Torch-er

 I love photography!

I love its intimacy. I love its simplicity and, at the same time, I love getting into all the technical aspects - such a huge part of the art.

But, occasionally, I find the best way to pass a few hours is just to play.😁

So, it was a wet, grey day, and I wasn't going anywhere. I came away from the window and a vase in my sitting room caught my eyes; it was a pretty basic thing, light blue in colour.

I picked it up and examined it for a while. Then I cleared a little space on the dining room table and placed it there.

With still life objects, I usually take an LED torch I carry and run around it just to see how the light plays on it. Then, if I see something that interests me, I'll set up backgrounds lighting, etc. But on this occasion, I simply made an infinity background with a dark jacket. Then I set the camera on a tripod, set it to manual, and dialled in the settings to lose the ambient light. From there, I put the camera on a timer and began playing the torch over the vase.

I was done in under two hours and was really pleased with the results.

Camera, coat, torch and vase. Simplicity itself.

I took the first image, above, and added a few textures in PSP, and got this.

Please feel free to comment.

You can find more in my Flickr page.  flickr.com

Pause

Pause I don’t know how to see this day,

 I’ve never felt a day this way:

never seen the skies so tall,

never felt myself so small. 

All the clouds seem bled of dreams, 

and their ceaseless passing so demeans

my still surveillance from the ground, 

where life has never seemed less profound. 

 And …… so – 

 Beyond the measure of day’s light, 

into the torment of the night, 

I cast my dreams on sterile ground 

and walk through years without a sound 

where, master of my needless life 

and heedless of the reaper’s scythe, 

I pause to wend an hour away 

in wondering how to see this day.

 

Alan & Cheryl tie the knot.

I can occasionally be guilty of being a bit blasé about weddings; I attend a good few in any given year and, unfortunately, have found that they are not all blessed with the much vaunted hallmark of the ‘perfect day’.

There are many tell-tale signs that things are not quite going to follow the prescribed plan for the day: a Bride who has breached her stress threshold and will spend much of the day in tears; the broody bridesmaid who’s corsage has turned from pink to an almost fluorescent green; the best-man who hasn’t made up with the bride following the tongue-lashing he received when she took him to task for his disastrous handling of the Stag-night. And it’s not all down to individuals; there are, just occasionally, times when you can sense undercurrents of anxiety emanating from whole groups within the larger wedding party; that sort of thing is almost inevitable – it’s not every family that gets on, and occasionally, despite the best efforts of the Bride & Groom, the wedding can appear a little flat.

But, on the whole, weddings – by their very nature – create their own light, joyful ambience; an ambience which can get VERY decidedly lighter and a LOT more joyful as the afternoon turns to evening; the music gets faster, and the bubbly begins to flow.
At best the wedding day will be remembered as a happy, carefree event which exalts the coming together of two people whose love for each other is such that they feel compelled to declare a life-times commitment to one another before family and friends. Weddings are also supposed to be about dressing up in your best finery; about sharing a meal with your nearest & dearest and inviting your wider circle of friends to join with you in joyful celebration. So far as friends and family are concerned, a wedding offers the betrothed an opportunity (too seldom realised in the busy lives we lead these days) to call a gathering together of family members who might not have seen each other for months, or even years. At the very least, wedding are supposed to be about good, old fashioned, fun!

Well, I had the good fortune, recently, to be asked to shoot the wedding of Alan & Cheryl; an event that ticked all the right boxes.

My first stop of what I knew would be a full day was a visit to Alan at his parents house. Unceremoniously decanted from the comforts of his own hearth & home on the evening before by a soon-to-be-wife who was determined to observe long venerated matrimonial conventions, Alan was having trouble enough piecing together all the unfamiliar bits and pieces of his full highland dress, without having the cyclopic eye of the camera track his every move. But I’m nothing if not persistent.
Moving swiftly on, I then descended on that haven of peace & tranquillity which was the Bride-to-be’s house; a refuge from the terrifying contagion of Wedding Day fever –NOT!

At first it appeared as though some strange sort of I.E.D. packed with all the accoutrements of a wedding had gone off in the kitchen. However, as I picked my way carefully past shoes, shopping bags, boxes of flowers – as well as children, family members, make-up artists and hairdressers accessories - I was directed to enter the lounge. This was, apparently, the source of the primary explosion! Here, among the remnants of what I reasoned was probably a fine room – before the advent of the IED - I found a gorgeous bride whose ivory-white, beautifully detailed dress contrasted succinctly against the light, powder-pink gowns worn by her three lovely bridesmaids, only to be complemented, once again, by the shimmering white of three of the cutest little flower girls I’ve ever seen. Collectively, they made a stunning ensemble, and I quickly ran of a series of frames of what would – for me - become one of the ‘picture-moments’ of the day.
The nuptial ceremony was lovely: family & friends had gathered from far and wide to witness a sweetly understated affair where Alan & Cheryl’s relationship was turned from ‘partnership’ to ‘married couple’. I was especially touched by the fact that, during the service, Alan & Cheryl occasionally stole quick glances at each other, as though perhaps a little embarrassed by all the unfamiliar attention they'd brought upon themselves. Though not a word passed between them while they listened and, in their turn, responded to the official wedding narrative, those shared – almost comically clandestine - glances spoke volumes.

