Category Archive: Notley Abbey
Notley Abbey wedding | 365#131
The process of compiling this 365 adventure into my back catalogue and current material is somewhat of a cathartic learning process. Never have I studied my own pictures quite so critically. Patterns emerge to which equipment combinations seem to be favoured or indeed work best and whereas I can go some weeks playing catch up with the feature, I’d recommend the enterprise to others in my profession. Promises promises, but I intend to continue the feature even after the close of this current series on New Year’s Eve. It’s also been a sobering reminder of the aging process! I’ve just shot my 35th Notley Abbey wedding. It would be fair to say, I know the venue reasonably well. And this, is from the first wedding I shot there in 2007, but, and I know that you know that I’m going to say this, but it only seems like, altogether now. The available light afforded the ceremony room at the Abbey is simply stunning. In 2012, I probably pull out slightly to record this moment, if only to catch a glance of the guests cheering and smiling. This equally works well for me. It’s the classic natural mantelpiece photograph; well lit, technically sharp, exceptionally real. Not every photograph has to be complex.
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE WEDDING VENUE: Notley Abbey near Thame
SHOOTING DATA: Canon 5DMk1, 24-105mm lens at 88mm, F4, 1/60, ISO 800, over exposed by a third.
Posted in Buckinghamshire wedding photographer, Buckinghamshire wedding venues, Bucks wedding photographer, Bucks wedding venues, Documentary wedding photographer, Documentary wedding photography, Notley Abbey, Reportage wedding photographer, Reportage wedding photography, Wedding 365, Wedding Photographer, Wedding photojournalist
Tagged Notley Abbey Thame
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Notley outdoor ceremony | Wedding 365#112
I’m quite a fan of ‘horizon composition,’ and the practice of using negative space there-in. I was a little uneasy about using this photograph in terms of juxtaposition, having previously posted a 365 piece about Notley Abbey in the rain, but it’s the people and the character of the wedding itself that maketh the day, and natural elements don’t impact in quite the way some may fear. This for me is a scene setter. Including a couple of obscured bodies and a baby in chair, there are 32 guests from the day in this photograph, so it works on another level too; record shots of the guest list.
OXFORDSHIRE WEDDING VENUE: Notley Abbey, Buckinghamshire
SHOOTING DATA: Canon 5D Mk2, 24mm lens, F6.3, 1/2000, ISO 320, under exposed by a stop.
A windy Notley Abbey | Wedding 365#111
It’s 11.15pm. I’ve just returned from a wedding at the historic and beautiful Notley Abbey near Thame where I’m fortunate to be included as one of their few preferred photography suppliers. It’s been raining pretty much all day and as I write this whilst downloading images from the day, even heavier rain lashes against the roof lantern above me. It’s Day 23 of the hosepipe ban, obviously. Fortunately my wife knows how I like to work of an evening when I return from a wedding and has left a bottle of French brandy on the sideboard, and I’m enjoying a snifter whilst sorting the day’s photographs and editing some of the audio I recorded from the speeches for one of my stills films. I’m posting just one image and I’ll work on a full blog post later during the week, but for the 365 feature, this stands as a reasonably important shot from the day; an unashamedly simple portrait. I’m posting this one for couples with forthcoming nuptials who check the weather forecast day in day out, in concern for inclement weather. I have a mantra; it can’t rain forever. Honestly, I didn’t think I’d be using it this April, but I am and this image serves proof that even during a week where we haven’t gone half an hour without some kind of rainfall, there’s seemingly always a window of opportunity. Sodden grass and muddy verges do change my course when walking the route of a greener bridal portrait session, but this resulting photograph does one thing in particular that is important to the overall story of their day. It places their venue in shot, so introduces location context. Actually there’s a legacy of rainfall and wintry skies; lush lawns and soft lighting. Fabulous day Kieran and Sarah, and thanks for introducing me to The Cat Empire; superb track for a handful of cracking dance shots. Those to come.
