Tag: Bristol

Paintworks, an urban wedding – Bristol wedding photographer

So I sit here watching our right Royal Wedding – an amazing spectacle that has made me become a wedding junkie…for the day. What better celebration of the wedding tradition than the fairytale story of an every day girl marrying her Prince Charming for love?

And what better can a wedding photographer do on this wedding day of all wedding days than blog a wedding 🙂 James Garrett and Isabel Sealey came together to seal the deal after a decade of love together. Isabel is a teacher and textiles whizz whilst her Prince Charming James is a DJ (DJ Ironside) well known on the local club circuit (http://www.myspace.com/dj_ironside). In addition to this, James’ brother works in the music industry and his best man was a musical maestro (and engineer). James’ clubbing mates all spruced up very well for a relaxed with a BBQ buffet…and onward to the music!

At Paintworks, you get married, eat, dance in the same area – an industrial building shared with BocaBar upstairs and an outdoor courtyard. Honourable mention for David Hawkin’s best man speech which was one of the most entertaining I have heard, outting James to his mates as a trainspotter!

The official photographer was Kate Kirkby (www.katekirkbyphotography.co.uk), I provided additional coverage and behind-the-scenes shots.

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29 Apr ’11
Hello, sailor! 1950s US Vintage Pinup shoot – Bristol fashion photographer

Everything vintage is super in-vogue at the moment. But vintage can mean almost anything. When I think of vintage, I think of muted colours, decorative details, fanciful sweet embellishments and lashings of romance; everything that every girl loves in her wedding styling and photography right now. But it can also be the bold colours of rock and roll and the black and white of the silver screen.

I’m generally a modern day photographer – photographing and documenting our times. However, there is still something very appealing about vintage photography. For me, part of that is about capturing an age of innocence. When local strobist, Rob Heslop masterminded a shoot inspired by 1950s US pinups, I was immediately onboard. I wanted to recreate the spirit of the emergence of the first pinup age, when poses were cheeky and saucy, but rarely sleazy, from a time when women were women and men were men (for better or worse!) It didn’t help my Mad Men obsession one bit – for all his flaws, I mourn for the loss of the Don Drapers of this world.

The models rose to the challenge and we had plenty of fun. Some of these shots were directly inspired by authentic vintage pinup poses and others were more…improvised!

Massive effort was involved to bring this together, so huge thanks to Rob Heslop and further credit where its due…

Models:
Gemma/Miss Cherry Delight http://www.modelmayhem.com/1663173
BubbleFaery http://www.modelmayhem.com/816798
Adreena UK http://www.modelmayhem.com/1539867
Aavriel Angst http://www.modelmayhem.com/1686082
Kat Stroak
Kae Hopewell

Cars:
Bristol Hot Rods <http://www.bristolhotrods.co.uk

Collaborators included:
Roger Barnes
James Bailey
Angi Nelson
Peter Tecks

Please let me know if you were involved on this project and would like a high resolution file

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24 Oct ’10
Harmony, an urban wedding – Bristol wedding photographer

Kelly and Paul had a fabulous wedding that celebrated Bristol, the city where they had met and fallen in love. I knew they had been planning a fairly no-nonsense wedding, so I was surprised when they announced that as well as the church and brasseries, they had booked…a megayacht! The wedding played out at several locations across the city, starting close to where they lived, in fact Paul managed to fit in a swift pint at the pub before heading to church!

The megayacht was a fantastic venue and after several frosty weeks, we were all delighted to see the sun come out to greet us which meant the guests could revel on the yacht’s huge upper decks, although I personally thought it was a shame that no one wanted to take a dip in the hot tub. Although huge (with a lounge, dining room, several decks, dance hall, bedrooms and more!), working onboard did provide some photographic challenges in terms of space and lighting on the lower decks, so we had decided to do the couple’s shots at a park near their home. Actually they loved having this part of the day to themselves, having a moment to cavort and bask in the sun and also take in the reality that they had done the deed. Shooting in the park was a fun experience with local ‘wildlife’ dressed in varying shades of neon wandering through our photoshoot. Gotta love Bristol.

I loved the moment during his speech when Paul revealed that when he first met Kelly, he had thought “this is the woman I want to marry.” The stuff that fairytales are made of. Weddings are such huge events, I feel privileged as a wedding photographer to share the rare moments that a couple spends away from the madding crowd. As part of my signature style, I work with the couple to create key creative images that they would like to put on their wall in its own right, wedding picture or not. From this shoot, I particularly love the series of pictures of them walking through the trees because their house is in the distance and has that much more meaning to them. And of course, the images of Kelly, walking along the harbourside, radiant and buoyant with her love for Paul 🙂

As usual, here are a few of my favourites, full gallery at the bottom.

