The Memories Thru a Lens Blog

Working hard on a wedding day and capturing it as my client wants is something I work very hard to achieve, so when all is done and finished and the couple have their hands on their wedding album to look at over and over again; I am touched when they take the time to send me some words that I can use as a testimonial for future possible clients to read.

The latest such words are from Calum Scott, who’s wedding I photographed at The Friars Court in Oxfordshire, you will be able to see the images and the story behind their booking me in previous posts.

Thank you so much for our kind words Calum it means everything to me to know I have provided you with such a good service and images which you treasure.

Here is what he said….

We both feel very lucky to have been able to have you as our wedding
photographer, firstly because of your little one’s early arrival allowing
you back to work in time but more importantly because of the talent, skill,
creativity, enthusiasm and professionalism you bring to your work which has
given us a truly amazing record of our big day!  I remember trying to watch
you at our friends wedding a year or so before ours to try to pick up tips,
I recall having to actively look out for you as you seem to make yourself
almost invisible at times – I’ve seen a few who think that the photographer
is more important than the bride! We’ve had all sorts of comments from our
guests too, all saying how amazing your images are but also about how hard
you work on the day.  I think you must have covered a half-marathon round
our venue!

So we now have a fabulous album which really shows off your skill – a
brilliant reminder of the day.  Not only that but because of your package
with the files included we have a massive canvas of our favourite shot
gracing our lounge wall!

Any of my friends who tie the knot and are looking for a really artistic
finished product will be sent your way without a doubt!

As anyone who knows me will testify I am always looking for something different when it comes to my photos, I shy away from the standard white background shots if I can as I think there are for more interesting and artistic ways to take photographs.

Which is why I love getting the opportunity to take portrait photographs with the fabulous blue backdrop of a swimming pool, now don’t get me wrong not all swimming pools are suitable for portrait photography, but luckily for me a local prep school has a Waterbabies class in their glorious and well lit pool, with floor to ceiling windows at either end the plethora of light is amazing.

What child doesn’t like swimming, so its the perfect the opportunity for capturing natural children’s or babies portraits, I know some would argue that the white background studio shots are so vibrant and thats what makes them so popular, but to me the colours you get in a swimming pool easily rival a boring white background.

I just love the blues in this shot…..

As a wedding photographer its always in the back of my mind to capture the essence of love between the couple, to capture the loving moments that a couple on their wedding day share, so when I was photographing two adorable kiddies the other day I couldn’t help but capture the first signs of love.

Do we think they will grow up, grow old and live happily ever after, she looks a little unsure to me…..

Ok so its been a while that I have posted any advice on my blog so I think its high time I did…..

I think one of the most tricky times to photograph for most non professional photographers (and even some professionals) is at night, how many times have you been on holiday and really wanted to capture the scene as you come out of the restaurant with disastrous results, lets face it any professional photographer or photography teacher out there will tell you photography is all about light, and this is true but hopefully I can give you a few tips to help you capture something other than a blur at night time.

Lets talk about every day objects like scenery and structures, these tips are also valid for ”low light’ situations…..

Many people consider good night time photography to be a step above the norm, which I guess in part is due to the challenge of it after all the important factor of light is missing, so if you can take a great photograph at night time prepare yourself for may oooohhhs and aaagggghhs as friends and family will be undeniably impressed.

Ok so the first lesser known tip…. Long exposures and the key to success.

So to explain during the day, there is so much light available, the aperture (the cameras eye) only needs to be open say, 1/500th of a second to accumulate all the light needed to produce a high quality sharp photograph.  At night time however there is much less light available, the aperture needs to remain open a much longer time period (from 1/2 to 30 seconds) to accumulate the light needed for a good sharp photograph. In summary slow shutter speed = aperture remains open longer = long exposure and more light into the camera.

However a slow shutter speed brings with it its own problems mainly blur, so you must use a tripod or if you don’t have one of those at the very least you must have a sturdy surface for the camera to sit on, if the camera doesn’t move there is no chance for motion blur but lots of chance to let light in.

So to sum up…. first a long exposure and then a tripod.

Of course when you add something that is moving or a person in the shot the goal posts change but that is a whole new lesson!

Its with great pleasure I write this post as I have just handed over a finished album to one very happy couple, Calum and Hannah who where married at the  Friars Court in Oxfordshire.

Its has been a long journey to get to the finished album, Calum and Hannah called on me to photograph their wedding in desperation not two weeks before their wedding in fact, it turned out that had unfortunately made the wrong choice of photographer and realising their mistake in time asked if I could cover their wedding for them, luckily I could.  I always consider it a huge compliment when any couple chooses to put their trust is me to capture their wedding day and being as Calum is something of a photographer himself it was even more of a compliment.

Im was pleased when they where blown away by the images I did for them, but there came the stumbling block.  I knew that I was on the hunt for a new wedding album supplier to add another option in my packages when it comes to albums, I also knew that their images would work extremely well with the new format album, so I put this to Calum and Hannah and as I suspected they really wanted the modern coffee table wedding album where the fabulous images from their country garden wedding could be shown panoramically.

The problem was from the initial decision I make to source a new supplier to actually producing an album with them can take months, I have an extremely fastidious nature when it comes to choosing which display products to use that will show case my clients photographs; so I would like thank Calum and Hannah for being so patient waiting for their album while I looked and sampled different suppliers and some 5 months later confirmed the new album supplier.

The album was produced and as soon as I saw it in the flesh I knew we had made the right choice, certain wedding venues really lend themselves to having panoramic images stretching from edge to edge in the album and the Friars Court is without doubt one such venue.

So below is a slideshow of Calum and Hannah’s wedding album, I hope you enjoy it.

