Bodelwyddan Castle......nice!

Some of our Bride & Grooms could be said to want everything for their ‘big day’ but not one but two stunning venues is REALLY having everything.We were in North Wales at the, well ‘WOW’ venue of Bodelwyddan Castle to photograph a very nervous Stephen & ultra relaxed Sharon & a huge cheer from Stephen after the ceremony started the fun & boy did we have fun.The hardest part of the shoot was limiting to just a select few locations, I could have spent all day, but the front of the castle was a must.Then onto the reception at Faenol Fawr Hotel (don’t ask me ever to pronounce or spell these venues again, but hoping to win at scrabble in near future) for one of the funniest events at a wedding ever,Sharons 90 year old gran pushing girls out of the way to catch the bouquet then grabbing the toastmaster as her reward. From fun & laughter to tears & emotion we really did have it all.

Thanks you two for a memorable day,still laughing as I post this.D.

Awards 2009.......The Images

I keep getting asked to show the images that we were awarded for at the recent awards ceremony,in total there was 14 images so have posted just a few.I feel that these images represent just what we are about & I am so proud of them.







Oh and heres Janes stunning Image

Once again thanks for all the great comments they really do make a difference,& also thanks to my clients,without them none of this would be possible.Cheers!!!!!

And the winner is ...........BOTH OF US!!!!!!

WOW…What a fantastic evening at the North West Professional Photography awards on saturday night,we won an unbelievable total of 16 awards.These awards are the BAFTA’s of the photography world & our region is the largest in the UK stretching from the top of Cumbria to Cheshire & North Wales.I held onto my title of Reportage Wedding Photographer of the year for the second year running,infact because this award is judged on a shortlist of photographs I actually won 1st,2nd & 3rd in this category,unbelievable.The proudest moment for me was when Jane won her wedding category,at last honoured for her commitment to photography & our business in particular.As the awards continued we then won the Wedding Album of the year & this was a very special moment as Both Jane & I shot the wedding & designed the album so a real team effort & testament to our business.After this I was then awarded Professional Wedding Photographer of the year the top award in the wedding category.As the tension built up the top award of the evening was announced & I was awarded the title of Professional Photographer of the year this was just a dream come true after all its chosen from all pro photographers from the fields of Press, Commercial, Portrait, Wedding etc, so to win this is the highpoint of my career to date.The images are:
1: Janes Wedding Photography award presented by Ian Southerin,Chairman of the BIPP
2: My award for Wedding Album of the year presented by David A Williams M.Photog. FRPS ALPE from Australia,one of the worlds leading photographers & speakers.
3: Wedding Photographer of the year presented by Martin Baynes,Sales & Marketing manager from Graphistudio.
4: The evenings top award of Professional Photographer of the year presented by last years winner,portrait photographer Andrew Spencer.
PS Please don’t pinch me I really don’t want to wake up…..

OPEN EVENINGS

If you wish to view our albums or discuss our services then we are attending two open evenings.The first is at Kilhey Court Hotel and is on Sunday 19th April 2009 12.00 till 4.00 so come along its free entry, this event is exclusive to only the hotels recommended wedding professionals to guarantee quality service for your big day.

The second is an open evening at Ashfield House Hotel (another top venue that recommends our services) in Standish 6 till 9 & again both Jane & I will be there to answer any questions. So see you at these events

Paul & Hayley's Wedding

Talk about all the seasons in one day at the wedding of Paul & Hayley at Dean Row Chapel in Wilmslow, possibly one of the prettiest chapels we’ve ever been to, we had rain,wind,hail & the sun but nothing could dampen this colourful day.The reception was at the fantastic Stanneylands Hotel in Wilmslow.Shot some great black & white images of the guests but when the sun came out the colours were awesome.

Thanks for a great day & some superb images.It was a joy.D.

Lee & Anna's Sunny Croston Wedding

A fabulous sunny spring day for the wedding of Lee & Anna at the beautiful Croston Church.An early start for Jane & I but as we drove through the countryside with the sun coming into the car we were as excited as if it was our first wedding (what a difference a bit of warm sun can do after so long being cold).Into the church gardens for photos & couldn’t resist a shot including possibly my fave flowers daffodils (my fave because they say ‘hey its getting warmer!!!’).Onto Wrightington Hotel for the reception,just happens that Anna’s sister Helen is the hotel manager, were the party really started.A really funny & original speech by the best man ended our coverage on a really high note.

A great day photographing one of our most relaxed couples ever.The day just flew by with fun & laughter but most of all WARM SUNSHINE.Don’t blink summers here.

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.