Magic Photography

Wedding Photography - Northcote House, Sunningdale - Becca & Andy

2011-11-10T07:56:00.000-08:00

Wow, I have been neglecting my blog lately, so need to play catch up!

Becca & Andy's lovely wedding took place in August in the amazing location of Northcote House in Sunningdale. First wedding there and I loved it, there are limitless opportunities for photography including their amazing rooms and grand staircase followed by a very fun golf buggy trip to get an amazing view of the house from afar.

Loved Becca and Andy's very simple yet very effective colour scheme, unfortunately no blue skies on offer that day but we were very lucky not to have any rain given the forecast!

Congratulations to them both, and all the best in married life!

Stoke Place Wedding Photography - Rose & Anoush

2011-09-14T03:18:00.000-07:00

Rose & Anoush were very lucky to get one of the loveliest July days this year for their gorgeous wedding. The ceremony took place in St Augustine's Church, High Wycombe, and their reception in one of my favourite wedding venues, Stoke Place in Buckinghamshire.

It was probably one of the longest weddings this year, ceremony was at 11am so an early start! But the day just flew with so many different things going on. Rose is part of a large irish family and Anoush is half iranian so I got to experience an iranian ceremony too in the evening which was very interesting! And to top it off they also had some irish dancers from a local irish dancing school. A thoroughly enjoyable wedding and I just loved their beautifully decorated room complete with an amazing cake made by the bride's mum!

Hope you are both enjoying your well deserved honeymoon at the moment! x

A 50's inspired Wedding in Kent - John & Lynette

2011-08-15T03:13:00.000-07:00

Been meaning to blog John and Lynette's wedding for a while, but has just been a busy time! There were also so many lovely photos to choose from it has taken me a while to do! :)

I loved everything about their wedding - the lovely outdoors rural setting of their venue, The Blazing Donkey, near Sandwich; the attention to detail that they both went to - Lynette with the decor and John with the music; and the lovely guests and great entertainment! I had the pleasure of staying right to the very end of this lovely wedding as I was a guest as well as photographer, lots of fun to be had, and very sore feet! :) Being a friend of the bride who is also a photographer, meant I heard all about the ideas and inspiration behind the day as soon as they booked the venue a year before so could not wait to see the results on the big day!

Here are just a few of the images, Lynette looked absolutely stunning in her dress and beautiful birdcage veil don't you agree?? :)

Baby & Family Studio Photography - Reading, Berkshire

2011-07-15T11:03:00.000-07:00

Been very busy last few months and been neglecting my blog so have a bit of a backlog to do.....
Was really pleased to have this lovely family back for session two of Imogen's 'Baby's First Year' Package. She had really grown and changed since the first session and was full of smiles all session, and managed quite a few different outfits! A real dream to photograph, looking forward to seeing her again just before her first birthday!

Wokefield Park Wedding Photographer - Lucy & Chris

2011-06-24T05:24:00.000-07:00

I had been waiting for the opportunity to shoot a wedding at Wokefield Park as it is such a beautiful venue and literally round the corner from me, so was delighted when Lucy and Chris booked me to do their wedding there last year.

Wokefield Park is just beautiful and the day was glorious, really quite baking hot! Lucy looked amazing and their colour scheme was perfect for a beautiful spring day! I really enjoyed using the wonderful columns in the front entrance for both some lovely group shots of the wedding party and also some of them together.

Hope they had an amazing time in St Lucia and have a wonderful married life together!

Wedding Photographer Douai Abbey & Aldermaston Mill - Anika & Paul

2011-06-02T06:34:00.000-07:00

It was a pleasure to photograph Anika & Paul's wedding a few weeks ago, and was great to see Paul looking well after he was seriously ill in hospital with meningitis just after their pre wedding shoot about 8 weeks before. Was a big scare for all of them, so was brilliant that the day had amazing weather and everyone had a blast. All their guests were very lovely too!

The wedding ceremony was held in Douai Abbey, which had amazing light. They then moved on to the extremely picturesque Aldermaston Mill for the reception which had lots of gorgeous locations, I think I took a record number of images at this wedding!

Here are some of my fave images of the day:

Newborn Baby Photography, Reading, Berkshire - Baby Graeson

2011-05-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

Been busy with newborns the last few weeks which I have really loved doing. I must admit to becoming very addicted to buying all the lovely baby props, there are so many gorgeous things to choose from.

First up is the gorgeous 12 day old baby Graeson who was just fantastic, fell asleep and no matter how much we moved him he did not flinch! He was just amazing and so peaceful. He came in to the studio just before Easter just in time to become an easter bunny and as the weather was so warm we did a few shots of him outside as well as in the studio but by that time he was starting to wake up! :)

His parents have just recently got engaged too so thought the ring shot on the little feet was very appropriate :) Congrats to them both, on the birth of Graeson and also on their engagement!

Newborn shoots are best done within the first three weeks after birth as the babies are sleepier and more flexible but I photograph babies of all ages. Shoots start from £95 including three prints, and shoots normally take between 2-3 hours with some cuddles and feeding in between! :) Would love to hear from you if you interested in bringing your new baby along to the studio :)

Images from Thailand

2011-04-18T01:40:00.000-07:00

For a change I thought I would do a more personal blog post, I got back recently from Thailand and it was definitely a photographer's dream! The colours, the people, the food (sadly cannot say the weather as we had the most awful weather in Phuket which was a big disappointment but hey.... such is life).

