Blog

  • Emily & Paul: Gotherington: A Walk Through Fields of Gold

    Cheltenham Countryside Engagement Shoot by Marie Man

    Emily and Paul grew up, met and fell in love in their home village of Gotherington, near Cheltenham. So it was a delight to be asked to photograph them there.

    They led me around the networkd of built-up cul-de-sacs and shaded alleyways and was surprised when the path opened out into a stunning field of grass with a lone tree. We’d been having pretty gloomy weather, but the sun shone gloriously, bringing the field to life with golden light. From the field, you could see both their childhood homes…I loved the tour of their lives that they gave me over the course of the shoot, from the village hall where Emily went to Brownies to the duckpond that Paul used to navigate on a car bonnet.

    The love between Emily and Paul was super-cute as you can tell from the images. At the end of the shoot, we went back to the spot where they first kissed, round the corner from Emily’s parents home (hiding from her parents!)…in the shade of a rowan tree, her family name 🙂

    Here’s to Paul and Emily and their wedding next month!

    Emily & Paul walking through a golden field of grass - Cotswold Engagement Photography

    Emily & Paul - Gotherington portrait shoot

    Emily & Paul - couple sitting in a field of grass - Cheltenham Engagement Photography

    Emily & Paul - couple walking through a field of grass

    Emily & Paul - couple silhouetted in the countryside - engagement photography

    Emily & Paul - couples portrait photography

    Emily & Paul - kissing by the Rowan tree

    Emily & Paul - Cheltenham Countryside Engagement Photography

    If you are interested in an engagement photography session, drop Marie a line.

  • Zoe & Michael: Dursley: A verdant hilltop walk on the edge of the Cotswolds

    Gloucestershire Cotswold Engagement Shoot by Marie Man

    It’s been a busy year and I need to catch up on blogging! Apologies, I’m starting with my most recent work and introduce you to Zoe and Michael 🙂

    I suggest my couples choose a location that is special to them for their pre-wedding shoot if possible. Zoe & Michael live in Dursley and introduced me to some of their favourite places near their home (including the pub afterwards). As a keen runner, Zoe had recced many of them on her runs around the stunning area. One of them was lush green hilltop location with a stunning arcade of trees which was truly glorious as you can see in the last image on this post.

    They brought along a bottle of fizz to enjoy in a gorgeous, if windy location at the crest of the hill. Zoe & Michael share lots of giggles (as you can probably tell from the picture of the sheep and the one near the end where he’s making her laugh) and I’m totally looking forward to their wedding next month at a venue that I fell in love with the moment I stepped inside – the amazing Woodchester Mansion.

    Zoe & Michael - Downham Hill, Dursley Cam Gloucestershire & Cotswold Engagement Photography

    Zoe & Michael - Downham Hill, Dursley Cam Gloucestershire & Cotswold Engagement Photography

    Zoe & Michael - Downham Hill, Dursley Cam Gloucestershire & Cotswold Engagement Photography

    Zoe & Michael - Downham Hill, Dursley Cam Gloucestershire & Cotswold Engagement Photography

    Zoe & Michael - Downham Hill, Dursley Cam Gloucestershire & Cotswold Engagement Photography

    Zoe & Michael - Downham Hill, Dursley Cam Gloucestershire & Cotswold Engagement Photography

    Zoe & Michael - Downham Hill, Dursley Cam Gloucestershire & Cotswold Engagement Photography

    Zoe & Michael - Downham Hill, Dursley Cam Gloucestershire & Cotswold Engagement Photography

    Zoe & Michael - Downham Hill, Dursley Cam Gloucestershire & Cotswold Engagement Photography

    Zoe & Michael - Downham Hill, Dursley Cam Gloucestershire & Cotswold Engagement Photography

    Zoe & Michael - Downham Hill, Dursley Cam Gloucestershire & Cotswold Engagement Photography

    Zoe & Michael - Downham Hill, Dursley Cam Gloucestershire & Cotswold Engagement Photography

    If you are interested in an engagement photography session, drop Marie a line.

  • Elaine & Sam: 99 yew trees in a traditional Cotswolds village: Gloucestershire engagement photographer

    A quick Christmas Eve post! Say hello to Elaine & Sam, who are childhood sweethearts.

