lisa jane: photographer

One Frame

2012-02-07T17:24:00.001Z

One Frame

2012-01-23T17:51:00.000Z

A Little East London Wedding

2012-01-04T22:17:00.000Z

After a few emails about their wedding, Marina invited me round to their house for a chat over a cup of tea. We talked about weddings, photography, cake and their family. I was introduced to their children and as we discussed their wedding plans, it was clear that the day was to be a relaxed celebration with very little formality, just a chance to be surrounded by loved ones.
When I arrived at their home on the day of the wedding, I was welcomed like an old friend. We chatted about music, I met their cat and what surprised me most was the sense of calm both Marina and Adrian had. They where both excited about the day ahead, and as they got ready together, it was clear they were both devoted to each other. Marina had a choice of two dresses for the day and ended up wearing the most gorgeous vintage designer dress.
After a beautiful ceremony at Hackney Town Hall, a glass of champagne was handed to each guests for a toast on the steps of the town hall. It was such a lovely moment full of laughter and a few tears especially as the kids were running around still throwing confetti.

2011: You made my dreams come true

2012-01-02T14:14:00.001Z

I don't really know where to start. 2011 has been a whirlwind of activity. I started the year engaged and full of excitement about my own wedding and I finished the year a married woman, more in love with my husband than I have ever been. When I look back on 2011 I am overwhelmed by the year gone by and amazed by the wonderful couples and beautiful weddings I was a part of. I made some wonderful friends, met some truly inspirational people, worked alongside some of my favourite photographers and started on a crazy journey that the year before was just a dream.

A Couple In Love - Elbie and Derek

2011-11-29T09:00:00.000Z

Meet Elbie and Derek.
I was really excited when Elbie got in contact wanting a shoot. They got married back in March but wanted some photographs to celebrate their relationship and married life together.
These guys are so in love and devoted to each other and I really wanted to capture that in their photos. Watching them interact and get swept up in the emotion of the shoot was amazing and their love was completely infectious, I can remember smiling all through the shoot. Even now, I still smile when I see these photos and remember the fun we had. I really hope these photos capture that love.

Thank you Elbie and Derek for letting me into your lives for a couple of hours. I feel honored to now be a part of your history together!

A Rock 'n' Roll Wedding

2011-11-10T14:08:00.000Z

What can I say about these guys!

From the moment I met Laura I knew this was going to be a beautiful day. With their friends and family pitching in to help make decorations, cakes and food, it was a day filled with friendship and love.
The moment I walked into Mishka I was surround by mounds of vintage clothes, a nervous mother and beautiful bride. The place was a treasure trove and I understand why Laura picked it as a her place to get ready. There is nothing like the excitement of the bride and her bridesmaids getting ready and it really set the tone for the rest of the day.
Laura and Daniel are both very creative and it seems their friends are too. At the end of the ceremony, some of their friends stepped up and performed a beautiful rendition of the Phil Spector classic ‘Be my Baby’. Lets just say there were a lot of smiles and tears and if one surprise musical number isn't enough, during Daniel's speech, he serenaded his beautiful wife with a version The Temptations ‘My Girl’. When all the guests joined in on the chorus, I have to admit I was overwhelmed by the love that surrounded these guys.

Laura and Daniel, I just wanted to say thank you for letting me photograph your amazing wedding. It was an absolute pleasure to be able to capture so many heart warming moments and I hope they will be cherished for a long time to come.

Personal Project Call Out

2011-10-28T21:40:00.000+01:00

When we started planning our honeymoon in San Francisco, I knew we had to make a stop at City Light Books. Steeped in history and home to some of my favourite authors, I knew this was going to be a special place. To say I was excited, is an understatement and Alex can vouch for my constant talking about the books that had their roots firmly grounded in this shop.

We spent a lot of time in the store, I of course took a lot of photographs and I got thinking about a project that requires your help!

I want to photograph a series of images of people in their favourite shops. I love how peoples favourite things reveal something about them and it was getting lost in my my now favourite bookshop that started this all.

If you have a favourite bookshop, cafe, record store, gallery, place where you can get lost for hours please get in contact. You can either email me at lisajanephotography (at) yahoo.co.uk or leave a comment below and I will get in with you.

Happy Birthday Roo!

