Storrs Hall Windermere

Well I finally have chance to update my blog. I've been busy over the last few weeks with thousands of images to process, however here is my favourite part, sharing them!

Over the next week I'm going to post an image or two a day from the wedding of Chris and Zoe which I photographed at the lovely Storrs Hall in Windermere. I'll be sharing a few comments on each of the images to give an insight into how they were created. At the end of the week I'll post a blog providing an overview of the whole wedding with images and a few words to help tell the story of the day!

f5.6  1/15 sec ISO400

This is the first of my " Signature " images from the day. It was taken just after the intimate ceremony with Chris and Zoe now being husband and wife. We were headed up the staircase to take some images around the circular balcony when this shot presented itself to me. As I reached the top of stairs and watched them following behind I knew this scene would make a great image compositional wise. I just asked Chris and Zoe to look at each other and do their thing just like in the pre shoot and voila' a lovely photograph on the way up the stairs. Technically it was a challenging shot as you can see from the image data with the very slow shutter speed. The interior of Storrs Hall is very dimly lit to create a beautiful warm ambiance. This meant I had to balance the slow shutter speed due to the low ambient light and then bring Emma in to my left with my lighting to illuminate

Chris and Zoe. I'm sure you will agree that it was worth the effort and I'm very proud of this image.

Well that's it for today's post I'll catch you all tomorrow when we take a look at the next photograph.

See you soon! Ken

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I'm back for day two so let's get straight to it and take a look at the next image!

F5.6  1/30 sec  ISO 640


After we had finished taking photographs on the stairs and around the open circular balcony, that overlooked the rotunda, we made our way back down to head outside. I reached the bottom first and turned back to wait for Chris and Zoe when this image popped into my head. I rushed back up the stairs to catch them before they made their descent and asked whether they would like to give this shot a try. They obliged so I showed them were I needed them to stand, set Emma up in the correct position for my lighting at the opposite side of the balcony, then dashed back down the stairs to take the shot. I asked Chris and Zoe to just interact with with themselves and this image just fell into place naturally.
I love the way all the lines of the railings lead to Chris and Zoe and the way they are framed by the arch, coupled with the spot light effect I think it makes a really interesting composition.

Here is a black and white version which I think really suits the image.

Well that's it for tonight, I'll be back tomorrow for the last of the indoor signature images before we head outside to some amazing locations!

See you all tomorrow!

Ken.


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Sorry I missed the blog last night I just had way too much on. So I'll catch up tonight. You may have already seen the latest image on facebook so lets get straight to it!

F5.6  1/15 sec ISO 640

This circular balcony is directly above the rotunda in which the ceremony was held. As soon as I spotted this impressive feature on arriving at Storrs Hall I knew I had to try this shot.
Whilst we were taking photo's around the balcony I ran down the stairs ( again ) to make this image.
I love this image with all the curves and details and knew it would suit my stylized treatment for something different. 


Moving straight on with the next image I'm showing this week which was taken after we headed outside.

F5.6  1/400 sec ISO 100

After the taking the previous images inside the sun came out through the rain clouds and everyone headed outside with drinks to make the most of it. This is a favourite time for me as while everyone is enjoying themselves and chatting I can wander about at distance, observing and trying to anticipate moments like this one.
Chris and Zoe were completely unaware I was taking their picture and it shows in their expressions.
The light was almost magical as it was still drizzling, the foliage was wet and the light just seemed to be glowing off everything.


I am posting a bonus image of the boys doing " The Walk " as I always enjoy taking this shot.

F5.6  1/400 sec  ISO400

 I think it is a fun shot that no one ever objects too. In fact when I ask the groom and groomsmen they can't wait to have a go.

Well that's it for tonight and I'll be back once again tomorrow for an amazingly dramatic portrait overlooking the lake!

See you soon!

Ken.


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Well I said tonight's image was going to be dramatic and as you can see that sky is something else!

F6.3  1/100 sec  ISO 100    click on image for larger view!


It rained pretty much all day for Chris and Zoe's wedding, however we had this break in the clouds during their sit down meal. Everyone was waiting for dessert but Chris and Zoe decided to seize the opportunity and we sneaked out for 20mins or so to take some nice images of them alone.
ok
This is one of my favourite images from the year and it just goes to show that if you have bad weather you just have to go with it and use it to your advantage and create something a bit different. As wedding photographers we don't get to choose the weather or the time of day we just have to be ready for any situation!