    The chose the picturesque village of Painswick for their engagement shoot. It’s a gorgeous Cotswold village built out of traditional Cotswold stone, with a church and village green in the centre. In fact, their annual apple festival was taking place when we were there, complete with apple-bobbing and hay bales for sitting on. You couldn’t get more quintessentially English! We had to wait for the kids to clear out from the churchyard, which is filled with yew trees. 99 in fact, according to local folklore no more ever

    Elaine and Sam, I look forward to your wedding at the fabulous Manor on the Lake, which will be my first wedding of 2013!

    Happy Christmas and happy new year everyone 🙂

    xx

    01 Elaine & Sam, Painswick - Cotswold wedding photographer

    02 Elaine & Sam, Painswick - Cotswold wedding photographer

    03 Elaine & Sam, Painswick - Cotswold wedding photographer

    04 Elaine & Sam, Painswick - Cotswold wedding photographer

    05 Elaine & Sam, Painswick - Cotswold wedding photographer

    06 Elaine & Sam, Painswick - Cotswold wedding photographer

    07 Elaine & Sam, Painswick - Cotswold wedding photographer

    08 Elaine & Sam, Painswick - Cotswold wedding photographer

    09 Elaine & Sam, Painswick - Cotswold wedding photographer

    10 Elaine & Sam, Painswick - Cotswold wedding photographer

    11 Elaine & Sam, Painswick - Cotswold wedding photographer

    12 Elaine & Sam, Painswick - Cotswold wedding photographer

    If you are interested in an engagement photography session, drop Marie a line.

  • SinĂ©ad & Josh: Sunbeams & Smiles in an English country garden: Bristol wedding photographer

    Bristol Engagement Shoot by Marie Man

    I had to blog SinĂ©ad and Josh’s pre-wedding shoot extra fast as their wedding is in only two days time! I was almost thwarted as my PC kept shutting itself down. I tried lots of tricks and was about to give up, when a huge ball (ball? More like a boulder…) of dust and fluff flew out of the CPU fan. Having coughed up the furball, my PC was much happier and I’m happy to be able to share these images with you…Phew!

    SinĂ©ad is a nanny, but secretly would like to be a children’s librarian and Josh is one of the brains behind Factfinder Guides, travel guides for children, written with input from children (in fact, it turns out that by coincidence, his business partner is a childhood friend, but that’s another story!) Needless to say, they share lots of laughter as well as love, which I think comes through in their images. I came away from my shoot with them all buzzy because they share that kind of love that makes wedding photographers go ‘yay!’ inside 🙂

    Although SinĂ©ad and Josh are from London, they chose to have their shoot at Josh’s parents house and gardens in Bristol where they’ve shared many a happy time. And what a lovely house and garden it is…Josh’s dad renovated it from scratch and his mum had lovingly bought the walled gardens to life, making it a wonderful family home for Josh and his brothers and sisters. In fact, his mum had been working all year on growing flowers for SinĂ©ad and Josh’s wedding, which you’ll be seeing very soon!

    Although we’re in mid-winter and we were just happy that the rain had finally stopped, the sun also burst through and made the images of SinĂ©ad and Josh extra dreamy. I’m totally looking forward to their wedding this Saturday at the Lord Mayor’s Mansion House in Bristol. Ladies and gents, I present you with SinĂ©ad, Josh and a whole load of love…

    Sinéad and Josh Bristol Westbury Engagement Photography

    Sinéad and Josh Bristol Westbury Engagement Photography

    Sinéad and Josh Bristol Westbury Engagement Photography

    04 Sinéad and Josh Bristol Westbury Engagement Photography

    05 Sinéad and Josh Bristol Westbury Engagement Photography

    06 Sinéad and Josh Bristol Westbury Engagement Photography

    07 Sinéad and Josh Bristol Westbury Engagement Photography

    08 Sinéad and Josh Bristol Westbury Engagement Photography

    09 Sinéad and Josh Bristol Westbury Engagement Photography

    10 Sinéad and Josh Bristol Westbury Engagement Photography

  • Jess & Simon: A walk in a Victorian Cemetary: Bristol engagement photographer

    Arnos Vale Bristol Engagement Shoot by Marie Man

    It might sounds strange, but when Jess and Simon asked for their engagement shoot to be in a cemetary, I was totally excited.

