Wuthering Heights: Mesmerising Cinematography

So I was feeling a little glum last night and thought that I would indulge it further by going to see the new film by Andrea Arnold; Wuthering Heights.  I hadn't even seen the trailer but after watching Fishtank I was in awe of this director and beyond excited to see what she would do with this Bronte classic.  Wuthering Heights was always a favourite for me during my angsty teenage years.  It's the ultimate doomed love story for a hopeless romantic.  I used to lie in the bath in the dark listening to the audio version in the run up to my GCSE English exams. Having recently got to grips with the video function on my Canon 5D mk II I have become more intrigued by the intricacies of film.  This movie didn't disappoint for quality of inspiration.  I was so moved by the combination of power and subtlety and the tensions between the characters and nature.  The use of texture and light made my heart ache and race.  It's not a film for everyone (my father wasn't an ideal viewing companion!) but if this trailer touches you then you will understand.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoOuB9PAVug]

Shooting dancers

A new challenge last week - facing November temperatures and shooting a couple of dancers outside.  I met Emelye at Camp Bestival in the summer - she gave me some wellies (she was working for Shuh) and I was working for Monkey Shoulder.  We swapped numbers and finally managed to meet up in Portsmouth for a shoot with her friend James. Pretty early in the shoot the police rolled up to say they had received a complaint from some locals about people 'prancing in their underwear'.  The police obviously didn't waste much time in coming to have a look.... once we promised that Emelye wouldn't be stripping down any further they let us continue without concern for further risk.

We started off at Knowle Village - a community village built around the old hospital buildings then ended up at Titchfield Abbey, the ruins of a 17th century abbey which was a gorgeous location.  Hair and make up by Tori Harris.  Delicious cupcakes for eleveneses baked by Emelye.

Kate + Alex's Wedding at Great Fosters, Surrey

I have to confess; covering a wedding for a friend is quite possibly the most stressful assignment out there for a photographer.  I feel the pressure even more than usual to ensure that the photos are absolutely knock-out good (they know where I live), but this wedding actually turned out to be one of the most relaxed and calm I've been to all year.  The whole day from start to finish just flowed smoothly.  The team at Great Fosters were outstanding, with fabulous attention to detail and service.  And Kate and Alex simply radiated happiness and charm throughout. Kate got ready at her parents house, with make up by her friend Christina Panzini and then it was a short hop to the very lovely chapel upon a hill; St Edward the Confessor in Sutton Park.  It was pretty tight inside which meant I had to try and make myself even more discrete during the ceremony (at nearly 6 ft this is something I sometimes struggle with!).  Kate's composure dropped and her emotion came through as she entered the church on her dad's arm wearing a stunning gown designed for her by Forget Me Not Designs.  At the top of the aisle, Alex was tense in anticipation before he turned to see her walking down the aisle.  Oh, I'm welling up just writing about it! As everyone piled out of the church the sun broke through, accompanied by the pealing of church bells courtesy of one of the ushers, Mark, my brother (such wide ranging skills, who knew?!) and I pulled the couple away for a quick stroll up to the end of the church lawn and a few pictures. Back at Great Fosters we took a walk around the gardens where we had been a few weeks earlier for their engagement shoot.  Except for 30 seconds of rain (literally) it stayed bright and lovely.  I could have shot for hours with them, they are such a beautiful couple, but got them back to the Tythe Barn in good time for their grand entrance.   Usually at a wedding I will take a break during the meal (photos of people eating are never flattering), collapse in a corner, call my boyfriend and drink a LOT of water and when lucky be provided with the wedding meal.  Kate and Alex kindly squeezed me onto a table and I was sandwiched between newly weds Gemma (my brother's wife - wedding pics from Ibiza here) and Hayley.  Unfortunately for them I probably wasn't great company as I was hopping up and down every 5 minutes for shots but it was nice to grab snippets of conversation between mouthfuls.

