Paul Saxby Photography

2009-01-15T16:57:00.003Z

It seems like ages since I last posted anything.....thats because it was.

Lets face it, the last few weeks have been a bit miserable, all the doom and gloom about the economy, the trouble in Gaza and who ha about Prince Harry and video camera......

Well I say stuff it, why on earth should we all be miserable, just because some idiots decided to throw all our money away.....I think we should all do ourselves a favour and go treat someone we love. A family member, a friend or even a pet. Lets go out and make someone feel special, even if its only the Goldfish.

To make it all a bit easier on everyone, I have decided to run a pet promotion to get everyone started in the New Year. If you want to portray a poodle, capture a cat, or snap a snail, give me a shout and I will photograph your pet(whatever it is....so long as it is not likely to eat me)in my studio for free until the end of February. Normally a studio session would set you back £65, but for the next few weeks its free for a limited number of clients. I can only open this up to the next 12 clients, as my studio is already booking up fast, but if you get in quick you should be able to benefit from this great offer. Not only that, but the first 4 people to arrange a studio portrait of the their family pet will also get a voucher worth £25 to go towards any further prints they order, thats a total saving of £90 on normal prices!!!

So if you want to cheer somebody up sharpish, and save your money at the same time, organise a trip to my studio before the gloom settles in for good.....lets just be thankful we are not the worlds most powerful man and we have just heard we are being made redundant........

2008-11-30T21:29:00.002Z

CHRISTMAS PORTRAIT OFFER

PORTRAIT SESSION AND PRINT WORTH £85 FOR ONLY £25

Photos make wonderful gifts for friends and family. Take this opportunity to have a beautiful baby or family portrait for only £25.

IMPORTANT - DONT MISS OUT

Call Paul on 01636 650954

To take advantage of this one time offer you must book an appointment before 14th December, otherwise you will miss out and will not get your prints before Christmas.

2008-08-20T11:24:00.006Z

Lucy and Gary at Newstead Abbey

Lets face it, a Wedding Photographers worst nightmare is bad weather, sometimes the thought of rain can keep me awake at night and sure enough, i had a terrible nights sleep wondering whether or not saturday's wedding was going to be a wash out. Thankfully, despite some pretty impressive clouds and a very grey sky we managed to get away without having to drag out the umbrellas.

Gary and Lucy were married in the Orangery at Newstead Abbey, a wonderful location surounded by Cloistered halls and lush walled gardens, so really I didn't have any excuses for not getting a some great photographs.

Yet again I was able to use my portable lighting, which actually made a huge difference with some of the portraits, especially this rather dramatic shot of Lucy in her wonderful wedding dress.

Later we all descended on Lucy's parents home for a great party in their garden. After a short speech and hog roast dinner, everyone got down to enjoying the evening, including myself.

I even spent a little while giving photographic tips to some of the guests....doing myself out of a job....

2008-08-19T11:57:00.006Z

Storm Clouds needn't neccesarily ruin a photograph

The other day I had the pleasure of photographing Stacey. Stacey had seen my work on Facebook and had approached me to photograph her 'just for fun'. Despite some recent stormy weather, Stacey was happy to work outside to achieve the look I was after.

After several email conversations, about being nervous, and not knowing what to wear, Stacey came down to my photographic studio in Newark to show me a selection of outfits she had chosen, and with the help of Make-up Artist Clare Allen, we chose a lovely soft summery dress to contrast with the impending storm brewing on the horizon.

Clare and Stacey spent a few moments finishing make-up and sorting out hair(not something I have any experience in!) before we all made our way down the road to an abandoned tennis court near to where I live. I had already decided what I wanted to acheive, so I set up my Lumedynes and Pocket Wizards and started shooting. Stacey was wonderful, despite a few nerves at the start of the shoot, she was soon in the swing of it all, even sitting in the long grass despite not knowing what was living in there....

Before long I had a great set of images, just as the sun started to set, the weather worsened and we called it a night. Thankfully, we had achieved everything I set out to do, and more. Stacey and Clare were both fantastic and I would be more than appy to work with them both again.....just hope they like the photos.

2008-08-19T11:52:00.000Z

Website Problems........ARRRRRGGGHHHHHH

Just thought I would let you know that we are having a few issues with our main website. Its currently off-line. We are in the process of moving the site to a different server and there have been a few unforeseen issues, but all being well we should be sorted in a couple of days. Please check back soon....

2008-07-29T23:24:00.006Z

Big lights, big hats and big smiles......

I haven't blogged much about wedding photography in a while, but after reviewing a wonderful wedding I shot this weekend I felt I had to put something on my blog about this particular wedding.

Laura and David are an amazing couple, from the very first time I met them I felt this couple would be special together and sure enough, when it came to the wedding day, they didn't disappoint. The wedding was held at a little church in Orston, near to where I live in Newark, it wasn't a big wedding, but it was well attended by plenty of close family friends and relatives, the church was lovely, well lit and spacious making the photography a dream. I did strugle at one point, Lesley, Laura's mom, wore a stunning hat, which really set her outfit off well, but also hid her face when in profile, but even so, both Laura and Lesley looked stunning in their outfits....

The weather was glorious, I was sweating buckets in my suit, but the wedding was relaxed enough I felt comfortable enough taking my jacket and tie off later in the day, which was very welcome, as was the the elderflower cordial....