2011-10-14T13:26:00.000+01:00

Say hello to Roo and wish her a happy birthday!
Roo is the new intern for Rock n' Roll Bride and has just started the crazy adventure that is wedding planning. This lovely lady is getting married to a very lucky chap, named Lamb, next year and you can read their adorable love story here. I was lucky enough to join Roo and Kat for dinner one night and dinner led to drinks, which led to cocktails on the Southbank. Much fun was had and there was a lot of chat about weddings, tattoos and taxidermy. Needless to say we all walked away from the night all wanting new tattoos :)

Candy Anthony

2011-09-29T12:37:00.005+01:00

So, things have been a little quiet on the blog recently. I apologise and I promise to blog a little more frequently over the coming weeks.
First up, some eye candy involving some of my favourite dress maker!

When I got an email from Kat from Rock n' Roll Bride asking if I wanted to take some photos of Candy Anthony dresses, to say I did a little dance at my desk, is an understatement!

I was a Candy Anthony bride and I have nothing but praise for the shop, the staff and the dresses. From the moment I stepped in the shop, I felt like I was home. Surround by beautiful dress, it's like you are in a whole other world so you can understand why I jumped at the chance.

So one day I headed down to the Candy Anthony shop in London and I indulged in the beauty of their dress all over again.

Needless to say Kat looked amazing in all their dresses and she posted a great write up about the day here. Kat tells a much better story that I so I will let you check out her post but here are a few of my favourite photos from the day.

Looking at these photos has made me want to put on my wedding dress again...I might just put it on for a spot of editing :)

A little teaser

2011-08-16T09:38:00.001+01:00

I have been crazy busy recently, shooting gorgeous couples, beautiful weddings and stunning dresses. It's a really exciting time for me and while I have a lot to blog, I do not want to rush these blog posts as I want to make sure I do justice to the lovely people I have had the pleasure of photographing.

Until I can find the time and the words, here is a little teaser of what I have been up to!

Elke

2011-08-08T11:58:00.000+01:00

Let me introduce Elke.
Born early, this tiny little girl is very dear to her parents hearts. It was an honor to be asked to photograph her and be a part of her family for the day. I can not wait to photograph her again.

Laura & Daniel

2011-08-01T12:40:00.000+01:00

When I turned up at Laura and Daniel's flat for their engagement shoot I was greeted with a cup of tea and scone covered in jam and cream...I was one very happy photographer. After a little catch up about their wedding, we started to take some photos and it was an afternoon full of laughter and messing about.

These guys where so at ease in front of the camera and they made my job really easy. They really got into the shoot and started to come up with ideas and have fun with it.

I am so excited about their wedding. It is going to be fun and full of love!

Love My Dress Competition

2011-06-27T20:40:00.004+01:00

As a photographer, I try to take inspiration from everything I see. Whether its films, music or books, there is always something that will spark an idea and get me thinking. It is how a lot of the elements in my own wedding came together and after talking to a few of my couples, it seems everyone is taking inspirations from the things they love. After pulling together a few mood boards for inspiration for some shoots I have started to ask my brides to do them same. It's the perfect way for a couple to get their ideas across and it then plays a role when planning their 'couple in love' shoot.  I had a couple of mood boards to hand when I started to talk to Tiffany about a styled shoot and after talking through some ideas, I began thinking it would be so much more fun it we where working with a couple rather than models. From that point on my mind was full of ideas but I thought rather than impose our own vision on a couple, why not let them come up with the idea.  Styled couples shoots are not a new idea, but I have not had the chance to be a part of one yet so when talking to Tiffany, we thought it would be a great idea to run a competition, where we offered one lucky couple, my photography, and Tiffany's fantastic styling.

Tiffany is a regular contributor to the fantastic site Love My Dress and when she told Annabel about our idea, she jumped at the chance to feature it.

Annabel wrote a great feature about the competition and the response has been great.  It seems you brides are a really creative bunch and both myself and Tiffany are really excited about the entries we have see so far.  Pop over to Love My Dress and take a look at a couple of entries sent in by some couples.  These boards are exactly what I was hoping for and I can not wait to see all the entries. The closing date for the competition is 8th July so there is still time get your creative hat on and send in an entry.

To be in with a chance of winning a styled shoot, photographed by me and styled by Grant Riley Styling, all you need to do is create a moodboard that shows us style of shoot you want to be a part of. Whether you are happily married, newly engaged or just young and in love you are free to create a moodboard and enter. 

Head over to Love My Dress to find out all the details and see some of the entries.

Sneak Peek

2011-06-22T14:36:00.000+01:00

Sneak Peek

2011-06-12T11:07:00.000+01:00

These guys are amazing.

I did not stop smiling while I was editing their photos.

A couple in love - Bear and Leanne

2011-06-11T10:12:00.001+01:00

I meet up with these guys for some tea and cake and a spot of scrabble Sunday. I don't think I have ever laughed so much on a shoot.

These guys make me smile.

