To infinity and beyond…

At least, that’s how it felt. I’m used to travelling all over the place to shoot one thing or another, but a recent adventure to Whitehaven in the Lake District had a touch of the epic about it. Spectacular open spaces, an 800 mile roundtrip and a very strong smell of petrol kind of scratch the surface of a weekend I won’t forget in a hurry.

The irony of this particular commission is that I was a ‘prize’. Yes, my services had effectively been won in a competition some months ago. It all originated with Perfect Wedding magazine approaching me about offering a full shoot and art book in return for some significant publicity within the magazine. This seemed like a pretty good idea at the time, I agreed to the deal and the wheels were set in motion. The ad shown below popped up one month and, apparently, a stack of ‘contestants’ came forward… so this is what it’s like to be fought over? Not really.

Upon reflection it’s quite amusing that the winner of the competition lived in the North West of England, and I’m based in the South East. It’s absolutely no reflection on Gayle and Russell, who are a fantastic couple and lovely people, that my eyes opened a little wider when told that I’d be off to the Lakes. I’m pretty sure I’d have flown had it been more convenient with airports, but it was a case of getting down to the job in hand and doing your very best. I didn’t really know what to expect from the location or the weather, so my ‘great mate’ John Marsh was along for the shoot, backing me up with some fantastic shots and ideas. The elements can get pretty wild in a location like Keswick, and as our main area for shooting was going to be a hotel on the shores of Derwentwater a two man approach was always the solution to getting the most out of the time available.

Usually with a wedding commission I’d have scouted the venue beforehand and upon arrival know pretty much what I’m going to do. In this case a recce just hadn’t been possible, so we stopped off on the way to our hotel to wander around the venue. Everybody’s first impression of the Lake District is the sheer scale of the environment and it was obvious we needed to capture something panoramic at the water’s edge, which meant using the jetty opposite the hotel. When you look at the final shot it feels simple, which to my mind is how photography should look. What you don’t get is how the bride had to pick her way between the wooden slats so her Jimmy Choos didn’t get wedged, or the fact that I couldn’t have done the shot at all on a windy day which would have made the water choppy. For this image to work it needed a 24mm lens to slightly pull the edges away from the centre detail and enhance the glass-like look of the water which is nicely reflecting the sky. We were very lucky, all the elements came together, on another day it just wouldn’t have worked.

A wedding day for a photographer is like keeping lots of plates spinning. Your mind is constantly ahead of what you’re currently shooting and the feeling that your photographic window of opportunity is slowly closing is ever present. This means that while on the jetty my mind was on the other vista to be captured. In discussion with Gayle and Russell they knew of a little spot hundreds of feet above the lake, and time allowing they wanted to venture up there and see what we could do. At the time of chatting they (wisely) didn’t elaborate on the access to the high shot, so off we trotted in my car to take on what seemed like the World’s tighest, steepest cart track, complete with Olympic standard pot holes. Once at the spot the view was breathtaking, and to be honest I’m not convinced the shots do it justice, only a painting could capture the real mood. As usual, simple direction to the couple to just relax and enjoy the moment resulted in something which works nicely in comparison with the jetty images. In theory it’s basically the same location used as a background, but the elevation lends a whole new feel to the scale of the lake and well worth risking life, limb and a bent front bumper!

One thing the state of the road did achieve was to take our minds off the smell in the car, which brings me back to the aforementioned petrol odour. On the drive up I’d had the misfortune to use a faulty pump at the local garage. Once my tank was full the sensor in the pump handle failed to shut off the flow of unleaded, resulting in my jeans and boots being soaked courtesy of the ratbags at BP. Initially the smell was a little overwhelming, but over time it was nothing a sense of humour, a Guinness and an open window couldn’t cure…

Beauberry House

Working and spending time in different places all over the country is a true joy of commercial photography. I’ve written in posts before about particular venues, and this one is about a recent discovery, an exciting building dating back to the early 1700’s which is now called Beauberry House.

Nestled away nicely just off Gallery Road in London’s West Dulwich, the building ticks all the boxes from a photographer’s point of view. Light rooms, the obligatory staircase for atmospheric shots, and sits amid the spacious, attractive Belair Park. I had visited Beauberry a few weeks before the shoot with Mo, the bride, to discuss some ideas and get a feel for the place. It’s always exciting to see somewhere for the first time and I recall driving away from the meeting thinking about what could work well on the day. Fortunately it all went like clockwork and we were blessed with great day’s weather with the relaxed feel of the photography hitting the spot and fulfilling their brief.

