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Thursday 12 December 2013

Not only weddings

This last couple of weeks have been varied to say the least, we have been booking weddings for 2014, photographing a charity event run by NUCAS bootcamps and shooting babies who are also cousins - love the variety

First up were a photo-session with Jack who was about 8 weeks old when he had his shoot, mum and dad loved the black and white versions the best and picked a framed 4 image composite for their wall





Then we called in at the NUCAS bootcamps (look them up and see Chris for a serious workout) charity event - over £600 was raised for children's charities, and the kids had a great time playing loads of games, conducted by Chris



 
A relatively new girl group (+ 1 guy) THE SWEETS were providing some live music and very good they were too, keep an eye out for them (unfortunately they were one member down due to work commitments). Below is Chris from NUCAS Bootcamps with the sweets (-1)
 
 
My daughter has also been helping Santa by working in his grotto at Manor Walks in Cramlington, and will be the next two weekends

We then had another baby photo-shoot, this time of little Leo who was only 8 days old when he made his debut in front of our camera (he is Jack's cousin)

Then in the afternoon we were off to Whitley Bay for my niece Chloe's 2nd birthday party





We can't wait to see what the next few weeks bring


 
 
 
 
 
 

Wednesday 6 November 2013

Busy weekend

We had a busy weekend photographically, first on Friday we got to shoot little Jack, who was the son of a couple who's wedding I photographed almost a year ago to the day.

This is mum and dad at their lovely wedding at Doxford Hall near Alnwick last October

This is Jack who found the whole thing very tiring this November

So tiring that he went off to sleep for a while

 
 
Then on Saturday night I went along to the last night of the King and I by Whitley Bay operatic society (I have been taking photographs for the company during the rehearsals) and they put on a great show - This is one of the well known moments - 'Shall we dance?'
 
 
We finished the weekend by exhibiting our wedding photography at a wedding fair held at the Newcastle falcons rugby ground, in a new event arranged by count me in events. We had a great time talking to many future brides, and giving out a lot of flyers.
 
 

Thursday 31 October 2013

Wedding Fair

It's wedding fair season again, they seem to come around faster than ever.

We will be at our first fair of the season this coming Sunday (3rd November) at the Newcastle Falcons Rugby ground in Kingston Park



This is the first time we have attended one of Count me in events fairs, and we are hoping for good things from it - the fair is also supporting the wonderful St Oswald's Hospice (funnily enough I ran the great north run in 1986 to raise money for the same place)

If you are looking for vendors for your wedding please come along and say hello (especially if you want a photographer)

Saturday 19 October 2013

Lucky weekend

We actually won a competition this year (or at least Leigh did), we won a long weekend at Beadnell in one on Mansons self catering apartments

What beautiful place and a lovely apartment, in the centre of the village right next door to the pub

On our first evening a walk down to the harbour and we were greeted with a fantastic sunset


The light was changing rapidly and I knew it wouldn't last long so it was a quick dash round the corner to the harbour for the next shot


This really captures the feeling and set me up for the weekend. Leigh was controlling the doggies at this point.

Next morning I thought as we are already nearly there, the dogs I and I were up early to go to Bamburgh for sunrise - I wanted to capture the castle from the North beach, but unknown to me there are now massive floodlights installed above the top of the castle which made the photo impossible (nice one Bamburgh castle !!!!)

Instead the next morning we went to Dunstanburgh castle and walked along to the boulder field to the north of the castle

This was a view I have wanted to photograph for ages, so was really pleased to finally take it.

As the tides we favourable we also had a trip onto Holy Island and spent a very pleasant afternoon walking around this lovely place


This is one of the boat sheds down by the harbour (don't often get skies like that) we also went around the famous priory of course and just absorbed the history of the place


We also of course walked up to the castle, which is impressive from many angles

All in all a great weekend and a lovely way to recharge the batteries

Saturday 22 June 2013

Wedding with Dinosaurs

Terri and Aidan were married in Croatia and held a party for friends and family on their return at the Centre for Life in Newcastle.
The centre is a fantastic place for science and runs regular exhibitions, at present there is a Dinosaur exhibit run in conjunction with the Natural History Museum.

So we thought what a chance for some unique pictures (no photo-shopping in fake backgrounds here)

This is one of the beasties

It was very dark in the exhibit so it was necessary to use some off camera flash units, one to light the Dinosaur and then one to light the people.
Here are the Bride and Groom and some of the wedding party

Aidan comes to the rescue when Terri gets left behind


Thanks to all concerned for getting in the spirit of things and making it a fun shoot.

Saturday 18 May 2013

Taking the opportunity

We were at the GraphiStudio roadshow at the Angel View Inn on Wednesday night and loved the albums on show, we will hopefully add these to our albums from later on this year.

