Posts Tagged black-and-white photography
Amy & Jonny: Pre-Wedding shoot at Wendover Woods, Buckinghamshire
Posted by Paul in For Website, Lifestyle, Pre-Wedding on February 21st, 2010
OK, so you may have noticed our titles are quietly getting longer (and distinctly less ’snappy’) well, this is due to a push to help our rankings on web search engines. We recently won a couple more weddings at The Crazy Bear simply because the client searched for ‘Crazy Bear Photography’ and this blog came up on Google’s first page which is always good. We’re also recommended by them which is an additional help of course!
We don’t advertise anywhere (though look out for our new soon-to-be-branded Land Rover Defender!) so it’s always reassuring to hear that people are finding us online as well as through the many recommendations we get. And modifying our cryptic titles to be something a little more, well, useful is just another small step we’re taking!
Anyway, onto the subject of this particular blog: Amy & Jonny’s pre-wedding session at Wendover Woods. This Buckinghamshire setting (d’you see what I did there?!) is almost certainly our most-visited location along with Coombe Hill and our home village of Haddenham. I must make an effort to find something more industrial this year for our fashion clients but, well, if you have beautiful locations right on your doorstep then why not go with it?!
The weather wasn’t exactly easy to deal with – but it was suitably dramatic! Although the snow wasn’t sticking, it was coming down at quite a pace for a period!
Amy & Jonny are getting married at Nether Winchendon House later this year and we’re unbelievably excited about working with them both. So early this Saturday before the crowds arrived (actually, given the weather, I’m not sure there’d be much in the way of crowds except for dog-walkers, mountain-bikers and photographers but still) we found ourselves on the hillside of this amazing forest.
The session was brilliant fun (they brought their two very lively pet labradors with them!) and the photos are just what I’d hope for. Lots of character and a lot of fun. Can’t wait for the summer to photograph the whole family in such a wonderful setting as Nether Winchendon. Perfect.
Karen, Dave, Sam & Maia
Posted by Paul in For Website, Lifestyle on January 10th, 2010
Just occasionally, I do have to admit, I’m not entirely sure what I’m going to capture when we set out on a session. I have all these ideas in my head but I just know we’re going to do something different somehow. It makes me nervous. But very creative. And very excited.
This was one of those sessions.
I’ve photographed Karen & Dave and their family before and had been looking forward to the session for weeks. But it was to be a studio session rather than location as the weather had been awful all week. I do love working in the studio – it’s much more technical than location (in as much as you have to control rather than locate the backgrounds and lighting) and it’s hugely rewarding. However, it’s not my ‘home’. Outdoors will always be my natural environment as I think children, in particular, are much more at ease when they can run unrestricted, only needing to stop and be photographed when we find some stunning light.
However, I needn’t have worried.
Sam & Maia stepped into the studio as if it were the most natural environment in the world to them. And the pictures we captured of the whole family are everything I think you’d want from a photo. Some are funny, some are moody, some are formal while others are essentially moments I grabbed as i saw them.
But they all tell a lovely story of this time in Karen & Dave’s family.
And the frame we just delivered is gorgeous!
Priceless. 
Sassy and Co at the Mausoleum
Posted by Paul in Fashion, For Website on November 24th, 2009
We’ve worked with the guys at Sassy & Co in High Wycombe for ages now, providing images of their handywork for all sorts of uses from their website through to competitions and ads.
We shot most of the session up at the old mausoleum in West Wycombe which was a new venue for us but one that we’re now regularly using as the variety of backdrop and the quality of the light up their is perfect.
This session was unusual in that it was a couple of the trainees who cut and styled the models – you wouldn’t know it though as their talents are clearly awesome! I love that about Sassy as the sheer quality of the work they produce is second to none! And just that it was the trainees, doesn’t mean that we spent less time on the session – far from it. We even went so far as to get hose pipes out for an umbrella shot or two!
Caroline, Ray, Emily and Lily at Coombe Hill
Posted by Paul in For Website, Lifestyle on September 27th, 2009
Ah, now this was one of those sessions.
The light, the location, the family. It all just fell into place and we had a ball.
Lily was clearly the star of the show and played for the camera from start to finish (it was hard to know when to stop as we could have carried on getting stunning images until it went dark!) but we have really lovely images of everyone both individually and as groups.
One of the reasons we like Coombe Hill so much (apart from the fact that it is generally a very beautiful place to be) is that there is so much variety in which we can capture images, from the grassy area as you go into the National Trust area, to the woodland, to the high almost moor-like area on the top to the deep forested area reminiscent of many a Hollywood Sherwood forest! And to top it all nicely, the last shot was taken in the carpark itself! No opportunity wasted!
Oh, and there’s nearly always an ice-cream van parked up there somewhere which keeps the kids and adults alike happy!
As I said earlier, this was one of those sessions!
Let us know what you think.
Cheers
P.