We started off in Chiang Mai which was a great city, not too big so easy to get around, best way via Tuk Tuk except one of ours broke down! :) Loved the night markets and especially the Sunday walking market which was full of all sorts of lovely crafty things and best of all no pressure to actually buy them! Unless you wanted to.... We also did some elephant trekking and bamboo rafting which was great fun, and did a city tour, our first of many temples!

Hill Tribe Village lady weaving fabrics - some lovely scarves

Beautiful Lotus flowers used as offerings in temples

Phuket was pretty rainy most of the time, but we did go to a Thai cookery school for the day which was great - learnt how to make 5 different Thai dishes, sadly hard to reproduce now..... :) Definitely well worth the trip which started off visiting a local market to source ingredients.

My very own yummy Pad Thai!

Lastly Bangkok for a few days, more temples, an interesting Lady Boy Show and more shopping. But one of the highlights of my trip was to the Floating Market about an hour from Bangkok, definitely was in my element there - just an amazing place to photograph!

People praying at the Grand Palace temple in Bangkok

Lady boiling coconuts to make coconut milk

Local woodcarver

Love this picture of young monks feeding the fish

Tuk tuks - great way to get around!

Bangkok's houses on the canals

Definitely recommend Thailand as a holiday destination and especially for photography enthusiasts, most of the photos were taken using my 50mm f1.4 lens which was fab, and also my handy Canon G10!

Pre wedding shoot - a beautiful day out at the seaside

2011-04-12T06:35:00.000-07:00

Very excited to share this post with you. Spent the day with Lynette and John last wednesday at the beach in Southend-on-Sea for their pre wedding shoot, and they could not have picked a better day - skies were blue, sun was out and it was hot! Really felt like summer, my favourite time of year! :)

I first met Lynette about 4 years ago when doing my wedding photography course, she is a fellow photographer. I was honoured to have been asked to do their wedding this coming June which I am so looking forward to. It's going to be so much fun!

Lynette used to live right across the road from the beach we did the shoot so it has lots of memories for the both of them from when they first started dating, was great to see them have fun together. There were so many lovely images that I thought it may be easier to do a quick slideshow of the shoot as well as sharing a few of my fave images, enjoy! :)

Pregnancy Bump Shoot, Reading, Berkshire - Debbie & David

2011-04-05T02:13:00.000-07:00

Been away for a few weeks in Thailand so catching up on my blog with this lovely pregnancy shoot. Debbie was 34 weeks pregnant and should hopefully be giving birth to a surprise in the next few weeks. They were great to work with and we got lots of lovely shots of her gorgeous baby bump. Looking forward to hearing their news and also meeting their bundle of joy for his or her newborn shoot!

Competition Prize - Portrait Shoot in the Bluebells! Near Reading, Berkshire

2011-03-16T05:21:00.000-07:00

Would you like to win a FREE photoshoot in the beautiful bluebells? I have been thinking long and hard what the best prize would be for my first blog competition and I think a portrait shoot in the gorgeous bluebells would be a great one! The prize will include a FREE shoot in the bluebells at the end of April when they are out in a wood close to my studio in Burghfield Common, Reading (will probably have to be on a weekday though). It can be for one person, couple, child, family or even a family dog! The prize will include one mounted 10x8" print and three 5x7" images.

In order to enter please 'like' my Magic Photography page on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/MagicPhotographyReading

and send me an email with your contact details to info@magicphotography.co.uk

The winner will be drawn at random at the beginning of April. Good luck!

If you would like to book a photography session in the bluebells please contact me for more details, shoots start from £95.

Pre Wedding Shoot - Anika & Paul

2011-03-16T02:19:00.000-07:00

I met Anika & Paul down at the Kennet & Avon canal for my first pre wedding shoot of the year on saturday. Was a little grey but I think there is a lovely nostalgic feel about the images. They are getting married in May, looking forward to the wedding!

I offer pre wedding shoots with my half day and full day wedding packages. They give the couple a feel of what to expect on the day itself and make them a little more relaxed about their photography on the day. And gives us all a chance to get to know each other better which I feel is really important. They are a lot of fun too! :)

Baby Photography, Berkshire - Baby Emilia, 8 months old

2011-03-15T05:22:00.000-07:00

Wow, second blog post of the day! :)

Met baby Emilia and her parents a few weeks ago and just loved her big eyes and lovely personality, such a cutie! Had been waiting for a chance to try out my new baby tutus and boy did she do them justice, lovely model :) There are loads of lovely images, she was a dream to photograph but here are some of my faves:

Family Photography, Berkshire - Ellen & Gustaf

2011-03-15T03:10:00.000-07:00

Been neglecting my blog lately so am going to try and catch up this week! It was lovely getting an email from Ellen a few months ago asking if I could photograph her and her lovely 2 year old son while they were visiting the UK. Worked with Ellen many moons ago and had not seen her in 6 years as she moved to Denmark so was a fantastic opportunity to catch up too!

