photos I love: Elie Beach, March 2012

I took this photograph, in March 2012. I was in Elie for an engagement shoot with Dillon and Rosalyn.

It was a gorgeous, warm day, the first really warm day in an unusually hot spell in March. We went over to that lighthouse to start our photos, and when we returned to the harbour, we went for lunch. While we were sitting outside, I took this photograph.

In terms of landscape, it's probably quite dull. The sky is flat, the sea is still, the line of the land is narrow. But I love this photograph. I love it for its simplicity. I love that it's not filled with everything and anything, clouds, sunshine, birds, tornadoes, leaves. The sky was flat - it was a very hazy day. Look through the other photos, it was almost misty. But it's not boring to me. There's a subtle graduation in colour, creeping in from the left, and fading out towards the right where the sunshine was coming from. If you saw a cloudless sky outside your window in Scotland, you'd comment on it. I love that the sea almost disappears into the horizon. This photo is calm.

I love that it doesn't tick the boxes. I like some landscapes, but in a lot of them I see over-processing. Heavy on the colour. Vignetting, hue alteration, filters and editing. Colours that pop, colours that burst, scenes that grab your attention and shake it violently. I like calmness. I like seeing what is there, I like seeing what is real and what I'd see if I were there too, rather than an over-enhanced digital interpretation. Sometimes I see those photos, and they look wrong... they look like false nails, and dyed hair extentions, push up bras and implants, fake eyelashes and fake tans. They're not natural beauties.

I think sometimes, I go to a place like Elie, and I feel calm. I relax. I switch off, and I listen to the sounds around me, and that's all I feel. I wanted a photo that captured that. I love the smallness of the lighthouse.

I love that this photo feels unusual for me, but at the same time, it feels like a step in a direction of creative calmness that I find myself wanting to be. I just wonder where, in three years time, this photograph will sit in my personal photographic development.

Engagement Shoot: Tom and Steph

I've been looking forward to blogging this engagement shoot for a while now, and am pleased to finally share it with you!

Tom and Steph aren't just one of my couples - they've also been friends of mine for several years. Tom is actually the chap who has designed my logo for both my Struve Photography and Kristin Mitchell Photography brands. I was so happy for them both when they got engaged, and thrilled when they asked me to be their official photographer.

The theme for the engagement shoot was to show Tom and Steph doing what they enjoy most - exploring woodlands and nature. We agreed on a trip to Loch Lomond for the shoot.

 We took a passenger ferry from Balmaha, on the shores of Loch Lomond, to the island of Inchcailloch. It didn't take us long to get there. The island is covered in footpaths - take a decent pair of trainers and you're fine. It actually has a campsite, if you fancy spending the night there.

Tom and Steph wanted to make the most of the shades of green that August offers. Tom wore a checked shirt with green lines in it; Steph had a green top; even I wore a green t-shirt (although I must admit I wasn't really thinking about it when I dressed in the morning!).

Tom and Steph had also brought along their Japanese teaset, complete with turquoise and green tea cups. The two rings shown here are both Steph's engagement rings. The first is a more fun one with a nautical anchor; the lower one is the official engagement ring. 

And what would be the most appropriate thing to drink on an engagement shoot such as this? Green tea, of course!

 Eventually, it was time for us to head back to the jetty, to catch our ferry back to the mainland.

Practically Engaged...

Today's post, I'm writing about the practical side of engagement shoots, things for the couple to consider before they head off to their engagement shoot with their photographer.


Clothes
Whenever I do engagement shoots, I advise couples about clothes to wear on the day.

A lot of the time, we want to instantly jump into wearing whatever we love most, for a photo shoot. However, I advise all my couples against wearing clothes with big logos, text, or graphics on them. The reason I advise against people wearing logos, big text, or graphic images on clothes is that it has two negative effects. Firstly, it instantly draws the eye away from the face in the photograph. Wearing a simple top means it doesn't compete for attention. I think certain patterns are fine, for example, bold checks, but a busy Paisley print, or high contrast fine stripes might not be such a good idea. What you (and your photographer!) also want to avoid, is the moire effect. That occasionally happens when you wear a very fine weave or patterned fabric, and makes it look like there's an optical illusion strapped to your clothes. There are techniques for removing it, but its easier to avoid it altogether. Photoshop has its uses, but its so much faster to get things right before the photo is taken! Nice, plain block colour clothes are great.

