Tristam - Lifestyle Portrait Shoot, Ilkley, Yorkshire

Another journey up the motorway to Yorkshire on Wednesday for a lifestyle portrait shoot during the half-term holidays with Tristam. I have been to Yorkshire several times in the last few months for weddings, pre-wed shoots and portrait shoots and I think I've actually picked up a bit of a Yorkshire accent!!!. Tristam is such a great teenager and he really enjoyed the shoot, whereas most teenagers have usually reluctantly agreed to ‘suffer’ a shoot because their parents have insisted!!! He was a pleasure to meet and to photograph, and what a talented young man. I used to play the violin but after talking to Tristam and hearing him play, it puts my playing to shame!!!

Tom & Sam - Lifestyle Portrait Shoot

Another great portrait shoot last week. This time I travelled up to Derby to meet up with teenage brothers Tom and Sam. Both are very sporty young men and they love the great outdoors. Tom who is 17 years old was even recently amongst an expedition who climbed Mount Everest!!! This really puts the mountaineering attempts that I made earlier this year at Bradgate Country Park (see an earlier blog entry) to shame!!! It is so refreshing to meet such fab young people who spend their time striving to achieve such great heights (no pun intended!)

Ellie – Lifestyle Portrait Shoot

I loved meeting up with Ellie for her portrait shoot in Warwickshire last week, and what a really lovely, talented young lady she is! She was such a natural in front of the camera and a pleasure to photograph. Ellie is very musical indeed, playing a number of instruments and is also a chorister at an prestigious cathedral school. I think that her sunny character really shines through in these images and I hope that Ellie and Mum love them!

Kerry & Peter (& Family) - Pre Wedding Shoot

On Tuesday I met up with Kerry and Peter whose wedding I am photographing in May. We wandered through the grounds of New Hall Hotel in Sutton Coldfield, their reception venue, with their children Logan and Hennessey and Kerry's mom and had a really great family shoot. Kerry and Peter’s wedding ceremony is being held at the magnificent St. Chad’s Cathedral in Central Birmingham. I just can’t wait to photograph inside the Cathedral as it is just beautiful! Kerry and Peter’s wedding is certainly going to be a fantastic event. They will be celebrating with over 200 guests, and as Peter’s family are from Scotland, there will be 25 of his male family and friends wearing kilts!

Hannah and Emily – Lifestyle Portrait Shoot – Glastonbury

Another very busy week for me this week!!! My first portrait shoot of the week was on Tuesday in Glastonbury. I travelled down to the West Country for a Lifestyle Portait Shoot with Hannah and Emily, two fab teenage sisters. We had a really fun shoot and spent most of the afternoon laughing, as the girls enjoyed nothing better than giving each other the giggles. Having so much fun in natural settings produces such nicer images than those shot in the confined space of a studio. A great shoot girls – hope you like the pics.

Louise, Carl and Poppy – Lifestyle Portrait shoot – Staffordshire

I was much nearer to home for Thursday afternoon’s shoot – just a five minute drive from my studio in fact! I met up with Louise, Carl and their gorgeous little dog Poppy for a lifestyle portrait shoot. Louise and Carl wanted some really natural shots of themselves and of course little Poppy, who holds a very special place in their hearts. Poppy was a little star, she was so well behaved and actually posed for the camera!! I have been thinking just lately of getting a little puppy myself, and after seeing Poppy I really think I will.

Meryl – Lifestyle Portrait Shoot - Northampton

On Friday I was in Northampton for a Lifestyle Portrait Shoot with lovely eight year old Meryl. She was a little unsure what to expect when her Mum told her that she wanted her to have some photographs taken, but she took to it like a little star. She soon began suggesting poses that might be nice and even produced her clarinet and played a tune for me. What a lovely thoughtful little girl – I hope you like the pics Meryl and Mum.

Louis – Lifestyle Shoot – Warwick

I spent a lovely afternoon on a Lifestyle Shoot on Monday with Louis who is six years old. We had a great, fun shoot, chatting all the while. Louis was telling me all about his pets – a cat, a hamster and goldfish and we even went hunting for frogs in his neighbours back garden.

Holly & Joseph – Lifestyle Portrait Shoot - Northampton

I first photographed Holly and Joseph about 2 years ago, and was over the moon to be asked to do a further shoot now they are older. They had grown so much and were still really great to photograph – they were fab. They are both keen sports fans and Holly still supports Chelsea (best not tell my Dad!) Since my last visit they have acquired a new member to the family – Simba. Simba is a 4 month old Husky/Collie cross puppy. I say puppy but he was literally 10 times the size of my puppy Dylan!!! He is beautiful but must eat them out of house and home! Lovely to see you again Holly and Joseph and it was great to catch up on all your news.

Bailey – Lifestyle Portrait Shoot – Kent

It has been a very busy week or two for me on the Portrait front. With the Easter holidays and the children off school, I have had a full diary again this week. On Thursday I was in Kent for two shoots, the morning one being with 15 year old Bailey. Bailey is really into his music and although we chatted about ‘The Kings of Leon’ and ‘The Killers’ his favourites are more my brother’s tastes, ‘Bloc Party’ and the like. I don’t think that he was really looking forward to the shoot, but once he realised that I wasn’t some old fogey of a photographer, he got a little more into the shoot, and I think some pics may even appear on his Facebook page!