The perfect #Valentines gift!

Struggling for Valentine’s inspiration this year. Why not celebrate your love for each other with a portrait shoot? 😉

Between now and Valentine’s Day (14th Feb!!!) I am offering portrait vouchers valued at £75 for just £25 for portrait shoots is the Henley, Marlow, Thame, Bicester and Oxford area! This is a great opportunity for the two of you to have some lovely pictures taken together. This offer can also be used as a family portrait voucher if you have a family too! The vouchers will be valid for all of 2015 and the session to be done in a location within 25 miles of OX49, Watlington.

After the shoot we can either arrange a viewing for you to come and see the images projected in my viewing room or if you prefer an online gallery. Print prices start at just £25.

Please contact me by email to info@marklordphotography.co.uk if you would like to purchase a voucher and we will pop one in the post.

I love these pictures from a shoot last year with one of my lovely wedding couples who’s wedding had subtle themes around the film ‘Up’ – hence the cool balloon!

You may not get a chance to say thank you to everyone…. #Weddings

A wedding is a busy day, especially if it’s your wedding day! Don’t worry if you do not get a chance to say thank you to everyone on the day, they will understand.

Most weddings have an average of 100 people at them so it is almost impossible to go around to everyone for a chat. Many weddings have a receiving line where the bride and groom and sometimes parents and bridal party greet everyone as they go through for the wedding breakfast.

This is a great opportunity to say ‘hi’ to your guests but it is important to keep the queue of people moving so not to hold up the proceedings in the kitchen!! It is also a great opportunity for your photographer to get some lovely reaction pictures of you and your guests.

Here is one of my favourite receiving line pictures from a wedding last year at The Tythe Barn.

The tears and emotion of a #wedding day @PhyllisCourt

Last year I photographed a wedding at Phyllis Court in Henley on Thames for Eric and Elizabeth. They had a civil ceremony in the Ball Room with their family and friends who joined them from all over the world.

Many of the pictures I am most proud of from a wedding are the ones I capture during the service or ceremony and this set of images sum up the emotions of a happy wedding day. I’m just glad I can hide my emotion behind a camera sometimes! It’s such a privilege to be part of somebody’s most special day of their life and to be a big part of it, taking those images that will be with them for the rest of their lives.

To find out more about weddings at Phyllis Court please click here and to see more examples of my wedding photography please click here.

Thank you

The Vicar and the Duck….

One of my New Year resolutions is to blog about my work more frequently. I was so busy last year and found it difficult to find time to put my retouching pen down and type a few words on the keyboard.

However 2014 will be different! It may be a series of pics, some words of advice or just a nice or possibly a comical picture taken from last year.

So to start it all off here is a cheeky picture of a vicar photographed in Henley on Thames. I love going into the vestry for the signing of the register as vestries are quite interesting places. Generally cluttered with stuff from over the years, sometime pictures of past vicars on the walls sometimes a painting of the church and even sometimes a duck shaped door stop will be sitting next to the door.

This picture was taken as the vicar picked up the door stop to let me and the bride and groom out. Shall I or shan’t I went through my head. I grabbed a cheeky shot and the vicar took it in good spirit (no pun intended).

I love photographing church weddings and the more quirky the church the better, you just never know what is gong to happen.

To see more of my church wedding pictures please visit my website http://www.marklordphotography.co.uk

Back to working on a Christening I photographed on Sunday in Hambleden, Henley On Thames!

Weddings at The Tythe Barn

A couple of weeks ago I was back at my favourite Oxfordshire wedding venue, The Tythe Barn nr Bicester. I have photographed several weddings there over the years and know the venue and staff really well. However, this wedding was going to be a little different….

Tim and Cat contacted me earlier this year to check my availability. On talking to them they told me about a few things they were going to do differently. One of those things was a ‘First Look’. I had never done a ‘First Look’ before but was keen to photograph one. A First Look is…. well a First Look at each other generally with the bride walking up to the groom and then looking at each other for the first time (that day!) Got it! Well, I was very excited about photographing my first ‘First Look’!

I was not disappointed. Tim positioned himself amongst the trees at The Tythe Barn and Cat approached from behind and it really was a lovely moment when they saw each other for the first time and made for some great photographs.

As Tim and Cat had seen each other now before the wedding ceremony we decided to do a few pictures of the two of them and a few family groups for those that were there. It was quite cool doing a wedding day in a different order, and also with a Winter wedding with it getting dark by 4pm it made a lot of sense to shoot the group photos and pictures of the bride and groom pre ceremony. Obviously this will only work if you are doing a ‘First Look’ but something I would recommend if you wanted to do things

Tim greeted their family and friends as they arrived whilst Cat was tucked away. We all then enjoyed a wonderful ceremony with some entertaining readings, a few more group shots and a drinks reception in the cow shed. Then another first for me was The Tythe Barn’s self carve roast, which went down well with everyone.

Tim and Cat had several lovely touches to the day with georgous flowers by The Flower Fairies and a massive LOVE by Vowed and Amazed.

Finally another cool idea Tim and Cat had was for the first dance, where Cat starts dancing with her Dad, whilst Tim eyes Cat up and then comes onto the dance floor, kicks Dad off and has his first dance with his bride. It was a lot more romantic then I have made it sound!

I am one of the recommended photographers of The Tythe Barn and have a special offer for all couples who get married at The Tythe Barn. If you are getting married there in 2014, 2015 or beyond please do get in touch. www.marklordphotography.co.uk