It will probably work better with a phone or camera where you can flip the LCD screen around so you can compose the shot. If you're low on light then pop a candle or torch inside to light it up.
This was quite a rough and ready shot just because of time but I will definitely being trying this again with better light and props. More quirky space ideas coming soon!
I'd love to see your photos so please share them in the comments.
Check out the previous tips -
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Quick Tips
- Wide aperture for blurry backgrounds
- Contrast - this can be mixing flowers of different colour or having light & dark in your shot
- Avoid shooting in the wind
- Place a single flower in front of a plain background for a nice arty shot
- Play around with the colour settings for different effects
- Spray with water - the droplets will add an interesting feature (below)
- Include birds and insects (if you're quick enough!)
- Get right in to the grass to get an insects eye view
- Include objects in foreground for perspective and colour
Some examples of colour effects showing the original and the colour changes -
With a plain background -
Shoot low down in the grass
I've taken some similar shots with my Canon 5D Mark iii and Galaxy S9+ to compare the results. As you can see the 5Diii gives a much softer look due to the very wide aperture (f/1.8) on my 50mm lens even when using the Live Focus mode at maximum on the phone to blur the background. With most modern smart phones though you can still get incredibly detailed results.
And if you get a keeper you can proudly show it off as your new screen saver!
Check out the previous tips -
]]>The best times to do it are sunrise and sunset but you can do it in the middle of the day when the sun is higher but you'll need to shoot from a lower angle like this -
A side on profile is best so that you can make out the features and tell who it is.
If shooting two people leave a gap between the faces to let light through and define the features of their profile.
Vary between close ups and further away. Use the editing options to increase the contrast which will darken the shadows. You can also increase the saturation if you have a sunset and want to give the colours some punch.
If shooting with a DSLR where you can control the settings, use a fast shutter speed around 1/200th - 1/500th seconds to reduce light on them and show the colours of the sky. Keep the ISO settings as low as possible and adjust your aperture accordingly.
For example, for this shot below I used 1/200th, f/9, ISO 200.
Now the sun should hopefully be making more of an appearance then you'll have some more opportunities to try them out in your garden.
#stayhome
Check out the previous tips on Light, Black & White, Backgrounds and Posing
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
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Quick tips
- Language and tone are important to set the mood.
- Use your voice to control the shot. Speak softly for a soft emotional shot. To show laughter or passion speak in a louder, stronger tone.
- Not every shot needs to be smiling. A good photo covers all ranges of emotions.
- Be relaxed, make sure you are both enjoying it, tell them how well they are doing to fill them with confidence.
- Shoot from a higher angle to reduce double chins.
- Encourage people of out their comfort zone and try something new.
Here's 11 examples of simple classic poses for you to try -
1. Head leaning on crossed arms
2. Lying on front with hands framing the face. Include items of importance to add to the story.
3. Play with hair. It will give them something to do with their hands and can create nice shapes with the arms.
4. Have a sleeping baby lie on its front, tuck the legs underneath and shoot from overhead. Remove nappy and keep room warm.
5. Lying on back looking up at the camera. This will show the curves of the face in a very flattering way. Works with all ages.
6. For men say to itch the palm of their hand with their other thumb. If they have nice hands then it is a way of showing them doing something natural and is a very masculine pose.
7. Not all shots need to be looking into the camera. Ask them to look at something behind you. Ask a friend to stand behind you to make them laugh. It will create a natural smile or laugh.
8. This pose can work with either one doing the cuddling. Have the person in front hold the arms.
9. Keep in mind height order and use it to determine the composition.
10. For larger groups looks for more of a circular shape or start with one person who may be the centre of attention (birthdays) or can't move as easily and add people into the shot from there.
11. Express yourself! How are you/they feeling in the moment? Ask them to show it and be ready for the response.
I struggled to limit this one as there are so many things I could cover so I will revisit this in a Part 2 at some stage with some flattering poses to make you look slimmer.
Check out the previous tips on Light, Black & White and Backgrounds.
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
More tips tomorrow! Stay safe and stay home x
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The background can either add to the story of the image or be a distraction so you need to choose how and what to include in it. If you're taking some holiday snaps of someone outside then of course you want to show where they are. Carefeully composing and timing your shot can make it look like you had that beach all to yourself.
For a nice portrait shot you want to eliminate all those distractions from the background so the focus is entirely on them. This is why photographers will blur out the background for portrait shots or studios have all black or white backgrounds.
Backgrounds
Include -
- Trees
- Flowers
- Blue sky
- Patterns
- Water
- Reflections
- Mirrors (although don't get yourself in it!)
- Plain walls
- Brick walls
- Wooden walls e.g log cabin
Avoid -
- Bins
- Road signs, fire exit signs
- Lamp posts poking out of someone's head
- Other people
- Obscure objects poking into the shot e.g lamp shades, wall frames,
Nature is your friend when it comes to photographing someone outside as the natural elements make for calming backgrounds. Like the tips for Black & White, look for texture and pattern to add some interest.
This one below was taken in a tunnel at our local playground. The inside is rippled and I love the way the light hits it causing the curved shapes.
Less is more when inside. Remove any frames from a wall and have someone stand in front of it. Leave a few feet so the wall can fade away and your attention is on them. Our picture frame is usually on the wall behind Imogen below but I took it off for the shot.
Always focus on the eyes no matter what you are using. With phones you can touch the screen to get it to focus where you want, most have built-in tracking sensors for eyes anyway. With DSLR's use the automatic focus and aim for the eyes. The eyes are the first place someone looks at (unless they're naked!) so make sure they are in focus.
Another angle with a wall is to go parallel to it. Use the rule of thirds mentioned previously and compose your shot with the person on one side and the wall filling up the rest of it (so more in the foreground).
Move the camera around and see what comes in and out of shot and move either yourself or ask your subject to move until you are happy with it. You'd be surprised what a difference a little side step, camera tilt or pause to wait for that couple to walk out of shot can make.
How are you getting on with the tips on Light and Black & White so far? Is there something specific you'd like to learn about? Let me know in the comments.
Have a great day x
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When To Use Black & White
After finishing a wedding I will have 1000+ images to edit but no set number of photos that I will convert to black & white. Some images do not work as black & white (ok, I'm abbreviating to 'b&w' for the rest of this..!) as you've taken the shot to specifically show the colour, like a new dress or the weather.
Things I always avoid changing to b&w are flowers and food. Whilst some flower shots make nice fine art images I like to keep the colour in mine, but that's a personal thing. Food though.. without the colour it's like taking the taste away before your eyes!
Sometimes I'll use b&w to hide an ugly red fire extinguisher, mask some disco lights on faces or an exit sign that will blend in to the background rather than stick out like a sore thumb, or if the lighting in the room is bad then a b&w can even it out.
Without colour you will need to find new ways to attract attention and create interest. These can be done with the following -
- Contrast - look at the darkest and lightest part of the image and see how they work together without colour
- Shapes - create some interesting shapes that lead the eye into the photo
- Texture - clothing, hair, skin, grass, clouds... all have their own texture and can create interest
- Patterns - Repeating patterns really compliment b&w because of its simplicity. Look for contradicting shapes like lines and circles
All smartphones are able to convert photos to b&w so experiment to see what works. Compact & DSLR cameras have the option to shoot in b&w but I wouldn't recommend this if you have Photoshop as it can be converted then, and you can't add colour back if you need to.
Don't forget to combine what you've learned from the tips on Light previously and try to apply some of the above and you'll have some excellent images to show off! If you want some additional editing options then you can download the Photoshop app to your phone or tablet.
Below are some other shots which cover what I've discussed. Let me know what you think and feel free to share your photos and ask any questions.
BONUS TIP!
Use the 'Rule of Thirds' when composing your shots by placing your subject or point of interest on the intersecting lines (circled red). This will create a more pleasing image to the eye. Some cameras and phones have this option to show on the display to help when taking your shot.
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I've decided to share some tips with you to help you fill up some time productively, learn some new skills whilst at home with your loved ones and turn your photos from ordinary to extaordinary! You can practice these on your parents, children, pets or flatmates, or if you are self isolating by yourself then it can be applied to still life objects. They can be done on a smartphone as well as a DSLR camera as the priciples are the same so anyone can do it.
I'll post one tip with a day which you can practice at home or out on your daily exercise (which you're all hopefully getting!).
Today's first tip is the MOST important in any aspect of photography and something I emphasise in all my classes - LIGHT! It is what creates the image and defines if it will work or not.
TOP TIPS
- Look for where the best light is in your house first, not the best location.
- Natural light is always going to be good and windows or doorways are great for this.
- Place your subject facing the light so that they are lit evenly across the face. This is the same for outside and the sky will look more blue.
- If close up you will see catchlights in the eyes which will give your portrait life and depth.
I've chosen this first photo as it covers all of the above and was taken on my phone (Samsung Galaxy S9+) so anyone can try this one. I've used the Live Focus mode which blurs the background out (known as the depth of field or aperture but more on that later) and makes for a more pleasing portrait. Not to worry if your phone doesn't have this but if it does then have a play around with it. You'll notice a big difference in your portraits.
So that's the first tip for today. Have a think about where the light is, how bright it is, where it falls on the face and what shadows it creates even with small movements of the head. Light is a big subject so I will most likely come back to it later with more tips.
I'd love to see your photos so please post them in the comments, and if you have any questions I'll be more than happy to answer them.
If you want to get any printed out then Photobox are still delivering.
Have fun!
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Exterior of the Votive Church, Vienna
I am always first drawn visually to the architecture of a cathedral or museum, rather than it's history. This was illustrated perfectly a few times as Alex and I were looking around and he would be studiously reading the history of the building (and then recounting it to me...perfect tour guide!) while I would be scouting out the scene looking for the best light and angles to capture it, as seen in the interior of the Votive Church with Alex reading a leaflet.
Interior of the Votive Church, Vienna
After a very busy end to 2019, and my new found appreciation for good coffee, I was really looking forward to sitting in a nice cafe with a big mug of coffee and an even bigger slice of cake, and Vienna does not disappoint on either front. I had to start of course with the world famous Sacher Torte. Pastry chef Franz Sacher who created it in 1832 in the capital of Austria. Sacher was asked by Prince Klemens von Metternich, heir to a wealthy family of hoteliers, to prepare a special dessert for a guest because the official court pastry chef was ill. Sacher quickly came up with this recipe and the rest is history.
Sacher Torte slice
Sacher Torte cakes
Before I left my daughter made me promise to take Doggy on an adventure so I swore a sacred father/daughter oath to show him the best time ever!
With Doggy outside St Stephen's Cathedral!
One of the biggest and best surprises was all the electric scooters dotted around the city. They are everywhere! The idea is brilliant - you download the app, scan the QR code and away you go, and it only costs 19 cents per hour! What better way to see so much more of the city by burning around at a whopping 22kph weaving in and out of people and stopping for photos and cake! Once you're done you literally leave it where you are, sign out and you're done. The app shows on the map where they all are in the city so you know if one is nearby. We NEED this in the UK!
Riding the scooter in Vienna
Riding the scooter outside the Kunsthistorisches Museum and Maria-Theresien-Platz
As Bratislava is only 1 hour away from Vienna by train we thought we'd pop along and have a look. Bratislava has nowhere near the beauty or architecture that Vienna boasts but does have some interesting artwork and the impressive Bratislava Castle overlooking the River Danube. Our plan to return to Vienna on a cruise back up the Danube was foiled by boats not running this time of year despite the unusually warm weather.