The second reason for advising against logos, text, and graphic images, is that it dates the photograph very quickly. Want proof? Look through any old photos you have. Those with text or graphics or a logo might be much more identifiable with a certain fashion at the time, than plain clothes. Plain clothes are much more timeless and classic for professional photographs. It is good to mix up the colour a bit, so a blue shirt with black jeans is fine.

Try to also think about what you're both wearing. Think about coordinating both with colour and style. So for example, if you're both going for crisp shirts, maybe think about the colour - if one wears a black shirt, the other might want to wear a contrasting complementary colour. If one of you wears a pale blue shirt, then a bright magenta pink top might not work so well. When Prince William and Kate Middleton got engaged, their engagement photos showed them both wearing complementary warm neutral coloured long sleeve tops - he wore a mocha brown knitted sweater, and she wore a gorgeous champagne blouse.

You could also think about wearing layers, so that you have different "looks".

But most importantly, wear clothes you feel comfortable in, and that you love. Clothes that make you feel good. If you don't have an outfit that fulfills that "feel good!" factor, then it's a good excuse to go shopping.



Location
You can be as creative as you like with your engagement location. While a wedding budget and availability might curtail options for venues for the actual wedding day, engagement shoots are a chance for you to go somewhere a bit different. You'll probably be thinking of somewhere that you find aesthetically pleasing, making it suitable for photographs. Speak to your photographer about the location. Do be aware though, that not all indoor light is flattering on the face. Indoor venues are fine, but it might be an idea to see if there's a room with lots of natural light, or at least a large window, to give your photographer options.  However, this is all dependent upon the style of photograph you're after. If you want something dramatic, perhaps quite urban and gritty, then strong lighting that casts shadows could look amazing.

From a practical perspective, also consider the location of the shoot. Your photographer may ask you to pay extra travel expenses (and potentially overnight accommodation) if you're wanting to shoot somewhere a bit further than their normal area. Even some photographers who advertise themselves as being "UK wide" may charge extra if you want them to travel to Mull for an engagement shoot when they are based in Leeds.

You also need to consider whether permission is needed in advance. The last thing you want is a member of security escorting you and your photographer off the premises. Railway stations are romantic, for example, but you still need to seek permission in advance as they are private property. Some venues might also ask for a small payment, and you need to consider whether you're willing to pay for your favourite venue. Establish with your photographer in advance who's responsibility it is to attain permission in advance.

Don't worry about asking for permission! I've had to phone lots of venues to ask permission for photo shoots in the past. Most people I've spoken to are helpful, some are even slightly curious (after all, it won't be every day they sit at their desk, working away, and receive a phone call asking them about a photo shoot!), and everyone I've spoken to has been friendly. Phoning is always better than emailing. It is a bit more nerve-wracking, but relax, try to sound cheerful and pleasant and perhaps slightly bubbly (even fake a smile while you talk - they can't see you, but it'll make your voice sound happier!). Emails are fine if you need to follow up with written information with the request. You might also want to make sure you're asking to speak to the office or venue manager, as letting out a big long spiel to the first person who answers might mean you find you have to repeat it all a few minutes later. The worst thing that anyone can say to you is "no", so just relax. Some venues will also have stipulations, for example, no flash (particularly inside historic venues with light-sensitive artifacts); that the photographer has public liability insurance (so the venue won't be sued if a member of the public trips up over a tripod); that you don't expect them to close an area off to the public for your shoot (asking them to do so might involve charges for loss of profit); or they might ask you come early, or late in the day, or during the week when the venue is at its quietest. Timing and insurance are definitely things you want to check with your photographer.


Light
I mentioned light before, but this part is about daylight. A lot of people think that I need strong, bright sunshine to make the most of my photographs. It's not strictly true. I did an engagement shoot recently in the seaside town of Largs, on the west coast of Scotland. We had glorious sunshine, and that was fine, because it suited the location perfectly - seasides and sunshine go well together. However, I also love cloudy days. Cloud can be surprisingly lovely in a photograph. It means the light is softer, there's no harsh shadows, and I can use my own flashes if I want to. I also don't have to worry about whether I'm casting a shadow in my photo, or which direction the sun is in. I like cloud for portraits. From a photography perspective it's the biggest softbox with the most powerful light and it's completely free.


