, 2009Just a quick blog to announce that Giovanni and Sabrina’s wedding website has gone live through our client area. Fabulous wedding at Wasing Park and what a party! Incidentally, and this is one for grooms with upcoming stag parties abroad, working as air crew on short haul Sabrina has seen her fair share of stags destined for places like Prague. One poor chap recently boarded dressed as Sesame Street’s Big Bird character (how on earth did he get through Customs???) Once they were at cruising altitude, his mates gleefully announced that he may well be enroute for a weekend’s beer fest, but his suitcase was stored safely back in Blighty. The only thing he had to wear all weekend, was one big feathery yellow costume. Nice one!
Rivervale Barn wedding photography in Yateley
Thursday, July 16th, 2009Solid day today spent at Rivervale Barn in Yateley shooting test and stock images for this stunning new wedding venue set on the banks of the Blackwater, approximately one hour from the smoke. It’s one of the most incredible barn projects I have ever seen but don’t just take my word for it, take a peak at the images below. (65,000 reclaimed tiles by the way, now THAT takes some laying.) Owned by John and Moyra Illsley, they’ll also be your hosts for the showround if you visit. I think meeting the owners creates a special relationship when planning a wedding, without doubt. By the way, if you’re wondering who the mystery bride is, it’s Nat, our new recruit at Breathe Pictures! She recently joined the company to fulfil a retouching and photographic assisting role. Dressing you up as a bride for some test shots at Rivervale Barn may have seemed a strange initiation Nat, but I think you rose to that challenge well! (Flowers courtesy Cherubs of Reading and bridal wear from Jennies, as featured on recommended links.)
Cantley House Hotel wedding photography
Sunday, June 21st, 2009Pastures new this weekend as I photographed at Cantley for the first time. Well done Steve, well done Sian, fab day, and one of the most original evening mobile studios yet! I know that by the time you get a chance to read this, you’ll more than likely have returned to your hotel for some early evening R&R following a day supping island cocktails on a beach under a sun umbrella in Hawaii. As much as it’s a great honour to photograph at familiar venues where as a company we’re a preferred photographic supplier, it’s equally good to tackle new locations. If you’ve read the blog or taken in the kind of thing that inspires me as a wedding photographer through my images on the main site, you’ll know that I much prefer available light to napalming a scene with heavy flash work. When I started photographing weddings, a strobe would be attached to the camera pretty much all day. I’ve become subtle in ‘me old age…’ (cue comments on how kids have no respect these days and how in my day you had to climb up inside chimneys for pocket money.) And so, it was a delight to see a venue with some large windows to throw shafts of light on to various scenes. I look forward to going back one day.
Oh, and as for the mobile studio, we moved outside for the first time in a long time, and invited guests to embrace an Hawaiian theme. What is it about grown men with grass skirts and inflatable sharks? Loved it!
Wasing Park wedding photography
Friday, June 19th, 2009I’m spending a reasonable amount of my summer at Wasing photographing weddings and it’s a venue I’m very fond of. A couple of shots from Tom and Anna’s fabulous nuptials as the post edit work now begins. Quick mention too for Wasing Park chef extraordinaire, the wonderful Joe. I quite like, when given the opportunity, to get into the kitchen at a wedding. The wedding banquet is such an important facet of the big day and chef is an important player and unsung hero frankly. When the thanks are read out, the list of key players will oft include the coordinator, for good reasons clearly, but rarely chef. So Joe, incase you get to read this, you’re an absolute star, and I can’t wait to show you the book of stuff I’ve recorded in your kitchen over the last few months.
Wasing Park wedding photography
Sunday, June 14th, 2009For fear of becoming a BBC repeat, I may have mooted this before; keeping up the blog is sometimes like keeping the diary you were bought for Christmas aged 9. (For some reason mine was always a Disney one featuring Mickey and friends. It continued that way well into my teens.) You diligently filled it in for ooh, a good seven days following New Year’s Eve, then it became a series of ‘Got up, had lunch, went to bed’ comments for week two and by week three, it transgressed to a doodle pad at best. However I have a blog guardian it seems in Robbie, who wed Sarah yesterday at Wasing Park. So, Robbie, your enthusiasm for updating noted, some images from yesterday. I look forward to seeing you when you return from your honeymoon in July.
The Black Barn wedding photography
Monday, June 8th, 2009Their private viewing gallery now online, here’s just a few scene setters from Chris and Caroline’s wedding in Berkshire.
Robert and Sarah
Tuesday, May 12th, 2009Just a quickie before hitting the hay as they say across the pond… have completed Robert and Sarah’s pre-wedding shoot. Great shoot on the farm. I like working in the studio particularly since laying the real wooden floor, but it’s equally as good to get out into the yard. The industrial edge can look fabulous in contrast to what we’ll eventually achieve on the wedding day itself.
Wasing Park wedding photography
Saturday, May 9th, 2009It’s a Wasing weekend this week as I find myself there on two consecutive days. Jay and Katy’s 70 friends and family members witnessed their nuptials yesterday. I love a good tactile wedding, loads of hugs, tub thumpy kind of hearty ‘I love ya mate’ rugby scrum down embraces. This one had plenty!
