A 'little knights and princesses' shoot in leafy Harrogate for grandparents' birthday gift.

plum picking makes an unexpectedly great subject for a late summer family shoot

Usually, if someone asks me to do a family shoot in their garden (unless I know this garden to be estate-sized in proportions) I think 'dull, dull, dull' and basically say 'no, no, no'.

On this occasion, however, I knew that the preparation by grandparents Joanna & Paul would be second to none, and that I would be able to create them a fairytale keepsake of their four grandchildren as part of their joint 60th birthday celebrations.

a princess attacks the photographer
every princess needs a good horse, or a decent rope swing photo
the tower shall not be conquered as long as princess Bea is breathing
the dragon slayers are fighting for their queen, or for the last packet of Haribo

Firstly, the garden has a fort. Yes, you heard me right. An actual wooden fort. And the children were all ready to charge upon this castle in appropriate attire. Two boys with wooden swords hurtled across the lawn at me in St. George-like fashion, hotly pursuing two gorgeous princesses in pink. The girls were both sporting the kind of hat that I used to draw in wax crayon when I imagined myself as Rapunzel back in the glory days of my own childhood in the 1970s - pointy and mediaeval, with a chiffon veil dangling from the tip. Epic. 

grandpa entertains the children over a picnic break from the war over the fort
swinging knights on rope horses fire the kids' imaginations as the battle to capture the fort is captured in pictures

If the living re-enactment of the War of the Roses wasn't enough, then plum and apple picking in the sun-drenched orchard corner was the cherry on the icing on the photography cake. Four children, four baskets, an avalanche (literally) of plums, and some very grabby fingers later and the trees were stripped of their harvest. Empty branches, full camera.

apples and plums are harvested until the branches are empty and my camera is full
is this a good one, Helen? No bad apples are far as these adorable shots are concerned

A few family shots to round things off and the shoot was over. Thank you Paul & Joanna et al for a delightful morning and for all wearing remarkably (and unintentionally) coordinating outfits!

grandparents and their beloved grandchildren are enticed in to a group shot, even if it means bringing the bike too
my favourite shot of Paul & Joanna - I love the way she swings her feet up - she looks so happy
if you hold your basket under the tree long enough, odds are something will fall in without having to lift a finger

A Tithe Barn wedding in York

It's quite normal as a photographer to NOT get any sleep the night before a wedding. On this occasion, however, I found that the pressure was off as I was playing the role of 'second shooter' to my friend and co-photographer genius Caroline Johnston. 

The flowers were a delightful palette of pastel blues and pinks, and really very pretty and delicate indeed.

Spending the day in a semi-relaxed state was a real treat. It meant that I could actually enjoy the wedding, look for the details, and try out angles that a lone photographer would not have the luxury of time to play with. This was a church wedding, followed by a wedding breakfast of roasted hog (yum) at a venue to die for.

A confetti storm was about to erupt, but there was very little that would have dampened the spirits of this bride and groom

It was a very relaxed day, reflected by the choice of Reception venue which was the Tithe Barn at Nether Poppleton in York. A truly beautiful venue, nestling beside a duck pond and open fields, the interior was almost magical. Open beams and twinkly lights were complemented by beautiful table settings and low hanging bunting. Breathtaking.

The Tithe Barn at Poppleton in York is a magical setting for a wedding breakfast.

The bride wore a romantic gown with loads of tulle around the skirt and shoulders (you can never have too much tulle!) It mingled and frothed as it combined with the fallen confetti petals, making for an irresistible moment.

Yards of tulle and romantic confetti combined for this shot

The church balcony provided an opportunity to get above the action for a change. What a view, and what a ceiling!

Ian and Charlotte look so blissfully happy during the ceremony - even the priest commented on the permanent grin that was fixed to the bride's face!

The organist was a bit surprised to see me appear at the top of the stairs as I joined him up 'in the gods' on the balcony, but he didn't miss a note!

The surprised organist didn't miss a beat when I joined him on the balcony during the ceremony!

Knaresborough, a bride and a lot of long grass - styled photo shoot

Stunning evening light and the shade of a tree brought zing to model Issy's beautiful brown eyes for this bridal portrait

Issy is a friend's daughter. Her perfect brown eyes and youthful skin are priceless material for a wedding photographer seeking a model for a bridal shoot, and thankfully she agreed to my demands.

I had been in nearby Knaresborough recently with the kids for a summer picnic beside the river. On that day, I had happened across a 'perfect' spot whilst walking the dogs down a side path. I knew immediately that I wanted to come back with a bride, and since I don't have a Knaresborough wedding booked, I thought I'd better get on with it myself (before the grass gets cut!)

The passing dog walkers were intrigued to find a lonely bride in the filed on their evening constitutional stroll!

