Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding

Natural photography from a friendly unobtrusive photographer

You can jump straight to a selection of natural photography pictures from Olivia and Tom's big day, following the text below... 

Winter wedding

This was a cold one! Peak winter coldness (it was more or less 0 degrees Celsius most of the day) enveloped York which brought out some beautiful frost. Guests were understandably not keen on hanging around outside and so thank goodness the venue (Woodstock) was warm and welcoming and the band (Downtown Underground) got everybody bouncing - we rocked (and pick 'n mixed) into the early hours.

Tom and Olivia were a dream couple to spend their big day with. They had beautiful welcoming families and friends who gave as good as they got - it was an honour to be there, not to mention lots of fun. A beautiful service was followed by a stand-out meal. The speeches were heartfelt, the cake was yummy. The band was slick and me and Becki (top draw videographer) were in amongst the action - that dance floor was rockin'.

Earlier, I'd spent the morning flitting around York visiting Olivia and Tom, which was a really useful time to get familiar with the bridal party and allow them to relax into having a camera around.

It was a record breaking day for me, but at no point did I want it to end. I'm happy to share this selection of photos to look back on.

Stunning venue!: https://www.woodstockweddingsandevents.co.uk/

Brilliant videography (AKA partner in crime): https://www.allyouneedislovephotography.co.uk/

Bangin' music: https://www.downtownunderground.co.uk/ / https://www.northernstringquartet.com/

Sublime makeup and hair: https://www.instagram.com/clare.flint.makeup/  / https://www.instagram.com/byalicelindsay

Sumptuous cake: https://www.instagram.com/cowandcake/

Gorgeous flowers: https://www.bellebloomsflorist.co.uk/

Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding Olivia and Tom's Yorkshire Winter Wedding

Charity 6 hour 'football-thon' for OCD UK

Along with colleagues from YHEC and former colleagues (and partners and former colleague's partners), we played a 6 hour football match made up of 12 individual games (including 2 penalty shootouts and 3 novelty games). This was to raise awareness of and funds for OCD UK in memory of friend and colleague Matthew Bunney - more details here including how to sponsor (if you're reading this in 2023):

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/yhecfootballthon 

Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a serious anxiety-related condition that affects 1.2% of the population, which is around three quarters of a million people here in the UK based on current estimates. Together with their families, who support people with OCD, and are frequently involved in their rituals, this means Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder is a part of daily life for over 1 million people every single day.

See more about OCD UK here: https://www.ocduk.org/

Also a thank you to Hopgrove Playing Fields Association and Mark Shields there. It's a great place on the East side of York near Monks Cross for football as well as other sports. Huntington Rovers FC are based there and have boys and girls teams at every age group with some great coaches.

You can see more about the venue here: Hopgrove Playing Fields Association 
 

Photos

If you want to see nice photos of the football-thon, jump to the bottom.

Summary of the day

The first hour started off like a rocket - the spectators (there were a handful!) wouldn't have guessed this was a marathon. Skill levels were pretty high - Errol excelled (but in goal due to injury) and Sam H nutmegged Cam with virtually his first touch. 

Goals came from all over the pitch. The first two games were pretty even but Nick's ICER Milan edged them both (4-2 then 3-1) to spring into an early 6-0 lead, points-wise. Errol's AFC QALitY came back stronger with a 4-1 thrashing at 11am.

Either side of the first penalty shootout game - a very low scoring affair (I don't think I've ever seen a 2-0 scoreline in a pen shootout) - the teams shared two thrilling 3-3 draws, one of which was a novelty game in which players were only allowed three consecutive touches at any one point. The only controversial point in this was Nick's alleged 4-touch assist for what would have been the winner, but the shot went wide. 

A slight change of personnel over lunchtime, the beginner's novelty game at 1pm meant regular players were restricted to 1 touch at a time, occasional players 2 and beginners and goalkeepers unlimited. Carie netted virtually on the goaline in an eventful game that involved quite a lot of players abandoning the ball as they realised they had had their allotted touches. Another draw: 2-2. 