It wasn't long before I felt the creative juices flowing and I cracked open myLumedyne lights and set about overpowering the daylight, which worked extremely well gainst the blue skies..

Laura and David let me play to my hearts content and seemed to enjoy the portrait session more than most, we got some great photos of them together., as well as a few individual portraits, Laura's smile really lifted the photographs....she has the most beautiful natural smile that comes across in almost every picture....

2008-07-28T17:17:00.009Z

Born to Rock !!!!!!!!

Well not exactly, but I do like my music, and its even better when I can mix it with a bit of photography. Occasionally I do get asked to photograph local musicians for promotional material and once again I had the pleasure of meeting the guys from Cause of Chaos, a rock band from Newark.

Anyway, I will let the pictures do the talking, hope you guys like 'em...

2008-07-21T12:04:00.003Z

Something a bit different...

I like to get to know my portrait clients as well as I can before I photograph them, this allows me to give them the best possible service, as well as provde a set of images that are special to them and not just a generic posed portrait straight out of a catalogue. I believe that everyone of my clients is an individual and should be photographed to show of their personality, this might include using personal possesions as props or photographing them in a favourite location. In the example above, I photographed my friend Chantelle wearing a pair of headphones as I know just how much she enjoys her music.....

2008-07-07T17:45:00.003Z

Somehow its extra special when its friends.....

Weddings are great, all that love and happiness everywhere, old friends and family members getting together, sometimes many people will not have seen each other in years and I love to photograph people having a great time. Its even better when I am photographing a friends wedding.

I haven't posted any wedding images for a few weeks, that was a deliberate decision so I could concentrate on promoting the portrait side of my business, but I felt I had to post at least one picture from Joanna's and Erik's wedding.

I first met Joanna and Erik a couple of years ago while working freelance shifts for the Nottingham Evening Post, Joanna was a Staff Photographer and Erik a Reporter workin on the Food and Entertainment section. I always enjoyed working with both of them and it was a privelidge to be asked to photograph their wedding.

I won't go on too much, but all I really wanted to say was, Congratulations guys, I hope you have a great life together, you are an amazing couple.

2008-06-13T19:01:00.005Z

Awards and what they mean to me....

This week I had the honour of being presented the award as MPA East Midlands Licentiate Wedding Photographer of the Year 2008, something I am extremely proud of, and also completely embarrased to recieve.

I have been a member of the Master Photographers Association(MPA) for three years now and I have seen a steady improvement in my work since I became a member. Although I have been a full time professional photographer for over twenty years, I have not been a member of any professional organisation until recently. It was only when I joined the MPA I began to see areas where I knew I could improve and push myself. With the help of great photographers such as Julie Oswin and Steve Walton, I have managed to increase my own confidence in my ability as well as provide a much improved service to my clients.

The two images that did the best in the competition for me, were both taken at the same wedding. The winning image of Faye in the process of getting dressed is an image I am most proud of, while the image of Matthew, lit with my Lumedyne lighting kit, shows that not all wedding photographs have to be stiff and starchy formal poses.

As a photographer in the Royal Air Force I won many competitions, including Photographer of the Year, numerous times, but I must admit, this first independant award is something I will always treasure, mainly because it means that other photographers that I respect, also respect the work that I do, and that means a lot to me.

At the award ceremony were many of the good friends I have made over the past couple of years, including the incredibly talented Ursula Kelly, who managed to take just about every portrait and fashion category in the competition, as well as the title of MPA East Midlands Photographer of the Year., Congratulations Ursula, you deserve it..

2008-05-29T19:21:00.004Z

ON CAMERA FLASH - Not always a bad thing....

You know how I harp on about off camera flash, how its so much better than just sticking a flashgun on the top of your camera and blasting away. Well I still totally believe that, the best quality lighting can only be acheived by getting your flash off the camera and using some imagination to light a subject. Well sometimes the on camera flash can create some incredibly powerful images and if used creatively can be equally as useful as a strobe on a lightstand.

Today I had the pleasure of photographing a good friend of mine, Chantelle. Chantelle is an aspiring model, with a very striking look, I have worked with her before and I have always be happy with the images we have created. On this occasion I used a bog-standard 580 EX, bounced off the ceiling of my studio, supplemented with a Lastolite Tri-flector placed under the camera. Thats it, as simple as you like.

If you look closely, you can see the distinctive reflections in the eyes created by the Tri-flector, the larger highlight, is simply a reflection of the white painted ceiling in my studio. This effect can easily create simply stunning images, but these particular images are mainly due to the good looks of an incredible model.

2008-05-13T19:50:00.008Z

To E-Shoot or not to E-Shoot

Wedding photography has come along way since the days of standing in front of the church doors and an old magnesium flash. The typical bride and groom want something a bit more adventurous from their wedding photographer. They also want to be educated in how to 'perform' for the camera, so that on they look their best on the wedding day, thats why many couples opt to have an'engarement' shoot, or E-Shoot, prior to the big day.

All couples who pre-order an album package with me, qualify for a free E-Shoot as part of their package. Some couples opt not to decide to to use me as their wedding photographer until they have experience of my service, and instead opt tp purchase a seperate E-shoot before deciding wether or not to use me. If they are happy with how I work and what I produce they can then book me without paying a retainer, I just right it off against the booking fee from the E-shoot. I have still earned my fee, and the couple have had their E-shoot, so we are all set for the big day.

