How is it for you!

It seems a lifetime since my last posting on the blog but soooo much has happened.Still catching up on contacts made at the Focus On Imaging event,change round in the studio (first reports from customers seems everyone loves the new look, even my daughter now there’s praise).At Focus & events we have been involved with since the first words out of fellow ‘wedding professionals’ as we seem to be called these days is ‘Are You Busy???’ well yes its seems that at the moment we seem to bucking the trend. Weddings are well up for 2009 & half the 2010 dates are now booked, there even seems to be an increase in our studio work (good times).
One question I seem to be asked a lot is my impression of the current financial situation (as if I am some industry expert hahah NOT),but I honestly think that Bride & Grooms looking for a wedding photographer are not daft & are booking wisely.There are so many hobby, shoot & RUN (sorry burn) & semi pro photographers (weekend warriors the trade calls them) it seems a minefield & I really do have sympathy for Bride & Grooms at the moment but as my dad used to say ‘the cream rises to the top’ my saying ‘good photography isn’t easy but a GOOD photographer makes it look easy’.
Anyway rant over here’s some images from recent studio sessions over the last few weeks.

Focus On Imaging 09

The end of another busy week the highlight being the biggest trade show in UK Focus On Imaging at the NEC in Birmingham.Regular viewers of my blog will know this as our annual pilgrimage to see what’s in & out in the imaging business. For some reason I really enjoyed Focus this year,I don’t know whether it was meeting up with old friends again or new friends we made at the Newcastle awards evening or even the fact that Spicer Hallfield (UKs largest album manufacturer) again was using our images to promote their albums, & our images seemed to be everywhere BUT THIS SHOW WAS FUN!. We had a chance to have a play with new products,cameras & shoot a few pictures aswell.Good Times!!!


Thanks Mark for being my model (great pose)

Images are the Spicer Hallfield stand showing our images (shot on my phone wow there’s the future) & an image from a fashion shoot shot by Jane on a Hasselblad H3D kindly lent by our new friend Chris MD of Hasselblad UK .

Peter & Nicola's Wedding at Meols Hall,Southport

A great start to the new year with A fun packed wedding at the stunning Tithe Barn at Meols Hall in Southport.Jane photographed a very relaxed Nicola at a local hotel and also the first CAT on our blog.Peter arrived in a awesome Bentley (would look nice on my drive).Meols Hall is truly a beautiful wedding venue with loads of great areas for photography,but my fave area is the corridor for the offices.Had a few funny looks from the hall staff saying there is another room but just love the modern contemporary feel that corridor has.Cant wait to come back in summer when it’s a bit walmer.This wedding will be included in our Featured Albums section on our website if you want to view the full day.

Nicola your happiness & smile was infectious and Peter don’t know how I held the camera with laughing.Cheers.D.

Luxury Antiques Fair Photoshoot

First of all sorry to my regular blog viewers for the lack of postings, it should be a quiet time of the year but we are snowed under (work wise not the current weather) but am slowly getting on top of things.
Its always great to exercise the grey matter & get the brain working again & this was the case when we were commissioned to photograph a Luxury Antiques Fair.Now I suppose your wondering (like I was) what’s the difference between a LUXURY Antiques Fair & a normal Antiques Fair, the answer the amount of noughts after the price.The shoot involved my reportage style of candid photography and studio shots on site,so a bit of everything.Im not known for commercial photography but its great every now & then to have a go & I really enjoyed this shoot.As the saying goes, a change is as good as a rest.
Thanks to Ingrid & the PR girls for making me feel welcome & their help.D.

ooooh look what Santa finally brought….

I have been debating for the last year whether to replace my Canon 1D or not, after all its served me well for the last 4 years but a few weeks before Christmas I was given the privilege of having a play with the new Canon 5D mkII and WOW I love what this camera can do. Its perfect for my style of photography & in low light especially, its awesome.So with much sadness my trusty 1D is to retire & this made me think about a camera clearout.I was genuinely shocked to find that over the years I have collected 16 cameras with a growing collection of lenses,flash guns & bits and bobs. So time for a SALE if you are interested just email & I will mail the full list to you.

