We are Pure Light Photography

Weddings, Weddings and more Weddings! Part One

2010-07-15T02:38:00.000-07:00

Well it's certainly been a busy old time here but if you look at the recent weddings pages, you'll notice a suspicious absence of new folks on there. Yes, I am experiencing some technical issues but hopefully, that will all be resumed very soon! In the meantime, I thought I would give you a little preview of some of the wedding photography from this year. There is a lot to share, so this is just part one... Hope you enjoy!

Way back in March, Helen and Richard had the most beautiful wedding at Prestwold Hall. Sadly, the weather was not on our side that day, but it didn't matter, the Hall provided the perfect backdrop for their elegant day and they looked so great that all eyes were on them anyway. And here they are.

Then it was the turn of Rebecca and Mark and their gorgeous Lincolnshire village wedding. Rebecca has to be one of the smiliest brides I've ever photographed and the happy couple couldn't take their eyes off each other, even during the ceremony!

Genevieve and Jody had a really fun day for their April wedding and they both looked fabulous. Genna had gone for full on glamour and Jody looked every inch and officer and a gentleman. The day was made even more special as it involved their two amazingly cute boys, Rowan and Harrison.

Kate and Michael chose the gorgeous surroundings of Harlaxton Manor for their special day, which was a real celebration of friends and family.

I especially approved of Kate's choice of dress designer, Angela Vickers (she's making my dress as we speak!)and her choice of Hassell shoes and a long, long veil. She looked perfect!

Well, that's just a few of the gorgeous wedding days I've been lucky enough to be part of this year. There's lots more where they came from so keep your eyes on the blog. Hopefully they'll be appearing in the Recent Work galleries before long too!

Now, if someone could do something about the weather this weekend I'd be most grateful! It's Richard and Kate's wedding at the Barn at Bury Court tomorrow and then Jenny and Dave's Stubton Hall wedding on Saturday. So I'd like to order some sunshine please.

xx

Engagement Shoots

2010-06-30T13:50:00.000-07:00

Hello there, me again! I was asked recently to put together some favourite photos from recent shoots and it got me looking back through some of the engagement shoots I have done with couples who have recently got married.The shoots are really good fun as we use the grounds around my office at Stoke Rochford (just around the corner from Stoke Rochford Hall - see some of Hayley and Mark's photographs from their wedding at Stoke Rochford Hall here).
The grounds have some fab old buildings, with some glorious textures and colours. There are even a couple of old barns with some old farm equipment that I can use.
The shoots are a great opportunity for couples to get used to being in front of the camera especially if (like me!) they are a little camera shy! It also gives us all the chance to get to know each other a little better so on the day, things go swimingly and the camera isn't too scary.

It also means I know just how to approach the photography on the big day. Check out the recent weddings pages over the next few weeks and months to see how these gorgeous couples looked in their wedding photos. I think you'll see what I mean!

Bye for now.

S

xx

(ps don't forget to follow me on Twitter - 'WearePureLight")

Tweet Tweet

2010-06-24T07:37:00.000-07:00

Ok, in keeping with my plan to Blog more often and all the info here on www.wearepurelight.co.uk, I have also dipped my toe into the world of tweeting, at least I think that is what it is called! So as well as seeing what is going on here you can follow me @WearePureLight to see what I am up to!

I'm Back

2010-06-24T07:31:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

I'm back and blogging again with the plan (again) to be blogging more often and keeping you up-to-date with what is happening at PureLight towers.

It has been a really hectic but really enjoyable couple of months, I've met and shot weddings for some great couples at venues that I love and am lucky enough to shoot at quite often, and also shot weddings at new venues for me which have been fab!!

In addition to shooting other people's weddings, Mr Sam and I are busy carrying on with our own wedding plans. 100 days or so and counting!!! So much to do and so little time but we seem to be getting there. Now if only Mr Sam will choose what he and his party want to wear. Honestly, he is worse than me in choosing my dress and bridesmaids dresses! I will keep you posted!

Here are a few photos from recent weddings:-

Here are a couple from Genna and Jody's wedding earlier int he Summer. They had a fab day with the ceremony down Lincoln and the reception in Norton Disney afterwards.

It turns out that Norton Disney is the home seat of the Disney family from whom Walt was descended!!!

I was lucky enough to shoot again at Allington Manor recently for Esther and Roberts day.

Robert and his party started the day off down at the local pub with his groomsmen whilst Esther was getting ready at the Manor. Fortunately, I had a second shooter (thanks Chris) with me on the day which meant that whilst I was with Esther we were able to get some images of how the chaps were getting ready for the wedding!

See you all soon - I promise.

S.

x

Tonight Matthew I'm Going to Be... Twiggy!

2010-02-26T01:26:00.000-08:00

Hello there!

Long time, no blog post so lots to tell you about!

The wedding plans for myself and Mr Sam are coming along nicely and we're even hoping to invite some people in the near future. Andy and I spent a lovely few days in Prague, having lots of meetings, so it feels like it's really happening now. Andy did have a bit of a "moment" when trying on wedding rings but he didn't actually pass out and I think he's got over it now...

Other than that it's been a pretty busy time here. At this time of year I tend to take on a bit more commercial and generally non-wedding type photography. I thought it might be fun to share what I was up to yesterday so here are a couple of shots I did for the wonderful make-up artist Rachel Liney. She is producing a new portfolio of work, showing classic looks made famous by celebrities. Yesterday we started with a great model, Celia, who became Twiggy for the day. It was so much fun and I can't wait to see what Rachel's got up her sleeve next.

However, I'm still loving the weddings! Wedding-wise the year started with Donna and Martin's beautiful winter wedding at the brand new Stubton Hall, Newark. And what a great way to start the year it was too! The Hall provided a gorgeous backdrop for their ceremony, with a wonderful view of the grounds. Donna has a great sense of style, which meant that everything (including Donna herself) looked perfect.