The Krauze Family
Posted by Paul in For Website, Lifestyle on September 10th, 2009
It’s late and I’m writing a blog.
I’ve just spent a very happy 20 minutes trying to get my head around my own Facebook profile and, much to my embarrassment given my technology background, failed miserably. I think have just asked quite a few people I know (and possibly one or two I have absolutely no knowledge of whatsoever) to be ‘friends’ of mine. If only real life were so easy huh? Just login and say ‘be my friend’. Actually, come to think of it, my boy Jake does exactly that – he simply walks into a situation – any situation – and excitedly makes new friends. Oh for the confidence of youth!
Anyway, unsurprisingly, I’m digressing. Back to the job in hand. (Is it any wonder I get behind with my blogs when I spend so much time talking about anything but the topic I set out to write about?!)
So, where was I? Ah yes, the Krauze family.
I wasn’t sure quite what to expect with this shoot as it was in a location above Nether Winchendon that we’ve never photographed before. I shouldn’t have worried though as the light was beautiful up there and we found an absolute wealth of locations in which to work.
At the end of the day this job is all about the light as that is, technically, all a photo is. A split second of light reflected from whatever it is your capturing. You’ve got to love photography for that utter simplicity.
I love these images for the characters in them though as much as the light. This was a fantastic session, full of energy and life and I think that it shows in the images. And just when I thought we’d caught everything, one of the lads pulled off the perfect ‘Dick Van Dyke’! A good day by anybody’s standards!
Let us know what you think.
Cheers
P.
Catharine and Jon
Posted by Paul in For Website, Pre-Wedding on June 28th, 2009
Ah, for the eagle-eyed out there, you may have spotted that we photographed Catharine and Jon’s engagement party last year – and we’re thrilled to say that we’re going to be photographing their wedding later this year.
There’s something particularly magical about photographing a couple’s pre-wedding images partly because it’s such an honour to be involved in the build-up to the big day but also because I think there’s a real emotion to the images we capture. And this seems especially evident in the pictures we captured from this session!
I’m not sure why, but you can really feel the excitement and romance between them both. And how nice is that?
Just brilliant.
And if this is just the pre-wedding session, you can only imagine the images we’ll capture on their wedding day in September. And I, for one, can’t wait!
Cheers
P.
Rachel and Philip’s Wedding at Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons
Posted by Paul in For Website, Weddings on May 29th, 2009
You know sometimes when you have to pinch yourself? Just a little pinch. Just to remind you that this is actually work? Well, this was one of those days.
I’m stood in the familiar surroundings of Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons, camera in hand. And I have the nicest group of people to photograph. Oh, and the sun is shining – at least momentarily.
This was Rachel and Philip’s gorgeous and intimate wedding at Raymond Blanc’s famous venue. And it was everything you could wish to photograph in a wedding. Except for a little rain. Actually, quite a lot of rain, but it didn’t seem to matter too much. Besides, pictures of kids with umbrellas always look fantastic!
Rachel was particularly insistent that we captured a lot of images of the younger members of the wedding party and that the images overall were relaxed and informal. Given our approach, I suspect that’s exactly why she chose us to take the photos in the first place!
I reckon I have fulfilled the brief and I had a fantastic time doing it – and I suspect that Rachel, Philip and all of their guests did too judging by what I saw unfold in front of my camera. We have loads of images of the kids running around (with and without umbrellas!), a chilled groom, a stunning bride and a newly-married couple looking, well, like they’re unbelievably in love!
Is there more you can ask from a wedding day? If there is, I am not sure I know what it would be! Except, just maybe, a little less rain. But hey, that’s just nitpicking.
Let us know what you think of the images.
Cheers
P.
Jane, Michael, Katie and Sophie in the Bluebells at Christmas Common
Posted by Paul in For Website, Lifestyle on May 16th, 2009
Well, it’s Saturday morning as I’m sitting writing this and we’re (gradually) catching up with ourselves on the blog front (it was the Waddesdon school prom last night and, having got back home in the small hours after shooting several thousand photos I do admit to typing this at a considerably slower rate than normal!)
Anyway, this shoot was a gorgeous session we had a couple of weeks ago over in the Bluebells at Christmas Common.
It’s always an ‘interesting’ place to shoot up there because it’s invariably crowded – particularly when it looks as pretty as it does at this time of year. But, with a little bit of scouting around, I managed to find a spot that had beautiful light and was really quiet.
Jane, Michael, Katie and Shophie were absolutely lovely to work with and I think, in particular, you can see the spirit of the two girls in the images. One of the reasons I love this job so much is that I get to meet so many different characters and personalities and I can happily report that, after a brief (and I do mean brief) moment of uncertainty, Katie and Sophie got right into it and probably suggested more images to take than I did! Fantastic! I really love it when that happens because it shows that no-one felt uncomfortable or under pressure in front of the camera. Just a lovely afternoon, great company, stunning light and a bag-load of beautiful images.