Her son was a little tired as they had got a late flight the night before but after a nap perked up quite a bit and then was unstoppable! Very funny little man! :) Also a huge Cars (Disney) fan and has now named one of the characters after me - result! :)

Vintage Style Portrait Party, Berkshire - Abbie & friends

2011-03-07T02:57:00.000-08:00

I had a blast a few weeks ago with Abbie & her friends for her birthday portrait party (albeit a few months late, was hard coordinating all their schedules!). I loved their bohemian vintage chic style, and their love for shopping (from the amount of shopping bags they brought with them!) :) They were great fun to work with and we ended up with a lovely collection of images, both vintage style and then a more dressy look. Great fun!

Makeup was by the super talented Gini from Truly Colours.

Some of my faves:

Baby Photography, Reading - Baby Georgia, 4 weeks old

2011-02-21T04:22:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of photographing the beautiful baby Georgia a few weeks ago. She was 4 weeks old and came over very sleepy but once she woke up was hard to get her to go back to sleep. Loved trying out my new baby props and she was quite the little model! :)

Baby & Family Photo Shoot, Reading, Berkshire

2011-01-26T09:11:00.000-08:00

Eight week old baby Imogen was a delight to shoot together with her lovely parents. Her head control was amazing for such a young baby and loved her gorgeous blue eyes. Look forward to seeing her grow over the coming year!

Teen Makeover Photo Shoot - Reading, Berkshire

2011-01-24T09:36:00.000-08:00

Loved shooting best friends Glory & Eloise in the studio week before last for Glory's 14th birthday. Loved Glory's quirky sense of style and they were both great fun!

Hair & makeup by the lovely and very talented Gini from Truly Colours.

Some of my faves:

Baby & Family Christmas Photo Shoot, Reading, Berkshire - Smily Happy Baby!!

2011-01-10T03:11:00.000-08:00

Finally caught up on my 2010 blog with my second post today! Great way to end 2010 with the gorgeous 11 month old baby David who just had a killer smile and smiled through the whole of his photo shoot with his lovely mum and dad! Think he loved the limelight! So many lovely photos to choose from but these make me smile from ear to ear - he pulled the funniest faces too, and made the cutest Santa's Little Helper, just adorable! :)

Newborn & Family Shoot, Reading, Berkshire

2011-01-10T00:15:00.000-08:00

Nearly caught up on blog posts from last year and have two scheduled for today! Met the gorgeous baby Miley at 4 weeks old, who was born only 6 days after her mum's pregnancy shoot so was all very well timed! :) She was a little unsettled during the shoot with a bit of a sniffle but we managed to get some gorgeous shots of her (most of them with her wide awake which is unusual for such a young baby!) and her parents.

Looking forward to the next shoot in a few months time! Congratulations to the lovely parents again!

Here are some of my faves, my favourite being the one of the whole family, just lovely! :)

Teenage Portrait Party Photo Shoot Slideshow

2011-01-05T01:42:00.000-08:00

Just realised I need to blog a few bits from last year (bit behind!), thought I would start the 2011 blog with a slideshow of a teenage portrait party which was lots of fun last year! Natalie celebrated her 13th birthday with four friends and had a makeoever with Gini, followed by some individual and some group shots of the girls in 'Pop Idol' style! :)

Happy New Year!!

2010-12-31T11:28:00.000-08:00

It has been an amazing year this year for both my weddings and portrait business, thank you to all my clients for being amazing to work with! Some beautiful wedding venues, brides and grooms, babies, children and families!

Have run out of time to do a short video of my favourite shots but will do so in the New Year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone, may next year be full of happiness for you all!

Winter Wedding - Hayley & Anthony

2010-12-31T11:25:00.000-08:00

December has just flown by and been busy away on holiday, with family and then quite ill over Xmas which is why I am quite late blogging Hayley & Anthony's fairytale castle winter wedding at the end of November! Nonetheless it is worth the wait :) Leez Priory was just an amazing wedding venue, the sky was deep blue and even though bitterly cold it made for a glorious winter wedding. Hayley looked stunning and was amazing at dealing with the cold outside!

The venue was gorgeous both in and out and had a very Christmassy feel with all the decorations already up, think I counted about 5 beautiful Xmas trees! Shame everyone had to go out in the cold when the fire alarm went off just as it was getting dark (false alarm), but the ladies seemed to enjoy the presence of the firemen when they came! :) Made for definitely some hilarious snaps at the end!

Hope the happy couple have had a brilliant honeymoon down under, Happy New Year!

Family Photo Shoot in lovely autumn colours - Wokefield Common, Reading

2010-11-17T08:09:00.000-08:00

I had great fun shooting the Bellanti family in the woods a few weeks ago, they picked a fantastic sunny autumn day just before it really started getting chilly! All three kids loved playing with the autumn leaves, Autumn is just a magical, colourful time for outdoor shoots!

Bridal Boudoir Studio Photography, Berkshire

2010-11-09T04:58:00.000-08:00

If you are a bride to be and are stuck on ideas on what to get your fiance for your wedding day, we are now offering Bridal Boudoir photo shoots and makeover sessions before the big day, so you can present your hubby to be with an album on your wedding day of fantastic images he will love.

You can bring your wedding lingerie, petticoat and veil, or can dress in anything you feel comfortable in, such as a football shirt of your fiance, and have a fun day being pampered by us.

Bridal Boudoir sessions take about 2 hours and start from £175 including style consultation when you arrive, and makeover including hair & makeup (two different looks if required).