Their response to the album …… WOW!    One word that made me extremely pleased to have served them so well, my work is done; a happy client with a wedding album they are extremely proud of and will look at and show off for many many years to come.

The Randolph Hotel in Oxford to me is a bit of a photographic gem, so when Oliver and Ruth booked me after meeting me at the wedding fair held at The Randolph it really got my creative juices flowing. I exhibit quite a lot at the Randolph wedding fairs and I often hear the people questioning whether they will get many nice photos there, being in the centre of Oxford means that The Randolph hotel is not set in large grounds and does not have manicured laws for your drinks reception or indeed your wedding portraits but don’t let that fool you.

The Randolph is in the centre of Oxford, its inside has beautiful features not least a sweeping staircase and outside is the marvelous architecture which Oxford is famed for, so I believe countless places to get some really artistic and creative wedding photography.

Oliver and Ruth where a fantastic couple to work with, they where happy to follow my lead no matter how odd it might sound; when you suggest a bus stop for a backdrop it doesn’t ring the cord of traditional wedding photos! So I am very grateful that they put their faith in my creative mind and let me know do my stuff.

It was a wonderful day and The Randolph provided a lovely backdrop for their intimate ceremony, so to follow are a few of my favorites from the day… enjoy!

Children grow up and change so quickly which is why I love to photograph them, capturing through photographs, their personality as it is at that particular phase in life.

Its always a fun affair too, I never shoot in a studio I shoot in the great backdrop of the outdoors or bring along my mobile studio to your home; if you are looking for the high key white background images that can look really great for children’s portraits.

This is what Simon & Claire where looking for when then asked for me to photograph their cute daughter, luckily we had loads of space as they had access to a local social club so I set up and little one loved being able to show off on the white stage!

As always it was a nice relaxed photoshoot, I think being female helps with this, children seem to relax easily which enables me to get those lovely natural expressions and smiles that the parents are looking for, as opposed to those big toothy grins that kids seem to think is a good smile!

Here are some of my favorites.

When it comes to anything wedding it normally means lots of options and even more decisions to be made, not least is the cake. Some couples envisage the traditional 4 tier wedding cake, others don’t want a cake at all as they want to shy away from the age old traditional of the cutting of the cake, and for those that are left somewhere in between it seems cup cakes have proved to be the most popular option.

Cupcakes in the form of a wedding cake really do make a modern statement with a fun twist, I mean who doesn’t love a cupcake (plus there is no paying the venue to cut it for you!). Cupcakes are also great to photograph too and they can really make a lovely background to your cutting of the cake album page; now don’t think you cant cut a cupcake at the crucial moment on your wedding day there are options that cover this too, a cake topper which is your more traditional cake on top of your cupcake tower can be used or just as fun is to actually cut a cup cake between you, I mean why not it may not last as long when you actually slice but I’ve no doubt it will get a laugh from your guests.

I was lucky enough to spend an afternoon photographing cup cakes the other day, Im not sure my expanding waist thought it was good news as I couldn’t stop nibbling on those butter cream topped beauties, of course this was much in part to the fabulous baking skills of Gazeli Bakes, their cakes are lighter than air and the butter cream is to die for, so if your looking for cup cakes I can’t recommend them enough, visit their website for more information at www.gazelibakes.com

In the mean time something to wet those taste buds… I give you the cupcake with no calories, of course a picture is a bit tougher to chew on!! Enjoy…..

In one of my last posts I explained how I add my photoshop magic to my wedding photography and portrait photography and this post will explain a bit more about my style of photography.

Anyone who is looking for a photographer to capture their wedding day of the wonderful memories of their child growing up will often be asked if they know what style of photographer they are looking for; indeed I will often be asked what style of photographer I consider myself to be so that the potential client can weave their way through the field of potential photographers out their and pick the one that best suits what they are looking to achieve in their photographs.

When asked what my style of wedding or portrait photography is I would say I am bespoke and artistic, but why would I say this.

Firstly lets address bespoke; the dictionary definition of this is “made to order” which I feel couldn’t describe my service better, to me each and every client be it for wedding photography or portrait photography is different and deserves to be treated as such.  So I don’t head off to a wedding shoot or portrait shoot with a list full of poses that I use each and every time, instead I judge on the day and the person and adapt how I take photographs to that, so therefore each and every shoot is made to order.

So that brings me to artistic; now the dictionary definition of this is “having a creative skill” do I have creative skill in my photography?  Well that would be a question for my clients but what I do know is that I certainly put my own creative mark on all the images I take.  First its the actual shot being taken, how I do this is something I find very hard to describe I simply look around, look at my subject then look through my lens and out the shot comes.  Luckily for me its the most natural thing in the world to capture a photograph, a skill which I certainly cherish.  Next I edit the photo adding my photoshop magic, I guess this is where my creativity really comes into its own to make the shot a work of art that when my clients see it will love it and be proud to hang in on their walls.

To follow are  some images that I really feel are artistic…. enjoy!

Its been a busy few weeks with me, weddings and portrait shoots not to mention editing the images and of course designing the albums. I will post some images of the weddings and portrait shoots as soon as the clients have had a good look at them. in the mean time here is one little photograph of a gorgeous little boy looking like he has just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Anyone who has children will know as soon as you point a camera at them, or say smile you get an awkward toothy grin that the child believes is a beautiful smile but for the view of the picture not so much which is why I never tell a child to smile in their portrait photo, I let them do their toothy grin for a few shots to get it out the way, but then the real shoot can begin which is all about laughter and fun. It always helps to have a parent or parents beside me to get the natural expressions which is how we got this lovely like expression on this little ones face.