Life is good. Busy. But good!
Cheers
P.
Helen, Alf, David, Joe and Naomi
Posted by Paul in For Website, Lifestyle on May 15th, 2009
Why is it that I always seem to be writing our blog at some ridiculous hour in the morning? The Mac clock is reliably informing me that it’s nearly ridiculous-o’clock and I really should be asleep. However, it’s been another full-on week and tomorrow we’re photographing the Waddesden ball so I just know I won’t get a chance to sit down and do an entry.
This shoot was an absolute ball. Helen contacted us a while back to arrange the session with her brothers and sisters. And then rearranged it rapidly when one of them (no names, no pack-drill) double booked and went off to some far-off climb. A holiday in Rome I believe. Some people have no sense of priority. 
So it was with some degree of anticipation that we eventually did this session – you know what it’s like: the weather was stunning, the location is the ever beautiful Haddenham, and all five of the guys were great company and easy to photograph. It was all well worth the wait! And so, as usual, I’m a very happy bunny. Ah, how the summer will simply sail on past!
I love these pictures. You really don’t need very much to create images like this – a good eye for light I suppose (particularly when the conditions are as bright this) and, crucially, a relaxed client. It seems, on this occasion, we had both. I know I’ve gone for black and white images here but I’m still having an ongoing love affair with monochrome. Even though the colours on this particular day were stunning, there is something about the simplicity of these black and whites that works so well!
Let us know what you think!
Cheers
P.
Claire & Iain’s Pre-Wedding Session in Wendover
Posted by Paul in For Website, Pre-Wedding on May 8th, 2009
Or should I say, Claire, Iain, Joe, Saskia, Imogen and Heather’s session in Wendover?
I think you can see from the photos here that, well, we had a reasonably good time. Possibly. Just a little. Laugh? No. Not really. Oh go on then, I admit it. We laughed. A lot. Actually, I don’t think we did anything other than laugh.
Not a bad day at the office then!
I loved this shoot: lovely family, beautiful location, stunning weather. Best job in the world. And we have soooo many images to choose from it’s unreal.
We’re well and truly into our wedding season for this year and we’re having an absolute ball – but I can’t help but think that Claire and Iain’s will be one that might well be a highlight of the year!
I’ll keep you posted.
Let us know what you think.
Cheers
P.
Marc & Rebecca Pre-Wedding session in Regent’s Park
Posted by Paul in For Website, Pre-Wedding on April 30th, 2009
Oh wow, it feels like summer.
The daffodils are out (though I do have to admit to a secret and irrational dislike of them – something to do with them taking over your lawn every spring I suspect – and they’re not even particularly pretty. I am worryingly beginning to sound like an old git…), birds are singing, kids are guzzling ice cream like it’s gone out of fashion and the great British public has taken off a little too much clothing and is quietly going pink. Ah, the sound of sizzling and the smell of coconut oil.
And all of this in the middle of London.
I love shooting up in town; there is just something about it. The area around us here in rural Buckinghamshire is beautiful and tranquil and everything I’d ever want to live in but I still get a real buzz from being back in London, camera in hand.
This shoot was the pre-wedding session for Marc & Rebecca who we’re going to be working with in a few weeks’ time. And it was glorious. The weather was simply too good to be stuck in anywhere stuffy so we headed over to Regent’s Park. Bit weird, it has to be said, as it happened to be the G20 conference that week and it seemed like the park was the site of a Policeman’s Picnic. There were stab vests and blue lights everywhere (something to do with the American Ambassador’s place backing onto it) and it did feel a little weird being watched given I was clearly holding the terrorist’s weapon of choice – a camera. Sigh.
Still, this was an absolutely beautiful shoot! Marc and Rebecca were (are) great company and clearly very much in love. Ahhh. A great set of photos and the exciting prospect of shooting them again at their wedding back in London! Can’t wait.
Let us know what you think.
Cheers
P.
A Class Act?
Posted by Paul in For Website, News on April 24th, 2009
Just a quick one – I am one of 3 photographers featured in this week’s British Journal of Photography cover story: ‘Class Acts’. OK OK, so I’m blowing my own trumpet but it’s always nice to read someone else say things like:
“Julian Lass meets three award-winning portrait shooters combining the best of modern and contemporary. Grounded in craft-based black and white techniques and using their highly developed lighting skills together with a more relaxed approach to posing, they’re bucking the trend and increasing sales by pushing their creative, professional expertise. Just good enough doesn’t cut it.”
OK, so maybe I’m blowing the trumpet a little hard to but you’ve got to admit, that’s not a bad opening line for an article when you’re one of those three photographers!
The whole article (though sadly not all of the pictures that are in the magazine) can be found on the BJP Online Site.
Let us know you comments. I would be really interested to know if you think the article is right!
Enjoy.
Cheers
P.
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