The images below were taken on a bridal boudoir session which was booked as a surprise for the groom :)

Pregnancy Bump Photo Shoot - Reading, Berkshire

2010-11-08T10:21:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of doing my first bump shoot a few weeks ago - at 38 weeks Adele had the most perfect bump ever! The couple's timing could not have been more perfect, 6 days later baby daughter Miley was born. Looking forward to meeting and doing her newborn shoot next week!

Bump/pregnancy shoots are best done between 33-38 weeks and can be done as either individual sessions or as part of my Baby's First Year Package.

Here are some of my fave shots of the session:

Newborn Twin Girls Photo Shoot - Berkshire & Surrey

2010-11-02T09:41:00.000-07:00

I had the pleasure of photographing beautiful newborn twins Holly & Megan a few weeks ago, they were 3 weeks old and oh so cute and teeny! It was hard work getting them both to sleep at the same time, as otherwise they were just bashing each other! :) But after a few feeds, pees and poos on my rug it all came together! :) All to be expected, I thought they did incredibly well!

Congratulations to the proud parents!

Here are some photos for you to all coo over!

Baby Photography, Berkshire - Baby Alfie

2010-10-14T08:23:00.000-07:00

I met the gorgeous 11 month old Alfie and his parents last week for a baby studio shoot, which was so much fun. He definitely wins the prize for the smiliest baby I have ever met on a shoot, definitely made my job seem super easy! He just did not stop smiling or giggling all shoot. Just adorable!

Pre Wedding Shoot, Old Leigh, Essex - Hayley & Anthony

2010-10-14T07:15:00.000-07:00

I met Anthony & Hayley last weekend for a pre wedding shoot in Old Leigh, Essex. They will be having their winter wedding next month in Leez Priory which I am really looking forward to.

Although a bit grey on the day, (we were expecting full on sunshine as predicted by the forecast), it was still a great place to shoot, using the cockle sheds as backdrops as well as the Thames Estuary at high tide.

Thanks to Julie for referring me and to Lynette for suggesting the location!

Some of my faves from the day:

Wedding Photography Cantley House, Wokingham

2010-10-13T02:03:00.000-07:00

Amanda & Dave tied the knot in Cantley House, Wokingham, a few weeks ago in a beautiful but crisp september day, joined by their lovely children Sophie & James. The ceremony was lovely, bridesmaids Sophie, Ella & Charlotte were just gorgeous all day, and little James stood between his parents as they said their vows, a little bemused by the whole thing! :) The reception had a chocolate theme with chocolate table numbers and an amazing chocolate cake, one of the funniest photos of the day has to be James taking the opportunity to stuff his face with choccy as the speeches went on!

A special mention for the very talented Gini from Truly Colours who did all hair and makeup and also assisted the couple with wedding planning and entertainment for the 30 kids under 5 on the day! Great job! :)

Congratulations to them all! Some of my faves:

Family Studio Photoshoot, Reading - The Crossleys

2010-10-05T00:47:00.000-07:00

Been a while since I have had a chance to update the blog. I met the lovely Crossley family for a family photo shoot last month. The girls were great fun and was definitely impressed by Jen's strength lifting her older sister!

Hair & Makeup by the lovely Gini of Truly Colours.

Some of my faves:

Pre Wedding/Family Photoshoot, Wokefield Common, near Reading

2010-09-14T04:19:00.000-07:00

Amanda & David are getting married later on this month in Cantley House, Wokingham. Met up with them and their absolutely gorgeous kids for a pre wedding/family location shoot a few weeks ago. We went on location to nearby Wokefield Common where the kids run around and played hide and seek, and for a change last month the sun was actually out! Really looking forward to their wedding!

Portrait Party - Girls Photo Shoot

2010-09-13T08:23:00.000-07:00

Portrait parties are great ways of celebrating birthdays and are becoming really popular with young girls and teenagers. Had loads of fun shooting Shauna, Ellie & Ciara, party was for Shauna & Ellie's 11th birthday party. They had 3 different looks - party dress, casual wear & my favourite - the whacky 80s look! :)

Toddler Photographer, Berkshire - Megan 2nd Shoot

2010-09-08T05:28:00.000-07:00

I first met Megan last year when she was nearly a year old and crawling, she is now a walking, talking little girl, who is just gorgeous. A little shy at first, but got some lovely shots with mum Anne and then nothing could stop her from running around the studio like a typical 2 year old, hard work! :)

Some of my fave shots of the session:

Baby's First Year Portrait Sessions - Jasmine

2010-09-07T06:53:00.000-07:00

It's been great watching baby Jasmine's development over the past year. She first came to the studio at only 12 weeks old, then at 6 months and now at nearly a year old. She has developed into a gorgeous, smily little toddler who is lots of fun!

Here are some of my faves of the last session and one to show her progress over the last year, so adorable! :)

Wedding Photography - Malmesbury Abbey & Marsh Farm Hotel, Wiltshire

2010-09-01T04:28:00.000-07:00

Mark & Laura's wedding was fantastic to photograph a few weeks ago. Emotions were running high as the bride arrived, and one of my favourite images of the day was that of Mark looking totally overwhelmed when Laura walked up the aisle. Malmesbury Abbey was just beautiful to photograph and despite forecasts for heavy rain not a single drop fell that day! No brollies needed after all!