Tiredness was certainly noticeable by this point in a few players, as well as a few knocks here and there. But there were smiles still (or were they grimaces?).

With 7 games down out of 12, the teams were tied with 9 points each, game on!

This is where QALitY showed their true....class. 

A 4-1 thrashing was followed by two clean sheets (1-0, 0-0). As fatigue set in, the only goal in two games came from a defensive error. This was also a novelty game where the conceding team were able to choose an opposition player to be sin-binned. This lead to a very defensive setup following the goal, and QALitY held out.  

Were ICER Milan to be in a chance of winning the OCD UK competition trophy they would need to win the final penalty shootout game. However a tight contest saw captain Errol seal the trophy with a string of fine blocks, 3-2.

The final matchup was a dead rubber but provided plenty of excitement as ICER showed their class to take a tight game 2-1. With Errol still arguing about the lack of added time (in the final game after a 360 minute footballthon - a true winner), he was handed the trophy and AFC QALitY held it aloft. Well done everyone.  

Rock paper scissors to decide kick off for each game...

ICER Milan:

AFC QALitY:

Teams photo with afternoon players too:

Jessie & Steve were married in central York before heading across town to The Merchant Adventurer's Hall. It was a day full of wonderful natural photo opportunities as Jessie and Steve's friends and family obviously enjoyed celebrating with them, and in such wonderful locations.

It started at the family flat as the bride, bride's family and bridesmaids gathered to get ready. It was a busy household, but a welcoming one. Jessie and the bridesmaids seemed pretty relaxed - the good music helped! I then headed to the church to locate Steve and the guys.

The service was at St Olave's on Marygate, a spectacular and ancient church situated within the walls of St Mary's Abbey. The beautiful flowers were provided by Joanne Heath at wildandprecious.florals. The celebration then continued across town at The Merchant Adventurer's Hall, a Grade I listed medieval guildhall. Therein followed an superb meal with excellent speeches. The day finished with music by Balamuc - an utterly fantastic band playing Eastern European Gypsy Folk / Balkan music with modern twist. 

Everybody at the wedding was lovely and friendly...and photogenic too!...as you'll see below.

Enjoy the photos 

PS Thanks to cousin Will for sorting me with some soft drinks in the evening - always much appreciated! 

Such a wonderful occasion to be at! Amy and Jack were fantastic and their friends and family - many of whom I was familiar with from the previous wedding I'd done in the family - were wonderfully friendly.

Natural and candid photography

It was the perfect event for my unobtrusive natural style of photography, to document the day as it happens naturally - no awkward staging, no unnatural fashion mag poses, no bossing about from me - I aim to capture the real emotion and love. This day had that in spades.

I take a relaxed, natural approach that enables me to tell the story of the real moments of weddings.

Pre-wedding preparation photos

I began at the couple's house at West Ayton where the bride's side were getting prepared. Amy had been convinced to have preparation photos done - nothing intrusive, just some natural getting ready shots plus me informally capturing a few nice moments - by the preparation photos I had done for her sister-in-law (see here featuring the much missed Rob).

St Matthew's Church

I then headed over to the local church, picturesque Hutton Buscel. Jack was there with an assortment of best men. Amy then arrived with Chris, her dad. They gathered themselves near the church gate and took the (very) long and (incredibly) beautiful walk up to the church. 

St Matthew's was packed but nephew Albert had free roam (spot him in the photos below)! Revd Joe Kinsella lead an engaging service as I tiptoed around capturing every meaningful look and embrace I could. 

Raven Hall 

Onto the wonderful Raven Hall Country House Hotel. Stunning does not do justice to this hotel's location. See some wonderful photos below of the ocean, sky and Northbound coastline up towards Boggle Hole and Robin Hood's Bay. A very blue sky, all one could ask for. 