I tend to use the engagement session as a practise session for the big day, helping the couple get used to posing in front of the camera, by pointing toes and shifting weight between legs to get comfortable and slim those lines. We often hold the shoots at the main venue, so I get to have a good wander around and inspect the layout of the venue prior to the wedding so that I have an idea of what will work and what won't.

The shots I have included here are from two recent and very different e-shoots. Laura and David, and Katie and Matthew both booked me several months ago, so I haven't seen them in ages, it was good to get to meet them again and to run through the arrangements so we were all happy. Both seessions produced some very striking images, that I hope both couples will be happy with.

2008-03-26T16:00:00.003Z

Portrait Photography on location

I spend most of my time photographing people in their homes or places of work. Most of my clients are busy professionals who don't always have the time to travel to a studio, or are uncomfortable being photographed in the studio environment.

Over the years I have minimised the amount of gear I use when working on location, so that I can be in and out of the clients office, or home, in as short a time as possible. Most of the location portraits, or environmental portraits to be correct, take less than 15 minutes to shoot, including set-up and take down time. Very few portrait sessions take longer than 30 minutes, most of those involve photographing numerous subjects.

The equipment I use is about as simple as you can get, either a couple of Canon 580EX speedlites, or a simple Lumedyne kit depending on my general requirements for the shoot. If I only have one or two subjects and the client only needs the simplest of pictures then I will often use the 580's, if I need to use a large softbox or I have numerous subjects then I will need the power and longevity of the Lumedynes.

The portrait above is a typical example of working with lightweight equipment. The photo is of my friend Mark Sheppard. Mark is a registered Hypnotherapist and the photo was required for his new website. I just used a simple set-up, a single 580 mounted on a Manfrotto Nano lightstand using an umbrella adapter. I aimed the 580 directly through a 30inch white shoot through umbrella placed about 20 inches from the subject. Mark was sitting about 3 feet from a plain wall just close enough to allow some of the light from the umbrella to fall onto the wall, but creating enough fall-off to drop the exposure by about 1 and a half stops, creating an even grey. Marks daughter was off school so I got her to help by holding a Lastolite 20 inch silver reflector on the opposite side, this just lifted the light in the shadow.

The result is a simple high quality portrait that could have been taken in a studio using an array of complicated and expensive lighting options, such as a softboxes, grids or spots. Even though I did stop for a cup of tea and a chat, I was in and out of Marks house in less than an hour, the photography was over in less than 10 minutes.

Simple yet extremely effective.

2008-01-29T16:54:00.000Z

My new website...I love it

I have been working tirelessly over the last few weeks to create a brand new website. I have had the earlier website for about two years and I was beginning to feel that it looked a little dated and sterile, so i decided to give the site an overhaul.

My old site was created by the team at Creative Motion Design, they produce some wonderful template based flash sites specifically for photographers. The control panels are easy to use and the servers are reasonably stable and the support is amazing. I decided I wanted CMD to to create my new site, I chose one of their great designs and submitted a few changes and in no time at all I had a new site. The problem started when I had to start loading up the images and writing the text, I am so busy that finding time to actually sit down and do it was just so diffficult. When I actually pulled my socks up and started adding images I had it done in now time. The CMD control panel has an amazing facility to bulk upload the images, its so quick, my galleries were finished in no time at all.

I am really pleased with the site, I hope it shows of my personality as well as my photography. There are loads of great photographers in the Newark area, so having a good website is really important when trying to get noticed. I think my new site is even better than I expected it to be and I am sure it will bring more interest in my work.

I love photography, my family are always saying that I am lucky to be doing a job that I enjoy doing so much. I have to agree with them, I consider myself priveliged to be allowed into so many peoples lives and to actually get paid to photograph them.

2008-01-07T10:55:00.000Z

Gemma and Nicks Wedding

This weekend was a bit of a rush, non-stop shooting, mostof which I had not had alot of time to prep for. On saturday I photographed a wedding at Prestwold hall near Loughborough, it was a bit short notice as Nick and Gemma original photographer had been injured in an accident earlier in the week. I got a desperate phonecall on Thursday, and I obliged by standing in for him.

The Antiroom at Prestwold is stunning, and served as the ideal location to shoot the groups. I lit the groups with a single Canon 580Ex placed off camera to left of me. The flash was bounced of the wall behind me, even though the wall was not white, it had a soft shiny surface which reflected the light without too much trouble.

The star of the wedding was Harvey the Page boy, this little fella had all the girls after him, even married ones!!

I managed to grab the couple for few moments just before the sun went down, to create a couple of really nice portraits that also showed of Gemmas wonderful dress. I grabbed one of the guest to help, asking him to hold the flash and diffuser while I directed the shots. In all we were outside less than two minutes. Which was ideal, as it was freezing..

2008-01-07T10:41:00.000Z

Gimme a B, Gimme a L, Gimme a U.....

Last Friday I had the pleasure of photographing a group of lovely young ladies from Newark. The Blue Sapphires Cheerleaders are preparing for a trip to America to compete in an International Cheerleading Competition. By all accounts the girls have great chance of coming home with medals and trophies, so lets hope they do well.

