Steve Bulley Photography

Claire & Mike's Brecon Wedding

2011-05-14T23:10:00.009+01:00

Have just finished editing another lovely wedding so here are some images from the day I'd like to share. Last week Claire & Mike were married at Llsywen Church in Brecon. I last met up with them for the pre-wedding shoot at Hergest Croft and since then they've been busy moving house and finishing the planning for the wedding. Amidst the house moving chaos, Claire had to keep this dress a secret from Mike. Not easy when she made it herself and was putting the finishing touches to it!

These couple of shots are at the beautiful riverside B&B in the village of Llyswen, where Claire was staying the night before the wedding. Here she is with her bridesmaid, almost ready to get going to the church. It was actually chucking it down with rain in this shot! Good job we had that balcony roof.

I managed to sneak out as the wedding cars were arriving to go and catch a slightly nervous Mike with his brother and best-man at the church.

I love this little black & white sequence of Claire's arrival at the church. Firstly her brother makes sure all is well and Claire is staying put in the car while the last few guests go in to the church.

The chauffeurs stand ready with the brollies.

And then Claire and her Dad brave the elements - all smiles!

Still smiling at the entrance to the church.

The vicar, Ian was a great character and made everyone laugh. Here he is trying to get the organist's attention so Claire can make her entrance.

It's nice to get free rein to photograph during the service and this church had a gallery for the organ where I could pop up every now and then to get shots like this.

Exchanging the vows.

A shot from the door of some of the guests just before I slipped down to photograph the signing of the register.

And before you know it, Claire & Mike are married and heading back down the aisle.

Comparing bouquets in the churchyard. The rain had disappeared and we even got some sunshine.

Time for a few portraits after the group shots.

Then it was off to the reception in nearby Llangors.

Sneaking a kiss during the welcome line-up.

Mike's brother gave a hilarious speech with lots of props!

I suppose you had to be there at the time to know why he's holding a cuddly ant!

Then we rounded off the afternoon with a few portraits outside before I left Claire & Mike to get ready for their evening.

A fantastic day and a really nice couple. See you soon.

Natasha & Dave's Clearwell Castle Wedding Day

2011-04-29T23:55:00.008+01:00

A little over a week ago on a gorgeous hot day in Gloucestershire I photographed Natasha & Dave's wedding at Clearwell Castle. It rounded off a lovely week of photography for me before helping the kids eat their Easter eggs!
Here's a few shots from the day.

This is Natasha and two of her bridesmaids in matching pyjamas for their preparations. Nice touch!

Had to get this shot.

While the girls were getting dressed I had time to catch up with Dave and his entourage and spotted this impressive line-up of shiny footwear!

Back to the girls for final preparations. Natasha's mum helps here with final adjustments to the dress.

As the girls were very well organised and were ready in plenty of time we had the opportunity to set up a few group pictures before the ceremony. I think it helped to keep Natasha's nerves at bay too!

...while Dave waited downstairs in the lovely ceremony room...

I love this one of Natasha and her dad arriving at Dave's side. The registrar was very helpful and I got a great position for the ceremony.

Married!

The newlyweds share a moment while the witnesses sign the register.

This was the first time I've had an honour guard at one of my weddings. A proud moment for everyone.

Had to work fast as it was a bright sunny day and I didn't want people squinting but these steps had to be used for the group shot of all the guests.

I don't often post formal group pictures to my blog but I wanted to share this one as they look great! Lovely backlight too :-)

I think these two cheeky flower girls had a good day. I spotted this shot while Natasha & Dave were posing for a guest to take a picture.

While the guests enjoyed the sunshine and the croquet lawn, I sneaked the couple away for some portraits. We were spoilt for choice with the stunning grounds.

Then it was time to toss the bouquet. I had some military help for the countdown!

A longshot of the Castle.

Back inside for the meal and speeches.

Then the party got going downstairs. I stayed for the first dance then left them to it.

A perfect start to Easter and I'm looking forward to meeting up again soon to put the album together.