You will get bitten if you do not take the shoot seriously!

Sneak Peek

2011-05-18T17:03:00.000+01:00

Wedding Workshop - A couple in love

2011-05-16T14:26:00.004+01:00

A few weeks back I met up with a bunch of photographers to take part in a wedding seminar/workshop run by Emily Quinton. We were all there to learn about the business and Emily was very open and honest. No subject was out of bounds and while we talked about creativity, marketing, blogging and the wedding day itself, I found myself getting more inspired. I came away with a book filled with notes from Emily's seminar and lots of ideas for my own business. It was a truly inspiring day and it was great to walk away, feeling confident that I am on the right path and knowing what I need to do to grow as a photographer and as a business.

With the morning spent listening to Emily and asking lots of questions, we moved outside to start shooting and firstly, watch Emily do what she does best. The lovely Charis and Owen joined us and moved out from behind the camera to become our models for the afternoon. With such gorgeous models and the shoot being styled by Charley of London Bride I knew we were in for a treat.

We each had 15 to 20 minutes to shoot, similar to what you get on a wedding day, and while I was nervous and very conscious that I only had 15 mins, Emily's talk earlier had given me the confidence to use that time get the shots I wanted.

I just wanted to say thanks to Charis and Owen for being fantastic models and the most in love couple I have ever met, Charley of London Bride, for the fantastic styling and props and Miss Pickering for the gorgeous flowers. Also, the biggest thanks goes to Emily Quinton, the workshop was a great experience and I came away feeling inspired and confident.

Sneak peek

2011-05-12T19:41:00.000+01:00

I was lucky enough to photography the gorgeous Charis and Owen a week ago during a photography workshop. These guys where amazing.

More photos coming soon!

I love us - personal

2011-05-02T09:26:00.000+01:00

14 years ago, I went on a date with a boy.

We walked through London, sat in front of the National Portrait Gallery, watched the world go by and talked about everything and nothing all at once.

We kissed in Leicester Square tube station.

This boy became my best friend, my boyfriend.

Today we celebrate our 14 year anniversary of becoming boyfriend and girlfriend and 42 days of being husband and wife.

This boy is my life, my dreams and my heart.

I am nothing without him.

He has held my hand, wiped my tears and let me shine.

He has pushed me, saved me and held me close.

Alex, you are my everything and you have made my dreams come true.

anna and the ring

2011-04-22T14:29:00.001+01:00

Anna got married, there was lots of snow so they decided to have an amazing party at her family home to celebrate with all their friends and family that couldn't make it. I was lucky enough to join Anna and her husband for the wonderful party and capture all the fun they had.

Not only is she absolutely gorgeous, she is a complete inspiration. So much of her wedding and party was DIY, this girl is amazing!

Anna looked stunning in her dress and this girl has fantastic taste in shoes. I had serious shoe envy. Also check out her husbands suit. It was a stunning piece of tailoring.

Before the party got started we visited their local park to take a few portraits. These two are so in love and completely devoted to each other.

Sneak peek

2011-04-19T13:40:00.002+01:00

Coming up on the blog this week

Imogen

2011-04-12T11:32:00.001+01:00

Before I went away to get married, I went off to do a baby session. I posted a sneak peek of beautiful baby Imogen back in March but now its time to share some of the other photographs from the day.

I spent a lovely afternoon with this family, who welcomed me with open arms into their home and this little girl stole my heart. I am hoping she will steal yours too!

It was great to see the way Imogen responded to her parents and when her dad joined us to see how the session was going, she was all smiles for him.

Lucy, Imogen's mum, wanted some close up shots of her feet and hands and this is one of my favourite feet shots from the day.

Sneak peek - Baby Imogen

2011-03-14T21:59:00.000Z

I couldn't resist a little sneak peek of gorgeous baby Imogen.

She is absolutely beautiful and it was a real pleasure to spend the afternoon in her company.

More photos of this little one coming soon!

Family Shoot - Julie Anne Images

2011-03-03T13:18:00.000Z

I had the pleasure of meeting up with Julie and her family a few weeks ago for a family shoot. We had great fun running around on the Southbank and even though it was a freezing cold day, the kids took it in their stride and were treated to cake and lollipops.

I had a lot of fun with Julie and her family. Her children are so much fun and they made taking their photos so easy.

I have to say, I think the photo below is my favourite of the day.

I just wanted to say thanks to Julie and her family for allowing me to take their photographs. It was a great day and I hope you love these photos.