Great Fosters wedding photography
Sunday, May 3rd, 2009It was an early ’set off’ yesterday for Adam and Julie’s wedding. Usually I’m car bound during Wossy’s Radio 2 gig, but if the radio splurts a dash of Brian Matthews when I turn the engine over, then I’m probably dodging traffic on the M25. Destination Ewell, arrived 10.30, service midday (sent to the balcony, up in the Gods at the church, if you’ll pardon the usage) – why is it everyone in the House of God is welcome bar the photographer? Anyway, back to a favourite venue of mine, the Tudor splendor that is Great Fosters near Egham for the reception. A couple of years ago at the very same venue I’d been doing an arty lit shot with the bride on a stairwell. I whipped closed a couple of curtains, only to find these were original designs by Jane Austin hung in 1798 by the great lady herself. I get selective vision when I’m photographing weddings, so large ‘don’t walk on the grass’, ‘don’t photograph in here’, or more pertinently titled signs like ‘don’t touch these curtains ever ever ever’ don’t tend to fog my vision when trying to grab a shot. Still no harm done, honest guvnor. A couple of favourite images from yesterday then…
Smile for the man?
Sunday, May 3rd, 2009I reckon, standby – HUGE generalisation about to emit via this ‘ere blog… I reckon, that the main reason people have a fear of being photographed, is not that their soul will be stolen and sold to the cheapest bidder via Ebay, but they feel a pressure to bring on an unnatural smile. Such is the memory of school photographs where the history tutor (why was it always the history guy) would stand in the school photographer’s doorway and threaten you with six of the best if you failed to show your parents via a smile how wonderful your schooling days were, that many an adult now likens a trip to Doctor Camera with a one hour subjection to root canal surgery. It is true that I may as a photographer ask a sitter to smile, or at least crack a faint smiley type expression thingie to show enthusiasm for the session. But usually that’ll be during a family shoot, where you know your work won’t be displayed if you return a Victorian presentation of earnest intensity. Often though I won’t ask for that, opting to create some kind of diversion, usually by conversation, where the subjects engage more naturally. I shot two pre-wedding shoots today with couples I’ll see over the next couple of months – and I like to think, both shoots will yield some cracking images. Each session started with the usual mantra; “I hate having my picture taken.” By the end of it though, I hope that both couples felt we’d done nothing more hellish than simply walk through the countryside adjacent to my studio, popping a couple of shots here and there, and talking about their wonderful honeymoon locations. I asked one of my couples; “Now, how many times in the last twenty minutes have I told you to smile?” Just as an aside, some parents who bring their children for a family shoot will feel the shoot hasn’t yielded any gold if they don’t remember a particularly smiley visit. I’m delighted when I receive a mail or phone call to say how surprised and delighted they are with the results. A little wry smile appears on my face, naturally that is.
Silchester House wedding photography
Saturday, May 2nd, 2009Just in the final stages of presenting an album design to Chris and Natalie from a wedding shot a couple of months ago at Silchester House, Berkshire. Thought I’d take a moment to share some of my favourite black and whites from the day. It was a privilege being there for you both!
Breathe Pictures summer weddings 2008
Tuesday, November 11th, 2008When I was say ten or eleven, my parents would buy me a diary every Christmas in which, come new year’s day, I would faithfully begin to keep every detail of my daily life as a pre-teen. 7.32 Awoke. Listened to Radio 1 until Simon Bates came on. That’s when Mum switches over to Jimmy Young. 9.07 Played outside with Robin from number 14, until he fell off his bike and broke his glasses again. 10.32 Had cup of tea. And so on. I’d religiously scribe in this thing until at least January 7th, when normal service would be resumed and comics overtook my literary needs once more. And so here I am in 2008, skibbly oodles of years later, still finding it hard to maintain the time to complete a daily journal entry, this time in the form of a blog. At least I have an excuse now, I like to feel. It’s been my busiest year yet in the wedding photography business. So, here’s the start of an entry which will grow undoubtedly. Some of my favourite Breathe images from the ’season’ just gone. More to follow…
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I love an air of expectation at a wedding. Waiting in the morning.
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People watching during the speeches should become an Olympic discipline, especially during long speeches. It does make for some great imagery though.
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I like the unusual context with this one.
Cakes glorious cakes!
Sunday, August 10th, 2008[photopress:cake1.jpg,full,alignleft]You know that phrase; ‘Water water everywhere, and not a drop to drink?’ Last year just prior to Christmas I was photographing a wedding at Great Fosters whilst suffering a mild to exceptionally head lifting, toothache. Without investing in too much grisly detail, a chipped tooth had exposed a nerve and and and. (You know what us fellas are like ladies, when it comes to pain!) To be fair though, isn’t modern pain relief wonderful? I doubt our bride even knew of my discomfort. So about my work I went, and through the day we went. Evening arrived and I took a few moments out to photograph the wedding breakfast room, all laid, prepped and ready for a hundred guests. As I entered the Tithe Barn where the breakfast was to be, there it was. It pretty much sang to me with a tuneful hypnotic mantra; “Eat me, eat me, eat me!” A tree of cup cakes. Probably one of the finest examples I have ever seen! If Carlsberg made cup cakes… etc. Later on that evening, when all had been captured photographically and I was about to take my leave, I was presented with an interesting dilemma. The catering staff had been dutifully replenishing ‘that’ tree with cakes and someone offered me a couple or three to devour on the way home. My heart sang, I was salivating with all the desire of a dog given free reign of a butcher’s window. But then, as if by karma powered by a gym personal trainer, the tooth fought back, the pain relief subsided and the brain said; “No way thank you.” See? Water water everywhere, and not a drop to drink. It’s been a while since I have written a recommended supplier post, but having just been asked by a forthcoming bride for a good cake company, I can recommend Crumbs and Doilies. You’ll find a direct link on the ‘Breathe Recommends’ list. As for whether my heart listened to my brain that night? I’m a photographer, and coming from the arty trade, since when did brains rule over hearts? Of course I munched a cake or three. Boy was the pain worth it.