Charlotte, Robin and Other Animals….

A couple of months ago I met one of my lovely couples, Charlotte and Robin at Wellington Riding near Reading, Berkshire. Charlotte keeps her horse there and wanted to have some pictures with him and their dog Oswald. Pirate the horse and I originate from Cornwall so we had something in common, he is definately more handsome although my nose is smaller!  I love photographing people as well as animals so this session was going to be great fun and possibly challenging as Oswald and Pirate do not always see eye to eye!

It was a great session and I think we all enjoyed it, even Pirate and Oswald! Here are some of the pictures that Charlotte and Robin had in their signing book for their wedding.

RCJ-2321 RCJ-2387 RCJ-2406 RCJ-2427 RCJ-2439 RCJ-2507 RCJ-2526 RCJ-2541 RCJ-2557 RCJ-2624

Keep a look out on my Facebook page http://www.facebook.com.marklordphotography for a sneaky peek at some of their wedding pictures from last weekend!

 

 

A busy weekend coming up for weddings…..

I’m currently busy designing a lovely album for Danielle and David who’s wedding took place last weekend at Great Fosters, Egham. Keep a look out for a sneaky peek once they are back from their honeymoon – there are lots of great pictures!

Tomorrow I will be photographing a wedding at the wonderful Silchester House in Hampshire and then Sunday I will be at the Compleat Angler Wedding Fair in Marlow.

So if you are looking for a photographer for your wedding day please come along and see me and a wonderful lady photographer called Maria who will also be attending. There will also be an array of other wedding suppliers all recommended by The Compleat Angler.

Doors open 11am until 3pm. Come along and see one of Marlow’s best wedding venues on the river River Thames.

Here are a few images from Gemma and Paul’s wedding from a few years ago at the Compleat Angler.

 

031-IMG_8091-GPR 032-IMG_8095-GPR 038-IMG_8132-GPR 044-IMG_8159-GPR 045-IMG_8170-GPR 082-IMG_8269-GPR 083-IMG_8270-GPR 100-IMG_8296-GPR 179-IMG_8597-GPR 185-IMG_8609-GPR 263-IMG_8910-GPR 266-IMG_8929-GPR

 

Wet and windy wedding advice…..

20130514-210910.jpg

With the unpredictable weather we have these days who really knows when is the best time of year to get married. I’ve photographed glorious weddings in March and weddings where it’s hammered down in August. Whatever the weather the show must go on and regardless of the weather everyone will still have a great time.

But from experience here are a few tips in case the weather is not quite want you wished for.

1. Hire or buy some white umbrellas. These will be invaluable for you and your guests who need to go outside and being white they will be nice and bright underneath for some photos. Most quality venues should have some but it’s worth checking beforehand.

2. Pack wellies and enjoy the puddles. It’s popular now to pack the Hunter wellies in case of bad weather and are a great look in the photos and a nice contrast to the Jimmy Choos!

3. Give your bridesmaids a small can of hair spray for windy days and a pack of hair clips just in case it’s windy and your hair gets blown around during the group photos.

4. Ask a bridesmaid or close friend to come with you when you are having photographs with your groom. A bridesmaid can be on hand to help with hair adjustments or to rearrange your dress.

5. Have a back up plan. What will you all do if it rains all day long and you were planning an outdoors reception? Speak to your venue so you know where you and your guests can go if it’s wet outside.

6. Speak to your photographer and ask them where they plan to do the group photos if the weather is bad. A good photographer will have some portable flash heads they can set up to do the group photographs indoors.

Regardless of the weather you will have a fab day as you are surrounded by your family and friends and those that love you both.

Finally in my 15 years of photographing weddings I have never photographed one where it has rained ALL day long. Call it the luck of The Lord!

Brother in Arms – A personal photograph or two

Dont worry folks I’m not going to be talking about the album by Dire Straits but a personal photograph I took recently.

Ever since I started on my photographic voyage through life I have loved photographing people, just being themselves, as they are within their own environment. One of my first projects many years ago was photographing the villagers of Budock Water in Cornwall, where I grew up. This project was all black and white portraits of people I have known most of my life and people that have spent most of their years living in the village. Sadly many of those dear people are no longer with us but it is a project I always revisit in my head. It has led me to my career in a photography, namely being a portrait photographer.

So, a few months ago when Becky and I were in Cornwall staying with my parents I thought it would be nice to grab a portrait of my Father and his brother Joe. Dad and Joe spend many hours a week at the local churchyard maintaining the grounds and the graves. Being in their late seventies and early eighties I find the two of them incredible – they just don’t stop working. If they are not working in their own gardens, they are ‘up churchyard’ cutting the grass, cleaning grave stones and  tidying up. All in their own time for the love of it and each others company.

So here is a couple of portraits of two great brothers who aren’t afraid of getting their hands dirty. As I said in my wedding speech to my Dad ‘you are amazing and I only hope I have your energy when I’m your age’ – half of it wouldn’t be bad either!

NJL-1142NJL-1127

NJL-1205To see some of my wedding photography at Budock Church please keep scrolling down.

Heidi and Brendan’s sneaky peek of their #wedding in lovely #Cornwall!

Last weekend Jack and I travelled to Cornwall to shoot the wedding of Heidi and Brendan in the village of Budock Water, near Falmouth where I grew up. I have known Heidi for many years and it was a pleasure to be part of their big day.

Their day was a perfect mix of coastline and countryside and we even managed to pop down to the local beach where the two of them got engaged for some pictures. Heidi and Brendan got married in St. Budock Church where I got married last year.