Kim & Steffen Pre-wedding Shoot

2011-04-23T19:54:00.005+01:00

For the second of my pre-wedding shoots from last weekend I met up with Kimberley & Steffen in Hereford. We opted for the Blackfriars ruined Friary and Rose Garden in Widemarsh Street. A little too early for the roses but the ruins make a great setting and the weather was kind to us. Kim & Steff usually live in Germany so we grabbed a time slot while they were over sorting out plans for the wedding later in the year.

A nice black & white to start us off.

I got them clambering over the ruins to get the shots. They didn't seem to mind too much :-)

The sun paid us a little visit now and then.

This little monument in the middle of the gardens is a lovely complement to the ruins of the ancient friary.

And of course we had to take advantage of the Spring blossoms.

Another great shoot and I look forward to Kim & Steff's big day in the Summer.

Claire & Mike's Pre-wedding Shoot

2011-04-21T23:41:00.005+01:00

Last weekend I met up with Claire and Mike for their pre-wedding shoot at Hergest Croft Gardens, deep in the Herefordshire countryside. We had been communicating for a little while trying to think of a location in between Ledbury where I live and their place in Brecon and they stumbled across these stunning gardens.

You can wander around the 70 acres of gardens and woods for hours but we tried to be a bit more disciplined! Having said that, Mike and Claire were easily distracted but they did give me some time for pics before I left them to enjoy lunch in the tea rooms.

We'll meet up again for the wedding next month but in the meantime here's a couple more shots from the pre-wedding session.

Finishing off back down by the house and tea rooms.

Looking forward to meeting up again for the wedding day!

Tammy & Mark's Verzon House Wedding Day

2010-12-23T20:46:00.005Z

Last Friday saw my last wedding of 2010 at the Verzon House Hotel in Ledbury. Tammy & Mark had a lovely dusting of snow for their winter wedding and a morning ceremony. Early start for me! :-)
As I seem to have neglected to blog their pre-wedding shoot, here's one from their session last month. We caught the last of the Autumn leaves so they really had a classic pairing of colourful Autumn pre-wedding shoot and snowy winter wedding!

I zipped between Tammy's preparations at her aunt's house and Mark at home nearby. Here's Mark's best man fixing button-holes.

And back in time to catch the final adjustments to Tammy's glorious red dress.

The Christmassy red theme continued in the cake and table settings at the Verzon.

Here's Tammy arriving at the Verzon. Just time to see the registrar before making her entrance to relieve Mark's nerves!

The entrance. The lady in the purple is broadcasting the ceremony via Skype to Tammy's Mum in New Zealand. That's a first for me!

Tammy's two boys acted as ring-bearers.

Married!

Taking in the view from the terrace.

I'll leave this one to your imagination.

Got some lovely shots on the Verzon's elegant staircase before everyone sat down to eat.

Then time for a spot of impromptu ice-skating on the terrace! Hmm, let's hope those suits survived the workout.

Mark listening to the speeches.

Tammy's best lady delivered an emotional speech. Not a dry eye in the house!

After Mark's turn we all braved the chilly winter eve for fireworks from the terrace. Tammy & Mark got to press the big red button to start the proceedings and wrap up a brilliant day.

Have a great time in NYC and a Happy New Year to everyone.

Volcanic Fitness

2010-11-12T15:44:00.006Z

Earlier this week I took a trip over into the Radnor hills to do some pictures for an exciting new retreat called Volcanic Fitness. They call themselves a Weight Loss Retreat, Fitness Boot Camp and Hiking Spa and it's run by highly qualified personal trainer and therapist Jessica Mellor. I met Jess's mum Alison, who is also involved in the business, at the Hampton Court Wedding Fayre at the end of October and she showed me around when I went to do the work.

I was a bit concerned that they would work me pretty hard and sure enough Alison got me hiking out to a nearby hill to get the best outside shots of the beautifully converted farmhouse (below) from where they run the business! Actually it wasn't that far :-)

The rooms are lovely and spacious and this is what they wanted to convey in the pictures. Volcanic Fitness is going to be featured in a number of lifestyle magazines in December and early next year so look out for these shots and some more information then.

All the bedrooms are large and welcoming and have been refurbished to a very high standard. Just what you need after a day out hiking in the surrounding countryside.

The relaxing sitting room.

And here's one of the shots of the farmhouse nestled in the hills.