The meal was delicious, salmon roulade, lamb and plum crumble and ice cream.  Cheese came in the form of a cheese 'cake' instead of the traditional wedding cake (made by The Lavender Hill Company who also did all the beautiful flowers).  After the first dance the awesome Ska band, Oomphf from Brighton kicked in, and parked outside was a photobooth taxi providing instant prints for guests.  Here is me and Dan the fantastic videographer from From the Hip trying it out:

If you were a guest at Kate and Alex's wedding you can view the full album here.  The password is their surname.

The Lazy Duck at Nethy Bridge

So after my epic adventures in America I then retreated up to Aviemore, via a small wedding in Perth (to be blogged about soon), to stay with Walter and Lucy at Inshriach House in anticipation of a wedding I was covering there at the end of the week. Lovely Polly (who owns The Dell of Abernethy cottages which I blogged about here) asked if I would photograph the latest accommodation addition at her parents place, the Lazy Duck at Nethy Bridge, the Woodman's Hut.  The cottage is super cosy with a wood burning stove and a cute box bed which can be closed up at night and has a skylight for stargazing, and windows out into the woods and across to the Caingorms for lazy mornings in bed with a cup of tea.  I had almost finished up there when the sun came out in a last blaze of glory before dipping down behind the mountains and it was absolutely lovely.

The bit at the end is an outdoor shower...

The Lazy Duck Hostel...

Some Lazy Ducks...

Spaceport America

A blog about something a little different today... I've just returned from an incredible trip covering America, Canada and Mexico with my father which saw us touring Vancouver, cycling the Golden Gate in San Francisco and visiting friends in Los Angeles to climb to above the Hollywood sign.  The highlight of the trip was the opportunity to photograph at the world's first purpose-built commercial spaceport, Spaceport America near Las Cruces in the Jornada del Muerto desert basin in New Mexico. Last week saw the opening of the new terminal building, a collaboration between Virgin Galactic and the State of New Mexico.

The launch event was attended by the world press, celebrities from Kate Winslet to Buzz Aldrin to Princess Beatrice, along with 150 of the nearly 470 'future astronauts' who have already parted with $200k each to be the first space tourists.

It was a tremendous privilege to be able to see the site, watch a flight demonstration of Spaceship2 and Whiteknight2 and to hear speakers including the ex second in command from Nasa, the govenor of New Mexico and Richard Branson among others.

My new aims after such a spectacular trip are to start flying lessons and hopefully one day (when the price comes down) purchase my own trip into space.  The whole experience moved me far more than I anticipated.

Galactic Girl, Sir Richard's private jet as he arrived early morning for the event...

Watching the flight demonstration with the Govenor of New Mexico...

Buzz Aldrin presenting Sir Richard with the street name for the Spaceport - named after the address of their first office in London...

Carla + Tom's Liverpool Wedding

The last time I went to Liverpool was for the launch of a New Look store in my old existence as a marketeer, so my knowledge was limited to the shopping district.  It was a long way to go on Saturday, especially after a full day wedding in Surrey on the Friday but a friend and colleague, Luke, asked me at the last minute to cover his brother's wedding for just three hours.  And since I had just bought the Skoda, I thought it a good opportunity to stretch her legs on the open road. I pretty much never photograph a couple without having met them at least once, and usually done an engagement shoot with them too, so it was a little strange turning up on the doorstep of Carla's friend, where she was getting ready.  The gorgeous three story house was a hive of activity with Carla having six bridesmaids (of mixed sex).  My favourite image of Carla was actually taken in the bathroom, sitting on the loo, where the light was gorgeous - she looks absolutely beautiful.

Michelle Webb, a friend of Carla's, was doing the make-up.  I'd met Michelle before on the set of 500 Miles North, a film directed by Luke and mostly filmed up at Inshriach.  I went on set for three days to do some behind the scenes shots.

Luke didn't supply me with details of the church until the last minute, so it was a bit of a Magical Mystery Tour (ahem) of Liverpool, but I found the church, All Hallows, Allerton, looming large on a fork in the road.  The bridal party made their entrance, with Carla walked down the aisle by her mother who had come over from Mexico.

