Siena Wedding

I took this quick grab shot last year whilst me & my wife (in the background) were on our travels around Italy. This shot was taken in the lovely Piazza del Campo, Siena. We traveled around Italy quite a bit & Siena was for sure one of my favourite places. Destination weddings is something I am yet to delve into but places like this make me want to shoot abroad desperately.

This was shot with my trusty Fuji x100s. The x100s is the ‘vintage’ looking camera that you can see me using in my profile profile pic of Facebook. The x100s is a small fixed lens camera which is perfect for travel, that is if you want to travel light & maintain amazing image quality. This is my personal camera but it is also one of the cameras that I use to shoot weddings. With a silent shutter & medium wide lens it is a great camera for documenting weddings too. 

If I had to recommend someone an all around camera it would for sure be a Fuji. The new x70 is another fixed lens camera like the x100 cameras but it doesn’t have a viewfinder. If that doesn’t bother you then it is a great little compact camera with a really sharp lens. If you want a viewfinder go for an x100 series camera (x100, x100s or x100t). You an pick them up used for a good price now too.

Some feel that shooting with a single lens is limiting. Maybe, sometimes, but usually not. I find it refreshing not having to think about what lens to use. When I want a shot I take it. If I need to zoom out I move back, if I need to zoom in I move forwards. Oh yeah I forgot to mention the x70 & x100 cameras also focus really close so if you are often taking ‘food porn’ shots they are both great for that too… See below…

Howard

Amazing candle lit reception

I don’t normally post these kind of photos but I thought that this room was so special that it deserved a bit of extra attention. 

The bride, Jane, is an avid ‘pinner’. Like seriously, this girl is a true creative & uses Pinterest to plan out her creative visions. I heard the staff at Hotel Du Vin say that ‘the room looked nice like this’ & I got the impression that it had never been laid out like this before, or tales they had never seen it like this before. This is what makes Pinterest so great. It is a great place to collate your ideas & then put them into practice. Pinterest is a Brides best friend, forget the ‘groom to be’, if your after creative brainstorming look no further than Pinterest.

Anyway I have promoted Pinterest enough now! Back to this reception room. With only 30 guests at the wedding on big long table was perfect & it really does look great. 

The lights were dimmed & the room was lit with candles all the way down the table… The light was low, pushing my camera to their limit but I love the grainy look anyway ;)

I have pressed these photos with a modified VSCO Ultramax 800 preset & lifted the shadows a fair bit to bring the exposure up. It really was dimly lit!

So whats the point of this blog post? I don’t really know, maybe just to share this amazing venue, maybe to give you a nudge to get on Pinterest. Whatever you take from this blog post I do encourage you to get on Pinterest & while your there give me a follow.

Howard

Father of the bride dance

Jane & her dad had not had the chance to have a real dance until last night. Jane & Mark’s wedding was last Sunday at Hotel Du Vin Birmingham. They had a really small wedding with only 30 guests. Its was small, personal & just lovely.

Last night they had their party at Hampton Mannor in Hampton in Arden. With about 150 guests, LOTS of drink, mini fish & chips (really good) & a sick band (Apollo Soul). It was going to be a messy night, I could tell!

I don’t think Jane had planned to do this dance but with the drinks flowing & rowdy guests requesting, it just happened. Here is just one of many photos I took (yeh I shoot a lot, if you have been at a wedding party with me you will know what I mean!).

I love this photo. It’s just fun. Exactly what the evening of your wedding should be. You don’t need to pose this stuff. The photos & there, I just need to go & take them.

Shooting the party is probably my favourite part of the day. Even though my ears are still ringing & I am meeting a client in 45 mins it is still worth it.

Howard