Sadly the record shop I grew up going to is long gone so I went just up the road to Adrians in Wickford.  Got a few things including the latest single from Essex band The Milk who are quite excellent.  Having photographed them two years in a row at Brownstock it's been nice to see them get a lot of recognition this year.

Then on my way back to the car I spotted a charity shop selling lots of old records out the front.  I came home with quite a stash today! I took a few pics you can see in the gallery here...

While on the vinyl theme I love these pictures of  famous people with their records! 

 

In other news I've been lucky enough to have been featured by two blogs this week.  First up is the inspirational wedding blog Festival Brides with a feature about my little penchant for finding couples in the crowds at music festivals...then my lovely girls at The Click Collective did a feature about my music photography! 


Hope you enjoy the rest of the weekend...next week my weddings kick off with a bang with a location featured in the Woman in Black film!  

Not quite the 21st of September though but 3 days later...close enough!  I spent the day second shooting for the talented James Rouse, and the Essex sunshine was welcoming!  This was my first visit to the very pretty St Mary's and St Lawrence Church in Great Waltham and then on to Maidens Barn near Chelmsford.  
A very happy day was had by all, especially the relatives who came all the way from Australia for this special wedding day.

 

 

Please do click through to see the rest of the pictures from the day. 

 

 

...is the perfect song to go with the pictures from my first family outdoor shoot of the year.   Somehow the shoot was arranged for the first sunny, ooh I don't need my coat, day this year!  What luck.  This lovely little lady and her parents showed me around Epping Forest late in February.  

 

 

Please do click on the picture to see more photographs from the session. 

 

Most of my work is done listening to BBC 6 who turned 10 years old today!  I'd be pretty lost without it.  

 

 

 

 

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.