One for the album ..

 

 

The idea of having a Wedding ‘album’ seems to be fading into history. I think I’ve only made three this year. One of my faves is this one, from a Wedding back in July, that involved a boat trip on the Manchester Ship Canal and a walk through Salford Quays to the Imperial War Museum North. It was so laid back, so ‘different’, and so unconventional .. it was just made for good photography.
Click on the pix to see what I mean ..

Off for drinks with pals today, and time to count our blessings. Of the six of us meeting up, all are still working photographers apart from old fart Jim, who has taken early retirement. You can be sure that – as always at our get-togethers – the changing face of photography will be a dominant theme of our conversation and then – as always, especially after the third pint – it’ll deteriorate into a ‘fings ain’t wot they used to be’ blub-fest. Photography sure has changed a lot in ‘my time’ but, whatever its challenges today, I’m still bloody lucky to be a professional working photographer.
Cheers!..

Slebs ..

I’ve been in Foo Foo Lamar’s bedroom! Now, if you’re not from Manchester, that statement won’t mean a thing, so let me explain. Frank ‘Foo Foo’ Lamar was a Drag Queen who ran his own club – Foo Foo’s Palace – in Manchester, for years and years. He raised kerjillions for charity though, sadly, died of cancer over ten years ago. Anyway, let’s get back to his bedroom! The Manchester Evening News launched a new weekly magazine in the 90s and, rather flatteringly, chose me as one of its small posse of snappers. They decided they’d run an article on ‘Celebrities in their bedrooms’ .. (?) .. so I got the job of hoiking my 645 transparency camera around the city and squeezing myself between the wardrobes and dressing tables of the more-well known citizens of Manchester. I mention this because I’ve just turfed up rather a lot of celebrity photographs from my days on the ‘papers, so I decided to design a ‘Slebs’ page on my web-site. Alas, as I was working for the press, a lot of my shots are long gone, but the ones I managed to salvage are a fascinating look back at the days when being famous meant you’d actually done more in your life than marry a footballer or sung for two-minutes on a Saturday night talent (?) contest! Anyway, have a look via StudioFiveFour Photography. See how many you can name! There’s everyone from Peter Ustinov to Sooty, via Maggie Thatcher, Terry Wogan and a very young Steve Coogan!
Oh, and Foo Foo? Great legs ..

File under fantastic ..

Another dive into my mysterious cache of unfiled negatives yesterday, and I dug out a cracking pair of pictures from the early 90s. These were the heady days when Manchester felt it had a decent shot at winning the 2000 Olympics although I think, from the peeling poster and the headline on the MEN board, you can guess the outcome!..

Prince Andrew was another surprise in the box. I’d forgotten I even photographed him! And then there was Nigel Lawson, Gary Davies and Sonia, the Scouse singy-bird from Stock, Aitken and Waterman’s little collection. There was even a shot of my old boss from the Warrington Guardian, a diminutive Georgie called Eddie who looks like he couldn’t possibly have the strength to actually carry the huge Nikon and motor-drive he’s wearing round his neck.
All great additions to my archive ..

What’s a motor-drive, Grandad? ..

Take a seat ..

I almost didn’t write a blog today. Hell no, I’m far too busy! Well, it’s that time of year, isn’t it? I’ve got sofas to buy, cruise holidays to book, detox diets to start .. who’s got time to blog? Actually, TV ads aside, I have had a busy start to the year, albeit stuck in front of my trusty Mac as I work through Wedding selections and people’s print orders. I spent yesterday mentally back in October, as I sorted out the images for a Wedding I shot then at the Didsbury House Hotel. Today I’m working on a selection of shots that have been ordered from a lady who came into the studio for some ‘Dating Agency’ photographs. The agency like them so much, in fact, that they’ve asked if I’d consider travelling to London to shoot more of their clients! Tasty! I’ve also chucked a bit more work at the websites – both Manchester Wedding Photography and StudioFiveFour – in my never-ending quest to get them up, up, up those rankings. In fact, I googled myself yesterday and was delighted to say I came out on the front page exactly one listing above one of my old mates! We may be the best of pals but I’m afraid there’s no love lost in the murky jungle of work! Ha ..

No love lost? Isn’t that a Joy Division song? Funny you should ask, ‘cos I’ve got good news about my shots of the band. They’ll be going ‘on tour’ in the Spring as part of a theatrical production about the group. Theatrical production? A play, Martin .. a play. Jeez, keep it simple! I’ll tell you more after my meeting with the company. Man, I need a sit down …

Splashdown ..

I was shooting a Christmas Wedding at Peckforton Castle, literally on this Monday a year ago. The weather was abysmal. It rained non-stop all day, and I didn’t get a single photograph of anybody outside .. much to my frustration. However, just before the Wedding Breakfast, the rain stopped and I practically pleaded with the Bride and Groom to come outside for a quick photograph. They reluctantly agreed, as long as the Bride could hold her dress up and away from the soaking paths, so it was lights, cameras and a hasty walk down to the gate-house at Peckforton to enable me to get the whole of the Castle in the shot. I parked the couple under the huge tree there, plonked down my tripod, set up my light and .. a Rook dropped a big blob of poo straight onto the Groom’s head! (It was easy to see .. the guy had no hair!) I automatically pressed the shutter, even though I hadn’t set the exposure or white balance, and was just about to shoot again when the Bride screamed in dismay and set off back to the Castle at 100mph. The big, black splish had bounced straight off the Groom’s head.. and all over her dress! The shoot was over!

No shots of the couple outside the castle.

So close!!..

Next there were tears, and then I got a ticking off from the Bride’s dad, but I was more concerned that I hadn’t got a shot of the couple with their venue in the picture! Still, everything calmed down and, by the time the pair came to Manchester Wedding Photography to pick up their Wedding album some months later it was all a great, big, funny part of the day. It goes to show that these things are always worth shooting ‘cos, when it’s all done and dusted, a dress is for a day, but a memory is a memory for ever!..

“I’d love to Blog that one day..” I said to them. “You should..” they said.

I just have..

Happy Anniversary, guys!…

I’ll have the squits, please ..

Busy few days ahead for me, with a range of PR jobs to shoot and a lovely Bank Holiday Wedding to round off the week. I’ll be at a primary school on Wednesday, photographing the kids for a new school website and brochure. I’m also photographing a ‘Summer Showcase’ for the Imperial War Museum North, and then it’s a trip down memory lane as I get to return for a shoot at the one and only Coronation Street Tour, at the old Granada Studios site in Manchester. I used to shoot all their PR photography, so no funny comments about it shutting down all those years ago!!..

Of course, as soon as one is busy again any recent holiday seems to disappear into the distance faster than a 99 on Blackpool beach. It’s a week after our return from Greece now, but I’m pleased to say we had a pretty fair re-run of the holiday yesterday. Great weather, al fresco dining and lots of lovely drink! Here’s something we didn’t order from the menu, though!..

Just thought I’d share that ..

I’m, like, a creative, man …

A small set of Corporate Portraits for you today, seeing as I spent yesterday afternoon shooting some new ones for one of my clients. I love arriving at what is basically a bland, empty office and being told “Get on with it!” – having to come up with a whole series of images from, well .. nothing! The portraits I shot yesterday are going to be made into posters to be hung all over this particular company’s Manchester offices. They’ll be seen by thousands of people, but I got just an hour and a half to recce the room, set up the lighting, shoot the shots of 20 staff members and de-rig so that the office was empty again for its next meeting. But that’s – like – totally my scene, man! Hey, I even got to incorporate a little bit of sunshine into the picture! Just check out the image on the right! Ooooh, creativity! Je t’aime!…