Sneaky Weddings

How do we obtain wedding images when we are not at a wedding? In fact how do we do so when we are on holiday?

I was on holiday in France recently visiting towns and villages I had read about and had a great desire to see. One of these was Narbonne and especially the Cathedral Saint Juste.

I was with my wife and we arrived in Narbonne around 2pm on a beautiful warm and sunny September afternoon and had a wander around the city for about an hour before we decided to visit St Juste. WOW! was it worth it? Well in more ways than one. I have been known to gatecrash weddings as a photographer, totally uninvited of course.

I was wandering around the cathedral when I noticed that there seemed to be a lot of fuss and goings on and in my broken French I asked some official what was happening. He told me it was the wedding of the daughter of the mayor. Anne wanted to go as she had seen all she wanted to see but I urged her to stay another 15 minutes.

I spotted the photographer, a scruffy looking guy with long hair and a beard, toting a Nikon something or other. Well I had my Canon 30D didn't I, so much better than his N thingy and had on board my old Sigma 70-200.

So here is a lesson for all up and coming wedding togs, wherever you go carry your camera and don't be afraid to pass yourself off as a pro. Oh, and be prepared to be thrown out of places, as I was from St Juste, but not until I got my shots.

They are of course noisy because I couldn't use flash and was on ISO 800. At least I got what I wanted.

It is hard to pretend that you don't understand when someone official is grabbing you by the collar and ushering you to the exit.

SWPP Conference 3

There are times in everyones life when they come accross a genuine lovely person. Out for a curry one evening taking a few shots around the pub when Tim just happened to look straight at me over his forkfull of curry.

Tim is the genuine person I mentioned. What a great guy.

SWPP Conference

I often like shooting from the hip because it is amazing what you can capture. Taking a break from the conference, Matt and I went for a coffee and whilst in the coffee shop I grabbed these two from the hip.

The guy sleeping woke up about five seconds later and looked at me. All I appeared to be doing was putting sugar in my coffee. The bloke with the glasses was totally unaware as he walked away from the counter.

SWPP CONFERENCE

Recent visit to SWPP conference in London produced some interesting images of interesting people.

As Matt tries to take an image over Ian's shoulder, for his blog, Joe and Luke try to get in on the act

The Wedding

Not the whole wedding of course, just one image that I feel is one of the best from my first wedding shoot. It was 40 degrees that day in Cyprus and I was running around in the full kilt rig carrying two cameras and about to fall over with the heat. I couldn't let them down though so we carried on. This is one of the last images and as I said it is one of my favourites.

Daddy

A family is incomlete without a dad. This is Christopher, Nicola's husband. Chris is a fantastic father to these two. It's no bother to him to do anything for them. he would walk Elizabeth around town in her pink buggy, or anything else she wanted and he is the same with Oli. He is not a father who spoils his children. He gives them much love and kindness as well as discipline when required.

Mummy

Every child has a mum and this is Nicola, my granddaughter and Oliver and Elizabeth's mum.

This was taken at her wedding in Cyprus, which I covered. We had gone around the gardens and spotted this little marquee where ceremonies are held. We did a couple of shots with Nic and Chris sitting and standing, when Nic suddenly jumps up on the table and says, how about this. how can a photograoher resist.

Elizabeth

Of course it is not just Oli who is growing. This is Elizabeth at the same time. She is now four, going on forty. A happy bright girl and apleasure to be with, except when she repeats something she has overheard and causes embarrasment when she repeats it with her own slant. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings, every one a gem.

Oliver now

Children grow up so quickly and Oli is no exception. Here he is a month ago, at Christmas. Don't let those big innocent eyes fool you, he is a handfull. Of course he isn't bad, just a typical wee boy, into everything. He looks so angelic that it is difficult not to forgive him everything. I always know when he has paid us a visit during the day as it's hunt the iPod when I come home. He is now starting to string words together so we are all wondering what words of wisdom will be uttered.

Oliver is one

Unposed pictures are the norm with children because they take less time and produce unexpected delights. Had i tried to get Oliver to sit this way with the expression on his face it would have been impossible. This was taken one his 1st birthday and the look on his face is due to the midgies.

Pink Wellies

I must start with one of my favourites. It's a grab shot of my great granddaughter. I couldn't resist this when she was just under two years old and standing with her pink wellies and little rucksack. What was she thinking?

My Little Brother

All little girls need a little brother. This is to practise on for later life. If she can control a little brother then a husband should be a doddle.

This is her little brother. He hasn't made an appearance yet, as you can see, but we will keep that for a later posting. He is almost two years old now and a complete little terror.

As a baby and pregnancy photographer, having grandchildren and great grandchildren means having plenty of subjects.

Oliver

A few short weeks later here he is in all his glory, the oli. Such an innocent little thing, so peaceful and happy.

As I said he now 21 months and has grown a bit. He smiles constantly and talks in a language only he understands, but never ever let him loose in the house. He loves cables, plugs, computers, gadgets, in fact anything he can get his hands on. Tell him off and he just laughs. He's so cute that little demolition expert.