Where have YOU been?

Hello world!

After a bit of an extended hiatus from wedding photograph I’m back. Well, sort of. I need to update the site for Susan and Lee’s wedding and Kari and Lee’s wedding from last year,  and have a bit of a spring clean around the place.

On 27th March, I’ll have the massive pleasure to shoot Nichola and Graham’s wedding. I’ve worked with Nichola for years, so when she asked if I’d shoot her wedding, I was always going to say yes.

Tonight we went out for a quick pre-wedding shoot – the weather was cold, the light was fading, but spirits were high. I’d brought along a couple of flashes, and Ross and Emma did sterling service as Human Light Stands.

After we had a few shots in the bag for the signing board, a quick fun family shot, and that was that. Time to get the board sorted and visit the venue.

This wedding is going to be ace to shoot.

Sneaky Peaks – Kari & Lee, April 2012

Kari and Lee were guests at Kaye and Alan’s wedding back in August 2011. They asked me to shoot their wedding in April, and I was delighted – they’re a great couple, and fun to work with. We met up in Tynemouth for a pre-wedding shoot a couple of weeks back.

I’m excited for their wedding, both because they’re a lovely couple, but also because it’s a chance to shoot at Longhirst Hall – which has a fantastic room for the ceremony.

Roll on April…

Sneaky peaks: Susan and Lee – March, 2012

Susan and Lee are getting married later this month – they’re a lovely couple and it promises to be an exciting day. They’ve chosen Alnwick Garden for the ceremony and reception, which is just one more thing to get happy about – I had a quick scout around the garden this week, and there are some fantastic locations.

We had a pre-wedding shoot a couple of weeks ago, and they brought their dogs along – an interesting challenge, especially as the dogs just wanted to get off the lead and run. Still, we managed to catch a few shots with neither of them pointing backwards.

You can’t tell from this shot, but it was bitterly cold, and after only a few minutes it started snowing!

Victoria & David’s Wedding – 8th October, 2011

Since I met David, I knew his wedding would be something special. As I’ve mentioned before, I met him in the dead of night in a carpark while I was out light painting. He was instantly fantastic, seeming unfazed by the possibility of booking a wedding photographer on the strength of such an odd beginning.

I went to visit David, and his finace Victoria, and she was equally lovely, and they were such a great couple, really happy and full of excitement. Also, they are both clearly keen on photos, their house has shots of them, their children and family on many of the walls.

There was always a feeling that this was going to be fun. I can’t explain why, but I’d always known it would be a day to remember.

And it was. Quite simply a fabulous day, they were both spectacular, the children were full of beans, and the guests were ready to help them celebrate. It’s the first wedding I’ve been to with a hokey-cokey, but I’d encourage anyone getting married to think about it – it looked like top notch fun.

Before I go on too much, here are a few shots from the day…

Serenading the stones

A chance meeting at the circle at Castlerigg today…

Sneaky Peek – Victoria and David’s wedding – 8th October 2011

Yesterday, I had the honour of covering Victoria and David’s lovely wedding. I met David in a pitch black Killingworth car park in the dark of February this year, while out with a light-painting photographer. It turned out that David needed a photographer, and I was free on the day, so I went round to visit and met his lovely fiance, Victoria. One thing led to another, and yesterday was the big day.

The weather wasn’t perfect, but we dodged the drizzle (mostly) and managed to get shots outside as well as in. It was the first time that I’ve seen a horse and carriage at a wedding, and I can’t wait to get to work on those shots. For now however, a quick shot outside the reception while the light was still present.

Kaye and Alan’s wedding – 7th August, 2011

Kaye and Alan’s wedding – what to say? Well, it was fabulous, that’s the first thing. Secondly, I owe Kaye and Alan a big thank you. A year and a while ago, they asked me if I’d shoot their wedding, and I made the jump into a remarkable part of the photographic world. Since then, I’ve shot other weddings, invested in new gear, practised and generally tried to ensure that when their big day came, I’d be ready and do a great job for them.

We started off at Kaye and Alan’s house, with some shots of Kaye and her bridesmaids getting ready. It was amazing to see how much energy and excitement could fit into a normal-sized house.

Then off to the lovely St. Charles RC Church in Gosforth for the ceremony. To say the inside is impressive is something of an understatement, and made the couple’s marriage vows feel all the more special.

The reception was held at the luxurious Linden Hall, a great venue with fantastic staff and some outstanding locations. The rain held up for just long enough to dash out and get some photos in the grounds.

Then the wedding breakfast and speeches – a grand effort by the Father of the Bride, the Groom and the Best Man, a good few laughs and some heart-warming sentiments.

The evening reception was held in the Bigge Room (I’d got confused, and thought it must be pretty gigantic if they simply called it the Big Room – saying which, it was quite large) and a vast table of sweets made an appearance – I didn’t think they still made some of the sweets on display.

The lovely couple’s first dance, and the evening’s celebration got underway.

Many thanks go to the Priest at St Charles, who showed me the ‘good spot’ to shoot from during the ceremony – he was right, though I’d say it was ‘magnificent’, rather than just ‘good’. Also to Allan Bews, who stepped up to the plate as second shooter and did a fabulous job – he jumped in pretty much last minute, and did me proud.

Best wishes to Kaye and Alan too – as lovely a couple as I’ve had the pleasure of shooting, I wish them every happiness for the future.