The hotel staff were obliging, friendly and helpful and most importantly, the roast potatoes get a 5/5 from me.

Amy and Jack

The newly wedded couple were blessed with the wonderful weather and took the opportunity to get some stunning shots with the view following the meal, before heading back to spend time with friends and family. 

See a selection of photos from the day below. This showcases the natural candid style I have when photographing - I hope you enjoy! 

Makeup by Kate Rodgers
Hair by Becky at Novia

Kitty & Oli were married in central York before heading to Oli's family home. It was as photogenic as weddings get - beautiful people having a lovely time in fantastic locations on a gloriously sunny day - see the proof in the photos below...

I started out at the Acton family flat as the bride, bride's family and bridesmaids gathered to get ready and have a light lunch, courtesy of Steve who was very happy to have a task. I arrived to a busy household, but a welcoming one full of chatter and laughter and the welcome sight of neither Steve nor father of the bride Chris still in running gear. Kitty was relaxed (outwardly at least).

The flowers were late and the cars early, these things balance out. 

The church

St Olave's on Marygate is spectacular, and backs onto the Abbey in Museum Gardens - you may spot a few photos in the gardens, another stunning locale during a day full of them. We spotted another recently wedded couple there - it's a popular gathering spot for them (I'd use the collective noun for newly wedded couples here but I'm not sure what it is, suggestions welcome in the comments).

The service was traditional and grand, it made a welcome change from the typical minimal (but equally meaningful of course) registrar ceremonies I'm used to. Kitty looked beautiful and joined in with the choir for the finale. There was a very long - and wiggly - confetti line, you'll see Oli even had to duck at one point (I've no idea how I reversed the whole way in one piece, whilst also photographing).

The reception

We headed out of town to a lovely house on a farm, drinks were on the lawn and a large gazebo had been erected on the tennis court (for those of you interested - as was my wife who attended, who notices such things) - the tent was held in place by massive barrel weights since it could not be pitched into the ground (the court). This vast space had dining tables at one end and room for an evening ceilidh at the other.

Wedding food is nearly always excellent but the food served at this one was a clear 10/10 and although I did not try the casked ale, I heard glowing reviews. The speeches were very special; some of my favourite shots of the whole day came immediately after them as everyone was visibly emotionally exhausted from the speeches - Oli and best man Sam, and with Oli's grandma - those are the types of shots I just love.

Then there was dancing. A LOT of dancing. It seemed to me nearly everybody participated in every dance. I did my usual dance of taking shots whilst keeping out of harm's way. There'll be a separate blog for the ceilidh as this blog already has far too many nice photos.

Everybody at the wedding was lovely and friendly and funny...and photogenic as you'll see below. (Well I have to say that because I'm shooting Kitty's sister's wedding in September so I'll see half the guests again there).

Enjoy the photos! 

First women's session

This was the first ever futsal (football) training session for women with type 1 diabetes in the UK. It was organised by The Diabetes Football Community (TDFC), a network of people with type 1 diabetes sharing their experiences with others, asking questions, seeking guidance and learning more about opportunities for people with diabetes to access football.

This session was loads of fun, everyone was very friendly with lots of laughter, and with loads of opportunities for making connections. It was split in two parts:

1. Meet and greet: an introduction to TDFC Womens 
2. Physical session: warm-up, training and playing futsal - an indoor version of football played on a smaller court, with rolling subs

This was the first time most of the team who organise TDFC Womens - Louise, Lucy, Katie, Liv, Chris - had managed to get together in person as the TDFC Womens plans had come together over the pandemic. 

If you would like to know more and get involved, get in touch at the social media links below - all abilities welcome.

