This is one of my Year 8 students, Ben. About 18 months ago he bumped his head and got a bit concussed. The doctor decided that Ben should have an x-ray. The results were surprising: Ben, since birth, has been missing most of a vital vertebrate in his neck. Somehow his body decided to patch it up with cartilage to compensate. Ben’s medical phenomena was discussed at a global medical conference in Japan with his x-rays projected on display. Initially Ben was removed from all sport – which was sad as Ben excels at football, rugby, hockey, tennis etc, etc. He is still, obviously(!), unable to play rugby. He did, however, persuade the powers that be that hockey had to be ok. Then Ben and his team won the national U12s final last year. This summer Ben has been picked to represent Somerset at U13 cricket. Not only is he a heroic sportsman but he’s also one of the loveliest geezers around! Here is Ben:
A superb – and very intimate with only 30 guests – wedding near Taunton last month between Kate and Gavin. It was great fun and a privilege to attend…
Tim’s a terrific musician who will also teach guitar. I’d recommend visiting his website to sample his wares: timgraham.bandcamp.com/
We did a shoot at Welton Manor Farm for the E.P. artwork in the studio (just before it became a studio!)
Not long till it’s ready…
End of terms are traditionally a bit bonkers …no different at All Hallows!
A regular assignment is photographing the fabulous work of All Hallows prep school’s drama department. This time it’s over to the early days of Latin America to witness Hernando Cortes and his insatiable quest for …chocolate!
[Music with kind permission from Only Men Aloud]
The All Hallows Year 8 photography class visited Don McCullin’s excellent and harrowing ‘Shaped by War’ exhibition at the Imperial War museum. We also did some architectural and street photography while we were in London and although it was a long old day, it was also very rewarding. The Don McCullin exhibition is very well worth the trip.
I’m digging through the archives to choose 20 photographs (wedding or portrait) to enter an award scheme (SWPP). The toughest part is detaching yourself from the emotion and memory of the occasion and coldly assessing each image for its technical merits objectively. Unfortunately I’m a cups-half-full kinda-guy, and it tends to help to be the opposite at times like this; so that you can step into the shoes of a picky judge (who hasn’t had any dinner!) and choose entries that are completely flawless photographically – even if, sometimes, less interesting than the unconventional shots.
You can enter portrait or wedding images – or both combined. Here’s a few portrait possibles that aren’t in the gallery currently…
I’ve know Jamie since he was 8 and although he much more of a professional musician than model, he’s really got an aura about him that makes it clear to me that he could certainly cut the mustard wearing clothes professionally. We did a few shots around Bath for him to put together a portfolio during the day …during the night he can often be found orchestrating the tunes at Moles Club in Milsom Street.
With the category of Bridesmaids, I thought I’d entry the beautiful Roxy (from Sammy and Al’s Crickhowell wedding last year) to the periodical SWPP competition.
If it doesn’t come up trumps the subject matter can’t be to blame! Fingers crossed…!
With summer around the corner I thought I’d whet the appetite for some beach action: This is Broad Haven (South) near Pembroke – one of many fabulous West Wales coves. See the brilliant (if a little brooding!) David Wilson for more coastal shots in the vicinity.
Once a week I run a photography class with Year 8 (13 yr old) students at All Hallows School here in Somerset. I was blown away this week by particularly talented young lady called Heather who produced this shot of her fellow student. Technically known as ‘high key’ whereby the shot is exposed to show only the darkest areas; along with terrific composition and depth of field, Heather has produced an image that really is exceptionally striking – I’m very proud!
There’s plenty of debate abound in the photography world about whether to specialise in one particular field (i.e. weddings) or have a greater depth of field (…did y’like what I did there!?!?) Or, to flip that hypothisis on its head: whether diversifying into other photography arenas will dilute a photographer’s potency in a particular discipline. It’s an interesting topic as, like in any business, there is much milage in being recognised as an expert in a niche sphere. If Mercedes branched out into MP3 players it would raise a few concerning questions – not to mention eyebrows – as to why a company would make such a shift. What do automobile engineers know about audio technology? Is there a problem with their cars that they need to build a commercial life-raft before their core business sinks? Etc, etc. Sony, similarly, have audio products and a brand that complement each other with a recognisable style and feel.