OXFORDSHIRE WEDDING VENUE: Notley Abbey near Thame
SHOOTING DATA: Canon 5D Mk3, 24mm lens, F2.8, 1/1000, ISO 1000
Posted in Notley Abbey, Oxfordshire wedding photographer, Oxfordshire wedding venues, Oxon wedding photographer, Oxon wedding venues, Reportage wedding photography, Wedding 365, Wedding in the rain, Wedding photojournalist
Tagged inclement weather wedding, rainy wedding, Thame, windy wedding
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Notley venue in Bucks | Wedding 365#103
There was a reasonable amount of background chatter that prevented me from hearing the exact on going discussion, but this image hooks me to want to know more. I’m intrigued by body language and how humans communicate and a psychologist would have a field day with this image I’m sure. Photographically the shadow play works well and as a low light wedding photograph, the wall and the floor acts to dramatise the casts being made by hands and body. There’s expression, there’s mood. Ah, but is it a wedding photograph? Where is the cake? Where is the bride? Where are the deliriously happy exchanges you expect to see as staple album images? For me, this is a record photograph from the day’s Notley Abbey wedding and record images should not just be endless close ups of ‘man drinking beer,’ or ‘woman laughing uncontrollably whilst wrestling exploding chicken volovant.’ This has it’s overall place and as a low light photograph it’s enduring proof that flash, even fill flash, would have pulled the drama out of this capture by reducing or even subtracting the shadow.
BUCKS WEDDING VENUE: Notley Abbey
SHOOTING DATA: Canon 5D Mk3, 24mm lens, F1.4, 1/640, ISO 5000, under exposed by two thirds.
Posted in Buckinghamshire wedding photographer, Buckinghamshire wedding venues, Bucks wedding photographer, Bucks wedding venues, Documentary wedding photography, Notley Abbey, Wedding 365, Wedding Photographer, Wedding photojournalist
Tagged Low light wedding photograph, Wedding photograph
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Notley Abbey wedding | Stuart and Rochelle
A tale of two halves in the back story department. Technical first, then some wedding narrative. Please take some time to click the more button and see this wedding unfold. A good friend recently said to me; the best camera is the one you have in your hand at the time. It’s easy to get caught up on gear and upgrades and forget that photography is about the emotional connect to an image, not necessarily how you technically arrived at the capture. We get all too easily concerned about perfect light, perfect sharpness, perfect control. An American much respected celeb wedding photographer, Joe Buissink added to this with his own particular mantra; there’s no such thing as a perfect picture, just a perfect moment. BUT. I’ve just completed my first documentary wedding following upgrading the camera bodies from Canon 5DMk2 to Mk3 and if I may just use text vernacular; O.M.G. The photographs you’re about to view have indeed been through some basic post processing procedures, but shot aperture priority I promise you this, they’re not too far from how they appeared out of camera – and jpg captures. Many of them are shot at ISO 4000 and above. To say I’m impressed by Canon’s latest offering would be an understatement. I’d considered running one more season with the Mk2s, but after this experience, I’m glad I changed. Right, to the wedding. Stuart, Rochelle, what a day. I always say that if I can capture expression at given points during a day, I’ll return a happy wedding photographer. I returned happy, and I hope by the pictures you see in this taster, you remember just how much expression and character your day had. If I may just explain one image, and forgive me Rochelle, there was a red wine moment just after dinner with the wedding dress. The usher with outstretched arm talking to the bride, well, he’s making sure any further red wine remains as far from what the navy would call the splash zone, as possible! Did the laughter stop? Not once. This wedding had soul.
Posted in Buckinghamshire wedding photographer, Buckinghamshire wedding venues, Bucks wedding photographer, Bucks wedding venues, Documentary wedding photographer, Documentary wedding photography, Notley Abbey, Wedding Photographer
Tagged Bucks wedding, Bucks wedding photographer, Documentary wedding photography, Notley Abbey wedding, Oxon wedding
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Bucks wedding photographer | Wedding 365#96
So here’s a documentary wedding image featuring a little frivolity, and I’m unfortunately the butt of the joke. See, this, is seconds after I smashed a glass and silenced the room. It’s taken from today, so it’s right up to date and is the first to be featured from a wedding shot exclusively on the 5DMk3. I was trying to capture a grab shot of these guests taking each others portraits, but as I squeezed around a table close by, my jacket took a glass with it, fortunately empty. The photograph I think you’re witnessing, is guests looking at the back of a camera featuring a picture of me scurrying around clearing broken glass away. As a documentary wedding photographer I talk at length about unobtrusive wedding coverage. Smash a glass though, and your cover is blown, with bells on. However, I’ve become the story, just for these few seconds. What to do? Cover it. Start shooting.
BUCKS WEDDING VENUE: Notley Abbey
SHOOTING DATA: Canon 5D Mk3, 24mm lens, F1.4, 1/400, ISO 1600, over exposed by a third.
