Some Commercial Work

My speciality, it might be obvious, is people photography. Whilst 95% of my work is wedding and portrait, I occasionally find time to shoot some commercial photography. It's mainly for websites these days of course and we provide web ready images as well as the full size files for print use. Tuesday was spent in subtropical Oxforshire at the Weston Park Hotel. The last time I was here was for a December wedding and needless to say, it was slightly different this time. Today's client needed mini-portfolios for 12 of their new sales team. We did some inside shots and then I took them outside for individual portrait sessions. Their idea, and it's a nice one, is that their website will have microsites dedicated to each person. So that was my brief today. We finished off with relaxed group shots before I completed melted in the heat.

Number 160

This year saw the 160th Henley Royal Regatta and I was asked by the Leander Club who hosts the race, to photograph the event on the opening day. 170 is the other number that sticks in my mind today - the number of steps up the 16th Century bell tower at St. Mary's Church over the river. I climbed the bell tower to get a panoramic view of the club and the the river. The image below is stitched together from five separate images.



Here's a few images that caught my eye during editing. Definitely some cool photo opportunities here today. I have dozens of pictures of boats and rowers but it was nice to shoot the people attending and working at the regatta as well. A few of my favourites:

Amie and Craig get married

Craig and Amie tied the knot today in Croydon. The wedding was at the Salvation Army Church and it was a really nice service. No Sally Army ceremony would be complete without a brass band and the band playing today was terrific - I think it's a really nice sound and it certainly added to the atmosphere in the church.

As I'm sure you know it was a belting hot day but beautiful weather for spending an afternoon on the terrace at Pennyhill Park Hotel in Bagshot.

Here's a few favourites from the day, more to come when Amie and Craig are back from honeymoon in Mauritius.

A couple of images from the morning.



Who knew this was one of the bridesmaids duties? :)



Craig and the boys.



Minutes to go...



Megan shows the way.



Amie and Dad feel the pressure...



A little ceremony detail.



A couple of my favourite images of the new Mr. and Mrs.







I love these reception images.






Thanks again, Craig and Amie...



...see you when you get back :)

Chris, Sarah and Family

Here's a little slideshow of Chris, Sarah and family. I photographed their wedding about six years ago and have photographed the children before. It was lovely to see them all today and take some pictures in and around the house. The beautiful weather helps of course but the kids were great too.

I always think that family photography at home has totally different feel to studio portraiture. It's always much more personal and I think that somehow the images will have more value in years to come when the children are older because there is so much of their childhood in the pictures. Not only the favourite toys but the background, the garden and the world from their point of view.

Photobooth!

I've just received a video of the photobooth we did at Greg and Donna's wedding shot by talented videographer Richard Wakefield of FX Films.

Click play (it'll take a few seconds to load) and check it out! If you are interested in a photobooth at your wedding, click here and I will send you more information. More photobooth pictures here!

Hyde End Studios - Photobooth from FX Films on Vimeo.

Random Picture of the Week

Louise and Neil - Engagement Photographs

Louise and Neil are going to get hitched at Aldermaston Manor House this summer so today we met there to shoot some pictures. One thing I love about our engagement photo sessions is that we have more time than we do on the wedding day. It's nice to take a more leisurely approach to the photography and make some more interesting and unusual images. Here's a few that and I liked and if you're reading this L and A, the complete gallery will be up soon.

At one end of the gardens there is a terrific old, dilapidated greenhouse. The textures and the light inside were great - difficult to resist shooting a couple of images inside. Here's my favourite greenhouse image. I don't think we will be doing this on the day due to various frock related hazards.




A couple of images inside the Manor House. I have given these quite a distinctive look which I think suits the mood of the picture.



Pesky rabbits.



A couple of graphic-style images to finish with.



Thanks again for your time, Louise and Neil, see you at the wedding!

Donna and Greg tie the knot

Donna and Greg got married today at St. John the Baptist in Windlesham. The hottest day of the year so far I heard. I did notice that come lunchtime, there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

Today the photography started at the house, it's always really nice to have a 'before and after' aspect to the day and great to give the bride and groom a glimpse of each others morning.

Donna and Greg have three children and it was lovely to see them all so involved in the day. The wedding album is in some ways, a frozen moment in time, and it's great to have children at the wedding as I think it makes the wedding pictures more important as the children grow.

Here's a few favourite images from the day. The full gallery goes up when D & G get back from honeymoon. Let me know if you'd like an email when all the pictures are available for viewing.

What would a blog post be without a shot of the shoes?



Lora did the makeup today.


Donna's Dad gets buttonholed.


Greg the groom and his boys.


Donna's dad checks the speech one last time before the ceremony starts.


The groom keeps cool with a little help from his best man.


Drinking during the ceremony...shocking :)


The beautiful bride. They really should make these table plans easier to read. (R)


The paparazzi!!!



That speech again.



Donna and Greg's Photobooth!!!











A smoochy dance floor moment.


Thanks for booking me Donna and Greg, have a fantastic honeymoon and see you when you get back.