But then there are the exceptions: Camel tobacco make clothes. Virgin make everything (or perhaps that should be anything!) Sony make cameras amongst their core audio lines. And Caterpillar make industrial vehicles and footwear. Etc, etc. Diversifying or not seems to go in and out of fashion: About the time Calvin Klein were moving from undies to perfumes, diversifying your brand was all the rage. Now, much less so.
And so what about photography? There are some fabulous wedding photographers out there. Really creative and unique. I love surfing terrific contemporaries for inspiration and recreation. Some of my favourites (they’re a price bracket up, be aware!) David McNeil Crash Taylor Sasha Miller Shooting Hip really push the boat out in terms of style and originality. They are the Ferrari of photographers. Champagne! They are synonymous with fabulous wedding imagery and they are in such demand that they have little time for much else. Much else…
But even these guys do mix up their wares. They all offer workshop courses in addition to their busy wedding schedule. I’ve been on a few and these guys give great tips and tutorials on how to improve your wedding day sets. And what I’ve learned over the past few years is that wedding photography very much amalgamates many other types of photography. Portraiture obviously. At a wedding, if you don’t have a clue how best to shoot people, you’re not really in the right sport, let alone ball-park. Setting up lighting in a given time, when the couple request a specified portrait session; plus the formal group shots (and not forgetting engagement and boudoir shoots prior to the day). Similarly, the ‘on the fly’ reportage / photojournalistic event photography throughout the day, when composition elements naturally fall into place …and the instinctive butterflies in the stomach compel you to steady the hand and squeeze the shutter button from an optimum position. Landscape too. Some idea of the backdrop and scenery is fairly crucial if you want to archive the memories of the fabulous venue. Product photography? Yep, even product photography very much helps; as images of the dress, shoes, rings, etc are generally expected to reside in the final album. Etc, etc.
So in conclusion a wedding photographer should surely, therefore, be enthusiastic – if not practising – in many areas other than wedding photography; as the term umbrellas so many other styles and formats. To refer to a wedding photographer is to recognise camera craft and skills across the board; and, furthermore, usually under extra pressures of time (and other imponderable circumstances) due to the tight chronology of the wedding day.
As weddings tend to be summer events with a few exceptions, it might be argued that the photographer who is working in other fields is responsibly maintaining his or her standards for the coming ‘season’…? A seasoned pro no less!
Bit of a tricky one this evening: In order to complete my feature in on Marry Me in a Flash I had to submit an image with dimensions 900 x 250 pixels (i.e. VERY long horizontally!) It took a while deciding as I rarely crop anything in such a shape, but I’ve eventually gone for a sweet one of Tom and Charl outside St Bartholmews the Great in Smithfields East London last year.
[Sara and Barry came close with their 1st dance at Priston Mill (very cosy!) but in order to fit the spec Barry would have had to loose his eyebrow!]
Having spent time learning Joel Grimes’ HDR (High Dynamic Range) techniques I thought I’d have a go at employing them for the updated Free Rangers Nursery staff portraits. It’s quite labour intensive both with the lighting set up and in Photoshop afterwards, but very rewarding and fun to do.
If you’ve got a mo’, I need to explain that this studio-to-be will multi-task as a living room when the hen parties are in the main farmhouse. So, at present, it’s clear of all of Charl’s hoarded, irrelevant, junk – one of my wife’s pet hates is empty storage space you see – allowing Big Al to start making it habitable. Don’t worry, we didn’t throw the junk out, we just moved it to another shed!
So, as Big Al’s in the early stages of creating a white room, I got some shots together while it’s still got its ‘potato shed’ character. I love all the pipes and fuse wires; and with the crumbling walls it really creates a lovely grungy atmosphere. I also kept some of Charl’s junk furniture that looked more antiquated than dilapidated, to add to the terrific aged feel.
Mary, my mother-in-law, was delighted that I kept her Mum’s chair for the shots; and afterwards she said she felt quite nostalgic to have her grandsons, sitting in her lap, in it.
