Preparation is the key...

...How many time have you heard the saying.. "Fail to prepare, prepare to fail".

Well, with the start of a new year and the first 3 months having been so inspiring and busy, there's been loads going on in preparing for the exciting and year ahead of us. Having met some really touching and inspirational people over the last year, my first aim was to surround myself with a family of inspirational and fantastic people who will push me to be the best I can be.. And I'm on my way to getting there. Secondly it was to upgrade my equipment, not because I needed to but because it's a way of improving and bettering the quality of my work in order for me to compete at the highest level -And not have any limitations. Photography is my life now and the most beautiful thing about it is that by having the necessary equipment at my peril I can express myself without feeling restricted and in turn, my friends (yes you, the people who I photograph) can feel they have been given a gift and not been part of a business transaction, where if they paid more they would have got a better photographer with a better camera and a better service.

The FOCUS ON IMAGING SHOW is europe's biggest annual imaging show open to the public and photographer's.

Over 200 exhibitors and product launches galore - including all the very latest digital cameras and processing equipment. Feel free to click on the link to find out more information about the show. http://www.focus-on-imaging.co.uk/index.htm

Happy New Year..!

Hey friends and followers..

Firstly, I'd like to start by saying that I wish you all had a very merry christmas and a happy new and prosperous new year!

I offer my apologies for not being a better blogger over the past month but I must say that it's been hectic to say the least..! I think I must've done 3 studio shoots with no less than 10 people in each family, one even consisted of 15..! So editing, colour correcting, printing, delivering as well as celebrating the festivities and enjoying all of the gorgeous food and drink that this time of year brings, I hope you'll excuse my absence..!

I've attached a few photo's on here for you to see some of the work I've been doing...

Now I know we all try out best to make new year's resolutions for ourselves (or maybe even others!) and I won't bore you with the long list of mine, however one of them will be too definitely alot more regularly so you can know exactly what I'm upto..!

And as they say in Toon Town.. That's all Folks..! I hope you enjoy the start of your 2010 as much as I plan too..!

What a result..!!

Weddings..!! I've got some great responses and feedback from couples regarding my style of wedding photography and with this in mind, I'm really trying hard to break into the weddings for the coming season and have done a fair few this year but really want to take the market by storm in the coming years..I feel like I've got the X Factor..! ;-) From looking at photographers websites, I just feel that majority of the current crop of photographers out there are really doing the same basic traditional photography that they've done for the past 20 years, forcing smiles and having a rigid and formal procedure to the days' events and in turn not giving couples the opportunity to have something that's alot more current and versatile..!

Well fear not.. I've now booked 5 weddings for next year up and down the country with a possible 2 more depending on dates so keep your peepers peeled for new galleries and samples of some beautiful wedding photography..!!

On that note, if your getting married or know anyone getting married, what are you waiting for, tell them to get in touch..!! He he..

Over and out..!!

What a busy month it's been..!

What a month..!

Where shall I start.. Wedding, (A prospective contract with a record label to photography all of their artists!) and asked to photograph 15 nights of event photography in the run up to Christmas..! Oh and also looking into Trash the Dress service..!!

Right then, Martin and Traceys wedding..! I recieved a call from Martin one tuesday evening in the first week of September and he said he'd seen my work, liked it and would like to know if I was available to photograph their wedding for them. I thought "fab, of course I'll love to!". I asked him when it was and he said "September 18th". I thought that's weird I'm going to Spain this September 18th so it must be next September and that's great because it gives me a year's notice..! He said, "no, this September". Martin must have been more prepared for my reaction than I was. :-)

After speaking further with Martin, I really felt touched by their story and quickly re-arranged my holiday to the following day so that I could capture their special day - it was my pleasure!

Record Label - Unfortunately I'm going to have to remain tight lipped about this as I don't want to blow my chances but you will be kept updated with the outcome..!! Fingers crossed..!!

I was asked to photography 15 nights of event photography in the run up to Christmas and New Year but I chose to turn this down. ;-( As much as the money (especially at this time of year and with the current climate) would have been great and it wouldve been great to see people having a jolly ol' time, I feel that spending time with my family and friends is something that won't come round again til this time next year, y'know when all the family come down from afar, sit round the table having a good time, hearing stories and suppin' away on some of mama's eggnog, I just felt that with all the badness happening in the world, I just think that we should take the opportunites we have to spend quality time together.. So there. :)

Trash the Dress - Having been away from the internet for a while I've recently started to read more and more about trash the dress concepts and how selective couples are really hooked on them..! You crazy people..! Lol.. Digging a lil' deeper I think I really like it too..!! So to all the wedding couples out there who are reading this and thinking of trashing their really expensive wedding dress and would like me to capture it on camera - It'd be a pleasure..!! Email me now..!!

Shottle Hall Wedding..

Some friend's of mine (Marcin & Claire) were getting married at Shottle Hall and asked me if I'd be happy to take some photo's for them of their special day. I immediately jumped at the opportunity, not only because there were friends of mine but because I knew they were so in love, it would look beautiful if I could capture this on camera..! The location they chose was the very glam and picturesque Shottle Hall in Ashbourne, set in the gentle rolling landscape on the edge of the Peak District National Park and forming part of the famous and exquisite Chatsworth House Estate. Shottle Hall is a quintessentially English country house offering a stylish blend of traditional elegance in a contemporary setting. The day went swimmingly well from start to finish and photographing it was a complete pleasure. It all ended with the groom whisking the gorgeous elegant bride away in a VW ol' skool camper van for a honeymoon on the road to bonny scotland..! :)

Improvisation is key...

I recieved an email through my site from a lady asking if I'd be able to photograph her extended family, mum and dad and grandkids - 15 people in total . I thought 'yeah that should be no problem'.. Little did I know how 15 people look all in one room..! Lol.. When they all arrived, I had to count them twice over as it seemed like there were more like 30 people, not 15..!

Luckily for me, they were the loveliest family you could meet from the co-operative mum and dad to the very well behaved kids who were a joy to work..! With a little improvisation I got some really good photo's of the whole family on one photo..! Improvisation is key in situations, not only like this but in all of the jobs I do.. It's what makes my job so enjoyable..!

It's bubblin'....

I'm back..!! Sorry for being away peeps, it's been a quite but proactive month for me. I've been working hard to promote the wedding arm of my photography business and also networking with various peeps to establish a circle of reliable and regular clients around me. It's not been as easy as one would think, but a they saying goes, gotta pick myself up, dust myself off and go again..!

The other day I was approached by a lovely woman called Jo and asked to photograph her and her son Alex together in the studio. They were both really reluctant at first, (I don't know but peeps are happy to have their photo taken but when I pull a camera out, they get shy?! Lol)..but then soon relaxed and got into it and we were away..! Alex decided to bring a football with him and if I hadn't have been on guard, my studio would be no longer..!Lol.. Luckily everything went ok and nothing was smashed although it would've been quite funky to take pics of him kicking a ball and smashing glass - Then again health and safety wouldn't have found it so funky..!! Lol..