I was only booked to stay long enough to get the group photos done outside the church (efficiently choreographed by Luke), and a few shots of the couple before the party reconvened at a local pub for the reception and I headed back on the long drive to Surrey.

Chris + Meghann's Wedding on Barra (Outer Hebrides)

During quieter times I like to make the most of my destination weddings and so a wedding in Barra, the Southern most island of the Outer Hebrides, became a week long road (and boat) trip for me and mum in early June.Chris and Meghann are Americans who somehow found my details and got in touch. As a MacNeil, Meghann wanted to celebrate her Scottish heritage by marrying on the Isle of Barra, at the seat of the MacNeils, Kisimul Castle; situated on a tiny island in the bay of Castlebay. Given the journey involved getting from Pasadena where Chris and Meghann and their families live to Barra it was close family only.You can fly to Barra (it is the only airport in the world that has scheduled beach landings!) but mum andI decided we had time to take the slow route which involved me collecting her from Inverness airport (she coming from Gatwick, me coming from Inshriach House’s folk festival Insider, a little worse for wear) and driving to Oban for the 7 hour ferry crossing to Barra’s Castlebay. With only about 1600 residents, island life is a little different to life on the mainland. Our B&B (Tigh Na Mara Guesthouse) host looked quizzically at us when we requested keys for our rooms, ‘you won’t need those here’, he assured us. How refreshing.I joined the family for the rehearsal on the tiny castle out on the bay and the wind and rain whipped around us. The next morning however, the sky was blue and the waters calm. I loved the intimacy of a wedding of only 11 people (including the bride and groom) and the setting couldn’t have been more picturesque. It was a joy to spend time with them and their lovely families and they invited me and mum to join them for the wedding meal at The Castlebay Hotel that evening after I had stolen them away for a half hour for some informal shots on the beach. After honeymooning in Italy they are now back in the US and have a summer of celebrations to share their marriage with wider friends and family.

Hannah + Danny's Wedding at Mar Hall, Glasgow

Hannah and Danny are the young couple that I recently photographed in Edinburgh for their engagement shoot.  I was so looking forward to their wedding and it didn't disappoint. When I join a bride at the start of the day they are often getting ready either in their own home or that of their parents which is always quite an insight into who they are and it's quite a privilege to be invited into such a personal space.  Despite being a doctor, it's clear that Hannah is a multi-talented girl.  Music is important to her and her creativity shone through in the wedding favours, decorations and the fact that she had personally designed the bridesmaids dresses and her mother's dresses.  I loved an anecdote that her father told during his speech about how, as a little girl, she was in an art shop and the lady behind the counter asked 'when you grow up do you want to be an artist?', Hannah, confused, replied, 'I already am an artist'.

When I arrived at Hannah's parents house that morning they had already had their hair and make-up done and were milling about looking so extremely calm and relaxed I thought I must be in the wrong house.

The boys were also pretty relaxed and Danny looked so happy and excited.

Despite some upset about the scaffolding that had unexpectedly gone up at the church in the weeks preceding the wedding, all such concerns drifted away as Hannah arrived down the aisle on the arm of her proud father.  The church was so beautiful inside.  Robben led the parade - Hannah had been bridesmaid at her parent's wedding 13 years ago - a tradition they hope will again be honoured in another 13 years.

On coming out of the church the rain that had not stopped all day was still pouring but nothing could wipe the smiles off their faces as they bundled straight into their waiting car whilst the guests stayed on at the church for tea and cake.  We went straight on to Mar Hall for the couple photographs.

They had pictures of both sets of their parents on their wedding day and a polaroid camera available for guests to take pictures and add to the guestbook.

I've mentioned Mar Hall before - it has the most wonderful grand hall which hosted a champagne reception, followed by the meal in an absolutely huge marquee (necessary to seat the 190 guests).  I have to say Danny's speech will be hard to top.  He told us that it had not been love at first sight but required a little engineering from some insightful friends, but then surprised everyone by pulling out a guitar and serenaded his new bride with a self-penned love song left the 190 guests in no doubt about the strength of his adoration and love for her now.