Get in touch

You can catch Katie and Lucy on the TDFC podcast, available here:

• TDFC podcast 'The Diabetes Dugout': with QPR goalkeeper Katie McLean
• TDFC podcast 'The Diabetes Dugout': with Runcorn Linnets Ladies player Lucy Wieland 

Or check out TDFC at the following links:

• https://thediabetesfootballcommunity.com/tdfc-womens/
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Facebook

Photos

I have been providing professional photographic support to TDFC in order to help enable them to reach more people. As a person with type 1 diabetes who loves football myself, it is a great fit. Enjoy the snaps below.

A glorious sunny day! An amazing couple! A fabulous bunch of friends and family! A stunning venue! 

What more could one want?!

How about the cutest dog (Luna), hula-hooping and espresso martinis to die for? Yes please.

And ski drinks! (See the pics)

Matt and Jude obviously had a fantastic time and it was an honour to get to know their friends and family. Fun and laughter was the order of the day and the photos reflect this. I know it's a wedding and looking good is expected but everyone was looking sharp/gorgeous/beautiful/stylish (insert preferred adjective here); I was completely out-styled - luckily I'm the one taking the photos. 

My style is documentary/informal, so it's great to be able to capture people on such a joyous occasion. A selection of candid photos of everyone having a whale of a time are below, let me know what you think in the comments!...

Shout-outs:

The venue was the amazing Woolas Barn, just outside of York

Emily was the fantastic wedding co-ordinator, very friendly and organised, a joy to collaborate with 

The Low Down were the awesome band (I stayed for the dancing, but no evening photos)

Lucy & Kieran were married at The Bridge Hotel and Spa in Wetherby. The theme of the day was Halloween, with lots of superbly spooky and enjoyably eerie decorations and other personal touches. It was really great!

I hung around with Kieran at the start of the day and he was pretty chilled, though he loosened up a bit once the ceremony was over, and then really let loose in the evening - see the dance floor evidence below!

Lucy turned heads with her fabulous white day dress and then Morticia-style evening black dress. I loved spending this special time with them both, as well as their fabulous bridal party, who were all super.

The decorations were immaculate and there were fantastic little touches everywhere (notice the eyeballs in the flowers). 

What always really makes a wedding day for me are the people. In this case, Lucy and Kieran were a welcoming and fun couple, and the wedding guests and entourage were really friendly. What an honour to be there! 

Check out the photos below, in a documentary style capturing natural moments, happy interactions and lots of joy.

And dancing. Lots of awesome dancing.

The ShiningAn original photograph from the ballroom was doctored to include Jack Nicholson's head (front, centre)

This photograph used in 'The Shining' was actually a period photo edited to include Jack Nicholson's face (front, centre) / Retouching artist: Joan Honour Smith

Film and photography makes Chris a happy boy

Film stills photography. Yes, those who know me will say this is a marriage made in Heaven for me: films are a passion of mine (see here, and here, oh and here) and I am a professional photographer. 

So this blog has two objectives:

1. to shine a light on film stills/unit stills photography
2. to put it out there, that this is something that I'll be pursuing

What are film stills used for?

Still photographs are used to market films (and TV shows), for example on film posters or through social media. It is one of only a handful of means to market a film to audiences, and so to do this effectively the shots need to capture the essence of the film. Increasingly, behind the scenes shots are used too.

No Time To Die - Nicola Dove

'No Time To Die' - Nicola Dove

Film stills photography is not necessarily a priority during the film shooting (or on smaller productions, given much thought to in advance) but is crucial when it comes to marketing. On set, the photographer will fit around the shooting schedule, other crew and equipment. 

For a deeper dive into the role, see this excellent article by Mark Rodgers.

Lion - Mark Rogers

'Lion' - Mark Rogers

How does one get into film stills photography?

Having recently attended the excellent (and free!) 'Film Stills Launchpad' course on Instagram with experienced film stills photographer Nicola Dove, I have learnt a lot about how to best place yourself to break into this business - also see this excellent guide from Laura Radford on her blog.

A typical journey would be to build your experience and portfolio working on short films, building your confidence/technique (not just of photos, but with set etiquette), network of contacts and portfolio. Then ultimately you can progress onto low budget and studio feature films or TV series.

