Oxfordshire Christening, Bridal shoot, Family portraits....reflections on 2011!

Bring on 2012!
Coming to the end of January and so many plans are beginning to form for the coming year.  First though a time to reflect on 2011.  Its been a great year after our move down to Oxfordshire and finally getting the business up and running.  I had some wonderful shoots - highlights include a gorgeous oxfordshire christening on a perfect summer's day and despite the tricky lighting with full sunshine captured some great images.  A golden wedding anniversary provided the chance to catch up with old friends and a summer picnic in Suffolk provided the perfect backdrop to the close of summer.  For me the year finished with a lovely extended family shoot on Boxing Day.

Its always great to network with local businesses whether you have a new or old business and so this year has seen me working with florist Holly Green at Thanks a Bunch in Faringdon, helping her with images for their new website.  We also worked together with Cariad bride on a bridal shoot at Kingston Bagpuize House near Abingdon - you can see the images in the new wedding brochure for Kingston Bagpuize House.

Its also been a year to keep up to date with my own personal development: workshops with Morag Macdonald and John Denton have been inspirational and allowed me to further my own creativity in my photography.  Next year will hopefully see more of this as I plan to undertake a personal mentoring course to take my photography to a higher level and really make my business deliver at the highest level.

Last but not least thanks to all those who were part of 2011 - my customers, suppliers, friends and family have all been a big part of my year and from whom I take my inspiration that pushes me forward.  As always a year comes with mixed blessings and like so many I have experienced highs and lows in the year, the joy of welcoming new life into the world as well as sadness of loved ones departed who will be greatly missed.  Photography is about capturing those moments in life that are meaningful to us and maintaining a record for years to come where we can look back and relive the memories and reflect on those times.  Life will never stand still but an image can capture a moment in life forever.

Some of my favourite images from 2011 are below, I hope you enjoy them and here's wishing you all a very happy, healthy and successful 2012!

Jx

SWPP Members Training Day - Morag MacDonald

Yesterday I attended a SWPP members training day.  It's been a while since I found time to attend an educational course for myself but it was a good reminder of the benefits and inspiration we can get from observing others work. The day focused on using natural light and creating additional lighting where necessary in a way which still retains a natural look. Something all photographers try hard to achieve! Morag MacDonald has I style I appreciate being a fellow documentary photographer so I was particularly keen to learn how she approaches her work and creates her images. Like me, she tries to avoid overly posed images and may direct on occasion rather than formally pose a shot.

Her work shows strong influences of film noir and uses natural light to create shadowy, contoured images which give her subjects a 3D feel and realism and thus creates a natural feel to her work. The ability to place a subject in the available light and position yourself as the photographer correctly to create these images is a skill and an art not learnt overnight but with many years practise and refinement. I came away from the day feeling inspired and with a passion to attempt some of what I learnt.  Although we have similarities in our style, it is not my intention to copy Morag.  As with all art and photography that inspires me, I take the learning on board to use and create images in my own style.  A few images from the day are posted below. (Thanks to our model for the day Vivienne Edge).