Archive for Personal Work
Family Friday – Holly Yet Again
Posted by: | CommentsSeriously…Evan is so getting the shaft lately. But ever since the UK Child Photographer of the Millenium, Helen Bartlett, came round to do a day with the family Holly has been really into having her photo taken. Good thing too. Evan just puts on the most obnoxious grin. His time will come! Tuesday night, after bath, Evan gets into his dressing gown. Holly, in typical fashion, has to do the same. I hadn’t actually seen it as its new. I never ran so fast down the stair. She was (is) adorable…despite being the spawn of the devil only the next day. Rough/smooth and all that.
Ettes – At A Wedding
Posted by: | CommentsI love to get ettes. They don’t always present themselves nicely, sometimes you have to work at them and other times they just don’t happen. But when they do, when it works, when it leaves you with a bit of chill…they are something spectacular. A departure from reality and a way to look at things from a different perspective. So here is a collection of some of my favourite silhouette shots from 2010 including images from such spectacular venues such as Luton Hoo, Nutfield Priory, Rhinefield House, Cain Manor and Painshill Park.
Inside the marquee (a very grand marquee at that) in Painshill Park, Surrey
A couple from Luton Hoo…in fact, this is from Darren’s collection. At first I thought it was a mirror image but its not
More from Luton Hoo
The sun sets at Nutfield Priory near Redhill
The Father of the Bride checks his tie at home before setting off for Cambridge Cottage, Kew Gardens
Tithe Barn…a silhouette with a twist
Liz makes her way to get into her dress before setting off for Clandon Park
Natalie getting ready before Temple Church and a reception at The Delfina, London
The amazing suite at Buxted Park
Sharyn has a few minutes to pass at Langrish House Hotel before the festivities begin at Tithe Barn
Sian at home before the big day at Battlers Green Farm
Andrea at the Mercure in Farnham before setting off to the church and eventually The Walled Garden at Cowdray
Andrea and Matt at the Walled Garden, Cowdray in Midhurst
Lucie and Matt at Avington Park near Winchester
Belen gets a silhouette and a reflection at Rhinefield House
Vicki at The Bridge Inn, Wetherby
More of Vicki
Vicki (same as above) and Jo had another celebration back in Surrey for Jo’s parents many friends
Emma in Tel Aviv, Israel
Michael in the highest room at Cain Manor
Natalie descends her parents stairs before heading to Tithe Barn, Hampshire
David and Emma in Pembrokeshire, Wales
Buda .. meet Pest
Posted by: | CommentsThe final part of my epic 40th birthday month finally drew to a close this past weekend with a trip for Nicola and I to Budapest in Hungary. It was the first time I had been to Central Europe and I was delighted to see the architecture and lifestyle I had expected. I would certainly recommend you take a trip there if you can. The Hungarian people aren’t the most outwardly friendly folks…and they really need to get a smoking ban…but its an amazing place to visit.
I decided to take two cameras. First was my iPhone. With Camtastic installed its a pretty hot little camera considering its size. The second was my Panasonic GF-1 with a 20mm (40mm) fixed focal length lens. Basically, its a point and shoot on acid. A tremendous little gem of the camera world and I’m a proud owner. With that in mind…here are a few shots from the weekend…all taken with the GF-1.
From the Fisherman’s Bastion looking back across to Pest
From The Citadel…I had just seen the WWII Bunker museum so the old time look is important here :)
My favourite location….St Stephen’s Basilica. The first place we found, entirely by accident, but a place we both fell in love with.
Inside St Stephen’s
Here’s where the 20mm (40mm effective) starts to bug me
You might think its a double exposure…but no, the good folks of Hungary directionally light their busts in Roosevelt Square. Thank you kindly!
Point and click my arse! The Chain Bridge looking back to Buda with the Buda Castle lit in all is glory
Inside Mattias Church in the Castle District
St Matthews…what was wicked was this was the backdrop for a small string orchestra which we went to see on Saturday night
A statue in front of the Buda Palace
Light reflects from the water under a bridge
Hubba hubba!
She will probably hate this image…I, on the other hand, love the honesty in her look
The Parliament building
Not your local council office
Mirror Mirror
Posted by: | CommentsMirrors are interesting visual devices. They often factor in the bridal preparations part of the day. I don’t walk into a room, see a mirror and just say “gosh, I gotta use that”. It is, in many ways, an easy option. Sometimes there are ways of making that fairly innocuous mirror tell great stories, show things in a unique way or open your mind and your eyes to things you may not have seen before. Of course it all depends on how you ‘see’ things. I’ve seen so many mirror for mirror sake shots that even thinking about it seem so cliche. The trick is to get away from the cliche and bring a different dimension to the image.
So the following are mirror based images. They are not, however, reflections. Eh? What I mean is, the images below all use an actual mirror as a photographic device. Whilst I appreciate that a reflection is what comes from a mirror these are not images created using reflections which occur from other shiny objects. Those take on a wholly different feel and no doubt I’ll be doing a post on reflections as well at some point.
Here are a few of my favourites from 2010.
Some people may not like the reality but it does combine the location with the action
A double whammy…mirror and silhouette
Some people get emotional…others sleep
Not like many mirrors you’ve seen…me either. Made a simple dress shot sing a bit more.
Two times the fun
OK…hands up…an itty bitty cliche
Shooting a scene about 15 feet behind me
Strong light works in mirrors too
Being able to frame the Bride with the door helps to contextualise the image
Time for a 2 for 1. Standing in the hall using the door as a frame
Now the same scenario without the door
A corner and a double aspect. Nice combo.