The weather conspired against the newlyweds when the first few glasses of bubbly were downed and it came time to capture the traditional wedding party pictures. Cheryl had chosen the gorgeously landscaped Kirkton Park as the backdrop to her wedding group pictures, and I was particularly looking forward to spending some time alone with Alan & Cheryl in order to capture some more intimate images in a number of excellent situations which the park provided. But the rain put a decided dampener on my artistic aspirations though, and we instead made straight for the wedding breakfast venue.

In 20 minutes I managed to construct a small ‘set’ in an unused, but well appointed room, where I then shot a collection of group and individual pictures. Before following the Bride & Groom through to the function hall where, before the wedding breakfast itself was served, the Best Man served a well chosen menu of quips – mainly at the expense of the groom himself.

I stayed in touch with Alan & Cheryl over the course of the next few weeks as they reviewed their pictures and chose the prints which, I hope, will always remind them of a great day spent with family & friends. And I have to admit that I was a little sad when it came time to wishing them farewell. Though I have a sneaky suspicion that I might get a call sometime in the not too distant future to shoot a family group; that would be something to look forward to :-)

Alan & Cheryl.

The Wedding of David & Alice

Each wedding has it’s own ‘signature’ ambience; that overall aire which – when you first walk into a room where the betrotheds guests have gathered – subtly informs you that this is a classy or happy or frenetic or tense or nervous affair, or, indeed, any combination of the aforementioned.
I don’t know where that sensing of things comes from? Maybe it’s just me; a perception I’m able to translate, or a certain sensitivity to the vibes being unwittingly transmitted by the assembly - but it works every time.
Now, being able to read the mood of a room can prove quite a handy talent when it comes to photographing the day itself; picking up on the ‘pulse’ of the wedding party and guests can help you strategise your interactions with them: do you project as funny, serious, laid-back, ultra-professional? One things for sure, if you don’t interpret the signs correctly, then you risk alienating yourself straight away and, while it can often prove difficult to tease guests ever so slightly out of their comfort zone in order to help you create unique pictures, getting on the wrong side of them from the start will make gaining their assistance at any stage almost impossible.
Fortunately, the number of positively charged gatherings I’ve attended far outweighs those which have emitted a negative atmosphere, and it’s always those positively charged gatherings which seed the best memories.
The wedding of David & Alice – which I shot recently – was the perfect example of where, from the moment the guests began to arrive, I could tell that I was to have the opportunity of shooting a really sweet and lovely event. A small group of whom were obviously very close family and friends of the Bride & Groom had gathered in the conservatory of the gorgeously appointed Cringletie House Hotel, near Peebles in the Scottish Borders. Among their number were those who obviously hadn’t had the opportunity to see each other for a long time and, amid the prevailing aire of expectancy, there was a buzz of hushed tones as old acquaintances were reaffirmed.
It may have been the action of my lifting the camera to my eye which signalled to the gathering that the Bride was entering the room, for the buzz of muted conversation quickly reduced to a respectful silence, only to be replaced by one or two appreciative ‘Ahhhhs’ as Alice glided through the room to take her place by the side of her betrothed.
The ceremony itself was very simple, but it was that very effortlessness with which David & Alice took the short journey from individuals, to married couple, that gifted the entire proceedings with such an unpretentious and lovely narrative.
Following the formalities, I was able to spend a little time with David & Alice on their own, and I hope the pictures I captured go some way to illustrate just how happy the couple were in both their own company, and in the company of a group of guests who were so obviously delighted to share the day with them.
I have to say, there’s nothing so lovely as a lovely wedding.

David & Alice

Brian & Sam's pre-Wedding shoot.

I had the great pleasure of welcoming newly betrothed West Lothian couple, Brian & Sam to the studio recently.

Brian popped the question to Sam at the end of last year and, since then, Sam’s thoughts have been focused on their July wedding. Now, with the date getting closer and closer, things are starting to move – a welcome distraction to all brides who have to suffer that becalmed period which seems to fall over everything when all the initial arrangements have been made and you’re then just waiting for things to start happening - in ‘real-time’ 

So, having previously booked in for my pre-wedding package, both Brian & Sam were keen to come to the studio – both for the shoot itself, and to chat about final arrangements for the wedding itself.

