Will you be watching Friday's wedding?

I'm curious to understand the Royalist-Republican split out there so vote in this week's poll (on the right, scroll down) and let me know!

It started with a kiss - then a venue

The results of last week's poll are in and it seems most of you decide on the venue before you get specific on the date, the dress and the flowers. That's certainly how I did it. Having a rough idea of when you want to get married helps open the dialogue with your shortlist of venues, but availability of the venue then governs the exact date and time you'll be walking down the aisle.

I've been lucky enough to photograph weddings in lots of lovely locations and I have many favourites, each for a different reason. Here are a few together with why I have chosen them.

For a splendid interior and the bangers & mash wedding breakfast:
Headington Hill House, Oxford

For open-air ceremonies wonderful gardens and a private island to boot:
Ardington House, Wantage

For a laid-back wedding vibe that's perfect for kids too:
Lains Barn, Wantage

For a pampering treat, with roaring fires and gorgeous grounds:
Hartwell House and Spa, Aylesbury

For the perfect mix of chapel, party and boutique accommodation:
Wasing Park, Berkshire

But I suppose, if none of those suit, there's always Westminster Abbey....

Picture of the week #3

It's the start of the long Easter weekend, it's almost G&T time and the sun's shining so I thought I'd share a little bit of nature's wonder with you to help you kick back and relax into the perfect laid-back weekend.

These two blue-themed shots were taken this morning at Harcourt Arboretum - the bluebell woods were simply stunning and for once, the peacocks were willing models. I'm thinking of developing the blue theme into a colour-based series of photographs so watch this space.

In the meantime, happy Easter everyone and get out to a bluebell wood if you can - I'd highly recommend it at this time of year.

Appearing online with the launch of Mumsnet Learning

Nice to see my photographs helping to launch a brand new service from Mumsnet, called Mumsnet Learning, which rolled out today. Mumsnet is the UK's most popular parenting website so I'm rather pleased to make the homepage as well.

This shoot was from a couple of months ago and featured the very lovely Beatrice and Michelle - who appear as Mumsnet Learning's very own cover stars for the launch!

Picture of the week #2

This week's picture of the week is from a wedding shoot from about eighteen months ago, held in the gorgeous countryside location of Wasing Park in Berkshire. Those of you who have been following my work for a while will recognise the bride Claire, as she blogged about her wedding for John Lewis and Greenbee and I supplied a number of wedding shots for their site.

Anyway, this shot makes 'picture of the week' because it always makes me smile whenever I see it. Claire's face is a picture, her friends look stunning and it captures the essence of what was a fun and laid back day. Henri Cartier-Bresson talked about the decisive moment in photography and for me, this photo is all about that moment, when a bride's happiness on her wedding day is there for all to see.

Results from last week's poll and a new one this week

The results are in from last week's poll on how many bridesmaids to choose and it appears that 50% of you would opt one best friend, with 37% choosing two to four close friends. Thanks for participating!

This week, our poll question is all about planning the perfect wedding and where you start first - with the date, the dress, the venue or the photography?

Sneak preview of Saturday's wedding at Ardington House

Yesterday I had the privilege of photographing the wedding of Hannah and Paul at Ardington House in Wantage. It's a beautiful location and the weather was perfect for Hannah and Paul's lovely open-air ceremony followed by champagne and music on a little island in the grounds.

Many congratulations to you both - I hope you enjoy this sneak preview of your photographs and that you have a wonderful honeymoon.

How many bridesmaids?

In case you haven't noticed, I have a little poll running on my blog, and the inaugural one asks how many bridesmaids you'd choose. Me, I had one but I've covered lots of weddings with at least four and often five bridesmaids.

However many you choose, gone are the days of putting them in matching peach ballgowns - research shows that the modern bride often nominates a colour theme and lets her bridesmaids choose a dress style they'll be most happy in and will be likely to wear again. Very sensible...

So how many bridesmaids would you choose? Cast your vote now in the poll on the right and pop back to see what the majority verdict is in the next blog post.

Any location will do

One of the first question clients and other photographers ask me is 'have you got a studio?' The photographers are being geeky - we love to have a nose round other people's kit - but with clients, the reason for the question is a bit different. You want a portrait session so you shoot in a studio right?

Well yes, but you don't have to limit yourselves to a studio set up. I often find, particularly when photographing children and families, that a location of their choosing is much more fun and far less intimidating than a studio and the results are often far more genuine and characterful.

To illustrate this point, here's a portrait of my youngest son, taken at home this weekend with natural light from an east-facing window, a simple wooden floor as a backdrop and about a 5-minute window of cooperation...

Apps and the glorious photo potentials of the iPhone 4

As well as being a self-confessed photography junkie, I am also one of those sad types who can't quite manage to be parted from my iPhone for too long. Of course, I justify this addiction to those around me by claiming I am checking important client emails or googling shoot locations, but to be honest, I just feel better when my iPhone is next to me.

My little phone is weighed down by a whole host of useful photography apps though - from the completely brilliant Easy Release (which lets you create and email model release forms on location), to Photoshop and stock agency apps, there is so much out there that really can be invaluable.
But my favourite app has to be Hipstamatic, for the endless creative possibilities it affords me.  The retro finish to Hipsta prints recreates those dinky square prints from my childhood and the bubblegum coloured flash options are too cool to ignore. Yes, I may be an iPhone addict, but I must also confess to being a bit of a Hipsta too. Here is one of my recent creations and for more inspiration, check out the Hipsta community too.

Picture of the week #1

To kick off the new blog in style, I thought it would be good to showcase some shots from my archives and give you a bit of background as to why I like it, in a (loose) picture of the week-type deal. So, without further ado, here is the inaugural 'picture of the week'.

I love this one for a couple of reasons - firstly, Anna the bride was a complete delight to work with and this shot captures the atmosphere of the pre-wedding preparations, but mainly, it's the role of the light that makes this one work for me. It was the tiniest of rooms (above a converted stable) but the light makes for a lovely crisp and even-toned photograph and that's why it makes 'picture of the week'.

New home for the blog

I am forever re-organising the furniture in my house - my long-suffering husband is getting used to not sitting in the same place for more than a couple of months at a time and he's all but given up trying to find things. It's a family trait - my uber design-conscious brother is just the same, so it's little wonder I suppose that I extend my tinkering to the virtual world too, having just re-jigged my blog to live here instead of, um, where it was before. So, um, here it is...