Preparations at The Greenhouse Salon

Classic styling

Diamante is a girl’s best friend?

A church with a view

…I thee wed

One for the family album

Blessings from above

In nature

A rare moment of solitude

Swept away

Half-full 😉

Ready and waiting

Finest dining

Sparkles and petals abound

The good stuff

Walking on air

Little Miss Sunshine

Striking a pose

All aboard!

Radiance

Through the looking glass, in the spotlight

Starboard

Disco 2000

Survivor

Sweetness

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28 Sep ’10
“I left my soul there, down by the sea”*

The flames fanned by the Photography Parlour shootout, and wanting to learn more about working with flash, I looked up my local Strobist group. Strobism is another name for off-camera flash use.

I really knew close to zero about working this way and turned up at Clevedon Beach to learn what I could and without knowing what to expect. The guys set about their business, enthusiastically setting up their lights so they could shoot the models, who were mainly girls in their swimsuits. Most were more than willing to let me get pitched in with them, which in many ways was brilliant and in other ways, I was in at the deep end! Following a ghastly day, we were lucky as the weather was extremely kind to us with a beautiful sun set to boot.

The models did really well, especially those for whom it was their first time modelling. It was also a good experience to direct first-timers. I enjoyed directing two models to look like a couple in love when they’d only met 10 minutes beforehand and trying to making the most of the flare from the setting sun.

I love to be by the sea and would love to do some more beach shoots somewhere like Cornwall. Although I very much like the pebble beach and rugged cliffs of Clevedon, I wouldn’t have thought of it as a modelling location, but our models bought a touch of glamour and romance to the ordinarily mumsy destination. Actually, I think it could pass for California or Ibiza in some of the shots!

Huge thanks to the Strobist team for their baptism by fire (or flash…) and the great models who were all so accommodating. I was surprised to get some usable shots from this shoot, a bonus!

With thanks to all who collaborated, including:
MUA
Cat Parnell http://www.modelmayhem/1518216
MODELS
HanahMarie (finalist in Bristol’s Next Top Model 2010!) http://www.modelmayhem.com/hanahmarie
Ryan Spong
Iain Gorrie http://www.modelmayhem.com/1701420

Ami Tipps BubbleFaery http://www.modelmayhem.com/816798

*And the blog title? From the Morcheeba song…

5 Sep ’10
A country affair: eco, rustic wedding at Folly Farm

**AS FEATURED IN WEDDING IDEAS JAN 2011 ISSUE!**

A day in the country
Bunting, haybales, teepees, a hogroast and bluebells…this was a truly country affair. The Avon Wildlife Trust’s glorious Folly Farm [www.follyfarm.org] bathed in surprisingly glorious sunshine, atop the Mendips, was the perfect venue for this rustic wedding, embellished with plenty of lovely decorations handmade by friends and family and a fabulous dress made by the seamstress extraordinaire Gill Cockwell of Gilly Woo Couture (www.gillywoo.com).

A fortunate accident
I wasn’t even meant to be there. Someone else’s misfortune had turned into my good fortune; Faye and Dave’s wedding photographer pulled out a month before the wedding. Without a contract to protect their investment, they were left in the lurch. With little notice, they had to find a new photographer. Photographs for several feature articles had to be delivered. As the wedding promised lots of handmade touches in a rustic setting, I originally recommended Rosie Parsons [www.rosieparsons.com] and Owen & Charis at O&C Photography [www.oacphotography.com], with the intention to second shoot. It would have been an honour to work with either of them.

A different challenge
In the end, Faye’s friends, Chris Marshall and Mike Clarke, took up the gauntlet and then she asked me to come along too. Between them, the videocameraman and yours truly, things were…interesting. The main challenge was keeping the others shooters out of the frame! For me, my favourite shot of the day came at sunset. I always carry an extra wide angle lens in my bag, but rarely put it to use at weddings. The couple were sitting for some of Chris’ pictures on a bench by the pond. Suddenly the pond was filled with all the colours of the sky and I realised that having very few minutes before the sun disappeared, I cleared everyone out from around the pond and got my shot.

Added bonus
Faye kept the cost of her wedding to a minimum by trading off goods, services and favours (!) against the promise of press coverage. I was more than happy when she selected my pictures to be submitted to Wedding Ideas magazine [www.weddingideasmag.com] , which were featured in the January 2011 issue, to be followed by further publications.