Whilst were there was a heavy rain shower and then some lovely late evening light. So of course I had to go and take some photographs of the Angel of the North




Then when driving home I stopped off in Newcastle to take a couple of pictures looking towards Newcastle from the Sage


Thursday 11 April 2013

Wedding Fair - Holiday Inn Seaton Burn

We are doing a wedding fair a week on Sunday, at the Holiday Inn at Seaton Burn (on the outskirts of Cramlington)

We hope you come along and see the show (and us of course) this is the flyer we have for the event


As you can see, it's free admission and there is also a fashion show, hope to see you there

Monday 8 April 2013

Wedding Anniversary

Today is my 24th wedding anniversary, and that made me think about how special it is to share your life with your other half.
Over the years we have had many great experiences made all the better by sharing them and also supported each other though some not so great times.
Looking back now I really treasure the wedding pictures and video (although we did have to get the video converted from VHS tape to be able to view it) and it made me realise how special it is to be trusted to photograph a wedding (or any other life event), it also confirms my belief that one of the deliverables for a wedding photographer should be some form of print (even if it is only a single wall portrait) these have a permanence that digital files may not have unless they are regularly transferred to new media (anyone remember floppy discs, digital tape and now to some extent VHS? - don't even mention Betamax!!).
This is also why I always try to include an album in my wedding packages, even if only a small one, there is something special about looking back on your wedding day through the pages of a printed album or having a large framed print on your wall.

This is a picture of us on our wedding day 24yrs ago, it hangs in our hallway and always has done, so much so that it has become part of the furniture, when I took it down to scan it, my 17yr old daughter immediately noticed and asked where the picture was.

 
To all of you celebrating this week I wish you happy anniversary too, and to all future married couples I hope you have a long and happy marriage too. Just make sure you get some prints in this digital age.

Thursday 4 April 2013

Another booking for one of our favourite venues

We have just booked to photograph a wedding at Doxford Hall, north of Alnwick - this is a fabulous venue and is becoming very popular with good cause.

This will be our third wedding shoot at Doxford


They also do cracking afternoon high teas if you are up that way

Sunday 31 March 2013

Unusual wedding transport

We saw these two unusual vehicles at the Sage wedding fair last Sunday.


The Buick looked great and was an unusual wedding car.

Right beside it was a polished aluminium streamliner caravan


It is a nearly finished renovation project and has been fitted out internally like and American Diner complete with checkerboard floor and leather booth seat. The intention is that it can be a mobile dressing room, I loved the absract reflection of the Buick and the Millenium bridge in the polished side

Saturday 23 March 2013

Walk to recovery

A good friend of my daughters is battling cancer at present and she has a wonderful positive attitude, a charity walk has been set up to help with her fundraising efforts for the Teenage Cancer Trust (click here) I am proud to be able to document the event and hope the fundraising goes well

Jess with some of the walkers from last years event


This years T-shirts will be available soon, entry via the facebook page for the walk (click here)

Please support this excellent cause if you can, if you are not local and can't do the walk you can still make a donation

Where is the spring?

We are getting another bout of wintry weather, I just hope that when the spring does come it' worth it.
This is a picture from last spring - taken in Plessey woods near us in Cramlington

Monday 18 March 2013

After the show

We had a good day at the County Hotel wedding fair in Newcastle yesterday, we got to talk to a lot more brides than at the Grand Hotel fair and many of them didn't already have a photographer, so here's hoping!!! We also met a lot of really nice vendors of wedding services, I think this is a great part of the world to have your wedding in, there are some excellent people willing to make you day just perfect.
Our stand at the fair

Sunday 17 March 2013

Second Wedding Fair

It's our second wedding fair today, at the County Hotel in Newcastle (opposite the Central Station).
12-3pm, free entry, a glass of bubbly and a goody bag - can't be bad - and time to get home to listen to the match!

We would love to see you there, if you are going drop by our stand and say hello

Sunday 10 March 2013

Wedding Fair

We will be exhibiting at our next wedding fair at the County Hotel by Thistle (opposite Newcastle Central Station) on Sunday 17th March from 12 - 3pm (free glass of bubbly and a goody bag for brides)
Please come along and say hello

Saturday 9 March 2013

A couple of landscapes

At the weekend I was up early so went along to one of my favourite spots on the coast, St Mary's island.

There was little cloud and a low lying haze on the water so I we got a gentle daybreak and a terrific view of the sun as it rose over the sea

Wednesday 6 March 2013

First fair done, now onto the next one! :)

We had a good time at our first wedding fair at the Grand Hotel in Tynemouth on Sunday 3rd March, after a quiet start (there was also a large wedding fair on in Sunderland at the same time we later found out) we eventually had a good flow of visitors.

A lot of brides already had their photographers booked (shame) in fact we wondered if people now check the photographers free dates before they pop the question!

All joking aside we also met some lovely couples who did not already have their photographer and hope to have the chance to photograph them.

We also met a number of other wedding vendors and they were a lovely bunch of people, Leigh had a good time helping with the cake sampling.

We are doing another wedding fair on Sunday 17th March 2013 at the Thistle County Hotel in Newcastle (opposite the central station) from 12 - 3pm, hope to see you there.

Saturday 23 February 2013

Getting ready for our 1st wedding fair.

Next Sunday March 3rd at the Grand Hotel in Tynemouth, hope the snow has gone by then.


We hope to see meet some lovely couples and look forward to showing off our photography

Tuesday 22 January 2013