Notley Abbey wedding | Wedding 365#93
Laugh and the World laughs with you. It’s from a Notley Abbey wedding, near Thame, on the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire border. I’ve popped this in to the wedding 365 collection because it’s unashamedly just a silly moment, and for all the rolling tears and high emotional vistas I showcase, there’s nout wrong with a little daftness once in a while. These are the images they don’t necessarily make the cut for inclusion with the wedding galleries, but they’re precious none the less in the overall capture of a day. These lighter portraits often occur because I step back and invite guests to collect their own grab shots. Far from claiming bridal parties as my own, I’m more than happy for guests to tag along for the portrait session, since what they bring is a relaxed sense of normality. You’ll find the bridal party play to their friends and this is one such moment. I can’t remember what was being said and how we arrived at this daft exchange between four very good friends, but I do remember the laughter and four different stories with each expression. Bravo for a bit of silliness on a weddding day.
BUCKS WEDDING VENUE: Notley Abbey
SHOOTING DATA: Canon 5D Mk2, 70-200mm lens at 78mm, F4.5, 1/250, ISO 200
Posted in Buckinghamshire wedding photographer, Buckinghamshire wedding venues, Bucks wedding photographer, Bucks wedding venues, Notley Abbey, Oxfordshire wedding photographer, Oxfordshire wedding venues, Oxon wedding photographer, Oxon wedding venues, Wedding 365, Wedding Photographer, Wedding photojournalist
Tagged 365 wedding project, Bucks wedding photographer, Bucks wedding venue, Notley, Oxon wedding, Wedding portraits
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Notley Abbey wedding | Wedding 365#80
This, is a record shot. It states the place and and the weather. Widening the aspect makes for an interesting perspective however and a vapour trail from a chimney is proportionally unusual and visually exciting. I like the ‘busy doing nothing’ vista and most importantly in wedding landscape terms, this provides pictorial calm, much needed I promise you.
BUCKS WEDDING VENUE: Notley Abbey
SHOOTING DATA: Canon 5D Mk2, 24mm, full details unknown.
Notley Abbey wedding | Wedding 365#77
Notley Abbey provides a stunning backdrop for outdoor civil wedding ceremonies. Today’s wedding 365 image depicts why the unexpected can create such photographic gold. We’re half way through the ceremony, which readers of this 365 blog feature may recognise; it’s the outdoor nuptials that entertained sun one moment, then a deluge of typically British summer the next. During the ‘dry spell,’ guests were able to enjoy a reading by one of the ushers. It’s being read off camera. The wall you see behind the guests forms the boundary between Notley Abbey and the farm directly behind. There’s a horse on the other side of this wall, and he decides the reading is the moment he should make his presence felt. Neigh. Neigh. Neigh and neigh again. Neigh. Neigh. I think you get the idea. Such an amusing natural moment. As much as I like this photograph, when I revisit this picture I equally wish I would have pulled wide to embrace the image of the usher – though of course the horse, well, he’ll always remain anonymous, until Canon cameras invent a system that can see through walls. As it stands it’s a fabulously characterful portrait and worthy of 365 inclusion.
BUCKS WEDDING VENUE: Notley Abbey
SHOOTING DATA: Canon 5D Mk2, 70-200mm lens at 75mm, F2.8, 1/50, ISO 160, over by a third.
Posted in Buckinghamshire wedding photographer, Buckinghamshire wedding venues, Bucks wedding photographer, Bucks wedding venues, Documentary wedding photographer, Documentary wedding photography, Notley Abbey, Wedding 365, Wedding Photographer, Wedding photojournalist
Tagged 365 wedding project, Bucks wedding photographer, Documentary wedding photographer, Notley Abbey, Oxon wedding photographer, Reportage wedding photographer, Wedding venue Bucks, Wedding venue Oxfordshire
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Notley Abbey reportage | Wedding 365#70
ETHOS: From an open air Notley Abbey civil ceremony last year, it’s equally a timely reminder as we enter spring, that this kind of experience is not too far away again. If you’re trying to create a larger than life moment, say ‘supersizing’ one’s focus of attention, a low camera angle will do the trick just nicely. I’m equally keen on this photograph as I love the registrar’s reaction to the couple’s celebratory kiss. If Carlsberg made registrars, they would all be like Buckinghamshire’s ‘Julia.’
VENUE: Notley Abbey
WEDDING 365 PROJECT – 365 days, 365 wedding images.
SHOOTING DATA: 5DMk2, 24mm, F4, 1/1250, ISO 200, under by a third.