The group was simply lit with my Lumedyne portable lights, another example of why using battery powered lighting systems enables you to work effectively without having to trail cables all over the place. The gym was lit with horrible flourescent tubes, which were giving a sickly green colour to the image. I decided to overpower the ambient light by using a fast shutter speed and white balancing for the flash.

Anyway, being in a room full of giggly teenage girls turned out not to be as scary as I had imagined, they are harmless really.

Go Girls.....

2008-01-03T11:15:00.000Z

2008 Fight the Flab Campaign

Well here goes, I've spent the last 2 weeks gorging on pork pies, chocolate and roast dinners, and I have drunk more than my fair share of wine and beer, so its about time I started to look after myself abit.

I have always been able to carry a little weight without looking too porky, but just recently I have noticed a gradual increase in my waist size and I have started to feel more tired earlier in the day. Not a good sign for someone who has only just had his 39th birthday, if I was 10 years older I wouldn't feel quite so bad, but I am not exactly old and I feel like I should be wrapped in a blanket, doing jigsaws with a cup of cocoa. "I AM NOT OLD", I keep telling myself, "but why don't my trousers fit anymore?" , because you eat too much and sit in front of a computer too much....easy really, I know what the problem is, so I really must do something about it.

So I am publicly announcing my intention to fight the flab. I intend to lose at least 13 kgs over the next 6 months. I shouldn't be so difficult, cut down on sugery sweets, no snacking between meals, exercise more regularily....arghhhh, I can feel the pressure already.

Never mind, its a case of mind over matter, Alison doesn't mind, and I don't matter.

To help me along, and to give everyone an idea of how I am doing, I have created a Lardometer, a simple scale to demonstrate just how much weight I am losing. I intend to post an update every week, hopefully there will be an change and you will be able to see how I am doing.

Anyway, too all of you who are in the same boat as me, and are willing to do something about it, good luck, I hope you all do better than me.

Happy New year

Paul

2007-12-21T16:33:00.000Z

Merry Christmas Everyone......

Just a quick one to say thank you to all my wonderful clients I have had the great pleasure of working with this year. I wish you all the best for the holidays and for the coming New Year.

Next year is going to be huge, I have a packed program of events already, plus I have some massive changes coming up for the New year. Look out for my new website, which will hopefully be live early in January and also look out for news of a new range of totally exclusive products.

Anyway, good luck for next year, I dearly hope that all of you have a wonderful time,

See you in 2008

Paul

2007-11-21T12:48:00.000Z

YOU'RE KIDDIN ME

Believe it or not, the Christmas promotion is nearly over, only a few more days to go. We have had a huge success with bookings so far and nearly all of our allocated slots are full, but due to the amount of interest we have had, we have decided to extend the offer for one more week.

Not only that we are offering a limited number of gift certificates to lucky applicants. Each certificate entitles the bearer to £100 of products and services from our portrait range. These include handmade frames, display portfolios and albums.

Email me at paul@paulsaxby.co.uk to book your place.

2007-10-29T23:12:00.000Z

Celtic Tigers Roar.........

"I can jump further than you...."

Last week I had the honour of being invited over to Ireland to photograph an entire extended family and some of their friends and family. I was invited into the family and waited on hand and foot for the three days I was in the Emerald Isle.

"Seaweed is great..."

I had been asked to photograph several families and all their respective children, all aged between 4 weeks and four and a half years. It was great, I got to behave like a child again, crawling on the floor, rolling about in wet grass and digging holes in a muddy beach. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, even when I found myself changing nappies and watching Thomas the Tank Engine.

"Catching some rays man..."

Best af all I was given as much creative freedom as I wanted, so I took the bull by the horns and began using off-camera flash. As soon as I arrived in Ireland I instructed 'Uncle Russ' in how the VALS(Voice Activated Light Stand) system worked, gave him a Canon 580EZ, a Quantum Turbo Battery pack and a Pocket Wizard Plus II Transceiver, and we got to work. Russ even found himself in one or two of the images as he tried to dodge back and forth between children on the beach. I deliberately included him in the shot below to demonstrate how I lit the group shots.

Is that Russ or VAL in the corner of the picture?

"its not really gonna fall over....is it?"

I was really surprised how quickly the children got used to me being there, even though it was the first time I had met most of them, within a few minutes, the children strated to behave like children and ignored me. I let them get on with playing with their toys, racing around the garden on a peddle powered go-kart, playing on the swings and digging in the mud.

"Did someone say there were Ladybirds in here?"

Even Uncle Peter gets in on the act...What a poser..."

I am really happy with the results, I hope everyone enjoys the images as much as I do.

Many thanks to Carina, Russ and family for inviting me over, and a special thank you to Suzanne, Brian, Paddy and Collette for putting me up, and treating me as a member of their family.

2007-10-26T22:07:00.000Z

Its all go...

The last few days has been a total blur, I have projects coming out of my ears, so I guess there are going to be a few late nights on the cards. More on the main job coming up in a few days, but in the mean time I have to mention a job in conjunction with Ursula from FLUK Studios in Nottingham.

Ursula had asked me to come in with her to help out on a large commercial project photographing a collection of designer jewellery. I have to say that most of the items were fairly ordinary but a couple of the items were incredibly striking, including the diamond pendant featured above.