We then moved to Marsh Farm Hotel which again provided an idyllic setting for the reception, thankfully the wedding car made it to the hotel, although it had to be pushed back in place for the photos as it overheated for the third time that day! :) So many lovely photos, Mark & Laura's love for each other shined all day and made my job extremely easy!

Loved the sugar rush in their ceremony room, tables were filled with all different types of sweets and candy, could not resist trying a few later, loved the pear drops! :)

Here are some of my favourite images of the day, congrats again to you both!

Wedding Photographer - Swan Hotel, Streatley

2010-08-30T14:41:00.000-07:00

The Swan Hotel at Streatley is one of my favorite venues for small, intimate weddings, mostly because of the quirky ceremony on the barge that is moored outside the hotel on the Thames. Ryan & Fiona's wedding was lovely, and although we did have some rain (where did summer go?), we were lucky enough to get some breaks in the rain to take some photos outside in the lovely riverbank setting. They also managed to do their romantic boat trip on the river after the ceremony, before the first heavy shower!

Here are some of my favourite images of the day, hope you both enjoyed your honeymoon in USA!

Makeover Photo Shoot - Tasha, the shoe queen!

2010-08-24T06:48:00.000-07:00

Trying to catch up on my blog again, been a busy month!

When I first met Tasha she mentioned her love and obsession for shoes, some of which sit proudly at home never worn (something to do with how high they are! :) so I told her to bring them along for her shoot a few weeks ago, which turned out to be lots of fun!

Some of my faves:

Wedding Photography Stoke Place - Rebecca & Peter

2010-08-18T08:53:00.000-07:00

The weather forecast was not looking good but so glad the rain held out cos Rebecca & Peter's wedding in Stoke Place, near Slough, was just beautiful. Stoke Place is beautiful in itself with no shortage of gorgeous backdrops both in and out, and the lovely fairy lights and colours just added for a very romantic feel to the day. Rebecca and Peter were just fantastic to work with, and I really enjoyed the day, and all their little details including their tributes to their two gorgeous little dogs!

Hope you are having an amazing honeymoon in the USA!

Baby Photography, Reading, Berkshire - Calum

2010-08-10T11:17:00.000-07:00

I met 5 month old Baby Calum and his parents last week for a quick studio shoot before they moved abroad, and he was just the most adorable little boy. Such a little cutie and such beautiful big blue eyes! :)

Wedding Photography - St James' Church, Hampton Hill & Warren Lodge, Shepperton

2010-08-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed photographing Ed & Lauren's special day together with their abosolutely gorgeous (& extremely well behaved!) kids, Sophie & Louis. Started off with a beautiful church service at St James's Church in Hampton Hill, followed by a reception on Warren Lodge in Shepperton which was one of the very first wedding venues I ever photographed a few years ago! It is a lovely setting on the river Thames yet very cosy at the same time. Loved their cupcake wedding cake, yummy! :)

Congratulations to the whole family, hope you are enjoying married life!

Pre Wedding Shoot Marsh Farm, Wiltshire - Mark & Laura

2010-08-08T11:31:00.000-07:00

Been such a busy few weeks now wedding season is underway, so a bit behind on blogging! I met Mark & Laura saturday before last for their pre wedding meeting and shoot in their beautiful wedding venue, Marsh Farm Hotel, in Wiltshire. Really looking forward to the big day now, it is a lovely venue and very excited about their ceremony in Malmesbury Abbey too! The couple were a bit nervous about being in the limelight but I think they really enjoyed it, and are now getting very excited about the actual wedding day. Here are some of my faves:

Teenage Makeover Shoot Berkshire - Hannah & Kat

2010-08-03T01:56:00.000-07:00

I had great fun with sisters Hannah & Kat last thursday in their makeover shoot. Makeup and hair was done by the very talented Gini from Truly Colours who gave them fab makeovers starting with a very natural look followed by a much more dramatic look to match their outfits. I loved Hannah's 2nd outfit, very Lady Gaga! :)

There were absolutely loads of images to choose from, but here are some of my faves:

Pre Wedding Shoot - Ryan & Fiona

2010-08-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

Been a very busy week this week! Started off on monday with Ryan and Fiona's pre wedding shoot in the studio. They are getting married in one of my favourite local venues, Swan Hotel in Streatley, in a few weeks time. Looking forward to it!

Renewal of Vows Ceremony - St John the Baptist Church, Padworth & Aldermaston Manor

2010-07-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

Helen & Wilf renewed their vows (after 10 years of marriage) in a beautiful ceremony with their three gorgeous boys last sunday in St John the Baptist Church in Padworth. This was followed by a reception at beautiful Aldermaston Manor. Had great fun with them all, here are some of my fave shots:

Location Shoot in Sulhamstead Woods

2010-07-05T02:39:00.000-07:00

Had lots of fun shooting Amy in Sulhamstead Woods a week ago. It was a great chance to test my new camera - Nikon D700 which so far has been fantastic!

Location shoots are becoming increasingly popular and there are no shortage of lovely locations in Berkshire, or if you have a lovely garden why not have a family shoot there!

