My Journal
All About Me & My Photography
What is a dry hire venue?
Most people reading this have probably heard the phrase dry or wet hire and thought what the hell does that mean. Well in relation to a wedding venue it might not be quite what you think.Is dry hire no alcohol? Short answer yes, long answer no. It doesn't mean no...
Choosing the right Country House Wedding for you
You're likely reading this article because you are considering having a country house as your wedding venue. If so fabulous as I shall share some of the gorgeous venues you could be looking at. I also look at the benefits of country houses and how the different types...
Rownhams – Southampton Country House Wedding Venue
I was involved with an editorial shoot at the beautiful Rownhams House last year. Now it's time to share my new found love of this stunning Georgian country house! Amazing transport links It may seem a bit of a random point to start with but it's really important....
Why are some people so scared of sharing knowledge?
I have always believed it is the responsibility of the current generation to prepare the next. That applies just as much to photographers as it does any other industry, and in fact for life in general. But within creative industries, there seems to be a hesitancy...
Badminton – Preparing for the Pilgrimage
I’m sitting in my living room pondering the enormous task that still befalls me, to be ready to leave for Badminton on Tuesday morning, and I'm hoping beyond hope that today’s rain is the last to fall and Monday’s forecast is incorrect. My camera equipment is nearly...
Snow Beauty
It was only a few weeks ago that there was snow everywhere, and I just had to organise a portrait session with someone in a wedding dress. Being limited by time and locations (I could only travel in walking distance and needed to organise something within a few...
Behind the Magic – Snow Fun – Ordinary to (hopefully) Outstanding!
The recent snow allowed me to satisfy one of my bucket list photo shoots, namely horses in the snow. The last decent snow fall I experienced was about 6 years ago, and I was unable to tick it off my list then, but this year I was able to take full advantage whilst...
Vision to Reality – Side Saddle Elegance
I often get ideas for various projects, but don't always that often get to create them in to a lasting reality. A few weeks ago with the help of the team at Harroway stables I was able to bring one of my ideas to life. I have always loved the elegance of side saddle,...
Behind the Magic – Inspiration & Influences
Every creative person whether an artist, author, photographer or otherwise has sources of inspiration. Those sources could be anything and I really do mean anything. Personally I have a collection of sources that I regularly utilise in different ways. Now I will start...
Behind the Magic – Editing workflow
I'm often asked about my workflow for editing a photo shoot so let me take you on a whistlestop tour of what I do from taking the photos to delivering the final images. In general I edit photo shoots in the order they take place. The slight exception is weddings which...
Behind the Magic – Merged Sequences
The majority of the time I only aim to take one photo at a time but occasionally I will take a few successive frames which when merged together can make a great sequence. The keys to making a good sequence are to be relatively side on to the fence, so you can record...
Behind the Magic – Always be prepared
If you were ever a Scout or Girl Guide the phrase 'be prepared' will be well known to you. Preparedness is vital in becoming a successful photographer in so many ways. My inspiration to write this blog stems from an American photo that went viral of some photographers...
Behind the magic – Behind the scenes studio lit shoot
Have you wondered how I create the beautiful low key black background portraits? This article will give you a behind the scenes look into how I use powerful portable studio lights that I can use almost anywhere within reason. I personally favour a one light set up as...
2017 some of the best
I loved 2017, it was a year of change and a great year of progression for me. I've experimented and I've taken risks, some worked, some didn't, but I've learnt from all of them. What lies ahead for 2018? More experimentation and some great big challenges, but bring...
Behind the magic – 10 tips for taking a Christmas family photo
So it's under a week away, the time when families descend upon each other, often in numbers only seen once a year. It can therefore be a great opportunity to take a group family photo so here are 10 tips to help you take a better photo. 1. Choose your location....
Behind The Magic – What I will, won’t & can’t photoshop!
Photoshop is a very very powerful tool when you know how to use it and can literally make the impossible possible. I utilise it on an almost daily basis but I try and use it to make photos 'cleaner' and try not to use it for things that are unbelievable. Occasionally...
New product! – Acrylic Prints
I am now pleased to offer acrylic prints to my offering of products thanks to German professional print lab Saal Digital. For a while I have been considering what ready to hang options I can offer to my customers, especially for my studio lit work which isn't always...
Behind The Magic – Shutter Speed, Aperture & ISO – The Basics
Shutter speed, aperture and ISO are the three fundamental settings when using any DSLR camera. So what are they and how do they work both on their own and together? Firstly we will look at each individually. Shutter speed - This is fairly self explanatory. It is the...
Behind the Magic – Enhancing an Autumnal image
It's Autumn here in England and the oranges are simply divine but sometimes it is worth enhancing the colours to really make an image stand out. BUT and this is a big but, if you are going to do it you need to do it correctly. I have seen an increasing abundance of...
Laura & Justin’s Wedding – Hartnoll Hotel Tiverton
The Hartnoll Hotel near the Devonshire town of Tiverton was the venue for Laura & Justin's wedding in September. Although I had lived in the area for many years and driven past on numerous occasions this was my first visit to the Hartnoll. In advance of the...
What would you like to know?
Have you got a burning question you would like to ask me? Would you like to know something about how I create my images or how I work? Drop me a line and let me know.