If you were a guest at this lovely wedding, you can view the full album and buy prints here. The password is Danny's surname.

Hairpiece by Katy Moon

Dress by Joyce Young by Storm

Flowers by Ruby Flowers

Cake by Top Tier

Yvonne & Gordon's Wedding at Brigadoon

Brig O'doon House Hotel in Ayr is a perfect wedding venue.  The hotel itself is set on the banks of the River Doon in an outstandingly beautiful area within lovely manicured gardens. The Brig o' Doon is a late medieval bridge used as the setting for the final verse of the Robert Burns's poem Tam o' Shanter. In this scene Tam is on horseback and is being chased by Nannie the witch. He is just able to escape her by crossing the bridge (over a running stream) narrowly avoiding her attack as she is only able to grab the horse's tail which comes away in her hands (thanks Wikipedia - my literature degree didn't cover Burns comprehensively).

Yvonne and Gordon had taken over Doonbrae House, a 19th century house opposite the house, to stay in before and that's where Yvonne and the girls were getting ready whilst the boys were in Rose Cottage next door.  Yvonne was very cheery and relaxed when I arrived, more concerned with helping everyone else in the party to get ready before herself, I found her on the floor tying up her dad's laces long after she should have been in her dress!  Gordon and the boys, on the other hand, were regretting getting into their woollen kilts so early as for October it was so, so hot and muggy.

The bridal party were piped over to the hotel and down the grand staircase into the main ballroom where the ceremony was taking place.  The flowers and bouquet were created by Elaine at Dream Flowers & Favours.  The celebrant for the ceremony was one of Gordon's tennis students.

Yvonne's niece, Emily, was like her little shadow the entire day...

Doonbrae House...

Tennis ball's as favours...

If you were a guest at Yvonne and Gordon's wedding, you can view the whole album and purchase images here.  The password is Gordon's surname.

Kate + Alex's Engagement Shoot at Great Fosters, Surrey

I am hugely flattered to have been chosen by Kate and Alex to shoot their wedding.  As a school friend of my brother's, I hadn't seen Alex for many, many years until he was best man at Mark's wedding recently.  Mark hadn't actually mentioned to Alex and Kate that his sister was a wedding photographer and so they had booked another photographer.  Happily for me they decided to change at the last minute and even more happily I was available.  We managed to squeeze in this shoot 10 days before their wedding.

I was bowled over by how stunning Great Fosters is - it will be a perfect wedding venue.  The grounds are spectacular and the venue itself is impeccably smart with wonderful staff.  We had a lovely 2 hours wandering around the grounds and they were such a delight to photograph - and absolutely gorgeous as you can see...  9 days and counting!

Lucy + Simon's highland wedding at Inshriach House

When I met up with Lucy and simon in the summer in Super Pizza on Brick Lane I was delighted - here was a couple with strong creative ideas and lots of input as to the type of photography they wanted. Roll on a few months and I arrived up at Inshriach House, nr Aviemore to find full hands on deck for their homemade village fete style wedding. The marquee on the lawn of the main house was bedecked in the brightly coloured, many metres of bunting that Sophie had worked tirelessly on for the Insider Festival, long trestle tables ran the length, covered with linen and sackcloth and scattered with purple vetch. Wild flowers were in a mix of cut glass vases and jars and the crockery and cutlery were mismatched. Unique place names (the arrangement of which were still being decided on hours before the ceremony!) were handwritten seed mats which could be taken home and planted. As I captured the details in the morning both the bride and groom were wandering in and out seeing to last minute arrangements.

Lucy didnt emerge from the bathroom until about an hour before the ceremony and slipped effortlessly into a trailing vintage style lace dress and enormous platform shoes (Lucy is very petite and Simon well over six feet!) and then I dashed on ahead to meet Simon at the Old Bridge Inn opposite the church - St Aidan's.

The cars were supplied by Bygone Drives in Aviemore with the bride arriving in a beautiful 1954 convertible split screen Morris Minor and her three gorgeous sisters, who were the bridesmaids, in a Bentley.

