Archive for Oxfordshire Weddings
Sliding Doors – The Tale of Fiona and Christoph
Posted by: | CommentsMind the Gap! The doors close on a tube train in Central London…on one side is Gwyneth Paltrow, the other John Hannah. It opens an incredible movie about a parallel ‘universe’ in which we learn about what would have happened had those doors stayed open. It makes you stop and think about all of your decisions and then ponder what if things had gone another way.
Fiona had ventured to an airport in Colorado (sorry, I’m not sure which one). Being an American this in itself is perfectly normal. What was unique was that she was dropping off a friend and then, two hours later, collecting her brother who was flying in from Europe. A different flight, a different time, a different day and this blog post wouldn’t be happening. It was, in fact, the two hours between to the departure and arrival of two different people that meant a cosmic alignment of the highest order. Off steps a bewildered German…for the astute amongst you you’ve probably worked out that this is Christoph. A German with a sense of humour…perhaps those stereotypes don’t always work. With 45 minutes to wait for a shuttle bus to take him a work arranged hotel he wanders by. Fiona, feeling philosophical starts to imagine to lives of those around her. The casual and random connections that people make as their pass in an airport. From the simplest of smiles to a getting out of the way of someone in a hurry. She even thinks “what if my future husband were here…now” as Christoph walks by. Maybe it was that pondering look, who knows, but somehow they became acutely aware of each other. She dives back into her economics homework, Christoph sits patiently. A few passing glancing, a smile and eventually they speak. Christoph, wrapped up in it all, misses his bus, they exchange emails, he gets in touch, finds a dodgy excuse to stay in Colorado on business for an extra week. You would think this is where it all fell into place. Largely you’d be right…but in that first encounter, those first conversations, she mentions her quest for all things organic. As a German with a keen sense of details he fastidiously remembers this key point and later would send her flowers…organic flowers…and the rest is history.
They planned this wedding from across a sea and half of Europe. It truly was my honour to be a part of this coming together of friends and family. Thank you for the opportunity. I wish you both the best on your new life in New York or wherever those Sliding Doors take you.
After a few images there will be a link to more on my Facebook Business Page and how you can get 20% reprints. But first, here are some images from Saturday’s wedding.

sh-loo-es


Did you hear the one about the Pope, A German a two Gingerbread Men?
Lightoftheweek











Boing!

Something bad is gonna happen….
Yep…I can feel it…
Yep…there it is! Sadly I was changing my lens when she dropped! NO BRIDES WERE HARMED IN THE CREATION OF THIS IMAGE


The church had a strong family connection…so we went back to use it in some photos

the flowers were AMAZING. All done by her mum! Pretty wicked huh
Mr Jones and me


Not in Kansas anymore
Its like the World Cup came a few years early
Good times



Two things…first, if you would like to see more from Fiona and Christoph’s wedding then please visit my Oxfordshire Wedding Photography gallery on my Facebook Business Page.
Second, if you would like to be notified when the entire gallery goes online and receive a 20% discount on reprints, please contact me.
Oxfordshire Wedding Photographer – Amanda and Alistair
Posted by: | CommentsFor me, 5 weeks notice is a bit late notice. But not so late that I wasn’t keen to be a part of it. Alistair explained the scenario and whilst it sounded challenging I wasn’t entirely aware how challenging. With a 3:30 ceremony time 6 days before Christmas it was always going to be a wedding more in the dark than in the light. Then I saw the reception space. Absolutely one of the most amazing and wonderfully beautiful spaces I have seen…sadly my camera wasn’t so keen. The relative ease that Bury Court brought us the night before was cruelly taken by the scene that awaited us. Time to push the cameras and the operators (that’s me and D) to the max. So much so that Darren and I shared my Nikons. He has 2 5Ds…and these 5Ds weren’t enough. When it was over I was pleased…if we can shoot that, we can shoot anything!
Yes, I take wedding photos…yes, I take some straight up normal wedding photos…but sometimes, I like things that are a bit different…sometimes I like the bizarre or the seemingly out of context — or perhaps just a standard context that shows something far too normal. I love Martin Parr — here’s a link. So sometimes when images come up that are Parr-eque (I would never compare myself to him…just because I nearly slipped over on the ice doesn’t make me Torvil – or Dean for that matter). I was really pleased to see two Parr moments in this wedding. One by me and one by Darren…in fact, Darren’s is more Parr than mine…I LOVE IT!
I wish I had the 85!
Actually, its OCF
A terrible tragedy (only she will get that)
Wing tips
Those aren’t spots (on the right)…that’s the intense sunlight reflecting off normal room ‘dust’

Tug, tug
Remembering the list
This is my Just One
Ms Austen
White space
When you ask for a photo with the dog…well

Not the Stig
The Spice Girls were right…2 really did become 1
If that light is actually ‘lighting’ Amanda and Alistair that can mean only one thing…ITS 4:30pm on the 19th of December! I need a drink!
Not a great shot…just one that shows you how dark it was
Blues Brother
There was just something reassuring about this chap

OK…I want a word with Scary Spice…because 2 have now become 4!
A wee taster as to the environment we had to work in — beautiful to the human eye…no so ‘loved’ by the camera
Stunning! If you’re interesting in who put together this masterpiece find Oxfordshire Marquee company www.florey.co.uk




Time for a cuddle…
…because the String Diva’s are in da house
Speech
No question one of the most challenging lighting EVER. But I was rather pleased with the result. Color is everywhere…you just gotta roll with it
Strut your funny stuff
It’s Electric!
And now a few from Darren Parr
One of the things I’ve always admired about Darren is that he never really appreciates how good he is. Whether its humility or just ignorance (and I mean that in a good why BTW) I’m not sure. But sometimes I’m bowled over by the stuff he does and how most of the time he doesn’t realise how good it is.
I remember him saying “the shots in the pub in front of the window are going to be rubbish” — yeah, whatever!

Quirky…but entirely relevant
Alistair was able to wangle an R8 for the day….lucky dog!
Lit by the mother of all security lights
Here it is…Darren’s Martin Parr

Wonderful!
Oxfordshire Wedding Photographer – Amanda and Alistair – Just One
Posted by: | CommentsToday’s Just One is short…but sweet. ‘Ahh Sweet’ in fact. Its Amanda’s Dad, relaxed on the bed whilst the final touches to Amanda dress are sorted. Meanwhile another Bridesmaid (sorry, I’m rubbish with names) keeps Amanda calm and focused.









