by admin | Sep 21, 2026 | Information, Photography, Wedding Photography
I did say that I wouldn’t ever do weddings. Then I did one. Then another. Both for friends as I felt I couldn’t refuse. Both times I remembered why I didn’t want to shoot weddings. It’s stressful, fast-paced, no time to re-group and check the shots. Just keep shooting, and hope it’s all going to be okay. Looking for the moments, the accidental happenings, the looks, the love. And getting all the shots on whatever list you’ve been given.
So – no more more weddings for me. Until yesterday, when I shot another one. The difference this time? it was faked. The couple were already married and already had a full set of wedding photos. But they kindly volunteered to get dressed up again to help us out with a ‘mock wedding’ to help promote Antony Woodland Garden in Cornwall as a new wedding venue. Chris and Charlie were amazing. We scoped out some locations and drove them around in the Head Gardener’s buggy. I enjoyed it, as it wasn’t as stressful as a real wedding and I think the photos came out okay. What do you think?
by admin | Jun 28, 2023 | cotswolds, Photography, worcester, worcestershire
We are lucky to live in a beautiful part of the world. Recently I was asked if I had any pictures of Worcestershire and the surrounding areas. Of course, I had lots – but they are randomly spread across lots of folders on my computer. So I gathered a few together and here are some of them…
by admin | Sep 21, 2021 | Car Photography, Photography
In my last post (was it really over 12 months ago?) I said that I hadn’t really been interested in sport photography because I wasn’t really interested in sport … (except when it is England playing, and even then it’s restricted to football and rugby). But cars, now that’s a different story. I do like cars. Especially Porsches, and classic cars, and American cars of the fifties – the ones with fins. So I do like to take the odd photo of cars. As with property (which is where I make most of my living) there are techniques and skills that are more specific when taking pictures of cars. And now that I have acquired another Porsche (this will be my third), I have a wiling model. So expect more car pictures. Especially of a certain black 911.
by admin | Aug 20, 2020 | Photography, sports photography
I’ve never really been interested in Sports Photography, mainly because I’ve not been interested enough in any particular sport. However, while out walking the dog one day, I noticed that one of our local village hall football pitches (there were two) had been altered to include some high netting and the start of a mound in the middle. The next time we walked there, we saw some people working on the mound. We asked what they were doing and they explained that they were turning it into a baseball pitch – for the Worcester Sorcerers baseball team. Over the next few visits, we saw the pitch transformed and the guys seemed friendly. We asked them if girls could play (as our daughter Ruth was looking for a sport to get into). They told us to send her down one evening when they were practicing. To cut a long story short, she went, and so did we (and so did our other daughter’s boyfriend Jacob). We also went to the first game of the season a few weeks later, which was against Wolverhampton Baseball Club. I had taken my camera and took a few shots. I wandered round behind the netting and took some through it and got some dramatic shots of the pitcher bowling towards the batter. I also noticed that as the batters run round the diamond between the bases, they kick up dust – and that looks pretty dramatic too. In fact, there are lots of things to love about this sport… the outfits are colourful, the action is exciting, the people playing it are really nice, there’s a friendly rivalry between the Midlands clubs, the spirt is new so the teams are pleased and grateful for decent images as they can be used to help promote the sport etc. etc.
So, I’ve now been to two games and taken photos and the teams involved seem to really like them. It’s nice to feel appreciated!
by admin | May 7, 2019 | Photography, property photography
There are many facets to photography. One area that we are becoming known for, is property photography. We are currently working with several estate agents and also commissioned by private sellers and holiday home owners to photograph properties. Property photography is quite technical and it takes a while to develop the skills to get the shots (and the subsequent editing) right.
To this end we have recently set up Property Image Services as a separate division of our marketing consultancy so that we can concentrate on this area of photography. We have also obtained our PfCO (drone licence) so that we can offer aerial property photography – which is very useful if the property has land attached.
by admin | May 2, 2018 | Blog, Photography, Wedding Photography
I know. I know. I said I’d never do weddings. And I don’t. But I did do one. Recently.
In November last year (on my birthday, in fact) some very good friends on mine asked if I would be prepared to shoot their wedding. They didn’t want stiff, formal shots, but did want informal ‘capture the moment’ stuff and even hinted that they might like them in black and white. They would understand if I’d rather not (as I’d be invited anyway). I did take a few days to think about it – but as you’ve probably gathered, I agreed to do it – as our wedding present to the happy couple.
As it turned out, my wife Sara also got roped in and organised the flowers and some room prepping for the big day. This involved her meeting a florist, getting trained in making up boquet’s and buttonholes, as well as having to be at the flower market at 6am just before the wedding.
So, on the big day, which was on 14th April 2018, we were at the venue (the beautiful Hartlebury Castle) at 8am, ready with ivy to decorate the dual staircase in the Great Hall, the candelabra in the Dining Room and the mantelpieces in both rooms.
When the guests arrived I found myself dashing in and out of the venue photographing people as they walked up to the Castle and then back inside as they greeted the groom (Tim). The bride (Nicky) meanwhile was upstairs getting ready for her grand entrance. Dashing in and out meant lots of fiddling with the ISO. I actually set the camera on Aperture priority to reduce the amount of knob fiddling I’d need to do. I’m glad I did that – as the light conditions were changing all the time.
As well as me (the photographer) the couple had also asked a videographer to shoot the wedding. We tried to co-ordinate where we’d be in order not to get in the way of each other – but I suspect I got into his shots a lot!
At the allowed time, the upstairs doors opened and the couple descended to stairs. I had to walk swiftly backwards, shooting them as they came down and then walked towards the fireplace where the Humanist wedding was taking place. I moved around (as subtly as I could) during the service to get shots from every angle. Then it was the register. Then they walked back up the aisle with me walking backwards again in front. After that it was drinks, some outdoor shots and then the meal & speeches. The day was rounded off with dancing to the excellent band. (These shots were tricky as it was almost dark and I didn’t want to use flash so by this time the ISO was up to 8000!). In some the slight blur looks okay as you can see some of the movement.
All in all, it wasn’t quite as scary as I thought it would be.. but maybe that’s because Tim & Nicky are our friends and were not putting me under any great pressure. They just left me (and Sara who acted as my assistant in the latter part of the day) to get on with it. Will I do any more weddings. No, it’s very unlikely…. Or maybe I should never say never?
