Category Archive: Rivervale Barn
Rivervale Barn wedding photography | 365#135
I’m pleased to be a recommended wedding photographer at Rivervale Barn near Yateley; it’s an association I have enjoyed from the day it opened. This 365 image is a familiar feature of my main wedding gallery and I’m all the richer for having captured it. It features the two bridal party mothers, the focus of the composition clearly being mum on the left; the bride’s parent. For unpublished reasons this is a private exchange and it’s captured through a short focal length prime, the L series F1.4 35mm. My work has matured for using primes, in wedding reportage terms; the max wide apertures allowing me to work low light minus flash easily. This photograph is a perfect example of working that limited available light, close to the subject yet remain reasonably unseen due to not napalming the scene with flash! At times it’s a perfect close up lens, but it’s also forced me to think wider and see more of the scene within a composition.
HAMPSHIRE WEDDING VENUE: Rivervale Barn, Yateley
SHOOTING DATA: Canon 5DMk2, 35mm, F1.4, 1/640, ISO 800, over exposed by two thirds.
Rivervale Barn | Wedding 365#79
The guests had been seated, the wedding breakfast was about to commence. I looked out of the window on to Rivervale Barn’s courtyard and saw this. It’s a documentary wedding photograph shot through a glass door at 30 feet or so, I guess that by the lens data. The succinct portrait session earlier had yielded some similar shots, but none so honest as this.
HAMPSHIRE WEDDING VENUE: Rivervale Barn, Yateley
SHOOTING DATA: Canon 5D Mk2, 135mm, F2.2, 1/6400, ISO 500, under by a third.
Posted in Hampshire wedding photographer, Hampshire wedding venues, Hants wedding photographer, Hants wedding venues, Reportage wedding photographer, Reportage wedding photography, Rivervale Barn, Wedding 365, Wedding Photographer, Wedding photojournalist
Tagged 365 wedding project, Documentary wedding photographer, Reportage wedding photographer, Rivervale Barn, Wedding photographer Hampshire
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Wedding photographer Hampshire | Wedding 365#78
I have learned that what you see and what you record, can be two completely different disciplines in wedding photography. Prior to having children myself I may have seen this image as ‘hug from auntie meets a little reticence from niece.’ But now I see unreserved love and compassion – and I mean that in a genuine sense as a parent. Much of my time during a ceremony is spent looking for emotional connections and that doesn’t just emanate from a bride and groom. This is one such classic example. Look past the ceremony table and you’ll see it unfold, row by row.
HAMPSHIRE WEDDING VENUE: Rivervale Barn, Yateley
SHOOTING DATA: Canon 5D Mk2, 135mm, F2, 1/250, ISO 800, under by a third.
Posted in Documentary wedding photographer, Documentary wedding photography, Hampshire wedding photographer, Hampshire wedding venues, Hants wedding photographer, Hants wedding venues, Rivervale Barn, Wedding 365, Wedding Photographer, Wedding photojournalist
Tagged 365 wedding project, Natural wedding photographer, Reportage wedding photographer, Rivervale Barn, Wedding photographer Hants
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Rivervale Barn photography | Wedding 365#76
Upon my return from every wedding I start a digital workflow process; it’s a ‘physical mantra.’ I download my camera cards from the day’s events and relive the occasion as it once more unfolds before me. As the wedding is happening I know what I see and what I’m capturing and of course the benefit of digital capture means that I can review it on the go too. But having said that, in the quietness of this initial download time on a larger screen, I meet the kind of images that I go on to refer to as my ‘bagged that’ shots. Often these are the sheer romance captures; the big hugs, the huge smiles, the tears, the laughter. And then sometimes they’re humour driven; ones that create a wry smile. This is one such photograph. Initially I saw the two bridesmaids organising a photograph of their own and I thought it would probably make quite a cute support image for the collection. Immediately in composition I saw this chap, leaning against a beam, taking a cheeky nap. ‘Bagged it.” I just know that the bride and groom will smile.
HAMPSHIRE WEDDING VENUE: Rivervale Barn
SHOOTING DATA: Canon 5D Mk2, 24mm lens, F1.4, 1/4000, ISO 1250, over by a third.