Time
Engagement shoots won't last as long as your entire wedding, but they do take a bit of time. Depending on the location, I usually take a couple of hours. That's longer than I'd expect to take for "private shots of the couple" during a wedding. It's usually a good idea to just block out a morning or afternoon from your diary. People always run a little late; traffic jams, parking, buses not turning up on time, someone calling just the minute you're about to lock the door... things that are often beyond our control can make us all late from time to time. The last thing you want is to be running late and then have to dash away again because you're meeting someone immediately afterwards. 


Props
Finally, let's get onto something a bit more fun! Don't be afraid to talk to your photographer about the idea of using props. You may have some, your photographer may have some. Fake moustaches and chalk boards are very popular props to make an engagement shoot more fun, and add some silliness, frivolity, and playfulness into your images. The benefit with props is it gives you something to hold, you can play around, and a couple being silly together can usually get some fantastic expressions. Don't be afraid of what other people think! Even if you're naturally quiet and reserved, silly playful props can be great. I believe that when you and your partner are old and grey and looking back in years to come, you'll find yourself reliving and giggling about the engagement shoot with the props. If you don't want to be silly, then a small bunch of flowers, balloons, bubbles, a bright umbrella, some colourful wellies can work just as well.

Is there anything you think I've missed from the practical side of engagement shoots? Have you had any personal experience - good or bad - involving the practicalities of engagement shoots? Feel free to let me know using the comments form below!

Engagement shoots

So today, I thought I'd write about engagement shoots. There's two reasons for this: 1. at the time of writing I'm taking a break from editing some engagement shoot photographs; 2. I recently read this article from Smart Bride Boutique listing of reasons why couples ought to take advantage of engagement shoots. So it's definitely something on my mind that I thought would explore it a little further.

I love doing engagement shoots. Engagement shoots are extremely beneficial to both the photographer and the couple for a lot of reasons, but the reason for writing this is perhaps aimed at people who aren’t really sure whether they want an engagement shoot. I think there’s a potential for misunderstandings as to what an engagement shoot involves. I know some people want to “opt out”, but I like to encourage people to reconsider, and this blog entry is about why engagement shoots are a good idea.

Lots of photographers, including myself, offer engagement shoots as part of their complete wedding photography package. Within my package it’s a complementary part of the complete service, and it’s really useful for me when I’m working with a couple.

I think one of the misconceptions is that because you’re hiring a professional photographer the engagement session will be as formal as traditional wedding photography. It’s not. Engagement photo shoots are a slightly different creature. You don’t have to get dressed up, you can wear exactly what you want and unless you’re really into formal poses, most engagement photo shoots tend to be very relaxed and usually shot on location. Actually, engagement shoots offer a wonderful opportunity for a couple to get a little creative with their photographer, do things you really don’t want to do when you’re wearing smart clothes and surrounded by friends and family and have hundreds of other things to think about. It’s about having photos which are about you looking lovely, but also much more every-day. Think of it as lifestyle rather than ceremony. It’s all about exploring your personality outside the wedding environment.

So what are the benefits then? First of all, I encourage my couples to see it as a rehearsal. It gives them a chance to see exactly what its like being in front of my camera, relax, play, and really build up a photographic relationship. It takes away the “what do we do?” factor. It’s a warm up, so that by the time the wedding day comes, my couples feel relaxed, happy and much more confident in front of the camera.

The second benefit is that it’s an opportunity for me to work with my couple, so that we can build on what we produce from the engagement shoot. With their feedback, we know whether we want to do more of a certain thing; or if there’s a pose that they just don’t feel works for them. It’s an opportunity to identify the stronger and weaker images and that can all feed into how we work on the wedding day.

Thirdly, engagement shoots give you an extra photo session, an extra range of professional images you can use.  It makes it a bit more versatile; you have an extra range of photos to use to show people who you are. You can use them as your online profile picture, in print, as a gift for a relative, or for a wedding website for your guests. It also means you’re not waiting until after your wedding before you have lovely photos to show people.

Fourthly, consider the engagement shoot as your pre-wedding treat. When you’re planning your wedding, you spend a lot of money on things that won’t be used or seen until the wedding day. Your daily budget might also be a bit more constrained as a result; you’ve cut back on the luxuries or at perhaps feel a little guilty when you spend when you’re meant to be saving.  The engagement shoot is a chance to be a little more self-indulgent. If it’s included in your wedding photography package, then you can enjoy it without the guilt factor.

