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Duncan: Posted on 29 February 2012 22:46
I was beginning to worry that I had some doom bird flying round my head, as my principal camera had a senior moment and lost its mirror at the wedding at the weekend. Luckily,being the professional that I am, a two minute pause in the post ceremony pictures and the backup was in operation and working well. This was an unusual ceremony, as Janet and Craig had also incorporated a naming ceremony for their son, Christopher and the registrar at the Tontine Hotel included some audience participation into the proceedings.Things went smoothly and it was nice to see a couple so comfortable together(as the speeches later confirmed, it had been 18 years, which had included a 5 year engagement). |
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Duncan: Posted on 10 January 2012 16:54
Well with my first wedding of the year coming up at the weekend with the lovely John and Jean, it seemed an auspicious time to disclose my new shoots planned for the coming weeks. Following a flash of inspiration and an agreeable owner, my next set of shoots will all be based in a less than humble barbershop. A barbershop in Greenock will play host to these shoots outside of its usual extended opening hours. This means an OMG it's early start at 8 a.m. on a Sunday with 4 themed shoots. Shoot four is still a bit of a grey area, and may depend on the success of the earlier shoots and the willingness of the shop owner to host a fourth shoot. Not necessarily in order. Shoot 1 - This will be rock 'n' roll themed with a male model in the James Dean role and two sweatergirl 50's female models. This will be a light, bright and upbeat shoot, very much reflecting the classy retro decor. Shoot 2 - This will be a darker piece, a lot more use of shadow and light, with the male model in a ratpack look, suave but with an edge. The two female roles here will take very different routes with one model as a screen siren vamp in a dress, probably kindly provided by Alison at Psychomoda. The second model will have a more androgynous look and extra care will be taken with the application of the straight razor. Shoot 3 - This will be a mad milliner's explosion. This will almost be a performance piece, with headpieces kindly supplied by Jenivieve Berlin millinery and several female models in various guises. If all goes to plan, this will have elements of carnival, burlesque and circus to it. With no flexibility, timewise, as we don't want to interfere with the smooth running of the shop, I can expect to be stressed to the max again. So far there has been a good amount of interest from models and makeup artists so once we firm down some dates, I'm hoping we can create something fun out of the three initial shoots. More to follow no doubt as the panic sets in....but in the meantime fingers crossed for the weather on Saturday. |
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Posted on 03 January 2011 20:33
 Well, the last wedding on my calendar for 2010 was that of Louise and Colin. They had a lovely service at the Parish Church in Inverkip, followed by a big bash with friends and family at the Brisbane House Hotel, here in Largs. The day was not the best, though free of ice and snow, it was full of intermittent drizzle and rain.  I was seeking inspiration from Jack Vettriano's Singing Butler and brought along a couple of umbrellas, which came in very handy in the end. Louise and Colin were great fun, though it was hard sometimes to get a picture where they weren't kissing! |
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Duncan: Posted on 12 December 2010 21:15
So, this is the first post straight from my phone. So it will be brief!
I am prepping for my next wedding, my first in my hometown of largs. As it is a seaside (firthside?) town i sought some inspiration from Jack Vettriano's picture, The Singing Butler. So a quick online tour to buy 2 umbrellas and i am all prepared for the big day at the end if the month. Of course, our weather lately may mean the umbrellas will see a less than artistic use. |
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Posted on 21 November 2010 20:26
 I thought I'd begin my new blog with an entry about the off season. Most weddings are between Spring and Autumn. This means that brides seeking a photographer during the slower winter season often have a bit more negotiating power...oops not supposed to tell you that! The other thing about winter weddings is the photographer has additional challenges to face. There is simply less light, expecially here in Scotland, with daylight ending around 4pm. The weather is often inclement, or cold and people rarely look their best if they are shivering and turning slowly blue. The other thing to contend with here on the West Coast of Scotland is wind. An otherwise glorious day can be ripped apart by a cold winter breeze (gales to the Southerners reading this). So how to overcome this? One option is to move everything indoors. This limits the size of group shots, makes it a challenge to balance the different light sources in the venue, and you end up working your flash to the max. The same light that makes nice mood lighting for the dancing and evening meal can make it just too dark to use available light. Hotels with conservatories or rooms with good windows can offer natural light and warmth and can be a good fall back if you still have some daylight to play with. Small groups again due to the space constraints. Another option, which I tried recently was to set up a photo studio at the venue. It means that you can't capture so many spontaneous moments, as everyone in front of the studio lights knows why they are there, but it does mean that you can light your subjects. You need a spare spacious room to do this, access to power points and a safe route to the posing area, This can be done as a one man operation, but setting up the studio elements (backdrop and lights) is easier with an assistant. The other advantage of an assistant is that they can take the "studio" pictures, while you, the more skilled photographer, can go off and find the more natural shots. |
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