Gaynes Park Wedding Photography, #Essex

Last month Jack and I photographed the wedding of Jane and Ben at Gaynes Park in Essex. Jane’s sister Rachel and I used to work together and have kept in touch ever since and in fact I photographed Rachel’s wedding a few years ago too so I know the family fairly well now!

Ben and Jane choose to have a vintage handmade style of wedding and they chose a great venue to hold their big day. Gaynes Park is a stylish and contemporary barn wedding venue set in the grounds of a historic country estate in Epping, Essex which has been in the Chisenhale-Marsh family for generations. There is a collection of various barns, one of which offers the chance to have an outside wedding ceremony if good weather. Should the weather not be favourable there is a large south facing orangery that can accommodate the civil ceremony too!

After the ceremony there is large walled garden for the drinks reception and lots of great locations for fabulous wedding photography.

It really is a smashing venue if you are looking for something rustic, rural and yet fairly close to London! In the evening you can even see Canary Wharf and the skyline of London in the distance!

Jane and Ben choose one of my Stylish wedding albums with a magazine layout and metal cover which is now all designed and with my lab for printing. Here are a few pictures from their big day!

#Hambleden #Oxfordshire #Countryside for #NCW13

Many of you have asked where my image that featured on the front page of ‘The Life’ supplement of The Sunday Telegraph last week was taken.

I took this picture just a couple of weeks ago in the picturesque village of Hambleden, Oxfordshire. Always a favourite spot for me to go to when I’m out and about in the Chilterns as to me it’s a quintessential English village. I had just been to the farmers market in the village which happens on the 2nd Saturday of every month (you must go if in the area!) and was talking to a lady who recommended the spot opposite her house for a good view of the village. Thankfully those few shots I took of the village from her recommendation paid off as the Editor of the Sunday Telegraph chose it for the front cover. I must buy the lady a cuppa and a slice of cake next time I see her in Hambleden.

Here is the full frame image that you will be able to enjoy from you computer screen along with a few more of my favourite images taken in recent weeks.

That’s it for National Countryside week for this year supported by The Prince’s Countryside Fund. We have an amazing countryside out there for us to explore but remember our countryside did not just happen. It’s evolved from years of hard work from dedicated people who have worked the land we now all enjoy so much. Whilst the weather is still so great why not head out with the family and find your own favourite spots local to you and don’t forget your camera!

To find out more about The Princes Countryside Fund please click here

Frolicking in the meadows…. #NCW13

A few weeks ago I was photographing some gorgeous wildflower meadows and the gentleman I was with had his Land Rover parked near to us. I could see the back window a bit steamed up and something licking the glass and then saw these lovely faces looking at me.

‘Can I photograph your dogs’ I said ‘Of course, my wife will love that’ was the reply. I’m not sure who enjoyed the shoot the most, me or the dog!

Here are a few pictures of his dogs in the meadow.

Heritage Harvest – using traditional skills to grow traditional cereal crops – #NCW13

A couple of weeks ago I met John Letts who runs Heritage Harvest in the Buckinghamshire Oxfordshire area. John and his small team help farmers grow heritage cereals for thatching straw and grain and distributes bread and flour through the Oxford Bread Group. The Prince’s Countryside Fund have helped John by giving him a grant to develop his business further. The Fund’s grant has helped to establish a demonstration farm and education centre of heritage wheat varieties in collaboration with a group of 100 thatchers, organic farmers and traditional millers. Their aim is to reduce the UK’s dependence on imported thatching materials while encouraging the development of this traditional skill and providing a valuable diversification opportunity for farmers. 10 school visits have taken place and 2 summer placements for agricultural students completed. The flour is now being used in 4 lines of Astons organic bakery and is available through the Tru Food Group with 350 members.

On a personal note John made me understand the problems we could potentially be facing as a result of global warming and how farmers need to diversify and change their farming methods in our ever changing climate. I was also introduced to some of the earliest forms of wheat including Einkorn which is one of the earliest forms of cultivated wheat dating back to 7500BC. John was very kind and loaded my car with eggs, 4 bags of flour, a sourdough starter and some fresh fruit picked from his allotment. Mrs Lord has since made some delicious sourdough bread using Einkorn and Rye flour.

Keep a look out for Heritage Harvest’s website, John is an excellent supplier of flour to anyone who enjoys baking real bread!

To find out more about the Princes Countryside Fund and how you could help please click here.

