Archive for February, 2009
Bucks Herald Competition
Posted by Paul in For Website, News on February 28th, 2009
We have launched a competition this week in conjunction with the Bucks Herald to win £1250 of photography and frames. If you’re interested in winning or would like a £50 voucher off the price of a shoot then why not pop down to your local (and, of course, friendly) newsagent.
The competition winner will be photographed either at the studio or out on location. Our photo sessions are always very relaxed and it’s this approach that creates his distinctive images (at least, I think it does!)
Following the shoot the winner will be invited back to the studio to enjoy the magic of seeing the results. They will then select images they would like in beautiful hand finished frames or as matted prints to bring the final value to £1250.
And, even if you are not lucky enough to win the main prize, you could still treat yourself to a photo session with the exclusive voucher for £50 off our regular shoot fee of £95.
For more information please email us at: competition@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk or phone us on 01844 290 054.
Of course, there do have to be a couple of conditions:
1. The main prize is to the value of £1250 consisting of the shoot fee (normally £95), our medium to large frames (prices starting from £295) and/or our matted prints (normally £45 each)
2. Voucher is valid until 30th April 2009 and is subject to availability
So go on, pick up a paper and see if you win – it’s got to be worth a go!
Cheers
P.
Debbie & Kit Pre-Wedding Session
Posted by Paul in For Website, Pre-Wedding on February 26th, 2009
Now I’m excited.
I’ve known Debbie for a few years now, having first photographed her for the CD Cover of the band she fronted – Tamarind Sun – so I was somewhat thrilled when she rang to ask if we’d consider photographing her & Kit’s wedding. Fantastic!
The weather on the day of the pre-wedding session could not have been more ideal (especially given it’s so early in the year) as it was beautifully sunny and warm. Well, it wasn’t frosty anyway. Maybe ‘warm’ is over-egging things a tad but you get my point.
So with the brief ‘we quite like black & white’ (something I always like to hear from a client as, frankly, so do I) we wandered off into the rural film set that is Haddenham. And just look at the shots! Admittedly, tinted images are not, technically, black & white but these images seemed to lend themselves to that beautiful feel you get from toned monochromes. Just gorgeous.
I think the two things that leap out at you when you see these images are the fact that we were having a really good time (we laughed a lot!) and that Debbie and Kit are really really lovely together.
Now I just can’t wait to photograph their big day. It’s going to be a ball!
Let us know what you think.
Cheers
P.
Sassy & Co. Hair Shots
Posted by Paul in Commercial, Fashion, For Website on February 14th, 2009
Well this has been a hugely productive week. At least I think it has been.
With four different sessions and a whole host of meetings, I don’t think we’ve ever been busier.
One definite high point has been the photography we’re doing with the guys over at Sassy & Co. and they came back the other day to complete the hair shots we started last week. This time the model was Becky who we’ve worked with before. Yet another fabulous model (not sure how Katherine and the guys do it) so you can see why I look forward to these sessions.
The hair colouring was done by Jody who did an awesome job and I think we’ve caught the subtlety in it beautifully – as well as creating some gorgeous images!
Though it is crucial that we get it absolutely right (the awards that these images are being entered for only come around once a year, so I don’t think I’d be very popular if we didn’t come up with goods) these sessions are always great fun and this was no exception. What heightened the pressure a little is the tight deadline on this particular brief and so we needed to turn around the shoot, the image selection and the post-production work all in the same evening. Blimey.
Still, we’re absolutely thrilled with the results – to start shooting in the early evening and hand over a completed, beautiful image just as the client needed on the same night is pretty good going. Not something I’d like to do every day but it’s nice to know we are able to when the need arises – though it did take several large pots of tea and a flagon of coffee to see us through. How very rock’n'roll!
Let us know what you think.
Cheers
P.
PS. I’ve uploaded a slightly larger selection than normal onto the blog to show what can be done with a great model, fantastic stylists, a well thought out vision and a generous pot of tea all in one session! 
Haddenham under a blanket of snow
Posted by Paul in For Website, Personal on February 12th, 2009
How cool is that (or should that be, how cold is that?)
Waking up to find six inches of pristine snow on the ground took me right back to my childhood! Fantastic!
I had intended to grab the camera and go and take some stock shots of the village and various snow scenes, but one daft dog, our two unbelievably excited kids and over 30 years of frustrated child in me and the photography rapidly went by the wayside.
So in lieu of the intended sequence of carefully crafted commerical images, what you see here are a handful of shots – nonetheless decent shots I hope – taken during the respite from intense bouts of snowball fighting (apologies to Ollie Gascoyne and Damian Natale – I seem to recall a lot of snow ending up in their 4×4!); snowman-building (one of the biggest we’ve ever done – as we were leaving, complete strangers were photographing each other next to it!); igloo-architecting (it could seat four) and voluminous hot chocolates (once again, The Little Italy Coffee Shop proves to be a lifesaver).