Posted in Buckinghamshire wedding photographer, Buckinghamshire wedding venues, Bucks wedding photographer, Bucks wedding venues, Notley Abbey, Wedding 365, Wedding Photographer, Wedding photojournalist
Tagged 365 wedding project, Bucks wedding photographer, Documentary wedding photographer, Wedding photographer Oxfordshire
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Bad weather photography | Wedding 365#45
WEDDING 365 PROJECT – Daily choice of a documentary wedding photograph selected from my catalogue, collated from time spent documenting these unique events. This one from an outdoor ceremony at Notley Abbey.
SHOOTING DATA: 5DMk2, 35mm, F1.4, 1/2000, ISO 1000, over by two stops.
VENUE: Notley Abbey, Oxfordshire
ETHOS: I’ve just written a piece for a photography magazine on the subject of bad weather at weddings. It’ll be a month or two before that piece appears, so this will be long down the order by then. I thought it worth broaching the subject within 365. I don’t consciously use bad weather per sae in my photography as I follow the lead of a bride and groom; my work favouring a photojournalistic approach. If the couple are embracing adverse climatic conditions, so will I. Storms and snow covered vistas are fabulous environmental backdrops and offer me opportunities to record dramatic landscapes to accompany the final collection, but I generally don’t ask clients to go and stand outside. Let’s take snow as an example. As I write, I’ve just completed two weddings on bitterly cold days where snow fell and the valleys we frequented funnelled blasts of Siberian chills through them so bitter that cheeks would redden within seconds. Both brides suggested they would enjoy that. The reality was different and despite sporting Hunters bought particularly for the day, we retreated pretty quickly. So bad weather for me often results in more indoor photography where I don fast lenses, open up wide in photographic terms and go look for available light tungsten style. I prefer then to report the weather and show how it impacted in real terms on the day. This image from an outdoor ceremony at Notley Abbey near Thame is a perfect example. We’d not long commenced an outdoor service when a roll cloud brought a healthy delivery of heavy rain in seconds. It didn’t [sorry for this] dampen spirits, but it did tell a story of the day. I particularly love the image of the lady at the back rolling the carpet back with her foot.
Posted in Buckinghamshire wedding photographer, Buckinghamshire wedding venues, Bucks wedding photographer, Bucks wedding venues, Notley Abbey, Wedding 365, Wedding in the rain, Wedding Photographer
Tagged 365 wedding project, Bad weather wedding, Notley Abbey, Outdoor ceremony, Wedding photographer Bucks, Wedding photographer Oxon
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Wedding photographer Notley Abbey | WEDDING 365#20
WEDDING 365 PROJECT – Daily choice of a wedding photojournalist image selected from my catalogue, collated from time spent documenting these unique events. Ethos provided for prospective brides and grooms, shooting data for the togs intrigued by that kind of information. Please comment, it makes a World of difference.
SHOOTING DATA: 5DMk2, 24mm lens, F1.8, 1/60, ISO 1000
VENUE: Notley Abbey, Buckinghamshire
ETHOS: I’m crossing the line. I can hear shouts of; “That’s not photojournalism, that’s not documentary, certainly not reportage, you’re shamelessly posing, directing, cheating with light that you’re adding in. Six lashes Sir for contradicting the shooting style you champion so readily within these posts.” Whilst it’s correct that as I mature stylistically, my desire is to (as a good photographer friend of mine says) observe not orchestrate, I still maintain that if time permits and it feels appropriate to the moment, or client, portraiture is still an important part of what I do and the overall story. See, there’s a grey area here. Is a portrait a documentary moment? Well, actually yes, I do believe it can be. If subtle. This is a one off event, truly a one off event. Even if things change for the couple in the future, this is still, a one off, never to be repeated in quite the same way, event. It happened, it’s part of history. In the same way that when I produced radio documentaries about people, part of the process would be to orchestrate an interview, I don’t feel that this is any less part of the documentary because for a short time, I organised a photograph to reflect the clothing, emotion, architecture, landscape and so on. The difference is that certainly now, I will try to pose as naturally as I can, or is right for the couple. No dipping of brides backwards, no leaping in the air. A calm hopefully observational record of bride, groom, or couple that celebrates the day, in a slightly more traditional sense. In photographic terms, relating back to my former life in broadcasting again, this is my interview. Quick word about light. I’ve used a Sony 10W video light here, best one I’ve found so far. Good spread of light enabling me to operate reasonably low ISO and balance the light being bounced off the building in the background by up-lighters, thus avoiding flash and allowing for a softer feel.