In the pictures below John is weeding the borders of the fields with a scythe, he does use motor driven vehicles for sowing and harvesting but enjoys using traditional tools where he can. I was given the opportunity to have a go with the scythe and lets just say I will stick to using a camera!

West Wycombe house and village from the air! #NCW13

Recently I was asked by EJ Churchill a nearby clay pigeon shooting ground to do some aerial photography of their ground from the air. I was reserved a helicopter with a local helicopter company & the door was removed so I did not have any glass to contend with. I was belted and gaffer taped in and off we went! We were only up for 20 minutes but long enough to get some great shots of EJ Churchill and then a few pictures over the magnificent West Wycombe Park and House.

Only two years ago I had never worked at West Wycombe but I have now photographed several corporate events, schools leavers balls, gun dog events and The Prince’s Countryside Fund charity events there. The house offers England’s finest example of Palladian architecture set amongst Rococo follies and temples in an area of outstanding natural beauty. It is truly a breathtaking place and an amazing venue for weddings! If you are getting married at West Wycombe house and looking for great wedding photography then please get in touch by clicking here.

Here are a few pictures from the air of the house to whet your appetite for a great Buckinghamshire wedding venue! To find out more about having your wedding reception at West Wycombe house please take a look at their website by clicking here.

Pigs in the woods – National Countryside Week #NCW13

Following on from my post yesterday, this week I will be showcasing some of my countryside images taken in recent weeks. I know a man who lives locally who keeps free range pigs in a nearby woods in the Chilterns. I see Bruce and his produce at local farmers markets and have always thought what a wonderful experience it would be to photograph the pigs. A tweet came through a couple of weeks ago from @blackpigchills telling me the pigs were ready for their photo shoot. They have recently been filming for Downton Abbey for the next series so are getting used to life in front of the camera!

So one Sunday Becky and I travelled into the hills to meet Bruce and his pigs. We walked into the woods together and Bruce armed with a bucket of pig nuts gave the call. It wasn’t long before the pigs came trotting (bad pun) through the woods to us for a mid morning snack. It really was a fantastic sight, these pigs have a wonderful life in the woods with just 36 pigs to 14 Acres of land! That’s free range!!

The pigs are a cross of two rare and native breeds, the Berkshire pig and the Tamworth which when crossed produce high quality pork. Bruce has spent 8 years perfecting the perfect pig giving them the highest welfare standards and the most natural of habitats.

To find out more about The Black Pig in the Chiltern Hills please visit their new website by clicking here.

The Black Pigs produce can be found at The Quince Tree near Henley on Thames, Gather and Hunt, Marlow, and Ewelme Community Village Shop, Oxfordshire.

What does it taste like you say? Try for yourself!!!

It’s National Countryside Week this week….. #NCW13

This week is National Countryside week and in the last few weeks I have not only been photographing fabulous weddings, lovely people and drooling dogs but I have been busy taking photographs in our glorious countryside. So every day this week I will post a few images of our beautiful green and pleasant land.

A great opportunity to meet HRH Prince Charles….

I’ve had an eventful few weeks but the highlight must have been meeting royalty! It had been mentioned to me that I would receive an invitation in the post but it wasn’t until a large cream envelope dropped onto the doormat from Buckingham Palace that the reality of fulfilling one of my ambitions came true.

In the last 12 months I have been a proud supporter of The Prince’s Countryside Fund & have photographed several projects across the country for them along with charitable events. The Prince of Wales has long been passionate about the countryside & set up the fund to give grants to projects that help support the people who care for the countryside.

So it was a very excited photographer that traveled up to the big smoke & across London to Clarence House for a garden party to mingle with other supporters & meet the great man himself. The party was attended by some of the projects that I photographed including Hampshire Fare who help pig farmers diversify & some of the farm apprentices from the Yorkshire moors. There also were some of the celebrity ambassadors who help to raise the profile of the fund including Jimmy Doherty, Phil Vickery, JB from JLS, and Alex James ex member of Blur along with a few other familiar faces from television. We mingled in the garden with some of my images on easels as a backdrop showing the various projects the fund support. The Prince of Wales arrived & was introduced to each group in turn. It was finally my turn to meet His Highness & what can I say? It all went by in a flash! I shook his hand & we had a brief chat about photography & the work I have done for the fund before he had to move on.

It was a memorable moment in my profession and I hope I will have the opportunity of meeting Prince Charles again, maybe building a dry stone wall somewhere!

Here are a few pictures taken by the official photographer of the day Alistair Fyfe.

