Tony & Guy

A slightly different request came in recently from my lovely friend Sophie.  She asked if I would do some group shots for all the stylists/juniors at Tony & Guy in Teddington salon as they had won an award.  Having never done anything like before I thought it would be good practice and a new challenge.  A lovely bunch of people who work very hard.

Well done on the award.

Sophie & Ali

I had been looking forward to doing this shoot for Sophie and Ali for ages.  I met Sophie a couple of years ago at Toni & Guy in Teddington.  Sophie had already done a photoshoot with Richard and I back in 2011 so knew I was a keen photographer.

Sophie and Ali got engaged last year and are due to get married next month and I just wanted to give them some photos of them both as a present.  A beautiful day, a little too much sunshine to be honest.  Rob helped me take one of our small settees outside to set up a little backdrop that I had seen in a magazine, great until I walked into a small wall on the patio. Talk about painful, big lump appeared on my leg and a lovely bruise which has only just gone.  That will teach me to look where I am going in future.

Anyway,  great day, beautiful couple who I wish all the happiness for their future life ahead of them.

 

 

Rhinefield House

So we are now in May, we have two lovely bank Holidays this month, we need to do something.  I have always wanted to visit Rhinefield House as my friend had said how beautiful it was.  So after checking the prices we decided to go for one night (expensive !!)

All I can is that is such a beautiful place.  If you are looking for a venue to get married look no further.  Situated in the New Forest the place is amazing.  A wedding photographers dream, so many places to take photos !

We were lucky to have a beautiful weather ...and I even let Rob use my camera a couple of times, under strict supervision that is !

I could have wandered around this place for ages taking pictures but think Rob was getting a little fed up of me !

I very nervously handed over the camera !!  They do need to paint their roof ...

Nicola & Tom

So a new year and I needed to get back to some photography.  I have to say I have learnt some valuable lessons along the way on who to work with. I put this down to my lack of experience at the time and  let's just same it won't happen again !

So, I was now looking for some new models.  I did put a casting call out on Model Mayhem but really wasn't successful.  The people who, did respond were not what I was looking for.  I was even beginning to, start stalking people in the supermarket ! Step forward my lovely friend Penny with a name of someone who worked for the same company who might be interested.  thank you so much Penny for introducing me  Nicola.  we arranged to meet at work for a chat, and I wasn't disappointed, Nicola was absolutely gorgeous, and just what I was looking for.  At the same time I was in contact with my lovely friend and fellow photographer Richard Danter who I had worked with before, we kept saying we wanted to work together again and it was a chance for him to see my studio and also for me to tap into some of his great knowledge and experience.  A few hiccups there though, my stupid studio lights were playing up and misfiring and we were getting random meter readings which was very strange...thankfully the weather was lovely outside so we took advantage of that too.

A lovely couple to photograph ...

We had a great afternoon and the bonus being Nicola bought her equally lovely boyfriend Tom along who was not only very photogenic but tall enough to hold the reflector for us !

Call me a bit strange but I love the 'behind the scenes' shots too ...

Thank you to both Nicola and Tom and of course Richard for driving up from Hampshire !

I'm Back ....

It's been such a long time since I updated this blog..so here goes ....

The last update was October 2012 so what's happened since.  Well Christmas for a start.  Last year we decided for the first time to go away for Christmas to St Lucia.  It was really nice to have some winter sunshine after a terrible and wet summer.  Both Rob and I were so tired and really needed to get away from home and re-charge our batteries.  I have to say it was a bit strange being on a beach on Christmas Day....it was lovely and relaxing though and just what we both needed.  We arrived back home on New Years Eve and somehow felt a bit strange as there was no Christmas tree in the house, that was a first. In a very strange, almost as if we had missed Christmas altogether !  No busy supermarkets where everyone is shopping like it's the end of the world !  Would we go away again over Christmas ? Yes but somewhere cheaper, we travelled to a Sandals resort which was adults only, all I can say was that it was totally overpriced especially when you are travelling from the UK and full of some very noisy people...I will say no more.

Is That a Birdie?

A couple of weeks ago, what started out as a normal day in the office took a slightly different turn.  An email popped into my Inbox with the subject header ‘Professional Freelance Photographer Required’.  My initial thoughts were ‘well you have the wrong person’, I am just a mere amateur dabbling when I get the opportunity.  On reading further it was all around the annual golf day that the part of the company I work hold.   I know in the past they have always used a professional photographer, but this time there just wasn't not the money in the budget to do so.  As a result my name was put forward (thank you Mr Pellow) as they knew I was a keen photographer.  The rest is history, although they couldn’t pay me I would get a day out of the office, my own golf buggy and a three course meal...well what could I say !