Even though there aren't too many weddings to shoot at this time of year, I still have lots to keep me busy. Wedding albums are now arriving daily and it's so lovely to see the finished article (although I don't really like parting with them!) I've also been meeting with a few of the couples that are getting married later this year. All have braved the cold for some very wintry pre-wedding shoots and all have been brilliant. I am now so excited about the images we'll be creating on their wedding days.

See you soon!

S
x

Gorgeous girls, big white dresses, some pretty hot grooms and my lil' cousin's wedding

2009-11-11T09:40:00.000-08:00

Hello there!

As many of you have let me know, I've not been keeping up with the blog terribly well lately! All I can say is that I've been so busy with so many fabulous weddings, I've not had time for anything else!

This includes planning my own big day - so to everyone who's told me how organised they are for their wedding next year - "you're making me nervous!" However, Mr Sam and I are now getting into planning mode in earnest. I will bore you... I mean fascinate you with all the news just as soon as I have some!

As for now, well wedding season is coming to an end but what a brilliant season it's been, we really have had some great weddings to photograph. As usual, you'll find lots of photographs of our recent brides and grooms in our "recent work" gallery. You'll see they're a bit of a gorgeous bunch so a "big thank you" and "m'wah" to everyone who invited us to be a part of their day. I hope you all had as much fun as I did!

Now of course all of our brides and grooms are special but there is one very special couple who aren't in the gallery just yet, so I thought I'd share some of their photos with you. Who are these stunning individuals? Why it's my own little cousin Anna-Louise and her new husband, Paddy!

We had such a wonderful weekend with them and it was just the best thing to see them get married. Especially as Paddy has felt like a part of the family for years, so it was nice to see it made official!

Milans Commercial Shoot

2009-07-28T04:23:00.000-07:00

Hello again,

Just thought I'd give you a break from weddings and wedding photography and share with you one of our favourite commercial jobs. We work with a wonderful company from Leicester called "Milans" who, amongst other things, supply the most beautiful scarves and pashminas to stores like John Lewis.

Yesterday was the shoot for Milans' Spring and Summer 2010 catalogue and I was lucky enough to be joined by fab photographer and friend of PureLight, Paul Saxby. Usually I shoot these jobs with Glen but when he wasn't available, Paul very kindly stepped in. Working with other photographers is such a great way to grow and develop new ideas and is always good fun too! I've never worked with Paul before and it was such a pleasure to bounce ideas around together and his creativity and skill really added something special to the shoot.

Milans are great to work with as their products are just gorgeous and they have a favourite model, Sara, who is so brilliant, we always know we're going to get some great shots.

Completing the team for these jobs is Jane from Yellow Duck Creative, a graphic designer based in Melton Mowbray. Again, this is someone I'd never worked with before and, as you'll see, she's done a fantastic job.

Always the Wedding Photographer...

2009-06-20T02:27:00.000-07:00

Never the Bride? Well that's what I'd been thinking until the future Mr Sam asked me to marry him! So, here's my big big news - I'm engaged!

Ok so it may have been a few weeks since my last post but as you can see, I've been busy! Last week Andrew proposed during a fantastic week away on the Greek island of Kos. After an almost perfect day sailing on a bone fide pirate ship (well it's actually a 19th Century sponge boat but it looks like a pirate ship and that's good enough for me) Andrew made the day perfect by proposing.

Now I vowed not to become obsessed with the wedding and all the planning but... well I already have a spreadsheet... and a folder... And as I'm learning, planning a wedding is really hard! Then it occurred to me - I know lots of brides and future brides! So I'm calling on you for your wedding stories.

I thought I'd start with the most important thing of all - THE DRESS! (well maybe second most important - you all chose your photographer first, right?) I'd love to hear how you chose your dress or how you're going about choosing that special frock.

To start us off, I thought I'd share a couple of dresses that I already know about. Here's Bex. Usually I am with the bride as she gets ready in the morning but the first time I saw Bex was when she arrived at the Priest House for the ceremony. I was blown away by how wonderful she looked. I just love her dress! It had a really romantic, vintage look with layers of flowing lace and lots of gorgeous detail, it really suited her perfectly.

Here's Kate. now I'm only showing you Kate from the back as her and her new Groom, Wayne are on honeymoon at the moment, so you'll have to wait until they return to see how fabulous they both looked. However, I couldn't resist telling you about her dress. Kate had her dress made for her after literally dreaming up the design. She went to her designer with an idea after seeing the dress in a dream. The result was simply gorgeous and reminded me of those wonderful dresses we all drool over when watching Strictly Come Dancing. I can't wait to show you more but here's a little taster.

So, you can see I've been inspired but I need your help girls! Where did you find that perfect dress and what was your inspiration?

Sam

Image of the Day - Church Weddings

2009-05-05T06:02:00.000-07:00

One of the great things about being a wedding photographer in the East Midlands is seeing all the beautiful old churches we have here.

This photograph was taken at Naomi and Chris' wedding last year. Naomi and Chris were lucky enough to have a wonderful church next door to the Lincolnshire home of the Chirs' parents. This meant they were able to hold their summery marquee reception right next to the place they had tied the knot. Their vicar was wonderful and gave such a moving ceremony. She also allowed us to take a few photographs, as long as we were very discrete, meaning that we could capture this really special moment as Chris slipped the ring onto Naomi's finger. I just love the way she's looking at him! Aw!

Here is another gorgeous moment from Matt and Rachael's Christmas wedding.

Last Christmas we were also invited to photograph Jo and Scott's wedding at the stunning cathedral in Derby. These photographs, taken by Glen, really shows how impressive the building is and yet their ceremony was still very personal and emotional.