I found this job extremely interesting as I was using techniques that I hadn't used in years, normally used to photograph broken pieces of aircraft engine or in forensic investigations, the use of macro technology enabled me to get up close and personal with some stunning designer trinkets, some worth tens of thousands of pounds.

Anyway, the rest of the week I was working away from home, but I will talk about that when I have had a chance to sort my life out.

2007-10-17T15:33:00.000Z

Autumn is well on its way....

A few days ago, Alison, Lucy and myself managed to get a few hours out in the fresh air together. It seems like ages since we had all been out together, and since the weather was so good we decided we had to make the most of it.

We decided to load up and go for a gentle stroll at Sherwood Pines, which is the largest public area of Sherwood Forest. Its only about 25 minutes from where we live, so it really convenient as well.

Lucy absolutely loved it, she went completely bonkers ferreting in the undergrowth, she didn't even notice the two stags that appeared momentarily in front of us. They were an awesome sight, its a pity I only had my 50mm on my 30D, as they were just to far away to get a decent shot, but it was worth it just to watch them as they wandered past us.

Lucy swimming across the pond, with Alison in the background

Anyway, the most stricking part of the day was the stunning colours of the leaves that are turning. The 50mm was perfect for selecting the individual leaves on the ground, as well as the Chestnuts that were all over the forest floor.

If anyone is stuck for something to do in a quiet Sunday afternoon, I would recommend a trip to Sherwood Forest.

2007-10-10T12:34:00.000Z

Christmas Promotion

Just thought I would let everyone know that I am now running a special Christmas Portrait promotion for families with young children starting this weekend.

If you have a child aged 5 or under I will photograph you and your family for the princly sum of £15( thats a saving of £50). This is a perfect oppurtunity for you to get some Christmas Gifts ready for friends and family.

I am happy to travel to your home, or we can meet up at a favourite location of your choice(a small charge will be made for a location more than 20 miles from Newark), and we can spend an hour or so creating some beautiful images of your child for Christmas.

With the nights drawing in, please note that evening bookings are becoming scarce, but weekday and weekend shoots are still available. The offer is valid until the end of November.

Please feel free to contact me to discuss your requirements on 01636 650954, or email me at paul@paulsaxby.co.uk.

2007-10-10T12:21:00.000Z

A manic few days.....

Its been incredibly busy over the last few days, along with the normal portraits and stuff, I have been awfully busy with commercial and PR work.

Yesterday was very busy, I had the great oppurtunity of working with the girls at Willoughby PR, for the official opening of the new Westfield Shopping Centre in Derby. It was an early start, getting in to the centre at just gone 6am and working almost none stop until 6 pm photographing VIP's, special guests and shoppers visiting one of Europes biggest shopping centres.

The centre was officially opened by Tess Daley, one of the presenters of Strictly Come Dancing, and the owner of Westfield, Mr Frank Lowy, flew over from Australia to be there at the opening.

The day was spent running from one event to the next, and then transmitting images to the Australian Press for use in their papers.

I ached like mad this morning, but I must admit I totally enjoyed the day. Many thanks to Diana and Laura from Willoughby for looking after me, and also to Spike and Neil for getting me the gig in the first place.

2007-09-27T13:57:00.000Z

CHEESE FANS - CHECK THIS OUT

One of my many, many failings is an absolute passion for cheese....especially anything covered in mould. I have been known to eat an entire block of mature chedder to myself...in one sitting.

Yes, yes I know its not good for me, but niether is drinking an entire bottle of cheap red chilian plonk, but I still do it.

The clever people at West Country Farmhouse Cheesemakers have been running a web cam in the maturing room, it makes my mouth water every time I log-in.

Anyway, if you want to watch some really interesting tv(well its better than most of the rubbish on the digital channels), then check this out.

2007-09-25T12:52:00.000Z

Kelly and Paul.....a sneak preview.

This weekend I photographed a lovely couple at Rushton Hall near Northampton. The wedding was a lively affair, with great kids, bouyant guests and adoring family members.

Here are a few examples, all given the black and white treatment.

Kelly arrives at the church with her Dad.

The girls were wonderfully well behaved...

One of a few more traditional shots near the lake at Rushton Hall.

A portrait of Grandad, a proud Normandy Veteren and ,in my eyes, the star of the day.

I hope you like the photos, and don't worry, there are loads of colour ones too.

2007-09-03T08:52:00.000Z

Ruth and Adrian

This week I had the pleaseure of photographing a lovely couple from Newark, which was great as for once I didn't have to travel far...all of half a mile.

Ruth and Adrian had a lovely quiet civil ceremony followed by a small gathering of friends and family, which went without a hitch (well almost - we won't mention Kirsty and the Key!!)

2007-08-28T08:05:00.000Z

Maz and Alex, a wonderful weekend..

This weekend I travelled to South Wales to photograph Mariam and Alex. I arrived a day early to shoot a few portraits, then I spent the whole day with them and their families enjoying a wonderful service and glorious sunshine.

A vintage Double-Decker provided transport for everyone, and was intended to keep everyone together, even so someone(John!!!) went missing. Nothing important, he was only giving the Bride away!!!!

Here are a few of my favourites,

The boys on the way to the pub...

Nervous Bride....no way, Maz was full of it.

A quick smile as Maz arrives...

The first Dance, boy can they move...

2007-08-14T09:44:00.000Z

Faye and Matthew ....VW camper and Creme Brulee.