A couple in love

2011-02-10T21:07:00.000Z

A couple of weekends back I meet up with Julie and her family for a family shot on the Southbank. While we where outside I noticed Julie and her husband cuddled up together, trying to keep warm, and I couldn't help take some photos of them both. Just watching them together you can tell how much they love and support each other.

It was lovely watching them together and I can only hope that my fiance and I are just as happy when we get married.

365 - a photograph a day - week four

2011-02-01T21:01:00.000Z

Can't believe January is over already and the first month of the 365 is complete. It certainly hasn't been easy but it has been fun and I am filled with anticipation for the coming months.

day 24

A few of my purchases from my weekend wander. Vintage tea cups and second hand books...heaven!

day 25

This notebook has travelled all the way from New York city and is now full of Alex's to do lists and wedding plans. He uses our save the date as a book mark :)

day 26

Donuts...no need to say anything else really!

day 27

During autumn this was covered in beautiful red leaves. I am hoping to take a picture of this fence every season, capturing the changes.

day 28

I was lucky enough to finish work early on Friday and I decided to have a wander around the west end while it wasn't too busy. As the sun was setting I noticed these lonely chairs outside The Curzon Soho.

day 29

I was on a shoot with a fantastic family and just couldn't resist taking this photo. A pair of converse and some striped tights...how awesome is this little girls style!

day 30

Alex and I went for a walk and it was so cold out, Alex spent most of the walk with his hood up, not hearing a word I said.

Personal - a wander around town

2011-01-30T14:11:00.000Z

I decided to go out for a wander at the weekend and meet up with a friend for some tea and cake. Below are just a few of the photos I took while out and about.

I love photobooths and although its not a classic photobooth, the one is Rough Trade is no less fun.

I have used this booth so man times with friends but this was the first time I used it by myself!

365 - a photograph a day - week three

2011-01-24T20:35:00.000Z

Three weeks in and I am really excited about whats ahead with the 365. I am trying to look at things differently, with fresh eyes and a new perspective. So far ever photo I have taken is a reflection of me, has meaning to me. At the moment it is feeling a bit like a giant self portrait, which may not to every ones taste but I think this is a process I need to go through.

day 17

Rather than looking down on my trainers, like I do every day, I decided to get get down to their level.

day 18

One day a boy got down on one knee and proposed with this ring. Every time I take it off, I smile because I know the rest of my life is going to be amazing.

day 19

I love dinosaurs, always have and always will.

day 20

Another attempt at a self portrait. A good song and great memories of a dear friend.

day 21

I really love this photo of my dad.

day 22

A chat over tea and cake is enough to start a good friendship, inspire some ideas and boost a girls confidence.

day 23

Another self portrait for week three. A wander around Brick Lane proved to be really inspirational and brought me out of my shell a little.

Click here to see my 365 so far!

365 - a photograph a day - week two

2011-01-18T09:09:00.000Z

So after week one the mission to complete week two of the 365 project began.

day 10

Monday wasn't such a great day but it provided me with a little inspiration.

day 11

Planning both a wedding and photography shoots has meant I need to take some time out to get organised.

day 12

Alex catches up on some reading!

day 13

Day 13 was hectic and I didn't stop until about 10pm. I got inspired on the way home by the wet streets of London.

day 14

A late night supermarket shop, why do we never have any food in the house?

day 15

Taken after a night out with some amazing photographers. I still class it as day 15's photograph as I hadn't been to bed at this point.

day 16

I found someones shopping list in our trolley on Sunday. I love finding things like this, its a great insight into someones life.

Working 9 to 5 every day makes this project a difficult one. With it being dark by the time I leave work, trying to photograph with available light isn't always possible. I think planning is going to be the key over the coming months to ensure I am pushing myself.

I really want to shoot some of my 365 on film but I am not sure how to organise it.

Leila

2011-01-13T11:29:00.001Z

Let me introduce Leila. This gorgeous little girl was a little camera shy on the day but I had so much fun with Leila and her family. After spending some time indoors, we decided to go out into the garden and get a bit of fresh air. Leila loved being outside and it was great to see her run around with her parents.

365 - a photograph a day - week one

2011-01-11T21:25:00.000Z

This year I am taking part in a 365 project. The idea behind the project is take a picture every day of the year. Its a great way to challenge and push your photography, improve your camera knowledge and develop your personal style. Its also a great way to explore different angles, view points and subject matters.

2011 is an exciting year for me. Along with building my photography business, I am going to Las Vegas to get married. My 365 will be a visual diary of a roller coaster year. I cant wait to see what this project has in store for me. I will be doing a weekly round up of the images from the project but if you want to catch up on my daily progress, I will be updating my flickr account.

Hope you guys like week one!