Lastly, here are a few images which show how perfect the light can be in an old church and how this really adds a touch of magic to the photographs.

Whenever we're allowed to photograph church ceremonies we work hard to remain almost invisible and not distract from the ceremony itself. The added benefit of this is that we get to capture some great natural moments that really sum up what the day is all about. Sx

Image of the Day - Rina and Amit

2009-04-10T08:25:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is another image from the wedding of Amit and Rina. I think Rina felt a bit daft when I was taking this (well I had asked her to hold her veil in front of her face, so you can't blame her). However, I thought Rina had the most amazing eyes and I wanted to create an image that really captured this. I loved the colours in her veil too and felt they would really bring out the colour of her eyes.

In contrast here are some gorgeous photographs of Rina and her groom, Amit, taken by Glen. As you can see, these are really happy and relaxed photos, allowing their personalities to shine through.

Finally, here are some more photographs taken throughout the day. Most of the time when we're at a wedding we're simply watching what's going on and seeking to capture those special moments in a way that conveys the mood and the emotion.

Together, these images
sum up our approach to photographing our gorgeous couples and their wedding days. As you can probably tell, I think we have as much fun at weddings as the couples do!

Well, there was much more than one image today as it was so hard to choose from this beautiful wedding!

I hope you all have a fantastic long weekend. After the Easter break I'm determined to keep up my daily posting so I've got photographs of Church weddings, civil ceremonies and some of our favourite reception venues to show you.

In the meantime, I trust some of you will be getting stuck into those Easter eggs, I know I will be. Hmmmm.... chocolate eggs...

S
x

Image of the Day - En Guarde

2009-04-08T02:33:00.000-07:00

Good morning! Today's image of the day is a bit of a break from wedding photography. This is my other half, Andrew, who is currently gracing the pages of Lincolnshire Pride magazine as they've run a piece on the Fernwood Sword Club. The Club's been going from strength to strength and after Easter we move to a new home, as we've already outgrown our current location. So we're responsible for a growing number of sword-fighters in Lincolnshire, especially as the latest beginners have all passed their course with flying colours.

See you tomorrow!

Sam
x

Image of the Day - Take 2

2009-04-07T11:46:00.000-07:00

Hello! Well it won't take the most observant of people to notice that my attempts at posting an image a day were somewhat short lived. Partly, events rather overtook me but mostly this was because Blogger fell out with me. Or I broke the internets. Or something. Either way it's taken me until now to figure out how to post to our blog again, but here I am!

As usual, lots has happened here and I'll be letting you know all our news over the next couple of days. We've been shooting lots of gorgeous portrait photographs, had more brave and beautiful ladies take part in the PureWoman experience and photographed our first weddings of 2009. The image above was taken at Rina and Amit's wedding. I'll be showing you more of their photographs later as they are such a stunning couple whose perfect Leicester wedding took place over two packed days so they have LOTS of great photographs! This photograph was one Glen took at the party a couple of weeks ago and I just love it!

It's clear that the sunshine brings out the romantic in everyone as we've heard from lots of couples getting married next year. It looks like 2010 is going to be another busy year for us with weddings not just around Nottinghamshire and the East Midlands but as far afield as Surrey and London.

Our other big news is that the PureLight photography studio is moving from our home at Hexgreave to Stoke Rochford, but more on that later.

In the meantime, I can't resist showing you one more wedding photograph from Rina and Amit. This time, just because it makes me laugh!

More tomorrow (no, really!)

Sam
x

Image of the Day - Modern Hindu Wedding Ceremonies

2009-02-09T05:51:00.000-08:00

Hello again!

Last year Glen and I were privileged to photograph a number of Hindu weddings in some beautiful locations. The combination of gorgeous couples, stunning mandaps and emotional ceremonies allowed us to create some of our favourite photographs of the year.

Although the most important elements of the wedding are always present, modern Hindu weddings can vary greatly. Some will have most of the important ceremonies on one day, others will last several days. This makes every wedding we cover unique, as different combinations of rituals are observed.

However, all weddings have at their heart the coming together of two people in love and the blessing of that parntership. This photograph was taken at Meghna and Jignesh's wedding at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, Hyde Park in London. I love how their special union as man and wife is shown by the way they are making their offering together, the knot and the chord binding them together and the garlands they have presented to each other.

S
x

Image of the Day - Veils

2009-02-06T03:04:00.000-08:00

2008 saw veils make a big comeback, and as a wedding photographer, that made me very happy!

Veils have a beautiful way of catching and diffusing light and really help to make a bridal portrait something special. The photograph on the left is of Emma, whose shoes I showed you yesterday. Simply by using the light from a window and her veil, we've created a really contemporary, fashion-style bridal portrait. So you can see, veils don't have to look cheesy or old fashioned.

Veils can add a touch of magic to wedding photographs. Here are some photographs taken at Sarah and Matt's wedding at Norwood Park in Southwell, Nottinghamshire. Their wedding day was pretty windy, and when the wind caught Sarah's veil it gave the pictures a real sense of movement and something of a fairy-tale quality.

Many of the veils we saw last year were very long and very impressive, a trend which looks set to stay for 2009. A lot of brides told me they had chosen such a big and beautiful veil because it was the only time they were going to get to wear one, so why not go all out? I couldn't agree more! Here's a photograph that Glen took of Caroline at Stoke Rochford Hall, near Grantham, Lincolnshire. Caroline really knew how to work a veil!

Finally, you can have a bit of fun with a veil. Here are Robert and Zoe at Holme Pierrepont Hall in Nottinghamshire. Another wonderful long, swishy veil!

On Monday - Hindu Wedding Ceremonies.

Have a great, snowy weekend!

Sam
x

Image of the Day - Shoes!

2009-02-05T02:40:00.000-08:00

Hello!