    That’s because Arnos Vale cemetary is a beautiful Victorian garden cemetary, with acres of forestland and beautiful grave sites, not dissimilar to Highgate. In fact, it’s so beautiful that they have their first wedding taking place at the cemetary this year. I recommend to my couples that they choose a location for their engagement shoot that it special to them and Jess and Simon chose Arnos Vale because they live nearby and often go for walks there with their daughter, Eliza. It is a site that has lots of contrasts as you can see from the shoot – leafy, shaded walks, Victorian gothic architecture, classical memorials and some street art thrown in.

    Jess and Simon met at a pub quiz, which we deduced that I may have been at too! Jess makes great (and I mean totally awesome) knitted monsters and Simon develops websites.

    Jess makes knitted monsters

    Jess claims a frown is her natural photo expression, but I didn’t see it…until I asked Simon to think of a moment that she made him proud and he couldn’t think of anything. She suggested perhaps the moment she gave birth to his baby 🙂 They were great fun to shoot with, even when I started calling Simon by the wrong name pretty consistently for the last ten minutes of the shoot!

    I’m totally looking forward to sharing their their literature-themed wedding at the University and Literary Club with you soon!

    Jess & Simon - Arnos Vale Engagement Photography

    Jess & Simon - Arnos Vale Engagement Photography

    Jess & Simon - Arnos Vale Engagement Photography

    Jess & Simon: Arnos Vale Bristol Engagement Photography

    Jess & Simon: Arnos Vale Bristol Engagement Photographer

    Jess & Simon: Arnos Vale Bristol Engagement Photography

    Jess & Simon: Bristol Arnos Vale Engagement Photographer

    Jess & Simon: Arnos Vale Bristol Engagement Photographer

    Jess & Simon: Arnos Vale Bristol Bristol Engagement Photography

  • In between rainstorms: David & Nicky – Hampstead engagement shoot

    Hampstead London Engagement Shoot by Marie Man

    I’m hugely behind with my blogging, but here’s a gorgeous engagement shoot that I wanted to share with you straight away.

    Meet Nicky and David. Nicky is mad about all things blue and can’t decide if she likes tealy turquoise or baby blue more. David loves long bike rides and a good boogie to some funky tunes!  They are planning a really fun festival-style wedding which I am totally looking forward to documenting.

    My pre-wedding shoots are informal, I just recommend to my couples that they choose a location that is special to them. Keen cyclists, they initially considering bringing a tandem bicycle along, but in the end Nicky and David decided to go for a walk on Hampstead Heath. Well, you know what they say about best laid plans…it turned into one of the wettest weekends ever! The heavens opened and the rain just poured and poured…it seemed impossible that it could rain any more, but it did and by the bucketload. So we had to rethink our plans and luckily for us, David remembered a secret corner of London that he had happened upon some years before.

    As David led us into a dark, dank staircase, Nicky and I wondered if we should follow him, but follow him we did and our trust was rewarded as we emerged into a stunning Italianate pergola walkway, overlooking a secret garden. The rain turned out to be a true blessing in disguise, bringing us to this stunning location.  To top that off, the sun came out to play and gave us some gorgeous flare – the location was so dreamy, it was hard to believe we were still in London. What do I like most about this photoshoot? All of the images from this shoot make me smile, because their love shines through each and every one.

    Nicky & David – you rock! I’m so looking forward to your wedding in Oxfordshire next month.

    Hampstead London engagement photography by Marie Man

    Hampstead London engagement photography by Marie Man

    Hampstead London engagement photography by Marie Man

    Hampstead London engagement photography by Marie Man

    Hampstead London engagement photography by Marie Man

    Hampstead London engagement photography by Marie Man

    Hampstead London engagement photography by Marie Man

    Hampstead London engagement photography by Marie Man

    Hampstead London engagement photography by Marie Man

    Hampstead London engagement photography by Marie Man

    Hampstead London engagement photography by Marie Man

    Hampstead London engagement photography by Marie Man

    If you’d like an engagement shoot in Hampstead, somewhere else in London or another location, contact Marie to have a chat!

  • Meet Mia Rose: Bristol newborn photography

    Mia Rose
    Meet Mia Rose, proud parents Andrea and Mark and Sam!

    I did this newborn shoot in Bristol early in the year. Mia was a new year baby and just ten days old (newborns ideally need to be photographed in the first ten days) and supercute. We decided to have a play with a few props to honour her middle name, Rose. She was super well-behaved, sleeping plenty enough for her and her older brother Sam had boundless amounts of energy…you can see make an appearance in the last phoot. I couldn’t resist including it.