Some of the highlights (scroll down to bottom for full gallery)

Folly Farm Orchard

Bunting galore

Hats off to you kind sir

The arrival of the bride

Traditional decor

Delicious nibbles prepared by a chef friend shipped over from New Zealand

The bride arrived in style

A wonderful gnarly tree standing atop the hill

Faye, the blushing bride

Cute bunches of local blooms

Centrepieces made by the talented matron of honour

What character!

Heavens above

Into the night

Illuminating

Spellbound

Ole!

Gleaming smile and ring

Knees up!

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7 Aug ’10
Photography Parlour G2G: Togs

Some of the incredible talent behind the photographs.

After a full day of shooting, shooting, shooting at the first Photography Parlour get together, some of us still had energy to get a bit to eat, all sat around one table (well several actually) for a great feast hosted at the ever brilliant One Stop Thali. I took a few snaps of people around the table.

JOSEPH YARROW [www.josephyarrow.com]
Bristol documentary wedding photographer – capturing moments with style

CHARIS & OWEN WARRELL [www.oacphotography.com]
Pembrokeshire wedding and portrait photography – creative, warm and romantic stories

KIRSTEN MAVRIC [www.kirstenmavric.co.uk]
London lifestyle portrait photographer – contemporary, fresh work

MARYANNE HAWES [http://www.lightanddayphoto.com]
Chepstow family portrait photographer – relaxed, fun portraits

DOMINIQUE BADER [http://www.dominiquebaderblog.com]
London wedding and portrait photographer – beautiful, classic images

CHANELLE SEGERIUS & CRAIG BRUCE [http://www.segeriusbruceblog.com]
London husband & wife wedding photography team – high end photojournalism with flair

Last but not least, the amazing ROSIE PARSONS [www.rosieparsons.com]
Devon wedding photographer – funky, fun, contemporary weddings

Thanks for running the Photography Parlour [http://www.thephotographyparlour.com] and arranging this amazing G2G Rosie!

An exhausting day, but I can’t wait to do it again! Thanks Rosie, Vicky and everyone else to made this day such a success.

30 Jul ’10
Photography Parlour G2G: Miss Cherry Delight

Saving the best for last, these pictures of Miss Cherry Delight (Gemma) are my personal favourite from the day. I loved shooting Gemma. The combination of her striking looks, amazing vintage dress and colourful tattoos made for a very individual look. These images are my favourite from the day because they have a real cinematic feel, as if they are stills from a film.

For me, the best shoots are ones where the model connects with the camera and the magic happens; an emotion or a feeling is created with the image, a story is told and you want to know more. Most models can smile, strike a pose and stand so a dress looks good, but to convey something of yourself or a character through to the viewer is what makes models like Kate Moss more successful than another girl down the street. Sometimes you have chemistry with the model, sometimes it’s a complete surprise until you see how the images are shaping up.

It was a great surprise to find that I could make this kind of connection during a shootout. Gemma has a great look. I hope to work with her again!

I’ll let each of these tell you their own story:

Credit where it’s due…

Model:
Miss Cherry Delight (Gemma) http://www.modelmayhem.com/1663173

Venue
The Harmony II www.harmonyyachtclub.com

Dresses
www.vintagedress.co.uk

China and table styling
www.vintageteasets.co.uk

Catering
www.mcbaile.com

Cakes:
Sheona’s of Cake Matters www.cakematters.co.uk

Flowers:
Floriture www.floriture.com

Makeup:
Lilly MUA www.modelmayhem.com/1075740
Heather Talbot www.modelmayhem.com/1192627
Cat Parnell www.catparnell.tk
Sara Friar www.heygorgeous.me.uk/bodypainting.html

28 Jul ’10
Photography Parlour G2G: Clara

Clara is a natural model with a great contemporary look that the camera loves. Between organised shoots, I snapped up the opportunity to get a few shots with her.

I loved the clean lines of the gown she was wearing and the fabulous floral pendant created by Floriture. Together with her mass of curls, Clara had a striking silhouette. The sun was high in the sky, making exposure tricky, but with some care, I got some of my favourite images from the day that really had the feel of a glorious summer day aboard a yacht.