Here is the colour version of this image as I said I would post some variations on my facebook page.

For this version I didn't apply as much contrast however it is still dramatically processed to bring out the details and I really wanted to emphasize the sky. I haven't added or removed anything from the photo this is real just with a touch of magic applied ;-)

While we were there I took the shot from portrait orientation too. I like to play with angles to provide a more eclectic mix of images. This version doesn't have the impact of the sky however the spotlight is more on Chris and Zoe.


Well that's it for tonight and I'll be back tomorrow with another image with a slightly arty romantic feel.

See you all soon.

Ken.


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The next image was one of the first I took after we had all slipped away during the meal.

F4.5  1/800 sec  ISO 400  Click for larger view

This wooden jetty is just outside the entrance of Storrs Hall and is one of many photogenic spots which makes Storrs Hall an amazing wedding venue on Lake Windermere.
I asked Chris and Zoe to walk to the end so I could take some images with the mountains and boats in the background. I took this image as they walked to the end. I hung back crouched down and used my 70-200mm lens to really compress the scene for that dramatic look.
I gave this version of the image a slightly purple tint to a black and white, which I thinks adds a vintage feel that I really like.

Well tonight I'm sharing the final signature image from this wedding. I've had such an amazing response from the images of this wedding that I am going to post a blog with an overview of the day from start to finish when I get chance! So without further a do here it is.

F5.6  1/15th sec  ISO 1600      Click for larger view.


Later on in the evening we went outside to take a couple of group photos that we couldn't do earlier due to the rain. The night was drawing in and after we finished with the groups I asked Chris and Zoe if they wanted to try one of my speciality images! They agreed, even though once again it had started to drizzle, so off we went around the back of Storrs Hall which overlooks Lake Windermere. It was almost pitch black so we had to work quick. Emma set up the lighting and I positioned Chris and Zoe in the middle of the steps and a couple of shots later I had the image. Just by having a quick look on the LCD screen on my camera I knew this image was a winner. The colours, the sky, the lighting and the composition all came together to make what I think is a really stunning photograph.

I hope you all enjoyed this series of images over the last week and I'll be blogging again shortly. At the moment it seems like I have work coming out of my ears and I'm finding it hard to allow time to update this blog.

Feel free to leave any comments or get in touch if you have any questions.

See you soon!

Ken.

Chris & Zoe Pre Shoot

We have been busy lately with wedding meetings, pre shoots and preparing for our September weddings. Also we have increased our prices with another rise due early next year. So if you know of anyone looking for a wedding photographer now would be a good time to make a booking.

We photographed a pre shoot two weekends ago for one of our September clients Chris and Zoe and would like to share some of the images from the shoot.

 

Chris and Zoe chose the location of Hardwick Park. The weather was great so we set off on a walk around the grounds stopping at a few different locations to take their photographs. At the beginning of our pre shoots we like to spend a little time just chatting, catching up and explaining what we are going to do on the shoot so everyone can relax.

 

 

At the beginning of pre shoots every couple feels a little awkward for the first couple of shots, Chris and Zoe were no exception but they soon relaxed and began to enjoy the experience, which becomes evident in the photos as the afternoon went on.

On the shoot we kept things simple, I just used my long lens in order to give Chris and Zoe some space while they interacted with one another. While Emma was holding my flash for the times it was required. Chris and Zoe were very natural in front of the camera and it really shows in the images.  

 

A picture within a picture. As I was taking the previous shot I liked the reflection and zoomed in and created another image. It's a shame the reflection wasn't a bit clearer but it's still something different. I'm always looking for pictures within pictures to add a little variety!

 

 

We were lucky with the light as it was a slightly overcast afternoon, perfect for natural light photography. I asked Zoe to just look off into the distance to have that nice light fall on her face creating this lovely portrait.

 

Some of you will will recognise this scene from a previous wedding a Hardwick Hall. I think it makes a wonderful scene for a portrait of our couple.