Finally, it gives you the chance to have their photograph almost anywhere. Perhaps there’s a stately home with gorgeous grounds that doesn’t cater for weddings but could be used as a backdrop for your engagement session. Maybe you went somewhere on a first date and want to use it for your engagement shoot. I say almost anywhere – remember to factor in traveling distance, and also seeking prior permission from any property owners. 

While I hope this blog entry has perhaps persuaded any engagement shoot sceptics, I'd love to hear from readers on their thoughts and experiences of engagement shoots. Did you have one? If not, do you wish you had?  Or have you got one lined up and how are you feeling about it? Or have you got anything you think ought to be added to this list of reasons why?

 

In my next blog article, I’ll be talking about the practical issues involved in engagement shoots.

Knickerbocker Glorious!

So today, I thought I'd blog about a shoot I did in Largs with Alison Tinlin from Plans and Presents, hair stylist Gail Rankin, Make up artist Sophie Edwards, with accessories provided by Wedding and Baby.

We went to Largs with the intention of doing a slightly kitschy, vintage seaside photoshoot. I wanted something that was a proper traditional seaside resort without the tackiness. Largs was a great location. From a photographic perspective, its a neat town, with very little litter or graffiti, not too many people, and plenty of wide open space to get the sky in and lots of details from it. We sought permission from Nardinis to use their interior as a backdrop for some of the photos (and they were very lovely about it all).

I've done plenty of location shoots before involving gorgeous dresses (including the bridesmaid shoot I did with Flossy and Dossy a few months ago), but I wanted something slightly different here. This shoot was less about being a fashion parade, and more about the individual - in this case, Alison. It was actually easier than some of the shoots I've done previously, as there weren't lots of outfit changes to incorporate into the timing.

I think the hardest thing I find is defining what I think my "voice" is. I have a particular style to my photographs, but sometimes when I'm up so close to the photos, I can't quite put my finger on what exactly it is. I know I like to have photos that have an element of pop - I want people to come out of the picture, to get an essence of their personality just jumping out of the image.

I wanted to get more of that from Alison. It's easy a lot of the time for people to shrink in the photographs, and a lot of people do. Camera comes out and people become shy and like wallflowers. Or, alternatively, they start throwing very awkward poses that they've seen in magazines and "think" I want from them.

What I really want, is to have fun photographs. I want fun, I want natural, candid, but most of all, playful. I don't want a fixed grin.

I think sometimes it's a bit like having a conversation with someone for the first time. I want to get beyond the small talk, the "what do you do/ where are you from" stuff, and right into the bit where there's a connection, the bit where the conversation just rolls and people start really revealing themselves. Years ago, a friend of mine referred to it almost as being like layers, numbering each layer. So small talk was layer one, then the bit where you start digging out information from the small talk is layer two, and then the really good stuff, the core, that's layer three. He'd smile when we got into a deeper level of conversation, the bit where we started to forget where we were and just got completely lost in our own world, and he'd remark "now we're here, this is the third layer". It's not necessarily about baring your soul and getting the skeletons out of the closet (or wherever else you keep them), it's just about figuring out who the person in front of the camera is, getting rid of your labels (mother, wife, girlfriend, husband, father, brother, son, daughter, work colleague...) and being all the wonderful bits of you.

So yes, that's what I want from these sorts of photoshoots. And I'll pretty much do anything I can to get people to that point. I'm not looking for the secrets, the dark stuff, I'm just looking for the playfulness, the humour, the light hearted, happy, lovely side, the bits that attract people to you as friends or romantic interests, the bits that make people care, and the bits that should make you realise how truly wonderful you are.

So, here for your delectation, the photos from the shoot.

Sophie prepares Alison's make up

Inside Nardinis

Knickerbocker Glorious!

Flying the flag

at the piano

bouquet courtesy of Wedding and Baby

Our generous host

Kicking it up in Largs

the most wayward balloons!

Alison and Largs

Bouquet

over to Cumbrae

The Wonderful Nardinis

shoes!

