Marc Byram Photography - The Blog

"Bride" Magazine - Rebecca & Wayne 's Big Day ...

2012-01-15T20:25:00.000Z

In this month's "Bride" magazine features the wedding of Rebecca & Wayne :

Wayne & Becky where married at St Alkmunds Church Whitchurch and had there reception at Wrenbury Hall.

Below are some of the highlights from the couples special day:

You can also view the couples coffee table books being given to their family :

The Wedding of Rebecca & Wayne by Marc Byram Photography | Make Your Own Book

The Wedding of Wayne & Becky ...

2012-01-07T21:34:00.000Z

I am a little behind on my wedding highlights at moment but here is the video slideshow of couples album and coffee table book selection ...this was a fantastic wedding and is going to be featured in the next issue "Cheshire Bride" Magazine and I will do a detailed blog article later in the month for this .....but in the meantime just sit back and enjoy this video:

Full update late January so keeping watching ..... !

Marc;-)

A round up of 2011

2011-12-28T22:06:00.002Z

2011 was a very busy year it started with the first wedding in late February and ended with the last wedding on in late November.

Firstly there was Mr & Goodison who got married at Goodison Park a first for me covering wedding at a football ground.and carrying on the sporting tradition Mr & Mrs Haywood had their wedding reception at a bowling club.

Liam & Karen at Goodison Park

Darren & Nikki arriving for their reception

This year also saw my first solo exhibition for my fine art work entitled "A Grand Day Out"which ran through March and April :

In July I also opened my new studio J16 Studio at Radway Green which has been very successful for both private commissions and commercial work.

Three of my couples for next year's weddings also took the opportunity to have their pre-wedding images taken with autumn colour around them:

From left to right: Mick & Sue, Kevin & Sharon & Ed & Hannah ...great couples whose wedding I am really looking forward to covering in 2012.

My sincere thanks to all I have had the pleasure to photograph this year and really looking forward to seeing you again in 2012.

Marc;-)

Merry Christmas

2011-12-23T22:01:00.002Z

I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas 2011 and a very Happy New Year for 2012.
Marc;-)

Do you still have presents to buy ....?

2011-12-22T20:25:00.001Z

Don't panic we have the perfect solution ....!

A family portrait voucher can be collect from the studio, hand delivered or emailed to you in time for Christmas.

5 pm Christmas Eve is the cut off for this ...so hurry you still have time !

Let's Dance ...

2011-11-26T17:18:00.001Z

For those of you who are still thinking about a family portrait in time for Christmas, there is still time to book a studio sitting as the last studio session date will be Sunday11th December to guarantee prints in time to make wonderful Christmas presents.... and at £49 for a the sitting and a print ..... that is something to dance about ........ !

Local Partners ...

2011-11-21T19:34:00.001Z

I am very excited to have some new local partners to work with and also spreadthe word about my photography services.

I have been using Fujifilm processing for some time because of the high qualityof their work and prints and with Johnsons of Nantwich now opening a new FujifilmCentre it seemed both convenient and logical for most of our prints to now go to Johnsons.

The benefit to my customers is an even faster service with same consistent high quality plus some increased options because Johnsons is also a long established commercialprinters allowing me to offer not only a wider range of varied sized prints ontodifferent materials, but also new items such as Greetings and Christmas cards.

The above image is one of two 4 foot x 3 foot panels of our portraiture workprinted by Johnsons and currently on display at another of my local partners "Fruitition" also in Nantwich, sowhy not go along and have a look for yourself or contact me to see what I can do foryou.

It is that time again ...

2011-11-11T16:06:00.001Z

It is a difficult one as there are so many wonderful images but this is my favourite image from this morning pre-school photoshoot.

Novemberand December are always busy months for me especially when it comes to taking children’sportraits for what will be very appreciated Christmas presents for Parents& Grandparents alike.

As well asmy usual studio work I also visit a number of local pre-school classes where Icapture natural images of the children at play, and I have to admit that oftenthese are my favourite images because it brings out the very best with youngerchildren. I deliberately do not doschool photography because of it needing to be so regimented in order to fitinto the school day whereas at a pre-school the interaction is very natural andyes great fun as well.

I also haveto say with starting early this year I was at one pre-school on Remembrance Dayand I was very impressed that all the children observed 2 mins of silence as amark of respect.

Portraiture for Christmas ...

2011-11-02T18:24:00.001Z

With the lead up to Christmas we are doing something very special this year by offering a free 10 “x 8” mounted print with ever studio sitting during the month of November.

There is also the option of Christmas theme to your images which can be combined with some great Christmas card packages for you.

To book your sitting now and benefit from this great promotion get in touch today.

Having a ball of a time ....

2011-10-26T22:01:00.003+01:00

We had a really great time photographing "Putting on the Ritz" a very successful charity event organized at Bentley Legends, where we provided prints on the night and an auction prize.

Congratulations to all the auction winners who have gone home with some brilliant prizes and raised over £500 for St. Luke's Hospice in the process. A big well done to all the staff at legends for their hard work in making this a wonderful night to remember.

My additional thanks to my Assistant Mark who was thrown in at the deep end on this one but coped excellently with all those prints.

Paul & Louise's Wedding

2011-10-08T22:41:00.003+01:00

I am sure many of you will remember this wonderful image from Paul & Louise wedding at Vale Royal Abbey almost this time last year.

Well now there is also a chance to see the Couple's wedding album choice as a slideshow which can be viewed with full HD by selecting this from the the menu :

Altogether now ....

2011-09-23T21:56:00.001+01:00

It was really good to catch up with one of my wedding couples from 2006 especially now that they have a lovely family for me to photography.

I always remember each couples wedding with much fondness but Dave & Lucy’s was particularly special because Lucy’s bridal portrait (below) won me several awards and I still use it as part of my marketing material today.

Thank you both for allowing me to share some time with you, your beautiful Daughters and well behaved dog …now who said you shouldn’t work with children and animals !

Marc;-)

On the farm again ...

2011-08-13T15:22:00.002+01:00

I had a great couple of hours doing this location family portrait photoshoot for this two year old and his family, as you can see Dexter also had a ball playing on the tractor and in his Dad's wood shed.

This photoshoot was a surprise present for Dexter's Dad who I believe was delighted with the framed portrait of his son !

It has been a very busy couple of months with exhibitions, setting up a new studio and a busy wedding session but I will update this blog again shortly with some more great images.
Marc;-)

On the farm ....

2011-07-14T17:25:00.001+01:00

As I am sure you will be able to tell with these images we had great fun with this pre-wedding shoot of Becky & Wayne at Becky's Parents Farm last weekend. A filed of barley along with an old Land Rover made this a great location to get some very memorable images. Becky & Wayne are getting married in September and are having their ceremony at St Alkmunds Church Whitchurch and there reception at Wrenbury Hall, I am sure it will be a great day for them and look forward to capturing it.

"This is for you ..."

2011-06-21T19:13:00.002+01:00

As part of Nantwich Festival of Arts the Forecast Dance Company put on “Window Works” which was commissioned by the Axis Arts Centre.

Where three dancers performed by request for viewers watching from a first floor window whilst most people on the ground were oblivious to the nature of the performance.Which I thought was very thought evoking as for instance with the opening image here where the dancer is lying on the pavement, whilst people walk by on not sure what to do.

Nantwich a many horse power town ...... !.

2011-06-20T20:12:00.004+01:00

This weekend was a very busy weekend for Nantwich the very first ever Festival of Arts, a charity event with this amazing drive through of sports and classic cars, and even the Circus was in town ...!!!!