It's a great venture and I wish them every success with the business. All the team have masses of experience and it has all been drawn together to provide this unique experience. Of interest to brides who may be looking at this blog is that they also offer a pre-wedding package where you can combine weight loss, spa treatments and nutrition advice ahead of the big day.

More info on their website and blog at volcanicfitness.co.uk

Katie & Jon's Homme House Wedding

2010-10-09T12:13:00.008+01:00

Another sunny Saturday after a very rainy week and I was back at St Bartholomew's in Much Marcle for Katie & Jon's wedding. Jon is one of my photography students, as is Elaine whose wedding photographs I did last week, so I've had two weddings in two weeks at the same church where I know my clients have been pushing me to the limit! In a nice way of course!

Before meeting up with Jon at the church I drove up the spectacular drive to Homme House where Katie and her bridesmaids were getting ready.

Homme House is a gorgeous venue and the large bridal suite is flooded with light in the morning when the girls get themselves prepared for the big day. Hair and make-up were by Hilary's Wedlocks and Doreen from Le Glow.

I'm afraid there are a lot of pictures in this blog post but it was a lovely day and I took a lot so I wanted to show them off!
I use the word lovely a lot in my blog posts (I've noticed) but that's because I'm lucky to have done some fab weddings and photographed some lovely couples! Katie & Jon certainly fit into that category.
Here's the dress, looking right at home in the sumptuous surroundings.

Jon's sisters were bridesmaids and are puting the finishing touches to the tables here.

One of the little flower girls.

Bridesmaids ready!

I left Katie as she was getting into her dress and slipped down to the church to find Jon. Looking suitably nervous but sporting his trademark smile all day long, here he is with one of his two best men for the day.

Waiting for Katie's arrival.

Katie and her Dad about to enter the church and put paid to Jon's butterflies!

Vicars and ministers taking the service differ quite a bit sometimes in what they will allow in the church. I knew today that I couldn't shoot during the ceremony itself so I whizzed down to catch Jon's expression as he saw Katie for the first time then scooted back for some long views of the church before sitting back to enjoy the ceremony.

Photographing the actual signing of the register is usually allowed in churches so I can get some nice natural shots of this moment.

Married!

Time for our precision arrangements that we'd planned beforehand. A few portraits by the ancient yew tree then Katie & Jon popped back inside the church to exit the West Door again to a hail of confetti before heading up the drive back to Homme House.

Here's Winston the 1950's Bentley (and his driver of course) ready to whisk them away on their short but elegant journey.

We stopped for a few shots by the lake.

Had to be done.

Oops, I think we made a few guests wait for us! I don't think they minded too much!

Time for champagne and to enjoy the beautiful setting up at Homme House.

Now I usually stay the right side of the lens at weddings but someone stole my camera and wouldn't give it back until I got in the mix myself! Time to get the Wii Fit out again I think :-)

Safely back behind the camera we made the most of the grand entrance steps for some more groups of the bridal party.

It's not the first time I've done a Charlie's Angels shot but I think I'm safe in saying it's the first time the guys have wanted to do it! Jon and his Best Men were warned this was going on the blog if they did it so here it is!

The unbelievably glorious weather continued for us as we explored the grounds behind the house for some portraits before heading in for dinner.

I need to get the name of the caterers from Jon and pop it up here as a link because the food was amazing. With everyone suitably dined and happy we moved on to the speeches. Some enterprising friends of the couple set up a sweepstake and I was in danger of winning it with my slot! Luckily they finished just short of my time and the winner generously donated the pot to the Macmillan Nurses.

Just time to cut the cake from Special Ice before the party got going courtesy of the excellent local band Colloosion.

Love this one of Katie and Jon's first dance.

So I left with the party in full swing after a great day. Can't wait to meet up again and start designing the album.

Elaine & Gerry's Herefordshire Wedding

2010-10-01T12:40:00.007+01:00

Lovely sunshine greeted me on Saturday as I drove to Elaine's for her wedding preparations. After a week or so of rain it was very welcome too!
Elaine was getting ready at her daughter Carolyn's house and I was glad to see that everyone there was well supplied with Champagne!

I promise that I didn't line the glasses up like this before you ask - this is pure reportage!

Valerie from the Big Hair Day was doing Elaine's hair, as well as bridesmaid Chloe's.

