Merry Christmas!!!
Just a quick one to wish everyone a very happy Christmas and the very best wishes for the New Year!
Amy, Jeff and Mog & Morbo (the awesome pawsome) x
Autumn in the New Forest
The end of summer isn’t that bad. The golden afternoon light is gorgeous at this time of year. Driving through the New Forest this afternoon after a portrait session in Christchurch I just had to stop to grab some shots across the heathland.
My Italian Wedding Photos
Last week was my 2nd wedding anniversary so I thought I would share some pictures from my own wedding.
Jeff and I didn’t want a traditional English wedding so we decided to have our wedding abroad. We flew out with 16 of our close friends and family and got married in Malcesine, a pretty village on Lake Garda in Italy. The ceremony was held on the terrace of the medieval Malcesine castle perched on the rocky lake shore. It was so beautiful looking out over the blue lake and mountains, with the terracotta roofs and windy streets of the village below. After the civil ceremony we walked through the cobbled streets and boarded our private boat for a champagne cruise on the lake. We spent our evening at the lakeside, eating, drinking and laughing, enjoying a scrummy 7 course Italian feast and plenty of wine.
A wedding abroad is not for everyone, but if you want to do something different to the big family do then I cannot recommend it enough. The setting, the weather, the food and drink, are all so amazing. The whole week we were at Lake Garda was a celebration and a really great holiday. (Jeff maintains the best day was in fact speed boat day, not the wedding)
Our photos were taken by Gwen at Lake Garda Weddings, who were excellent in organising the whole wedding for us (another recommendation there). Such a great place for wedding photos too, I would love to go back and photograph a wedding in Malcesine (ps- I you are getting married in Lake Garda and want an English Photographer who knows the location then get in touch for a great rate!)
Weekend in Amsterdam
Jeff and I went to Amsterdam for the weekend to meet up with some European friends. Amsterdam has a bit of a seedy reputation but it’s a really beautiful city with a relaxed and friendly culture. I think I could quite happily live there. Any Amsterdam couples looking for a wedding photographer? 
While we were there I was lucky to catch two fantastic photography exhibitions. At the Fotographiemuseum- Amsterdam was a retrospective of work by famous fashion and portrait photographer Richard Avedon. This american photographer shot celebrities, royalty and news stories from the 60’s until his death in 2004. Most are very simple square format, white background black and white. This simplicity really allows you to focus on the person and Avedon had a real skill for showing the personality and reality of his subjects.
It was also a treat to see the winning entries from world press photo award. I admit I pay little attention to news photography, but to see these blown up and exhibited really allowed you to stop and look at the images, and see how pictures can really tell such a powerful story. There are some amazing photojournalism of events through the year, from the Beijing Olympics to wars, social commentary and nature. Really inspirational stuff.
Here’s some less inspriring snaps from our weekend…
Models: Luci
Just getting around to blogging these photos from a recent model shoot with the Southern Strobist flickr group. Luci has a great alternative look with fantastic red hair and just check out those boots- The perfect look to try out something a bit creative. These are shot in a tunnel with colour gelled flashes creating the background. Shooting ‘Time for Print’ sessions with aspiring models is great for expanding the portfolio of both parties and I get to try out some stuff I wouldn’t normally be able to do on a wedding day. (Though if you want something a bit more funky for your wedding pics I amvery up for it!)
