Well, Happy New Year! It’s good to be back in the driving seat. OK, so the blog hasn’t been so busy this month. Sorry about that. It’s just that we have been.

2009 has kicked off where 2008 left off (and by that I don’t mean singing Auld Lang Syne and meandering home at 3 in the morning) as we’re nice’n'busy. Photography is always a challenge at this time of year – though it is also one the most rewarding times to photograph with hoar frosts, steamy breath and that rich, raking sunlight that seems to reach into corners like an irrepressible liquid gold.

On the other hand, it can simply be cold, grey and wet. Oh, and unnecessarily windy.

Luckily with Ashley and Seán’s engagement shoot the weather was very much of the former variety. Two days after we’ve seen out 2008 and it’s just gorgeous. Admittedly, there was just a slight nip in the air! A slight nip that, unusually for this part of the world, had frozen the pond to a sufficient enough thickness for some brave soul (possibly someone as thick as the ice if you ask me) to idly wander into the middle and carve his name in the frost. With no water to play in, all that was left for the familiar Haddenham ducks to do was stand on the rock-solid surface and wonder why anyone would bother.

Ashley had specifically asked for the photography to use Haddenham as the backdrop which is, frankly, my idea of heaven. Listen, if it’s good enough for Midsommer Murders it’s good enough for me. This village is an amazing place to live in as a photographer as there are so many amazing nooks’n'crannies and stunning locations in which to capture images as well as being a fantastic community in which to live and bring up your family of course! Loving it.

Had an absolute ball for this, the first shoot of 2009. We spend a good chunk of the Christmas period sorting out the orders from earlier in the year that we don’t shoot quite so much and so it was with no small degree of excitement that I picked up my D3 and headed out with the guys. I wasn’t disappointed!

Ashley and Seán were really lovely to photograph (and pretty hardy as well given the sub-zero environment – must be the Irish blood!) and a) we had a good time and b) I think we’ve caught a beautiful selection of images that say everything about them. I do hope 2009 is going to carry on this vane. Going to be a good year!

Let us know what you think.

Cheers
P.