'Baby Driver' - Wilson Webb
 

Going mirrorless

Technology in photography is always moving forward, and now at a faster rate then ever. Not since digital cameras were introduced has there been such a shift as camera manufacturers are now producing mirrorless cameras.

'The Favourite' - Atsushi Nishijima

Mirrorless cameras are nothing short of revolutionary in the world of film stills photography as they more easily enable photographers to shoot silently (key!) and with more freedom physically speaking - historically sound 'blimps' have been used, which are as cumbersome as they sound.

My current setup - Nikon DSLRs using the D750 as my primary camera - is not mirrorless, so I need to consider what to do, stick or twist?

(And by twist, I mean twist my wife's arm so she agrees that spending all that money is a worthwhile financial investment). 

Wish me luck

My own journey begins here. What are my next steps?

'Mad Max: Fury Road' - Jasin Boland
 

Having completed Nicola Dove's Film Stills Launchpad - a 5-day online introductory course, which is currently still available for a short period only on Nicola Dove's Instagram (or see here for the main website for future updates) - I'm considering what to do next:

• What equipment I should use
• Exploring opportunities to gain experience
• Attending the Film Stills Academy Fast Track Course, which dives into lots more detail about being an effective film stills photographer, by drawing on Nicola Dove's experience, as well as others

(If you're interested in that course, the sign up for the next class is this week) 

See you around.

''Peanut Butter Falcon' - Seth Johnson
 

Alice and Paul were married at The Hawkhills just outside Easingwold in North Yorkshire. It was a fabulous day in a stunning venue with a lovely couple and fantastic group of friends and family. As usual I employed my documentary style of photographing to capture natural moments throughout the day. I just love the photos.

Alice and Paul were as chilled out as I've ever seen a couple, including pre-ceremony - this, as well as their love and sense of fun, really shine through in the photos. 

The bridal party featured several delightful children, who feature heavily in the images - they were great! The day finished with a ceilidh, and I got right into the mix (see photos near the end) - my favourite way to finish a wedding day!

The Hawkhills was first-rate. A beautiful and high-quality venue with friendly and efficient staff and were great to work alongside - thank you to Kasha Murray and her team. The flowers were provided by Christine Vause and were lovely. It was a privilege to work alongside Toastmaster Peter Aust, who was fantastic and a delight to get to know.  

Enjoy the photos - let me know your favourites in the comments... 

The Diabetes Football Community is a network of people with type 1 diabetes sharing their experiences with others, asking questions, seeking guidance and learning more about opportunities for people with diabetes to access football: https://thediabetesfootballcommunity.com/

Check them out here:

• Instagram
• Twitter
• Facebook

I have agreed to help out The Diabetes Football Community, to provide professional photographic support in order to help enable them to grow. As a person with type 1 diabetes who loves football myself, it is a great fit. So I'm hoping this is the start of a long-term collaboration and I can document our journey.

Below is a selection of photos from the first training session back since the pandemic's various lockdowns, of the men's UK DiaEuro squad. It is a team who has represented the UK at the DiaEuros futsal tournament - a European football tournament for players with type 1 diabetes.

The training session was held at the Worcestershire Football Association (FA) HQ.  This team play futsal, an indoor (usually) version of football played on a smaller court, with rolling subs. I'm sure I'll get used to it when I give it a go myself!

It was great to meet the lads, and to start capturing them playing football, testing blood sugars and making new friends, as well as seeing old ones.

Enjoy the snaps.

Post lockdown weddings are on!

After over a year of postponements, I was thrilled to be back in the middle of a wedding. 

Holly and Alex had a lovely intimate May wedding and it was an honour to get to know everyone there a little, which always helps enable me to get the best natural photos.