Now why can’t we have winters like this every year?!
Cheers
P.
PS. I am sure I shouldn’t say this, but here’s a big ‘thank you’ to all the head teachers who kept the schools in Haddenham closed for a couple of days. Me an’ the kids LOVED IT!
Snowboarding and Skiing in Chamonix
Posted by Paul in Commercial, For Website, Personal, Personal Projects on February 12th, 2009
A couple of days of sun and some of the best snow conditions the Apls have seen in decades. Stunning.
And we have a load of images for our stock library ranging from familiar piste images to the rawness of the glacier in the Vallee Blanche through to some beautiful scenic shots.
Oh, and then I got stuck in Geneva and so we also have a whole series of images from there – somewhat unexpected but still saleable images!
All good fun
Cheers
P.
As recommended by Le Manoir aux Quat’Saixons
Posted by Paul in For Website, News, Weddings on February 10th, 2009
Well I know that every day the news on the TV and radio seems to be incessantly gloomy, but we seem to be having a rather fab start to 2009!
I will grant you it’s a little chilly. Now, I absolutely love the snow (it’s the kid in me – I’ll get our snow pictures up later today) but I’m no fan of the sleet’n’slush that we’re now enduring. And it’s really challenging for our normal outdoor photography. Red noses seldom add to the look of a sexy image.
Apart from that, we’re having a ball!
One high point so far this year has been that we’re now one of a select few photographers on Le Manoir aux Quat’Saixons recommended supplier list.
Right from the very outset we’ve strived to produce the best images, the highest quality products and an exemplary level of service – while still keeping our familiar informal and relaxed approach. And that is still very much the case. And to be viewed by Raymond Blanc as a supplier he would happily recommend is really exciting!
Now that’s not to say that I think we’ve ‘arrived’ – far from it. There are always things we can improve and develop. However, if the guys at one of the best restaurants and wedding venues in the UK think we’re doing OK then I have to admit it feels good!
Cheers
P.
Crazy Bear Images in the Sunday Times
Posted by Paul in Commercial, For Website on February 8th, 2009
Just a short one this one – some of the images (or at least one of them – haven’t got hold of a copy yet so i can’t be sure!) we shot of the Crazy Bear Hotel in Beaconsfield last year are in the Sunday Times today.
We always think our images are pretty cool but it’s still really nice to see them in print. You never quite get used to it.
The Crazy Bear Hotel is utterly awesome when you’re there but that doesn’t necessarily make it easy to photograph. The place is full of atmosphere, textures, aromas, reflections and the most amazing selection of materials. And, somehow, the images need to capture just a little of that ‘essence’. I think we did exactly that but let us know what you think.
Anyway, a version of the article can be found on the Times Online.
Cheers
P.
Sassy & Co. Fashion Shoot
Posted by Paul in Commercial, Fashion, For Website on February 7th, 2009
Ah, once again we’re working with the guys over at Sassy & Co creating hair and fashion shots for their stylists. Brilliant!
I love working with Kat and her team as they’re not only a very talented bunch but they’re also really nice to work with! Admittedly, Katherine did moan that my hair is looking decidedly shaggy but that somewhat serves me right for leaving it far too long since my last visit!
Anyway, the models this time were Stephan and Ashley. I am not sure how Kat does it but all of the models we have photographed for her are customers or friends of hers (rather than professional models) – and they all look amazing! I’d hate to be at one of her parties! Stephan and Ashley were no exception. Just beautiful.
We were working in our studio this time rather than in the salon which is where we normally hold the session. Possibly a little ‘intimate’ with 4 stylists, 2 models and me and Kelly but good fun.
Cheers
P.
An afternoon in Geneva
Posted by Paul in Commercial, For Website on February 2nd, 2009
Well today has been an interesting day to put it mildly.
I was on may home from a trip to Chamonix where I’d been taking advantage of some amazing conditions to get some winter images that we can use for our stock sales. Nothing particularly special in that until I arrived at Geneva airport to discover that London is incapable of dealing with 10cm of snow and all UK flights had been cancelled. Sigh. One of the shots is of the chaos at the airport as British Airways tried to deal with the problem of a dozen plane loads of irate passengers!
Still, looking on the bright side, I have just spent quite an indulgent day capturing images of Geneva. Now I don’t often get to take ‘travel’ images as such mostly ’cause my real love is taking pictures of people. So I have to admit it was a little weird to be wandering around Geneva finding interesting images to capture. Loved it though! Geneva is a very beautiful city – though I haven’t really had a chance to explore it properly in the time I’ve had here – and one that appears to be completely unaware that there is a recession going on (the shops were very much alive and well it’s about £4 for a coffee out here!)
So here are a few of the images I’ve captured, uploaded directly from my laptop while sitting in very small hotel room in Switzerland. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll get to come home and colour correct these properly!
Au revoir!
Cheers
P.
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