Nicky and Steve - Carlton Towers

As a Yorkshire Wedding Photographer, I've been blogging a lot over the past week to 10 days, I guess I have a bit more time in the office to write but also I've had tonnes to share!

This Saturday just gone saw me covering Nicky and Steve's big day at a venue I had been waiting a long time to shoot a wedding at - the fantastic Carlton Towers, between York and Doncaster in the sleepy village of Carlton.  A Victorian building but built with a distinctive Gothic style, the Towers create a really impressive venue for getting married.

Nicky and Steve must have developed some incredibly good Karma over their past lives as they were lucky enough to tie the knot on one of the warmest October days since records began with the needle reaching a whopping 29 degrees!

I had a great day photographing in and around Carlton Towers and just wish I had more time with the bride and Groom to really explore the full extent of the grounds and the interior spaces - but alas - the wedding breakfast needed to be served so I left the happy couple to enjoy the rest of their day.  I'm looking forward to sharing a really unique set of images when Steve and Nicky return from their honeymoon in Zanzibar!

Wedding Guest's Signing Board - A Huge Hit!

As a Yorkshire Wedding Photographer, my wedding products have to be cutting edge to satisfy my insatiable appetite for the perfect presentation.  My clients certainly appreciate this obsession and a really good example of such a product  is the guests' signing board which I supply for EACH and EVERY wedding I photograph.

The signing board is a superb alternative to the more traditional signature book and to be honest, if the Bride and Groom's Mums don't take this kind of book from table to table, they just don't get signed!

The signing board for my clients takes pride of place usually near the top table or the wedding cake and is a beautiful visual to greet guests as they they enter the wedding breakfast room.  As soon as one guest signs the board, the floodgates are open and the board gets filled throughout the rest of the day.

A tremendous keepsake which I usually end up framing for the vast majority of my couples, the signing board has become a real focal point at weddings that I attend.

The shoot that provides the image for the board is a fab way for myself and my couples to re-connect often after 18 months without seeing each other and it also allows me to get couples really comfortable in front of the camera.

Mel & Mark - Waterton Park Hotel

As a Yorkshire Wedding Photographer I had the pleasure of photographing Mel and Mark's wedding at the gorgeous Walton Hall, part of the Waterton Park Hotel Estate a couple of weeks ago.

It was the first time I had visited this venue and it was just the most amazing place to capture the images you see above.  The wedding day was VERY chilled.  Mel and Mark had chosen to get married at 3pm which made for a very lazy morning of preparations.  The ceremony was conducted by the West Yorkshire registrars and I wasn't under the usual constraints in East Yorkshire so I was able to capture every nuance of the exchange of vows.

The whole day flowed with a very easy pace and Mel and Mark were fab to work with.  After a fantastic wedding breakfast and speeches, the evening celebrations opened straight up with a stage hypnotist!  I couldn't help but 'nominate' my assistant to be part of the show and all I can say is that I have never, ever seen 'The Stig' perform such special moves - he was a legend and didn't remember a thing when he was brought out of the trance!

I got together with Mel and Mark to share their collection a couple of nights ago and were now ploughing forward with creating a gorgeous album for them!

East Yorkshire Wedding Photography - Image of the Week

Life as an East Yorkshire Wedding Photographer is just starting to go back to a little bit of normality - the last 4 months have been a total whirlwind of absolute blissful chaos!  I've shot over 35 weddings so far this year, I've met and photographed some absolutely wonderful people at some amazing venues and I'm still standing to tell the tale!

The tale of the story above is not an uncommon one - 2 people, very much in love, come together for what will undoubtedly be one of the most special days in their life so far.  For Ben and Heather above, I'm sure their wedding day was only seconded by the arrival of their Son couple of years ago.

I adore this picture, it makes me very proud to be a wedding photographer. To be able to bring together the best that Mother Nature has with a superb couple gives me no end of inspiration.

Wedding bookings are now coming in thick and fast for next year with 2013 looking very promising as well - I'm in this for the long haul and I just could not imagine doing anything else with my time!

Autoporn! Promo Shoot

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Jo and Jonny - Lazaat

As a Yorkshire Wedding Photographer, sharing a couple's special day with them is a real honour and a pleasure - when couples are fun loving and playful - then even better!