Oh, and Tim popped over after work from Free Rangers to add to his image collection for his band …and even Parker the cat got involved!
[I probably should also add that my likeness to Jack Nicholson in The Shining is purely theatrical, and should you be reading this as a prospective bride please rest assured that I normally look far more approachable and presentable! For example]
Still not quite there with the shed studio yet… However as an interim portrait I took this one of a beautiful lady called Emma on a rainy day in Bath a couple of years ago. I’m very fond of this one. Emma wasn’t in the best of physical health and suffers from a nasty strain of bronchitis. I don’t think that detracted, however, from her essential beauty shining through. She is shy, unassuming and very gentle; but with great wisdom and depth. I think this image does all those facets some justice.
Very quick one tonight: exhausted. Between stints of child minding (take this as default for the next x years!) we have been clearing an old potato shed on the farm which is just about perfect for a studio set up. I’m going to give it a test run tomorrow; as Charl’s buried some important bits of kit under the junk we’ve shifted! With a series of wires and fuseboxes in an old grungy and derelict store room, it’s got Jeremy Cowart location portrait written all over it. More tomorrow…
[Here's a shot of our newest addition, Wilf, who's mostly responsible for tonight's early night!]
Tim is one of the Free Rangers staff and according to Charlotte is a terrific early years practitioner. Apparently he is wonderfully empathetic to children and epitomises the phrase ‘child centred learning’. The pending link to this photography blog post comes through Tim’s music. Tim uses his fabulous guitar skills regularly at Charl (my wife’s) forest school nursery, and so when he asked me if I’d shoot him some band shots for him I could hardly refuse such an admirable fellow! Tim Graham and Rose Lippard play folk gigs around and about Somerset, and will surely leave come contact / web details underneath this post for any curious music fans!
The shoot took place at the farm buildings at Welton Manor Farm.
I’d be very pleased to hear which are your favourites…
Cruising around Bristol with a legendary photographer [Damien Lovegrove] and an exotic overseas stunner while shooting shots, was a good day!
…I must utilise those colour gels that DL suggested were a good buy …at some point…
On the weekend I went back to my hometown of Fishguard, in beautiful Pembrokeshire, west Wales. Although the main thrust of the visit was to show off our new son to my parents; my brother, Steve, has been rehearsing for a concert that we watched on Sunday. Vince, Steve and the musical team have been working with a very special bunch of youngsters for a while, and these fabulous occasions are periodical throughout the year.
This was my first show, and it will certain not be my last. The musical tutors have inspired the dudes! So much energy and passion went into all of these brilliant numbers – it really was impossible to keep your feet still! And for a finale, after everyone had done their duets and solos, the whole Jam Shop ensemble treated the ecstatic audience to ‘We Are The Champions’ and ‘All You Need is Love’. I defy anyone not to be moved by the vibe. Highly recommended! Website with video pending – let me know your web contact details if you’d like to be kept posted…
As I’m just at the final delivery point for this wedding it’s a good time to do a highlights blog. This wedding was hosted in Great Fosters, Egham. A fabulous C14th royal hunting tithe barn that still feels very magically medieval with candle light and ancient timber.
There’s always a few classics at a wedding, regardless of the quality of preparation, and the father of the bride’s speech was extra entertaining thanks to the 3 beauties at this one.
First of all, a close friend of the bride called the house as the bride’s family were just about to begin getting ready. The message chirped: “Really looking forward to next Saturday! How exciting! Only 7 days to go!!” …The guest in question just made it for the reception and she was made to give an acknowledging wave from the back during the speeches!
Then, not long afterwards, one of the bridesmaids put her dainty heel through a drainage grate while posing for me outside the house. After some ginger pulling and twisting the toolbox was brought into action and to save the heel the long steel trench cover had to be unscrewed from the tarmac and the offending steel bars bent and widened with pliers!
But top of the pile was that the vicar actually turned the bride away from the packed church as she arrived! He was still awaiting payment for the ceremony’s venue and made them go home and get the envelope that the bridal party had left on the mantlepiece – even though two previous generations of the family had been married in the very same church! (Thankfully it was only 2 mins away!)