The reception was held at the family stables with tea and cake served to the guests on arrival before the champagne reception later in the day. The stables were all cleaned out and bunting hung from the doors and rafters giving it a vintage charm. During the tea and cake Heidi and Brendan had organised a Bucking Bronco and even had a go themselves. Guests were also entertained by a bouncy castle, sumo wrestling suits for those who fancied a wrestle and a magician who wowed the guests with his balloon swallowing!

So without further ado here are a few pictures of Heidi and Brendan’s big day…..

IMG_1632 IMG_1646 IMG_1692 IMG_2692 IMG_2727 IMG_2772 IMG_2804 IMG_2920 IMG_2932IMG_7114IMG_2980IMG_3047 IMG_3148 IMG_3176 IMG_3208 IMG_3250 IMG_3258 IMG_3316 IMG_3332 IMG_3357 IMG_3512 IMG_3797 IMG_3775 IMG_7464IMG_3679 IMG_3734
IMG_3905 IMG_3924 IMG_3941 IMG_3948 IMG_4151 IMG_4157 IMG_4294 IMG_4340 IMG_4345

 

 

 

Elizabeth and Eric’s sneaky peek of their #Henley #Wedding

Last Saturday Jack and I photographed the wedding of Elizabeth and Eric at the Phyllis Court Club, Henley on Thames. Elizabeth and Eric live in New York City and met when Elizabeth moved to the USA for work. They decided to get married in old blighty and wanted somewhere quintessentially English for their wedding. Where could be better than a riverside venue in Henley on Thames famed for its annual rowing regatta the world over. Phyllis Court is a members only club situated by the finish line of the regatta with beautiful views of the river Thames. With croquet being played on the lawns of Phyllis Court on a glorious spring day you know you are somewhere very English and very special.

Elizabeth and Eric booked me over the internet after seeing my website and we met up a few months ago on one of their brief visits to the UK. Their wedding day was truly fabulous and the sun shone all day for them and their guests who were there from all over the world.

With a short honeymoon to the Cotswolds cut short by Eric having to return to  NYC for work, I though I would put some pictures online for the two of them to share with their friends across the pond! So here they are guys just a small selection of some of the wonderful pictures Jack and I captured of your big day.

There will soon be a CD strapped to a racing pigeons leg heading your way too…….

Weddings Henley On Thames-0217

Weddings Hotel Du Vin-0438Weddings Henley On Thames-0229Wedding Photography Henley on Thames-0580Weddings Henley On Thames-0237 Weddings Henley On Thames-0294 Weddings Henley On Thames-0343 Weddings Henley On Thames-0422 Weddings Henley On Thames-0464 Weddings Henley On Thames-0490 Weddings Henley On Thames-0515 Weddings Henley On Thames-0531 Weddings Henley On Thames-0570 Weddings Henley On Thames-0586 Weddings Henley On Thames-0632 Weddings Henley On Thames-0633 Weddings Henley On Thames-0641 Weddings Henley On Thames-0645 Weddings Henley On Thames-0693 Weddings Henley On Thames-0824 Weddings Henley On Thames-0876 Weddings Henley On Thames-0955 Weddings Henley On Thames-0980 Weddings Henley On Thames-1051 Weddings Henley On Thames-1067 Weddings Henley On Thames-1091 Weddings Henley On Thames-1138 Weddings Henley On Thames-1156 Weddings Henley On Thames-1188 Weddings Henley On Thames-1220 Weddings Henley On Thames-1269 Weddings Henley On Thames-1409 Weddings Henley On Thames-1526 Weddings Henley On Thames-1611
Weddings Henley On Thames-1649


Weddings Henley On Thames-1711Weddings Henley On Thames-1616Once Elizabeth and Eric receive the CD they will also have the access code to the online gallery to share the pictures with their family and friends  by visiting my client area here http://www.marklordphotography-clientarea.com

Thank you.

#Weddings at Wasing Park, Berkshire

It’s always one of the most wonderful moments at a wedding when the bride and groom see each other for the first time. This sequence of images was taken at Wasing Park in Berkshire where you can choose from a church service in the grounds or a civil ceremony, either inside or outdoors.

Wasing Park Wedding

To find out more about weddings at Wasing park please click here

I am currently working on my images fro the wedding I photographed on Saturday at Phyllis Court Club, Henley on Thames and hope to put some on my blog soon. The ceremony pictures are really lovely with lots of emotion in front and behind the camera. Old softy huh?

To see more of my work please visit my website http://www.marklordphotography.com

Sir Charles Napier Pre-Wedding Shoot

Sometimes my couples have to travel a little further for their pre wedding shoot and last Saturday was no exception. Jonathan and Nicolette flew in from Hong Kong on the morning of our meeting and we met at the renowned restaurant Sir Charles Napier near Chinnor in Oxfordshire. The Charles Napier perches on top of the Chilterns and afforded me some fantastic rural backgrounds for the shoot. Little did I know but Jonathan and Nicolette had been planning their wardrobe for some time and bought new clothes for the shoot before leaving Hong Kong.

I love the contrast  between their bright clothing and the muted colours of the English countryside. Their wedding will take place at Wycombe Abbey where Nicolette studied later in the year with their reception taking place at the Mandarin Oriental in Knightsbridge.

It’s going to be fantastic!

Here are a few pictures from the colourful and fun shoot…..Oxfordshire Photography 3

Buckinghamshire Photographer 4

Spinning Flowergirls…

A great memory of a summer’s evening at a wedding in Essex. The groom was whisked outside by the flowergirls for them to show him their spinning……. Oh and also to hold their shoes!

Later that evening as the sun went down I quickly grabbed the bride and groom and took this romantic shot of the two of them. Love it!