Posted in Documentary wedding photography, Hampshire wedding photographer, Hampshire wedding venues, Hants wedding photographer, Hants wedding venues, Rivervale Barn, Wedding 365, Wedding Photographer
Tagged 365 wedding project, Hampshire wedding photographer, Reportage wedding photographer, Wedding venue Hampshire
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Rivervale Barn wedding venue | Wedding 365#75
Oh oh oh oh oh. It’s the mantra that relays through my mind when my lens meets flare like this in head on conditions. It was a low sun, the first dance had just begun, late Summer, so I tilted that lens until I just met some photon reaction and bang. This happened. I was looking for energy. I think I found it.
HAMPSHIRE WEDDING VENUE: Rivervale Barn
SHOOTING DATA: Canon 5D Mk2, 24mm lens, F1.4, 1/2500, ISO 800, over by a third.
FURTHER FEATURE NOTES: Please click the comments link below. Happy to hear more about how you view the images within this daily catalogue feature.
Posted in Hampshire wedding photographer, Hampshire wedding venues, Hants wedding photographer, Hants wedding venues, Rivervale Barn, Wedding 365, Wedding Photographer, Wedding photojournalist
Tagged 365 wedding project, Hampshire wedding photographer, Rivervale Barn, Wedding photographer Hants, Wedding venues Hampshire
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Rivervale Barn wedding photographer | James and Lucy
As a documentary wedding photographer, emotion is a key creative driver. I know that if I witness scenes such as this opening post picture from Rivervale Barn at the weekend, something special is about to unfold. Asked why I photograph weddings when I could use my reportage passion in various fields, I will always point toward captures such as this. I’m a soft centred soul myself, so it fuels my affection for matters emotive. James, Lucy, wonderfully honest wedding at the weekend, and I’m genuinely privileged to have been there for you both. Here’s a few images to remember the day by whilst the post processing of the others takes shape.
Wedding photojournalist | WEDDING 365#36
WEDDING 365 PROJECT – an image per day to demonstrate shooting style, creatively and technically.
SHOOTING DATA: 5DMk2, 50mm, F1.2, 1/200, ISO 1000, plus one stop exp compensation.
VENUE: Rivervale Barn, Yateley
ETHOS: An icy blast of ‘wintry snap’ has convinced me to check back through December’s pictorial records to reveal this one from Rivervale Barn. Wide open aperture assisted by the latitude of a monochrome conversion makes for a strong composition. Connection is important to me in the process of record and this simple picture has that in abundance. The Christmas tree places the image in a time, a father talking to his daughter provides the narrative and three guests making their own contact with bride and groom seems to glue everything together. There’s no complexity, it’s a simple wide story telling picture.
Rivervale Barn wedding | WEDDING 365#21
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, F2.5, 1/50, ISO 640
VENUE: Rivervale Barn
ETHOS: In technical terms, I almost missed the moment here. I’d been photographing something immediately behind what you see, bathed in an entirely different wash of available light. So upon hearing the laughter, I turned on my heels and was met by a scene where the guest in foreground has just experienced a food disaster moment. I took various captures, though the one that works best for me is without doubt this one, her friends being the focal point. At 1/50 with movement I’m delighted it worked. It does prove how using short fixed focal length prime lenses gives you a chance to be in the ‘thick of the action,’ and embrace all around, particularly important for impromptu humour moments.
Posted in Hampshire wedding photographer, Hampshire wedding venues, Hants wedding photographer, Hants wedding venues, Reportage wedding photographer, Reportage wedding photography, Rivervale Barn, Wedding 365, Wedding Photographer, Wedding photojournalist
Tagged 365 wedding project, Available light wedding photography, Documentary wedding photographer, Hants wedding photographer, Wedding photographer Hampshire
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WEDDING 365#5 | Wedding musicians
WEDDING 365 PROJECT – Daily selection of a 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, ISO 800, F1.4, 1/125.
VENUE: Rivervale Barn.
ETHOS: Commonly, bands provide lighting to lift them from the shadows and here’s an example of how to embrace their illumination, rather than provide one’s own. Positioned reasonably close to the sax, say a couple of feet or so, this is the second of four frames captured as I shifted position to embrace rim lighting. Shooting low light requires a more considered approach to documenting weddings. So often flash becomes the ‘weapon of choice’ in a photographer’s armory, with all the subtlety of a November 5th party. The spot light to the left rewards this unflashed image with three dimensional effect. A worthy 365 addition I hope. You can see more images from this wedding by clicking here.