Some of the images I have taken for The Princes Countryside Fund can be seen on my Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/MarkLordPhotography

Danielle and David’s sneaky peek of their #wedding @GreatFosters

Earlier in May I had the pleasure of photographing Danielle and David’s big day at Great Fosters, Egham, Surrey.

Having only ever photographed at Great Fosters once before I was really keen to go back as it is a stunning wedding venue.

Great Fosters has a great past with more than four centuries of celebrated history having enriched Great Fosters with a remarkable heritage. Probably built as a royal hunting lodge in 1550 and very much a stately home since then, Great Fosters is now a prestigious 43 bedroom hotel.

Sympathetically converted in the 1930s by the Sutcliffe family, who are still its current custodians, the hotel possesses a plethora of original details and features including mullioned windows, Jacobean fireplaces, a rare oakwell staircase, authentic tapestries and moulded ceilings.

Danielle was lucky to get ready in the Tapestry Room, a stunning large room with tapestries adorning the walls giving a very regal and historic look to the getting ready photographs.

After a lovely civil ceremony in the Orangery guests were able to stroll around the gorgeous grounds of Great Fosters enjoying the formal gardens, lawns, moat, Japanese bridge and more whilst also enjoying the sunshine!

The wedding breakfast was served in the Tythe Barn followed by some hilarious speeches by mother of the bride, groom and then two best men who gave David a good ribbing!

All in all a fantastic day. Congratulations to Danielle and David and here is a sneaky peek of their beautiful wedding day……

A few kind words gratefully received from Danielle and David this morning

‘Just wanted to say thanks so much to both you and Jack for all your hard work on the day – everyone commented how lovely you both were 🙂 It was such a long day and your energy levels were both amazing all day!! ‘

Last Saturday, what a day.

Firstly I awoke to lovely weather. The 1st June – ‘Is this the start of Summer’ I asked myself?

On Saturday Sarah (one of my assistants) and I photographed the wedding of Kathryn and David at Christ Church, Henley on Thames and then onto one of my favourite Buckinghamshire wedding venues, the magnificent Hedsor House. When I initially got an enquiry from Kathryn for wedding photography and was told it was a Hedsor House I was thrilled. You only have to look at the Hedsor House website to realise how fabulous it is with all of the awards and accolades awarded within the wedding industry.

“Vogue’s Dream Wedding Venue”

VOGUE

“Wedding Venue of the Year”

The Wedding Industry Awards Shortlist

“UK’s Prettiest Summer Wedding Venue”

Wedding Day Venues

“Top 100 Wedding Venues in the UK”

Brides Magazine

“No.2. Royal Wedding Venue in the UK”

The Times

“No.1 Top Venue”

TATLER

“No.1 Wedding Venue in Buckinghamshire”

Brides Magazine

“Marie Claire’s Top Wedding Venue”

MARIE CLAIRE

“Top 10 UK Film Locations”

The Telegraph

“Event Venue of the Year”

Eventia Awards

If you have got this far then you may wish to take a closer look at what Hedsor can offer for your wedding day.

Kathryn got ready at Hotel Du Vin in Henley on Thames with her bridesmaids whilst David travelled up to Henley from Winchester on the morning of the big day. The service was a very special occasion at Christ Church, Henley on Thames as the church was very personal to Kathryn’s family. Her parents got married in the church and her grandfather was very involved in the church and even made the weather vane that adorns the church spire!

After a lovely service, the bride and groom went in a beautiful Bentley supplied by Christophers whilst the guests were all taken to the venue by coach.

On arrival at Hedsor House I heard comments such as ‘Its like something from a fairytale’ as the entrance to Hedsor House is so grand, long sweeping driveway, through the beautiful gardens and parkland before passing the highland cattle and finally seeing this magnificent house in front of you. With a beautiful blue sky it really was like something from a fairytale.

Entertainment was provided for the guests in the form of a Dixieland Jazz band playing in front of the house and a very popular Ice cream trike on the terrace provided by Benecci Ice Cream Bikes The beautiful flowers were all supplied by Hot Flowers and Art at nearby Wooburn Green, and the sensationally delicious catering by Caper and Berry.

The whole operation was meticulously organised by Kathryn with the help of Rachael from Serendipity Wedding Planning who did a fantastic job at keeping proceedings going as well as organising some gigantic balloons!

So without further ado here is Kathryn and David’s sneeky peek. I will be working on their images over the next few weeks and hope to show you all some more soon.