Through the looking glass:

Pausing for thought:

Classic styling:

On the deck:

Clara wasn’t the only one that loved this floral pendant by Floriture:

The beautiful Clara B, who will be plenty in demand after this shootout:

Stunning corsage from Floriture:

Deep in thought:

The fashion shot:

Credit where it’s due…

Model:
Clara B http://www.modelmayhem.com/1417038

Venue
The Harmony II www.harmonyyachtclub.com

Dresses
www.vintagedress.co.uk

China and table styling
www.vintageteasets.co.uk

Catering
www.mcbaile.com

Cakes:
Sheona’s of Cake Matters www.cakematters.co.uk

Flowers:
Floriture www.floriture.com

Makeup:
Lilly MUA www.modelmayhem.com/1075740
Heather Talbot www.modelmayhem.com/1192627
Cat Parnell www.catparnell.tk
Sara Friar www.heygorgeous.me.uk/bodypainting.html

27 Jul ’10
Photography Parlour G2G: Sylvie

This was my first full shoot with a model at the G2G. Sylvie is a stunning model, whose dark features and olive skin are a combination of German and Bulgarian ancestry. She was kitted out in a beautiful vintage wedding dress, gloves and matching accessories, courtesy of Vintage Dresses. A bride in a beautiful gown is always centre of attention and this was no exception.

We headed along the harbour then caught the little ferry (with bemused ferry master!) that took us over the SS Great Britain, we snapped a few pics there before being ushered on by the powers that be. The sun was particularly harsh during this shoot and Sylvie has the longest false eyelashes on, which looked stunning, but lead to dark eyes on some of the pics. Still, I like this set of photographs for the spirit that they show, thanks to the energy that Sylvie put into her work.

Photographing at a shootout is a very unique experience, some groups took it in turns to direct the model, in others it was a complete free for all, which I’m sure is good paparazzi training. Sylvie took this in her stride. She is a fantastically proactive model, who was very responsive to direction. It’s always great to work with a model who enjoys being photographed, which is no mean feat with ten cameras pointed at you!

If you were involved with the shoot and would like high resolution files, please contact me via www.marieman.

Ladies and Gents, Sylvie…

Bristol Fashion:

Ahoy there:

My favourite shot of Sylvie, with the coloured houses of Clifton Wood in the background:

Wonderful vintage accessories provided by Vintage Dresses:

Harsh shadows, but I love this shot of Sylvie, strong and spirited:

Sylvie loved to striking a pose:

Anchors away!

The Titanic shot:

Onboard the Harmony megayacht:

Alice in Wonderland:

Credit where it’s due…

Model:
Silvi http://www.modelmayhem.com/portfolio/1216312/0

Venue
The Harmony II www.harmonyyachtclub.com

Dresses
www.vintagedress.co.uk

China and table styling
www.vintageteasets.co.uk

Catering
www.mcbaile.com

Cakes:
Sheona’s of Cake Matters www.cakematters.co.uk

Flowers:
Floriture www.floriture.com

Makeup:
Lilly MUA www.modelmayhem.com/1075740
Heather Talbot www.modelmayhem.com/1192627
Cat Parnell www.catparnell.tk
Sara Friar www.heygorgeous.me.uk/bodypainting.html

12 Jul ’10
Photography Parlour G2G: Janka

The Photography Parlour is a website and forum run by wedding photographer Rosie Parsons for aspiring pro photographers. The emphasis is mainly on vintage and wedding photography, but all are welcome! I love the articles she features on the site, from first assignment to ‘celebrity’ photographers!

Last month, she organised the first Photography Parlour G2G (get together) in Bristol, with photographers coming from all over the country for a shootout filled with vintage dresses, yachts, teasets, cakes and flowers!

The first model I worked with was Janka. A tall, stunning blonde with a versatile look who responded well to direction. I gatecrashed this shoot halfway through, by which time, Janka had started to take ill. She remained professional and stayed on until our session was completed, but the tension in her body became increasingly evident in as the shoot progressed.

So, she doesn’t look at her radiant best, but I’ve put these pictures online anyhow to thank Janka and the girls I was shooting with. If you were involved with the shoot and would like high resolution files, please contact me via www.marieman.

Ladies and Gents, I present you with Janka!…

A little vintage fashion glams up Bristol Harbourside:

With the start of an unseasonally(!) good stint of weather (perhaps even a real summer), we were challenged by strong sun, but better than a storm!

Kirsten Mavric brought along this cute prop:

Glamour comes easy:

Classic beauty, the Harmony Megayacht that kindly hosted our event is in the background:

Fine weather for a 99 Flake:

Shades of lilac:

Credit where it’s due…

Model:
Janka www.modelmayhem.com/1556691

Venue
The Harmony II www.harmonyyachtclub.com

Dresses
www.vintagedress.co.uk

China and table styling
www.vintageteasets.co.uk

Catering
www.mcbaile.com

Cakes:
Sheona’s of Cake Matters www.cakematters.co.uk

Flowers:
Floriture www.floriture.com

Makeup:
Lilly MUA www.modelmayhem.com/1075740
Heather Talbot www.modelmayhem.com/1192627
Cat Parnell www.catparnell.tk
Sara Friar www.heygorgeous.me.uk/bodypainting.html

30 Jun ’10