Rivervale Barn wedding photography | Raj and Charlotte
I had dinner last night with Steve; best man at my wedding six years ago. See, this wedding thing, it’s all Steve’s fault. He’d insisted I shoot his brother Nick’s wedding a year before my own. He’d not accepted my protestations that I shot only portraits. He refused to believe that I couldn’t turn my creative eye to wedding photography. I quoted £200 as a gesture relating to experience – and I shot that wedding. And so now in 2012, I find myself as a professional wedding photographer by trade, and that’s pretty much my bag. We mused over that fated request last night whilst wrestling the last serving spoonfuls of my wife’s infamous chilli dish, and I repeated a conclusion I’ve made in mantra like fashion of late; no other form of photography that I’ve practiced, is so down to earth honest, variety driven and personally emotional. I’m an old softy at heart and so watching Raj with their son catch Charlotte’s eye as she processed down the aisle was and always will be bound to stir emotions. Wedding photography, and particularly documentary wedding photography is a much misunderstood genre of capture. There is a craft in capturing decisive moments. I genuinely become emotionally connected during a wedding, it’s inevitable, and I hope that comes across in the images presented. At Rivervale Barn, the reception continued – and with a banquet room dressed fittingly for a Christmas wedding only the hardest of Dickensian hearts could fail to be emotively captured by Raj and Charlotte’s poignant celebrations. Dr. Raj, Charlotte, congratulations. You had me at; “Please stand for the arrival of the bride.”
Posted in Hampshire wedding photographer, Hampshire wedding venues, Hants wedding photographer, Hants wedding venues, Reportage wedding photographer, Reportage wedding photography, Rivervale Barn, Wedding Photographer, Wedding photojournalist, Winter wedding photography
Tagged Documentary wedding photographer, Hampshire wedding photographer, Reportage wedding photographer, Wedding photographer, Wedding photographer Berkshire, Wedding photography, Wedding photojournalist
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An old softy at heart – Rivervale Barn wedding photography
Alex and Jo’s Rivervale Barn wedding was a celebration of detail. Hundreds of photographs reveling in family history past and present hanging from beams, nostalgic table collections, a towering profiterole cheesecake designed by the couple. My intention is to produce a documentary book for them featuring images and words from the day, as the latter seemed just as carefully sourced. Of the many readings I hear during services, this is a new one on me. Bear with me, it has resonance. “All of what I really need to know about how to live and what to do, and how to be, I learned in Kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sandbox at nursery school. These are the things I learned… Share everything, play fair, don’t hit people, put things back where you found them, clean up your own mess, don’t take things that aren’t yours, say sorry when you hurt somebody, flush. Warm cookies and milk are good for you, give them to someone who feels sad. Learn and think and draw and paint. Sing and dance and play and work every day. Take a nap every afternoon. Be aware of wonder. Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out into the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.” I looked around the room as I took pictures during this reading. Adults nodded. In unison. It was somewhat warming for an old softy at heart.
Posted in Documentary wedding photography, Hampshire wedding photographer, Hampshire wedding venues, Hants wedding photographer, Hants wedding venues, Rivervale Barn, Wedding Photographer, Wedding photojournalist
Tagged Documentary wedding photographer, Hampshire wedding photographer, Retro weddings
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Rivervale Barn wedding | Ricky and Ellen
“But it’s good for the garden,” would have been the cheery riposte from my late mother if faced by a seemingly unending dousing of wet weather on a day where we’d otherwise planned for something less inclement. Having spent many of my childhood holidays under cover of canvas in various corners of the UK, I’m well versed with a dampened view of our country during the height of summer. I wouldn’t have appreciated it aged 12 I’m sure, but this was probably the best training I could receive for a career shooting weddings in Britain. In Ellen’s words on the day; “We chose [Rivervale Barn] for the inside as much as the outside, as we just didn’t know what the weather would hold.” And with that, I understood immediately why the rigorous rainfall hadn’t affected the attitude of the day. I often witness guests take a lead from the two key cast members of the day. If rain stops play, it could be because the mood has been dictated accordingly by displays of disappointment or dissatisfaction. It’s an important planning consideration for every wedding day. Does the venue offer ample opportunity and space if it rains etc and so on? The rain may not have let up for this one, but neither did Ricky and Ellen’s constant enthusiasm and honest joy for their occasion. Loved it. From start to finish.