I did manage to just about capture every car on the drive through, unfortunately I cannot show all 120 of them here but from these highlights I am sure you will get an idea of how wonderful they all looked. The event is an annual one organised by Crewe & Nantwich Rotary Club and the 2011 Weaver Wanders started off from Legions (The Bentley sports and social club) in Crewe and after passing through Nantwich town centre finished their day with various awards on Barony Park. The event raised money for two charities "Help for Heroes" & "MacMillan Cancer Support".

For all those drivers taking part in the drive through please contact me for your photograph, there will be a small charge but this will also be donated to these two great charities as well.

Thank You !

2011-06-20T19:10:00.004+01:00

I would just like to say very big "thank you" to the organisers and visitors to the very first Nantwich Festival of Arts and especially to my hosts at Fruitition for their support over the last three days in making this a very successful event.

If you missed this you will be able to continue to see some of my work in this cafe for a further couple of weeks.

Be one of the first ...

2011-06-05T11:35:00.003+01:00

Be one of the first 100 people to LIKE my new Facebook Fine Art page and be entered in a draw to win a signed copy of one of my fine art books.

Go there now follow this link: Marc Byram Fine Art on Facebook

Browse one of three books you could choose from here: Marc's Fine Art Books

In his own environment ...

2011-05-14T19:59:00.008+01:00

For anyone looking for a portrait photograph and wanting something that looks nature, why not ask me to do a photoshoot at your own home or chosen location, where everyone is relaxed and things look so much more natural than a studio.

My style of portraiture will bring out the true character of the sitter or sitters and a home or outdoor location is perfect for this relaxed fun style of getting the best out of people. Resulting in images you will really treasure like with this young boy here, who clearly really enjoyed himself!

Retail Therapy ...

2011-05-08T21:15:00.004+01:00

I had a really fun time with a very different photoshoot yesterday at the Trafford Centre, this was for the Vairochana Mediation Centre who are based in Chorlton, Manchester. The brief was to produce an image for future publicity that would show that mediation is something that everyone can do in any situation, so where better than a very busy Manchester landmark the Trafford Centre ?

So with appropriate permission given by the Trafford Centre and much behind the scenes planning including the recruitment of the three models (Doug, Sunita & Suzy) who volunteered from the attendees the meditation centre, we set off to capture the hustle and bustle of a busy Saturday’s shopping experience. The very calm looking models positioned themselves in several different busy places for me to capture them looking very relaxed in either mediation or simply reading a book or resting from shopping. I was assisted by Mark Houlton who again carried and positioned my lighting to great affect, there was also make up and styling back up as well as several extras from the centre also helping and featuring in some of shots as passers by.

I would really like to thank everyone for their hard work it was good to be part of such a purposefully team, especially Sandra for her brilliant organisational skills, and very importantly the Trafford Centre for their community spirit in allowing us access to do this.

The only problem now will be selecting that all important image from all those that we captured.

If you wish to learn more about mediation please follow this link : meditation-in-manchester.org

Kelvin & Claire's Wedding

2011-04-29T21:13:00.003+01:00

To see the highlights of this wedding from last year follows this link:
Kelvin & Claire's Wedding July 2010

Jazz & Blues Fest ....

2011-04-24T20:17:00.001+01:00

I had a pleasure yesterday of meeting and listening to Tom Doughty one of the performers at this years Jazz & Blues festival a real artist with his great vocals and mind blowing slide guitar playing.

Tom was performing in the gallery space where my current exhibition is on, so I thought it would good to get a few pictures and here they are ……

For more information on Tom click on this link : Tom's Website

Clowning ...

2011-04-16T20:08:00.002+01:00

I am very pleased to help in my small way to support the Theodora Foundation who organises visits of clowns to cheer up sick children in hospitals all across Switzerland.

This poster uses one of my personal project images from my "Clowning" collection to promote some fundraising organised by a group of students in Belp Switzerland. The students will be fundraisers by selling hot dogs for which people can pay as much as they are willing to, and all proceeds will be given to the Theodora Foundation.

What a wonderful idea, I hope their event is very successful and you can read more about this charity at : http://www.theodora.ch/

Among the daffs ....

2011-04-10T20:16:00.002+01:00

Among the daffodils again ... I cannot believe it is a year since I last was fortunately enough to use this fantastic location for some more wonderful portrait shoots. This location is in Whitegate Cheshire and is part of the Cheshire Daffodil Walks which is open to the public for organised walks until 17th April, with all proceeds going to MacMillan Cancer Support.

This year I have donated a raffle prize of an portraiture shoot worth £295 to help with the fundraising so even more of of an incentive for going along !!!

It was last Sunday when we managed to get some really great shots with some very dramatic skies .. how the weather changes in a few days, both couples had some really great fun dodging those April showers with the occasional need for a brolley.

Thanks to Mark for assisting with the lighting and Chelsea & Junior and Lianne & Alex for being such good sports ...your prints will be on the way to soon guys.

You can find out about the walks here ...... http://www.daffodilwalks.com/

A Grand Opening ...

2011-04-04T19:56:00.004+01:00

Chris & Cheryl Sadler with guest of honour Pete Waterman, who officially opened the newly refurbished and extended shop at Snugbury's Ice Cream Farm, which is also celebrating 25 years of ice cream making.

This was the start of a very busy weekend for me, where everything literally came in two ... as I also had another fantastic shop opening. which I will cover in a future blog article, along with two brilliant pre-wedding shoots ...so much more to be Blogged soon .....

It's Official ...

2011-03-19T20:21:00.008Z

Thanks to all those who made it along last Friday for the official opening of my exhibition.

The Exhibition is now open Tuesday - Saturday (10.30 am - 4.30pm) until the end of April.

I have some more dates for your diaries for the "Meet the Artist" days:

Saturday 26th. March 11am – 2pm

Saturday 9th. April 11am - 1pm

Saturday 30th. April 11am – 2pm

(All images courtesy of Mark Houlton & Warren Garrett)

Mr & Mrs Goodison at Goodison

2011-03-13T19:36:00.006Z

The date Friday 25th February the venue Goodison Park for the perfect love match ... !

A first for me as I haven't done any wedding photography in a football stadium before and it was really great fun, the couple along with their family and friends truly had a wonderful day, and made myself and my assistant very much part of things. I also have to say the grounds staff were first rate nothing seemed to be too much effort for them to ensure all went well. If you are an Everton fan and planning a wedding I really would recommend this venue they really pull the stops out.

Thank you to Mr & Mrs Goodison for allowing me to photograph their wedding and to my Assistant Mark for the help with the lighting to get those great stadium shots and John for his back up photography.

It's Countdown ...

2011-03-06T19:14:00.003Z

I now have all my prints ready and they look truly breathtaking, all printed with pigment inks on to a variety of highest quality fine art papers.

Next week will be the installation of the eight collection all within the overall context of "A Grand Day Day Out" which explores the relationship between our interactions with the natural environment in the pursuit of leisure. The focus is largely on the familiar, and is portrayed in a way that will hopefully make the viewer reflect on their own experiences.

There will be a total of 56 artists proofs ranging in size from from A3 to A2 with three of the collections being in sets of four 20" x 20" images, it should brilliant seeing all these in one gallery space for the very first time.

All prints on display will be available to purchase and to to be collected at the end of the exhibition, and for any one wanting to take something away when they visit there are a small number be a small number of limited edition prints available immediately as well as three of the image collections also being available in book form.

Saturday 12th March is the first day the exhibition is open to the public and I will be in the gallery between 11 am -1 pm for a "meet the artist" session where you can ask me questions about the work on display.

After so much hard work I am really looking forward to it and hope to see as many people as possible there.

Marc;-)

Unique Wedding Fashion ...

2011-02-19T21:47:00.002Z

The spring edition of "Yatter Yatter" Magazine will be having a large wedding feature with a double page spread with these amazing dresses from Deva Bespoke Fashion Design.

