All About Weddings - 2 Day Training Course at Stowe Landscape Gardens

Catherine Connor and I have been talking about hosting something special in the South for a few months now and I am delighted to say that we have decided to focus on weddings and have secured the most INCREDIBLE backdrop - the National Trust's Landscape Gardens at Stowe.

All About Weddings will be running on August 8th and 9th 2012.

These are the areas that Catherine and want to really focus on:

The market - how to promote yourselves within the industry and begin to generate word of mouth recommendations.
The client - how to attract them, secure their wedding, over deliver and create raving fans.
The sell - how to compete in an oversaturated, confusing market.
The fear - shooting weddings can be terrifying and stressful so let's talk about the moments that most scare you and how to deal with them.
The imagery - surely the most exciting part of the day.  I have brought my incredible local network of suppliers together to provide beautiful dresses, accessories, flowers  and hair and make up skills.  Combine this with the stunning backdrop that is Stowe and we will create some fabulous imagery.

Come and join us for an intensive, honest and inspiring 2 days in the beautiful South.

Contact Ashley at Aspire for more details and how to book. 

Seductive Boudoir, Aspire Photography Training, March 23rd

I am full of admiration. Overloaded with it - for the incredible ladies who come and 'model' for Rachel and I on the boudoir course at Aspire. I think any lady is brave and brilliant who books a boudoir session with me but this is a different thing entirely. They go through this intense experience with a whole group of photographers present. I salute them.

Meet Sally. 50 this year. YES 50 with 3 grown up boys and look at her. Beautiful.



And the lovely Sarah who admitted to being relieved it was time for the shoot because she had been exercising and eating healthily in the lead up! She reminded me of a prettier Amy Winehouse - further enhanced by the delightful gingham set (courtesy of the fab Vicky at Le Rouge Boutique - go see - they are in the sale).

Vicky also lent us this gorgeous bra.

I decided to work with my Lens Baby for some of the shoot - I do love the effect for boudoir imagery.

I love the quietness of this image. Beautiful.


xxx

Yummy Mummies, Aspire Photography Training, March 22nd

As usual the Yummy Mummies course was busy with 2 babies and a bump.

The day before the training session we discovered that our booked bump was having to go into hospital due to a potentially early arrival. So Rachel got busy on her network and found the lovely Gemma who was due the weekend after the shoot. She was a complete star and was very happy to be photographed indoor and outdoor, alone and with her fella.




The selection of images here show how I have had the pleasure of photographing Mia as a bump, a sleepy six week old and now a gorgeous animated baby.


For our young baby we had the scrumptious Annina. I always warn the delegates that we shouldn't expect the babies to fall asleep during the training session and whilst that was the case with Annina she was amazingly calm and serene throughout.


Hopefully the weather will warm up and we can take the shoots outdoors for the summer months. x

LIttle Rascals, Aspire Photography, March 21st

I recently spent 4 days at Aspire. Starting with a day being trained in photoshop techniques by the very talented US photographer Andee from Crave Photography. It was fab although it has typically slowed me down this week as I've been putting some of her techniques into practice!

On the Wednesday I had a full group for Little Rascals. In the morning we had the exuberant Ezra. Her little bro, Boo, was also included in some of the pics and then Gem, their lovely mum and fellow photographer, was also persuaded to join in.

Ezra became very attached to a very tiny, very slimy snail.



Love this hat!

After lunch we had the session with older kids Harry and Tilly. Rachel had found a new location that morning and after we had fun on the Radio Flyer we went in search of Rachel who had been busy adding her magic to the shoot.


Tilly had broken her arm just days before the shoot and you would never have known it. She didn't moan once!
Some of the guys on the course were keen to experiment with more wide-angled imagery so we sent Harry up the hill to this gorgeous tree.
I think the bluebells will be out for the next course. xx