One of my favourites of 2010. A trick mirror.
Watching the guests arrive
Floor mirror, floor shot
Thank you mirror behind the cupboard door
Same mirror in the cupboard
Another nicey from 2010. Triple aspect mirror but using on 1 side
A different triple aspect but same wedding. Framing by using the third aspect to frame Natalie
This isn’t Photoshop. Its knowing what to look for in a mirror to get interesting effects
Those are three gigantic mirrors behind the bar
What a smile…a smile I might have otherwise not seen…this is more impactful when you see the image before in Sharyn’s gallery where she’s in focus
Mirrors bounce the light back meaning I can set the scene outside a bit better
This is more interesting due to Kat’s expression…but its also well lit (or rather, she sitting in great light)
A small but effective mirror in the Oast House at Bury Court
Similar to the triple bridesmaid a few images back, finding that magic spot on an ornate mirror…hence why its a bit soft
The triangle is complete
Using the light to create a frame
Mother and daughter
Mother and daughter…part 2
Using the mirror gave me something out of nothing. You can see from back of the girls head to the right that it was totally blown out by a ray of light. Shoot from the other side and I’ve got nothing. Turn it on its head, wait for her to look the other way and shazaam.
Triple aspects are your friend
Same triple aspect but with a bit of reflection as well
Mini mirrors…not easy but highly effective
Kaleidescope
I’m really starting to realise why I love triple aspect
Comedy moment
Cliche…but worth it!
Revealing the answer to what she’s smiling at
How many? You can see me as well
Maybe I should have kept this one for the reflections :)
Nothing fancy…the expression makes it mostly because she doesn’t realise I can see her
If only I was another 2 foot taller. Its a good image but it could have been better!
Mirrored wardrobes
Mirrors and rooflights…nice combo
Like anything it all comes down to opportunity. I do plenty of weddings where mirrors either don’t come into it, or they just don’t create compelling images. Its a bit of luck in so many ways. Knowing what you CAN do is great but sometime the mirror fairy needs to spread some of her magic dust. What’s most important is that you find a photographer who knows how to work any room, see its full potential, its problems (but sees the problem as a challenge and a solution) and gets down to business.
Shoe Are You?
Posted by: | CommentsA clever play on words from a classic Who hit. But you have to ask yourself…can a shoe be a star?
Now…don’t get me wrong. I don’t turn up to weddings to take endless pictures of details whilst ignoring the human element. I think a few details certainly have their place. For me, shoes fit into that category. I nearly gave up on shoes about 4 years ago. Then I thought (to quote another classic British rock band) “I want to break free”. I decided that a shoe on a box or a pillow just wasn’t for me. Could I tell a story with that shoe (or shoes)? Could I make a statement? Could it be art? Could it be abstract? Could it be something that you never expected? The answer was yes. I won’t lie. Some weeks are easier than others. There is always the fall back option. But some weeks. The planets align and I find myself with the shoe on the other foot. Here’s a selection of my favourites from 2010.
A wee bit abstract. She decided on existing shoes…doesn’t mean they can’t be interesting
the same shoes…completely different place
Light fall off and bathtubs. A sweet combination
Caramel Choo Choo
I really struggled on this day…utlimately it came down to the comparative chaos versus the control
Windows…sensing a theme here?
One Flew Over the Shoe Shoes Nest – sadly Budgie wouldn’t play ball
Another tough location…time to think way outside the box
Sharp tells the story
Flat shoes can be difficult. Time to stop accentuating the flatness.
Would you believe January in Bournemouth?
I’ve always liked this because I knew just how blinking difficult it was to get this. It was sooooo dark.
Lines and curves
They have a 3 year old…that’s why I love this one. Its one day combined with real life.
Thankfully she only had 2 feet
I would have to say this is my favourite shoe shot of the year.
This is the first one. I mostly liked it, but its very busy…why show it?…..
…same shoes, close up on the work surface. No need to remove the ‘character’ as it, in itself, lends to the story
Ooppps…wrong white balance. Forgetaboutit
Luckily it was a hotel, because that light fixture was never as ‘solid’ as when the day starter
Frosted glass and big shoes. Nice combination.
Stare for long enough and nods just like that dog on TV
One that never made the blog…but made me laugh when I thought of it
The absolute scariest shoe shot ever. Falling over the other side meant a 9floor drop to the top of another part of the hotel. To the left the sky line of Tel Aviv (Israel), to the right the Mediterranean Sea
As soon as I saw the blue I knew I had to contrast the patent sheen of the cream. Problem was getting the things to balance on the round part of the rail. Both dropped seconds after taking this.
When you’ve got a full size Ferrari F1 car in your own bar you kind of have to do this
In a sink…again
I had never seen a full blow, bowed window before
Loo Loo relights my fire
I love this one as it just makes you think
“God knows…God knows I want to break free”. Hope you enjoyed that collection of images. They were but a handful of images from the total collection. Enough to tweak your interest and get you asking questions. Have a lovely weekend.
Much Ado About Portsmouth
Posted by: | CommentsA few weeks back my great photographer friend Duncan and I took a few hours out to go shoot some personal images. The light at 14:00 promised much but then failed to deliver. However we still made every effort to come up with something. In this instance I tried to use some different processing techniques. Whether I ever use them again is anyones guess…but learning is never a bad thing.