Deva makes only bespoke  dresses which are all hand made and often from just one piece of fabric, so for  the bride wanting a unique wedding dress this has to be the place to go  !!

http://www.devadesigners.co.uk/index.php

For night only ...

2011-01-31T12:14:00.002Z

Yes for one night only ........ Elvis appeared not in Vegas but at the Lifestyle Centre in Winsford, Cheshire, to a packed and very appreciative house.

The vocal tribute to Elvis, Gordon Hendricks is the 2011 European Champion and will go on to compete in the International finals in Memphis later this year, the event was organised by Heidi and Russ Morter in aid of Christie Hospital and raised £2,370 on the night.

Well done to everyone for making such an enjoyable evening.

Every year I support a small number of charities by providing a high value item to auction or raffle by way of an all inclusive family portrait package worth £275. Whilst also doing some PR photographs for them as where I can. The other charities I currently support are the British Association of Skin Camouflage & Brad's Teenage Cancer Foundation .

Although I cannot do this for a large number of charities, I realise that charities are finding fundraising particularly hard at the moment, so would be able to support another one in 2011, so If you do feel you have a worth while charity please get in touch and I will see what I can do.

Many thanks for looking and I strongly recommend going along to Gordon & the Band if you get chance.

Making an exhibition of myself ...

2011-01-16T19:28:00.004Z

Here is the press release for my first solo exhibition ...... oh just a little excited ...........

Press Release :

A Grand Day Out - Photography by Marc Byram

Millennium Gallery Sat 12 Mar - Sat 30 April

A Grand Day Out is the first solo exhibition of fine art monochrome and colour images from the personal photographic projects of Nantwich-based photographer Marc Byram. Although contemporary the photographs typically have an historic slant and charming timeless quality.

For further information contact: Nantwich Museum on enquiries@nantwichmuseum.org.uk or telephone 01270 627104;

Website: www.nantwichmuseum.org.uk

The exhibition explores the relationship between our interactions with the natural environment in the pursuit of leisure. Although the focus is on the familiar it is presented in a way that will make the viewer reflect on their own experiences.

The environments explored are all within the North West of England. They include the traditional seaside holiday destinations of Southport and Blackpool, the seasonal changes within Delamere forest, the end of life of an hotel and its changing 'uses' in it’s dereliction and decay and a visit to the circus to explore some very universal human emotions.

The images are captured and produced using a mixture of digital and analogue photographic techniques. They are printed onto a range of high quality complimentary fine art papers using pigment inks. Limited edition prints of the work are available for purchase.

The exhibition will be of interest to a wide audience with something for everyone. It will also provide an opportunity for art collectors to view and purchase some very collectable limited edition fine art prints which will be on display for the very first time.

The wedding ...after the wedding ..

2011-01-09T20:26:00.008Z

So what is he talking about ? I hear you ask ... let me explain ...Paul & Rachael got married in Kenya and are now back in the UK to celebrating with all the family and friends who couldn't be at their actual ceremony. This was just like any wedding reception with a drinks reception, wedding breakfast, speeches and cake cutting ...oh yes and the bit that was different was the screening of the couple's Kenya wedding video ...which looked truly wonderful !

My thanks to my Assistant Andy for his help with the lighting, and to the couple and their family for allowing me to cover this great event.

Christmas Wedding ....

2011-01-03T18:19:00.001Z

It was a really great way for me to finish 2010 with Mark & Amanda's wedding which as you can imagine was very festive with the couple choosing the 28th December for their wedding day. This was a civil ceremony at very historic and prestigious Crewe Hall Hotel in Cheshire, this venue always looks spectacular and even more so when it is decorated for Christmas, as I am sure you can see from the images here. The only thing missing was snow ... although this would have been great the couple preferred that the weather allowed for all their guests to arrived safely instead.

A big thank you to the couple for allowing me to be part of this very special day, and to my assistant (Mark) for his help on the day, and wishing everyone a very peaceful 2011.

A round up of 2010 ...

2010-12-26T22:29:00.005Z

2010 has been a little different to the general photographic business trends of the last few years. Without a doubt the economic downturn has had it's effects on the wedding market, with fewer couples getting married, but on the plus side the wedding season itself has got considerably longer. I therefore have continued to do the same number of weddings but over a longer season, having had as many weddings this year in October to what I had in August. I think that the weather as much of the economy is in part responsible for this, as for the previous 3 years the month of August has tended to be a total washout.

There has also been a squeeze on wedding photography pricing but my own emphasis has continued to be on the quality rather than price and fortunately I am still booking discerning clients who appreciate this.

There have been so many wonderful wedding highlights for 2010 that I do not know where to start and apologies for missing so many great weddings out here. I do have to mention James & Denise because their wedding was a first for me …not only the Bride drive herself to Church but so did the Groom and not by any convention wedding car but by tractor ..!!

My signature wedding image has for considerable some time now been the outdoor romantic night shot, which is the perfect last page to the wedding album. Not only do I my clients love these images, but as so few other photographers are able to do this it gives me a great competitive edge and this year I had some absolutely ones and here is just a few of them:

I have continued to support a few chosen charities and their fundraising events throughout 2010, by providing on the night photography and also a auction or raffle prizes of one of my all inclusive portrait photography packages and here are a few winners of this prize from 2010.

For me this year has been excellent in respect of some very interesting commercial work, in the areas of healthcare, beauty and fashion, with much ongoing work for 2011.

Finally one area where there has been much development this year has been through my personal projects and mainly with fine art photography, this has always been a really creative and motivational part of my work with much experimentation and fine tuning of my techniques. The “spill over” of this adds benefit to my paid commissions but now this work will be available to even more people with my first solo exhibition 12^th March – 30^th April 2011.

Wishing everyone a very good 2011.

Marc;-)

Merry Christmas ...

2010-12-23T18:13:00.002Z

Merry Christmas to all my Blog readers

Marc;-)

Party Time ...

2010-12-20T16:54:00.004Z

Yes it was certainly party time with these images from a recent fashion photoshoot or "Yatter Yatter" lifestyle magazine, featuring some amazing dresses from Deva bespoke fashion design.

The shoot was at Bodidris Hall Hotel a building with over 650 years of history which was an excellent backdrop for these unique gowns,styling was by Marion of Deva Designers and the models were supplied by Tanya Model & Casting Agency.

You will see this fashion feature in the Winter edition of "Yatter Yatter" magazine on sale now.

A Commercial Break ...

2010-12-03T20:10:00.002Z

I have had quite a lot of commercial work over the last couple of months which is is fairly usual for October and November, but it has been extra busy couple of months for me because the wedding season has run over well into October this year as well.

I will post one or two more of these commercial shoots on this Blog later, because I think it is good for my none commercial clients to see the other work that I do as there is a lot overlap between social photography and say fashion or beauty photography . The shot here is for Essential Bodyworks a company that offers training for health and beauty practitioners thoughout the North West. I particularly like this image due to the serenity of it it makes you feel relaxed just looking at it.

Steve & Sam's Wedding Slideshow ...

2010-11-26T22:08:00.003Z

Highlights of couple's big day, and the chosen images for their album :

A Portrait for Christmas

2010-11-18T18:41:00.004Z

In the last couple few days I have booked a couple of family portrait sessions to be shot between Christmas and the New Year when all family members will be together, which is a great idea indeed, but it is also still not too late to have a family portrait taken before Christmas as I still have a few time spaces free. Or you could give a loved one a gift voucher for Christmas to have a photoshoot at a time that suits in the New Year.

Autumn Pre-wedding Photoshoot ...

2010-11-13T21:24:00.003Z

It was a wonderful autumn day today for Mark & Amanda's pre-wedding photoshoot. The couple are having their wedding over the Christmas period at Crewe Hall.