Whilst the signing of the register took place Lucy's sisters sang and Lucy and Simon peeped out to watch, both very moved. This is a couple so deeply in love that it's expressed strongly in their every interaction, so much so that I was moved to tears just watching them (it's something of an occupational hazard).

I always knew the the couple photographs would have the most spectacular backdrops. I could have shot there all day and we didn't even make it to the farmyard (chickens, tractors, festival props etc) but we did stroll through the fields and past the squash court and bothys.

The owners of Inshriach, Lucy and Walter Micklethwait, perhaps inadvertently,  come as part of the venue fee and are untiring in their efforts to ensure that a wedding on the estate runs like clockwise with nothing being too much trouble (picking vetch at 7am on the wedding day, extra lighting for photobooths at 11pm at night etc) So much so that the grateful bride usual insist they join the guests for the party.  As this bride told me, unlike other venues who are quick to discuss costs and curfews during an enquiry call, Walter simply enthused that a wedding at inshriach is 'amazing!' - sales pitch enough for an openminded couple with imagination.  Where possible they encourage the use of local or connected suppliers (such as myself - I have been going to Inshriach for 10 years) which gives any event a homely and personal touch.

The food, which had a very Scottish flavour, including venison stew and cranachan was supplied by Taste of Moray.  The cake (made by Lucy's sister, layers of coffee and fruit and nut cakes trimmed with wild flowers) was cut and it was onto a waltz for the first dance, played in by Ali and Hazen et al of Ord Ban Music who followed up with a good old barn storming ceilidh (which yours truly couldn't resist joining for a very extended Dashing White Sergeant.

I ended the night with an hour in the teepee cum photobooth with guests scratching out messages for the couple on the blackboard.  It's the first time I've done a photobooth but I really think it brings out the exhibitionist in guests - well, that and a belly full of wine, love and happiness...

(If you were a guest at this wedding, you can view the full album here.  The password is the surname of the groom).

Faye + Hugo's London Wedding

This summer my friend and fellow photographer Lorna ended up with a foot in plaster.  Not a good situation for a wedding photographer - you kind of need to be super mobile and for hours on end.  I was more than happy to step in and help her out at the intimate London wedding for Dutch couple Faye and Hugo. Having been living in London for a few years and big fans they wanted to mark their wedding in true London style which meant red double decker buses, union jack bow ties and Chelsea Town Hall.  Their bigger wedding happened later back in Holland later in the summer.

We caught up with them at Chelsea  Town Hall where the guests arrived on a London bus from The Hilton Hotel in Paddington.  The ceremony took place at the Chelsea Town Hall and the couple arrived together, Hugo walking Faye up the aisle in front of a small number of family and friends.

After champagne on the street the group headed back to Faye and Hugo's gorgeous flat in Notting Hill for cake and champagne.  Their friends had clubbed together to buy them a garden bench inscripted with their names and the date of the wedding.

A few hours later everyone regathered at the stunning private members club, Home House, for an evening meal and speeches.

Alice Mary Lynch - Dollmaker

Alice and I went to primary school together in Somerset many, many years ago.  As the daughter of two artists (James and Kate Lynch) creativity was in her blood and she was so obviously talented.  It was no surprise that she combined art with fashion and went on to work for John Galliano/Christian Dior followed by designing for Sonia Rykiel.  She bumped into my parents recently which prompted me to get in touch and check out what she has been doing.  It's so utterly gorgeous and unique that I had to share it.

Now living in Paris she takes inspiration from the fashion world combined with travel to create bespoke, personalised hand-made dolls created from the stories of the client commissioning the doll as well as personal keepsakes such as ribbons, fabrics and momentos.  She makes dolls for occasions such as births, marriages or just as a beautiful gift.

Alice says:  "I love imagination and humour, people who have their feet on the ground whilst dreaming, the poetry in everyday life.  I like a certain vulnerability whilst standing strong, 1930's cabaret, dark, shiny and mad, and silen films.  I like the circus, the colours when the lights go down, the trapeze artist making an entrance.  I like it behind the scenes, there are stories there, and toys and childhood, and history on our doorstep."