Bratislava city life
This bronze statue of Cumil the Sewer Worker was installed by the council to spice up the look and feel of the area which was traditionally marked with drab Communist-era architecture. I'm sure many intoxicated people have been face planted by him as they stagger home at night.
Cumil the Sewer Worker
After heading for a beer on a rooftop bar, Rooftop by Regal, to get some photos of the sunset and castle, the owner introduced himself and asked what we were doing. I explained and said I would gladly do a portrait of him and give him a copy. To our surprise and delight he gave us a few beers on the house. Cheers Rusty!
View of the Old Town, Hurbanovo Namestie from Rooftop by Regal, Bratislava
Owner of Rooftop by Regal, Ratislav Masrna
I love travelling and seeing new places and if the opportunity arises to visit a new city I'll take it but I'd happily go back to Vienna one day with the family to see the beautiful architecture and museums, and the scooters of course!
View of Votive Church from nearby street
Exterior of Votive Church
Hofburg Palace, Vienna
Hofburg Palace, Vienna
St Stephen's Catherdral, Vienna
Inside St Stephen's Catherdral, Vienna
Stag do alert!
Street performer Clara Zeiszl
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We met at Tyntesfield House last Tuesday with the aim of capturing some of the picturesque views of this Victorian Gothic masterpiece and learning some principles of landscape photography. Whilst I am not a landscape photographer per se it still plays a huge role in shooting wedding and property which I do frequently so I was able to provide some tips on the best camera settings to use, ideal lighting conditions and composition.
As every printed image you see has been post processed through Photoshop or Lightroom the actual taking of photos is only one part of modern digital photography. With this in mind we discussed the benefits of shooting in RAW vs jpeg and the additional editing options is allows, and perhaps returning to the images in a separate Photoshop tutorial.
Nicola kindly provided some photos of us in action as we went around as well as the write up for the school newsletter -
'QEH Photography Workshop at Tyntesfield with Leon Day
Leon introduced us to his work as a professional photographer. He showed us all the different kit he uses from expensive camera lenses to techniques on how to hold the camera more effectively and some suggestions on which gadgets to buy. He also took the time to talk us through his own work and shared his ideas on use of long exposure and rule of thirds.
We then walked around the grounds at Tyntesfield and Leon taught us how to shoot in Raw and explained the pros when editing an image in RAW. He reinforced our understanding of Light in photography as well as Composition and really helped us to fine tune our use of camera settings when shooting in manual.
'We picked up loads of new techniques and he also helped us as individuals to develop our ideas for our Y11 GCSE exam project.' Y11 student
'He really helped inspire me on how to use Paper( my chosen exam question ) in my work - for example I was shooting with a tube of shiny paper around my lens to create interesting abstract effects.' Y11 student
'Leon really helped my understanding of ISO and shutter speed.' Y11 student
'I now feel way more confident when selecting different modes to shoot in.' Y12 student
'Leon was able to show me how to make use of viewpoint and angle which is something we are learning in lessons at the moment.' Y10 student
The weather was dreadful, it was freezing cold and hailing but we all came away with some really successful images for our portfolios! Thanks Leon!'
I am available for private tuition in a range of photography subjects and will be looking to start these on a regular basis later in the year. For enquiries and availablility please use the Contact form on my website, email [email protected] or call 07952 993376.
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The first thing I will say is a huge THANK YOU to everyone I've worked with in 2019. I've done some amazing shoots which took me to some incredible venues around the country, some far and wide, others right here on my doorstep in Bristol and Bath.
The last 12 months have seen me diversify my photography heavily into property with the likes of ehouse Ltd and Residential Support Ltd as well as joining commercial photography companies Lemon One and Perfocal for product, portrait, lifestyle and wedding photography. I've continued taking food photography for the Food & Drink Guide, enjoying my seasonal coverage of the Bath and Bristol guides (and eaten some MASSIVE burgers on the way!). I also started shooting for Uber Eats with french commercial imaging company, Ocus.
It goes without saying that all the weddings that I have done this year have been thoroughly enjoyable and I am blessed to have consistently wonderful and friendly couples to photograph. I've covered many amazing venues, some on multiple ocassions, from Clearwell Castle, Ston Easton Park, Bath Spa Hotel, Guildhall in Bath, Woburn Sculpture Gallery and the latest venue where I've been added as a preferred supplier, the Limpley Stoke Hotel.
One of the things that I have been most proud of is having started to teach photography lessons with The Photo Academy to students in Bristol, having notched up nearly 60 hours of tuition time to date. It has been such an uplifting and joyous feeling to discuss all the various areas and subjects of photography and pass on my knowledge and experience.
I am aiming big for 2020 and setting myself some big challenges - and some small ones too! - one of which is to blog more. There have been some great weddings this year that I never get to fully share all the stories and photos so I will try to get some of them done in the coming weeks and hopefully keep up the momentum.
So here is a selection of some of my favourite photos from 2019, enjoy.
Happy New Year
Leon
bride-groom-bath-abbey-roman-baths-pigeons
bride-bouquet-sunset-limpley-stoke-hotel-garden
grooms-hugging-grotto-garden-bath-spa-hotel
bride-groom-kissing-viaduct-limpley-stoke-monkton-combe
bride-groom-river-cottage-ston-easton-park
bride-groom-kiss-umbrella-rain-limpley-stoke-garden-view
Bride-groom-vintage-car-kiss-clifton-suspension-bridge-bristol
bride-groom-laughing-camper-van-ston-easton-park
happy-couple-head-to-head
husband-wife-laughing-park
kids-brother-sister-autumn-leaves-park
male-portrait
male-studio-portrait
KIS-Fire-and-Security-owners-Barry-Cockwell-Daniel-Lavis-at-ITV-west-country-studio-bristol
curry-chick-tikka-masala-grand-sultan
Kelly-Moylan-owner-zero-waste-pantry-shop-wrington
Cadbury-House-Hotel-Double-Tree-By-Hilton-Congresbury-Marco-Pierre-White-restaurant
Symonds-at-Redwood-bristol
The-Hobgoblin-burger-onion-rings-bacon-garlic-mayo-sauce-fries
Bare-Grills-special-burger-pulled-pork-bacon-fries-moors-beer-ipa
portrait-male-park
Armani-Aqua-Di-Gio-mens-aftershave-grey
Empire-Hotel-Bath-River-Avon-weir
Leon-Day-teaching-photography-course-bristol
Students from my first photography course with The Photo Academy
spaceman-helmet
female-portrait
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Prasad and Sheetal welcomed family, friends, colleagues and business partners to help celebrate the opening which was done officially with the lighting of candles displayed in the restaurant window.
The interior has been beautifully redecorated and paintings provided by members of the family. Previous visitors will appreciate the terrace views of Bath's skyline. There was a great atmosphere and some familiar faces there, some of which were very keen to have a go on my camera, hence me being in some shots! Baby Kabir definitely stole the show though, a complete natural in front of the camera and future model for sure 😙
I can see Mantra being packed over the festive period and beyond as the location is perfect and the food delicious.
Gypsy weddings are like no other weddings. All forms of convention go out the window. It's done their way and all the suppliers involved do their best to accommodate this. With the recent one I did the bride wasn't at the hotel when I arrived for the preparation shots so I didn't see her or the groom until they casually turned up at the church where the ceremony started an hour late. Luckily the church didn't have any other weddings that day, I don't know what would've happened if they did.
Here's some of the pictures from the 2006 wedding that I did which had some funny moments....
Guests' dress sense is certainly a bit different and quite relaxed in some cases (jeans, trainers, shirts untucked etc.) and the brides go for huge crowns and dresses. I asked about it and the reason for the oversized wedding dresses is that each layer represents the generations of families who have married previously. I'm not sure what happens in 100 years time, the bride then won't be able to walk!
A typical pose for the young boys throughout the day -
The best moment came as the bride walked up the aisle with her dad and her bridesmaids behind her. From my angle the groom is watching her walk up but as she passes him it's apparent he is checking out the bridesmaids in their revealing short skirts. This goes unnoticed by the bride but not by her dad. The look he shoots at him is priceless!
This earns him a gentle right hook during the confetti throw afterwards. I watched him bubbling throughout the ceremony and felt something might happen. I'd say it was just above playful, enough to say 'I saw you and I will be watching'!
Have you had any experience with gypsy weddings? Think you could photograph one?! Leave your comments below!
]]>A lot of guys must've been busy ring shopping in the run up to Christmas as January was a good month for wedding bookings, and after speaking to various couples there were a good few proposals on Christmas Day. One wedding I'm particularly excited about is one in Port Rush in Northern Ireland for an old school friend. It's been a while since I've done a destination wedding, the last being in 2014 in Barga, Italy, so I'm really looking forward to this one.
Port Rush, Northern Ireland
I've now started working for ehouse who are a property company based in Wembley and am providing photography for them for properties in the South West that are going onto the market. I've been doing floor plans with the help of my newly-invested trusty laser measure tool. ehouse also do VR tours which I'm looking to add to my skill set.
Property photography
Another company I've started working with is Service Certainty. They provide photographs for insurance claims for road accidents, burglaries etc. Due to its nature I can't share any photos for confidentiality reasons but it's car wrecks - you're not missing much! It's a nice little job to fill out the empty spaces in my calendar.
There's been a few shoots with Bath Life including Tom Kerridge for his book launch and Japanese whisky expert Dave Broom for his new book. Who knew whisky and soda water could be so refreshing?! It's the next big thing apparently!
Tom Kerridge
Dave Broom
I've also been covering the Bath and Bristol editions of the Food & Drink Guide so have been photographing local venues who are advertising in it. I love working for them as you get to see lots of nice venues you wouldn't normally find and sometimes get to eat the food after photographing it - bonus!
I'll be ramping up my workload as we approach Spring as my daughter, Imogen, starts pre-school and as the warm weather approaches I usually see an increase in family portrait shoots and the engagement shoots which come included with all of my full-day wedding packages.
Family portraits
I'll still be making some time to have some fun and have booked tickets to see my favourite dance duo, Orbital, at The Downs Festival in Bristol on 1st September, as well as DJ legend Nick Warren for a rooftop party at Colston Hall. When these guys are in town it'd be rude not to!
Orbital
I'll do my best to do a bit more blogging as there's lots of news and info to tell you about all the time so stay tuned.
Please leave your comments below and let me know what you're up to. And if you want to book a shoot you know what to do!
Adios amigos!
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On the day itself I started out with some prep shots of the guys then on to Laura's parents nearby as the girls got ready. Laura has a twin sister, Donna, and they asked me to take a particular photo of them that has been a running theme. It was like a mirror image! Strangely enough, Sam is also one of triplets so we of course got a shot of them all together later in the day.
The twins - Donna & Laura
The twins and the triplets
Laura's bridesmaids and father were kept away from the wedding dress and final preparations and the emotional reactions from everyone was well worth it and I captured one of my favourite images from the year. These are the moments that photographers and clients want - natural in-the-moment photos that come from being in the right place at the right time. I have been booked subsequently from this image being pointed at saying 'I want that!' which is hugely rewarding.
First look at the dress
When I know I've captured a great shot it really pushes me on and gets my creative side working overtime. With the sun shining brightly through the patio roof I knew I could get a great silhouette shot (I do love them!) of Laura in front of the closed blinds. It was just as we were all leaving and time was ticking but I'm glad I got it. I like the challenge of taking a shot in normal surroundings like a living room to create something that removes the subject from it's location to something very different.