I always enjoy shooting Christmas wedding and Crewe Hall is a wonderful venue for this, so I am really looking forward to this almost as much as the couple :-)

Let Me Entertain You ....

2010-11-06T18:29:00.001Z

An essential pat of being a wedding photographer is to get the best out of people ...and yes to make them laugh ... people should feel totally relaxed and enjoy being photographed.

This has always been my philosophy and I believe it shows in the images Marc Byram Photography create ...so for your wedding why don't you book a photographer who will capture the shots you want but most importantly will also entertain you and your guests ?

(These photographs of me at work are courtesy of Andy Bigger my Assistant at this recent wedding).

The Beacon - Festive Fashion Photoshoot ...

2010-11-04T18:30:00.005Z

When it comes to commercial work I always enjoy a fashion shoot, and this Christmas festive fashion shoot was particularly good fun for the Beacon Lifestyle Magazine.

A great team always makes for some great shots, so a big thanks to Joe & Abbey of Barry Stephens Hair, Make-up by Beau Beauty Salon, amazing clothing with designs by Armani & Velvet all available from RED in Loughborough. Debbie & Deborah from the Beacon Magazine who made it all it all happen, along with my assistant Mark for some great lighting, design and clever editing by Lara of Lima Design and lastly but not least Milly a superb model.

It also always great as a Photographer to get a front cover and you can view the whole magazine by clicking here:Beacon Magazine

Paul & Louise's Wedding Highlights ...

2010-10-31T16:43:00.004Z

Paul and Louise had there wedding ceremony and reception at the very lovely Vale Royal Abbey in Whitegate, Cheshire the day was perfect from start to end.

I would like to thank Andy for assisting on this wedding and also the Vale Royal Abbey Staff for ensure we got those romantic shots at the lake.

Plough their way ...

2010-10-26T20:18:00.004+01:00

I promised more highlights of James & Denise's Wedding so along with another paper clipping here they are ...

This wedding proved to be quite a transport festival with both Bride and Groom turning up to the church in their own tractors and then exiting as husband & wife in their MGBGT !

The Church they selected has only had 5 weddings in the last 20 years and I am sure out of those other weddings this one has to be the most novel in respect of the choice of transport used.

Denise drove her self to the Church accompanied by her Father all the way from Soulton Hall near Wem, Shropshire all the way to the Church just outside Wrenbury, Cheshire with a fair few surprised on lookers on route James's not to be outdone drove also drove his Tractor with his Best man as passenger.

Certainly a first for myself as photographer and also my assistant Warren, we would both like to wish James's & Denise all the very best for their future life together and allowing us to be part of their very special day.

Olly & Amy's Wedding Highlights ...

2010-10-09T21:54:00.001+01:00

You may recognise this couple from their recent Delamere Pre-wedding photoshoot were we had real fun and this rehearsal really paid off on the couples big day.

Olly and Amy were married at All Saint's Church Old Rode and had there reception at Glebe Farm Astbury on 25th September.

Despite an autumn chill in the air this was a wonderful fun day for all concerned. I would like to thank my two Assistant Mark & Andy for ensure we captured the full day.

Country Life ...

2010-10-02T22:59:00.007+01:00

I had the great pleasure to photograph the wedding of James and Denise and what was certainly a first for me, not only did the Groom & Best man arrive at Church on a Tractor, but so did the Bride & her Father, and what is more the Bride drove herself ....!!!! There will be more images from this wedding soon, but I just had to share this one now ....

So what is copyright ...?

2010-09-24T19:22:00.011+01:00

Among the general public there appears to be a general lack of understand about copyright and how it relates to them so in this short Blog article I hope to share some useful information.

The combine effect of the internet and the massive growth of digitally produced images has resulted in the photographic industry now experiencing the same copyright infringements as did the music industry a few year ago. People generally see nothing wrong in sharing image or data files without any understanding of potential copyright infringement, especially as nearly everyone now has digital compact cameras and/or phone cameras and are therefore used to sharing there own images. So whether unintentional and intentional image theft is now very common place and millions of people are breaking copyright laws every day.

Although copyright law is about to undergo a drastic overall as the law stands right now in the UK, The Copyright, Design & Patents Act of 1988 (Amended 1988) applies to all photographic media. Therefore by the act of capturing an image the copyright belongs to the person capturing it, whether they are known or otherwise, not only for that person's lifetime, but up to 70 after their death. This therefore means that if anyone else uses their images without their consent or that of their estate, they are able to legally seek compensation and damages for such misuse.

For much of the general public they probably aren't particularly bothered about enforcing their own copyright of let's say their last holiday, but for those who make a living from photography this is a very different matter. Although among these professional there also seems to be some misunderstanding with many wedding photographers now offering the wedding images to the couple as part of their package "copyright free", which quite simply is misrepresentation. As unless the photographer actually produces a legal document for which they sign over their future rights to the images, and in which case most possibly also their own rights to use these images, even in their own portfolios, then no such contract actually exists and the photographer could later still sue for damages.

If the photographers does wish to give permission for the client to use these images, the best way to formalise this is by releasing the images under license to the client but for personal use only. The emphasis being on "personal use" is so that the client may not commercially prosper from the photographers work. The only exception to this may be a very high profile celebrity wedding where the couple wishes total control of all images via an agent, in such a case significant financial consideration is given to the photographer to release the original images and their right to them. Therefore in the majority of situations this simply isn't normal practice and there would not be any legal protection to the client without legal documentation and and proof a significant financial consideration.

I hope that this short article clarifies the real situation in respect to UK image copyright for you as a potential consumer of photographic services.

Olly & Amy's Pre-wedding Photoshoot ...

2010-09-05T12:44:00.000+01:00

Last bank Holiday Monday's pre-wedding photoshoot was really great fun with Olly & Amy on location in Delamere Forest, always a favourite location of mine because there are so many great settings to utilise and an early start to day meant we had the perfect lighting for it too.

I must thank my assistant Mark for his help on the day especially his ability to hide behind trees whilst lighting the couple so we got that great reflection in the water.

Olly & Amy are getting married at the Good Shepherd Church Rode Heath and having their reception at Astbury in a few weeks, and this is another wedding I am really looking forward to shooting.

You can also watch this shoot as a slideshow here :

Mike & Gill's Wedding Slideshow ...

2010-09-03T21:43:00.004+01:00

You can now view the slideshow of Mike & Gill's wedding on line by simply clicking on the title link of this Blog article "Mike & Gill's Wedding Slideshow".

This is a brand new service for my clients which allows them to share their wedding day on line with friends and family all over the world.

If couple's have their own website they can host this slideshow themselves, or I can do this for them and can make access either public or private. The couple also get a HD (high definition) version of this slideshow as a DVD to play on PC, MAC or conventional DVD player.

Turn the volume up, relax, sit back and enjoy ...... the ice cream seller will come around in the interval ... :-)

James & Denise's Pre-wedding Photoshoot ...

2010-08-30T21:05:00.004+01:00

Yesterday's pre-wedding photoshoot was really great fun with James, Denise and their dog .... Bruce. Although a very windy day the location of Bickerton Hills was a really great choice by the couple very scenic with amazing views over the Cheshire plane as it is part of the Sandstone Trail. This was a significant spot as it was where James proposed to Denise and clearly she said "yes" :-)

James and Denise are getting married at St Michael's Church at Baddiley and having their reception at Souton Hall in October. Another wedding I am really looking forward to shoot.

You can also watch these images as shoot video slideshow.:

For regular readers of my Blog you see that most of my couples have a pre-wedding photoshoot and that these are great fun, but there is also a very serious purpose for these,because few people like having their photograph taken and couples getting married are no expectation to this rule, as there are usually also lots of other pressures on them. However by having a casual relaxed photoshoot before their big day, it means that on their wedding day the wedding photography is total breeze, because they trust me as a photographer, and I know them more as friends than clients which means a very relaxed day with great images to show for it.