Kate & Ian - Hedsor House

2011-01-09T20:36:00.000Z

A wedding should be about love and commitment, the fact that friends and family want to share that makes the day even more special. When friends and family go that extra mile and rally together, a special day turns into an extraordinary day.

Second shooting for the amazing Debs Ivelja, I got to witness such a day.

After a drive from London to Buckinghamshire to photograph the bride getting ready, the snow started to fall. This wasn't just any sprinkling of snow, its seemed the heavens opened and covered the entire Buckinghamshire countryside is a beautiful blanket of white. Kate, kept her cool as key elements in the day began to get cancelled and it became clear that although the snow was playing havoc with her wedding day, there was no way it was going to stop her getting married.

When we arrived at Hedsor House, it looked like the snow had gotten the better of the guests travelling to the church and with fear of the guests getting stranded, the decision was made to cut the day short and just have the ceremony. As we waited in the church the special day started to turn into an extraordinary day as more and more guests arrived. The ceremony went ahead, a little later than planned, in the beautiful church surrounded by friends and family. It was a truly magical moment when the bride and groom said I do. Everyone had battled through terrible conditions to see that very special moment and I felt honoured to be there to witness it.

I wanted to thank Debs for the opportunity to shoot alongside her, It was great watching that girl work her magic at the wedding.

A couple in love

2010-12-31T19:21:00.000Z

I have followed Emily Quinton for some time. As an established photographer with a real passion for the art of photography, she has a real talent for capturing that special moment between people. Emily has a real eye for detail and her fine art work is just breathtaking, check out her botanical advent. So when I read her blog about offering 1-2-1 sessions, I jumped at the chance to get involved.

I am a firm believer that you can never stop learning and that the only way to become good at what you do is push yourself and learn from everything you do. Many photographers believe they are only as good as their last photo and constantly seek out workshops, techniques, inspiration to always improve. It is because of this that I push myself with every photo I take and why I jumped at a chance to learn from Emily.

Part of the session included a shoot with a couple and I was lucky enough to shoot the the gorgeous Emma and Lee.

Emma and Lee got married back in October and a very much a couple in love. These guys are totally devoted to each other and I hope I captured that love in the images below. It was great shooting them and I thought today would be the perfect time to share the images from our afternoon stroll around London. I hope you guys are both enjoying your first New Year as a married couple.

sneak peak

2010-12-13T20:23:00.002Z

Tea, cake and photography

2010-12-08T21:58:00.001Z

Fanni and I had been discussing a shoot swap for some time when we stumbled across our mutual love of cake! It was at this point we decided our shoot should involve cake and then the idea just developed into something more than a shoot. After a bit of research we settled on the most wonderful tea shop bake-a-boo, and rather than indulging in a spot of afternoon tea together we thought we would share the fun with friends and invited the lovely Dasha along and the very talented make-up artist Aline.

Walking into bake-a-boo is just heaven. There are delicious treats everywhere, the decor is just amazing and the staff are incredibly helpful and friendly. I can't thank Zoe enough for letting us invade her gorgeous shop and creating a beautiful haven in West Hampstead. If you are ever at a loose end or fancy a lovely afternoon tea, I can not rave about this shop enough!

It ended up being a great day of us girls hanging out, having fun and taking photos. It was a perfect way to spend a Saturday and I would gladly do it all again.

A Weekend in London

2010-11-28T18:25:00.001Z

Nicola and I have known each other for years. We met through work and what started as just work colleagues grew into friendship and I class her as my best friend. We have been through so much together and I have so many memories that always make me smile.

Since I have known Nicola, she lived in London, completed her degree, moved to Sheffield, completed her masters degree, moved to Manchester, met Dave (who I love), moved in with Dave and is now about to embark on an amazing adventure on Melbourne!

When she told me about the move to Melbourne, I was both excited and sad. After moving to Manchester, I missed her a lot, (still do), but I don't think that can compare to how much I will miss her and Dave when they go to Melbourne next week. Not only will I miss Nicola, I will miss hanging out with them both in London in Manchester. We seemed to have developed a little routine for their visits to London and it just won't be the same without them.

A couple of weekends back, both Nicola and Dave came down to London for a farewell weekend. I had so much fun with them both and of course I took lots of photos. This is just a small selection on the photos I took that weekend.

Every time I look at these, I smile, so many new memories to add to the collection!

Two of my favourite people.

I am so glad I can call these guys friends.

I am going to miss them both, so much!

Alice

2010-11-18T10:02:00.000Z

I really enjoy taking photos of kids and getting the opportunity to shoot outside in the lovely autumn colours is always fun.