Here are a few from Faye and Matthews wedding at Rowton Castle Hotel near Shrewsbury. I have been looking forward to this particular wedding for quite a while now. Faye and Matthew are a wonderful couple, childhood sweethearts that were obviously meant for each other.

Faye hired a vintage VW camper van to collect Matthew(just to make sure he turned up!) and the boys. The van made for a great portrait, using my favourite Lumedynes and a 1/4 CTS filter to warm up the foreground.

As ususal I kept the formals to a minimum, just capturing a few shots on a long lens while the couple strolled around the lovely ponds at Rowton.

Then it was out to the lawn for Pimm's and Croquet, very English.

I have to thank Kate from Rowton Castle Hotel, she made a special effort to make sure I was fed and watered, not essential by any means, but very much appreciated. The Creme Brulee was absolutely outstanding.

Anyway, I hope you like the images, enjoy your time in New Zealand and see you when you get home.

2007-08-05T14:56:00.000Z

Melissa and Tim sneek preview.

A wonderful day at Stapleford Park Hotel, near Oakham. The weather was glourious, but thankfully not too warm

Melissa and Tim tied the knot at Oakham Castle, an ancient hall right in the centre of town, you wouldn't know it was there unless you were looking for it. Followed by a ride back to the hotel courtesy of a horse drawn carriage.

To mark the day, Melissa and Tim, aided by their son Ollie, planted a Purple Beech tree in the grounds of the hotel.

Here are a few of my favourites.

Check you out.....

The kids......

A moment of laughter....

The next Grand Master...

Planting the tree...

2007-07-30T12:46:00.000Z

Swords and Flowers - A few of my favourites.

This last weekends wedding went extremely well, the weather held out and the traffic was relatively light, which was good because there was quite a bit of running about.

Neill and Louise can be considered as the ultimate couple, both being extremely attractive, polite and so relaxed, my job was a dream.

Here are a few of my favourites from what can be only called the perfect day.

Last minute hair alterations veiwed through a "cracked" mirror.

The girls getting ready.

Loving Mum...

Words of encouragement from Dad...

Exchanging rings..

Climbing that hill...

Handsome chap.....

2007-07-21T23:51:00.000Z

Neil and Nicola Sneek Preview....

Nothing could have spoilt today, a wonderful couple, a beautiful location, amazing guests, stimulating conversation and the most stunning dress.

Neil and Nicola had a lovely intimate civil ceremony followed by a very moving blessing at Doddington near Lincoln, only very close members of family and dear friends present, making this extremely simple service even more special.

We had been expecting to be drenched (I had brought along my white umbrellas just in case) but thankfully the worst of the weather held off until we were safely inside, and even then we were very lucky.

Anyway, here are a few images that I am particularily proud of, all have been treated with Platinum Split Tone Process.

Dad missing his cufflinks.....

Nicola slides into that dress....

Flowers, simple yet very effective...

Good job I brought those white umbrellas....

Entering Church together for the blessing...

A walk in the grounds of Doddington Hall...

A couple from the photo booth I set up at the reception venue.

Cangratulations you guys, I hope you like the photographs.

2007-07-12T15:41:00.000Z

Shopping Cart Upgrade

Just a quick announcement to all my regular customers, that I have finally managed to upgrade my shopping cart system on my website.

The new system allows secure payment via Paypal or Credit Card. All existing customers will still be able to use their old passwords, just register your email address, create your own secure password and you will then be able to view the galleries. Just log-in using the password you were originally issued with.

If anyone has any queries, just send me an email, or give me a call.

Cheers

Paul

2007-07-04T07:57:00.000Z

Alan is Free

Amazing News, not 24 hours after I posted my thoughts about Alan Johston, the kidnapped BBC Journalist, the BBC announces that Alan is now free.

Alan was released after 114 days in captivity, although he spent most of his time in captivity frightened to what might happen to him, he is well and in good spirits.

See the first BBC broadcast about the news here.

I will keep the link to the campaign on the Blog for the next few weeks, as the site is a mine of information about Alan and his collegues work in the Middle east.

We wish Alan and his family well and all the best for the future. I would like to thank all those who signed the petition as a sign of support for his release.

2007-07-02T14:21:00.000Z

Freedom of Speech

Throughout my life I have always believed in the right to comment, whether your views are cotroversial or not the right to speak out is a right that should be fought for.

This freedom is probably best demonstrated by the incredible journalism demonstrated by the men and women who work for the BBC. The quality of their writing and broadcasting is second to none, being unbiased and totally professional whether reporting at home or away in foreign countries.

This quality can best be demonstrated by BBC Journalist Alan Johnston. Alan is the BBC's Reporter from Gaza in the Middle East. Some time ago Alan was kidnapped and is being held by terrorists under threat of losing his life because of what he does: telling the truth.

In an attempt to raise the profile of Alan's case and convince the terrorists to release Alan, a petition has been started to show public opinion in favour of his case, and gain his safe release.

To show your support please sign the petition, maybe together we can help get Alan home safe.

2007-07-02T12:58:00.000Z

Kelly and Paul Engagement Session

This weekend I had the pleasure to meet Kelly and Paul again to shoot their engagement session. A few simple photos in their backgarden, playing with their lovely dog Piper and we were done in few minutes.

