{ fashion } Peaches & Diesel

A little something different... Back in March I was asked by one of my brides, Kirsty, if I would photograph some of her vintage fashion range for her new company Peaches & Diesel. Since moving in to weddings I haven't shot any fashion, something I used to absolutely love doing, so I was totally up for it.

We headed up the West End to the lovely cafe/boutique eatiBoutiquie with Kirsty, her clothes and model Debbie and spent an afternoon messing about in and around the cafe.

I'm really keen to do more fashion as I it helps me think about my wedding portraits. I love doing more stylised and quirky portraits of couples and I would really like to bring more of that into my weddings. *Hmmmm (*strokes chin) it's all food for thought.

Anyways, here are a few shots from the day...

The first photographer I ever loved...

I remember when I first discovered Will McBride. I was at University in Manchester studying Foundation Art & Design and at that time had no intention of continuing to study photography. In fact, I was torn between fashion and fine art...oh, and not studying at all, but I was heavily into the sixties and loved everything and anything that represented that era.

Mc Bride's series of photos from his time in Berlin in the late 1950's and 1960's really stood out for me. Particularly the photos in this post. It was probably the first time I had ever looked at an image and wanted to 'be there', actually be part of that photograph. He just captured his life, his friends, that time, so beautifully.

Will Mc Bride has been on my mind as I've been thinking a lot about who and what inspires me now. I'm feeling the need to take the 'wedding photography' blinkers off for a while and remind myself of all my other photography loves.

I am a photographer. That shoots weddings.

"A Photographer has only one thing to give to his photography. His whole being. The photographs should be the result of this involvement with the life around him." Will Mc Bride.

All images: © Will Mc Bride - http://www.will-mcbride-art.com/photography.php

one, two... miss a few...

Way back at the beginning of 2011 I gave myself the (not so challenging) challenge of my own version of the 365 project. I simplified it a little by giving myself the '365/7' task of photographing and blogging different images once a week in the hope to create a visual diary of 2011.

Initially, the reason I wanted to do it weekly was to take the weight off me a little. As well as working full-time, I was going to be shooting weddings, engagement shoots and portrait shoots at weekends! What I didn't bank on was that a week after posting my first 365/7 post my life was going to change forever... Paul and I found out that we were expecting our first baby!

So my 365/7 project started well and, okay, a few of my blog posts were a little on the 'late' side but amongst all the madness I was determined to keep it up.

Then 2011 really kicked in... we sold our house, found a new house, prepared for our new arrival, shot tons of weddings (right up until I was 8 and a half months pregnant) and I was STILL working full time...it eventually took its toll and my 356/7 project was put well and truly on the back burner.

It weighed on my mind that I hadn't been keeping up the challenge that I set myself, but on the 5th October when our beautiful daughter Marni was born, I had to admit defeat...there were just more important (and wonderful) things to take care of.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is 2011 was a crazy year and basically I've only blogged half the images to prove it. So, I wanted to make my first post of 2012 a little reflection on 2011.

2011 was such an important year for me professionally and personally. I've grown as a person in every way. Lots of great things have happened. Mainly, I'm now running my own business and after graduating with a degree in photography 10 years ago, I finally feel like I am putting my degree to good use!

However, by far the most important thing that has happened this year is I now have a little family. Like I said, it's been a helluva year!

Thanks to everyone who has supported me this year and to all the amazing couples who's weddings I have photographed and have yet to photograph and even to those I've yet to meet...I can't wait to be part of your day.

Next year I plan to photograph more weddings, more portraits, more fashion...in fact, just more! But I'm not going to get hung up on any project, I'm just going to make it happen.

So that was 2011, here's to an amazing 2012.

and last but not least, my wee family...