However, when you have fun loving and playful and then add in a huge slice of pure, genuine hilarity - you have Joanne and Jonny.

When I first met them, I really didn't cotton on to how hilarious they are and how much we would have in common in terms of our sense of humours. It was only when I walked away from our wedding pre-shoot with aching sides about a year after meeting them when I realised I was in the company of comedy genius!

Needless to say, Jo and Jonny's wedding day was unique for so many different reasons but the fun, laughter and pure love of life is what I will remember most - oh yes, and of course a set of cracking images! Jo and Jonny are just back from their honeymoon between Vegas, Mexico and New York, so are feeling the post wedding blues a little - I met up with them last night to share their wedding story with them and they seemed to be feeling a whole lot better!

Katie & Mike's Wedding - The KP Club, East Yorkshire

As a Yorkshire Wedding Photographer, I spent yesterday with Katie and Mike as they celebrated their marriage between St Andrew's Church in Kirkella and The KP Club in Pocklington.

What a fantastic day! Katie and Mike are such a lovely couple, they have the type of personalities that just make you feel good - a joy to be with and to photograph.

The day started early with a visit to the boys as they got ready in Swanland. I knew we were in for a hoot as I met the Groomsmen as I felt like I had walked right onto the set of a sit-com! Lee - the Best Man - was a natural performer and he had no trouble throwing down 3 amazing looks during our portrait session - namely (a) Blue Steel (b) Panther and (c) The Amazing Le Tigre! My sides were aching as I left to head to see the Bride.

I arrived at The KP Club mid morning and joined Katie with the Girls in the amazing lodges in the grounds. They really do make the most fantastic setting and my camera just loves them! Katie looked fabulous and her dress was really divine.

Katie and Mike had both sent presents for each other to open during the morning and Katie's present was class! Mike had bought her an iPad and he had recorded a video diary for her to watch - it was so emotional to watch and photograph as she viewed it.

After photographing Katie with the girls, Mum and Dad, I set off for the ride back to Kirkella where the ceremony was held.

The wedding was held by a vicar I have never worked with before and he was just awesome. I'm not a Christian, but I thought to myself that if I was - I would be hanging at this guy's church!

We did half of the group shots in the church yard and then set off for the 45 minute ride back to the KP Club were Paul Hannon and his staff hosted a fantastic wedding breakfast. The speeches were touching, poignant and hilarious all at the same time - The Best Man was definitely on top form!

I left Katie and Mike grooving to the sounds of a live soul band and I just know they will have partied deep into the night!

Observing and Watching at Weddings

As a Yorkshire Wedding Photographer, I attend a lot of weddings! Every one is different but one thing that is definitely common to them all is the amazing detail that brides think about when planning everything down to the smallest items!

To capture all of the details, I need to be in a state of heightened awareness and constantly observing my environment at a wedding. Sometimes, details can 'appear' without having to plan a shot and I love it when that happens such as in the shot above.

Shoes are often revered by Brides in an almost fanatical way and I love watching the look on their faces as I get them out of the box to photograph them!

The shoes above belong to Mel who married Rob a few weeks back at Cave Castle Hotel and you can check out their story in a previous post here.

Claire & Richard - Lazaat Hotel - 6th August

As a Yorkshire Wedding Photographer, I had the pleasure of photographing Claire and Richard's wedding at Lazaat Hotel in Cottingham, East Yorkshire.

The collage above captures some of the great moments that I was able to capture during the whole day I spent documenting their wedding. It was an early start for Josh and I as the bride and groom were both making their preparations in Withernsea and Patrington which is almost an hour's drive from my base in South Cave.

After photographing Claire and Richard's preparations, Mother Nature sent a little warning with a rain storm right before the wedding and even though it was a wet start - the spirit of the wedding party could not be dampened. The wedding itself took place at Patrington Church which is know as 'The Queen of Holderness' and is a truly stunning structure. Last time I was there, renovations were being carried out and the whole of the exterior was covered in a scaffolding exoskeleton - this time I got to photograph the Queen in all of her glory!