I spent the morning with little Alice and Louise back in October, and although there was a chill in the air, it was a fantastic morning. There is no stopping Alice now she is walking and it was great running around after her taking photos, as she just wouldn't stay still.

After a walk and run around the park we went back to Louise's house for a cup of tea to warm up and rest our legs.

I couldn't resist taking a few more photos of Alice and I managed to capture this beautiful moment.

A Moment with Grandpa

2010-11-03T17:21:00.002Z

Every now and again you will check the back of the camera during a shoot and there will be one photograph that makes you smile. The kind of smile that is bright and full of happiness.

That's the smile I had when I took this photo.

Featured - Rock n' Roll Bride and The Photography Parlour

2010-10-25T08:57:00.000+01:00

I have mentioned The Photography Parlour a couple of times on this blog and I have nothing but positive things to say about the site. Rather than allowing the photography industry to become secular and competitive in a negative way, the site brings together photographers, allowing us to share and learn from each other.

I have already met up with a number of photographers to take part in shoot swaps and I got very excited when a discussion about a vintage shoot started. Eager to learn and develop my skills I jumped at the chance to get involved.

The shoot took place back in September and I have held off blogging about the day until now as Kat from Rock n' Roll Bride wanted to use my photographs for a feature she was working on.

Below are some of my favourite photos from the shoot but you can find more of my photos over on Rock n' Roll Bride. Also, check out flickr to see photographs by everyone involved in the day.

Dress Designers / Dress Suppliers / Accessories / Shoes
Yemi Osunkoya of Kosibah Creations: www.kosibah.co.uk
June Victor & David Wightman of Vintage Modes: www.vintagemodes.co.uk
Rachel Attwell of Luella’s Boudoir:www.luellasboudoir.co.uk/
Umi & Co Vintage at the Beehive:www.umiandco.com

Event Stylists & Vintage Prop suppliers
Katie Coakes & Rosie Watson of Roses All Over: www.rosesallover.com
Umi & Co Vintage at the Beehive:www.umiandco.com

Locations
Umi & Co Vintage at the Beehive:www.umiandco.com
Casbah Records at the Beehive:www.casbahrecords.com/index2.htm
Meridian Adventure Play centre, Thames Street Greenwich
Old Royal Naval College

Make Up Artist
Juliet Onyeka:www.modelmayhem.com/1755323

Headpieces & Hats
June Victor of Vintage Modes:www.vintagemodes.co.uk
Rachel Attwell of Luella’s Boudoir:www.luellasboudoir.co.uk/
Jemima Williams of Little Red Robin Hood:www.jemimawilliams.co.uk/

Models
Sophia Louise:www.modelmayhem.com/849846
Jemima Williams:www.jemimawilliams.co.uk
Sarune: www.modelmayhem.com/1589339
Lynsey Wheater
Cherilyn Leeson

London - Columbia Road

2010-10-21T20:15:00.000+01:00

I love London and I have a few favourite spots that I never tire of, so when I got my new camera I knew where I would go first.......Columbia Road.

Columbia Road is a little oasis of calm in the middle of the city. At the weekends it is a hive of activity, full or creativity and community. I enjoy photographing the area as it is so different to the London most people think of. Hope you enjoy these photos!

Leo

2010-10-12T14:11:00.000+01:00

Meet Leo. I first photographed Leo at Alice's first birthday party and I am so glad I got the opportunity to photograph him again.

Leo's parents really liked the photographs I took at the birthday party and they invited me into their home to take some portraits of their little boy. It was a great shoot as Leo was so relaxed and so happy to just sit and play with his toys.

This is just a small selection of the images from the day.

George

2010-10-11T09:59:00.001+01:00

Meet George, a friend of my niece Alice. I spent a lovely Sunday afternoon with him and his parents as they wanted some nice photos to send to their families.

George has mounds of energy and doesn't sit still, so I had lots of fun chasing him around the house while he played with his toy cars and a fantastic fire engine. The day was also quite exciting as George got his first pair of shoes. It will not be long before he is up and about and when that happens I am sure there will be no stopping him.

These are some of may favourite photos from the day and I am so happy with the results.

Photography Parlour - Antonina

2010-09-26T16:39:00.001+01:00

A few months back I came across The Photography Parlour. Set up by the wonderful photographer Rosie Parsons, it is a fantastic forum for photographers to get together and learn from each other.

It was through the site that I came across shoot swaps, where photographers get together and stand in front of the camera rather than behind it. It is a great opportunity to get together and live, eat and breathe photography with someone who loves photography as much as you do.