So, model - check. Flowers - check (donated by a friend). All I needed was a dress and a make-up/hair artist. The latter were both provided, with spectacular finesse, by Chrys Spaulding-Chapman, using Laura Mercier cosmetics. The dress, my own, dusted off for a fresh outing, and looking damn fine if I may say so myself.

The river bends 180 degrees at this point in Knaresborough, providing a still and perfect backdrop for a reflective wedding portrait.

Issy's easy quality in front of the camera made this shoot a breeze. The water lovingly offered up a reflective surface for a reflective portrait, and the evening sun just did its thing without any fuss.

Blue hyacinths and the longest grass I can remember seeing provided perfect simplicity for Issy to drag her gown and train in to the distance for a wider shot

The field of incredibly long tufty grass is completely surrounded by enormous banks of trees, creating this incredible 'enclosed' atmosphere. Isolating Issy from the background using a long focal length helps to emphasise her delicacy against nature's backdrop.

The final shots of the day were at dusk as the sun fell below the horizon. Gnats were buzzing around and the evening light presented us with a beautiful rim light around Issy's gown

We shot for two full hours, and the sun breathed its last as we finished our final images. There were gnats buzzing about our heads like fireflies as it grew darker, whilst the low sun highlighted and accentuated the tulle outer skirt on Issy's gown.

Laughter in the old cow sheds for a few more relaxed poses as we left the shoot just before dark

A passer-by reminded us (helpfully) that we were standing in a pig pen, which seemed fitting in an expensive wedding dress! Made us smile though!

The engagement ring nestled amongst eucalyptus leaves to show off its vintage sparkle

The vintage sapphire and diamond engagement ring nestled amongst a handful of eucalyptus leaves - the details at any wedding are all important.

Playing with the veil may have ruined Issy's hair but it was fun to capture a partially concealed portrait

As the day came to an end, some veil adjustments became an opportunity for playful portraits. A partially concealed bride is, traditionally, the way every good wedding begins, so why not re-create the moment even if the groom has not yet met the bride?

Natural light and babies

Newborn baby S finally found enough peace to allow a cuddle with big sister L. The girls were adorned in daisy chains by their mum, who was a picture of calmness as she soothed newborn S back to sleep a dozen times

When I booked this newborn shoot at the client's home, new mum V was anxious to let me know that her house was not roomy or spacious. Tiny, in fact, she said. She helpfully sent me photos of the living room and bedroom, which confirmed her concerns about space. What she may not have realised was that I was only looking for good light, and the bedroom had a gorgeous bay window. 

Pretty in apricot, little tiny S wore this headband and wrap combo well. Her little frowny face rarely left her, even when she was sleeping peacefully, but mum assured me this seemed to be the normal expression!

After a fair bit of sweat and jiggery-pokery, the iron bedstead was manoeuvered 90 degrees to remove the headboard cross-bars from blocking the light, and I borrowed mum's perfect ready-made backdrop of a hand painted apricot-coloured bi-fold screen into position. All we now needed was a quiet baby and yes, you've guessed it, she screamed the place down! Food, food and more food please mummy!

Baby S took up a naturally curled position on the bed - she seemed comfortable at last, so it seemed wrong to disturb her nap! A quick headband change and shooooott!!

It was definitely a case of feed, rock, burp and lay-her-down-quickly-so-we-can get-a few-shots on this particular shoot. Very little prop work or accessories were appropriate with S being so unsettled, but I think we managed to do her justice.

Teeny tiny ears, lips, fingers and toes are always the scrummy part of my job.

Twins & more twins

During a week filled with six rainy days (hello, British August), the seventh day was appropriately biblical as the sunshine poured over Ripley All Saints Church for the baptism of 11 month old twins, H & W.

Double the trouble when identical twins are heading for a dip in the Font for their baptism, and double the trouble for the photographer who tries to catch the moments! Picturesque All Saints Church sits next to Ripley Castle, near Harrogate, which …

Shoeless and rocking a comfortable 10.0 on the cuteness scale, the boys were dressed in traditional white blouses and sky blue shorts, with little chubby rolls of baby lusciousness on display for anyone who cared to take a pinch. Both boys have incredible blue eyes and fair hair, and clearly preferred a natural division into 'daddy's boy' and 'mummy's boy' camps.

Taking a sensible 'one each' approach, mummy and daddy grab a twin and a bench each for a few snaps before the ceremony begins

Mummy and daddy sensibly took a 'one each' approach and grabbed both a twin and a bench in a quiet corner of the churchyard for a few snapshots before the ceremony began. The vicar was apologetic about the 'atmospheric' (aka dark) corner of the church where the Font was located, but managed to punctuate his entertaining narrative with some audience participation, which both parents and children appreciated.

An atmospheric corner with limited natural light offered a challenging shooting condition, but the twins kept themselves entertained by hitting daddy on the head with the hymn sheet throughout!
The cake was simple and elegant in dove grey icing with pearly embellishments.