So the Covid-related issues out of the way first (because the day wasn't about THAT)...unfortunately Holly and Alex had had to postpone their wedding a year - it had been cancelled at the last minute the previous March. This year, the ceremony at York registry office only allowed 13 people, a lot fewer than government allowances, but which was deemed appropriate for these particular premises. This meant there wasn't room for me in the ceremony room - a first for me (despite being 6 foot 2) - and I had to hang around outside along with '14th man' Jake (in the first instance, but he swapped with 6-month old crying Douglas shortly after the service begun, so did get in). Considering I wasn't allowed in the ceremony room, I think you'll agree the few ceremony photos I did get are outstanding - haha!

At this stage in May, rules had just been relaxed enough to allow people to hug and to not have to be too distant, which for me, is one of the main things I capture at weddings.  Holly and Alex's original plans had involved an evening celebration with lots of friends and hopefully this blog will go some way to help those people share a bit of the day.

The day started at Alex's grandma's delightful house just off Bootham as the groom's family gathered and then walked down to the registry office where we met Holly's family and then Holly and Edward. Holly and Alex have an obvious strong bond with Edward, who is prominent in many of the photos.

Aside from the photos, my other favourite aspect of these days is getting to know the family and friends, and everyone was just fabulous. I have missed weddings!

Enjoy the photos...

I rekindled my love of sports photography lately when I photographed a local village cricket match, whilst on holiday in Dorset. The photos are below so jump straight to them if you'd rather. 

I'd never photographed cricket before so was keen to give it a go, and I had two cricket teams playing a friendly game on my doorstep, barely a 'big 6' away from my family's holiday cottage. And the captains very sportingly agreed to let me photograph their match - thanks Jim and Jeff (that's them above, giving Covid-friendly greetings)!

Wriggle Valley vs Blandford Flies

Wriggle Valley have a lovely pitch right in the heart of a wonderfully friendly and pretty village, Chetnole, which is in between Yeovil and Dorchester. As a family we spent a lot of the holiday on that ground where dotted around the cricket pitch (guarded by a fence to protect against rabbit droppings) there is a playground, cricket nets, church, football goals (with nets!), basketball hoop, netball hoop AND petanque area (a bit like boules - I joined one of the village sessions, which was lovely, though I wasn't particularly good). 

Both teams were just like many other amateur cricket teams at this level, a bunch of people turning out for their local team for the love of the game, and for having a good friendly, but competitive, game together - and as much as the sporting side of it, it was this communal side of the gathering I was aiming to capture too.

Weather-wise, thunder was forecast, but it never came and it was a perfect hot summer's evening, which brought out a few of the locals too, to spectate.

The match

The match itself was very eventful. Each innings was limited to 18 overs, with 'Covid-friendly' wash breaks every 6 overs to wash hands and the ball. The home team batted first and set a large tally for the visitors to chase. You have to keep on your toes watching cricket, as it includes various boundary shots - even reaching the church walls and the parked cars! 

The visitor's captain went out for a duck first ball (caught), and another batsman went on the next ball (also caught I think - I was taking wide shots at the time). Wriggle's bowler didn't get the hat-trick but the good start continued as the visitors crawled to 21 runs for 5 (!). 

Despite this, as well as a number of retirements due to 'rustiness', the game was played in good spirits and it was a fun evening.

(I hope my cricket terminology use is up to scratch - I'm not sure).

Photography notes

My own long lens (70-200mm on a full frame camera) was certainly not up to the job of capturing head and bodyshots of any of the main batsmen or bowlers during the game. You'll notice a few shots of the middle of the pitch but these are heavily cropped.

I was happy to settle for some lovely wideshots of the surroundings and sky, and a collection of natural background shots centred 'around' the main action, including before the game. These are what really interest me, and it's this lovely sociable atmosphere that has even made me half consider joining my local cricket team. You don't need to be able to bowl or bat do you? I can catch and throw pretty well!

I have added a 150-600mm lens to my wishlist, to get those close-ups.