The team:
Shoot Organisation/Model - Alison Tinlin - http://www.plansandpresents.co.uk
Photographer - Kristin Mitchell - http://struvephotography.co.uk/
Hair - Gail Rankin - http://www.gailhardie.co.uk/
Make - Up - http://www.sophieedwardsmakeup.com/
Hairpieces/Jewellery - http://www.weddingandbaby.co.uk/
Gown/Shoes - courtesy of - http://angelfins.co.uk
Venue (inside shots) - http://nardinis.co.uk/

Portrait of a lady

18th Century lady, originally uploaded by Kristin Mitchell photography.

So the past few weeks, I've been kept exceptionally busy.  As you might know, I already have a collection of qualifications in photography from college, but I recently signed up to a night class for a one-off course. 

When I left college last year, there was a photograph I'd created which to be honest, was what I'd call a bit of a slow burner. It took me a while to fall in love with it, but lots of other people seemed to like it a lot.  

It's this photograph, of a kite. 

The kite photograph was originally for an advertising concept, for wind energy. The outdoor image was shot first, then projected onto muslin cloth in a studio, and a kite was placed in front of the muslin.

After leaving college, I wished I'd experimented more with projections. So, when the chance came to do another class, and a self-initiated project, I decided to use projections again.

The inspiration for my project was old paintings and portraits, how aristocrats were portrayed in front of gorgeous vistas. So I started doing some digging around and more research. I decided to create modern portraits using projections to create the idea of someone sitting in front of a gorgeous vista.

It was a surprisingly big project. Although I created three portraits, the starting point was the background. I decided to take lots of pictures of backgrounds, so that I could bring out the richness in the shadow and detail in the lighter areas, much like traditional portrait painters would have done. If you look at almost any traditional painting, even in the darkest corner, it's not actually black paint; there's tiny details, in deep, dark rich colours, so subtle but still there. I wanted to make sure this wasn't lost with a camera, and took several photos, layering them in such a way to bring out the details and make it a rich palette of colour.

Next, was the portrait. The background was projected, but there had to be separate exposures - one for the background and another for the sitter; the background needed a longer exposure time than the sitter under the studio lights.

For two of the portraits, I hired dresses from Scottish Opera.

The portrait above, drew on inspiration from the 18th Century. I also created a portrait of a one of my regular models, Vivien Taylor, using a gorgeous early 19th Century Jane Austen period costume. The inspiration behind this picture can be found on Pinterest.

Finally, I took a leap into the 20th Century. I was very much curious about this image of Elizabeth II on her coronation by Cecil Beaton. What was curious to me, initially, was the angles of the background in relation to the chair and seating position of the Queen. In closer cropped images, the background is looking up, at an angle, into the roof, while the Queen sits straight on, towards the camera. This wider angle version hints that perhaps what we see behind the Queen isn't all it seems, but maybe a backdrop.

With this in mind, the lovely Wendy from Flossy and Dossy agreed to pose for me as my regal model. Here she's wearing a dress she made, with the tiara kindly borrowed from Gioia Mia. The interior of this shot was taken inside St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, and actually I think the flags and banners add an authenticity to the final image. Oh, and if you're wondering, yes, the clothes pegs were entirely intentional in the image - I wanted to show it wasn't simply a photoshop job, as people's awareness of image creation tends to become more cynical of how an image has been created.


The whole project kept me busy for the best part of seven weeks, including writing the proposal, sourcing background locations, photographing and editing the backgrounds, undertaking the research and constructing a research workbook, finding suitable dresses and props, as well as photographing and editing the images, printing them, and finally writing a evaluation. Both the proposal and evaluation had to be the length of an essay each.

So what do I get at the end of it? Well, enough credits, in conjunction with my previous college qualifications to undertake a single year's honours degree course, if I wish to do so. The alternative would have been to have spent a year full-time doing a degree course.

At this point in time, I have no intention on going back to college. While I enjoyed my time there, I don't feel that it's the right choice for me at this time. However, I always like to leave doors wide open when it comes to opportunities for the future, especially as this was very much a one-off night class. What I really got from it was the chance to explore projected backgrounds again in a large studio, and almost exclusive use of the studio for several weeks. It was also nice to do a more academic project again, and throw myself back into writing proposals and evaluations, and knowing that my work will be heavily critiqued and thoroughly evaluated by tutors.

For now though, its life back to normal and back to 21st century portraits!