It's Flash ...

2010-08-24T18:45:00.002+01:00

Marc has just been featured in the Quantum QFlash Professional Gallery .... this gallery shows example of high quality work created with this very flexible portable flash system from Professional Photographers from all around the world.

Photography literally means "painting with light" and although natural light is always a preferable source, it does not always do what it is needed to do in the tight time frame of a wedding or other location shoot. So the use of reliable additional lighting from a portable flash system is very important and for this reason Marc always uses Quantum power packs and flash, to ensure he has the control of light he needs for his striking images.

To see the gallery click on the the title link "It's Flash"

Mike & Gill's Wedding Highlights ...

2010-08-23T21:59:00.006+01:00

Here are the highlights of Mike & Gill who had a church wedding at St Wilfrid's Church in Northwich and their reception at the Oaklands Hotel at Gorstage, Cheshire on Saturday 21st August.

This was a most joyous day from start to finish a lovely church with sunshine a great venue with even more sunshine and then the evening entertainment consisting of a "Robbie" tribute act, disco and launching of many Chinese Lanterns into the Cheshire sky.

I also had to include the shot of the Bride using a camera in with these highlights ...as that is a first well at the church anyway ....:-)

I would also like to thank my two Assistants (Warren & Andy) for their help on the day but most especially the happy couple themselves ...you were truly great fun guys ....and I wish you all the best for your future lives together and hope we get many opportunities in the near future to meet again. Marc;-)

You can now also watch the couple's wedding slideshow :

Paul & Louise's Pre-wedding Photoshoot ...

2010-08-17T19:31:00.006+01:00

Paul & Louise chose Marbury Country Park for their pre-wedding photoshoot, thereby giving me my second chance to use this great location for a pre-wedding shoot in less than a week. It is such a great location with so many different areas to shoot and sunshine in abundance ...this bit I am sure is not always guaranteed ! We certainly had a really fun time although it was little touch and go working with the local wide life it appeared we were required to bring bread for the Swans to perform, I shall make a note for the next shoot :-)

You can also watch these images as high quality video :

Paul & Louise are getting married in October at Vale Royal Abbey and I very much look forward to covering their wedding day.

Mike & Gill's Pre-wedding Photoshoot ...

2010-08-13T22:13:00.000+01:00

We had a great time with this early evening pre-wedding photoshoot in Marbury Country Park, it has been many years since I have shot at this location and Mike & Gill are the first of two couples who wanted their pre-wedding shoot there this year. The reason for this location for this couple is because it is were Mike proposed to Gill .... so a very romantic setting indeed ! We certainly had great fun using the low evening sun shine to create some great images.

Mike and Gill will getting married on 21st August at St Wilfred's Church Northwich, followed by their wedding reception at the Oakland's Hotel and I am really look forward to covering there wedding for them.

Steve & Sam's Wedding Highlights ...

2010-08-07T11:52:00.025+01:00

Here are the highlights of the civil ceremony of Steve & Sam held at the Sketchley Grange Hotel & Spa in Hinckley Leicestershire on Saturday 31st July.

This was the busiest weekend of the year for me so far and was made so very much easy with the couples day being so full of fun and enjoyment, helped by a fair bit of sunshine on what started as a very dull wet morning. I also got to ride with them in their wonderful vintage Bentley car to get some shots of them away from the venue.

I would very much like to wish the couple every happiness for their future married life together.

Kelvin & Claire's Wedding Highlights ...

2010-08-02T19:00:00.025+01:00

Here are the highlights of the civil ceremony of Kelvin & Claire held at the very splendid Wild Boar Hotel at Beeston on Friday 30th July.

Despite the less than favorable weather forecast, the day went really well with the rain holding off till late in the day allowing the couple and their family and friends to truly have the most wonderful of times filled with much romance, laugher and enjoyment. It was also very enjoyable for myself meeting again so many of the couples family and friends that I have shot before at other weddings and events.

Sorry there was no wobbly logs to sit on this time Claire ! I would like to wish both of you the very best for married life together, and also I hope to see you soon for other family photography.

Watch on line ...

2010-07-26T19:01:00.007+01:00

You can watch exerts of Marc's new video on the web .. by following the link to his You Tube Channel by simply clicking on to this Blog article title - above "Watch on line".

The videos feature the wedding of Russ & Vicki who where married this April at the Grosvenor Pulford Hotel & Spa and goes behind the scenes to take you through their pre-wedding and wedding day photography plus some recent examples of Marc's other wedding image creation.

Very useful viewing if you are planning a wedding or want to see how Marc works with his clients, there is even an option to watch it in HD !!

Wedding photography – a guide for capturing your perfect day

2010-07-17T13:46:00.009+01:00

Once you have booked the date for your big day, there is a list of wedding services you need to consider such as; that wonderful wedding dress, flowers, cake, wedding car, makeup and hair stylist, and very importantly your photographer. With all these wedding services the good ones tend to get booked up well in advance, so good advice is to start looking early.

Marc Byram an experienced award winning wedding photographer has put together this useful guide to ensure you have a stress free wedding day and have the pictures you really want at the end of it.

Why is the photography an important part of your wedding?

After the wedding day the photographs are the only thing the couple has to help them remember their wedding day, if these images are poor or not really what they wanted there really isn’t a great deal that can be done.

How to find your wedding photographer:

- Word of mouth

If you know someone else who has got married recently ask them what their experience was, and if they are happy with their wedding photographer and you also like what they had done, contact their photographer to see if they are free for your date.

- Wedding Fayres

These are good places to seek out many of the services you need all being under one roof, so worth a visit even if only for ideas.

- Magazines & Directories

Many wedding and lifestyle magazines feature advertisements or listing for photographers in your area.

- The internet

Is probably one of the best ways to find a photographer because it is a very visual service and therefore makes it easy to view several photographers work before making any further inquiries.

What are the important things to look for:

- Getting advice

A wedding is a once in a lifetime thing so it is worth taking advise from someone who has photographed hundreds.

So the first thing to look for in a wedding photographer is someone who can give you straight forward advice. In fact most professional photographers are happy to give advice and will give a free consultation.
This is a good opportunity for the bride and groom and their families to get some ideas as to want they may want in the way of images and albums.

- Face to face

In choosing a photographer it should always be the case that you meet face to face to view their work, most will be happy to visit you in your own home or have studio in which to meet. You need to feel comfortable with the photographer both in terms of liking their work but also feeling they will get on with you and your guests.

- Professional membership

Although not a guarantee if the photographer is a member of a profession body, this should give you more confidence in this person professional ability and ethics.

- Photographic style

There are two main styles for a wedding images either they are formal or informal. The formal approach often gets the less appeal label of “traditional” attached to it whilst the informal is seen as more fashionable often being called “contemporary”. Unless you really know what style of photography you want it is best to take the best from both and have informal coverage of the day with some formal shots after the ceremony, this keeps everyone happy and creates a stress free day for the Bride & Groom.

- Don't forget the details

It is important that all aspects of your wedding are covered on the day.

- Wedding photography packages

Often people have a certain budget in mind when it comes to booking their photographer and will probably find a fairly wide range of prices and packages quite confusing. Wedding packages generally range from around £500 up to £5,000 with the average being around £2,000.

Avoid photographers who offer hourly rates to make their packages sound less expensive, as although shorter photographic coverage of the day will be of a lower cost than full coverage of the day, the cost are not usually proportionate and the better option is to get total coverage of the day at a set price. This is usually from the bride getting ready through to the first dance of the evening. This most importantly gives a full story of the day to any album and usually costs not a great deal more.

The most important thing is to agree a package that covers what you require and most importantly has no hidden extras.