I got to play with my portable lighting rig again, here a simple one-light set-up in the garden. The light from the flash dominates the shot, but exposing 1 and a half stops under the ambient still allows a small amount of rimlight to separate Paul from the background. Who needs a studio?

Kellys skin glows naturally so I had no problem lighting her. One light and a spaceblanket reflector creates beautiful soft light and lights up her eyes.

Piper, what a sweetheart, she was perfectly behaved, I could have taken her home.

2007-06-26T15:27:00.001Z

Civil Ceremonies and photography

In some areas of the UK, registrars have taken it into there own hands to abolish photography during wedding and civil partnership ceremonies. This unneccesary infringement of the couple's rights to have their ceremony recorded for prosperity has caused a huge amount of upset for thousands of couples across the country over the years.

Many Registrars state that they prevent photography during the ceremony to preserve the dignity of the ceremony, yet they will allow friends, family members and other guests to photograph the event while restricting the professional photographer employed by the couple. Registrars also allow videography during most ceremonies, yet prevent still images being taken.

In response to the infringement, many photographers have now signed a petition to ask the Government to instruct Registrars to allow photographers to record what can be considered a couples most important moments together. If you would like to support the petition, please click on the link below, and add your name to the petition.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/ceremonyphotos/

Thank you for your kind support.

2007-06-18T00:29:00.000Z

Damp Dog Day

Canon 30D 120-300mm set to 120ish!

Just a quick note to say hello to all who we met at the ICC Dog Fun day at Wilsford at the weekend. We had a great time, even though the weather was a little damp at best. Dog owners from all over the region got together to test their dog handling skills on agility courses, flyball racing and talent contests. I am sorry I missed the fastest sausage eating contest, that sounded great.

Canon 1DMKIIN 24-70 set to 70mm

Those of you that had your pets picture taken will be able to view the images on my main site, hopefully later today, I am having a few issues with the slideshows at the moment but all being well the images will be available to view by this evening.

The slideshow is here , (or will be as soon as possible) the password is dogfunday

NOTE : I HAVE NOW CLOSED ORDERS FOR THE CHEAP PRINTS, PRINTS CAN STILL BE PURCHASED BUT AT OUR NORMAL RATES

Thanks

Paul

27/07/07

2007-06-04T10:53:00.000Z

Jacqui and Martin......girls and chocolate

Little Evie gets as much attention as her Mum.

Those of you who regularly visit here will remember Jacqui and Martin from their engagement shoot a few weeks ago. Gale force winds and a blizzard short of put a dampner on that day, but the subsequent wedding was blissfull.

Martin was bouyant as he prepared himself.

A stunning Bride

Just to fill you in, Jacqui and Martin had been given a wedding package by Gaynor who had won my services in a prize draw I had donated to a competition run by British Forces Broadcasting Services(BFBS).

The boys are back in town.

The wedding was quite a simple affair, and probably the shortest I have ever attended, it was all over in less than twenty minutes, but the service was touching and heart felt.

Exchanging rings.

The wedding party retired back to the venue to indulge in copious amounts of chocolate and strawberries, alot of my pictures involved children with gooey faces, great fun.

Big kids like chocolate too

I hope you guys like the pictures, I had a wonderful time, and look forward to speaking to you soon.

2007-05-29T09:30:00.000Z

Nicola and Neil Engagement Session

Sunday it poured down, and to be honest I wasn't in the mood for getting drenched, so I was really glad when Nicola and Neil were also concerned I was going to drag them outside. We decided to stay inside.

The couple have a great home, incredible soft light poured in through French windows into the stunning contemporary reception area, so my job was made easy.

Both were a little nervous, but were soon put at ease and within minutes we had completed a whole range of poses. I tend to use the e-sessions as more of a practice photo session, rather than a dedicated shoot, so we practiced different techniques for getting spontaneous smiles and giggles.

Before long we had acheived just about all I needed to do, so we had a play with some ideas the couple wanted. Best of all Nicola and Neil were happy with the way I operated, and were more confident about spending time in front of a camera.

This was a perfect example of why I include a portrait session with my album packages.

2007-05-29T08:27:00.000Z

Claire and Adam..........Sometimes its all in the detail

Here are few of my favourite shots from Saturdays wedding that I have processed so far. I was so struck by the location, the light and the fine attention to detail that I had to post a few images early.

Thrumpton Church was simply gorgeous, a perfect example of an old English Church, its tiny interior was subtly lit through some amazing old stained glass. The interior was very dark in places, but was beautiful where it mattered.

A stunning Bride in a simple traditional dress, given away by a very proud Mum, lovely.

A simple service, were the congregation also vowed to support the couple, extremely touching.

The Rose Garden was a stunning location for everyone to chat and mingle, the weather held off long enough for us to shoot the groups in this idillic location.

The Library provided a the perfect location for a few old fashioned portraits of the couple, as well as allowing the guestes to soak up the atmosphere of the location.

All in all, I had a fantastic day, the perfect couple at a stunning location, I could not have asked for better.

2007-05-21T12:02:00.000Z

Newark Jazz Festival

Canon 1DMKIIN 120-300 f2.8 set to 300mm

Newark has become the location for one of the Uk's premier music events, those of you who have read my previous posts will already be aware that I am a huge music fan. I managed to use the oppurtunity to photograph some amazing artists from all over the Uk and abroad. Artists played in pubs, clubs, bars and restaurants all over Newark, some of the events required tickets, but most were free, opening up Jazz music to thousands who had probably not enjoyed the experience before.