I've been trying to think of new ways of using the blog and interesting, weddingy things to tell you about. I thought it might be interesting to show you a different photograph every day, one that shows some aspect of weddings and wedding photography. And here it is "Image of the Day" (insert fanfare here). Let's see how long I can keep this up for....

Being a girl, where else was I going to start but SHOES! Don't worry, I'm not about to launch into a Sex and the City style homily on the virtues of Louboutin and Blahnik. But I have seen some gorgeous wedding shoes I'd like to show you.

2008 introduced me to a new name in wedding shoes - Diane Hassall. Designer, Diane Hassall has created some stunning designs and each pair is handmade to the bride's specifications, making them even more special.

Also, they come in a really nice box! And if you're like me you're a sucker for anything in really nice packaging.

The ones at the top belong to Emma, who married James in December at Belton Woods and the pair on the right are Sarah's, who wore them at her Norwood Park wedding earlier last year (both were Lincolnshire weddings). I can report neither had sore feet by the end of the day, despite the killer heels!

Wedding shoes don't have to be white: here are a couple of gorgeous examples of gold and silver shoes. As you can see, Jimmy Choo is still a firm favourite!

Tomorrow - veils!

Sam
x

Calling All Musketeers!

2009-02-03T04:36:00.000-08:00

Hello!

Well it's now February (and f-f-f-freezing). If you're anything like me that steely determination to become a paragon of fitness and virtue has seeped away. Never fear, help is at hand, with a unique way to keep fit whilst learning how to be the next C'pn Jack Sparrow.

A couple of years ago myself and Andrew (him indoors) decided we wanted to learn something new and do "something" vaguely sporting. We found a fencing club in Nottingham. We'd started out looking for dance classes, well I did, hoping to turn Andrew into the next Anton du Beck, but Andrew had different ideas and thought that attacking each other with swords was much more our style. It turns out he was right. Since then Andrew has started our very own club, right here in Newark on the Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire border. And now we're recruiting a brand new team of budding musketeers to join us in our new beginners' course.

Fencing is immense fun, and surprisingly hard work! It also looks pretty cool, which always helps! And it's a great way for couples to let off steam together. There's nothing like a sword fight to restore domestic harmony.

The Newark Advertiser has run a feature on the club, which you can find here

So what are you waiting for? We're taking new members up until 10th February and you can find more details here: www.fernwoodswordclub.co.uk or email us at fernwoodswordclub@hotmail.com

Sam
x

Great Wedding Venues

2009-02-02T12:15:00.000-08:00

I can always remember one of my daughters said that she chose her wedding venue because she wanted some great wedding pictures. That seemed an odd statement at the time because of course venues don't sell photography - at least this was not what she meant. The choice of venue was important because of the pictures that it would allow.

We are privileged to work in some great venues, both across the East Midlands and further afield. A good venue will provide sufficient space for your guests and inside rooms should be spacious and ideally with high ceilings. Natural light is important and look out for venues that are designed in such a way to allow lots of natural light to come inside.

Thinking of locations for any formal pictures is also important, both inside - if the weather is poor - and outside. It is also helpful if there are some more discrete areas for a few pictures of the bride and groom, away from the crowds. It is unlikely that a venue will be perfect in every respect - but most of all think about how the venue will work with your wedding day and whether it has the look and feel you are wanting.

I have just updated our We Love... pages with details of a number of wedding venues that we love. I can't express just how important the venue is to your photography. Here are a few pictures and you can see more at our We Love... pages

Barn at Bury Court, in Surrey

Fawsley Hall, Northamptonshire

Holdenby House Northamptonshire

Norwood Park, Southwell, Nottinghamshire

Holga's Trip to Prague

2009-01-29T05:46:00.000-08:00

Hello!

A while ago I posted some photos I'd taken on my trip to Prague. However, it wasn't just my beloved 5D that came with me, I also took my Holga for it's first trip out.

For those of you wondering, a Holga is basically a very, very simple camera made entirely out of plastic. You focus it by choosing the picture of one person, three people or a tree. Choosing your aperture is a matter of choosing the picture of the sun, or a cloud. As you can imagine, there is a lot of pointing the camera at things and hoping for the best.

Much of what came back from the lab. was, frankly, rubbish! However, there were a few shots that, with a bit of Photoshop TLC, were magic. There is a "sweet spot" in the lens, which means only a certain point is ever in focus, the camera leaks light onto the film creating weird artifacts and it's incredibly easy to double expose frames. The results are photographs that you simply couldn't create any other way.

Now I'm really tempted to crack this open on a wedding! Don't worry, I'm not suggesting replacing my thousands of pounds worth of digital kit with a camera that cost... oh I think about £15. But I do think it could create some really beautiful and original wedding photographs. So, next time I find myself with a spare moment during a wedding, I may just get out my Holga...

Wedding Shows

2009-01-17T15:20:00.000-08:00

I hope you've all had a good week. We've still been quite busy - finalising pictures for some weddings we did just before Christmas, sorting out albums, reviewing our marketing plans for the year and getting the photobooth section live on our site - and for those in the know then you will appreciate anything related to websites consumes time big style.

It is that time of year for wedding shows and we have several lined up. So if you're around then feel free to call in and say hi.

We have an Asian show tomorrow (Sunday) in Leicester - www.shagunexhibitions.com.

We are attending two shows next Sunday (25th January) - one is at the Priest House Hotel, Castle Donington, and the other will be at the Village Hotel, Nottingham.

On Sunday 8th February we will be at Goosedale Hall - north of Nottingham.

On Sunday 1st March we will be at Prestwold Hall, Leicestershire.

On Sunday 29th March we will again be at two shows, one at Hodsock Priory and the other at Stamford Hall, Leicestershire.

On Sunday 5th April we will be at Stoke Rochford Hall.