- Pre-wedding rehearsal

There is a further service a lot of photographers will offer, which is well worth the couple’s consideration, unusually called pre-wedding or engagement photography.

If it is done properly, and often included as a part of the overall package this will not be a money spinner for the photographer but instead will serve to give the couple experience of being professionally photographed thereby relieving a great deal of pressure on their wedding day.

(This article is copyrighted to Marc Byram and has been published in several wedding and lifestyle magazinesplease do not copy this information without prior permission as copyright will be fully enforced)

Marc is a professional wedding photographer who covers weddings and other events throughout the North West and further afield,
his web site can be viewed at www.marcbyramphotography.co.uk or can be contacted on 01270 620923 for further advice.

Personal Project Work ...

2010-07-03T18:35:00.013+01:00

Occasionally I like to feature my personal project work here in my Blog, to show potential wedding and portrait clients the other areas of my work which usually also play a part in the development of my style in my commercial work. This particular body of work also respresents a significant part of my submitted work for my current MA in Photography. Some photographers simply do photography because it is a "job", for me it is also a passion, therefore I have almost as many personal project on the go as I do commercial ones.

For inspiration for a current personal project, I have drawn on the work from the 1962 fashion photoshoot by David Bailey, of model Jean Shrimpton in New York for UK Vogue, which has recently been released as a book entitled "JS BD NY 62". Whilst at the same time adding my own spin to things, I have also tried to stay true to the style of this particular historic shoot as I could, as I think that in this instance imitation whilst usually seen as a form of flattery, could also be viewed as an insult if it did not both add something whilst at the same time paying tribute to Bailey's original ground breaking work.

I am incredibly fortunate with my model (Raphaella) to have found a model with the skills to really interpret the look I wanted, Bailey said of Shrimpton she was an excellent model in that he only needed to take a few shots and he knew he had the image he wanted, the same can also be said with Raphaella, in addition unlike the original UK Vogue shot, Raphaella had to produce her own wardrobe ..!!

The plan for this work is to produce a book which will mostly be black and white images interspersed with the odd colour image again keeping true to the original shoot.

Food Glorious Food ...

2010-06-20T20:30:00.008+01:00

I had the pleasure to photograph Brian Eccles and his wonderful food creations for a new and very exciting lifestyle magazine. Brian is the Head Chef at Bodidris Hall Hotel and restaurant well know for it's excellent cuisine. The two courses that Brian prepared for a summer theme was a mouth watering course ham hock & pea salad and for dessert a real work of art with his poached nectarine served with home made strawberry ice-cream. Unfortunately I only got the opportunity to photograph these two dishes but I am sure from the many comments I heard from those dinning was that the food is exceptionally good.

Happy Fathers' Day ...

2010-06-14T19:01:00.009+01:00

I just think this series of images from a recent wedding sums up what being a Dad is all about ..... the look on this little boys face is priceless...! His own wonderful foam creation, quite clearly an artist in the making :-)

Yes it is that time again ....... Sunday 20th June is Fathers Day .... for anyone who had forgotten here is a timely reminder !

I generally find it is the Mums rather than Dads who receive my vouchers for family portraits as presents ... but why not the Dads too ? Sure they may be more interested in the World Cup right now, but having a family portrait taken, will unlike the World Cup, provide him with a memory that will last a lifetime, and it certainly isn't too late to purchase a voucher, or even sneak in a secret photoshoot just for the kids and then have something really special to give him on Sunday !

If you would like to give Dad something a bit different this year why not find out more and contact me.

Happy Father's Day to all Father's everywhere.
Marc;-)

Wobbly Log ...

2010-06-05T15:30:00.009+01:00

Delamere forest what a great venue for a pre-wedding shoot !

Kelvin & Claire are getting married at the end of July at the Wild Boar Hotel Beeston and whilst in Cheshire for a few days sorting out their wedding arrangements we had time to fit in a fun pre-wedding shoot.

The comment about the wobbly log was Claire's which I just thought made a great title for this Blog entry to quote her "..look great so far. The balancing on that wobbly log was all worth it! :o)" .. I think it certainly was Claire, you were both real stars I had a great time and I am really look forward to shooting your wedding. Marc;-)

Robin & Hannah Wedding Highlights ...

2010-06-01T18:51:00.018+01:00

The last Saturday in May was not exactly the driest day of the month but it certainly was one of the happiest weddings I have covered for some considerable time.
The civil ceremony of Robin & Hannah was held in The Glass House at Combermere Abbey and as the day progressed the weather became drier allowing for photographs in the grounds including the walled gardens and maze. Family and friends had a truly wonderful time with a very romantic day filled with much laugher and enjoyment. I would like to wish the couple the very best for their life together and also I hope to see them soon for a "trash the dress shoot".

Location, location,location ...

2010-05-27T08:41:00.026+01:00

We are told the location is important in respect of buying such things as a house, but what about a family portrait ?
I would say as a photographer it is even more important to get the right environment to create an image that will capture a moment for a lifetime.
The place however most associated with photographic portraiture is a studio, and although I still happily offer studio photoshoots I feel they don't always produce the best environment for this subject, although the studio is obviously the most convenient work place for the photographer, in that we can do one shoot after another there without being dependent on the weather etc. For none studio location I tend to divide these into two types of area for portraiture, either the persons own home or some other suitable location. The home is very effective especially with small children and babies as the environment is familiar to them and they are therefore most relaxed and natural in this setting. With other locations, this can really be as diverse as the sitter wants, it could be a favourite place the family like to go for a walk such as a lake, wood or beach, but it could also be equally somewhere with indoor features. Originally the term "environmental portraiture" was used to describe a portraiture settings if it wasn't in the studio, this has recently developed further with influence from magazines and other media to be much more about lifestyle or even fashion.

As a portrait photographer I really enjoy working in different location and with variations in the weather and seasons it is the opportunity to capture a truly magical image that is totally unique, rather than a more predictable studio image. Here are some examples, you can see the own home environment with the little girl both in her garden playing on her scooter and also in the house. For other locations the three children on the beach was great fun, and I think is simply priceless in terms of the interaction and expressions which this environment allowed to fully develop. Then there is the young lady in the bluebells with much has much more of the fashion look that she wanted(also top image).

If you are looking to have a family portrait done, also think about where you would like it done and then get in touch to discuss.

Thank you for looking
Marc;-)

Golf anyone ...?

2010-05-15T19:39:00.003+01:00

I had the pleasure of doing the team shots for a corporate golf event at The Warwick Golf Club this week. The event was joint sponsored by Issacs Financial Services and 3D Employee Benefits. Seventy players took part in the afternoons golf which was followed by an evening meal, where the winning team received a trophy, and each player received their team photograph as a memento of great day.
Thank you Issacs & 3D for allowing me to part of this.
Marc;-)

New website goes live ...

2010-05-09T12:47:00.012+01:00

I thought it was time for a new look to my website to present my current work in a more favorable format ....... the previous site was constructed back in 2004 and has served it's purpose very well .... and for this reason I have again used Chris Blackhurst for my web design.
To be one of the first to view my new site simply click the title of this Blog article "New website goes live ..." and your feedback is always welcome.
Thank you for looking
Marc;-)

Steve & Sam's Pre-wedding Photoshoot ...

2010-04-25T22:32:00.012+01:00

Today we had great fun in the grounds of Calke Abbey doing a pre-wedding photoshoot, it is great location and I haven't been to for quite some time and had forget just how good it is for location work. I think Steve & Sam will still being hearing me saying "that is a great looking dead tree" or "just another one" as I preceded to take about another six shots. We did have to do a bit of waiting for the sunshine get break through the clouds but it was certainly worth the wait as I am sure you will agree. I am now really looking forward to the couples big day in July.

Russ & Vicki's Wedding Highlights ...