Here's Elaine's son Marlon trying to get to grips with his tie. I think he gave up after this and let someone else do it for him!

A lovely bit of back-light through the holly tree in the back garden. Doesn't Elaine look great. Hers and Chloe's dresses matched the guys' ties and were all made by Greensleeves Bridal Wear in Evesham. Fascinators were by the very talented Maddy Horton of Stick & Stitch in Ledbury.

Elaine, you're not supposed to get to the church early! Under-estimating the speed of the classic wedding car, we had to wait a little for the late guests to all get in to the church at Much Marcle before Elaine could make her entrance.

Married! I love this one, Elaine's little heel flick gives it a Dorothy feel.

Chloe & Ethan waiting for the registers to be signed.

Then back out into the sun for a lovely confetti shower.

Roof down and Elaine & Gerry, newly married, are ready for the short drive from St, Bartholomew's Church to the Royal Oak in Much Marcle for their reception.

Still gorgeous fairly low sun at the Royal Oak so we made use of it for some family groups in the gardens.

Getting the priorities right. The best man here is making final touches to his speech - the football results!

Still a bit of confetti left that the girls had fun playing with against the setting sun.

Embarrassing speech Gerry?

Here I'd like to thank Gerry's daughter Tanya for geeing up the wedding couple! Wedding photographers love hecklers as it makes for natural, fun pictures. :-)

A spot of dancing and then after Elaine surprised Gerry with a birthday cake, it was time for me to leave them to it.

Just room for this one. Carolyn might not thank me for putting this up but I love it! There are about 6 different stories going on here.

Thanks to Elaine & Gerry for a great day and I hope you had a wonderful time in Scotland.

Tanya & Joshua Married in Malvern

2010-09-08T21:27:00.011+01:00

Tanya & Josh got married on the bank holiday weekend at the end of August and just to prove we had some sunshine and blue skies, this is the grand setting of the Abbey Hotel in Great Malvern on the morning of the wedding.

Tanya (short for Tatiana) & Joshua currently live and work in Moscow so we had very few opportunities to meet up before the big day. Our pre-wedding shoot was rained off but on the day the sun came out and it was a glorious wedding!

Both bride and groom got ready at the Abbey Hotel (separately of course!) having flown in from Moscow only 2 days before. Tanya was looking after the rings so I sneaked in to get a shot, as well as some dress & shoe details before heading back down to wait with Joshua for the guests.

There were only a small number of guests but some had travelled a very long way due to Tanya's Russian and Joshua's South African origins, as well as the fact that they seem to have lived and worked all over the globe. Lucky things!

Josh & the guests travelled by specially hired coach to St. Joseph's church nearby to wait for Tanya & her sister's big arrival.

Just fashionably late enough to get them a little worried :-)

The lovely interior of St. Joseph's.

Both Tanya & Joshua did readings in the church, as well as the best man.

Taking the vows.

It's lovely when I'm able to carry on photographing during the actual signing of the register.

Heading out into the sunshine for the first time as a married couple.

We had time for a few shots of the couple in the church grounds before going back to the Abbey for the wedding breakfast and speeches.

The harp and flute duo added a nice touch to the drinks reception in the lovely little secret terrace garden, tucked away between the Abbey and the Malvern Hills.

The speeches were after each course so I popped in and out to catch these moments. Josh made a touching personal speech, thanking all the guests in turn before the main course and then the Best Man's turn.

The Best Man's speech having the desired effect on the groom!

They were heading off for a relaxed evening in an award-winning local pub after the dinner so we had time for some couples portraits before I left them to it.

This first one was Tanya's idea. Hope she likes the result!

Hope Josh's birthday and the honeymoon in Como were amazing and here's looking forward to some long-distance album design.

Gemma & Nas Married at Eastnor Castle

2010-08-16T09:41:00.007+01:00

Gemma & Nas held their fabulous wedding at the sumptuous wedding venue Eastnor Castle back in June but I haven't blogged the images yet as they understandably wanted to be the first to see them!

Now we've had our viewing and I'm getting on with putting their album together, I wanted to share some of the pictures from their amazing wedding day.

I arrived early to sunshine and went up to meet Gemma.

