Image Of The Week

Some of my fave images are picture within a picture & I love this image with Nan & grandson there’s so much going on you have the caricaturist, the subject & the drawing and just to finish you have the little boy just not interested in what’s going on at all. I could have just shot Nan & grandson it would have been a great image but the extra info just lifts the story, you know what’s happening, why there’s laughter. This image was taken just before the meal & its at this time I like to disappear amongst the guests and take candid shots of them chatting, interacting & generally enjoying the wedding. Shot this time with my 16-35 2.8 lens set at f5.6 to get all the subjects sharp, this lens is a bit like twenty twenty cricket, couldn’t see the point at first but slowly falling in love with it.

Canon 5D Mkii / 400 iso / 400th / f5.6

Steve & Diane's Wedding at Thistle Hotel

Its not everyday that you photograph a bride who has designed & made her stunning wedding dress, but that exactly what Diane did,oh and the bridesmaids dresses stationary, table settings etc (and I think I have a lot to do). The Thistle Hotel Haydock on easily the hottest day of the year so far was the setting for a very colourful and fun day. Loads going on including cup cakes for canapés (in a little Britain voice, I like cake!!!).
On a serious note all credit to these two the marquee looked awesome everything ran according to Dianes meticulous plans and ended of with very funny speeches.I really do love photographing speeches you get to see the real Bride & Groom with tears of emotion & laughter as Dad reminisces fondly the Brides formative years,then the groom announces his true feelings for his Bride & in return the Bestman absolutely destroys any dignity the Groom had. GREAT!!!!

Image of the Week.......NEW

This is a new section of the blog (feel free to say image of the week in a Harry Hill TV Burp style) were, as it says at the top, I will post my fave image of the week.Its really more for you photographers out there who after the MPA Interview have emailed for info,details & advice (even from USA how mads that!!!).The Image could be a wedding,portrait,personal even an old image but I will explain why & how I took the image.This will be different from my usual blog images as I’m not trying to tell a story with multiple images it’s a one off image & why I like it so much.Now this section minght not last long as we are getting really busy but at the moment gets me out of the cleaning so there!
The first image shot at Steve & Dianes wedding (to follow soon) of the Brides Father who also was the little boys Grandad, after the meal & before the speeches start there is that quiet 5 mins (the calm before the storm) and it may be the Father of the Brides big speech but a Grandads gotta do what a Grandads gotta do. Shot on my Canon 5Dmkii on my fave lens at the moment 70-200 f2.8 L at 200. Shutter of 400th iso 400 app at f2.8 .I wanted attention to go straight to the little boy & knew because they were on the same level that both would be sharp but people around slightly out of focus, still telling the story but not taking over.Was this set up no, but I know that when Grandson sits on Grandads knee something will happen & as with my lad it usually is messing around.

5dMKii / 70-200 f2.8L / 400iso / 400th / f2.8

Neil & Clare's Wedding

St Oswalds catholic church in Ashton for Neil & Clare's big day,a great wedding meeting up with so many of our past bride & grooms and making new friends.This is a truly spectacular church inside & out,and with the English weather trying to throw a spanner in the works we had to do a bit of weatherdodgingthingy (yes this is a technical photography term).Now Neils a big muscley lad and one of my fave shots from the day is when they where having a quiet min & he gave Clare a kiss on the forehead it just summed up their day, just two people very much in love (sorry got a tear in my eye snif)anyway onto the photography stuff, its weddings like this that you really need two photographers,Jane was shooting from the rear up above the congregation (i mean really high above)I had my feet on solid ground at the front creating two great images of the Brides arrival.

Thanks for the day was a blast (sorry to hear about the duck).D.

Testimonials.....a few more.

Just thought I would post a few recent testimonials.They really are appreciated we may have had success at the recent award ceremonies but that means nothing if our Bride & Grooms are not happy with the service that we provide.Photographers can have the greatest websites with stunning images but if on the day they cant 'walk the walk' then this will ruin your big day with guest grumbling & the shoot going on & on, so to have thanks not only for our stunning images but also how we added to the fun of the day makes them extra special.

David & Jane,Thank you so much for capturing our wedding day.The photographs are more than we could ever have dreamed of.
Damian & Louise Read (nee Towers)


To David & Jane,Thank you so much for photographing our wedding,we were honored to have you there!Award Winning duos are hard to come by.The photos are truly spectacular we could look at them all day,cant wait for the album.
Luke & Lynsey Kendall (nee Edwards)


David & Jane,Thank you so much you really helped to make the day flow successfully and all the guests commented how friendly and professional you both were.All the photos are stunning & the album is amazing and presented beautifully.We will definitely recommend you to our friends.
Alastair & Angela Howcroft (nee Harcombe)

Thank you again for your kind words,it makes both of us realise how lucky we are doing a job we love.D.

Master Photographers Mag.....The Interview

My latest interview has just been published in this months edition of Master Photo Digital, an industry publication that goes to all Master Photographers throughout the UK & I think the world (not sure but heres hoping:-)). The article is about the business & recent awards success but mainly our blog which was started back in 2007 and has received a very positive feedback from our clients since its creation. I have posted the pages below click to enlarge if you wish to read the text.

A Wedding Co-ordinators Wedding..no pressure then!

Well finally the most eagerly awaited wedding EVER!!!!.Luke & Lynsey married at St James in Haydock with the reception at Kilhey Court Hotel.A lot of my regular followers & wedding couples will recognise Lynsey as she has organized hundreds of wedding as Wedding Co-ordinator at Kilhey Court Hotel & Luke has just been made general manager at the Tickled Trout Hotel in Preston so these two know a thing about weddings. Over the years working together Luke & Lynsey have become our friends & this was the first ‘friends’ wedding Jane & I have ever shot so it really was a joy from start to finish meeting friends old & new & just laughing all day,the sun was out (pre ordered by Lynsey) & just a great day. A very chilled Luke & a stunning Lynsey made for some great shots with a surprise of doves for them to release at the end just to finish off.Oh & yes the ring finally did fit.lol.

Thanks again you two,for a fun,fun day you were great.D.

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…..