    I don’t really want to distract from how adorable she is so here’s a quick selection from our shoot.

    Mia Rose - Purity, Bristol newborn photography

    Mia Rose - Casablanca, Bristol newborn photography

    Mia Rose - Rosebud, Bristol newborn photography

    Mia Rose - Enthroned, Bristol newborn photography

    Mia Rose - The Land of Nod, Bristol newborn photography

    Mia Rose - Blooming, Bristol newborn photography

    Mia Rose - Pinky, Bristol newborn photography

    Mia Rose - Proud parents, Bristol newborn photography

    Andrea - Mummy, Bristol newborn photography

    Mark - Daddy, Bristol newborn photography

    Mia Rose - We Are Family, Bristol newborn photography

    Expecting a new arrival? If you’d like Marie to photograph your newborn, just drop her a line to have a chat.

  • Small Things

    In between and hope
    2011 was a funny old year.

    This is a long and indulgent post and some of this won’t be easy reading, but I want to share a recent significant event in my personal life…what happened and how it affected me.

    It started with a sore throat that lingered. I was relieved when it eventually went, but it was only the beginning. The next day I had a strange sensation behind my eyes, like I was wearing glasses that were too strong. I thought it was the tail end of the virus and a good sleep would knock it on the head. But it was worse the next morning and I struggled to grip well with my right hand. With a large proportion of my family in the medical profession, it’s a rare occasion that I consult a doctor, but I went directly to hospital. Leaving a painting half-done and my freezer defrosting, I genuinely thought they would dismiss me with a migraine or similar but best get it treated as fast as possible.

    I was seen by a neurologist, had a CT scan and was very almost discharged – he could see that something wasn’t right, but that paradoxically, I seemed very well. I could see, but with double vision on the periphery; I could move my arms, but my grip was weak; muscle strength was generally good, but my right side was weaker; I could walk, but my spatial awareness was bad. As a precaution, he called a consultant and then all hell broke loose…

    First up was a lumbar puncture. Everything got much worse and by that night, I couldn’t walk unaided. The next morning, my double vision was terrible, I was nauseous, my hand was much weaker and I had lost control of some leg muscles. The consultant came to see me. He suspected that I didn’t have anything wrong with my spine or brain as is usual in neurology, but thought that I might have Guillain-BarrĂ© Syndrome, an autoimmune disease. This is a rare and aggressive disease and happens after a virus or infection. When your immune system has dealt with the virus, it doesn’t stop and attacks the nervous system instead. Your immune system progressively strips your nerves of its coating and your nerves short-circuit. You become your own worst enemy. The disease moves fast and speed of treatment is vital. The consultant wheeled me off for an MRI and nerve conductor test himself – squeezing me into the full schedules. I’m not sure whether this was more or less reassuring! By the end of the day, my breathing, spine and legs were weaker and I lost all reflexes in my arms and legs. I could barely transfer to a wheelchair. However, there was also the possibility that it was a tropical disease like typhus. I was deteriorating fast so they decided to go ahead with treatment for both and hope one of the treatments would stabilise me. Although not positively diagnosed, clinically I fitted GBS exactly. The disease moves swiftly. Often, patients become ‘locked-in’ to their bodies – some recover after a few months, some don’t – it can be fatal.

    The doctors couldn’t tell me whether the treatment was working or not – the disease varies hugely and some people get better before getting worse and vice versa. Their aim was to suppress my immune system so that it stopped attacking my nervous system and give my body a chance to fight back. The treatment protocol of five days on an immunoglobulin drip was considered to be something that had worked for someone at some stage, but no one knew how much a higher or lower dosage really changed things. What they did know was that a second course of treatment would make no difference. So if the treatment failed, then the next step would be a plasma exchange, and after that…nothing else could be done.