Posted in Buckinghamshire wedding photographer, Buckinghamshire wedding venues, Bucks wedding photographer, Bucks wedding venues, Documentary wedding photographer, Documentary wedding photography, Notley Abbey, Wedding 365, Wedding Photographer
Tagged 365 wedding project, Wedding photographer Buckinghamshire, Wedding photographer Bucks, Wedding photographer Oxfordshire, Wedding photographer Oxon
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Documentary wedding photographer | WEDDING 365#8
WEDDING 365 PROJECT – Daily choice of a documentary wedding photograph selected from my catalogue, collated from time spent documenting these unique events. Ethos provided for prospective brides and grooms, shooting data for the togs intrigued by that kind of information. Please comment, it makes a World of difference.
SHOOTING DATA: 5DMk2, 24mm, F11, 1/8, 1/100
VENUE: Notley Abbey venue.
ETHOS: Light, passion, movement please – all this in spadefuls. In documentary terms this wouldn’t be considered by the purist as a photojournalist capture, but this is a wedding, and to kiss, well it seems rather natural. This is a portrait. Not your obvious embrace no. But for me, it’s a portrait, very much. Two people in love, on their wedding day. “Simples,” to coin a phrase. To create movement in the image and reflect the car’s motion plus deal with the brightness of the day, I employed a slow shutter speed and stopped down. Sometimes it’s not about sharpness, it’s about emotion. More images from this wedding can be viewed through this link.
Craig and Liz – Notley Abbey wedding photography
Here’s one I’ve been meaning to post for a while, and it’s as much a mention too for wedding photojournalism and what it is, or can be. A good wedding photographer friend of mine sums it up sweetly; observation not orchestration. It’s nigh on impossible to be purist about our ‘sport.’ Sooner or later someone will ask or expect me to orchestrate a group shot or I’ll ask the bride and groom to simply hold hands for a portrait. Then my cloak of PJ invisibility shreds itself. I just mention this because of late, and following my article in Professional Photographer magazine about church coverage, I’ve exchanged a number of mails with fellow togs about working as a documentary wedding photographer and what that actually means to me. I use many terms to describe my work and yes, I do use wedding photojournalist as it’s a phrase championed by wedding magazines; so I embrace it for search term reasons. In reality though I’m a documentary photographer. If you will, I have a ‘light touch’ on the day. I do help arrange a handful of portraits because when the dust settles and the cake becomes crumbs, this is what is left. This is the legacy of the wedding. Only a small percentage of my work requires any orchestration, and even then I’ll work in my described professionally brisk method, as I want key members of the bridal party to get back to the main event. This is after all a wedding day, not a photo shoot. So, the photographs within this post demonstrate my creative take on the subject of docu-coverage. Notley Abbey, sublime venue, superbly charged atmosphere of excitement, a bride and groom who desired some portraits, but equally wanted to relish time with their friends. Craig, Liz, what a day!
Posted in Buckinghamshire wedding photographer, Buckinghamshire wedding venues, Bucks wedding photographer, Bucks wedding venues, Notley Abbey, Wedding Photographer, Wedding photojournalist
Tagged Documentary wedding photographer, Documentary wedding photography, Wedding photographer Buckinghamshire, Wedding photographer Bucks, Wedding photographer Oxfordshire, Wedding photojournalism, Wedding photojournalist
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Notley Abbey wedding photographer | Stuart and Jo
Quintessentially English weddings have changed somewhat since civil rulings were altered to accommodate outdoor ceremonies. Many guests will not have witnessed such an event before; it’s a relatively new twist on the nuptial landscape. The expressions on guests’ faces continually delight me. Their first words reflect the surprise. “Like a film set,” is one of the most familiar comments I hear. Venues need to have some kind of permanent structure inside which the legal contractual parts are conducted – and of course it works best if close by there’s a back up plan, i.e. an indoor licensed retreat for all! I’ve been to a handful of outdoor ceremonies where the heavens have opened half way through. Not so with Stuart and Jo’s celebrations at Notley Abbey though. Sunshine the order of the day, here are a selection of my favourites.
Posted in Buckinghamshire wedding photographer, Buckinghamshire wedding venues, Bucks wedding photographer, Bucks wedding venues, Notley Abbey, Wedding Photographer, Wedding photojournalist
Tagged Available light wedding photography, Bijou weddings, Outdoor ceremonies, Outdoor wedding ceremonies, Wedding photographer Buckinghamshire, Wedding photographer Oxon
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