If you want to commission a doll from Alice, you can find more information at her website, blog or Facebook page.  All photographs taken by Alice or Sakura Fischer.

Laura + Jon's Wedding on Loch Awe

As chilled out brides go, Laura probably rates as the most chilled.  This is a bride who, when her car with her and her bridesmaids broke down on the way to the hairdresser in the nearby town, rather than waste time waiting to be rescued simply stuck out her thumb and hitched with the first passer by.  Despite arriving 40 minutes late back at Ardanaiseig Hotel she was super cool and relaxed and remained that way for the rest of the day. Ardanaiseig Hotel is one of the most spectacularly located venues I've been to recently.  A romantic and luxury hotel tucked away at the end of a 6-mile one track road on the edge of Loch Awe on the West Coast of Scotland, furnished eccentrically by the owner, a London antiques dealer.  Jon and Laura had exclusive use of the venue and grounds which include a boathouse where Laura was getting ready.  It wasn't until the penultimate moment that the decision to ignore the morning of torrential rain and risk holding the wedding outside in the amphitheatre by the loch was made, and the staff scurried around to make it happen (admittedly the alternative great hall looked beautiful but who could resist an outdoor wedding, in Scotland, in September?)

As the guests tottered across the grass in their heels Laura was peeking over the balcony of the boathouse to see them arrive.  Finally it was time, and escorted by her mother, Laura was piped into the opening for the ceremony.

The reception was held back at the house and I hung dangerously onto the top window to get the group shot before arranging family and friends for the family shots with the almost surreal landscape of Ben Cruachan behind them.  The location was such a treat to photograph in and Laura braved the damp in her heels to wander round the grounds.

(If you were a guest at this wedding you can access the full album and purchase prints here and the password is Jon's surname).

My favourite touch in their decorations of the marquee was the booklet, laid out for each guest, with a short paragraph about every one of the guests to get the conversation flowing.  As Jon pointed out in his speech, when you have everyone from a high court judge to a onion farmer in the party you can't fail to find someone to engage with!

A week in the highlands

I'm just back in Surrey after a wonderful few weeks in Scotland.  I like to combine work and pleasure where possible so I meandered up North after Tara and Folarin's wedding in Bedford for a couple of Glasgow weddings and finishing up in Aviemore at Inshriach House - one of my favourite places in the world.  I'll be blogging about the wonderful home-made wedding that Lucy and Simon had up there on Saturday night but I thought I would post a few pictures of the delightful Inshriach landscape taken for the Location Scotland website - taken in between hoovering the house ready for wedding guests, washing a smelly Monty-dog and cooking for Walter and Lucy to earn my stay in the 'Summer Palace' (see the last picture for my cosy home for the week).  I shot a fashion story up here last autumn and the place is just brimming with amazing locations including the Spey, numerous bothy's, a squash court, a victorian dog shed , vegetable garden and a mini loch - all within a stone's throw of the main house.  It's also home to the amazing Insider Festival in June.  Many thanks to Walter and Lucy for their hospitality, wine and for turning my electric blanket on full in anticipation of my late night arrival :) From top:  Cottages, loch, squash court

From top:  Caingorm Mountains, Loch, Inshriach House (with teepee and wedding marquee in background)

From top left: Squash court and bothy, river Spey, Victorian dog shed, 'Beer Moth'

Official residence:  Summer Palace

Before leaving I popped in to The Dell of Abernethy to take a few pictures for Ross and Polly of their new home which they have taken over running near Nethy Bridge. It has six stone cottages attached to the house which you can visit all year round and is an awesomely quiet and beautiful spot perfect for exploring the Caingorms.

Tara + Folarin's Wedding at Wrest Park

This year I have photographed an American bride in the Outer Hebrides and an Irish bride on the Amalfi Coast and last weekend I got to photograph a Nigerian bride in the beautiful English Bedfordshire countryside. I don't know the area well but early on a bright Thursday morning I found myself driving along the Embankment of the River Ouse in the heart of Bedford to The Bedford Swan Hotel to find my Tara and her 7 (!) bridesmaids getting ready in a gorgeous exposed timber room.