Once the deed was done, the magnificent backdrop of Ripley Castle offered a chance for the guests to let their hair down and enjoy the clement weather. The children were kept busy with games on the lawn whilst the grown ups tested the champagne and readied themselves for a glorious afternoon tea.

For the children there were games on the castle lawn, and for the adults the preferred sport was champagne drinking.

It is rare to go to a Christening event these days, but this one was relaxed and enjoyable and made all the more interesting by the presence of not one, but THREE pairs of twins in two generations of the family. Dad's older boys, pictured here with their little brothers made up the second set, and mum and her sister completed the trio. 

Two out of the three sets of twins present on the day of the Christening. Brothers all four, separated by years, but together and looking handsome for photos to commemorate H & W's special day.

My family (and other animals) on holiday

The annual tribe-on-tour event has taken place. This year's destination - South Western France.

Failed full length selfie of the old couple. Failed as my tummy was unshowable and had to be cropped severely

A mercifully brief (but paradoxically expensive) flight to Toulouse was how it began. Land of sunflowers, mediaeval hilltop towns and above all else, apples. Apples everywhere. Hectare upon hectare of the bloody things. A veritable Scrumper's Paradise and I didn't even pack my cider press. This countryside provided us with a glorious vista from the comfort of our sunbeds, with the grape as our preferred fruit of choice on most evenings. Everyone admired the view.

Shot of the best friends admiring the apple-encrusted countryside view from the family's holiday home

I love my family holiday. I love my family, of course, and they are 50% of 'family holiday' after all, but the actual 'holiday' part where I get to read a book and not wash up is, without contest, a very close second.

The camera is never far from my side, and since this area of France has more mediaeval bastille towns than one can throw a stick at, it was easy enough to capture the atmosphere as the sun went down and the corks started popping.

Photographing a local gourmet night market as the sun went down was no hardship

I was struck by the sense of community here. A festival of light in Lauzerte required the co-operation of every single village resident to plunge themselves into darkness at dusk. If one stubborn ex-pat had refused to turn off Eastenders or close the fridge door, the whole event would have been a write-off. 

Mediaeval towns are ten-a-penny in this Labyrinth inspired part of France. Photographic manna from heaven

But what of the animals, I hear you cry? Well, our ever-present lifeguard came in canine form. This adorable but highly strung beauty was our constant companion. She was the seeker-out-of-food-scraps-that-she-was-allergic-to and saw her most important role as pool intervention - woe betide the child that attempted to effect a dive or jump in without her consent as she formed a canine shield with her large body between the offender and the pool.

Our family's adopted pet for the week. The canine lifeguard.

Tradition dictates that no vacation pass by without a visit to the local 'Accrobranche'. Our 6 adrenalin junkies can't get enough of the high ropes harness hell, and this year the added attraction of a nearby close-contact monkey sanctuary proved too much to resist. See? Animals! The hand-feeding of the monkeys, which roamed freely amongst the visitors, was very much encouraged. They will happily take popcorn from you without so much as a by-your-leave, but there was no sign of a Multiplex anywhere.

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Lest we forget that homosapiens are animals too, too many late nights will bring us back to earth....

Tired and emotional offspring will happily remind us that it's not only the furry animals that can be wild.

104 things to photograph

Truly the most interesting birthday present I've ever received, and only £12.99 according to the book jacket!

I am busy making a start, but every time I'm out and about with my camera I seem to struggle to get my brain to hold on to the 104 things that grace the list. I've posted them on my Facebook page in case you want to join in (find that here), and this Blog post may also inspire you to have a go.

Here's the list itself, and my first handful of offerings. I'll update regularly here as the book gets filled. (Hey, just noticed there's an item called ' a list' on the list! Got that covered then!)

A vintage forest-themed wedding shoot

I expected it to be cold. I expected there to be a lot of waiting for my already-gorgeous model to be beautified. I even expected the weather to disobey. What I didn't expect was the emotion I felt when I saw the final images of Anna in my mum's 1957 wedding dress.

Anna has never modelled before, but she was a total natural, requiring little direction. Those enormous brown were enhanced with perfection by the equally gorgeous Rishu Puri using Arbonne cosmetics.

The wellies seemed to somehow set off my mum's wedding gown perfectly, and a nearby forest provided the perfect romantic backdrop for our antics.

The final embellishments were provided by lovely Louise, who created a soft and timeless look for our bride's hair.

Thanks ladies. Mum would be proud.



Bluebells

Sunday in our house is never as I envisaged it. Other families seem to manage outings, picnics, long walks or lunch at the pub. Calmness. 

Yesterday, between homework hell and a Kilimanjaro of ironing, I craved calmness so badly that I sought it out. I grabbed three of the kids, two of the pets and a camera. Respite came in the form of bluebells and swings.