I'm looking forward to all that Asian food tomorrow - although my wife is never that impressed when I come home...I wonder why?!

Hope you have a good week.

Photobooth by PureLight - is here....

2009-01-15T15:12:00.000-08:00

I've created a section for Photobooth on our site - why not have a look. The pictures are really fun.
Glen

StumbleUpon

2009-01-11T09:38:00.000-08:00

If you see the above sign on a page within our website and you really like it then just click the button and your selection will be registered on StumbledUpon. Neat, eh!

Ps - for those unsure or unaware, StumbleUpon is a site that enables people to select their favourite websites and find popular websites based on how many people have rated them. Think of it like a Top of the Pops for websites - the more people rate a particular site then the more it shows in searches, and so the more people get to see it. You have to sign up but it is free and hey you might find it useful too.

LA Fitness - a good time to get in shape...

2008-12-30T14:20:00.000-08:00

I've developed a good relationship with the staff at our local LA Fitness (Newark). They are a great bunch and I have recently re-done their staff photographs.

We have put together a special offer for their members during January and February. We are offering a portrait sitting with a complimentary 7x5 print completely free of charge. In addition, you can have a £25 off a PureWoman Experience, a location portrait or a Photobooth booking. See one of our leaflets in the club or ask at reception for details. You can also find details at our 'We Love' pages for LA Fitness.

I was at LA Fitness yesterday to complete the last few staff photographs and they had just received new combat kits for their new promotion. So we took some pictures with these and hey presto....

10,000 images later....

2008-12-28T08:25:00.000-08:00

I've enjoyed having a look back over some of the pictures I've taken over the past year. We are often so busy taking and then presenting our images that there rarely seems time to pick out favourites. Well that is what I have done.

One of the core aspects behind PureLight is our commitment and passion for great photography. Those who appreciate the difference between a snap and a good photograph will realise what I mean.

In total, I have over 10,000 images from the past 12 months - and as I use film this means that I have shot a lot of rolls.

Here are some of my favourites.

This picture was taken in July this year and is a portrait of Raj, one of our grooms. The setting was quite ordinary - a brick ally. I used a portrait lens - a 50mm or 85mm - with a shallow depth of field. I used black and white film, as I knew the picture would work best in black and white. I have also selectively darkened the image using my computer to accentuate the tones.

This next picture was taken in November at Jonathan and Helen's wedding. I like to add a sense of depth in my pictures, to enhance its composition. One of the ways to achieve this is to place people at different depths in the picture. The picture has more balance than just a row of people.

Pictures of details form a large part of what we do - many people find great pleasure in remembering many of the details of their weddings and if taken well they can also make for very pleasing photographs. The challenge is do more than simply record the detail but use composition and light to create a pleasing image. This picture is a good example:- it was taken at Chris and Keddie's wedding in August. The subtle background colours and soft light work well with the flower and I also like the composition.

The choice of lens was also key. We have invested a lot in our range of professional lenses and this one enables the main subject - the flower - to remain in focus, whilst the background is blurred - this also creates a sense of depth in the picture.

This picture is of Victoria, who was also married in August and held her reception at Branston Hall, Lincolnshire. This picture was taken at home, whilst Victoria was getting ready. Thanks also to Victoria for not throwing me out of her room. She has several brothers, so I guess she is used to boys being around.

The pictures below are some of my all-time favourites. They capture a chance moment. The first was taken at Holdenby House and is of Amy walking down the main staircase with her dad waiting. This was of course a completely candid moment, caught whilst I too came down the staircase.

The second picture was taken at Fawsley Hall and is of one of the flower girls with a chance look of wonder as she looks up at the bride.

The next picture was more planned. I could see this couple coming down the path and wanted to create an extreme panoramic picture - I waited for the right moment and then took the picture.

I'm not really a twirl sort of person - but on this occasion it just made sense and I wanted to create a sense of movement in the picture, so I asked Caroline, the bride, if she would do some.

I obviously said the right thing and she seemed to enjoy the opportunity to do some twirling - and this picture made for a lovely image. The wedding was held at Stoke Rochford Hall, just south of Grantham. The hall has recently been restored, following a major fire several years ago. This was one of the first weddings following completion of the work and it is an amazing venue and great for photographs.

We love to photograph Asian weddings for all the reasons you could imagine - the colours and sheer vibrancy are a joy to capture. We have met some wonderful couples this year and have enjoyed every aspect of these weddings. This picture was taken at Jignesh and Meghna's wedding and is during the Hindu ceremony.

Our first Asian wedding was last year, when we photographed Vinesh and Dipti's wedding at the Leicester Marriott - and it was this wedding which lead on to several more Asian bookings last year and more again in 2008. We photographed Salima and Arif's wedding in September 2007 and we were immediately asked to photograph the wedding of Karima - Salima's sister - this year. It was like a family re-union for us and an even greater joy to photograph because we knew so many people.

I love to capture moments in an abstract way, with less emphasis on technical perfection and more on capturing the right moment. This picture of Raj putting the ring on Karima's hand is a good illustration. I love his expression and the fact he is mid-way through putting the ring on Karima's finger. To me it is a priceless moment captured forever.

And here are Salima and Karima with those fantastic smiles, taken at Karima's wedding.

One of the strongest aspects I have found from working with Samantha and now with Jade is the stimulus this provides for creative development.

When I worked on my own then, to a degree, you stick with what you know and for good reason tend not to stray too far from your comfort zone. We all learn from each other and this provides us all with the necessary confidence to try new things. One area that has been new for us all this year has been portraits.

You may have seen on our website a growing presence of boudoir, location, fashion and studio portraits, photobooth and now nursery pictures. The technical, creative and people skills are different for each one and this has expanded our own depth of knowledge. The picture above is of Mia and Dom, one of my first portrait commissions - they loved the more relaxed style of photographs and I really enjoyed taking their pictures.