After a beautiful ceremony, the sun shone and we got the group shots done in the church yard and then on to Lazaat Hotel for a stunning reception in the Pavilion. If you havn't been to Lazaat's Pavilion, it really is one of the region's most unique wedding venues and really great to photograph in and around. It has a very Bohemian feel to it with great colours, design and artwork to feature in.

The speeches were very emotional - especially the groom's. Claire and Richard have been together since they were both at school and grown to be adults together. Richard was overcome with emotions as he described his love for his wife - goosebumps were everywhere and such a joy to photograph.

After a lovely 'Penny Drop Session' in the early evening glow, I left Claire and Richard making shapes on the dance floor with a packed dance floor. I'm looking forward to sharing their story with them when they return from their honeymoon in a couple of weeks time.

Training with Scott Kelby in Cologne, Germany

As a Yorkshire Wedding Photographer, training is a big part of my commitment to being the best I can be for my clients. Keeping up with technique and trends allows me to push my style and offer my clients the best presentation for their wedding stories.

I try and take at least 3 or 4 seminars a year to keep up with this commitment and when I saw that Scott Kelby was coming to Europe, I knew it was a great opportunity to take a break and also to get some great training.

The wedding season can be very gruelling - this year is no exception and is in fact, the busiest I have ever had so I've welcomed the opportunity to take 4 days off and fly to Germany for some respite and education.

Scott Kelby is well known for being THE 'Photoshop Guru', a great photographer and well accomplished educator. He is right on the cutting edge of modern re-touching techniques and the latest presentation methods. The seminar I'm attending is called 'Light it, Shoot it' Retouch it' and is a full day whirlwind of photography and retouching training. It's all about dramatic lighting techniques and professional retouching using Adobe Photoshop and I'm hoping that what I learn today will immediately have an impact on the work I am doing for couples this year.

Germany is super cool - the beer is fab, the food is awesome and the people are very friendly/helpful. I've been shooting lots since I arrived on Monday and although I brought my professional camera with me, I have hardly touched it' instead favouring my iPhone and using it as a 'visual notepad' - a very interesting and quite liberating way to record the world.

So signing off from Cologne, will be back in the UK Thursday evening and straight back to weddings and commercial shoots Friday and right through the weekend.

Lee & Sonia - Rowley Manor, East Yorkshire 5th August

Lee & Sonia were married at Rowley Manor, East Yorkshire on Friday just gone and as a East Yorkshire Wedding Photographer I had the privilege of photographing their special day.

I'm going to have to keep this story short and sweet as I'm dashing off to the airport for 4 days shooting in Germany. Needless to say, Lee and Sonia are a very special couple - the power and intensity of their love was so obvious as they exchanged their vows during the wedding ceremony - it was as if nobody else existed in the universe at that moment in time. I am so lucky to be able to document this side of human emotion as closely and intimately as I do and I never take that for granted for one second.

I could go on and on about how much I enjoyed my day with Lee and Sonia but I really have to go, all that is left for me to say is that I wish Sonia and Lee all the best for a fantastic life together - they truly are 'soul mates' and I am proud to have been their wedding photographer.

Finally - The Stig is Revealed...

Facebook friends and followers will have noticed my talking about a new addition to the Insight Family recently but I couldn't reveal his true identity and simply referred to him as 'The Stig'!

I'm happy to say that secrecy is now by the wayside and I'm proud to welcome Josh into the business. Insight has grown and grown since I started out on this crazy journey 5 years ago and this Summer I realised it was simply impossible to do it all alone.

Big respect goes out to my former assistant JB who is now living the life of Riley as a lighting technician out in Dubai and no amount of persuasion would bring him back to the UK so I had to find a replacement.

I met Josh in the village local pub and we chatted about his mutual love of photography, over time I offered him some assisting work and it soon became apparent that he had masses of potential.

Josh is now my 'Digital Asset Manager' and is helping with the back end of the masses of editing and administration that goes with the territory of being a very busy wedding/commercial photographer. He's just started a year long NVQ in IT Management and over time will be getting involved in the digital media/marketing programme that I am rolling out over the next 6 months.