Final moments
I went ahead of the bridal party to get to the wedding venue which was St Boniface Church in Chandler's Ford. Unfortunately I was given strict instructions by the vicar not to move from the doorway to the side of the church which limited my angles but I was close enough to Laura & Sam to get all the intimate parts of the ceremony like the exchange of rings, first kiss and loving looks to each other.
I do
Once outside I set up the confetti shot, group shots and some with the Rolls Royces then we headed off to the Botleigh Grange Hotel. The group shot of everyone usually requires a high vantage point in order to see everyone's faces. Last time I was taken on to the roof of the spa and I was told I would be doing the same again so set everyone up to look that. As a staff member led me up the stairs (and some more stairs) I realised I was on the roof of the hotel 5 stories up with a 2 foot wall to keep me safe! I tentatively edged closer to the one-slip-certain-death ledge that awaited me and called out to the crowd below who were facing the other building where I said (and thought!) I'd be.
Roof with a view
I made my way down and took some more group shots and candids as people enjoyed themselves. There was a lot of love in the air and lots of kisses all round which was nice to see.
All about the kisses!
After the receiving line the speeches began. The great thing about the restaurant area at the hotel is that there is a glass roof which allows lots of light in and makes photographing the crowd very easy no matter where you stand. It's a great chance for lots of shots of smiling, laughing faces as they listen to the funny and touching stories from the speakers.
Dining room at Botleigh Grange Hotel
There is a secluded lake at the bottom of the gardens of the hotel and makes for an excellent background, and foreground too as you can walk round it to shoot across it and get the bride and groom's reflection on the surface. As the wedding party filed out after dinner I had a feeling there were a few people who were a little squiffy as the group shots got a bit more daring, which made for some great shots!
We did manage to get some lovely pics after this just before it started to rain. We then headed in for the first dance which Laura and her father took first followed by Laura and Sam. There was a special surprise for Laura as one of her bridesmaids, Chloe, had secretly arranged to sing a song to her after promising to sing at her wedding years before. A lovely end to a lovely day and a super lovely couple.
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Engagement shoot - Clifton Suspension Bridge
The wedding day started with prep shots of Stephie at their home with friends and family before heading over to Easton in Gordano for prep shots with Mark and his Groomsmen. Mark's family home is right next to St George's Church where he grew up and where the reception would be after the wedding. The huge garden was being prepped for everyone's arrival and the hog roast was simmering away smelling delicious.
Stephie - Prep shots
Stephie - Prep shots
Mum adds the finishing touches
Best man has the wedding rings? Check!
Escorted to the church
The church was a minute walk from the house so I followed the guys over to meet the large wedding party that awaited inside. With Stephie's father in a wheelchair and unfortunately unable to walk her up the aisle her brother, Matt, did the honours. Mark & Stephie's baby, Daisy and her niece Orla, made their way up the aisle in a little cart which was super cute! The ceremony itself was a really happy affair with everyone smiling and singing joyfully through the songs.
Arriving in style
After some group shots outside in front of the beautiful old church the happy couple made their way back to the house saying hello to the neighbours as they went who wanted to say congratulations. The weather couldn't have been better for a garden banquet and the set up looked incredible with the marquees and band playing their tunes. Mark & Stephie got a rapturous applause from their guests as they entered and once everyone had a drink in their hand the speeches began. Fortunately they were doing them outside in front of the band stand so I was able to walk 360° around them and get all the different angles of them speaking to the crowd and each other (as Stephie did a speech also). Being able to do this really tells the story of the scene as you get the perspective of the speaker and the listener and their reactions.
Stephie's speech
Cheers!
The kids were entertained with games and lots of space and trees to run and play in and the grown ups enjoyed the sun, booze and food. Happy faces all round! I had earmarked a little spot in the garden with long grass and a pathway with an intersection that looked like it had been mowed for access and got Mark & Stephie over for some couple shots and with little Daisy too. Sometimes a little crowd gathers to watch and in this case it worked a treat as there was lots of banter going back and forth with had them both cracking up!
Treasure hunt in the garden
Mark in stitches
It was time for the evening do so we headed over to Basement 45 for the first dance, nibbles and cake cutting. Fairy lights had been put up on the ceiling by the bar which made for lovely backgrounds of candid shots of people chatting away. It still retained it's nightclub feel with a DJ in the booth spinning tunes on the decks and getting the crowd rocking, and face paints and props to keep everyone amused.
Face paints
Face paints
I felt very lucky to be part of this special day and loved spending time with Stephie & Mark - two of the friendliest people you could wish to meet and clearly very much in love with each other.
On the morning of the wedding I decided to give myself a challenge of taking my own photo of something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. Here is my selection -
Something old
If I'm struggling to find an interesting background for shots of the rings then using the reflective surface of an iPad makes a great thing to have. In this case I've used the trees in the window to give that dappled light effect.
Something oldIf I'm struggling to find an interesting background for shots of the rings then using the reflective surface of an iPad makes a great thing to have. In this case I've used the trees in the window to give that dappled light effect.
Something new
I've seen people vaping and the amount of 'smoke' they blow out always fascinates me. I wanted to get a shot of someone doing it so kept an eye on this chap and waited for my moment!
Something newI've seen people vaping and the amount of 'smoke' they blow out always fascinates me. I wanted to get a shot of someone doing it so kept an eye on this chap and waited for my moment!
Something borrowed
I'd read that rather than saying 'cheese' to get people to smile to instead say 'whisky' (for an adult group shot) as it's more appealing and therefore creates a natural smile. It certainly worked as they said it unprompted for some other shots after this!
Something borrowedI'd read that rather than saying 'cheese' to get people to smile to instead say 'whisky' (for an adult group shot) as it's more appealing and therefore creates a natural smile. It certainly worked as they said it unprompted for some other shots after this!
Something blue
It had to be the gorgeous blue sky with weather like this!
Something blueIt had to be the gorgeous blue sky with weather like this!
More photos from the day -
Get in touch to book your wedding - www.leondayimages.com
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Lord Patrick Lichfield
First steps
Way back in 2005 when I started my journey to becoming a photographer I had worked briefly for Calumet Photographic, chasing photographers to pay their overdue debts on their rental equipment and finance payments. I had a lengthy discussion with a very friendly lady who advised me if I wanted to be a photographer then stop procrastinating and do it. Get a camera, get a website and get out there and do it! I took those words on board and within 2 weeks I had left Calumet and took my first steps, somewhat blindly, into the world of photography with a real sense of purpose which I had never felt before.
Before I left though there was a message from head office being relayed to all employees that there was the chance to appear on a reality TV show for Discovery Real Time called Hotshots, presented by Amanda Lamb, to get a portraiture masterclass from Lord Patrick Lichfield. It felt like a sign so I signed up and after a successful audition in London I was asked to come to Battersea Park for filming with the man himself.
Funny stories
Lord Lichfield was very charming and charismatic, exactly what you'd expect from someone who has photographed The Rolling Stones, the Royals and all the top supermodels in the world for the last 40 years. Between takes he would entertain us with crazy and hilarious stories from his long career like when he was photographing one of the top models in the world at that time at an exotic location and after the shoot he made his way up to her hotel room with a bottle of champagne and two glasses. After being invited in there was another knock at the door from her very strict and rather protective mother. He was quickly shoved under the bed to avoid being seen, only to find none other than David Bailey under there too! He didn't go into what happened next....!
There was another where he was a judge at a Miss World contest and during an interval he went backstage to get 'acquainted' with one of the contestants. As things were progressing they heard a loud banging sound getting closer and closer until their dressing room door burst open to reveal a frantic producer who lunged for Lichfield. He had left his mic on and the naughty goings on had been playing out live over the whole arena!
During the lesson he explained how he got the shot of the Duke & Duchess of Windsor. They were very unengaging during the shoot and with time and film running out he 'accidentally' fell off his chair much to the amusement of his subjects. This was the result -
The Duke & Duckess of Windsor, 1966
Much like the BBC's Caroline Briggs' experience with him, we were taught the basic principles of taking portraits -
- Engage with your subject - it's 50% them, 50% you
- Use a zoom lens for a more flattering perspective
- Master your technique for more creativity
- Shoot in the shade, not direct sunlight to avoid harsh shadows
- Use a reflector to bounce light for a more even appearance of light
Myself and the two other participants took photos of each other and the film crew throughout the day and I managed to get a few of Lord Lichfield and Amanda Lamb, as well as the personalised briefcase!
Amanda Lamb
Lord Lichfield discusses photography with Amanda Lamb
Amanda Lamb
Lord Lichfield
We were then assigned with a task; to take photographs of a friend/relative and put into practice what we had learned. I asked my then-14 year old niece, Kayleigh, to model for me while the camera crew filmed us in my back garden. Looking back on it, although I've always had an eye for good composition, and despite some great tips and having studied photography in college, I really didn't have the equipment or experience to get really great photos like I do now. Technically they are quite poor, the lighting is bad and even though at the time I was using a Canon 20D worth £1,200 there was still a lot of grain in the images. But like all things it needs lots and lots of practice (and money in this game!). We had to submit our favourite but here's a few of the others I took -
Here's the one I decided on. I liked the shapes and colours of the leaves framing the face and not looking at the camera added a touch of mystery. I'd also seen a similar pose in one of my photography books and wanted to try it.
Similar pose in one of my photography books
We were then invited to Lord Lichfield's studio to go through all the images we'd taken and get some tips in post production and a winning image was chosen from the 3 of us. The one on the right, below, won (and deservedly so). His studio was decorated in some of his finest works which you can see here. Below is the group photo of us and the production team.
Me with Lord Lichfield, Amanda Lamb & crew from Hotshots
Now I would love to have shown you the program itself but sadly, after searching through 40-odd video tapes from when I recorded it, I couldn't find it. I even contacted Discovery directly but they were unable to retrieve it from their archives. I promise if I ever find it I will post it!
**EDIT (21/12/17)**
Since posting this blog a good friend of mine helped me track down a media company that had a copy of it. The original air date was Monday 21st November 2005 and I only watched it once so it was very strange to see it again after all these years. Here it is in all it's glory - enjoy!
Hotshots Part 1
Hotshots Part 1
Hotshots Part Deux
Hotshots Part Deux
Lord Lichfield died two weeks after filming but I learned a lot from him in the time we had and it was an honour to spend some time with such a highly respected and influential photographer.
Lord Lichfield
When driving to meet Rach & Shane at Wellington Barn for the first time I was struck by the rolling landscapes surrounding it and knew this would make for a spectacular backdrop to their special day. The barn itself is nestled in the lush green hills and countryside of Wiltshere and completely isolated from any noisy traffic or busy crowds.
As there are no bedrooms for guests to stay in Rach and her wedding party were getting ready in a changing room just off of the main restaurant area with some big comfy leather sofas nearby. The back of the building is top to bottom glass windows so offered some spectacular natural light which I used to my advantage whilst the make up was being done. Natural light is excellent when available and used properly.
Applying the make up
Due to the large windows at the front and back of the barn we had to be careful that Rach and Shane didn't see each other before the ceremony but they did meet for a 'first touch' to exchange a few reassuring words to each other, separated only by a curtain, in a very tender moment.
First touch
Tears and Cheers
As the ceremony started Shane could not hold back his emotions as his daughter, Poppy, walked up the aisle towards him, followed by Rach's father, Chris, as he walked her up the aisle to be married. Whilst editing these photos it took me back to my wedding and exactly the same scenario and feelings. I have to admit that on occasion either during the day itself or back in the office editing I sometimes get a little choked up!! It's hard not to as even though I'm photographing people I don't know I'm still caught up in the raw emotions that touch everyone the same way. It's why we cry at movies or plays. Plus after getting to know a couple before the day itself and some understanding of their background it means so much more when it all comes together.