    Unfortunately the lumbar puncture hadn’t closed back up and was leaking into my body, draining the fluid from my brain causing excruciating headaches and dehydration. I slept with monitors attached to me 24 hours, a drip in each arm, bloods being taken regularly and other meds being injected into me. The amount of fluid going through me was huge, so the canulas would tissue and they would have to recanulate me, using up a vein each time. The neurology ward had several patients who hallucinated in the night, screaming and shouting. Typically, with GBS patients, the respiratory system is badly affected. Being ‘locked-in’ is preceded by the need to be intubated because the patient can no longer breathe by myself. I came scarily close to the threshold – the nurses monitored me every two hours, even being woken up during the night to take readings and sometimes they would urge me to try again to get a better result. Some mornings I felt good, most evenings I felt fatigued, nauseous and like my body was a warground. Some days I felt bad all day, some downright terrible. There was one particular day I remember when I felt good and then the next day, I couldn’t move at all without feeling completely hideous. I couldn’t use my phone or read. It was a Sunday and the ward was quiet. I’d tried to stay positive, but this was one of the only times that I cried to myself. No one could provide any solace and the one thing that pulled me out of that darkness was being able to see the tops of two trees through my window – the winter sun shone between the branches for almost an hour, warming my face, before it dipped back behind a building. That was my lowest point, after that, there were ups and downs but overall, I stabilised and began to get better. Before the end of my treatment, I started having a reaction to the medication and they had to stop. I had problems with my heart and there were fears that I’d developed a blood clot. The doctors elected for me not to go back on the medication, not knowing if this would have an adverse affect on my ‘progress’ and hope for the best.

    My body was severely weakened after the attack. It took time for me to walk again and I even had to do physio for my neck to be able to support the weight of my head. So from one point of view, 2011 was a bit of a sod really, taking six months to recover from a major knee operation. But really I was very lucky on both occasions. Against the odds, I am now crutch free after three years on crutches. And by fluke, I had walked into the A&E of a hospital with one of the foremost neurology centres. Any other hospital in town and I probably would not have been diagnosed so quickly or at all, which was critical to the treatment being as effective as it was. It can take years to recover from GBS, some people have chronic conditions. They say if treatment is effective within 3 weeks, then it will be only months before you are better. I was in hospital for just under 3 weeks.

    Of course it’s at these moments that you reflect and challenge yourself. I was grateful for the fact that I have always seized the day and tried to balance family life and common sense with my desire to explore, learn and create. I was grateful for the people I love and rallied to support me. I was acutely reminded that time and life is even more precious than any of us ever comprehends in the stresses of our day-to-day lives. It wasn’t until that black Sunday that I understood that my greatest fear wasn’t death, it was being paralysed with a fully functioning brain, not knowing whether I would die, recover or remain trapped indefinitely in my own body. The worst prison of all.

    So, not a very cheery post, but just like my documentary photography work, it’s sometimes the blacks as well as the whites (and all the greys in between) that tell the stories that really affect us. Staring my greatest fear in the face will certainly change me going forward. I know everyone has their own challenges in their lives and this was one of mine. Never underestimate your body’s ability to heal itself. I consider myself luckier than ever and count my blessings and being given a second chance to live, love and create xx

  • Vinopolis, Southwark – photographers’ meetup

    Cam and Pen McKinley-Rodgers and Marianne Taylor - Southwark Vinopolis Meetup

    At the end of August, talented London-based photographer Kirsten Mavric (www.kirstenmavric.co.uk) organised a get together of photographer friends. Thirty-four super talented photographers from around the UK descended upon the Cantina Vinopolis for a fab evening of great food, wine and the very best of company! Nearing the close of a busy summer season, going to London to catch up with friends old and new was more than worth the trip from Bristol. I’m soooo behind with the rest of my blogging but here’s a few snaps from our night out.

    Big thanks due to Kirsten for organising the get together. A great job well done!

    **********************************************************************

    FEATURED IMAGE ABOVE: Cam and Pen McKinley Rodgers have a giggle with Marianne Taylor

    BELOW: Christina Brosnan of Brosnan Photographic travelled all the way from Ireland! Christina shoots romantic wedding photography www.brosnanphotographic.com

    Christina Brosnan - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Marianne Taylor in conversation with Anushe Low. Marianne’s weddings have great creative flair www.mariannetaylorphotography.co.uk

    Marianne Taylor - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Vicki Knights of Knights Photography in Surbiton specialises in natural light portraiture www.vickiknights.co.uk

    Vicki Knights - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Eddie Judd striking a pose. Based in Surrey, Eddie’s portraits and weddings are full of colour and nature www.eddiejuddphotography.com

    Eddie Judd - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Chloé Brown of Caught the Light (natural, feminine wedding images www.caughtthelight.com) talks to Dasha Caffrey of Exhibit Emotions (emotive contemporary wedding photography www.exhibitemotions.com) and Christina Brosnan.

