I'm doing a bit of radar watching and getting excited about the snow possibilities. I love the opportunities to take pictures it provides and I love how people get together!
Back in the day we had a carnival or bands played on the bandstand on bank holidays.  There is little bringing the people together these days...except for a bit bit of snow and sledging!

 

Last year we made a snow lantern in the front garden. I thought I'd post about it now in case you fancied trying it and need a few supplies before the snow arrives.  
It makes a nice change from a snowman! I used this guide on how to build one. Having something to kneel on is absolutely necessary!   

 

 

 

Commission me! 

 

Update:  We got a whole 7 inches !   So we spent Sunday up the hill sledging.. (click to see more)

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was an October wedding at the  Channels Golf Club near Chelmsford and St Mary's and St Lawrence Church in Great Waltham. As the day went on the clouds cleared and Amy and Adam were blessed with beautiful autumnal sunshine.  Cloudbusting (see previous blog for why I'm randomnly quoting Kate Bush songs)!

Some of you may have seen this already featured on the Hi-Fi Wedding blog where you can find a spotify playlist of their song choices for the day!  Pretty brilliant list it was too that the Piano DJ did an impressive job of filling the dance floor with.  He also played on the piano songs that related to the records displayed on the tables while they ate.  What a wonderful idea, who wouldn't like to hear piano renditions of music from The Stone Roses, Primal Scream (who I had the pleasure of photographing in the summer), The Jam, Oasis and The Rolling Stones over dinner?

Please take a look over the whole gallery, you can see a cheeky flowergirl of a niece and Amy and Adam sing Slide Away by Oasis to each other during the first dance!  Oh and keep an eye out for the title of a song by The Stone Roses in one of the pictures!

 

Click here to view more pictures from the day!

..the 5th of November.  Kelly and Adam certainly will!  I, however, may not live down the cheesy introduction to this wedding. I couldn't resist.  I am actually supposed to be titling my posts after Kate Bush songs, perhaps next time. Which won't be too long as I plan on blogging an October wedding that recently featured on Hi-Fi Weddings very soon.

 

They had such a special day, dusk soon fell after the ceremony at the Essex venue Friern Manor so the fairy lights and candles made it feel magical. Lots of laughs (especially thanks to Steve Hearn and his caricatures ), tears of joy (quite a few of those) and many delicious heart-shaped biscuits thanks to the groom's sister Sarah. The beautiful dress came from South Woodham's very own  Bellissima Weddings.

 

I do hope you enjoy the gallery with more pictures telling the story of the whole day! 

 

 

My very last pictures of the year capture the last bit of light of 2011 over the River Crouch.  

All the pictures can be found in the gallery.

 

 

Well you'd think this was a wonderful autumn day, not December and the last session in time for Christmas pictures!   Now the happy Grandparents have their gifts I can blog this fun lifestyle portrait session up Bushey Hill, or as us locals in  South Woodham Ferrers call it, Radar Hill.  It made a nice change not being up there in the snow! 

The girls found acorns and some trees to climb.  It was fun keeping up with them on a Sunday morning!  Littlest lady fell asleep in her cosy babyhawk sling on the way down the hill and off they went for lunch.

 

For more pictures from this  portrait session please click here!

 

 

 

For  portrait prices please see here. 

with Caroline, Robert and their dogs across some of the farm.  It was a bit chilly and light was fading fast!  There'll be no worries about the cold with their June wedding next year.  I can't wait! 

The rest of the engagement photographs are in this gallery.

 

I have a spotify playlist to go with this blogpost! 

 

It's exactly two years since my husband and I found out our Rage Against The Machine campaign had beaten X Factor to number one!  

During the day we'd had an inkling with the amount of interest and calls we were getting.  Eventually we got a text from Mr Cowell confirming it!  
We had a bit of jump and squeal and then I went up Radar Hill near my house to take these pictures on my little film Diana camera!  As you do, when you get to number one.  I have this photography thing bad.

Then Jon got whisked off to the BBC to be interviewed and I dished up the boys' dinner while listening to the chart on Radio 1.  Was the first of many surreal moments since then!

We are still receiving donations for Shelter!  Everyone has been so generous.

This year for the Christmas chart I am buying Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit,   Matt Berry's offering which is also helping Shelter, and for being a lovely proper Christmas song Tim Wheeler and Emmy the Great's Home for the Holidays. 

If, after Christmas, you find yourself needing a photographer you know where I am!  

 

 

 

This gallery  is from Poppy's day out at Marsh Farm in South Woodham Ferrers.  Pictures were needed for Christmas cards and now they are all with their recipients I can share them with you.  It was a strange day, exactly a year ago it was freezing and snowing, but this day was warm and sunny.  Perfect for playing with the sand and looking at goats.

 

...and they had a cat cake!  That was quite brilliant.  Sophie is a veterinary nurse, and I met their cats during our engagement shoot, so I should've been surprised!   Prested Hall is a very lovely intimate Essex venue.  Feels like your own home for the day.  It was absolute pleasure meeting their family and I just know they have an amazing life ahead of them,  full of laughter if their wedding day is anything to go by!

Click here for  Sophie and Matt's Wedding Gallery