Posted in Hampshire wedding photographer, Hampshire wedding venues, Hants wedding photographer, Hants wedding venues, Rivervale Barn, Wedding in the rain, Wedding Photographer, Wedding photojournalist
Tagged All weather wedding venues, Documentary wedding photographer, Hants, Wedding day rain, Wedding photographer Hants, Wedding photojournalist, Wet weather wedding
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Rivervale wedding photography | Hants wedding photographer
We love black and whites, big colours, natural coverage, shoot it as you see it. Pretty much the words used by Steve and Brenna from my meeting with them just prior to their Rivervale Barn wedding. A joy. I’m certainly not portrait session shy, and I’m definately a believer that a selection of family group shots meaningfully earn their place in an album, but thank you ‘guys’ for allowing me in the main to observe at Rivervale last week. Did I feel like I lived your wedding for the day? Oh yes.
Posted in Hampshire wedding photographer, Hampshire wedding venues, Hants wedding photographer, Hants wedding venues, Rivervale Barn, Wedding Photographer
Tagged Available light wedding photographer, Black and white wedding photography, Documentary wedding photographer, Documentary wedding photography, Monochrome wedding photography, Wedding photographer Hampshire, Wedding photographer Hants, Wedding photojournalist
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Rivervale Barn wedding photography | Hampshire wedding photographer
“What’s your favourite photo or moment from today,” I was asked, roughly 7 o clock, sun still kissing the courtyard at Rivervale Barn in Hampshire, with evening guests yet to arrive to Dan and Emma’s wedding. Usually a question asked upon my return home and whilst downloading images from a day’s wedding shoot but not one proposed by guests, it didn’t in reality take long to answer. “Speeches.” Hardly a hesitation. “Yes, speeches.” See, for me, I’m engaged by clients to be professionally nosey. I’m allowed to do the one thing parents forbade us from for much of our childhood. I can stare. All day. All day, staring. Sometimes with a camera to my eye, sometimes just observing minus an eye piece. Perhaps I should rephrase this as observing, for the documentary aficionados. It’s why I am primarily a wedding photographer. I do get asked to shoot commercial work, and usually because a client wants to achieve the results seen within these pages. But you simply can’t recreate some of the emotional highs (and lows) I observe during weddings. So, a favourite moment; our groom Dan turns to his father and thanks him. It’s a simple gesture, and one I see often. If you click ‘read more’ you’ll hopefully see what I saw during the exchange I reference here. Dan doesn’t need to use a microphone to say ‘thanks Dad.’
Posted in Hampshire wedding photographer, Hampshire wedding venues, Hants wedding photographer, Hants wedding venues, Rivervale Barn, Wedding Photographer
Tagged Available light wedding photographer, Berkshire wedding photographer, Documentary wedding photographer, Hants wedding photographer, Wedding photographer Berkshire, Wedding photographer Farnborough, Wedding photographer Hampshire, Wedding photojournalist
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Rivervale Barn wedding photography | Tasting evening
Invited in to sample dishes, wines and real ale ahead of their own weddings, fifty couples arrived at Rivervale Barn last night to be treated to some stunning food provided by head chef Nick. If ever one is tempted to consider that it must be tricky to present fine dining within a wedding menu plan when catering to 100+ with essentially the same dish, bar some vegetarian and celeriac options, I would invite you to book a table (if that were of course possible to paying customers off the street) at Rivervale. I remain in awe of your skills in the kitchen Nick and I’ll continue to ask a million and one daft and obvious questions as you create. Meanwhile I found myself with a little time to ‘work the room’ photographically. The dining area was mood lit; pillar decorated fairy lights, low glow tungsten and candles. Perfect for that wedding emotion, a challenge for photographers wishing to work to the available light rather than napalming the scene with flash. So, testing the camera’s high ISO capabilities to it’s very limits the following shots demonstrate that the flash can be set aside to enable a photographer to unobtrusively enter the arena.