After shooting the preparations for an hour or so I headed off 10 minutes down the road to Christ the King Church for the ceremony.

And then on to Wrest Park which I blogged about recently as we did their engagement shoot there.  It is staggeringly beautiful and only recently opened to the public after extensive renovations.  I could have spent hours shooting in the gardens but we kept it fairly quick so the couple could get back to their party.  Whilst we were shooting the rest of the party were able to go on a little tour of the grounds themselves.

For me the highlight was the entrance of the bridal party which was led by the two mothers dancing their way through the rest of the guests.  And the dancing and smiling didn't stop all night.  In fact I don't think Tara left the dancefloor all evening!

I was delighted to have Ioannis Crouch of Reel Emotion doing the video as he was a pleasure to work with and good company.

Mikey the Model Team/ScotCampus Winner

Over the last year or so Cathy at Model Team has been brilliant at letting me use the new models on her books for test shoots so I was more than happy to help out when she asked me if I would photograph the Fresher's Week winner of the Model Team & ScotCampus Magazine model search. I've shot a few weddings at One Devonshire Gardens, a Hotel Du Vin venue and was keen to do something more formal there as it's such a beautiful hotel (if it's good enough for Cheryl Cole...).  It rained all day non the previous weekend when I shot a wedding there but for our shoot it was gorgeous sunshine all morning providing lots of dappled light in the courtyard through the trees.  Mikey didn't enjoy the sunshine so much with his baby blue eyes being ultra sensitive - he kept his eyes shut most of the time until I shouted 'now'! as a prompt.  Made for a sultry scowl though...

We could have shot all day but we had to let Mikey head off into town to meet his patient girlfriend who was waiting to celebrate their 2 year anniversary.  I'm pretty happy with the results though.

Thanks to Alan Drummond who has recently gone from being friend to friend/assistant - he did an awesome job and I'm looking forward to him working with me at a wedding at the end of the month.  Hair and make-up was Sarah MacInnes.  Styling was a mish-mash of all of us as my favourite stylist Katy was rushed to hospital (she's ok now).  Who knew male styling was so difficult?!

Astrid

These are a few images I took of a model who answered an ad for a studio shoot. I wanted to create an Almodovar (Matador) inspired look which is the first image. The backdrop is a blown up matador poster. I loved what Alanna Lennox Coates did with her hair, and Rachel Helena Imrie did the make-up. Styling by Katie Nicholson.

Mo + Lionel's Engagement Shoot

I hadn't seen Mo and Lionel since we met to first discuss their wedding back in September but their wedding date has swung round so fast, in fact we only just managed to squeeze in the engagement shoot last weekend, two weeks before their wedding, before they rushed off to go and look at a new house they are looking to buy in Perth. They are such a lovely smiley couple and reassured me that the rain wasn't a problem in Glasgow's Botanic Gardens. They then enthralled me with plans of their honeymoon - a drive around Italy taking in the main cities and wine regions. That's pretty much what my parents did for their honeymoon and sounds absolutely perfect.

Dodmoor House Winter Wedding Photography || Northampton Wedding Photography

Winter weddings can make me a little nervous (especially in Scotland) when the weather is unpredictable and light limited but when the elements come together in a beautiful harmony then the conditions can be stunning and a crisp, clear winter day is a wonderful backdrop. I had a day like this in November at Dodmoor House in Northamptonshire.

After a rocky start to their engagement (Carol was knocked unconscious on the ski slopes moments after Stefan had proposed, thus forgetting that she had just agreed to marry him!) the planning went smoothly and the day itself was very memorable and relaxed.

Dodmoor is a fantastic venue - an old barn conversion with a romantic setting around a courtyard. Carol was amazing as we spent half an hour wandering around the grounds for the couple shots - it was absolutely freezing but she smiled on throughout. She looked so gorgeous in a delicate gown with a pink feathered boa and chunky jewellery.

The guests sat down to a traditional eight course chinese meal (as did I and it was delicious).