Here are some of my favourite images of the day, most shot in Sulhamstead Woods but some also shot in my own back garden;

Pre Wedding & Pet Photo Shoot

2010-06-29T07:41:00.000-07:00

Rebecca and Peter brought along their adorable little dogs, Bert & Ernie to their pre wedding shoot on saturday. They were extremely well behaved after having been stuck in a traffic jam on the M4 for an hour! We started off doing some shots in the studio and then went on location to Wokefield Common, near Reading. Looking forward to their wedding in early august!

Some of my fave shots:

Pre Wedding Shoot - Lauren & Ed

2010-06-28T12:26:00.000-07:00

Looking forward to Lauren & Ed's wedding next month in Hampton Hill & Warren Lodge, Shepperton. Met them last wednesday for their pre wedding shoot in the studio, (just before the one good England game, alas..... ).They are a lovely couple, here are some of my faves:

My Sister's Wedding - Bridal Preparations

2010-06-14T03:40:00.000-07:00

For a change, I was a guest at a wedding a few weeks ago. My sister got married on the 4th June in beautiful Lake Vyrnwy in Wales, just a breathtaking location. I wasn't the official photographer having decided to just chill for the day and enjoy the day as a guest, but I couldn't resist covering her bridal preparations and taking some photos of my beautiful nieces before the wedding. All done in between getting my own hair and makeup done and helping out with the bridesmaids getting dressed! I had a wonderful time watching Catherine and Simon tie the knot in such a wonderful location and in some pretty sweltering weather too! Congratulations to them and best wishes for a wonderful life together! Looking forward to seeing the official photos and putting your album together!

Leigh's 13th Birthday Portrait Party!

2010-06-09T08:39:00.000-07:00

Had great fun with just turned teenager Leigh and best friend Zoe. The girls looked great, makeup and hair by Gini of Truly Colours. And they were both extremely photogenic and fantastic to work with! Happy Birthday Leigh!

Here are some of my faves:

Couple Studio Photoshoot, Reading, Berkshire - Lucy & Chris

2010-05-19T07:29:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed yesterday's studio photoshoot with Lucy and Chris. I first met Lucy at the Blue Mountain Golf Club a few month's ago where she was the lucky winner of my draw among all the brides and grooms to be. Lucy and Chris are getting married in June next year, and it was Lucy's birthday yesterday. Hope you had a wonderful day!

Here are a few of my favourite shots:

Lucy's beautiful engagement ring was chosen by Chris, good luck with all your wedding planning!

Family Photoshoot in the Beautiful Bluebells, near Reading, Berkshire

2010-05-04T07:16:00.000-07:00

It was great to see the lovely Hancox family again this weekend for a lifestyle shoot in the bluebell woods close to the studio. I met them last November when they had a studio photo session as a Xmas surprise for mum whom I finally met in this shoot! The bluebells are just fantastic as a backdrop to a lifestyle portrait session adding an amazing blanket of colour. Unfortunately they only last a couple of weeks so if you would like the opportunity to have a session please contact me as soon as possible!
Here are some of my favourites:

Jo & Tony's Wedding - Best Western Moat House Hotel, Sindlesham

2010-04-12T04:52:00.000-07:00

Jo and Tony's wedding took place on Easter Sunday at the Best Western Moat House Hotel and was a beautiful spring day. I really loved Jo's beautiful dress and accessories which suited her perfectly, and they were both a lovely couple to work with along with Jo's lovely daughter and their gorgeous 11 month old baby son.

Instead of confetti the guests blew bubbles as they came out of the hotel which was a lovely sight to photograph, and the weather although a little chilly, was lovely.

Hope they have a lovely honeymoon in Spain!

Here are some of my favourite photos:

Family Studio Photoshoot

2010-04-08T04:28:00.000-07:00

I seem to be getting lots of 2 year old clients these days, which makes it a challenge! They always start out shy and then nothing can stop them! :) Taylor was no exception, she was an adorable little girl who reminded me of Pebbles in the Flintstones with her cute little pony tail! :) The photoshoot started off with some family photos of her and her parents and then progressed to a makeover style session for her mum. Here are some of my favourites:

Alex - studio photoshoot, 9 years old

2010-04-06T07:30:00.000-07:00

It was fun shooting Alex last thursday. He is nine and loves his football so came along with his football strip, plus a very cool suit. I used a variety of lighting set ups, my favourite being the low key black and white images. I'm sure he prefers the football ones! :)

Baby's First Year Photoshoot - 6 months old baby Jasmine

2010-03-30T01:56:00.000-07:00

It was lovely to see Jasmine and her parents again last friday. She is now 6 months old and can sit up all on her own. Last time I photographed her she was a tiny 10 week old baby (click for last photoshoot) so it's great to see her progress. She was totally fascinated by the lights although they didn't faze her one single bit!

Here are some of my favourites:

Corporate Head Shots

2010-03-12T05:03:00.000-08:00

I have had the pleasure of dealing with Marlin IT Ltd, a company based in Pangbourne, doing some corporate head shots for them for use in their company literature, website and some articles that have been written about them. The head shots were done at my studio but I can also travel to offices and places of work for corporate head shots. I also look forward to doing some photoraphy at some events they are organising in the near future.