We opened a studio at Hexgreave Hall in the spring, located between Newark and Mansfield, not far from Southwell. The hall is set within a country estate and we have the run of the estate to take photographs. The following picture was taken in the autumn and is also one of my favourites.

Photobooth is an idea brought to us by Jade. We were aware of the concept but this was something that Jade, in particular, was keen to establish. We did our first three events earlier this year and they went down a storm.

For those who are wondering what exactly I mean by photobooth then the best way to explain is we set up a mobile studio, complete with lights and white background, and then basically we get the guests to play up in front of the camera. It provides great entertainment and makes for some very different photographs.

The two pictures here are from Matt and Sarah's wedding, which was at Norwood Park Hotel, Southwell. We set up a photobooth in the evening, running after the meal and until around 10:30pm. It was located next to the dance floor and as you can see, it went down a storm.

If you would like to see more then you can see a slideshow containing some of my favourites from the past year.

As you can see, this past year has kept us busy. For those who visit our site on regular basis...a big, big thanks and with best wishes to you all in 2009.

Facebook

2008-12-22T05:44:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy weekend. We photographed Emma and James' wedding on Saturday at Belton Woods Hotel, Grantham and then we photographed Jo and Scott's wedding on Sunday at the Priest House, Castle Donington, Derbyshire.

The weather worked out well on both days, although we nearly ended up in Derby for longer than we wanted on Sunday. Jo and Scott were married at Derby Cathedral and the guests were to be taken back by coach. The coaches had been instructed to wait for us, whilst we took a few photographs of Jo and Scott in the Cathedral. As we were coming out, the coaches were heading off, leaving just a vintage Rolls Royce, Sam and me together with Jo and Scott. I waved profusely to Scott's dad, who was driving off in a mini-bus, fortunately he had the presence of mind to see me and so we got a lift back. Otherwise it would have been an expensive taxi ride to the Priest House. The rest of the proceedings for both days went to plan. Many congratulations to Emma, James, Jo and Scott.

Moving to the subject of this post - Facebook - we have created a page where you can access our Page on Facebook. There are tons of new material we need to add to this page...but in the meantime if you are on Facebook then feel free to become a 'fan'. It will spur us on to add new material.

Hope you have a good week and a great Christmas.

Kiddies...

2008-12-16T07:24:00.000-08:00

If you follow our recent work gallery then you'll see that Sam has uploaded some PureWoman shoots - including a mum-to-be with her bump - and I have just uploaded some pictures from a lifestyle shoot of Cathy and Andy. Cathy and Andy came across to Hexgreave Hall, where our studio is based, and I took their pictures outside in the grounds. It was a cold but very sunny day in December and the colours have come out beautifully. You see, it does not have to be a hot summers' day for photographs. You can see all these at our Recent Work Gallery.

This is a busy time of year for us, with many wedding albums to complete, we had a wedding last Saturday and we have a wedding this coming Saturday and Sunday as well. I had a day off from official photographs on Sunday, as I went to see my Dad for a birthday meal (it was his birthday on Monday) in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, along with my mum and my immediate family. It was nice to see everyone and we should do it more often.

Many of you may know that I have been doing some nursery pictures recently. I have been granted permission from one of the parents to use the images on our website, so I here are a few pictures of Shannon below. These were taken at Fernwood Nursery, which is close to where I live and is south of Newark. The nursery is run by Dawn and I have to say is a delightful place, even if it does get a bit hectic at times. These pictures were taken in the nursery, using a mobile studio, complete with white background and lights.

End of the week...

2008-12-05T12:09:00.000-08:00

...well Friday is here. The week seems to have skipped by quite quickly. I delivered the prints back to my local nursery at Fernwood, Newark, and I understand all the parents have been very pleased with the pictures, so much so that they wished they had ordered more copies. So that was a nice thing to here.

I met up with Jade today in Derbyshire. She is doing a pre-Christmas shoot for families at the Riverside Centre in Derby tomorrow, so I've lent her some lighting equipment and returned her white background that we use for photobooth. It is good to be able to share equipment and learn new techniques from each other.

Earlier in the week I was down at LA Fitness in Newark. They have a new manager, Sarah, and we have done quite a bit of promotion with them in the past, so I offered to do some staff photographs for their display. They have some great offers on at the moment and they all seem a really nice team. They are getting ready for the January rush .. apparently gyms get very busy straight after Christmas, I wonder why...

Samantha has also been busy with PureWoman shoots, which are turning out to be very popular. She had a viewing session last Monday with some girls and they were all taken aback by the results, with emotions running high....in a good way, of course, and she had another shoot this past Thursday.

I was with Jade on Monday in Derby. She was doing a shoot at a local solicitors, Timms, who were launching a new brand and wanted some photographs of the celebration and then we took some staff photographs for their new website. So, you see - we don't just laze about all week....

On the domestic front we have a couple of extra small dogs staying with us...so that makes 6. They are all rather small but sometimes I do wonder if I should get a kennel, so that I can get some quality time to myself....I guess that is my study.

I also saw Sarah and Matt, who were married in early October...as they came over one evening to Hexgreave to choose their wedding album. Matt and Sarah were the first wedding where we did a photobooth in the evening, where we set up a white background, some lights and get people to play up in front of the camera. They were over-the-moon with the results and so were their guests. More on this topic early next year.

I've also been busy creating a Facebook application, as we can now create a slideshow of our wedding album designs for our clients on a dedicated Facebook page, which makes sharing with friends so much easier. The first one is for Amy and Richard, who were married at Holdenby House in August. Here is a preview of their album design below.

Hope you all have a good weekend.

Babies, babies....

2008-12-02T14:03:00.000-08:00

Well, it does of course follow on from weddings...and it is so nice to receive pictures from past couples of their babies!