I meet up with Antonina Mamzenko over the bank holiday. If you haven't checked out her blog, you should. She is an amazing portrait photographer and it was great being able to chat to Antonina about her business and her love of photography.

Here are a few images from my shoot swap with Antonina.

Shoot Swap - Claire of Scarab Pictures

2010-09-06T22:08:00.002+01:00

The Photography Parlour is a fantastic resource for photographers. Set up by the fantastic photographer Rosie Parsons, it is a fantastic forum that allows photographers to get together and learn from each other.

Rather than sitting at home over the bank holiday weekend, I decided to get out and about and use the time to take some photos. Rather that take photos on my own I got in contact with Claire and while taking photos we discovered our love of the the beautiful Lloyds building in the city.

Check out Claire's blog, where you can find some stunning portraits and some photo's of me from out bank holiday shoot swap.

Shoot Swap - Kirsten Mavric

2010-09-05T09:49:00.001+01:00

A few months back I came across The Photography Parlour. Set up by the fantastic photographer Rosie Parsons, it is a fantastic forum for photographers to get together and learn from each other.

Last weekend I met up with the wonderful Kirsten Mavric and her beautiful son Max for a shoot swap. She is an amazing portrait photographer and I find her work completely inspiring and Max is just beautiful. We had lots of fun wandering around Alexandra Palace and it was a great opportunity to talk photography. Kirsten is really supportive and after talking about my love of film photography, she was encouraging me to shoot more on film.

Alex - Part 2

2010-08-22T14:39:00.000+01:00

The second batch of photographs from our long walk.

Alex - Part 1

2010-08-19T13:32:00.001+01:00

Alex and I went for a wander around Victoria Park the other day.
This is part 1 of our very long walk.

Birthday Party

2010-08-03T15:13:00.001+01:00

Alice and her friends celebrated their 1st birthdays with a lovely garden party and I had the pleasure of photographing the event. The children were a little bit cautious to begin with but after crawling around the floor and ball pit with them, they soon came around and started posing for the camera.
It was a great afternoon and I had so much fun. The kids really enjoyed themselves and I hope that it is reflected in the images below.

Alice is 1

2010-07-13T21:38:00.000+01:00

My beautiful niece turned 1 last week, so I thought todays blog should be dedicated to her.

Since she was born, I have taken on the role of offical photographer, much to the joy of her parents, but I am sure by the time Alice turns 18 she will hate the fact that nearly every weekend of her life so far has been documented by me.

These are just a few of my favourite photos I have taken.

Through photographing Alice I have learnt the joys and patience needed to get some good shots. I still need to work on composition, but I am so happy with some of these photographs.

Cupcakes in Brighton

2010-07-05T21:39:00.000+01:00

Another weekend in Brighton...what can I say we love the place. Some good friends of ours live down there and there is just something about being by the sea.
Whenever we go to brighton there are a couple of things we always do, but one of the best things is grabbing a cupcake from a wonderful little cake shop.

Their cakes are fantastic and they have a great selection of flavours. The boy is a hot chocolate fiend and he couldn't stop talking about how great his mug of hot chocolate was.

The shop is quite busy but the place has a great atmosphere and plays a great selection of music. While we were enjoying our cupcakes we got to enjoy some Beach Boys.

I had to include a photo of the boy as some of my favourite memories of Brighton have been created by him.
He rocks my world!

Holga Brighton

2010-06-27T19:28:00.000+01:00

I love Brighton.

There is nothing like cupcakes, friends and a BBQ on the beach.

Holga

2010-05-29T20:59:00.000+01:00

One weekend while the boy was at work, I got up early and went for a walk around Spitalfields.

I love the east end of London and I have spent a lot of my spare time wandering around this part of town, taking photo's and watching the world go by.

On this particular adventure I took my DSLR and my holga. This was my first time using a holga and I was very nervous. I read the instructions over and over and finally plucked up the courage to take the first photo. For a toy camera, I did not think I would be so intimidated,but I was. I am not sure if it was the uncertainty of the results or the anticipation and the wait to get the results but either way I was nervous.

Once I started taking photo's, I calmed down a little and got swept up in my eagerness to get some good shots and the anticipation of the results. Being a film based camera, I had the joy of taking my rolls of film to a shop to be developed and the long wait to see the results. While it was a little frustrating having to wait for results, I loved the old feeling. It was partly this process that made me fall in love with manual photography in the first place.

What do you guys think?

I am pleasantly surprised by the results. I was expecting them to be awful but I am hoping with a bit or practise and some hints and tips from holga users I should be able to get some good result.

Epic Weekend!