Wedding Fayre, Blue Mountain Golf Club, Binfield, Berkshire

2010-03-04T09:45:00.000-08:00

I will be exhibiting at the Blue Mountain Golf Club Wedding Fayre, Binfield, this coming sunday 7th March. It is open from 10am to 4pm. Please come and say hello! It is a great venue with lots of space for large groups and ample opportunity for wonderful photos.

Family Studio Photoshoot

2010-02-25T07:13:00.000-08:00

I met the lovely Joubert family at my studio on tuesday afternoon with their adorable two year old. She made it quite a challenge, was clinging on to her parents at first and by the end was running round the room like crazy! I guess that's why they call it the terrible twos! I even had to resort to my secret weapon at the end - my dog Rosie! :)

Here are some of my favourites:

This photo I just thought was hilarious! :)

Winter Wedding Photography – Hints and Tips on making the most of your wintry wedding day!

2010-02-22T08:27:00.000-08:00

Most people associate weddings with summer, but increasingly more and more couples are now getting married in the winter. The thought of roaring log fires, lovely red and gold colours, and candle lit rooms can be extremely romantic….

Other reasons include:

1. There is generally greater availability of wedding venues in the winter especially at weekends, so you may not have to wait so long to get married. Some venues are also less expensive in the winter months.

2. Honeymoons in exotic locations can be less expensive than in the summer, and if you choose to go to the Caribbean there is no fear of hurricanes! Plus you get to have a break from the cold for a few weeks right in the middle of winter!

3. Getting holidays from work may be easier.

4. It can be extremely festive especially if close to Christmas.

Here are some things to think about if you are considering a wintry wedding:

1. Wrap up warm!

Many bridal dresses are strapless or short sleeved and some can be quite light too – so it can be bitterly cold for the brides when taking outdoor photographs. I definitely recommend a shawl, fur stole or shrug, or even a cloak to help warm you up! If not bring a coat you can just wear when walking around the different locations, it can be removed when the photographs are about to be taken! Think about your wedding party too, especially bridesmaids and page boys, don’t keep them out too long!

2. Wedding Venues and indoor locations for photographs

Choose your wedding venue carefully. Hotels with warm fireplaces make ideal locations for indoor photography and for keeping your guests warm. Between November and February there is also more of a chance that the weather won’t be great so make sure the wedding venue has enough indoor space to accommodate any group photos you would like. Staircases make great locations for group indoor shots and for romantic bride and groom shots.

If the venue is dark inside make sure your photographer can deal with this through the use of artificial lighting such as off camera flash and studio lights. Not all photographers will be equipped for this so make sure you hire one who is!

3. Timing

After the clocks change at the end of October, the opportunity to take outdoor photographs is lessened as it gets dark very soon, so ideally the wedding should take place earlier, particularly if there are multiple locations involved and there is travel in between. Plan for the ceremony to finish no later than 2pm if you would like a reasonable amount of photos taken outdoors. If you however have no choice than to have a later wedding, you may consider having some photos taken before the wedding, especially of the bride, bridesmaids and bride’s family. It is not very common in the UK yet but some couples choose to have their photo shoot before the wedding in the winter, this is very common in the US with winter weddings.

4. Hot Drinks!

Your guests may feel cold so may be very grateful for a hot drink such as tea, coffee or mulled wine, especially if the ceremony has taken place in a cold church.

5. Christmas Decorations

If you fancy a winter weddings but don’t fancy the thought of having Christmas type decorations on your day make sure you check with your venue on when they put their Christmas decorations up. If on the other hand you want to go for a full Christmas wonderland theme then most venues already have decorations up so you may not have to do much more!

I personally love photographing winter weddings, although they are challenging, with careful planning they can be very unique and extremely romantic – perhaps I am biased, as I myself got married on a very cold December day! :)

If you are interested in meeting up to discuss your photography requirements for your winter wedding please do not hesitate to contact me on 01189 836531.

Valentine's Day Portrait Shoot

2010-02-18T09:30:00.000-08:00

It was lovely to shoot Cara and Ashley on saturday, who were very much into the Valentine's Day spirit! The shoot was a Christmas gift from Ashley to Cara so what better weekend to do it? Lovely couple, hope you both enjoyed your Valentine's weekend away later!

Pet and Owner Photoshoot

2010-02-18T06:14:00.000-08:00

Last friday I did a quick photoshoot of George and his owner Helen, on behalf of their pet insurance company. George slipped on ice in December and crashed into patio doors leaving him with serious internal bleeding and spinal injuries. He was rushed to pet hospital where he underwent spinal surgery, luckily he was covered by his pet insurance. He is now back home and recovering well, and is a lovely, friendly dog, well loved by his owners! They will use the photos to highlight the importance of pet insurance in their newsletters and website.

George with Helen, his very grateful owner!

Wedding Slideshow - Weston Manor, Oxfordshire

2010-01-29T02:01:00.000-08:00

My latest DVD slideshow from Claire and Nick's beautiful wedding in Weston Manor, Oxforshire.

Sisters Photoshoot - Studio Photographer, Reading

2010-01-27T09:33:00.000-08:00

I met sisters Madeleine and Ingrid back in December when they came in for a shoot with their dad as a surprise for their mum's Xmas present. They were all great to work with and left wanting to come back next year again! But most of all I was thoroughly impressed that they kept this all quiet for quite a few weeks until Xmas day, great work! I received this note after Xmas:

Hi Allison,

Just a quick note to let you know how the surprise gift went. The photos were much admired by all and successfully brought tears to my wife's eyes - Madeleine thought this was hilarious and laughed uncontrollably! Our neighbours were particularly impressed by your work so I will pass on your details - there is a good chance you will see us again too!

