May Macro Mayhem …. or just playing

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Either way it is just for fun.

The Sigma 180mm f3.5 lens that II am currently getting used to, is an awesome lens. The clarity of detail is something you have to see to believe. I just can’t wait to be trying this out on some of the fine detail that you come across in a bridal shoot. All those little things that wedding photographers are asked to take pictures of that make the wedding day a real treat and we get to preserve the memory for you.

These are not wedding photographs, but are just some of the things we have shot in the last few days while we enjoy a bright but cool spring.

(click on any picture to enlarge it)

Cute or what !!

We should stop horsing around really !!

Serene … and composed … unlike the photographer!!

This ugly critter was exhausted … still nice to keep your distance !!

The gardeners nightmare …..

Someone said it’s a Saxifrasia … or whatever … London Pride is what I heard …

This helibore is lasting forever !!

The beautiful red of a fragile Acer tree ….

All these photographs are straight out of the camera with only a reduction in size or pixel count. No colour correction given …. oh except the first two black and whites. But if you are into the technicalities, then you will see the depth of field and bokeh that this superb lens gives.

Sharp enough to cut your Wedding Cake

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We have been using a new lens on one of the cameras recently. All we can say is WOW!!!

It is sharp enough to cut …. and gets as close as you can to the detail. The Sigma 180mm f3.5 is awesome on detail, and so easy to use too. Not quite the bleeding edge of lens technology, but definitely at the cutting edge of image making. Just see for yourself ….

(just click on any image for a larger version)

Obviously you want to see some wedding cake too ….. though not taken with the same equipment. The wedding of Mandy and Jeremy was a great event, and such fun people to have the privilege of their taking pictures.

The cake maker was a joy to work with too, if you want Ann to make your cakes for you let me know and I will put you in-touch with her.

Just for fun I took some other really sharp pictures too ……

Although Lancashire wedding photographers do not offer this service as a norm, we could always be persuaded to keep the coffee pot going and fire on most of the cylinders.

Well it is a bike …. and it is parked …. Is this really what they meant ??

This cat is such a posh poseur !!

That is until a bird comes along and then it’s all eyes on potential dinner !!!

Leica M9/Photoshop CS5 panorama for fun

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Was at a bit of a loose end on Friday lunch-time so popped up the road to see if the view was good enough to photograph.

Thought it might be good to see how the skies came out on the 50mm Summicron lens on the M9 that we are testing. Well see for yourselves. Got carried away taking pictures of Lancashire from a high point – ended up doing a panorama of shots, stitched together in Photoshop CS5,  from Winter Hill on the left with the TV mast etc round overlooking the Lancashire flatlands out to Southport and then toward the Ribble Estuary and up toward Blackpool to the right, though the rain and clouds shrouded some of the places. See what you think. We think the Leica M9 and 50mm lens is a winning combination.

Testing times for Lancashire wedding photography – using a Leica M9

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Over the weekend the opportunity to test a very discreet camera came along. And we were unable to refuse the chance.

For wedding photography the Leica M9 is so quiet, even in the normal usage mode, but if you switch to discreet and quiet it gives the problem of photography in churches and during ceremonies a whole new meaning. You press the release, photo taken, pop the camera under your jacket to let it automatically reset the shutter, virtually no sound, and certainly no distraction to anyone. Even the registrar or wedding official wouldn’t notice. Just the sort of thing we need.

The other side of testing this camera is the fabulous results you get from some of the best lenses and glass in the world. Colour, bokeh, rendition is way ahead of the competition. We are persuaded that this is a camera that we should add to our kit bag, specially for those special hard to get or distracting shots. It is also a very discreet camera for street photography, most people will look at you funny, thinking that you could not possibly be serious with an old looking camera like that. True, but what they may not realise is that you are pointing an 18Mp very sophisticated piece of equipment at them with results that most people could only dream of.