All in all however it was a brilliant wedding and although no expense had been spared on creating a wonderful occasion, it was – and always is – the rapport and energy of the people that make a terrific wedding. And this was a terrific wedding!
Ok. Here goes: I’ve switched the page title from ‘news’ to ‘blog’ and I’m going to try and upload at least 1 photo per day, with a bit of blurg (it’s my new word – I’m quite pleased with it!)
So… I suppose an explanation is required? Who on earth do I think I am that I might turn folk from going about their daily business to stopping and spending 5 mins reading my ‘feed’; when the world and his dustman are all doing the same [perhaps feed is the wrong word, and we should be labelling it from somewhere closer to the other end of the alimentary canal!]
Well the truth is I am hoping that it might help me move up the SEO [Search Engine Optimisation] charts. And the science of the internet rules – according to my studies – that blogs are to websites what Christmas used to be to Sir Cliff Richard: a great way to get up to number 1!
Also, as a photographer, it makes sense to show off my wares and try to tempt the discerning bride away from inviting her uncle – unaffectionately known as Uncle Bob to photographers! – taking one or two ok shots; and swaying them towards collecting a set of wonderfully creative mementoes of their wedding. After all, it’s the only archive that remains after the cake’s all gone, so it’s well worth getting a specialist to capture it all with flair and style isn’t it!? [OK sales pitch over!]
Right some photos: Poor Tazzy had a terrible experience accidentally going to one of those dodgy modelling portfolio cowboy outfits in London. She travelled all the way up from Somerset; they did all the prep’; make-up; etc; and then tried to charge her £3000 for a few bog standard agency shots and her name on the list. After which they got pretty aggressive by all accounts that she wanted out instead of being ripped-off. Anyway, to fix the situation, her Mum, Val, who is the most fabulous chef at my wife’s Free Rangers Nursery, asked me if I’d step in and silver line her daughter’s cloud. Never one to shirk the knight in shining armour role, Tazzy, her pal Lizzie, and I spent a great afternoon shooting around the picturesque city of Bath. I think you’ll agree for her first shoot she’s done exceptionally well indeed…!
Oh & please feel free to join my blog – it’ll spur me on…!
Shot a kids production of The Wizard of Oz at The Merlin Theatre, Frome. The snow fall helped the drama nicely!
Shoot with the very acclaimed Crash Taylor in Nottingham today. Plenty of great tips and good humour, with two lovely models who kept their cheer on a chilly Midlands November day!
At impressive Mansion House, Cardiff on the penultimate day of 2011, Anne and Kevin were married. And a terrific occasion it was too!
At the end of last year I shot Charl & Tom’s wedding at St Bart’s Smithfield, just round the corner from St Paul’s. As it happened so did ITV1 and tonight (Thursday, March 15th) it’s being broadcast! Not sure exactly what mind you – but with riots, a lack of Taxis and a Blues Brothers theme it might well be a good watch! ITV1 10.35pm!
(As a very sad aside Charl’s Dad, Nick – quite simply the loveliest guy imaginable – lost his battle with cancer last week. My warmest, heartfelt, condolences go to Charl, Mary, and the gang x)
Following a portrait shoot with the Y7 cast of Alice in Wonderland at All Hallows School, Somerset, the annual ‘Chronicle’ magazine carried this shot on the front cover, plus a subsequent promotional publication of the Mad Hatter…
Congratulations to Charl & Tom xx
C & T were married on September 10th at St Bartholomew the Great, Smithfields, London.
With City of London protests, TV crews (‘For Better For Worse’ to be broadcast in January) and a Blues Brithers reception theme, it was certainly a wedding with a twist or two!
Album highlights to follow on Facebook very soon…
I am a wedding & portrait photographer who also teaches (photography 1 morning!) at a Prep school. Mrs Lucas & I have a farmhouse that is a hen-party venue on weekends, and a converted barn which hosts Charl's new venture Free Rangers Nursery. I like Clint Eastwood spaghetti westerns, The Doors and free time! 