Enjoy the photos!

So this is a weird summer. As the world has ground to a halt due to the pandemic, weddings have been halted - rightly so of course. The weddings that I had been signed up to capture have been rescheduled to next year.

But that leaves this year's blog a bit devoid of wedding joy, and instead full of empty shop fronts in York.

However, I do have some previous weddings that I have not blogged about before, for whatever reason (usually too busy).

Megan & Tom

So I have gone back two years to 2018, to a lovely early June wedding, that of Megan and Tom, genuinely one of my favourite weddings I have captured (I try not to have favourites). They were married in Harrogate, but before that I jumped on an old bus with them and some friends and family in the middle of the Yorkshire Dales, to capture the journey to the registry office (and then back). The celebrations continued back in the Dales, in Grassington, in a gorgeous field with gazebo.

I think what really made this one were the people - not least the couple themselves who I loved getting to know, but also the fantastic family and friends. Of course, this is not unusual for me, I naturally am drawn to people, to relationships, to interactions...over anything static or staged (but which still can have their place).

I think these photos below exude that naturalness I aim to capture in my documentary style.

And I tell you what, having the Dales as a back-drop isn't half handy either.

(As was my parents living a stone's throw from the celebrations, too!)

These are strange times. 

Nearly every aspect of everybody's lives on this planet Earth have been challenged of late, whilst the human race takes steps to shield itself against Covid-19. My focus of this documentary blog - no weddings or sports photos here for once - is to capture a very small slice of that impact. I've photographed the city centre, where families shop, friends meet, and upon which so many livelihoods depend.

I am fortunate to live in beautiful York, UK, but the only part of the city I've seen for the past who-knows number of weeks now, is the streets surrounding my house, my regular dog-walking routes. This past VE-day, I took Laila (our black lab) a little further, into the city centre, along with my 35mm Fujifilm X-100T. 

I thought it worth capturing our city centre as it currently stands, to capture this moment for posterity.  It was a balmy bank holiday evening, the very kind of evening that would usually undoubtedly have seen the the pubs lively, the restaurants brimming, and the streets and riverside bustling.

Not so in 2020, the year the pandemic came.  

York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown York shutdown

I documented the day in a natural style. I am continuing to develop my photography style ever more towards a 'documentary' form, capturing the day's proceedings as they happen naturally, as much as possible.

I really enjoy getting in amongst the friends and family of the happy couple, and capturing the goings on. I believe this also makes for a more enjoyable experience for the majority of guests, who rather than being posed and pushed around, can get on with having a great time. In my opinion, the photos this produces are the most true to the day and the people there.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on my photos in the comments at the end, whether you have found this blog from the other side of the world or were present at the wedding. Or drop me a message.

Enough talk. Photos!.....

I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below, whether you have found this blog from the other side of the world or were present at the wedding. 
 

Michelle & Will were married on a lovely late March day in central York. The day began as I popped into their house to get some coverage of bridal and bridesmaid preparations....though it turned out my primary directive was to photograph Billy, who would be unable to join us for the rest of the day due to his being a cat. 

Leaving Billy to housesit/bird-watch, Michelle and her fab four bridesmaids made their way to the Hospitium, a venue situated in Museum Gardens* in Central York, one of the top York wedding venues, a stunning venue in many regards and with very welcoming and helpful staff too.

The ceremony was fabulous, though had one slight hitch (not withstanding the main 'hitch' we were all there for): the alignment of Will's buttonhole was not to Michelle's exacting standards. So she had to straighten him out, which took a while....I had a good choice of photos to select from, of that!

I spent the day constantly circulating, looking for those magic moments of joy, laughter, fun, capturing the day in a documentary style that is not invasive, but which tells the story of the day as it naturally happened. Chris (Michelle's wonderful mum) kept saying - with a cheeky grin - that I hadn't yet told her how to pose. She often did this immediately after I had quickly shot her gesticulating in some wonderful fashion to someone else - my favourite type of subject! This is documentary photography - capturing what happens naturally in an interesting and beautiful way. 