2010-05-17T20:58:00.000+01:00

What started out as a quiet Saturday, going to the gym and doing some washing, ended up involving a mini road trip to Brighton, drinking and dancing the night away.

I love Brighton and this weekend I got to share it with three of my favourite people.

Let me introduce you to Alex, Bear and Leanne.

alex

(this is of my favourite photo's of alex)

bear and leanne

(this is one of my favourite photos I have taken)

We walked along the beach, saw a few bands, had fish and chips on the pier and played air hockey. Thanks to these guys I had so much fun. Weekends like this are what I live for.

Birthday bake-a-boo

2010-04-13T20:43:00.000+01:00

Anyone that knows me, knows how much I love cake so on my birthday I was lucky enough to be taken to bake-a-boo for afternoon tea. Needless to say I entered bake-a-boo with an empty belly and left feeling very full and completely satisfied.

bake-a-boo is a gorgeous little cake shop in West Hampstead. Walking distance from the tube, it is a magical experience. Afternoon tea is by reservation only but there have a beautiful window display full of hand-baked cakes, biscuits and cupcakes which can be purchased and eaten in the cafe. Tea and cakes are served on mis-matching china and cream and jam for your scones come in cute heart shaped pots.

When you sit down you are surrounded by gorgeous photo's of cakes alongside a selection of handpicked gifts available for purchase. Traditional sweets, a vast array of teas and bags of their gorgeous biscuits can be purchased and I defy anyone, who visits the shop, to walk out without making a purchase.

When we arrived, our table was already set and our cake stand, full of our afternoon tea goodness, was ready and waiting for us. We consumed a number of finger sandwiches before I moved onto the chocolate covered strawberries, which were superb. With a little break for some tea, we moved onto the scones. We both had two scones and lashings on jam and cream. I may have overdone it with the cream, as I had to ask for another pot and if that doesn't sound like enough baked goodness, we then moved on to our teapot shaped biscuits, slice of banana cake and finally a cupcake.

Both the food and service were fantastic. The staff were really friendly, always checking if we were ok and in need a fresh pot of tea. The only think I would have liked was the option to choose a different cupcake. They had a great selection of flavours available and while the vanilla cupcake was delicious, I would have preferred to have the option of trying something different.

Its worth checking their website for special events. Over Easter they had a Easter inspired Afternoon tea and also had a children's afternoon tea selection as well. They also run a fantastic selection of workshops.

If you fancy an afternoon treat, bake-a-boo is well worth the visit. It is an oasis of tea, cake and calm.

It started with a trip to Venice...

2010-04-08T20:35:00.000+01:00

...and will end in an adventure in Las Vegas.

On my birthday, last year, I was taken on a surprise trip to Venice. While sitting on a beautiful beach taking lots of photos I was presented with a gorgeous engagement ring and a proposal of marriage. My answer was yes and as we walked along the Venice beach there was no question as to the setting of our wedding. With little discussion the Las Vegas dream began and a year after the proposal, plans are slowly falling into place and elements of the wedding are being booked.

It's so exciting and daunting to be planning our wedding. As much as it is our day, a day we will remember when we are old and grey, it is also a day we are inviting our friends and family to be a part of and that weighs heavy on my mind. By getting married in Las Vegas we are having what the wedding industry calls a 'destination wedding' and we are asking a lot of our guests to travel all that way to join us.

I was overwhelmed by the responses when we told everyone we were getting married in Las Vegas. Everyone was excited and nearly all our close friends have started to plan their trips to Las Vegas for our wedding. I have no idea if everyone will make it to Las Vegas and we both completely understand that not everyone will be able to make it. I am just so grateful for the friends we have and the fact that they are considering a holiday to Vegas to be with us on the big day.

I hope everyone enjoys the day and that we can make them feel part of something special. I really want to look back at our photo's and and see smiling faces and people having fun and I pray that everyone has similar memories.

Fingers crossed everyone enjoys the plans we have in place.

An introduction

2010-04-05T10:13:00.000+01:00

Hello!

I've started this blog to write about anything and everything. You can expect lots of post about baking, books, Las Vegas and London life. There will be lots of photographs and if I ramble, just shout!

I thought the best way to introduce myself was with a smile list, so here it is

10 things that make me smile

the other half, Alex
cake...baking and eating
reading...anything and everything
taking photographs
planning our Las Vegas wedding
walks in the rain
hanging out with friends
tattoo's...getting them, looking at them, planning the next one
getting packages in the post
listening to music...esp when a song comes on that reminds me of a good times

Reading: Horns by Joe Hill
Listening: S&M by Metallica
Eating: Hot cross buns