Emotional moments
In keeping with British summer time weather there were showers throughout the morning just to provide an extra challenge so once the ceremony had finished everyone gathered outside for a group photo whilst there was a break in the clouds. Despite being 6'6" I still have to occasionally perch perilously on tip toes on a chair to get the right angle.
Hooray!
Boy Band Bants
Shane and his groomsmen had great banter and made for some funny photos together. They also had a strange and secret hand gesture that they wanted a photo of, but offered no explanation what it meant. Even Rach didn't know (and didn't want to!). Maybe it's a boy band thing...?
What does it mean??
Groomsmen
Groomsmen
The skies cleared for the rest of the day and I took the happy couple away for some romantic shots in the fields. I couldn't be happier with the results (thanks in part to the weather, and to Heather the videographer for helping with the reflector) as they were just as I had envisioned on our first meeting at the venue. Rach and Shane modelled beautifully and their strong affection and love for each other really shows in the photos.
Rach & Shane
With their party hats on and in full flow, Rach and Shane kicked all the kids off the bouncy castle for a private bounce of their own (wedding day privileges!) and then onto the dance floor for their first dance as husband and wife.
Bouncy castle time!
First dance
To enquire about booking your wedding photography with Leon Day Images please use the Contact form or call 07952 993376.
More photos from the day.....
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The first event was last Thursday (7th Sept) at St Cyriac's Church in Lacock where the group would be entertained by The Sixteen, a world renowned choir and period-instrument orchestra, with their conductor Harry Christophers CBE. They have performed all around the world at venues such as the Syndey Opera House, the Barbican and Cité de la musique, and on TV with BBC Proms and Sacred Music. It's not my preferred genre of music but the sound was utterly mesmerising and gave me goosebumps. As I watched the onlooking audience I could see people with their eyes closed as they were absorbing every pitch perfect note. It's easy to see why they are so highly regarded. See for yourself here.
Little did we know that Johnny Depp, Eddie Redmayne and Jude Law were also in Lacock at the same time filming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 2!
On Friday we were back at very familiar grounds for me, the Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel. The group started off with William Makower, Founder and Trustee of The National Funding Scheme to discuss charities in the UK and show some hand made silver and gold antiques from his family business.
Chairman of Marston's and non-executive director of the FA, Roger Devlin, spoke next about the state of sport in the world today what with the power houses of Sky and BT dominating television rights and players ever-increasing salaries. Being a football man I did have to hold back from chipping in with my thoughts on occasion! Some fascinating insights from both Mr Devlin and Anthony Fry who are both closely connected with this subject.
Other topics of discussion were Brexit, Immigration, Slavery, Finance, Politics and Technology. Safe to say I learned a lot that day! In the backdrop of all of this were 'mood boards' being created by Matthew and Jenni who were brought to illustrate everyone's ideas, which they did so brilliantly.
After a quick group shot of everyone from the balcony of The Grange and the afternoon round up of the day I managed to grab people as they were leaving for a quick portrait.
Sunday was a relaxed gathering for a BBQ at The Rising Sun in Lacock where the group met for the last time before heading home. Anthony had bought his family along and we managed to get some beautiful shots them together before everyone headed inside to eat (the weather was a bit chilly for the Australians and Brazillians in the group!).
It was a privilege to spend time with this amazing group of people who meet every few years to discuss world events and what they can do to help people.
To enquire about photography for your upcoming event please use the Contact page or call 07952 993376.
More photos from the 3 days below....
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I'd met with Sarah the day before to discuss the plans and show her a sample album that I could make her. She said she wanted the photos very informal and relaxed, just capturing the feel of the evening. No one knew I was coming so I made my introductions when the guests arrived and it wasn't long before people relaxed around the camera and before you knew it we were lining up various group shots outside. I think the bubbly gave everyone some dutch courage!
Sarah wanted some shots of the table decorations which I did beforehand and the hotel itself once everyone had made their way into the Masons Restaurant.
Here's some pictures from the evening....
Masons Restaurant at Tracy Park Hotel in Bath
Masons Restaurant at Tracy Park Hotel in Bath
Masons Restaurant at Tracy Park Hotel in Bath
Masons Restaurant at Tracy Park Hotel in Bath
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It was good to see the familiar face of Holly Stevens with Kayleigh Hall representing the Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel. Good luck guys!
Media Clash, who run Bath Life, Bristol Life and Crumbs to name a few, run similar awards for local businesses and this one was specific to the food industry. My brief was to capture lifestyle images of the evening in a natural way showing guests enjoying themselves, some of the canapes and gin cocktails on offer and the speech by Jessica Carter, one of Media Clashes editors.
Here's some of the photos the night.....
Jessica Carter - Media Clash
Kayleigh Hall & Holly Stevens - Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel
Alex & Tim - Owners of Sub 13
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My coverage at the wedding was only for 2 hours but as my packages are flexible to allow for this it was no problem. I just made sure I worked quickly to capture as many photos as possible to give them.
The ceremony was inside the hotel and had some emotional speeches from family members and rings provided by the two young nephews, one of which wanted to keep the nice, shiny ring for himself! After some quick persuassion he settled for just the box and the ceremony could go on!
The huge gardens behind the hotel would provide the backdrop for the majority of the photos after the ceremony and the weather was still on our side, although the wind was causing me a few problems with my lights. Fortunately, Dave's dad, John, kindly offered to help plus had many years experience working in TV as a lighting technician.
The gardens at the hotel are huge, offering plenty of open space, small archways, ponds & fountains, massive trees and beautiful flowers in full bloom so there was so much there to vary the shots, not to mention the hotel itself. I could've shot there all day if time allowed as there are some amazing works of art in the dining room and bar, and luxurious furnishings throughout the hotel.
Caroline and Dave were very happy with the photos they received in the time we had and left a really nice review on my Guestbook which you can read here.
If you need wedding photography from 1 hour or all day please get in touch for a bespoke quote and packages on offer.
www.leondayimages.com | [email protected] | 07952 993376 | Facebook | Twitter
Wedding rings
Watch and cufflinks
The ringbearer
Ceremony
WEDding or WEDnesday..?!
Groomsmen chased by T-Rex
A great thing about doing the preparation photos at the Bath Spa Hotel is that the rooms are so spacious and light which helps to get shots from all different angles. The wedding cremony was in the Vellore, a grand room with chandaliers, Roman pillars, a high domed roof and a red carpet to walk down the aisle on.
Bridesmaids seeing Bride for the first time
Father's first look
Walking down the aisle
Both seemed very relaxed as the ceremony got under way and Daniel had a cheeky grin on his face and kept whispering things into Caroline's ear to make her smile.
Following the ceremony we headed to the Grange Suite to take photos on the balcony and get a group shot of everyone below by the gardens. It used to be used for wedding ceremonies but has now been turned into private rooms. There was someone due to check in later that day (a VVIP we were told!) but fortunately the 12.30pm ceremony allowed us to get in and out beforehand.
The balcony of the Grange Suite
A kiss on the balcony
Group shot from balcony
I love shooting in the gardens here as every angle offers a beautiful backdrop. With some clever lighting the temple and the stone arches can make a spectacular addition to the photos. As the cave is at the bottom of the garden it is usually reserved for the bride and groom as the majority of the shots are done nearer the hotel (and drinks!). A special thanks to Kev & Tom the ushers for doing a sterling job by the way!
The Temple at Bath Spa Hotel
The stone arches
Dinner and speeches then took place in the Avon Suite which some more shots by the fountain outside later in the evening. One of the pics that Caroline wanted was of the wedding rings of her, her mums and grandmothers which was a nice idea.
The beautiful bride
Three generations
After smiling for the cameras all day Caroline and Daniel made time for one more photo in front of the hotel which I am so pleased about as it's my favourite shot from the day.
Bride & groom kiss
Congratulations to Caroline & Daniel!
To book your wedding photography please contact me for availability and a friendly chat.
I Do
IMG_0940
The Avon Suite
The Vellore
Father of the Bride
The Macdonald Bath Spa Hotel
Great Tythe Barn, Tetbury
Great Tythe Barn, Tetbury
Abby & Joe were getting ready in neighbouring cottages so we had to be careful going to close to the windows or risk them seeing each other! The wedding dress was originally being photographed with the curtains open but the excited guests were arriving and popping their head through the window to say hello so we had to go on lockdown!
Preparation shots
Wedding shoes and rings
Help!
Groomsmen preparation shots
Groomsmen preparation shots
Ready to be married
After the prep shots the ceremony got underway under the illuminated 'Love' letters and string lights and the vows were exchanged. We made our way out onto the spacious lawn for the group shot in which I found myself standing on a chair in the flower bed in order to see everyone (I don't think the gardener was very happy about that but luckily Nigel the videographer got the blame!) :o)
Abby & Joe tie the knot!
Group shot of everyone
Smaller family and friends group shots followed, including one with the 'Funboys' - Joe's uni mates... and by the looks of them I'm sure they had a lot of fun back then! They slipped into this pose seamlessly so I think it's appeared in many other photographs.
The Funboys
Abby & Lella
We took a walk around the garden with just Abby & Joe as I set up some romantic shots in the gazebo and gardens by the house. Abby & Joe wanted lots of natural shots so once the group and couple shots were done I floated around the guests capturing them laughing and chatting away in the sunshine.
Romantic shots in the gardens
Romantic shots in the gardens
Guests enjoying the day
Guests enjoying the day
In the evening they had hired some casino tables with roulette and blackjack which got everyone's betting taste buds going.
Casino Royale
Casino Royale
Casino Royale
#winning
I was very pleased that Abby had decided to do a bouquet toss from the balcony as I find it quite rare that brides want to part with them. Beyonce's 'Single Ladies' played out of course and one lucky lady was very happy to catch it!
Catching the bouqet
The lucky lady - married next?!
The 'Love' letters provided a perfect backdrop not just for the newlyweds but all the other happy couples who came to celebrate this special day.
Dancing couples in love
First dance as a married couple
Congratulations to Abby & Joe on their special day. To enquire about booking me as your wedding photographer please contact me for availability and a friendly chat!
www.leondayimages.com | [email protected] | 07952 993376 | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
Please feel free to share and leave your comments below.
More photos from the day.......
Joe getting ready
Bridal preparations
View from balcony
Newlyweds
Family group shots
Bride, bridesmaids and flower girl
Abby & Joe by the gazebo
Abby & Joe by cottage
Bride and groom kiss
Guests
Guests
Baby talk
Speeches
Raj's best man speech - View from balcony
Joe receiving his gift
Looking cool
Sunset at Great Tythe Barn, Tetbury
Party time with the Funboys!
First dance silhouette
Showing the grown ups how it's done!
Guests having fun on the dancefloor
Jump!
Great Tythe Barn by night
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The Botanical Gardens have so many great features, besides the vast range of flowers, like small bridges, a totem pole, trickling streams, winding paths and trees straight out of a Tim Burton film.
The aim was to get some brother and sister shots and some of the whole family which we did. I also suggested some romantic husband and wife shots which caught them off guard but they were up for a nice cuddle!