Next it was time for Chris to have a portrait taken of himself. I chose this wall from a stone bridge as a location for Chris as It was a bit more rustic and provided him with something to lean on for an easy relaxed pose.

This scene was literally a stones throw from the bridge, ( excuse the pun! ) The light was great and I visualised this image immediately. I intentionally positioned Chris and Zoe in the top left of the image as the branches framed them nicely and the path leads your eye right to them.

Then around the corner another shot presented itself with this backlit tree. I just asked Chris and Zoe to interact with each other a little while I took a couple of shots. To be honest the light was so good that afternoon I could have spent hours there.

There were too many great images from the hour or so with Chris and Zoe to share them all here, so we will wrap up this post with these last two. I couldn't resist this shot against the ruins wall. The shallow depth of field really makes Zoe stand out.

For me personally this is my favourite image from the shoot and was actually one of the last. We had finished taking photos and were chatting on a leisurely walk back to the cars when I spotted this sensational light and just had to make an image. I asked Chris and Zoe just to have a bit of fun with each other and I made this photograph. The elements that work for me are their great facial expressions, their hand play and the amazing light on them, I love it!

It was great meeting up with Chris and Zoe again and we are really looking forward to shooting their wedding in less than two weeks. They both agreed that they really enjoyed the pre shoot and that it was a really good idea, not just for the photos but for a chance to meet us again close to their wedding day and now they have nothing to worry about as they know exactly how we work. 

That's it for now keep stopping by for more very soon! Ken.

A bit of fun!

Well we are certainly having a busy period, a wedding pre shoot last weekend in Seaham a family portrait session in Ropner Park Thursday gone, in the rain may I add, which didn't hinder us from creating some fantastic images for our clients. Another wedding pre shoot this coming weekend and two weddings to photograph! So with this all going on it was nice when we got the chance to go out in the evening for a couple of hours with the camera's , with the kids being looked after, and had a nice relaxed walk trying out some new locations. In fact we just went to one of my favourite locations and just walked in a different direction to see what we would stumble up on. After some pleading Emma agreed to be my "model" and off we went to see if we could create some nice images with just the light that was available and with just one lens. This is one of my favourite ways to shoot, just me and a camera with one lens and that's it, oh and someone to photograph too of course! 

This was one of the first shots and was more of a test to see what the light looked like. I wasn't keen on the background to the far left but the light was really nice from that angle.

We then walked down the road in front of this clock tower which I love to use as a background, I'm hoping for an adventurous bride in future who would be willing to do a shoot in this location. Since the light was nice I just grabbed this quick shot of Emma who had already put her coat back on because she was " freezing. " It was 18oC, women! ;-)

Then things became a little more exciting when we took a route we hadn't been on before and found this old rustic doorway. It was literally a one minute walk from the first location to this one just in the opposite direction! So a quick easy pose with Emma's face towards the nice even natural light and we got this image.

With this Image I changed one thing, my position, camera settings were the same as was Emma's pose with her face still towards the light. All I did was walk round in front of her and zoomed in tight. This is one thing I always love to experiment with when I have the time, just move my position and try many different compositions from the same scene.

The next location as you can see was a stark contrast from the old rustic wooden door. This time a white washed rendered wall. How far away was this location? Actually we just crossed the road as it was exactly opposite, talk about luck. Again we had great soft light that evening, you can tell as Emma was hardly creating a shadow on the wall.

  This shot was purely for the light. We were heading back to the car through the car park and the sun just popped out a tiny bit through the clouds and the light just took on a brilliance. I just had to get one more to demonstrate this light. The background was terrible so I zoomed my lens all the way at 2.8 and blurred it into insignificance! Emma couldn't open her eyes fully as the sky was now very bright. But when I see that kind of light I have to get a shot. This image was straight out of the camera. No lights, no reflector, nothing, just stood in a car park with my camera. It's amazing how light can change a scene entirely in the space of a minute or so! 

Well that's it for this post catch you all soon! Ken.



Lusso Kitchens Photo Shoot 2

Clint from Lusso Kitchens asked me to photograph a recent project he had just completed for a client. As it was such an incredible kitchen he wanted some images he could use to demonstrate his design skills to prospective clients. We only had a ten minute window to create the images so had to work quickly.