Here are two recent ones:-

This is Nancy and the very proud parents are Tina and Simon, who were married on a rather wet Saturday last June. I was so taken by the picture Simon sent me that it was my computer wallpaper for around a month - so I started my day with Nancy looking at me. Call me crazy, but it was a good tonic. Nancy is a few months old now, as she was born in the spring.

And this is Phoebe, who was born in September. Lucy and Dean were married in May 2006, so they have enjoyed child-free life for a little longer and I know they are delighted with Phoebe and I am sure so are all their families. Christmas will be very different this year.

Both photographs courtesy of the respective parents and a big thanks to Simon and Tina, Lucy and Dean for sending me their pictures.

Silly Sausage

2008-11-30T01:25:00.000-08:00

For those of you who have joined up with me on Facebook you may know that I have been doing some nursery shoots this past two weeks. Suffice to say I have survived the unenviable task of trying to get smiles out of many under 3s and have said 'silly sausage' more times recently than I think I have ever in my entire life!

I am fairly used to children - with four daughters of my own, although they have mostly grown up now. You need lots of patience, that's for sure, and a calming approach.

As for the pictures, well they have turned out really well. We use a white backdrop and take several pictures of each child, so the pictures are more akin to a contemporary studio than the more traditionally posed nursery pictures. I can't show them here because of the obvious reasons on privacy but I am really pleased with the results, and more to the point so are the parents. If fact one parent said to me that she never normally buys nursery pictures because they are not very good - but with these she wanted a print from each image. That was nice to hear.

So it looks like I may be saying 'silly sausage' a bit more.

Thrumpton Hall Weddings

2008-11-30T01:04:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Rags and Reena, who celebrated their wedding yesterday. The celebrations were held at Thrumpton Hall, just south of Nottingham. We know the venue well. Debbie and Lynn manage the events and were very helpful and on hand throughout the day. They have a large marquee in the grounds, which can accommodate up to 200 guests.

It was a bit cold and misty, but at least it was dry - the large open fire in the main hallway was a popular location for guests!

We have really enjoyed getting to know Rags and Reena - they are such a lovely couple - and it was nice to meet their families and friends yesterday. I even met one of their friends yesterday who lives in Telford, which is were I lived for a few years, so I asked her to give it a wave for me.

Thrumpton Hall only started to take on weddings around 3 years ago, as it is still very much a private residence. However, it is starting to become a more popular venue, especially now it has the marquee in the grounds - although marquee does not really describe it very well, as it more like a semi-permanent structure.

Comments please....!

2007-11-08T02:52:00.000-08:00

To new and old viewers alike,

If you go to recent wedding gallery you will see that you can add your own comments. This section will be updated on a regular basis. The comments are designed so that couples, their families and guests can add their own comments alongside the images. This makes for a nice 'guest book' for people to read - words and pictures go very well together and help to give a real sense of the occasion. This is also helpful for prospective couples, who can get a real sense of the experiences from our recent weddings - of which we receive many, many very positive comments, but they are always difficult to capture.

So if your wedding is on the list then feel free to add a comment. We are updating this on a regular basis, so if your wedding was quite recent but is not there yet, then it will be soon...

Also, if you look at album design, under the heading "Gallery", you will see that we have added a few more album designs. This is to give people an idea of what our albums look like. Again, we will be updating this on a regular basis.

We have had this site designed so that we can keep it constantly up-to-date with fresh content - so feel free to come back every so often and see what is new.
with best wishes, Glen

What's Happening at No. 16

2007-11-06T14:57:00.000-08:00

Those of you familiar with Newark may have noticed a lot going on at No. 16 Castlegate. This fantastic (and huge) Georgian building, next to Cafe Bleu, has been a hive of activity for some weeks now and we've been lucky enough to play a very small part.

A few months ago I first met Celia and Dean of Public Hair in Southwell. Having built up an enviable reputation as one of the area's leading salons, demand for their services is now huge. Their answer is to transform a fabulous but sadly neglected Newark landmark into a retreat for mind and body and a place to be truly pampered. Public Hair and Spa will offer the very best in Aveda facial and body treatments as well as world class hairdressing.

The work being undertaken to create this oasis of relaxation is on a massive scale and the final result will be truly breathtaking.

You can follow their progress at www.whatshappeningat16.co.uk . In the meantime, here are a few of the shots we took for the website, to create a little excitement about what's happening.

My Doggies

2007-11-05T01:00:00.000-08:00

I have 4 small dogs, two Cavalier King Charles spaniels and two small poodles. So all couples that come to my house for any meetings always receive a very warm and loving greeting!

Here are a few pictures of them:-

Hello!

2007-10-28T11:08:00.000-07:00

Hi folks, just a quick note to say we had a great time at Prestwold Hall today - we were exhibiting at a wedding show - and if you came along and saw us then Hi. You can see a wedding I shot there a few weeks ago in recent weddings / online albums - Phil and Fru.

We always get really positive feedback from couples at shows and it is nice to meet and talk with other suppliers. We realise that we are not for everyone but it is always nice to meet people who appreciate and value what we do. Our site goes fully live from the middle of next week, which means we will be able to upload fresh content on a regular basis - and that is something we are really excited about. We wanted the new site to be fresh and developing all of the time.

Anyway, it is getting late and I've got a busy few days ahead - heading off to Leeds tomorrow and then Oxford on Tuesday, for some meetings - so it is time to get a takeaway - my folks love Chinese, that is where I am headed next. (for some unknown reason the time on the blog is very strange, it is actually 6:20pm Sunday evening - how peculiar)
best wishes, Glen

Prestwold Hall Wedding Show

2007-10-27T08:19:00.000-07:00

Just to let you know that we will be exhibiting at Prestwold Hall wedding show tomorrow (Sunday 28th Oct). Prestwold Hall is located near Loughborough, so if you are in the area then why not come along.