The photo shoot ended on a high with ice cream all round! :o)
Book your photo shoot today and get some great images at one of the many scenic places England has to offer. Contact me for more info and availability on -
www.leondayimages.com
[email protected]
07952 993376
Facebook
Twitter
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Lots of glamorous dresses were on display showing the trend-setting new style that America brought to the world at that time and the museum encouraged people to come in fancy dress, offering free entry for those who did, and those who did did it in style!
Visitors arrive in style!
Got the moves!
Visitors were treated to try on various garments like hats, feathery scarves and cigarette holders to help them get into character.
Dressing up in 1920's gear
Play it again Sam!
There was a 1924 Ford Model T and a 1929 Ford Model A on display which stirs up images of pin striped gangsters and tommy guns tearing through the streets of Chicago. These were delivered by lorry though, I think the Bath hills would've been too steep for them!
1924 Ford Model T
1929 Ford Model A
A great part of the day were the dance workshops where demonstrations of the Charleston dance were given and then lessons on how to do it. Everyone watching got up to have a go and left with some new moves under their belt!
Dance Workshops demonstrating the Charleston
Dance Workshops demonstrating the Charleston
Visitors try some Charleston moves
Visitors try some Charleston moves
There was something special for the kids too with colouring pens, glue, cardboard and buttons for them to make their own 1920's accessories.
Arts and crafts for the kids
Arts and crafts for the kids
If you want a nice family day out at a gorgeous location in Bath and check out some amazing fashion from that era then pop along to the American Museum one sunny summers day.
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The Wedding Secret
Exciting news - I have now partnered with The Wedding Secret, one of the biggest and best wedding directories in the country. It is completely free for you to use and has hundreds of excellent suppliers in your area covering all the things you'll need for your wedding - cakes, cars, dresses, suits, videographers, photographers and more. Think of it like Amazon - everything you need all in one place!
Check it out - www.theweddingsecret.co.uk - and sign up to save all of your favourite suppliers' details.
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As he is so cartoonishly weird in his appearance and behaviour, the last thing you or your wedding guests want to be thinking about your groom is 'He's a bit....Trumpy!'
So, ladies and gentlemen, here's a few tips on how to act, dress and what to not say to avoid those unwelcome comparisons springing to mind on your wedding day.
1. Ladies first - Be on your best behaviour and put your lovely bride first. Hold the door open for her, ensure she sits down before you do.... of all the days in your life this is when to be the perfect gentleman.
Oooh, me first!!
2. Don't be a meany! Give lots of compliments all day very loudly so everyone can hear you and think you're a real hero.
3. If you're follically challenged then get the clippers out and go for the buzz cut. You don't want to be flicking through your photo album and see this...
Surf's up!
4. We know some men are partial to a bit of fake tan now and then and the temptation might be there to do it for your wedding day, but just go easy on the stuff. Less is more.
Ripe n ready to peel!
Tango'd
Yes, an orange
5. A tie is an accessory, not a compensation for something. The pointy bit of your tie should stop just above the belt line, not dangling between your legs.
Compensation issues
Mine's this long...
.....although if you're going to wear it long then commit to it!
Go long or go home!
6. While we're on measurements, make sure you get your ring size correct to avoid it slipping off your tiny hands.
7. No alternative facts (lies). Best not to say in your speech it is the biggest wedding ever (actually, do say that, it would be funny!)
25 billion people at Trump's inauguration
8. Or that it's a fake marriage. Probably won't score you any points.
9. You're going to be shaking hands with lots of people throughout the day. Try not to take their arm off in the process! Gentle but firm does it.
10. Be careful using the words 'Tremendous', 'Huge (Yuge)', 'Fantastic'.
11. Watch those hands motions while you speak.
Insert here...
L for Lunatic
Back atcha pal!
Ok, it was a cheap shot at an easy target so we can laugh for now. Don't forget he has the codes though....
Peace out everybody, have a tremendous weekend! xx
www.leondayimages.com
[email protected]
07952 993376
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So you've just got engaged, have a wedding date set and are now working your way through the daunting task of planning this MAMMOTH event, right?
Normally after booking the venue and registrar the next big thing to book is your photographer and I'm here to tell you how to get the right one for you. Having got married myself last year I know what you're going through.
Nowadays every man and their dog seems to be a photographer as technology gets better, more accessible and more affordable. But so much more goes into being an AWESOME wedding photographer than simply having all the gear but no idea so you need to know how to tell the difference between your average photographer and one that's going to deliver incredible shots that you are going to love.
THE 3 MAIN THINGS WHEN CHOOSING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER ARE -
- Price - How important is 'cheap' to you? You get what you pay for.
- Portfolio - Speaks for itself. Do you like their work?
- Personality - Who wants a bossy douche bag barking orders at them and their guests all day?!
If all these tick your box then you're headed in the right direction but if just one is not right then it can seriously affect the outcome.
WHERE TO START LOOKING -
- Recommendations - The most trusted form of advertising is word of mouth so ask people who have recently got married, been to a wedding or know of a kick ass photographer. If they've seen them in action they'll know how they handle themselves, the bride and groom and all the guests on the big day. Look at the reviews from previous couples on their websites.
- Preferred Suppliers - Many venues have a preferred supplier list that they give to couples of people they frequently work with so ask your venue if they have one. The photographer(s) will know the venue well and all the best spots to get great photos having done lots of weddings there. Chances are they'll know the staff too which makes things go a bit smoother, particularly if you want some background people or cars moved!
- Wedding Fayres - This is your chance to get in front of many photographers at once and get to see whether your personalities are alike, to see their work and to hold the sample wedding albums, USB's etc. There are so many styles, sizes and materials so it's good to see them up close.
- Google - This is probably most people's first stop to see who is in their area and is the best way to find loads of websites with portfolios and prices. But just because someone is at the top of Google doesn't necessarily mean they are the best photographer, it just means they are the best at SEO or simply paid for a Google Ad.
- Social Media - Similar to finding websites to look at through Google, you can use Pinterest and Instagram to search for specific keywords about the type of photos you want e.g romantic, natural, quirky etc. Images will have hash tags to help you narrow down your search and you can then follow the photographer to see what else they have posted. Facebook and Twitter will show you what they have been up to with recent shoots. Be warned though - if you ask for a photographer on a wedding Facebook group you will get 100+ links of hungry togs looking for your business!
WHAT NEXT?
Now that you've found some photographers, looked through their work and maybe even met them at a wedding fayre the next step is to arrange a meeting with them. You want to have a proper sit down to chat about how they work, ask them any questions you have and look through their sample albums. Wedding fayres are very busy, hectic places so you want their sole attention to really get a feel for whether you are going to get along. They are going to be around you all day so you want someone you can feel relaxed with and you'll have no way of knowing this until you meet them. Never book a wedding photographer you haven't met in person.
TIPS FOR WHEN YOU MEET WITH A PHOTOGRAPHER -
- Do a little research on them beforehand by looking through their About Me, FAQ and Prices pages on their website so there's no surprises.
- If you have booked your venue try to meet there. This way you can look around together to plan some shots and see how they will approach it.
- Ask to see a few different weddings from start to finish to show consistency. You don't just want to see the cherry picked money shots.
- Do they have insurance? This usually separates the wheat from the chaff. Professional photographers will value their business and want to protect you and themselves from any unforeseen circumstances.
- Do they have back up equipment if their main camera breaks? If you know your stuff, ask what kit they use.
- How would they handle bad weather, what is their Plan B if it rains all day?
- How do they make you FEEL? If the answer is 'great' and you feel relaxed then you're almost there.
- Be clear with what is being offered to you, what is included and what is extra.
- Go with your instinct. If you really like them, the price is right and they've shown they can deliver some beautiful photography then why wait? Save yourself time from nit-picking your way through 5 other similar photographers and book them before someone else does. If you're not 100% sure though, make your excuses and move on.
- GET IT IN WRITING! Very important. I see so many stories of couples having photographers backing out at the last minute and they don't have a written contract. Read it carefully before you sign and be happy with it when you do. Don't be scared to ask questions.
- Don't be pushed into signing anything before you're ready. Top photographers will be confident in themselves and their work and may even encourage you to look around.
- A deposit will usually be required to secure the date so have funds ready (not necessarily there and then) if you want to bag your guy/gal.
- Some photographers take payment all in one go, others take a small deposit and then the rest a few weeks before the wedding. Discuss what they offer and what would work for you e.g 3-4 installments to break it up a bit.
HOW MUCH SHOULD I SPEND ON A WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER?
This all depends on your budget. I would always advise to only spend what you can afford, but do try to allocate as much of your budget to your photographer that allows. Of course, I'm just saying this because I'm a wedding photographer, right? No. Along with videography (or if you have a photographic memory) it is the only thing you'll have to remember the day so why would you scrimp on it? Whilst there are some great photographers charging less for their services, generally those charging only a few hundred quid for a whole day's wedding coverage may just be starting out, don't have professional gear, not in demand or doing it part time. Those charging several hundred up to a few thousand will be professionals which should reflect in their portfolio. Then there are the elite photographers like Jerry Ghionis who can command £10k+ for their services and each image is like a cover of Vogue. I've attended one of his seminars and he is a master of the arts. If money is no object then book the very best out there.
Bunce
SO WHAT MAKES AN AWESOME PHOTOGRAPHER?
- Someone who can handle the responsibility of a wedding confidently
- Great communication from initial inquiry, during the wedding day and up to delivery of your photos
- Has experience of having shot many weddings in the past and can adapt to any environment
- Presentable, polite and professional at all times
- Someone who's company you (and your guests) enjoy and can feel relaxed around
- Takes control/discreet when required
- Has new and interesting ideas to bring - every couple and wedding is different so the photos should be too
- Is open to your ideas and other photos you've seen that you'd like them to recreate, and execute them
- Above all they take amazing photographs that YOU love
And that's pretty much it! Just remember to take your time, do some research and to be happy with who you choose.
I hope this helps you in your search and if you want to book your very own awesome wedding photographer just click here! ;o)
What are YOUR experiences with photographers you've encountered? What made them good/bad? What have I missed? Any funny stories or embarrassing photos you were part of? I'd love to hear your thoughts so please leave them in the comments section below and don't forget to like and share this page with your friends!
Thanks,
Leon
www.leondayimages.com
[email protected]
07952 993376
NewVoiceMedia awards evening
NewVoiceMedia awards evening
After dinner had finished Chief Revenue Officer, Scott Sampson, started the evening off highlighting the successful year they'd had and showed a video of the '100% Club' enjoying a holiday at Verbier which looked like something out of the The Apprentice with the group winners getting some luxury treat! Verbier in Switzerland is one of the most exclusive and best ski resorts in the world and the film captured it in all its glory with clever use of drone cams showing the team having fun on the slopes and relaxing in the jacuzzi. (Very jealous!)
Scott Sampson, Chief Revenue Officer
Verbier Ski Resort, SwitzerlandVERBIER, SWITZERLAND - FEBRUARY 10: A general view of Verbier on February 10, 2013 in Verbier, Switzerland. (Photo by The Image Gate/Getty Images)
The awards presentations then followed for the top sales people of the year and for each award there was rapturous applause for the winners. There seemed to be genuine happiness for their team mates and lots of high fives, hugs and whoops for each person which was nice to see. If I was to work for a sales company this would be it! Talk about team spirit (not to mention the awesome skiing holidays)!
NewVoiceMedia award winners
NewVoiceMedia award winners
NewVoiceMedia award winners
NewVoiceMedia award winners
It was time for the party to start and everyone headed up to the bar in the Kennett Room where I had set up my mobile studio for the group photos. The groups started in 2's, 3's and 4's which is perfect for the set up I have but before long there was 15 or so people trying to squeeze into the photo!