The primary reason for arranging the shoot was to capture a picture of Brian & Sam which could be displayed at the wedding reception venue. The picture is enlarged and printed at A3 size. It is then sent off to be professionally mounted. Then, on the day of the wedding, it will be set on an easel and family and friends are invited to add their signatures and best wishes to the couple.

While we are essentially looking for a very warm but informal image to display as a sort of 2D guest book, the secondary reason for staging the shoot is to have the opportunity to get back together with the couple again before the nuptials are performed.

Chatting with the couple about the wedding allows them to relax and feel at ease, and presents an excellent distraction for them as they contemplate their big day. It’s also a great opportunity for us all to get to know each other a bit better prior to the formalities of the day, when the opportunity to share a few words, a few laughs, and a bit of casual banter might not present itself again until after the ceremony is over, the formal pictures are captured and the cake is ceremoniously cut.

Fortunately, Brian and Sam are a fun-lovin’ couple; very at ease with themselves and, as such, the shoot itself went really well. We enjoyed a few cuppa’s while, in between sets, we fine tuned some of their ideas for the day in respect of the photography.

All that’s left to do now is for Brian & Sam to choose the picture they want to display at their wedding which, for all of us, can’t now come fast enough.

West Lothian Couple, Brian & Sam.

Weddings are such fun, and Nikkie & Neil’s special day at Haddington presented the very best of what wedding days are all about: a simple ceremony attended by close friends and family where the atmosphere was just charged with abiding aire of happiness and goodwill.

Haddington is a fantastic town with a long and interesting history, and the registrar’s office offers a great venue for weddings; the ceremony room is well appointed and spacious – with lots of room for the photographer to get around without stirring up a fuss. Outside the office, a garden – specifically designed for weddings – offers any number of excellent backdrops before which to gather the wedding party for their photographs. It was my second wedding in Haddington registry office, and I can’t speak highly enough of it as a venue.

Here’s wishing Nikkie, Neil and their family all the very best of luck n’ love for the future.

Young Model of 'my' Year Award

Having spent a number of years working in both youth and senior football, I can say that almost every 13 year old boy I ever met wanted to be a footballer. Now, having worked as a full-time photographer for the last few years, I find that almost every young girl I meet wants to be a model.
For most, it’s a pipe-dream born of being attracted to the perceived glamour depicted by countless tv shows. But, for others – and a fair number it has to be said – it’s more than a passing fad; it’s something they actively pursue.
So, it was a great pleasure for me to be introduced to Sian. Sian, wants to be a model, and so much so that, when her Dad asked what she’d like for her 9th Birthday, Sian opted for a photo-shoot.
As a photographer, it doesn’t really matter what age your models are, what really determines how successful - or not - a session will be, is the aptitude of the model; directing every detail of a shoot, from pose to presence to facial expression can make for a long, frustrating session. That wasn’t the outcome in this case though; Sian already had a repertoire of learned poses which she animated with just the right sort of looks and expressions. At 8 years and 364 days, this young lady showed real promise, and I’ve no doubt that she has a real chance of making it as a model – she certainly has the determination.

Sian

Amanda

Amanda is studying to find a place in university where she hopes to study medicine, but she took a little time-out from her studies to visit the studio.

A gorgeous young lady, she complements her looks with a sharp wit and a good sense of humour.

The guilded corridors of learning are going to leave the modelling world short of a real prize it seems.

Wedding Days

Here are some images from another of the weddings I had the great pleasure of being invited to capture last year; that of Stacey & Gordan Roberts which took place at the start of September.

Incredibly enough, despite the monsoon weather we had to bare over the summer months, this was the first wedding of the year at which it rained. While that might normally have blighted the prospects for the day, this turned out to be one of the best weddings I attended: the families were so enthused on the day and that positivity just seemed to infuse the guests almost as much as the rain infused the clothes of all as they arrived at the venue - an exquisitely appointed church in Coatbridge.

Happy times:

Calendar Girls

The Marie Curie Cancer Care Edinburgh Hospice Calendar is now on sale.

Check out this Edinburgh Evening News article for details on how to purchase a copy - all proceeds to the Hospice.

Despite the articles reference to 'Photographers', I had the distinct pleasure of being the only snapper on the shoot. Mind you, I wouldn't have wanted to share that experience with anyone else in any case; what a great day I - and I'm sure everyone else - had.