In the gardens

It's been a while since my last blog post, on the basis I've actually been very busy lately! In the past fortnight, I've had three separate shoots, which means three lots of editing of photographs afterwards. 

This particular post is about a personal project I've recently completed. The reason I'm writing about these photographs is basically because I really like them, and also because I like to keep working on all sorts of photographic projects whenever I can. Sometimes the influences from a shoot like this can end up being used for a bridal or portraiture shoot. I like to keep working at my photography, whether someone else plans the shoot, or its one I create myself. At any rate, personal projects keep me out of mischief. 

This photoshoot has been on the cards for a while now - it's something I've wanted to do, and as with all my most successful shoots, took a fair amount of organising, planning, and researching before I could even click the button and take the first photograph. I must admit, I was hugely nervous about this shoot. Why? Because of all the people involved, the planning, and organising, and even the weather, absolutely everything had gone perfectly right. When everything else goes right it does leave me to get on with the photographic side, and I always reserve a little nervousness for something going wrong during the shoot. I think it's simply because I care about what I do - I want to get it right, I want to exceed my own expectations, and I want to deliver success back to everyone else involved in the shoot.

 Outdoor photoshoots in Scotland can be hit or miss, in terms of the weather. Autumnal photoshoots are never a certain thing, and I spent the best part of ten days leading up to the shoot watching the weather forecast online, much like watching the lottery to see if your numbers appear. As it happened, we were exceptionately lucky. The entire week was blighted by bad weather on and off, but our shoot happened on the one day in weeks when we had unusually good weather. Being in Scotland, I do have to come prepared for a shoot. So I had some lovely colourful brollies in the event of a shower, and some nice fleecy blankets to keep the girls snug between shots.

The dresses and all the clothes used in the photoshoot were provided by Wendy from Flossy and Dossy. I was keen to work with Wendy when I saw her clothes, as I had a particular shot in mind that I wanted to create. I thought that they would be perfect in this setting.

As with any shoot I work on, I usually end up with more props than I end up using - but mostly tools and props that I can and do end up using again.

I was working with Kathryn Hughes the make up artist. I've worked with Kathryn quite a few times previously. I must admit, when I find a great make up artist, I make a point of working with them again. Kathryn and I started by comparing ideas and research as to the look we wanted for the shoot. I'm inclined to leave more of it in her hands, mostly because I know she delivers a good quality service and I trust her. But also perhaps because I occasionally have a tendency to see every idea and think "yeah! lets do that!", and if we actually went with every idea, the girls' faces would end up looking like they'd been dragged through a make-up counter backwards. 

My assistant for the day was Laura Hughes (no relation to Kathryn), who I know from my student days as a fellow photographer. Working with other photographers enables me to have someone to bounce ideas off, and someone who understands how the kit works, and can see the things I'm trying to create. 

The lovely models are Lainey Virginia Brown, and Melanie Long. Although this was my first time working with them, they were both very professional in their work, despite the long day! 

Without a committed team, I don't think the shoot would have gone as well as it did. I felt afterwards that the photographs produced met exactly to the original plan, and if I'm honest, I feel they've exceeded my own expectations. 

These photographs are currently featured (alongside more photographs) on my commercial photography website: 

http://www.kristinmitchell.co.uk in the fashion section.

Viewpark Gardens was a fantastic venue for this shoot - although now closed to the public for the winter, it's still available for bridal parties throughout the year. I think it makes a wonderful wedding photography backdrop particularly where the budget might not match the cost of a country mansion with beautiful grounds to wander round in.

Beautiful locations: Viewpark Gardens

Recently I took a brief trip to Viewpark Gardens as part of a recce for a photo shoot. As photographs go, these were snapshots. I took a point and shoot approach to these photographs, simply to act as a memory jog and to help inspire me with my research.

The gardens are run by North Lanarkshire Council, and open to the public. They're also available for brides and grooms to hire for photoshoots; which is perfect if your venues aren't quite as picturesque as you'd like.

When I went on my recce, there were four sets of bridal parties arriving. Fortunately, while covering a fairly compact area, the gardens are diverse enough to accommodate more than one bride without any risk of accidentally appearing in one another's photographs. The gardens are divided into several smaller sections, all joined through corridors, but each is secluded enough to allow a group to enjoy a photoshoot without being distracted (or even aware) of anyone else around.

