New studio to open in Ryhill

After quite some time deliberating the pros and cons; I have been and gone and done it again - I have got myself premises for a studio.

The move has been prompted by the increasing demand for large family portraits and the trend in Boudoir / Glamour photography. Ladies we will now have more space for you to change your outfits, and a private room for you to do so in!

From the 1st of September, operations will be moving to 90 Mill Lane, Ryhill, Wakefield, between Costcutter and Puppylove Grooming Parlour.

The self contained premises are located at ground floor level and will at a later date be to the standard of full disabled access. Parking is available close by. Potential clients can browse through wedding albums and the samples available and chat about their personal requirements over a cup of coffee in reception, which is situated at the front of the premises.

The dedicated studio area will not be visible from the front of the building and can only be accessed by those allowed to do so. Privacy is important when having your photograph taken, it can be daunting enough for some people to people to even face the photographer, without extra onlookers.

Opening hours will be as dictated by consumer forces, bearing in mind that this is not a "shop" as such, but a studio. Appointments will not always be necessary for shoots but are advised.
We are hoping to arrange for one evening a week to be available for late shoots, this will hopefully accommodate those working 9 to 5. Sunday appointments will also be available.

Be one of the first bookings for our new studio and get a free 7"x5" print worth £12.50 and up to 50% off a canvas print. A booking fee is payable and refundable on order.

Quote "Blog Offer" when you telephone to book. Offer valid until 30 September 2009, not valid with other offers.

Sunshine booked and delivered on time!

What horrible weather we have been having lately, wonderful for the garden but a wedding photographer's nightmare.

I received at text message last week from Lisa, giving me her room number at Waterton Park, and asking me to arrange some sunshine for Sunday. Tony and Lisa were naturally hoping for good weather for their special wedding day. Not a problem - I texted back to say that it had been booked. I booked it for Saturday too, just in case, I was sure that Jessica and Neil would also like a few rays on their special day They were married at the Methodist Church in Horbury followed by photographs at Newmillerdam and a reception at Hotel St Pierre.

On Saturday the weather was fabulous, Horbury was buzzing with shoppers and with Neil safely tucked away inside the church, Jess arrived with her father in a vintage style Beauford.

After a few traditional group shots and some reportage images at the church, the guests drove to Hotel St Pierre, followed eventually by the bride and groom who made a detour to the lakeside at Newmillerdam for photographs.

Recent Client Images Entered Into Kodak Awards 2008

MPA/
Kodak Awards 2008

With a grand prize of £1,000 up for grabs and a Kodak Digital Camera, Entry into the Kodak Awards 2008 competition is available without cost to all my wedding clients.

All entry fees go to support the work of the PACE centre.

See http://www.thepacecentre.org/

Full details of the awards are available on the MPA website. http://www.thempa.com/consumeraward.php

Samples of this years entries, with grateful thanks to Claire, Neil, Stacie, David, Dale & Sarah.

The wonderful thing about bloggers....

...is normally that they ...well....blog!, rave, and generally add some form of text to their blog, that being the whole purpose of the thing! Well... that was also my intention until life got in the way. I have had a fantastic year as far as work is concerned, lots and lots of wedding bookings for both this year and 2009, plus lots of enquiries for 2010 - I still some dates left..don't panic if you are looking for a photographer!


Anyway, I am starting again with the blog thing - and this time I'm determined to add a little news, features and general info on a regular basis, I have decided that it would be wise to put a shortcut on my desk top to my blog. Icons on the desktop irritate me in general, it's like leaving cutlery on the work surface in the kitchen, or leaving the milk out of the fridge, so hope4fully the irritation factor will be a good memory jogger for me.

So, to friends, family and acquaintances who were told by me to drop by and check out the blog, it will now happen I promise... er.. ...hello... are you still there?

Why does it cost so much?

While all professional wedding photographers are in the business of taking pictures of your wedding - the similarities end there.

There is a wide range in levels of service, skill, and in the quality and quantity of your treasured photographs. Asking a wedding photographer on the telephone "how much do you charge" is as good as calling a clothing store to ask "how much are your dresses?" In the end, if you don't like the dress or it doesn't fit - it doesn't really matter how much it costs.

To do a total wedding photography package properly requires an average of 40 or more hours devoted to each and every wedding client.

With many would be photographers now able to pick up a digital camera and move into selling their services the choices, pricing and especially quality issues are going to become even more confusing. The quality differences in digital photography can change dramatically from photographer to photographer depending on how good their cameras are and how well they are able to use them.

Why does it cost so much?

The photographer's work begins when they spend time with you at a pre-wedding consultation, this is usually an informal chat where the photographer gets to know you as a couple and gets an insight into your likes and dislikes in order to try to provide you with images that you personally will love.

Good record keeping is essential; some photographers open a file for each wedding booking and record all your requests and personal information that are relevant to your particular wedding, they will also produce cards for the reception tables with details of where guests can view your proofs online. They will also help you in organising the timings and list the special shots you require. At least a week before your wedding day, they will also do a “reccy” a journey to all the locations involved in your wedding day celebrations to check out the surroundings, to plan shots and to ensure that the routes are clear of any major road works.