Party pics
Party pics
Party pics
Party pics
A few too many...
We finished with a group photo of everyone in the Avon Room where the energy levels had stepped up a gear and the party was really going to start. A very fun night all round.
The NewVoiceMedia team
To book photography for your next work event or party please click here to contact me for details.
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Here they are in no particular order...
#1. The Roman Baths - 11th September 2016
I covered my first wedding at the Roman Baths earlier this year after the ceremony has finished and everyone went off to eat I was all alone there. Normally it's bustling with tourists so it was a nice contrast to see it looking so calm and peaceful. I love how the colours bring it to life here with the Abbey in the background. One of Bath's most iconic landmarks would photograph well on any day but getting a chance like this is rare. I've yet to share the wedding photos from this one yet due to time contraints but look out for the blog in the future.
The Roman Baths
#2. Sunset kiss - 5th August 2016
One of my favourite wedding photos from this year and one I had set out to achieve on the day. It was a swelteringly hot day and the sky was clear all day, and with the space available at Ashton Court Mansion I knew it was going to be possible to set this up. I stood Katy & Ben directly in front of me with the sun behind them and just said to softly kiss each other on the cheeks, lips and forehead to get a variety of shots. I have many similar ones to this but love the subtle details of the tie and dress and gaps between their faces that the light shines through. I've used this images lots in my adverts this year!
Sunset kiss
#3. Tunnel vision - 11th June 2016
During the summer I ran a special offer of a free family portrait shoot at the local park in my home town of Saltford. It was a very successful event with all of the 15 minute bookings filled up for the 2 hour slot. I managed to get lots of great shots that day of some wonderful families and kids. I noticed that one of the tunnels in the playground had these ripples on the inside which created an amazing pattern so took a few shots in there of some of the children playing.
Tunnel vision
#4. Batman v Joker - 21st May 2016
I covered a charity event at Ashton Court Mansion for the showing of Brett Culp's 'Legend of the Knight', a documentary about how the Batman character has influenced people's lives for the better. Before the screening we were treated to a short live show complete with action scenes featuring all the main characters - Bruce Wayne/Batman (Lee Westney) and The Joker (Michael Griffiths, both below), Alfred, Commissioner Gordon, Harley Quinn, even some Joker Goons. After the screening I took some profile shots of the cast, and being a comic nerd had an absolute blast doing it! Check out all the images here. KA-POW!!
Batman & Joker
#5. Rob Jones - Portrait - 25th August 2016
I've chosen this particular portrait thanks to my excellent camera equipment (and Rob's manly good looks of course!). My Canon 70-200mm L lens is perfect for portraiture - super crisp detail, shallow depth of field to separate the subject from the background and accurate colours. I also used an off camera flash with a honeycomb grid to get the lighting on the back of the head to create that extra glow. This was taken outdoors in a very narrow garden about 4ft wide so I was pleased with the outcome considering the lack of space to work in. It was part of a team photo for Advanced Studies in England and whilst I really liked all the others too there was just something about this one that edged it.
Rob Jones - Portrait
#6. Kissin' in the rain - 20th August 2016
Rain - every bride & groom's worst nightmare (apart from losing the rings!). I've been fortunate enough to have very few weddings where it has rained enough to affect the photos but on this occasion it wouldn't let up so we had no choice but to embrace it. Thankfully Emma & Tom were good sports and up for braving the rain with their trusty umbrella for me to try this. This is a go-to shot for most wedding photographers when it rains and having not done it before I was keen to try my hand at it, and pleased with the result. A back lit shot shows the rain drops and makes for a very romantic picture.
Kissin' in the rain
#7. First encounters - 5th August 2016
At first glance this looks like just a quick snap of the groom holding a baby but it's the story behind it that is why this made it on my list. We're at Ashton Court Mansion again (again..?!) for Katy & Ben's wedding and Ben's sister, Alison, had only just given birth to baby Isabella 48 hours before the wedding. She found the strength to come to the wedding and this was the moment that Ben got to meet his niece for the first time. You can see in his eyes how much it means to him and it must of made the wedding day that extra bit special. Even I was getting choked up at the time! Capturing moments like this is one of the most fulfilling parts of being a photographer and what it's really all about. Read their full story here.
First encounters
#8. Dappa Hair Salon, Bath - 17th August 2016
This has been something of a secret photo shoot and one I've been dying to share! I did a shoot for Dappa Hair Salon in Bath with 3 models from Gingersnap Modelling Agency as part of a photo shoot showing hair cut and styling with a fashion lifestyle shoot afterwards. As these are going to be part of Dappa's advertising posters they wanted me to not share them until then so I can only show you this one for now (don't tell anyone ok!). I hadn't worked with professional models before but they were great and really knew how to move in front of the camera. The guys did a few topless shots which I'm sure some of you will want to see! Watch this space...!
Dappa Hair Salon, Bath
#9. Newborn baby - 2nd December 2016
Now that I am a father I can better understand the precious nature of newborn baby photography and doing this one brought back lots of lovely memories. The delicate hands, the flaky skin, the innocence and wonder of this new world, that sweet baby smell.... ahhh, great days! There were a few from this shoot that I love and this is one of them as it shows little Max from top to bottom with his little feet poking out underneath. It just makes you want to cuddle him! Ok, enough mushiness from me...!
Newborn baby
#10. Santa's cheeky little helper - 8th November 2016
I did a shoot at my local toddler group for parents and their little ones to have personalised Christmas cards made up. We set up the Christmas tree and some fake presents and sat the kids down in front of it for a Christmas Day morning type moment. Little Ollie here pulled the cheekiest of grins and it makes me giggle every time I look at it. I can only images his face on the real Christmas Day morning!
Santa's cheeky little helper
So there's my top 10 fave pics, I hope you liked them. Which is YOUR favourite? Please feel free to leave a comment at the top of the page.
I'll leave you with 5 of my favourite shots of my beautiful baby girl, Imogen, from this year...
#1. Starry eyed - 5th January 2016
Fresh out of the bath, a day before her first birthday.
Starry eyed
#2. Reflecting on life so far - 1st September 2016
Chillin' in the park...
Reflecting on life so far
#3. Blue eyes - 24th September 2016
The next three pics are from a day trip to Stourhead Park. We had a range of emotions from good to bad! Here she looks very cute....
Blue eyes
#4. Terrible Two's here we come!
....and here we have attitude, elegance, defiance and confidence all in one shot! Love it!
Terrible Two's here we come!
#5. Cuddles
A split second later that doll was thrown to the ground! But this is lovely nonetheless! :o)
Cuddles
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Abby & Joe's Engagement Shoot at The Royal Crescent, Bath
We arrived at 10.30am on a clear, frosty day with clear blue skies - perfect weather for photos! Unfortunately the Royal Crescent is a tourist hot spot so we had to pick our moments carefully to avoid getting them in the background (and foreground!). The Bath Sightseeing Bus had just arrived full of eager tourists and dropped them off by the Royal Crescent Museum so we made our way to the other side of the Crescent before it got too crowded. The Christmas tree was still up outside the Royal Crescent Hotel so we got a few shots by that on the way.
Abby & Joe
We then made our way down to the band stand for a few more shots to vary the background and for me to use some more lighting equipment for various effects.
An engagement shoot is a great way to prepare for your wedding day by practicing some poses and getting used to the camera and what you're comfortable with. If done early enough then you can use them for your Save the Date cards, but regardless of when it's done you'll have some gorgeous new images to have for your frames or album.
All of my wedding bookings come with a complimentary engagement shoot which I invite every couple to take advantage of at our meeting.
To book your own shoot at one of the many iconic locations in Bath (or one of your choice) you can contact me through all the usual methods -
[email protected]
07952 993376
Facebook
Twitter
Look out for my upcoming end of year blogs, coming soon. Please Like and Share! Thank you x
Abby & Joe's Engagement Shoot - Royal Crescent, Bath
Abby & Joe
Abby & Joe's Engagement Shoot - Royal Crescent, Bath
Abby & Joe's Engagement Shoot - Royal Crescent, Bath
Abby & Joe's Engagement Shoot - Royal Crescent, Bath
Abby & Joe's Engagement Shoot - Royal Crescent, Bath
Abby & Joe's Engagement Shoot - Royal Crescent, Bath
Abby & Joe's Engagement Shoot - Royal Crescent, Bath
Abby & Joe's Engagement Shoot - Royal Crescent, Bath
Abby & Joe's Engagement Shoot - Royal Crescent, Bath
Abby & Joe - Engagement Shoot at the Royal Crescent, Bath
Abby & Joe - Engagement Shoot at the Royal Crescent, Bath
Abby & Joe - Engagement Shoot at the Royal Crescent, Bath
Abby & Joe - Engagement Shoot at the Royal Crescent, Bath
Abby & Joe - Engagement Shoot at the Royal Crescent, Bath
Abby & Joe - Engagement Shoot at the Royal Crescent, Bath
Abby & Joe - Engagement Shoot at the Royal Crescent, Bath
I often get asked to provide commercial photography shoots for companies having an overhaul on their website and branding, which was the case here, and Dave wanted some fresh images to showcase his workout routines and apparatus. Having seen some videos of his very impressive balancing acts on his Facebook page I was really looking forward to seeing what he was going to be doing on the day.
Many of his exercises are tailored for outdoors use in parks to make use of the space and get a spot of fresh air at the same time. We arranged to meet at Arnos Park in Bristol and began with Dave attaching some Olympic rings to a tree and demonstrating the various exercises possible. A lot of the workouts require minimal equipment and use your own body weight to push or pull against which makes it easily portable but also develops great physical strength over the whole body.
Various exercises with Olympic rings - Arnos Park
Various exercises with Olympic rings - Arnos Park
Various exercises with Olympic rings - Arnos Park
Various exercises with Olympic rings - Arnos Park
Various exercises with Olympic rings - Arnos Park
One of Dave's clients, Kelly, kindly offered to be the model for some of the exercises which involved being tied to goalposts with huge elastic band used for resistance training, a very painful looking rolling pin for stretching the thigh muscle, reverse sit ups on a bench and press ups with the Olympic rings. Dave also demonstrated some other core exercises.
More painful than it looks!
Various exercises with Kelly
Various exercises with Kelly
Various exercises with Kelly
Various exercises with Kelly
Core exercises
Core exercises
Core exercises
Core exercises
The whole time we were being watched by Dave’s trusty sidekick, Ted, his little Yorkshire terrier. Ted must be the fittest little doggy in the world as he goes with Dave on all his appointments and his days can be crazily long. As his clients need training sessions at all hours of the day it means Dave is often up at 4.30am and not home until 10.30pm!
One man and his dog
There was a wedding party also in the park getting some photos so we had to make sure we weren’t in each other’s shots. We finished with some profile pics of Dave in front of some beautiful trees with very autumnal red leaves which on a grey day was just the nice splash of colour needed.
David Bates - Personal Trainer
David Bates - Personal Trainer
David Bates - Personal Trainer
If you need to get in shape and would like a fun, varied workout then contact Dave and he’ll be happy to speak to you. He is based in Bristol but travels the surrounding areas to visit and train his clients at various locations.
www.davidbatespt.co.uk [email protected] 07930 666200
David Bates - Personal Trainer, Bristol
If you require any new images for your business whether it is staff photos, interior/exteriors, food & drink or product photography please contact me for more information and a quote.