Everyone captured in the pictures is an employee of Marie Curie Cancer Care's Edinburgh Hospice: nurses, Care Assistants, Kitchen Staff, administrators and even a couple of patients all played a great part. The girls brought their own ideas for the months they chose and then went out and sourced their own costumes and props, some of which were just fantastic.

As well as giving my own time as photographer, the staff were also given the opportunity to indulge a little pampering while they waited on their sets being built or vacated. A number of make-up artists had also volunteered their services on the day; among them, top fashion and theatrical MUA, Jak Morgan, an accomplished young make-up artist whose work is well reknowned in photographic and theatrical circles.

The purchase price of the calendar is just £5 with all proceeds given back to the hospice and, considering the contents, checking the date on this calendar each morning is bound to get your day off to a good start :)

The staff of Marie Curie Cancer Care, Edinburgh.

Fair trade

I enjoyed an afternoon at St. Catherine’s Primary school in Edinburgh recently when I was invited to photograph a group of pupils who had set-up their own Fair Trade stall in the school’s market area.

It turned out to be one of the most popular stalls in the hall – attracting a good deal of attention as well as, I imagine, a fair profit. Most of all though, the underlying experience of sourcing, pricing, displaying and retailing the goods they purchased will doubtless inspire these budding young retail entrepreneurs to bigger and better things.

The pupils of St. Catherine's:

Leonie

There are times when – no matter how much forward planning you do – nothing seems to work: the lighting doesn’t work, the white-balance seems out; the props don’t really suit and, worst of all, the model just isn’t up for it.

Then there are times when, with very little effort at all, things just seem to fall into place – and that’s how it worked on a shoot I did recently with young Leonie!

Leonie hadn’t worked in front of a camera before but seemed to take to it like the proverbial fish to H20. She was keen to work, eager to achieve the poses I was looking for and willing to wait patiently as I fiddled with lights and camera settings.

Many thanks to Leonie for attending and bringing such a great attitude with her. Thanks also to Frances – Leonie’s Mum – for her help and patience, and to Jade Mcmeckan for the excellent make-up.

Fasten your belts for the Miss West Lothian competition

The Miss West Lothian competition is swinging into top gear now as the competition’s Guru, Eddie Anderson gets ready to wield the axe and cut the number of entrants going through to the final in December to just 30 of the current 50 remaining girls.
It looks, to me, like an impossible task though: the ‘gorgeous-ity’ factor among this years entrants is just soooo high that I, personally, would have sleepless nights trying to whittle down the number of girls who will continue that journey to the final by a swingeing 2/5ths.

I was fortunate to be named the official photographer for the competition and, as such, have come to know a few of the girls; most especially those who took up Eddie’s offer of appearing in the runway shows he has organised on their behalf this year. I also had the great pleasure of producing portrait shots of the entrants, and these are currently hanging in Debenham’s Store in the Almondvale Centre. So, although I have to say that I’m going to be really sorry to see the current group down-sized to just 30 contestants, I’m extremely confident that those girls whose pictures are posted back on the Miss West Lothian gallery on Monday morning will offer a fantastic representation of many beautiful girls we have here in West Lothian.
One of that number will go on to be crowned Miss West Lothian on 2nd December at ‘The Club', Broxburn, but I’m really glad it’s not me who has to pick one from such a fantastic array of girls; it’ll be a bit like looking for a needle in a stack of needles.

Good luck to them all.

Pictures from the recent Miss West Lothian Workshop

Getting all torn up about it.

Michelle made a welcome return to my humble studio for another shoot just recently; she was looking for a portrait to submit - along with her application - to take part in the much vaunted Miss West Lothian 2010 competition being run by Eddie Anderson and, to help with that, I’d engaged the services of Make-up artist, Jade McMeckan.

Having bagged the portrait shots, we then went on to other things – you could say Michelle got ‘torn into it’ as we turned the scissors on her leggings and T-shirt while Jade ‘bigged-up’ the make-up with some extra eyes and full, ruby-red lipstick.

The shutter was kept pretty active for the next few hours, with Michelle either working in front of camera or chatting to Jade while I arranged (and endlessly rearranged) backdrops and lighting set-ups.

Four and a bit hours just seemed to sweep bye unnoticed, but I ended the shoot with a great collection of images, and I have to say thanks to the girls for being so patient with me xx

Michelle:

Cloud dodging

Shooting outdoors these days has more to do with flipping a coin to second-guess the weather than it does technique and composition, and so it was with more than a little trepidation that I organised a shoot on the shores of the Forth

Fortunately, that trip out to South Queensferry along with Graeme, Rachael and Graeme’s custom-built Mini-Cooper saw us get almost the entire set consigned to efilm cards before the rain forced us to police all the equipment back into the car.