Check out the huge block of granite the island is placed on!

From this angle you can see that the island section is actually " floating

" on those two blocks! The underneath is rimmed with led strip lighting to really create an atmosphere when the ambient light levels are low.

Here is a tighter shot showing the different elements and textures of the island from the natural granite block to the solid wood slab embedded in the quartz stone work surface!

A view from the other side showing the recessed 52inch plasma TV which is clearly visible between the 5 burner gas hob and stainless island extractor. I bet cooking is fun in their house! Hey even I would like to learn to cook if I had a kitchen like that!

This was definitely the finest bespoke kitchen I have ever seen. If you are looking for a contemporary designer kitchen Clint is your man. For more information check out Lusso Designs at www.lussokitchens.com

British Drift Championships 3rd May 2011

I was invited along to the British Drift Championships by my friend Steven Ball, who is the manager of Rentons estate agents of Yarm. I have previously been commissioned by Rentons to photograph their prestigious properties that require full glossy brochures. Due to client confidentiality I can't share any of that work here. If anyone is looking to buy or sell a property in the Yarm area please get in touch with Steven! Here's a link for the contact details of his branch.

http://www.rentonscountrywide.co.uk/content/008_Offices__Contacts/001_Office_Directory/

Anyway back to the topic! The third round of the Drift Championships was held at Teesside Autodrome Middlesbrough and boy was it a hot day. It must have hit 26 degrees. On arrival the cars were all out practicing and since Steven had recently purchased an SLR camera we headed straight over to the track side to grab a few shots before the event started. 

 

 

This was one of my favourite shots from the practice session, we got a good dose of burning rubber from this position, our T-shirts were covered in specs of burnt rubber!

 

 

This is Shane Lynch from Boyzone driving his car on the practice session. He was in the super pro class. More on him later! At this point I didn't really know what drifting was all about, apart from the obvious that was cars going sideways burning rubber. Luckily Steven was able to explain while the drivers lined their cars up on the track so everyone could meet and greet them.

 

 

Seeing the cars and drivers up close and personal was a really nice touch we both thought. You would never get to do this at other events such as the Touring Cars at circuits like Croft and Silverstone.

 

 

As you can see the cars are serious bits of kit. Think of the film " The Fast And The Furious " but for real. I had to shoot close for two reasons, one I only had a long lens with me to get close to the track action and two, there was a big crowd so getting a clear shot of a car was going to be near impossible.

 

A lonely helmet made a good subject. I'm glad I wasn't wearing a full race suit and helmet in that weather!

 

I love this sneaky shot of the " Cowboy ". I framed him up against the pink bonnet of his car which made me smile!

 

Here's a nice taster shot of the Cowboys trusty steed. I must admit even though it was bright pink it still looked menacing and was one of the best looking cars there. Ye ha!

 

By now Steven had explained that the cars go out in pairs and do two runs, with each car having a turn at being the lead. The drivers are scored for keeping the cars sideways at all times and following the lead car as close as possible mirroring their drift angles. Cars get marked down for going off the track, going straight ie coming out of the drift, spinning out and not keeping up with the lead car. There are a lot more scenarios regarding the scoring and if you are interested check out the drift website. http://thebritishdriftchampionship.com/

 

 

Here's a shot of Shane Lynch. I wouldn't have even realised who is was if Steven hadn't pointed him out, even though he was stood right in front of me lol. " Don't love me for fun girl. Let me be the one girl, love me for a reason....." That's enough of that :-)

 

 

With the event about to start we acquired some food in the form of cheeseburger, chips and a couple of drinks. We then made our way to the top of the bank on the far corner as that was the best place for an overall view of the action. Here you can see the synchronisation of the cars entering a drift on that first corner. Skillful driving since they were driving at a serious speed.

 

A nice profile shot of Steven enjoying the action, with a more macho looking cowboy hat. Click on the image for a larger view and you will see that I was actually photographing the cars in the reflection of his sunglasses. A picture within a picture!

 

As the afternoon went on and our skin colour became redder, we decided to work our way back to the track side so we could get some alternative views of the action on the way. This is another of my favourite shots from the day. The car looks almost toy like. Steven suggested it looks like an RC car.