Here she is having her make-up applied by Clare Bryce of Pure Pampering in the spacious Tulip bedroom while Chris Fordham does Gemma's mum's hair.

Gemma & Nas were having 2 ceremonies; a civil ceremony first, followed by a Nikaah Muslim blessing outside. That's an opportunity to wear 2 different amazing wedding dresses of course!

Finishing touches to dress no 1 from Mum.

Gemma and her Dad almost ready to go downstairs. I love this part of the wedding, after all the flurry of getting ready, calm descends as all the guests wait expectantly for Gemma's entrance! At Eastnor, the bride and her father get a chance for a practice run as they come down to meet the registrar while all the guests are waiting in the hall. The guests are then let in to welcome the bride at the bottom of the stairs on her second trip down the grand staircase. Gemma & Nas then lead the guests through into the ceremony room.

Exchanging the rings.

After the ceremony we went outside to make the most of the glorious grounds for the group pictures. I had to include this one of Nas and his family in their lovely colourful dresses.

This is my favourite from the day I think.

We got some lovely bride and groom portraits by the lake and around the grounds before heading back inside for the meal and speeches.

Then it was time for the second ceremony. A pair of Asian drummers set up on the terrace as the guests waited below and it was very exciting listening to their ryhthms filling the Herefordshire country air.

Gemma makes another grand entrance, this time on her own.

Nas looks on as the Nikaah ceremony gets under way.

Back inside for the dancing.

Then Gemma & Nas sprang a surprise on the guests to end the evening with a great display of fireworks across the lake.

It was an amazing day and I'm enjoying looking back on these images as I put the album together. We're hoping to meet up again soon to do a post-wedding portrait session as we never manged to get round to doing a pre-wedding shoot. We'll probably do that in London as Gemma & Nas come from my old stamping ground of East London and Essex. Looking forward to a trip up there some time soon.

Syma & Bill's Wedding

2010-07-27T10:47:00.006+01:00

Seems like 5 minutes since the pre-weddding shoot and here we are for Syma & Bill's wedding at Belmont Abbey in Hereford. The Abbey is a great building and it was a wonderful day. No wonder Bill and best man Steven are beaming proudly here.

The bridesmaids and Brother Paul await Syma's arrival. A friend of Bill & Syma's from university, Brother Paul made a special journey to take the service.

A lovely entrance by Syma through the stunning grounds of the Abbey.

I don't think Syma stopped smiling all day. But then I don't think she ever stops smiling!

The start of the service and I was able to move discreetly around to catch all the different stages and angles. As Syma and her father made their entrance the heavens opened briefly. It gave the poor wedding car driver a bit of a soaking but looked great back-lit through the open doors of the Abbey as the ceremony began.

This one shows off the scale and grandeur of the building.

Married!!

Signing the register in the Lady Chapel.

Time for a few romantic bride and groom photos in the grounds before heading off to the reception.

I followed the wedding car to the reception at Hellens in Much Marcle and Syma's mum had put up signs along the route from Hereford to Much Marcle so the guests didn't get lost. Nice touch. With some of Bill's family coming from Canada and Syma's from Nottingham there was plenty of scope for losing some guests along the way but happily we all made it!

At Hellens, Syma & Bill had a Muslim blessing, read by Syma's father to celebrate the joining of their two cultures.

And then they were fed Indian sweets by some of the family! Mmm. Unfortunately I didn't get a chance to grab one!

All the assembled guests.

Just time for a little croquet on the lawn before dinner.

Then after the speeches we headed back out to explore the grounds for some more bride & groom portraits. I love this part of the day.

A lovely wedding day with two great venues, an amazing couple and loads of fun. I left them with the dancing in full swing and look forward to meeting up again after the honeymoon.

Syma & Bill Pre-Wedding Portrait Shoot

2010-07-21T13:36:00.004+01:00

We've left it a bit late for Syma & Bill's pre-wedding shoot as they are getting married in Hereford this coming Saturday! After our first attempt was thwarted on Thursday by the wind and the rain we had another go on Saturday and it was worth the wait. We had a lovely relaxed time at their country estate in Kynaston. OK, it's not actually their estate but they've got the run of the place and that's just as good!

Here they are surveying the lands and the thoroughbred horses.