Best wishes,
Robert, Ingrid and Madeleine (+ wife Lucy)

I can now put the photos up on my blog! :)

Family Photoshoot - Miller Family

2010-01-27T09:16:00.000-08:00

Last saturday was my first portrait sitting of the year following my holidays. The Miller family have been having their portrait taken every year since the boys were little, so have a long wall of former portraits to look back on! Mum and dad promised the boys that this would be the last one..... for now! :)

Happy New Year! Some photos from Costa Rica....

2010-01-18T10:44:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all my clients and anyone who follows my blog!

I need to catch up on my blog as I was extremely busy before Xmas and then was lucky enough to go away for a few weeks break to Costa Rica, I am now energised and excited to start a new year!

I don't often put personal work up on here but thought I would share some of the wonderful scenery and animals we saw in Costa Rica which is a beautiful country with lovely people and some amazing sights not to mention great weather at this time of year, well worth a visit!

Couple Studio Photoshoot - finding love through images!

2009-12-03T13:11:00.000-08:00

It is always lovely to see former clients come back again but I was delighted that my images helped bring a lovely couple together! I first met Ron in February when he came to get some professional photos taken so he could present himself in the best possible way on a dating website..... it seems it worked pretty quickly and he has now been seeing the lovely Jane for 8 months. Hope they have a lovely future together!

Winter Wedding Photography in Weston Manor, Oxfordshire

2009-12-02T08:18:00.000-08:00

Claire and Nick's wedding last saturday was set in beautiful Weston Manor in Oxfordshire, which dates back to the 11th century and is stunning both inside and out. The ceremony was beautiful and the bride just looked amazing - there was a lot of emotion going round too! Unfortunately it was pretty cold outside with one of the coldest days this year but we still managed to get some beautiful photos. Here are some of my faves:

Have a brilliant time in New Zealand!

Baby's First Year Package Photoshoot - Newborn Shoot Reading, Berkshire

2009-11-24T02:15:00.000-08:00

It was great to meet baby Jasmine for the first time on friday at only 10 weeks old for the first of three shoots over her first year. She was a little cherub and did great for such a young baby! Looking forward to watching her grow into a little toddler!

Here are some of my favourites including some with the totally smitten mum and dad:

For details of my Baby's First Year Package please click here

One year old photoshoot - I can walk now!

2009-11-19T13:11:00.000-08:00

I had the pleasure of photographing this lovely one year old a few weeks ago with her parents and grandparents and she kept crawling off the set! She was back on monday for an individual shoot and has now taken her first steps, she was just the cutest thing!

Winter Wedding South Ascot and Blue Mountain Golf Club, Binfield, Berkshire

2009-11-19T01:30:00.000-08:00

Despite being one of the worst days weatherwise this year, Michelle and Paul's wedding went really well and we managed to get a few breaks in the weather to get some lovely shots of them both. They were a delight to photograph.

Started off at the Hilton St Anne's Hotel in Wokingham for some bridal preparation shots and then moved on to the ceremony at St Francis Church in South Ascot, followed by the reception at the Blue Mountain Golf Club in Binfield. Here are some of my favourite shots:

The last two images were taken at dusk and are some of my favourites this year! Enjoy the honeymoon in Barbados!

Children's Studio Shoot, Reading Studio Photography

2009-11-12T06:06:00.000-08:00

I loved Monday's photoshoot of the Farmer family, they were so much fun to work with! We started off with some family shots of them in their lovely co-ordinated outfits. You could sense the sisterly love between the two sisters, they were constantly hugging which was lovely to see. And ended up with some lovely Xmas shots.

This was my favourite shot of the day, took a few attempts but I just love their expressions!

Christmas Charity Portraits and Offers

2009-11-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

During the month of november and early December (wednesdays & thursdays) I am offering Christmas portrait sittings for children, with some of the proceeds going to a children's charity.

The shoot will be approximately 15 minutes long and will be Christmas themed, so bring along any favourite Christmas outfits you may already have. For a special price of £35 you will get one FREE 7x5" print - £10 from each sitting will go to charity. You will also have the opportunity to use the photos in personalised Christmas Cards and calendars. Click for more details on these.

Alternatively you could go for a full portrait sitting Christmas Package:

Full portrait Session (one hour) including 1 10x8" print and four 7x5" prints, 10 personalised Xmas cards, one CD desk calendar and one 16x12" canvas print - only £150! (£10 will also be donated to a children's charity).

I also have some additional discounted products in the run up to the festive season - click here for details.

Off Camera Flash Training

2009-11-03T04:30:00.000-08:00

Always looking to learn new techniques so had the opportunity to attend a seminar with Brett Harkness Photography on off camera flash, which was a great experience to try out some new techniques in a lovely location. My favourite images shot on the day:

Teenage studio photoshoot, Burghfield Common, Reading

2009-11-03T03:47:00.000-08:00

Last week I had the opportunity to shoot the beautiful Lianne in the studio. She was great to work with and I had the opportunity to play around with a few different lighting setups, both high and low key, which was great fun.