Stay tuned for more blogs on my recent shoots….
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As the weather was pretty terrible we started off with a few shots of the whole family on the sofa and then headed out with umbrellas at the ready and walked over to Hedgemead Park next door. Heather said it was the first time they were all able to come together like this for a long time so I was happy to be able to provide some nice photos for them to remember.
The pavilion provided shelter from the drizzling rain as I set up my lighting equipment and we took some group shots of the various parent/children combos and finished with a few nice ones of Heather and husband Ray (who have been together a whopping 44 years - true love!).
As the rain eased slightly we moved onto the grass for some fun shots of the kids playing and running around. I had to abandon the soft box and pop the flashes on my camera to keep up with them whilst getting my cardio workout at the same time! Whilst it's true that children and animals are the hardest to photograph because of their unpredictable and sometimes uncooperative behaviour it's sometimes the most rewarding because of that, and I love the challenge of trying to capture those moments.
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Left: John & Pat 1966, Right: John & Pat 2016
Family portrait by Bristol Cathedral
Family portrait by Bristol Cathedral
Kids by Bristol Cathedral
As the church is situated on Colston Avenue in central Bristol I led the jubilant family up to College Green for a bit more space. The whole family was in a great mood and the sun was shining for us. Many of the locals were gathered on the Green in groups of families and friends enjoying some downtime after their busy week. We found a little spot by the Bristol Cathedral which, along with the City Hall, made for some historical and beautiful backdrops.
As we only had an hours shoot before everyone went off for dinner I'd asked Liz to prepare a list of the group shots she wanted. I always do this for weddings as it makes the whole process so much quicker if you know who the next group is so they can jump in. It also keeps the energy and momentum up so no one loses interest and stays in the zone! I needn't have worried about that at all as everyone was in such good spirits that their enthusiasm for getting some great shots matched mine! It is always a pleasure to photograph people in that atmosphere as it's very fun, relaxed and natural, and with a close family like this there was lots of banter and joking around which I found highly amusing.
We made the most of the backgrounds as I moved my lighting equipment around to vary the shots from wide's to close ups.
Family portraits
Family portraits
Family portraits
Family portraits
Family portraits
Family portraits
Family portraits
There was also lots of funny faces being pulled which the kids enjoyed!
Lots of fun and silly faces!
Lots of fun and silly faces!
Lots of fun and silly faces!
Children portraits
With the shoot coming to an end they saved the best to last with a collective jumping group shot which captured the spirit of their photo shoot perfectly!
Jumping group shot by City Hall, Bristol
As the whole family were together for the weekend I made an extra effort to ensure the photos were edited and ready to view the next day so they could all see them together.
As well as getting copies of all the images included with the hourly fee for the shoot, Pat ordered 5 x Premium cover A3 albums for the whole family to enjoy, as well as 24"x16" poster print, which they were delighted with. Click here to see all the photos from the shoot.
I have another similar family event coming up in Bath where we are planning to shoot in Sydney Park so I look forward to letting you know how that shoot goes. If you'd like to enquire about a photo session for any of the following then please contact me on [email protected] or 07952 993376 -
- Family/children portraits
- Birthday/Christening
- Anniversary
- Team/Staff photo
- Work event
- Self promotion/Self employed business
You can also reach me on Facebook and Twitter.
Liz Bowie and husband John
In the summer I was super excited to be covering a wedding at the grand Ashton Court Mansion in Bristol and it turned out to be a very enjoyable one with lots of special moments which I'll talk about shortly. I'd not long done a previous shoot there for a Batman themed charity event where the venue was transformed into Wayne Manor for the screening of Brett Culp's 'We Are The Knight' documentary. Katy & Ben actually came down before the shoot to go through their final plans and have a run through of the day.
Ashton Court Mansion
On the wedding day itself it started with preparation shots of Katy and all her best friends at a beautiful 5 bedroom house they had hired in Bristol for the Friday night. Last night's wine and champagne bottles were scattered around the kitchen and new ones freshly popped for the morning! Everyone looked ok though so I don't think too much was consumed (right Katy....?!) :o)
My good friend and excellent videographer, Nigel Sheppard of Ever After Films, was in attendance to cover the days proceedings too and we worked around each other getting the various shots we needed. The makeup was being done in the conservatory at the back of the house which was perfectly lit by a sky light ceiling, sunshine and blue skies.
Bridal preparations
Matching bridesmaids dressing gowns
Bridal preparations
Bridal preparations
As all of Katy's close friends were there, some who'd traveled from distance, she was keen to get shots of all of them on the bed together and of their first sight of her wedding dress. It was a very girly moment, although a really nice one, when they all saw the dress which drew lots of gasps and applause! Katy also had a picture of her dad on her bouquet as he had passed away some years before. I see this sort of thing a lot and it always makes me sad to think someone will not have their parent by their side on the biggest day of their lives.
Bride and bridesmaids
The wedding dress reveal
Katy's bouquet in memory of her father
With all the preparation shots done I made my way to meet Ben at the venue and get a few shots of him and the boys. Katy also wanted me to be there when she saw her nan for the first time in her wedding dress as she is very close to her. As the minibus pulled up with all the girls in and Katy saw her it was an emotional moment.
Arriving at Ashton Court
Arriving at Ashton Court
Arriving at Ashton Court
The guests had filled up the ceremony room already so all that was left was for Katy to make her grand entrance. All eyes were on her as she was given away by her nan. After a very sweet ceremony everyone couldn't wait to get outside for some fresh air and sunshine. Once the confetti was thrown Ben's sister, Alison, got to introduce his brand new niece, Isabella. Amazingly, she was only born 48 hours prior to the wedding and leading up to the day it was touch and go whether they would make it but hats off to Alison for being a trooper and coming along. You can see on Ben's face what it meant to him and it was a special moment for me personally to capture it. Close friends and family excitedly waited their turn for a shot of them with the new arrival to the Roberts clan!
When uncle met neice
Mum, nan and auntie meet Isabella
The weather was perfect and the backdrop stunning and I wasted no time in getting through the group shots so that everyone could enjoy the refreshments being served (by another handsome devil called Leon!) The rest of the time leading up to the wedding breakfast was spent getting informal, casual shots of the guests basking in the sunshine. Katy and Ben wanted a very relaxed approach to their wedding photography and to just get a feel for the day.
The stunning views of Bristol
Leon serves up the drinks
Guests enjoy the sunshine
With 10 minutes before speeches were to commence I popped inside to get pics of the table decorations whilst they were still untouched. So much effort goes into them that it's a shame to not get them. Katy and Ben were welcomed into the room with whoops and cheers from everyone. The groom did a great job of saying how beautiful the bride looked, and the best men did a great job of embarrassing the groom (which is their job of course).
Table decorations
Table plan
Wedding cake and top table
Bride and groom entrance
Probably my favourite part of any wedding is doing the couple shots of the bride and groom. It's where we can slip away from everyone and take some time to create beautiful images of them whilst they get to kiss and cuddle as newlyweds. When you have the weather on your side, a truly stunning venue in Ashton Court Mansion and a good looking couple like Katy and Ben then it's a perfect mix. My favourite time to shoot is of course 'the golden hour' which is sunrise and sunset (although sunrise is a bit early for bride and groom shots!). The sun is very low making light and shadows more flattering, and colours more vibrant. It's also a chance to get some silhouette shots. In midsummer the 'golden hour' is more gradual as the the days are longer as opposed to winter time when that hour really is an hour. With summer weddings and it not getting dark until 9.30-10pm it is possible to get silhouette shots before sunset by shooting directly into the sun, as I did here.
Silhouette of bride and groom
After the cutting of the cake and first dance I set my lights up outside and invited guests to come and have their photos taken with the sun setting behind them, which was a great chance to get pics of the evening guests too. Katy and Ben were all photo'd out by this point but managed to come for a few more which I was really glad about as we got these beauties with Ashton Court in the background as well as some group shots with their friends.
Bride and groom at Ashton Court Mansion
Bride and groom with friends
A perfect day for a perfect couple. Congratulations Katy and Ben, all the best for the future x See all of Katy & Ben's wedding photos here. Please feel free to leave your comments below.
If you'd like to book me for your wedding then head over to the Contact page and drop me a message, I'd love to hear from you.
Here are some more highlights from the day....
Brides shoes
Chanel perfume
Bridal preparations
Bridesmaids helping with the wedding dress
The beautiful bride
Bride with bouquet in black and white
Groom and best man in discussion
Ceremony room with guests
Bride walks up the aisle
Exchanging of rings
Bride and groom kiss
Signing the register
Husband and wife walk down the aisle
Husband and wife walk down the aisle
Confetti
Bride and Groom with Groomsmen
IMG_0287
Bride and Groom kiss
Ben with Isabella
Isabella with great grandmother
Informal guest shots
Informal guest shots
IMG_0536 (1)
Informal guest shots
IMG_0361
Informal guest shots at Ashton Court Mansion
Instagram details
Ashton Court Mansion
Speeches
Speeches
Groom's speech
Guests watching speeches
Groom's speech
Best men's speeches
Best men's speeches
Best men's speeches
Bride and Groom at Ashton Court Mansion
Bride and Groom at Ashton Court Mansion
Bride and Groom silhouette kissing
Bride and Groom kissing
Bride and Groom silhouette kissing
Bride and Groom kissing in front of Ashton Court
Bride and Groom looking good!
Nigel Sheppard of Ever After Films in action
Nigel reviews footage with Katy & Ben
Wedding rings
Bride and Groom cutting the cake
IMG_0608
The first dance
The first dance
The first dance
Dancing queens
Party time!
Evening guests
Personalised shirt
Evening guests at sunset
Katy with her rugby team
Evening guests at sunset
Guests at sunset
Group shots
Guests at sunset
Guests at sunset
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Tracy Park bedrooms
Tracy Park bedrooms
Not long after my meeting with Harriet I had been contacted by Christine and Keith to photograph their wedding in June. The date had been brought forward because, sadly, Christine’s sister, Jackie, had been suffering from cancer in recent years and given only months to live.
As a wedding photographer you know that the images you produce on the day are going to be seen by many people for years to come and have their own special meaning to those involved, but in these rare situations you suddenly become aware of the burden of responsibility in capturing what will be incredibly important moments like this.
My mum died of cancer in 2003 and having recently got married myself in July this year I would’ve given anything to have her there that day.
With only a few weeks’ notice until the day itself it came around quickly and fortunately Jackie was able to make it to witness her sister get married. With the short time period for Christine and Keith to prepare, plus the circumstances, only close friends and family were invited which totalled 12 people including them. With a 5pm ceremony they felt 2 hours’ coverage would be sufficient so I was able to tailor a package to suit them, which included a 14”x11” album and a USB of all the images.
Jackie with mum, Brenda
With a wedding where I’m there all day I can pace it accordingly and there’s plenty of time for each part of the day (preparations, ceremony etc.) to get the shots I need, but with just 2 hours I really wanted to be getting as many shots as possible. Of course, it’s quality not quantity, which I am a firm believer of, but I didn’t want to miss a moment.
The guests arrived and made their way to the Garden Room where the ceremony was taking place. I had seen Christine briefly to say hello as she was getting ready in one of the cottage-style bedrooms in the courtyard but photos of the guests arriving were preferred to preparation shots. Everyone looked so happy to be there but none more so than Christine as she entered with a beaming smile on her face to be walked down the aisle by her daughter, Judith.