The ultimate experience was the oppurtunity to see the great Jazz Legend George Melly, the wonderful blues singer, who had not been well recently, performed at the Palace Theatre. He was being filmed by the BBC for a documentary, and he was the ultimate entertainer even though he had to perform from a wheelchair.

Canon 1DMKIIN 12-24 set to 12mm

Canon 1DMKIIN 24-70 set to 70mm

Canon 1DMKIIN 120-300 f2.8 set to 300mm

I won't go into details, but I hope you like the images. More will be posted on my main site later this week.

2007-05-21T11:21:00.000Z

Jammie Dodgers and Fogburn......

Alison and I decided to take a quick break and make the most of a quiet few days before the busy summer season kicks into gear.

Canon 1DMKIIN 24-70mm set to 70mm

We managed to get booked into a very nice little cottage in Coniston in the lake District. As usual with the Lakes the weather was changeable, erring on the side of wet, but on the whole the trip turned out to be the best idea we had in ages. It was a very relaxing and stress free few days away from e-mail and telephones, well worth the money.

Canon 1DMKIIN 24-70mm set to 24mm

We spent a few days on the hill, but most of the time we just toddled about the area, wandering around the lakes and mooching around the shops. We did have a wonderful evening on the solar powered Coniston Launch, this super quiet tourist boat took us around the Lake as the sun set, we even enjoyed a bottle of wine. Lucy was very well behaved, especially after we let her look over the side at the water.

Nikon P1 compact camera

Our only really wet day was the day we decided to climb the Old Man, we took the miners track past the old workings to the top. It was quite a site to see the disused buildings that have fallen into disrepair, it must have been an extremely arduous job working moving green slate and copper ore on the mountain, especially when you have to walk all the way up there to start your working day.

Canon 1DMKIIN 24-70mm set to 24mm

Canon 1DMKIIN 24-70mm set to 50mm

Visibility was down to less than 20 metres on the top, Lucy, who had behaved wonderfully on the journey up, had become covered in a fine layer of mist that had frozen on her whiskers. As we sat out of the wind enjoying a cup of tea and a jammie dodger I could feel my head getting warm. When we got down it seems that even though the weather was poor I had still managed to burn the top of my baldie head. I should have put on my hat earlier.

Canon 1DMKIIN 24-70mm set to 24mm

2007-05-08T08:38:00.000Z

Changing Seasons

Canon 1DMKIIN 24-70 set at 70mm

One reason why I particularly enjoy walking my dog Lucy, is getting the oppurtunity to connect with the great outdoors and watch the seasons change. Here are a few images from yesterday, Lucy was doing her thing in the undergrowth, so I took the oppurtunity to do mine.

Canon 1DMKIIN 24-70 set at 70mm

Canon 1DMKIIN 24-70 set at 50mm

2007-05-02T09:21:00.000Z

What an fantastic job

Canon 1DMKIIN 24-70 lens set to 70mm

I am always amazed at just how lucky I am, I may not be, financially, the richest person in the world, but I am rich in another respect. I get to meet some of the most interesting, and inspiring, people as well as getting involved in some fascinating projects.

Last week I got to meet Scott, he is an inspiration to all of us who want to better ourselves and do something for their local community. He was a mineworker for 15 years, working a tough physical job, in extreme conditions for long hours and for very little pay. After many years of soul searching he made the decision to do something different with his life and he went back to school. Now 5 years later he now teaches the very course he did, and now inspires others to make the move to improve their own lives.

Canon 1DMKIIN 24-70 lens set to 70mm

A simple decision on his part not only enabled him to improve his own lot, also means that others get to improve their lives. His ability to communicate with, and encourage, others was quite apparent, his friendly attitude proving popular with his students and those he works with. He is someone that we should all aspire to be like.

Good Luck for the future Scott, you are an inspiration to us all.

2007-04-30T09:40:00.000Z

Rare Night Out

Anyone who knows me also knows just how much I like good quality music, I love to go and see live bands in concert of all genres but I really appreciate good Jazz played in small clubs and venues.

Saturday night was a rare oppurtunity for Alison and myself to go out, as I am usually working, but I had deliberately kept this weekend free as Curtis Stigers was coming to town and playing in our local flea pit the Palace theatre.

I was never a fan of Curtis in the early nineties when he had a string of rather mediocre hits here in the UK. I think it was his awful hair cut(or lack of it) and his bad collection of waistcoats but he was not for me. I was convinced to go and see him by Alison, as she had not had a night out in ages, I must admit I was really impressed, he is a very talented performer, and supported by some extremely talented musicians he absolutely stunned the audience.

He performed a range of tracks from his back catalogue as well as some of the newer stuff on his latest album, but I was most impressed by his covers, most of which were better than the originals.

Unfortunately photography is not permitted at the palace, so I don't have any images to post, but at least it gave Alison a night away from the camera.

Newark is hosting its annual Jazz Festival in a few weeks, something I am really looking forward too, I will be able to get some great images of the performers as they tour a range of pubs and clubs around town. I can't wait.

2007-04-18T13:02:00.000Z

Two weeks old and oh-so sweet