The Barn at Bury Court, Farnham Surrey

2007-10-22T10:19:00.000-07:00

This is the venue for Nick and Clare's wedding (see below). It was a real find. Lovely character, beautiful gardens and very friendly staff and owner. Click here to the right to see a slideshow:-The Barn at Bury Court Slideshow

It might take a short while to load depending upon your connection..

Nick and Clare - some beautiful pictures

2007-10-21T13:08:00.000-07:00

Nick and Clare were married at Bury Court near Farnham in Hampshire.

Clare had seen one of our ads in You and Your Wedding Magazine and liked the natural style of photography and within a few days of speaking she had booked me to take their pictures - that was a year ago. The wedding was on Sunday 7th October. Clare and Nick were not too prescriptive in terms of their photographs, but they love black and white images and more informal pictures.

It was a bit of journey for me, from Nottinghamshire, but we cover weddings all over and I simply arranged to stay at a local hotel on the Sunday evening.

Bury Court is a delightful location. It was previously a nursery, so the gardens are more than wonderful - they are designer gardens, with beautiful long grasses. It made for some great pictures. There are a few below and you can see more at Recent weddings, under Online Albums.

Nick and Clare told me that they tend not to look good in pictures - I've told them to give up the day job with looks like these (above).

There was a cricket theme to the day, so they had a muster of cricket bats held high to walk under.

Clare just looked stunning, as you can see here.

Some of the grasses and gardens at Bury Court.

Such unusual flowers - which make the cake look fantastic.

Philippa and Mark

2007-10-18T00:48:00.000-07:00

Philippa and Mark were married on a beautiful day in September, the 15th to be exact. Philippa had rang me in the January of this year, a few days after she had been engaged and asked if I could take her photographs. I was delighted to be asked, as I had taken her sister's wedding photographs last year, so I already knew the family and she already knew about our photography. I think the wedding date was partly chosen around my availability, which is very nice when it happens, as it is always a shame to be booked when someone you know calls.

They were married in Long Clawson, which is her home village and is in Leicestershire, with a marquee at her parent's home. We love village style weddings, they seem to have a special type of atmosphere.

I was joined on the day by Samantha, which was really helpful as Sam was able to stay at home with Philippa whilst I went off to find the boys in the local pub, before heading off to the church. They are a lovely couple and a lovely family, and we really enjoyed doing the photography.

Here are a few pictures:-

This is a shot by Sam of Philippa's dress, with a beautiful ribbon and bow.

Many of our pictures are candid, where the couple do not know we have taken the picture, like this in church.

This confetti shot, taken by Sam, is just great - what a moment.

We took some pictures of Philippa and Mark together. We like to just set the scene and then catch the moments, like this one.

Here are some of the flowers - the colours were really nice.

Some family snaps

2007-10-17T09:09:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my favourite holiday pictures:-

We went to Disney!

Most of my pictures include people, but I have refrained from embarrassing my family too much by posting their pictures here. But this one caught my eye. It was taken several years ago and is a simple, everyday scene – but to me the way the picture was taken turns what could have been a snap into something more.

I like this picture simply because it tells an obvious story – our two dogs waiting very patiently for a walk.

This was also taken on holiday, whilst in Italy. I was standing by a very large lake and was looking for a composition that would make a good picture, which is tricky with large lakes. I then looked down and saw this jetty in front of my nose. It provided what I needed to turn what would have been a rather empty picture of a large lake. I like the black and white image, with the gentle graduation in tones across the picture.

I took this picture whilst on holiday in Maderia. It was a casual picture. I was looking around to see what was the best angle. I was stood above these men and looked down. I liked the composition and light. The picture has a degree of balance to it, to me at least. Composition and balance in a picture are important to me.

Hello!

2007-10-15T01:35:00.000-07:00

Hello! Welcome to our brand, spanking new website and my very first blog!

I hope you enjoy spending some time here and that you visit us again as the site grows. There’s lots to come! We’ll be adding images to our gallery and to our recent wedding sections, so you can see what we’ve been up to. We’ll also be adding in lots of other information that we think might interest you, especially if you’re planning a wedding. Keep an eye on the “We Love” section, because this is where we’re going to be telling you about other companies and suppliers that we’ve come across and think you’ll really like. Everything from venues to pianists to mail-order cup cakes.

Hope to see you soon!

Sam

PureLight's New Site

2007-10-12T23:53:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the all-new website for PureLight. Samantha and I have been working together as professional photographers since last August and we created PureLight in April this year. So what is it all about, why did we do it and what does it mean for our customers, past, present and future.

We were both working as professional wedding photographers and found ourselves located in the same town, Newark in Nottingshamshire – both of us had recently moved to Newark about 2 years ago. Now it starts with LA Fitness – my wife is a keen member and Sam also went along. They got talking, as ladies do, and had a few coffees together. One thing lead to another, and this led to me helping Sam with a few of her bigger weddings towards the end of last year.

You don’t want to hear all the details, so just to say that we both wanted to create a larger and stronger business, and importantly we wanted to be able to offer a two-photographer team for couples, that is two fully professional photographers shooting at the same wedding.

The experience has been great, we have both learnt a huge amount from each other, and the larger size of business means we can do things that would otherwise be difficult – like this new website. We get some economies of scale that means couples get a much better and stronger business.

So what has the experience been like so far: we have had a great response from couples and people in general. We both want to produce the very best images we can for our couples and we both share a strong passion for photographs that really capture something special. We both want couples and their guests to really enjoy their wedding day, so that the photographs are part of the day but we don’t want them to take over. We both want to exceed our clients expectations and a business that people would recommend again and again.

So I hope you like our new website, we have put a lot of thought and effort to create something different and special.