Some of the tests we have carried out so far are seen here. We will publish others soon, but these will have to do for now.

using a 35mm Summicron lens, fabulous Bokeh

Using a 50mm Summicron f2 lens … so sharp.

The colour rendition is superb.

The subjects may be a little odd and even normal in that they are not the most pristine flowers, but what these show is the sharpness, clarity of colour, and superb depth of field control from Leica lenses. We look forward to being able to bring you more soon.

Howling at the moon on April 5th

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Who could resist the allure of the moon last night.

Full and bright. It is a sight that evokes so many emotions, who can not remember being out with your partner on such a night and the romance that is sparked between the two of you. That is what helps us stay in the business of wedding photography here in Lancashire, all because you got romantic on the night of a full moon. Long may it continue to bring romance to the world. There is also the other side of the coin …. that it invokes a madness that propels people to do crazy things like proposing marriage. Well we hope you keep doing this too for we love to make the pictures of your weddings, and romantic times.

It must be said that howling at the moon could be of little benefit as the moon will not answer back, but then there is the relief that you may get from just getting life’s frustrations out of your system. So perhaps some good does come from such a pursuit.

How ever you see the moon, as a Lancashire wedding photographer we see it as a harbinger of good things. How does that song go ?? “Always look on the bright side of life” now see if you don’t have that on your mind for a few hours. Here is how we saw it that night. And a few examples of what we did with it just for fun !!!

click on any of the the images to see a larger version

Enhanced a little just to bring out some of the fabulous features of this heavenly orb!!

Just couldn’t resist a composite howling at the moon shot !!! Photography is so much fun these days. Give us a call to see how much fun we can make your wedding day.

Even Lancashire wedding photographers have time on their hands !!!

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So what do we do ?

If we want to make some photographs we go find places and things of interest. These few pictures were just such a place. Castlefields in Manchester near the Roman ruins, there is this industrial bridge scene that could be used for portraits or wedding photography. That would depend on your taste obviously, not everyone has a grunge outlook on life, and we recognise that. But, it does give another location, perhaps even for the trash the dress photographs or just some grungy portraits. You choose.

There are at least five bridges and lots of barges in this area of the Rochdale canal system.

Whichever way you look at this place it is just exciting for engineers, and just round the corner is the show arena.

A little further out, but just in Salford these old lock basins are being renovated for new accomodation.

When we go out to the more rural areas we find places to buy your fresh veg and comestibles. This is such a great country we live in, with such diverse places just round each corner.

Let’s hope we can find some more great places to go get your pre-wedding or wedding photographs.

Lancashire wedding photographers environment care publicity pix …….. for Envirocare caring for your environment

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The people at Envirocare had need for us to make some photographs for them recently. They had a spread in the Lancashire Evening News business section, announcing to the world that they had just won a prestigious award for their work with managed property environments round the country.

David Yates whose company it is asked us again to show them off in the best light. So we did. They are all over the country but we had the assignment to capture some images of their central office staff and management. These pictures are just a sample of the images we created with them. Although not a wedding assignment we still get to work with some really great people.

They had to be really on form this day because it was so cold …. we could wrap up against the cold and wind, but the poor girls from the office were there in the wind with their teeth chattering!!! They were so glad to get back indoors, when the kettle went on and cups of hot steaming tea were distributed all round. But what a brill team to work with, specially their happy smiling faces.

click on any image to enlage

We had to get a picture of the main man and his dog ….. so David showed how he is not afraid to get down to the business of care for the environment, after all Envirocare is his business so he has to lead by example. A refreshing view of business. We thanked David for his tireless work with us to make these photographs in Lancashire.

Back in the office work got back into the usual swing and the pace picked up, but even with a Lancashire photographer wandering around and setting up some interesting shots the smiles kept coming, they must have enjoyed working with us, and posing, something all ladies seem to enjoy. We will be seeing all the guys and girls again soon when their next requirement comes up, which we just need to se the dates for. Who knows we might even work with some of these folks for their own portrait and wedding photograph requirements or when they have any events in their families, we have been promised the next family requirements from quite a few of the staff here.