 I think as a location, it is perfect for creative photography, and with such a range of space, it can work well with almost any wedding theme. Whether you've been inspired by the grandeur of the Georgian period; you want the vintage style of Versailles;  you want strike a pose like a Vogue fashion shoot; or whether you're a queen of hearts with a bouquet of red roses; then Viewpark is a fantastic location to work with your wedding photographer.

My personal favourite section was the checkered floor. It's not a huge area, but through the clematis-clad trellis, it leads to a beautiful winding little path, taking you deeper into the garden. 

It's perfect for brides who might be trying to keep to a tighter budget, and can't quite afford a location with the soft rolling vistas across Lanarkshire but would still like somewhere beautiful for their bridal photographs. North Lanarkshire Council do request a payment of £37.90 (which includes VAT), plus you must book 21 days in advance, in writing, to use the gardens for wedding photography. 

Plans and Presents - the photoshoot

So I thought I'd write a blog post today about my photoshoot last week with Alison from Plans and Presents.

I really like working in the West End of Glasgow because it does offer such a wide variety of locations in a small area. I like places where locations are within short walking distances. Partly because I don't really want my clients to feel tired from being marched around, but also because I usually have a considerable amount of equipment to haul. While the weight isn't always an issue, it's usually the awkwardness of bag shapes that can be the problem. If you've ever tried dragging large cumbersome suitcases around, you probably have a fair idea how you always end up a magnet for people to walk directly towards. Same thing happens when I've got a long tripod bag over my shoulder.

Following my reccie I knew I wanted to use the cloisters at Glasgow university for this shoot. I also had a pretty good idea of something I wanted to do with the lighting. I prefer keeping my lighting as simple as possible, something I've gradually learned over time that too many lights can spoil a photo.

Alison started her business over a year ago, and in that short space of time she's become an influential figure in Scotland for weddings and event organisation, clear proof of her hard work,  determination and passion for providing a good service to her clients. She's also incredibly friendly, something I daresay has helped her to succeed with working with people towards their weddings.

Alison was keen to have some professional photographs taken which were more current. I was more than happy to do this, and I felt that she would suit a classic contemporary image.

To me, portraiture is a bit like clothes shopping. One size doesn't fit all, one style doesn't always suit all people either. You need to get a feel, an idea for what would and can work. Poses, lighting, and post production are all important factors to consider with the end result.

Alison came wearing a lovely cerise top with smart black trousers and shoes, looking very professional and smart. Combined with her raven black hair and dark eyes, I knew I wanted this to be very much about colour and keeping everything about the photographs striking and bold.

We started the shoot at the Cloisters, and moved round the campus to a large wooden door which had gorgeous warm tones and texture and I felt this would work in a photograph.

After leaving the university, we walked over to Cranworth Lane - which I consider perhaps the equally attractive but lesser visited cousin of Ashton Lane. I felt this gave a lovely cosmopolitan setting for the next set of photographs, and the black and white exteriors really worked well as a simple monochromatic backdrop to Alison's bright top.

Finally, we headed to the Botanics. I decided to give Alison a more relaxing pose to assume, and asked her to lie down for me. While the weather is good, I wanted to take the chance to do something a little more summery.

Those fluffy white clouds, blue sky and green grass won't be around much longer, so here was a chance to take full advantage of them as a backdrop.

While studios are great places to work with portraits (especially if its raining or you want a change of clothes, or space to be more experimental), I do enjoy shooting on location much more. I think this is because I find it so much more versatile. Also, working outside means I get to use one of the most powerful lights I can - the sun. No batteries or wires and so powerful to use and easy to manipulate to work with a portrait.

Working with Alison was an absolute pleasure for this shoot. A good shoot to me is as much about chemistry and people enjoying it, as it is about the photographs at the end. The best photographs usually show a good rapport between the subject and the photographer, something you get when both parties enjoy the shoot. Alison is naturally friendly and easy to talk to and I think she bonded well with the camera. Relaxing and enjoying yourself are integral to a successful shoot, feeling tense or frustrated tend to come out in facial expressions or body language very quickly and any subconscious behaviour can be impossible to control, so it all gets picked up by the camera.

That's why I think it's so important to meet with wedding photographers before you hire them. If you don't click off camera, the images might not click on your big day.