    Dasha Caffrey, Chloe Brown, Christina Brosnan, Tarah Coonan - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    David McNeil (relaxed contemporary weddings www.davidmcneil.co.uk) catches up with Shella Gozali of Shell de Mar Photography (fun and quirky weddings www.shelldemar.com)

    David McNeil talking to Marshella Gozali - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Wish I could have earwigged on whatever Lisa Devlin (Brighton vintage-style wedding photography and much more! www.devlinphotos.co.uk) and Pen McKinley-Rodgers (romantic portrayals of love out of Oxfordshire www.mckinley-rodgers.com) were talking about 🙂

    Pen McKinley-Rodgers - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Zoe Collyer with Vicky Knights. Zoe is based in Surrey and captures weddings in a documentary style www.zoecollyer.co.uk

    Zoe Collyer - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    The lovely Tarah Coonan. Tarah’s work is romantic and feminine http://tarahcoonanphotography.blogspot.com

    Tarah Coonan - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Eliza Claire (creative quirky weddings www.elizaclaire.com) chats to David McNeil

    Eliza Claire and David McNeil - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Dasha Caffrey does what she does best. In the frame…Christina Brosnan and Tarah Coonan

    Dasha Caffrey, Christina Brosnan, Tarah Coonan - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    My roomie, Juliet McKee. Juliet shoots wedding and portraits with wonderfully punchy colours www.julietmckeephotography.co.uk

    Juliet McKee - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Anushe Low. Anushe shoots stylish weddings with artistic flair www.anushe.com

    Anushe Low - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Lisa Jane Brown (wedding and portrait photography on both digital and film www.lisajane-photography.com) and Debs Ivelja (natural and stylish weddings www.debsivelja.blogspot.com)

    Lisa Jane Brown, Debs Ivelja - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Vicki Knights and Kirsten Mavric. Kirsten shoots fresh, contemporary weddings and portraits www.kirstenmavric.co.uk

    Vicki Knights, Kirsten Mavric - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    The creative talent that is Fanni Williams of Fubu Media/Fanni Williams Photography www.fanniwilliams.com in conversation with Chloé Brown and Anushe Low

    Fanni Williams - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Kirsten Mavric catches up with Eliza Claire

    Kirsten Mavric talks to Eliza Claire - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Eliza Claire takes a break from a busy season!

    Eliza Claire - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Lisa Jane and Marianne, Ed Peers (www.edpeers.com) and Fanni Williams

    Marianne Taylor, Ed Peers, Fanni Williams - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Dominique Bader in the limelight. In her own words, Dominique’s work is “Pretty not gritty” www.domiquebader.com

    Dominique Bader - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    David McNeil and Joanna Brown of Browns Photography (alternative intimate wedding photography www.browns-photography.co.uk)

    David McNeil, Joanna Brown - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Kirsten Mavric gets the worst part of the evening over and done with…settling the bill. Ouch! Supervised by Eddie Judd and Chanelle Segerius who specialises in high-end and destination wedding photography www.segeriusbruce.com

    Kirsten Mavric, Eddie Judd, Chanelle Segerius - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    David McNeil and Debs Ivelja

    David McNeil, Debs Ivelja - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Juliet McKee with her D60 and pop-up flash :-O

    Debs Ivelja, Juliet McKee, Cam McKinley-Rodgers - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Fiona Kelly (documentary wedding photographer www.fionasweddingphotography.co.uk), Yolande de Vries of Rings n Veils (weddings and fashion reportage www.yolandedevries.com), Lisa Devlin and Anneli Marinovich (contemporary photography www.annelimarinovich.com)

    Fiona Kelly, Yolande de Vries, Lisa Devlin, Anneli Marinovich, Marianne Taylor, Juliet Mckee - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Eddie Judd and Vicki Knights hit the pub

    Eddie Judd, Vicki Knights - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Our host Kirsten Mavric was one of the last (wo)men standing!

    Kirsten Mavric - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

    Yolande de Vries was sporting a fab new ‘do’. She will be missed when she departs for Oz. Both 🙂 and 🙁 Safe travels Yolande!

    Yolande de Vries - Southwark Vinopolis Photographers Meetup

  • SNEAK PEEK: Amidst fields of gold

    Amidst fields of gold - sneak peek

    Radio silence?

    Not quite but I’ve quite a backlog of shoots to blog. Eeep.