Everyone had a wonderful time. From older generations cherishing the occasion, to younger ones (yes I count myself in that) letting off steam. We had the time of our lives. And Michelle and Will did too.

Photos below.

*Museum Gardens is closed to the public after dusk so wedding guests at the Hospitium have to enter/leave the gardens by asking a guard at the main entrance. A mutual friend of the bride, groom and me - let's call him Mickey - text me the next morning to ask if I'd got out alright because he'd had to scale a wall! I was very tempted to text back: "No - thank goodness you got in touch - send food and fresh water"

So, in between these family hols I have managed to squeeze in the final processing of a fantastic wedding I shot in early July, on one of the many many considerably sunny and hot days. This was Polly and Rich, who met in York when younger (not much younger - they're still young!) and continue to live here, which was great since it meant there was a ton of fantastic support from family and friends. 

For the ceremony I returned to Bedern Hall (central, old, stunning), where Rich and his best man and ushers (and groomsmaid - a first for me!) welcomed family and friends. After the ceremony, Polly and Rich and I diverted via Museum Gardens - where they used to hang out - and they told me about the best places in York to breakfast (one of my favourite verbs), since they are eating-breakfast-out connoisseurs. Finally, we joined up with everyone else at Clements Hall, in Southbank, a lovely multi-purpose venue which I had previously been at less than a month before, as a seller at a baby table-top sale - anyone need a pushchair?

Once there, a super time was had by all, including wonderful food and music, not to mention the company. 

And any couple that has "Led Zeppelin" as a table name is automatically awesome in my book.

To the photos!.....

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I recently shot a wedding in Malton, in Ryedale North Yorkshire, a lively market town where I once lived and worked. The venue for this wedding was near the centre of town, The Old Lodge, an old stomping ground of mine.  It is a 17th century Grade II listed Tudor Mansion with 3 acres of beautiful gardens overlooked by an outside terrace. There's also a bar with log fire and event room. For this wedding, the ceremony was held outside, an idyllic setting, or there is also the use of the Ceremonies Hall.

The staff at the Lodge were incredibly helpful and a pleasure to work alongside to help one another deliver an unforgettable and top class occasion for the happy couple. I liaised with Nicola, who was in charge on the day, and not only did we gel and work to help one another, but we had a great time doing it too. Top recommendations all round!

The venue really does have it all (building, gardens, staff, food, drink, facilities) so I would definitely recommend considering The Old Lodge in Malton if you are looking to get married in the area. Take a look at the photos below to see the proof!...

Jess & Stuart

Jess and Stuart had their ceremony in the grounds of the Lodge, followed by celebrations outside and in! They were a fabulous couple to get to know, and their families and friends were too.  The day was full of good cheer, scrumptuous food, fantastic dancing and a few owls.....

Owl Adventures

Jess and Stuart have a great affinity with owls and as such acquired the services of Owl Adventures, to be present on their big day. For weddings such as this, Owl Adventures offer:

• Wedding ring delivery service - a barn owl will deliver the rings to the altar
• Wedding display - a display of birds of prey where guests can hold birds (and have photos :D )
• Flying show - a spectacular flying show featuring owls, hawks and falcons in free flight

As you'll see from the photos below, Jess and Stuart had all three of these options and, as much as weddings are already such special occasions, Owl Adventures really did make it such an extraordinary afternoon. The team were really friendly and very helpful and obliging to me as wedding photographer, which is always most appreciated. 

I was very comfortable photographing the birds - they are well controlled by the falconers and I am used to shooting fast moving small things (pets, small children!) so was able to get some stunning shots of these fabulous creatures in action, and the guests enjoying the show (see the selection below).

Photos

A selection of photos from the day are below - do get in touch if you wish to enquire about your event, whether it involves owls or not!....

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