 

 

The super pros were out on the track last and there was a big difference in their speed and drifting ability. At times they were nose to tail all the way round the track.

 

This is the last shot I'm sharing on this blog post. It was one of the last images I took, showing Shane Lynch giving it rock all. I have to admit he was one of the best drivers out there. I just missed the back of the cars wing in the shot. I could have fixed it in photoshop but these were just fun shots. I love the way the lens captured the heat haze in the background and the sharpness of the image. Well I would like to finish of with a big thank you to Steven for taking me on what can only be described as a tyre screeching, engine screaming, smoke filled, fun summers afternoon out.  Cheers!

Jo & Chris Wynyard Hall May 2011

I have recently finished the final edit of images from the wedding of Jo and Chris which took place at the amazing Wynyard Hall. The building is so grandeur and has an equally amazing interior, no wonder so many couples choose Wynard Hall for their wedding venue. I would like to share with you some of the images from the day and a little insight into the wedding.

Our day began at Jo's parents house where Emma was immediately whisked off upstairs to help with the dress fitting. One of the benefits of working with your wife ;-) This left me downstairs to shoot the detail images of the flowers, such as the bouquets and button holes.

I photographed a series of images of Jo's shoes before they were retrieved by Vicki who was one of the three bridesmaids. I love this black and white shot which really emphasises the detail.

This is one of my personal favourite images from the day. We had just taken a couple of portraits of Jo before it was time for her to be chauffeured over to Wynyard Hall and I was able to take this shot of a quick last minute makeup touch up.  

Jo and her dad were certainly transported in style to Wynyard Hall in this magnificent horse drawn carriage. As you can see it was picture perfect and very elegant as it traversed the gravel driveway to the Hall.

Jo and Chris chose to be married in the chapel within Wynyard Hall. This 18th century chapel is very quaint and intimate with its marble walls wood panelling and chequered tiled floor. It makes for a beautiful setting for the ceremony to take place.

For the final prayer Jo and Chris were knelt at the very front of the chapel. As I was shooting from the back I used my 70-200mm to really zoom in and isolate them together. For me this image is all about the moment they are sharing as husband and wife.

This image was taken just after the throwing of confetti capturing the moment as they were about to embrace. I have the kiss shot too but that's for Jo and Chris to enjoy :-)

Following the throwing of confetti we took the group photos on the terrace out the back overlooking the lake. The wind picked up quite a bit round there so we finished off the smaller family group photos in the conservatory. Jo, Chris and their little bridesmaid Holly then enjoyed a ride around the estate in the carriage. I love this dreamy, almost Victorian, image of them crossing the bridge entering the beautiful grounds. 

This gave us some time to shoot some room details including their superb wedding cake, the glass sphere in the center was a very unique twist. 

Speaking of the wedding breakfast room here is a wide angle view of it in all its splendour. As you can see it is a truly wonderful room and there was a great atmosphere when everyone sat down to eat. Emma and I were lucky enough to share the meal as guests and I have to say we both agreed it was some of the best food we had ever had, exquisite is the word that springs to mind!

Later in the afternoon we asked Jo and Chris if they would like to have a walk around the grounds for a bit of fresh air and a chance for us to capture some natural  images of them. I love this style of portrait as the couple are free to enjoy the moment whilst we work from a distance being discreet as possible.

After their walk around the grounds we ended back up at the grand entrance where this image presented itself to me. I asked them to pause just for a couple a seconds so I could take this shot. The imposing stone pillars and huge doorway made a simple natural frame around them.

It was soon time for the cutting of the cake and then Jo did the bouquet toss which was fun to watch. We captured a couple of images with Vicki actually in mid air! Next was their first dance which was really romantic and you could see the emotion in their faces. Its a great feeling knowing that you are documenting these moments with images that will be cherished forever.

I've saved my favourite photo until last. This shot has become one of my signature images and I just love it. The chapel provides a beautiful backdrop with the pews and chequered floor leading you in to Jo and Chris.

It was a pleasure for Emma and I to photograph Jo and Chris on their wedding day at Wynyard Hall and we hope they enjoy the images as much as we enjoyed making them. We wish them all the happiness in their lives together as husband and wife.

Best Wishes,

Ken and Emma x