2010-04-22T21:00:00.027+01:00

This is my 100th Blog post with the highlights from the the recent wedding of Russ and Vicki who had a wonderful civil ceremony and reception at the Grosvenor Pulford Hotel & Spa near Chester, as you can see from images the weather just could not been better for them or their photography. The couple also had there pre-wedding shoot at venue which gave us the opportunity to plan many of the great shots we did on the day, one thing however we couldn't have rehearsed any better was the swans creating the "heart" shape together on the lake while the couple embraced on the bridge, I can only think that this has to be very good luck for the couple having such a regal blessing from these most graceful birds who pair for life.

Flower Power ...

2010-04-18T14:11:00.010+01:00

We really couldn't have wished for a better day for this family portraiture shoot amongst several fields of daffodils. The harsh winter may have put a lot of spring flowering plants back a few weeks but now spring is finally here they are truly worth waiting for, what a fantastic landscape and a brilliant backdrop for some family images, I think everyone enjoyed it even Ben the dog. The old saying about not working with children and animals couldn't be further from the truth, well when it comes to family portraiture at any rate, I thoroughly enjoyed this shoot and looking forward to doing some more family shoots at various location over the next few weeks.

Robin & Hannah's Pre-Wedding Shoot ....

2010-04-10T18:36:00.010+01:00

What a wonderful Spring day and a fantastic location for Robin & Hannah's pre-wedding shoot at Combermere Abbey on the Shropshire/Cheshire border. Combermere is only 7 miles outside Nantwich on the road to Whitchurch, it dates back in part to the 12th Century and has some off the best walled gardens in the country. So where better for a wedding ? and that is where this couple will be having their in less than 6 weeks time and it was such great fun today I am really looking forward to shooting it.

Michael and Jane's wedding highlights ...

2010-03-28T10:35:00.028+01:00

This was my first wedding of the year and despite the slightly inclement weather the couple had a fantastic wedding day with their family and friends. The service was at St Margaret's Church Wrenbury this is a very picturesque 16th century church with a organ loft allowing for same excellent photography from the back of the church. The ceremony was conducted Rev. Ruth Harrison one of the nicest vicars I think I have ever met and the reception was at the very lovely Wrenbury Hall (which was interesting also the venue of my last wedding in 2009) I particularly like this venue because it not only exclusive but has so many photographic opportunities. Due to the weather many pictures of the day where taken inside but with such excellent wedding location this only enhanced the day.

I would like to wish Michael & Jane the very best for their future life together and very much look forward putting their album together for them.
Marc;-)

So what's next ...?

2010-03-24T17:43:00.021Z

As promised a continuation of my previous Blog article in respect to the changes that have taken place in weddings fashion and also in the way in which weddings have been photographed.

In 1958 when Mr & Mr Brown got married the expectations was that there photographer would turm up a few minutes before the wedding to get pictures of the bride and her bridesmaids along with her father about to enter the church, the photographer would then wait patiently outside the church for the couple to come out as man and wife and then would shoot about 10 group shots pack up and go on to the next wedding or go home, the album would contain some 20 images of the day and would have been possibly all black and white images, although colour was also being widely used by this time.

Into the the sixties and and the bride started to show the odd bit of ankle but on the whole most brides continue the tradition of covering up with vials and even long sleeves and gloves. Then along came the seventies and the brides dress lost the long sleeves but what was left "puffed out" sleeves,the groom had unbelievably large collar to his shirt and wide flared trousers. Wedding photography didn't change to much other than a few shots at the reception and the odd fake cake cutting.

At some point between the seventies and the the late 80's other shots in church where added to the wedding photographers list including the signing of the register and often a good couple of hours of photography at the reception venue of every conceivable variation of the formal group shot. Then in the 90's like the fashion with the wedding dress something happened, brides started to be less modest exposing more of their bodies sleeves went from dresses and wedding photography in most photographers eyes eventually came of age ....... what had been happening right from the early sixties in fashion photography eventually got a foot hold into more popular culture, no more did couples want hours of formal shots they wanted to be liberated to enjoy their day, contemporary wedding photography was born ..... which is a term still used today , which is also amusing when you think the style of photography is now some 15 years old ..!!!! This "new" style encompasses fashion and photojournalism and the odd other interlopers, so that the shots of the bride now look like they are out of Vogue and the build up of the day including bridal preparation shots look like part of some magazine editorial and can be all black and white like they were back in the 50's. Celebrity wedding photographers are as well known as the couples they photograph and the images just keep getting more stunning but are often very much removed from the actually wedding day. What is more the couples are now often not only being photographed together before their wedding day with the pre-wedding shots but they are also being photographed after it, allowing for great fun with things like trash the dress shoots.

The question has to be where next???? as "contemporary" wedding photography is now an unruly teenager that often wants a lot of money for staying out late without actually doing that much for it, will it mature or will something else take it's place ? I am not an expert in the area of fashion but I have been involved in photography longer enough to make some informed guesses where things may go next.

The other major development to take into account with in the last 10 years is the event of digital imaging, not only to produce images but also transform then without the need for a darkroom. The number of entry end wedding photographers has increased dramatically with the affordability of digital equipment, image creation in some ways has also progressed more than ever before, whilst paradoxically at the same time being drastically watered down with a flood of poor quality digital images as you will see all over the Internet , and this is unlikely to diminish in the same way MP3 has replaced the CD which in turn replaced vinyl, each time reducing the quality of media for the sake of convenience. I know I am far from being on my own with the view that there will be a significant number of people partly driven by a feeling of nostalgia, an appreciation of quality or simply wanting something " retro " that will want not only analogue film photography but also the original hand produced print that are associated with this process . It is already happening in other areas of our lives, look at the large number of new "retro" looking cars on the roads.

In wedding fashion dresses on today's cat walks are looking very similar to what Mrs Brown's wore on he wedding day some 52 years ago, the colours and style is coming back, and so is film photography ...digital imagery is far to "clinical" , it is not just the quality of the image but how the image "feels". Call me old fashioned but ... I believe within the next five years couples will want something that is unique that will say quality, that is most certainly not mass produced.

Photographers that run around snapping at anything and everything at a wedding will not have the same number of clients prepared to suffer proofing thousands of images for the hope of one gem,such as the front of Uncle Fred's head rather than 20 images of the back of it ...! as unfortunately there are far too many so called wedding photographers who take totally random and uninteresting images and trying to call what they do photojournalism.

Couples are already wanting more formal shots, they just want them to look less formal than the ones in their parents albums. Something new will be replaced with something old and as a skilled wedding photographer I am going to be able to offer that type of product to my clients. If you have a wedding coming up be ahead of the game and ask me what I can do for you.

Something old ... something new ...

2010-03-13T13:42:00.005Z

Each item in this well known poem represents a good-luck token for the bride:

Something old, something new
Something borrowed, something blue
And a silver sixpence in her shoe.

This tradition originally probably started some considerable time ago as the line relating to the colour blue dates back to Roman times where blue was the colour of love. Yet the sixpence is much more modern by comparison and the coin was in circulation in the UK for relatively short time between 1951 -67, so suggested the version we still recite today has it's origins in this period.

The "Something old" symbolizes continuity with the bride's family and the past. "Something new" represents hope for the bride's new life ahead. "Something borrowed" is usually an item from a happily married friend or family member, whose good fortune in marriage is supposed to carry over to the new bride. The borrowed item also reminds the bride that she can depend on her friends and family.

The photography here is courtesy of a good friend and is of Mr & Mrs Brown, on their wedding day 6th June 1959 at 2pm in Blackpool when I am sure a silver sixpence would have been readily available. This image has also given me an idea to expand further in this Blog not only the changes in wedding fashion but also how things go full circle. So if you are interested please keep reading .........

Love is ...