    For now, here’s a quick sneak peek of a recent favourite. What do I love about this picture? The movement…of the grass, the clouds and the dress.

    Jodie amidst fields of gold.

  • A countryside affair – Bonnie & Will, Charlton House: Shepton Mallet, Somerset wedding photographer

    The Speech, Shepton Mallett Somerset documentary wedding photography

    Do you remember Bonnie and  Will? They had found me after being referred by an old school friend. After our fab pre-wedding shoot by Clifton Suspension Bridge, I was really looking forward to covering their countryside-themed wedding for them.

    Letter from the heart - Somerset documentary wedding photography

    Final preparations - Somerset documentary wedding photography

    The preparations took place in Bonnie’s home village of Croscombe in Somerset. She prepared for her wedding at her mother’s charming cottage and it was a real family affair with her brother Ben giving her away, her young brother James being pageboy and her cousin travelling all the way from Australia to be her bridesmaid. James was particularly excited heralding “Bonnie Alert!” when she came near. My favourite moments from the cottage are of Bonnie writing her speech (yes, she had one too) and reading a letter delivered from Will that made her weep (fortunately just before she put her mascara on).

    In the meantime, what better way for a groom to calm last minute nerves than enjoying a pint with his ushers and best man at the local pub before jumping in a Triumph Spitfire to make it to the church on time!

    Boys will be boys - Somerset documentary wedding photography

    The ceremony took place in the neighbouring village of Dinder, in its quintessentially English church. Real rose petals were strewn and despite a week full of rain, the sun shone for them gloriously. The couple and I made a sneaky stop off at a field overlooking Glastonbury Tor to capture their first few moments of married life. I love it when newly weds get to spend a few minutes away from the madding crowds and have a moment to revel in their new status! All too soon, it was onward to Charlton House near Shepton Mallett, recently under the new management of Duncan “Dragon” Bannantyne, for drinks on the lawn, Jenga, croquet, dance, lots and lots of sweets, flowers, a “real” cheese cake, cheese buffet and an all round damn fine celebration.

    Thank you to Bonnie and Will for inviting me to be part of and capture their day. Back today from their honeymoon in Greece, I’ve just found out that it’s also Bonnie’s birthday. Happy birthday Bonnie!

    Here are a few images that give you a flavour of the day, scroll to the bottom for the full gallery. With thanks to James Bailey for his brilliant second shooting

    Dinder village church - Somerset documentary wedding photography

    Newly wed - Somerset documentary wedding photography

    Wedded bliss - Somerset documentary wedding photography

    Blessings - Somerset documentary wedding photography

    Man and wife - Somerset documentary wedding photography

    Will & Bonnie - Somerset documentary wedding photography

    Beneath the old tree - Somerset documentary wedding photography

    Hilarity - Somerset documentary wedding photography

    Framed - Somerset documentary wedding photography

    Thrones - Somerset documentary wedding photography

    Flowerpots - Somerset documentary wedding photography

    Rings of gold - Wiltshire documentary wedding photography

    A hat for all seasons - Wiltshire documentary wedding photography

    Happiness - Wiltshire documentary wedding photography

    Real cheese - Wiltshire documentary wedding photography

    We are family - Wiltshire documentary wedding photography

    I think we're alone now - Wiltshire documentary wedding photography

    A walk in the clouds - Wiltshire documentary wedding photography

    Handmade with love - Wiltshire documentary wedding photography

    Tuckshop treats - Wiltshire documentary wedding photography

    In the limelight - Wiltshire documentary wedding photography

    Caught - Wiltshire documentary wedding photography

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  • FEATURED IMAGE: Oblivion: Lovers by the Sea

    Oblivion, South Wales documentary photography

    People ask me what I like about being a documentary photographer. I tell them that I love the special gift that comes with being a photographer; the privileged ability to record memories and moments in time. And if successful, to each viewer, the image will retell the very story that the photographer saw, a story that moved them so much that they chose to document that moment.

    It was during a fashion shoot that I spotted this couple sitting by the waters edge. Seeing them huddled up, looking out over a tempestuous sea made me pause a moment, reset my camera and capture a memory they thought might only be theirs.

    What was the moment that I saw? A story of lovers oblivious to anything else. Their world stood still – it was just them, their love and the sea.

    [Best viewed whilst listening to ‘By the Sea’ by Suede, if you will]