On the day itself, preparation time for your wedding day photography is variable. The more sophisticated the photographer’s equipment and techniques, the more time it takes to plan and prepare. This includes testing and assembling equipment, recharging batteries, loading and unloading vehicles, etc. You would expect your photographer to thoroughly test each piece of his gear before your wedding wouldn’t you? Some don't.

Some wedding photographers spend hours editing your precious images and producing creative special effects. They will then upload your photographs into a private online gallery and let you know when this has been done. Others rush proofs to the reception or hand you a pack of prints straight from a mini-lab.

Some photographers spend hours in the layout and assembly of your photo album(s). Others leave this task up to you to be done by yourself with little or no assistance.

The owners of some studios insist on working with you personally while others delegate the responsibility to members of staff.

Wedding albums themselves range in price from about £10 up to £500 or more. Some traditional albums have plastic or metal posts that the pages clip into while others are book-bound with the pages actually sewn in. Overlays and pages can vary in quality. Contemporary coffee table books are complete published books without any loose photographs at all and the results are dependant on the design skills of the photographer or publisher. Cost depends on the quality of materials and how it is assembled. As usual, you should get what you pay for.

How to find a wedding photographer

Look for a photographer that you truly like their particular style of photography. Just because someone says their style is photojournalistic doesn't necessarily make it so. There IS a difference between candid shots and true photojournalistic images. A few images in black and white doesn't automatically make someone a photojournalist. Look for a photographer that specialises in your favourite style. A few studios, like Sandra Ford Photography, offer a proportionate blend of both. When looking at a photographer’s work, if their images are able to evoke an emotional response from you with a stranger,s wedding, just think what they can do with yours! View sample photos with your heart as well as with your eyes.

2 Look for a photographer that you really "click" with personality wise. Other than your intended, there is nobody you spend more time with on your wedding day than the photographer. Make sure it's someone you can have fun with and truly enjoy working with throughout your special day. It should go without saying that you actually need to MEET with this person so don't book a photographer until you know exactly who you will be spending your day with. Make sure the photographer you’ve booked will actually be taking your photographs, some studios take bookings for a number of photographers and you may end up not getting the person who took the images you really liked after all. Recording your special day and producing the images you want is your photographer’s priority on the day, your priority is to have a great time and experience all the love and emotion of that day, don't spend it with someone you really don't care for just because they are cheap!

3 If you have found a photographer that fulfils the previous 2 requirements, then you can shop for price and package options. Set an approximate budget for how much you want to invest in your wedding photography but don't be afraid to go slightly over or under if you find the perfect photographer for your tastes.

Planning your wedding and choosing all the best vendors can be both challenging and exciting. Selecting the best photographer based upon your tastes will have the longest lasting impact on your wedding memories of any other pre-wedding decision you will make. Once the cake is eaten, the guests have left and the dress hung up in the wardrobe, the only true lasting tangible memories are captured in your wedding album. We hope these suggestions will help you in making that difficult choice.

In the end, hire the person with whom you feel the most comfortable. Weddings can be hectic, but the right photographer can help make your day run more smoothly.

Future trends in weddings - How to be a Bridezilla!

Despite what some people say, getting married is certainly not going out of fashion, and in light of recent enquiries for my wedding photography, it would appear that couples are now more discerning than ever and beginning their journey of creating the perfect wedding day much earlier, I am already receiving enquiries for bookings as far in advance as October 2009.

The "Special Day" is becoming far more special in terms of planning. With so much on offer from the various sectors of the wedding industry, it has become a minefield for the Bride & Groom to find the perfect florist, photographer or venue. Personal recommendation has always been a good place to start, however, as individuals tastes vary so much, you will still have to do your homework. Just remember that sought after suppliers can often get booked up early, although you may be lucky and your chosen date could be free.

Guiding advice from Florists, Reception Venues and Photographers is, in the majority of cases welcomed, after all, you have probably never organised a wedding before and with plenty of weddings under their belts, they are more than happy to offer you a wealth of experience .

Don't be afraid to ask questions, a true professional in any of the wedding sectors will be able to give you an answer and be flexible enough to cater specifically for your requirements. If your budget will allow, don't settle for anything less than what you actually want, all the "I wishes" after the event won't make a scrap of difference when it is too late. It's very easy to be swayed into accepting a service or product simply because someone tells you "that is the way that it's done", if it's not what you had in mind then tell them, and if they can't provide you with what you want - move on to someone who will.
At the end of the day though, your wedding is as individual as you are, put your mark on it and if necessary, be a Bridezilla!

From Wikipedia: A bridezilla is obsessed with her wedding as her perfect day and will disregard the feelings of the family, bridesmaids and even her groom in her quest for the perfect wedding.

Check to see if your date is available now!

Local Fireplace Designer Wins National Award

Photographing glass is always a challenge, but even more so when the item is such a prestigious and precious award. Findley House Interiors of Askern won the award for the best fireplace in stone for 2007 and it was my honour to photograph both the award and the stunning fireplace at their Leeds showroom.


The images are being used in a National advertising campaign and for the Fireside company brochure, manufacturers of the featured fire used within the stone fireplace.