The pictures above have been taken at recent weddings and I love the one in the middle of Josh with the baby/. This was taken at once of last week's weddings and baby belonged to one of the groomsmen. I needed to get some shots of all the boys walking together so Josh became an instant Nanny!

I hope you'll all join me in wishing Josh all the best of luck in his new role and also raise a glass to wish him happy 18th for tomorrow!

Tom & Lisa - West Carlton Country Guest House - 30th July

As a Yorkshire Wedding Photographer, last Saturday saw me covering Tom and Lisa's wedding at 2 venues I hadn't shot at before - Beverley Minster for the ceremony and West Carlton Country Guest House for the reception out on the coast near Aldborough.

My first stop with with Lisa, her bridesmaids and her family out near Snaith, Selby. We had a great time photographing Lisa's final preparations and her Dad and I ended up tying her into her dress as Mum' fingers were not quite working as she wanted them to - I'm always happy to help and have assisted with many types of wedding dresses now!

After photographing the bride's preps, it was onto Beverley Minster to shoot the arrival of the boys and all of the anticipation before Lisa arrived. For those of you who are from the area and who have visited the Minster, you will be aware of how amazing this structure is. Whenever I see it, I instantly think to myself 'They don't make em like that anymore!" A truly amazing piece of human achievement that totally takes your breath away inside and out. As this was the first time I had photographed inside, I felt like a kid in a candy store.

Following a fabulous ceremony, we took the whole wedding party shot on the steps of the Minster before heading off to the reception at West Carlton. This country lodge was built in the 1720s and the owner Caroline had done an amazing job of getting it ready to receive the bride and groom. Being Lisa's aunty, Caroline wasn't under any pressure to deliver!

The marquee looked fantastic and a jazz saxophonist was playing to greet guests as they arrived for Pimms on the lawn. We did the rest of the group shots in the beautiful gardens before a lovely wedding breakfast was served. Speeches followed dinner and then it was time for me to take Tom and Lisa on their 'Penny Drop Session' Our photos looked great as West Carlton's gardens adjoin a gorgeously lit corn field.

The bride and groom danced their first dance to a great band and I left them with a packed dancefloor at 9pm. Tom and Lisa are honeymooning in Kenya and I'm really looking forward to sharing their wedding story with them when they get back.

Andrew & Katie - Ramada Jarvis -29th July

As a Yorkshire Wedding Photographer, Friday saw me sharing Katie and Andrew's big day with them at The Ramada Jarvis Hotel in Willerby, East Yorkshire. I first met Katie and Andrew in person last year when I photographed their good friends, Jim and Becky's wedding which I wrote about here. Jim and Bex were at the wedding but had to leave early due to their first addition to their family wanting to make an appearance!

I had such a great day with Katie and Andrew, rarely do I meet a couple that have such a divine love between them, it's almost like they are speaking their own language to each other and all I could do was witness and record this very special bond.

As usual, I spent the morning photographing the groomsmen getting ready followed by the last hour before the ceremony with the bride. The ceremony has held at the Ramada followed by photographs on the lawn. A delightful wedding breakfast was served followed by a very emotional set of speeches.

After dinner, I photographed the couple's Penny Drop Session and found some great new spots to shoot some different styles of key images.

I left Andrew and Katie around 9ish with a full dancefloor and look forward to seeing them when they get back from their honeymoon in London.

Rob & Mel - Cave Castle Hotel 23rd Julyt

As a Yorkshire Wedding Photographer, I was back at Cave Castle Hotel, East Yorkshire on Saturday to cover Mel and Rob's big day.

I had a superb day up at The Castle and I hope the images in the collage speak for themselves! The light was lovely all day and this made for some superb conditions for modern wedding photography. Rob and Mel have not had the easiest run upto their wedding day with a whole host of curve balls thrown at them including Mel's son been rushed into hospital last week for emergency appendix surgery! However, nothing could get in their way of making the whole day perfect!

I'm thinking of adding a sideline in bridal party dressing services as I tied all 8 of the boys cravattes and I tied both the Chief Bridesmaids and the Bride's dresses for them! Just another example of the lenghts I will go to make sure my clients have the best possible start to their wedding days!

I'm really looking forward to sharing Rob and Mel's story with them in the next couple of weeks!