Christine walking up the aisle with daughter, Judith
After the ceremony, everyone headed out to the back of the hotel for photos. Luckily the weather was holding out and we got some sunshine and blue skies. The hotel itself makes for a beautiful backdrop with its architecture but also facing away from the hotel there is the lush greenery of the golf course so we were spoiled for choice.
Tracy Park exterior architecture
Once the group shots were done I led the bride and groom away for a few photos on their own and made use of the huge trees nearby, shooting wide shots to show their scale as well as more with the hotel in the background. I worked quickly to get many different angles and poses as the wedding breakfast was fast approaching.
Tracy Park - trees on golf course
It must’ve been a real mixture of emotions for the whole family that day but the happiness of the occasion shone through. I left as everyone was sitting down for the wedding breakfast in the Fleet Room to enjoy the rest of the day together.
Wedding breakfast in the Fleet Room
Jackie died in September. I am glad to have had the opportunity to provide these photos for Christine and Keith, and their family, as I know how much they mean to them.
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
Tracy Park wedding
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I’ve known Steve since I was about 9 years old when we used to play for Dunstable Junior Blues FC and we have some mutual friends who were at the wedding so it was nice to see them too. He was also my roommate on a trip to France to play in a football tournament!
Dunstable Jr Blues, 1989. Me: Blonde hair, Steve: Bottom right
Kennilworth Road, Luton Town FC. Me: Far left, Steve: Far right
It was a swelteringly hot day as I met Steve at his house with his best man, Andy, to get some preparation shots as they slipped into their suits. Prep shots are a good way to start the day rather than to start shooting at the ceremony as it gives the bride and groom time to get used to all the attention they will get throughout the day, not just from me but everyone, and for them to get used to having a camera pointed at them all day. I use it as an opportunity to find out what they are comfortable with and how to pose them. I like to show them a few shots so they can see they are in safe hands, posed well and look good. This makes them relax and very quickly you become part of the furniture, which in turn makes for some great relaxed, natural shots. On top of all that, it tells the story of the day from the beginning.
I love seeing what the groomsmen are wearing as their cufflinks as it is a little insight into their personality and a small way of expressing their character. Steve was wearing a 1957 Threepence coin and Andy had the Jedi symbol from Star Wars. After a few shots in Bennetts Rec Park I had the shots I needed and went on to meet the bride.
Steve's cufflinks
Andy's cufflinks
Andy & Steve
A stroll in the park - Bennetts Rec, Dunstable
A stroll in the park - Bennetts Rec, Dunstable
The wedding was at Offley Place, a beautiful 17th Century Manor House in Hitchin on the border or Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. I took a few external shots to set the scene and then headed up to the bridal suite to find Claire in a very calm mood getting ready with her bridesmaids, Jo & Paula.
Offley Place, Hitchin
Offley Place, Hitchin
Offley Place, Hitchin
Offley Place, Hitchin
Offley Place, Hitchin
Table decorations
Photographing the guys getting ready is a much quicker affair as slipping into a suit hardly takes any time at all. A lot more time goes into the prep shots for the ladies what with the hair, nails, make up, shoes, flowers, dress…and champagne! There’s a lot to cover!
Champagne!
Bridal preparations
Bridal preparations
Bridal preparations
Bridal preparations
Bridal preparations
The ceremony was at 1.30pm in the conservatory overlooking the spacious fields behind the house and a glass roof allowing lots of natural light in – perfect for a wedding photographer! It would also be the setting for the wedding breakfast later in the day.
Wedding ceremony
Wedding ceremony
Wedding ceremony
After a beautiful ceremony the guests lined up to throw confetti over the newlyweds in the time honoured tradition.
Confetti shot
Wedding guests
Wedding guests
Wedding guests
Wedding guests
Wedding guests
With so much space to work in I could get wide shots to show the setting as well as switching camera to my zoom lens for close up shots of guests mingling and enjoying drinks in sunshine. When time and space permits I like to set up my softbox for better lighting. Whilst there is glorious sunshine to enjoy it also creates very harsh shadows which is where the softbox come in to even out and soften those shadows. Add a second flash to add some hair light and you’ve got some wonderful studio-looking images with a just a simple lighting set up.
Shots using softbox & hair light
Shots using softbox & hair light
Shots using softbox & hair light
Another old school mate, Dave Falberg, made the most of this with some awesome catwalk model moves! With this guy’s good looks who know where it can take him…. New York….Paris....Houghton Regis.
Dave Falberg
Dave Falberg
After some group shots I took Steve and Claire to the Rose Garden which offered some fantastic picturesque photo opportunities. After all the congratulations from everyone it gave them a little time just to enjoy each other’s company. I like to make these shots very easy going and natural, shooting from a distance and out of ear shot as loving messages are no doubt exchanged.
The Rose Garden at Offley Place
The Rose Garden at Offley Place
The Rose Garden at Offley Place
The fine weather continued into the evening and I wandered around photographing events as they unfolded as well as requests for impromptu group shots. As the sun was setting the front of the building was lit up with a deliciously warm orange glow so I grabbed Steve & Claire for one last set of pictures which were definitely worth it.
Sunset shot in front of Offley Place
For all the planning that goes into the photography you can never plan for the unexpected and sometime either by luck or design you're in the right place. I just happened to hear a smash behind me and turned around to catch Steve looking very guilty after knocking over a wine glass and happening to cut Sarah's hand in the process!
Caught in the act!
Caught in the act!
Caught in the act!
As the music and dancing began I got the last few shots of the day which had Claire and the girls dancing the Irish jig and having a ball doing it!
Evening celebrations
Evening celebrations
Evening celebrations
Evening celebrations
Congratulations to Claire and Steve and all the best for the future x
The Bride & Groom
The Bride & Groom
The Bride & Groom
The Bride & Groom
The Bride & Groom
The Bride & Groom w/friends
The Holburne Museum
Holburne Museum - decorations
The Mytton Williams team
20th Anniversary event
Husband and wife and founders of the company, Bob Mytton and Sophie Williams, hosted the evening to some of their long standing clients with the backdrop of a jazz band playing some relaxing music while guests fed on the delicious looking canapes throughout the evening.
Canapes
Canapes
Canapes
Canapes
Bob later addressed the crowd with some inspiring words of their history of the company, their initial struggles and eventual success. An impromptu speech followed from one of their clients who sang their praises and echoed everyone's thoughts that they were a pleasure to work with.
Bob Mytton and Sophie Williams
Speech
Speech
Speech
Speech
Speech
Speech
I spent the evening capturing the feel of the night, the detail of the venue, the food and drink and of course the guests having a great time.
Guests
Guests
Guests
Guests
Guests
Guests
Guests
Guests
Guests
Guests
The Holburne Museum is a fantastic venue and I started with some exterior shots at the start of the evening while there was still some sunlight but at the end of the evening I decided to experiment with some gels to add some colour and was very happy with the results!
Holburne Museum - coloured gels
Holburne Museum - coloured gels
Congratulations to Bob, Sophie and the team on their 20th anniversary, and thank you to Charlotte Kippax at the Holburne Museum for her help during my visit.
For enquiries about event photography please contact me for further details and availability.
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It’s been a really busy year with work and home life so I’ve not had a chance to blog very much (plus not being much of a blogger anyway it was always going to be tricky!) but now I have some time free I thought I’d start with the reason I’ve been so busy – my wedding!
On Friday 15th July 2016 I got married to my childhood sweetheart, Lindsay Orchard. Here’s us (Lindsay-left, me-blonde hair) aged 7(ish) at Lindsay’s birthday party!
It was strange being on the other side of the camera and handing the reigns over to someone else but I had chosen Paolo Ferla specifically as I had worked with him previously at Spirit Photographic and seen his awesome work. I didn’t want to be worrying about what the photographer was doing with so much going on and knew he would deliver some great images.
We also had my old flatmate, good friend and amazing videographer, Nigel Sheppard of Ever After Films, filming the day. Having seen his rapid progression develop over the years with new gear and techniques, as well as many a sad story from brides who’d not chosen to have a videographer and felt they’d missed out big time, I definitely was going to have him do ours! I’ll share some clips once they are ready but from the bits he showed us it was brilliant.
Nigel Sheppard - Reviewing the action!
The night before the wedding I stayed with my family at The Boathouse in Newbridge, Bath. It’s right next to the River Avon and a very peaceful place to wake up to as the ducks and rowing boats idle past leisurely. Despite the hundreds of weddings I’ve been involved with and knowing the protocol I was still nervous!
The Boathouse
Canoes and boats on the River Avon
We got married at the Limpley Stoke Hotel in the picturesque valleys of Bath with all of our family and friends there, minus a few who we wished could come, and the hotel looked after us wonderfully. It was great to see all the months of preparation come together to celebrate a fantastic day.
View from the Limpley Stoke Hotel
I knew there would be a lot of planning involved but underestimated the length of time it would take. This was partly because one of the things we decided to do was, because we are both movie buffs, use our daughter, Imogen, as the centrepiece for the table plans and have her as the starring character in our favourite films. After choosing our vastly different favourites (can you guess which were mine?!) we then set about getting the costumes for them, which is no easy task when you’re buying an Indiana Jones outfit for a 1 year old. Once we had them then came the really difficult bit – the photos!
The Godfather
Singin' in the Rain
I had in my head exact replicas of the movie posters but getting a baby to stand in the exact pose whilst wearing a costume and hat was almost impossible! With the big day fast approaching and no time for reshoots I made full use of Photoshop and placed Imogen straight into the scene of the films as best I could!
Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
The Empire Strikes Back
Back to the Future
The Jungle Book
Wizard of Oz
The Amazing Spider-Man
As tricky as it was it was definitely fun to do and I highly recommend doing something fun like that to add a personal touch to your wedding. We had so many nice comments about it as well as The Wedding Emporium Fayres wanting to post it on their Facebook page after seeing it on mine. We can’t wait to show Imogen them in the future and watch the films together (she’ll have to wait a while for The Godfather though!).
It wouldn’t be an English wedding without mentioning the weather and unfortunately all the sunshine earlier that week didn’t last so we had a very overcast day. It was very humid though and much to my embarrassment made me sweat bullets during the vows, much to everyone’s amusement.
If I can offer any advice to soon-to-be brides and grooms is to get married earlier in the day if you can. We had a 3pm ceremony and despite all the planning we didn’t really get much down time to sit back, soak up the atmosphere and relax. There’s so many people to speak to, family members you haven’t seen in years you want to catch up with, the photos, the meal, the cake cutting… the list goes on. If you can, allow yourself at least half an hour to step back, freshen up and chill out with a cool drink. My other bit of advice is to keep your mouth shut during the confetti shot! My Best Man lobbed a handful of the stuff right into my mouth with military precision!
Having been in the grooms shoes I now have that little bit of extra experience to bring to a wedding shoot as I’ve gone through all the nerves and excitement myself!
Big love & hugs going out to everyone who came and made it such a special day for us, and of course to my new wife, Lindsay… I love you x
Please leave your thoughts and comments below. Are you a wedding supplier who is married? How did yours go? I'd love to hear from you!
Photos by Paolo Ferla Photography -
With my brother, Jason
My auntie Gitta and cousin Viveca from Finland
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Vow MagazineVow Magazine Winter 2015
Leon Day - Wedding Photographer
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Next week I will be in Hampshire shooting for the Food & Drink Guide covering approximately 40 hotels, bars, restaurants and pubs. I will have a bit of spare time so should someone wish to book a shoot whilst I am there please let me know - [email protected]
Thanks,
Leon