Blog Archives for January 2010

Archive for January, 2010

Brighton wedding photography

January 13th, 2010

12^th December, Claire and Brian, Preston Park, Brighton and Pangdean

I photographed Claire’s sister’s wedding on a sunny July Saturday and as a result of my work on that day Claire asked me to photograph her wedding – as I’ve said earlier in the blog 2009 was a wonderful year for the weddings of sisters of previous brides and I always enjoy meeting the family again.

Claire and Brian’s wedding had that wonderful warm winter light that gives photographs that ‘Christmas wedding’ feel – the shots outside the church were stunning, whilst the venue, Pangdean, allowed us to go into the gardens just as the sun was setting.

The main barn had a beautifully decked out Christmas tree which set the scene well and made a good backdrop for the handful of family shots Claire and Brian chose. After a glorious summer wedding for her sister what would Claire make of her pictures in December?

Thank you so much for the beautiful photos – they are absolutely perfect and exactly what we wanted. You have captured the day so beautifully!

“Thank you so much for the beautiful photos – they are absolutely perfect and exactly what we wanted. You have captured the day so beautifully! I am driving Brian mad as I have not stopped looking at them since we got the link, although he secretly loves looking at them too! It brings a smile to my face every time I see them as I think you can see how happy we are and how much fun everyone is having. All our family are thrilled with them….”

Which pretty much encapsulates what I hoped to achieve when I set out to be a different wedding photographer – thank you, Brian and Claire.

Tags: Brighton, Brighton Wedding Photographer, East Sussex, Pangdean, Preston Park, Wedding Photographer in Brighton, Winter Wedding
Posted in East Sussex Wedding Photography, East Sussex Wedding Venues, Pangdean | No Comments »

Wedding photography at Great Fosters

January 13th, 2010

3rd December, Gemma and Redmond at Great Fosters

Another return to one of my very earliest wedding venues – I photographed here almost 15 years to the day and on that occasion took studio lights and a softbox to illuminate some family group shots. For these I had a Hasselblad with a waist level finder on a tripod.

Fifteen years later I was working with a selection of digital cameras and a variety of lenses to be able to shoot in low light with virtually no flash at all – and Gemma and Redmond were adamant they wanted no group or set piece shots at all, but instead absolutely everything photographically was to be reportage or fly-on-the-wall, with definitely no posing.

The ceremony room, the Orangerie, is helpfully bright – with glass on two sides it lets you make the most of the light on a December afternoon, whilst the reception area, The Painted Hall, had just – only just – enough light to use no flash for some of the pictures.

Thank you for all your hard work yesterday. Our friends and family commented on what a lovely person you were and how relaxed they all felt with you.

Gemma and Redmond spent the day doing exactly what they wanted, being with friends and family, whilst I was left to capture the day.

They were kind enough to send an e-mail the next day: ‘thank you for all your hard work yesterday. Our friends and family commented on what a lovely person you were and how relaxed they all felt with you’.

I often think this dimension to wedding photography is left out by too many people – you spend a lot of time with your wedding photographer on your wedding day and what he or she might be like to be with is not going to be obvious from ‘shopping around’ loads of websites.

Tags: Egham, Great Fosters, Great Fosters Wedding Photographer, Surrey, Surrey Wedding Photographer, Surrey Wedding Photography, Surrey Wedding Venues, Wedding Photographer in Surrey
Posted in Great Fosters, Surrey Wedding Venues, Wedding Photography, Wedding Venues | No Comments »

Wedding photography in Chalfont St. Giles

January 13th, 2010

Nicola and Brian, 19^th December, Chalfont St.Giles

A wedding in the snow – what could be more romantic or pretty?

Nicola was hoping for snow and on this occasion the weather did not disappoint – the 19^th of December was a beautiful crisp day with clear blue skies. The snow that had fallen heavily on Thursday night settled and stayed put for the wedding.

Nicola arrived at the church for a 3.30 ceremony as the sun was setting, casting the whole village in a beautiful warm light. But by then end of the ceremony the sun had gone and I was left with the challenge of using enough flash to see Nicola and Brian clearly but also allowing maximum use of what little daylight was left so that the snow could be seen in the background.

Confetti shots in the dark? The results are really magical and very atmospheric.

There can definitely be a very special magic in weddings just before Christmas and this one had it in spades.

As I drove back to the reception my car helpfully told me the temperature was already minus 3 degrees, not great for battery life, but back at the marquee in the garden you would never have known and a wonderful evening following. There was even just enough light in the marquee to show the ‘stars in the sky’ lights on a black background that formed the ceiling of the marquee.

I was pleased to be asked to stay to photograph the dancing – it added another dimension to the story of the day with its sheer happiness and exuberance. There can definitely be a very special magic in weddings just before Christmas and this one had it in spades.