I have to say I was a little anxious not having done anything like this before and of course the weather was a little worrying as the previous week there had been nothing but rain.  Thank you to my friend Richard Danter for your tip about using a plastic shower cap to protect the camera/lens if it did rain.  Although it would have been a bit of a dilemma if it did, do I keep my hair dry or protect my equipment ?  Answer, take two shower caps!  I need not have worried as the day was perfect, although far too sunny for a photographer.  Getting group shots on the first tee that was swathed in sunshine was almost impossible but I did my best.

For a first timer doing something like this I don’t think I did too bad.  I did some research online and got some good advice from some other photographers (thanks Neil).  It was slightly daunting as I wasn’t sure where I should stand as I didn’t want to put them off their game by standing in their eye line.  I seemed to just keep popping out from behind trees!  I think there is a name for peope like that!

 I think in all there were about 35 people playing in various groups of 3’s and 4’s. I did my best to get as many shots as possible and the banter was great. A few choice words when shots didn’t go so well but always followed by an apology if I was close by ...such gentlemen!

 All the guys seemed pleased with the results.   I am always very self critical and as I always think ‘I could have done better’, but that’s my ongoing challenge. Hopefully if they ask me again next year there will be more than one photographer (Luke, that's you !!)

So here comes the birdie, and yes it was me !  I did get some rather odd looks from other players on the course not connect with my office wondering who the hell this woman was with the big lens !

I was really pleased hat I didn’t get lost on the golf course, I didn’t get hit by any golf balls and I didn’t crash the golf buggy!

Thanks guys for a great day.

 

Jackie x

Strike A Pose

A somewhat unusual post this time with me being one of the subjects of the photoshoot rather than the 'shooter' (and that's with a camera and not a gun !!). 

So let's rewind a little for some background....my lovely and gorgeous friend Jess from work asked me if I would be interested in going with her for a photoshoot that she had a special offer for, my immediate thought was 'hmm a chance to have a look around and ask some questions' so yes why not !  Any opportunity I can get to learn something is always valuable for me as working full time, any courses and training really isn't easy unless they are at weekends.

We met at Waterloo Station at 11am and started to make our way to Studio 52.  Our appointment wasn't until 1.15 but we wanted to drop our bags off and then make the most of being in London and go for lunch (yes ladies that lunch ...quite like saying that !!).  So with bags dropped off we needed a drink (non alcoholic...far to early ..) and some food,  Luckily Jess knew of a great place just round the corner from the studio called The Townhouse ..lovely place and definitely one for 'celebrity spotting' ..sitting outside and who walks past ...none other than Ralph Feinnes ...and yes he was rather easy on the eye ...well we can look can't we ?

Lunch out of the way and time to head back to the studio...and feeling a little anxious ...really don't like being on the other side of the camera ...definitely out of my comfort zone.   Anyway, it was really nothing to worry about as the folks at that the studio were great ..someone to meet and greet you and explain what will happen and then into hair and make-up.  They did ask prior to this what look we wanted and we both said 'glamarous' ..let the transformation begin ...I have to admit this bit for me was great, feeling pampered and the MUA's were all brilliant. All had worked on various things from music videos with the Black Eyes Peas to Bollywood Movies to name just a few.

So all 'glamed up' and time to meet our photographer ...in walks Abby with a huge smile on his face which immediately put us both at ease.  The 'sets' they use (there were about 6) were on the floor below and Abby kindly carried our bags containing various outfit changes.  After looking at what we bought it was time to change and get started.   He took some pictures of us together first and then individually.  I know Jess won't mind me posting this one with her in as she looks totally gorgeous .. and yes I was wearing clothes ,,, a strapless dress before you ask !!

Love that black wallpaper too !!

I know I can speak for Jess here as well that we both felt completely and totally at ease with Abby, he gave great direction throughout the shoot and only when I started asking questions about 'what aperture are you shooting at' 'what ISO are you on' did he get an inkling of my interest but I have to say he was brilliant and answered all my questions !!

We both had four outfit changes and various sets were used.  I have to say that I really enjoyed myself, much more that I thought I would.  Like many people I have never really liked having my picture taken, but on seeing the results, I was amazed and kept thinking 'is that really me' ??  I won't bore you all with too many pictures as some are already on my Facebook timeline, suffice to say this will probably be the first and last time for me to be on the other side of the camera !

We both left the studio many many hours later with lighter purses (it's not cheap) but what an experience ...something that I may not ever do again but hey...I felt GOOD ....and what a confidence boost which we all need from time to time.

I will finish by saying if you get the opportunity, and I know some cool photographers (see my links page oh and not forgetting me!) have a photo session ......something you can look back on for years to come and say 'yes that was me !!'