Monthly Archives: October 2009
Audleys Wood Hotel wedding photography
I don’t usually (and by the way this isn’t a hint) get included within the ‘thank yous’ during wedding speeches. Subtlety and discretion being a stylistic key to how I like to operate as a photographer, I fade into the background pretty well during speeches, even though I’m not a Zara mens clothes waist size 30 anymore. So messages of thanks and testimonials are events that occur long after the wedding cake crumbs have been hoovered from the banquet suite floor. That in mind, a few thank yous of my own, to Alexis and Karlene. Thank you for inviting me to Audleys Wood; superb venue, amazing food, endless photo oppotunities. Thank you for inviting guests that laughed at my jokes during the group shot; always a bonus. Thank you for choosing a vicar who embraced photography as an important aide memoire. Now THAT, was one fabulous special day. Hope you enjoy your photographs in the review area.
Notley Abbey wedding photography
What is the collective noun for a series of post wedding edits that have nestled in our creative minds and Photoshop server files at Breathe Pictures HQ? An ‘excitement?’ A ‘romance?’ I’ve spent much of my summer shooting incredible wedding days and evenings. Following that, ‘our Natalie,’ resident retoucher and self proclaimed ‘Trustee Sidekick’ at the Thatcham showroom has spent her time revisiting each special day in post edit mode. So it’s with a huge serving of pride and gratitude that I post the following shots from Dan and Elinor’s amazing Notley Abbey wedding. Teamwork!
Wedding food photography
It’s not possible at every venue I visit and Chef decrees the verdict as to whether my macros can come anywhere near his or her souffle. That said, if I have the right access and when working with a documentary album in mind, part of that wedding photography work may be something akin to a cookbook. Now as most of my friends and certainly my wife will testify, I ain’t no Jamie Oliver! So my inspiration for food photography shots comes not from my knowledge of how a dish comes together, but how I can make it glisten on a window ledge, or perhaps more importantly how I can shoot it within 20 seconds before the commi whips it away for the top table. Like most things in a wedding photographer’s day, there’s a limit to how long you have to capture. This is certainly not the life for a commercial photographer! Every year I maintain that a wedding photographer’s work should mature and develop. I’m trying to think back to how this has happened in my own portfolio. My memory being consistent with that of a 40 something year old, I can think back 24 months! Two years ago I was shooting brides under street lamps after tiring with the stark napalmed look of flash – Nikon became Canon in my kit bag. Last year it was fast lenses and close up portraiture. This year has definately been the year of documentary and food. Next year? I may even learn to cook. Dishes prepared by chefs at Cain Manor, Notley Abbey and Silchester House, venues within the Bijou Wedding Venues group.