Envirocare have other aspects to their business too, so if you have a Knotweed problem they will help you there too. And they come in a very presentable package. Your local neighbours will know that you have the best people caring for your environment. Like David knows he has a great team getting his photography requirements in Lancashire sorted to his satisfaction.

When you need our team to come and portray your business in the North West, Lancashire, Cumbria, Cheshire or Merseyside as photographers we are only at the end of a phone or email link so contact us to arrange to capture your images, check our page What’s Phnart for details. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

 

Fun in the sun ……. or funny things you see out there !!!

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During what we consider to be the off season for wedding photographers in Lanchashire and the North West of England, we go out and when we see things that amuse us we snap them up as we continue to make pictures as part of our life. So travelling down the back lanes of Lancashire in our never ending quest for new wedding and portrait locations to make pictures we come across sights that put a smile on our face. Some times we need to do a little editing to get the desired effect, our preference is to make the picture right first time. As with everything in life … that is not always possible. So enjoy a couple of things that amused us.

We thought back and decided we liked this image and it reminded us of telesales teams that we have seen in various places, specially getting photographs of some of the managers and the way they look … if you have had any experience of these people …. think back … and see if this image will not bring a smile to your face too !!!!

click on the image for a larger size view !!

Then driving in to a farm yard where they sold fresh milk and other delights we noticed a sign that we could not decide how to read it …. even though we know the meaning was to remind drivers that children were around in the yard. We couldn’t decide whether they were slow children or just free-range or even if it was a warning for the children to be slow while we raced about everywhere in the yard. I’m not sure we were qualified to make the decision on the meaning …. (what would Jeremy Clarkson think?)

We suspect that making these photographs has distracted us from the tedium that sets in for wedding photographers during the colder months when beautiful brides are waiting for beautiful days to get the best for themselves. We had a good giggle at some of the things we found anyway.

 

Commercial product photography can be so delicious!!!

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Sometimes this Lancashire wedding photographer gets asked to take pictures of things other than weddings.

I know …. it’s quite a shock !!!

But often the products that we get to photograph are just too delicious and end up on the dinner plate. Obviously we have to make sure that the products we photograph are as tasty as they look. So far we have not been upset by the results. Apple pies, tea-breads, chutneys, preserves and conserves have all proved very appetising …. can you imagine saying no when the purveyors of these fine products offer you the opportunity to add them to your own dinner table ……. No ….. nor can we !!!

   

To be honest the Louboutain shoes do not suit some of the cast too well but we did not shy away from photographing such an iconic product in a way that brought out the impressive height of the heels that some ladies find irresistible.

Let the team come and photograph your commercial products, perhaps in the bake house, or in the office or on the production lines. Wedding and portrait photography aside we enjoy bringing your products to life too, so just call us to discuss your photographic requirements.

 

What a difference a day makes ……. or should that be 25 years!!!

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Something that we as Lancashire portrait and wedding photographers are always grateful of …… is the opportunity to revisit clients to photograph them again. Obviously it is not often we get the occasion to exercise our wedding photographer skills again, but portraits are something that we enjoy repeating. Our preference is not to leave it 25 years between shoots, but if that’s what the client wants we are happy to oblige. The reasons are varied for getting us to do your portrait photography again, it may be that you want some business photographs, or just a passport picture, or may be just to record the maturity that you have gained over the years. Whatever your reason, you can be assured that we too have gained in maturity and techniques over the years too.

However you want your portrait photographed we can assure you that it will be relaxed and fun, how else could we get you to look your best.

25 years ago when life was so much different !!

Life is so much more fun today.

Pensive and natural as only a young mum could be …

Concentration on the fine things of life, captured in our enduring portrait photgraphy.

So for the Lancashire and North West wedding and portrait photographer to capture your best side check out our information and let us come and photograph you naturally.