2010-03-09T20:00:00.007Z

... creating the images you really want to, and having great fun doing it!

Within this Blog I occasionally share some personal project work with you, I do this to show that my interest in image creation is not limited solely to social photography. However a lot of what I create within such images spills back creatively into my social photography work. This image is from an ongoing project which uses clowns to express different human emotions, hopefully this one is recognizable as "love".

The make up and styling for all "clown project" images is by:
Karen Hegarty
www.simplydivine.webstudiouk.co.uk

All the fun of the fair ....

2010-02-16T19:16:00.012Z

Marc will be attending two wedding fairs in February the first is next Saturday 20th February 2010 and will be at the Wild Boar Hotel at Beeston and the next will be the following Sunday at Vale Royal Abbey at Whitegate, both are superb Cheshire wedding venues and if you have not yet booked a venue for your special day it is worth viewing one or both of these fantastic locations.
The big advantage of visiting a wedding fair is that you will find everything you need for your wedding in one place, so even if it is only early days it is worth going along for some great ideas...cars, cakes,flowers and that all important dress ...what ever you are looking for ... and it is free !

Here are the times :

Wild Boar Hotel - 20th Feb - 12.30 -3.30 pm

Vale Royal Abbey - 28th Feb - 11 am - 4.00 pm

For more information contact either Marc or the venues.

Hope to see you there.

Isn't She Lovely ....

2010-02-13T20:21:00.009Z

I couldn't help but thinking of the words of the Stevie Wonder song "Isn't She Lovely" when I took these shots today.

Isn't she lovely
Isn't she wonderful
Isn't she precious
Less than one minute old
I never thought through love we'd be
Making one as lovely as she
But isn't she lovely made from love

OK not less than a minute old this little love is 7 weeks old, but one can only image the joy she gave to her Mum & Dad when she arrived in the world.

It was particular joy to do this family portraiture sitting because I shot the couples wedding last year, and it is always a real privileged to be part of peoples families as they pass new milestones in their life.

Make them laugh ...

2010-02-07T17:00:00.009Z

These young fellows where certainly amused and it was all for charity as well, as their family had won this family portrait sitting with myself at a charity auction. I usually do give a couple of my portraiture vouchers to the charities I support each year, and will have helped to raise over £2,000 so far with over £500 from one event alone. If you are having a charity event I would happy to hear from you, I cannot guarantee I will be able to help you, but will always try where I can.
Here are some more shots from what was really a very fun shoot....

Putting on a Face ....

2010-01-24T18:27:00.007Z

As a professional wedding photographer the one thing I always advise the bride is to have her hair and make up done professionally for their big day, there are many reasons for this the more obvious are that it is a bit of pampering which helps reduces the pressure on the the bride and also her bridesmaids, the bride is most likely going to look good on wedding day regardless, but with professional hair and make up she is going to keep looking good all day long. A professional Make Up Artist (MUA) and Hair Stylist (Stylist) know how to to create a photogenic look that is going to last even in with very hot weather, wind or dare I mention the occasional drop of rain. The know how to hide blemish that the camera is likely to find and generally make not only the brides day trouble free but also mine.

I also always recommend where possible that bride has the MUA & Stylist go to where she is getting ready as this reduces the possible risks of getting stuck in traffic etc. Some MUA are able to hair as well as make up, others will have close associations to others in the industry to provide the full package, and also dependent on the number of people they will need to prepare, have extra people they can get to assist them or start the day that bit earlier to ensure there is ample time. Most MUA also offer a trial session prior to the big day I would strongly recommend this because it serves not only as a practice run but the brides opportunity to change anything she is not happy with. However if you are bride who does not normally wear a lot of make up do not be put off if the MUA applies more than you would, remember they are the professional and they will ensure the make up looks good for photography as well as your groom. Often MUA will also give the chief bridesmaid a "touch up" kit for the brides make up to take her through to first dance. And don't forget the mother of the bride she should also be made to feel special and have her make up and her hair done.

What any bride should look for from an MUA/Stylist is that they are professional,polite,calm and fully understand colour schemes, the times and other requirements of the wedding day. Professional MUA's should have a good variety of kit with them and cater for any look required and all skin types. As I have worked with some excellent MUA over the years I always happy to give contact details, my way of knowing how good an MUA I haven't worked with before it is actually very simply if I arrive and the bride is having her make up applied facing available natural light I know the MUA is very likely to known exactly what they are doing, if they have curtains drawn and have a electric light directly over head even if they where highly skills they would still be unable to do a good job, but is usually the case that are inexperienced.

The great thing about a good make up is that as a photographer I know the MUA will have skilfully covered all skin imperfection that may have shown on the images as the camera lens can often fine things that human eye doesn't.

MUA & Stylist for the featured wedding images was :
Karen Chesters
Hair and Make up Artist
www.karenchesters.com

Wedding Highlights - Matthew & Frances

2010-01-16T20:10:00.020Z

The wedding highlights of Matthew & Frances who where married at St Mary's Church Nantwich and had their reception at Wrenbury Hall on 10th October 2009. I am just putting the couple and families albums together and realise I had not actually given them a highlight feature on my Blogs ...so here it is now ...

Brrrrr.....

2010-01-08T21:03:00.001Z

As the first week of 2010 is ending and most parts of the UK have experienced their share of snow and ice. Although terrible weather for traveling, it has produced some wonderful landscape photographic opportunities. This one is from a personal body of my work of images simply entitled "Ice" which are all monochrome with a blue tint to infuse that feeling of coldness yet great beauty in to them.

A Round Up 0f 2009 .....

2009-12-28T15:58:00.041Z

I think 2009 has been a hard year for a lot of businesses, and I think most want to look forward with optimism to 2010.

2009 was actually quite a good year for me but I nevertheless saw a lot of my wedding work being compressed into a shorter time frame with nearly all my weddings happening between June and September. The first of year did still have snow on the ground which was Richard and Natalie’s in February which was a lovely wedding with a great reception location giving all their guests some warmth with a tropical treat of the Palms Tropical Oasis (Stapeley, Cheshire). Below a few other wedding couples from the year (Darren & Leanne,Guy & Sarah, Chris & Emma, and Simon & Callie):

Having a wedding in the UK one can never predicted the weather, but I have to say this year for all my couples the weather has been very kind, if it did rain it was so well timed as it never caused any issue for wedding itself such as Scott & Claire’s where the only rain was while they where in Church. The one exception although great fun was the pre-wedding shoot with Nick & Serena which is possibly the wettest I have ever been doing a shoot, and the sun more than made up for this on their wedding day which was absolutely glorious.

The year ended with a lot of portraiture work which is always very welcome at the end of the wedding season with Christmas looming and with a good number of portraits and also vouchers being purchased this year means that the beginning of 2010 will continue with me doing lots of portraiture work as well as fulfilling few charity commitments I have where vouchers where auctioned such as for Brad’s Teenage Cancer Charity Trust.

During the year I also ensured I allowed my self time for personal project work as I think it is important to do photographic work which is pushes my own creative development, and through this work new ideas are developed which get passed through into my commissioned work. I have also continued to develop my skills and knowledge of analogue production methods (film and instant film and other alternative processes) and among my personal projects I have carried on two ongoing projects: (1) My seasonal landscape work in Delamere forest, detailing the changes of the seasons on nature and also it’s human visitors. (2) A derelict hotel where slow decay is accompanied to with infrequent visitors and vandalism. Another highlight of this year for me was to complete a small studio project entitled “The Sad Clown” this project was to explore the rather bipolar emotions of the circus clown (happy & sad) along with gender by using a female model for what is normally a male role.

I look forward to 2010 and the photographic opportunities it will present, and would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year.

Marc;-)

Merry Christmas ...

2009-12-19T15:13:00.004Z

Seasonal good wishes to all.

Marc;-)