Still don’t think the 5DmkII is as pretty as my beautiful 1D (oh dear,think I need to get a life!!!)

So that was 2008...bring on 09

The last wedding of 2008.Matthew & Michelle’s wedding at one of my favourite churches, Up Holland Parish Church & then onto Wrightington Hotel.We first met Mat & Michelle at a wedding we shot 18 months ago & it was great to catch up with familiar faces again & join in with the laughter.On a personal note if 2009 is half as good as 2008 has been then I will be a very happy snapper (as my lad Cav calls me.lol)

Matthew & Alecia at Wrightington Hotel

Two weddings in two days at the Wrightington Hotel & Country Club as Jane & I shot the last weddings of 2008.Matthew & Alecia’s wedding summed up our year,Great Locations,Great People & Great Fun.I managed a great shot with the couple walking to the lake & into the sun and after being blinded for about two mins remembered my old science teacher saying never look into the sun.Still I think it’s a great shot. All credit to the couple for braving the cold for the stunning shots by the lake, still with a honeymoon in Australia they have time to thaw out.

Have a great Honeymoon.D.

Happy Christmas to all...

Well the studio is now closed until 5th January 2009,just a few weddings left to shoot over the festive period.What a year 2008 has been,seriously the best yet, with a high point of winning the Reportage Wedding Photographer of the year & the Studio Portrait Photographer of the year at the Pro Photography Awards in April & the National Photography awards in Newcastle where we had the added bonus as guests of Spicer Hallfield (the UK largest album manufacturer). On the wedding front again a record year for both Jane & myself, meeting some great people who I know will be friends forever.Thanks go to all our Bride & Grooms and Portrait clients & extra thanks also to our ‘Rock The Frock’ people.The low point was Janes dad falling seriously ill in the Canary Islands & Jane having to fly out to help, a special thanks to customers (friends) who helped he’s now fit again.

2009 what’s in store……
The biggest challenge for the two of us is the two Pro Awards ceremonies, we both shot quite a few superb entries during 2008 so cant wait to see how we do (more importantly who wins Jane or Dave).Hopefully a change around inside the studio. This year we will also be working a lot closer with Spicer Hallfield with trade shows & seminars (they have released a new range of albums using some of our weddings) personally Im really excited about this so details to follow in the year.
Regarding weddings we only have a small number of dates available for 2009 & scarily 2010 is filling up fast.Really cant wait for 2009 some beautiful couples & stunning locations also some new gear & techniques that we have been mastering during 08. (cant say now,don’t want people copying our ideas just yet,but as the saying goes imitation is the highest form of flattery)

Most Importantly both Jane & myself wish all our customers old & new a Very Merry Christmas & A Prosperous New Year.

Damian & Bernies Wedding

A dull overcast day couldn’t spoil the fun for Damian & Bernadette’s wedding at the impressive St Marys Church in Standishgate and then on to Kilhey Court Hotel (turning into our second home).Damian was very calm & Bernie looked truly stunning and shone all day. The subtle light was perfect for my style of low light candid photography and as its Christmas I have decided as a little treat to myself, Im only putting my fave black & white images on the blog.

Thanks to you two for the fun.D.

Scott & Sadie's Romantic Wedding

A perfect winters evening for Scott & Sadies romantic wedding at Haigh Hall.Jane & I arrived to meet a very calm & relaxed Sadie & the girls getting ready and from then on the day was stunning.This wedding was a exciting challenge for the two of us as the ceremony & meal was lit only by candles,but the winter sunset & the Hall lights made for some of my fave images of the year.What a way to end November, a photoshoot & wedding full of awesome images of the gorgeous couple.Keep an eye on this blog for the future as I have high hopes for a few of these images.