The original site consisted of two farms. In 1785 the main body of the house was built and called College Place. The estate’s name was changed to Belair and in 1859 various extensions and alterations were undertaken to ultimately create a 47 room building, much bigger than it is today. In 1893 Sir Evan Spicer was granted a lease on the property and this was in place until his death in 1938. Belair was sold at auction but fell into a state of disrepair during World War II, at times used as a storage premises for the milatary.

Over the period of 1946-1980 Southwark Council held the lease and gradually oversaw the rebuilding and restoration of the house to nearer it’s former guise, which was a much smaller property than it had become. Still under council control the building assumed a role similar to a Village Hall between 1980-1995, often used for local ballet lessons! In 1996 a complete refurbishment turned the property into a restaurant/bar and after changing hands another couple of times it became Beauberry House in 2004. Further upgrades took place and after 2 new al fresco diners and an outside bar terrace were added it reopened on Valentines Day, 2006.

The modern day Belair Park is a public space, but the building itself remains private. Upon arrival your first impression is a grand, white facade. But also the feeling of an intimate venue, perfect for a gentle day like a small wedding. It’s obvious from my portfolio content that I like to shoot environments, as well as people and detail, so I thoroughly enjoyed this first commission at Beauberry. Thanks to excellent on-event support from Oleia Leclercq, and the freedom to work encouraged by bride and groom Mo and Miguel, I felt the day flowed really nicely. From various chats with guests my impression was they loved the place, many taking the time to walk in the park after the wedding breakfast and savour a summer’s evening among friends and family.

Of course, you don’t have to commit to marriage to sample the atmosphere, you can just book in for some fine dining, you’ll be made very welcome indeed…

Perks of the job (part 2)

Anybody who reads this blog on a regular basis (you really do have too much time on your hands!) knows that when in wedding mode I’m fascinated by some of the venues at which I’m lucky enough to work. A little while ago I wrote about the grandeur of shooting in large churches and Cathedrals. However, equally as impressive in their own way are some of the locations for civil ceremonies.

One such location is Cowley Manor, at which I shoot a handful of weddings each year as one of the recommended photographers. The Manor perfectly blends relaxed surroundings with a dash of formality and the staff’s bespoke approach lends itself to smaller weddings, ideal for families who want their day to be intimate and personal. At the planning stage couples are guided by in-house coordinator, Sarah Keatley. Sarah’s attention to detail and wonderfully enthusiastic manner make her a pleasure to work with, and from my side I’m never in the dark about plans and timings due to her support. It then becomes apparent that the venue’s trump card is the quality which is evident on every level.

Upon arrival you’re greeted by a 19th century mansion feel, then once inside the staff are relaxed, helpful and available without being constantly on your shoulder. There’s a distinct chilled-out 70’s feel to the decor and once seated in the main lounge you won’t want to get up again for quite some time. It sounds obvious, because the whole point of a hotel is to provide a relaxed, pleasant atmosphere during your stay, but Cowley has a calmness about it which puts you at ease and allows a visitor to make the most of the visit.

Assuming you can drag yourself away from the log fire in the lounge, you’ll find it’s the grounds which really cap the whole experience. The Manor is set in approx. 55 acres of grounds, providing the feel of an adventurous wander. A large terrace overlooks the lake and beyond this there are various nooks and crannies in which to explore and lose yourself, and it’s right here that a magical little tale has become legend. It’s said that the writer, Lewis Carroll, was strolling in the gardens one day when he came across a little girl happily playing. After briefly chatting to his new friend he returned to his room to begin writing a short story based on the young lady’s happy disposition. Her name was Alice Liddell, and the short story eventually became Alice In Wonderland. A magical place indeed…

Photovision Roadshow, Tuesday Nov 4th

The popular Photovision Roadshow comes to Brands Hatch in Kent on Nov 4th. It’s one day of several such exhibitions around the UK and is well worth a visit. With numerous key exhibitors and seminars on lighting and post-production techniques running through the day, it’s always popular and very well attended. For more info, and to register on-line for admission, have a look at the official site.