Bill has been working on converting city girl Syma to the country life style and this is a lovely place to practice!

After exploring the gardens we went for a little walk along the nearby lanes, much to the amusement of the local sheep.

Wonder if they can do this in the wedding dress!

These farm buildings made great backgrounds. Even with all the beautiful grounds it's still hard to beat a good old red brick wall!

Looking forward to the wedding now - which is very soon!

Carrie & James get Married

2010-06-25T17:31:00.004+01:00

So, last week it was forecast to rain on Saturday but it didn't! We had a great day at Canon Pyon Church for Carrie & James's Herefordshire wedding. We did the pre-wedding shoot ages ago but have kept in touch and it was great to meet up with them again.

Here's James and his entourage. Got to do the walking shot haven't you!

Two amazing 1950's Cadillacs brought Carrie, her Mum and her bridesmaids. They brightened up the country lanes. We thought one had given up the ghost on the way but they got it going again thankfully!

Loved the coloured candle lanterns the bridesmaids were carrying. A nice touch.

In churches you usually get more free rein with the signing the register shots and it's a lovely bright room in there too.

Married!

St. Lawrence Church at Canon Pyon has a nice long path and this wooden entrance arch so we made good use of it.

Then it was off to the Green Dragon in Hereford city centre for the wedding breakfast and reception. Carrie is a qualified chef and made her own wedding cake. She's probably going into business now doing cakes and on the strength of this I can highly recommend her!

James has got that gangster look off to a T.

The Green Dragon is a grand old building giving us lots of nice opportunities for the individual and bride & groom pictures.

More surprises as the evening reception was a masked ball. Even the bar staff and DJ got in on the act. I would have done but it's tricky taking pictures in a mask!
This is Carrie & James enjoying their first dance.

James, that's not your wife!

Carrie & the girls in their evening masks.

Another great wedding and it should be an album to match when they get back from honeymoon.

Lisa & Chris Married at Parkfields

2010-06-10T21:47:00.006+01:00

After spending Friday at Eastnor Castle for Gemma & Nas's wedding (blog post coming soon), it was down to Parkfields Country House near Ross for Lisa & Chris's big day. The last time I saw Chris it was in a cold, rainy bluebell wood and he didn't let me forget it! It was worth the effort though Chris wasn't it?!

This time the weather was glorious and the day flowed really nicely. Parkfields is a lovely venue, nestled in gorgeous grounds and surrounded by countryside. Here's Lisa sorting out the finishing touches in the room before heading down to the Coach House where they hold the ceremonies.

Lisa had a very bright pink look for her bridesmaids and flowers, which looked great, and here makes for a colourful walk to the ceremony room.

Chris awaits his bride!

You don't always get the best angle in the ceremony so it's nice to get this shot. Thanks to Charles, the registrar for being very accommodating.

Chris takes his first steps as a married man!

I think I said before that these two are great sports and they had loads of fun throughout the day.

Time to explore those stunning grounds a little before the meal.

That's one veil that needs showing off.

Chris & Lisa's friends put this excellent front page together which was on display in various parts of the venue.

The speeches went down well!

More drama as Lisa breaks the cake-cutting knife!

Time for a few more portraits then it was into a great party.

Lisa's Dad Mike went to great lengths to get King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys to play at the reception and it was well worth the effort. Nice one Mike.

I left them still partying. I think they wisely had a day to recuperate before going off on honeymoon. Look forward to meeting up to design the album. I think it's going to be a colourful one.

Rachel & Rob's Worcester Wedding

2010-05-28T19:54:00.005+01:00

So, blog posts are in reverse order here but last Saturday was Rachel & Rob's wedding day in Worcester. The blazing sun was in total contrast to their chilly (but lovely) pre-wedding shoot a few weeks ago so it made for a gorgeous Summer wedding by the river.

It's important to capture all the details at a wedding and to really tell the story of the whole day. Of course I always do this but don't always blog the detail pictures. So here's a couple of Rachel's shoes & tiara to start us off.

And a trio of black & white's. Hairdresser Julie helps Rachel with her veil.

One of the little bridesmaids making her first grand entrance of the day.

And a quiet moment for Rachel to calm the nerves before setting off for the church.

The ceremony was at St Stephen's in Barbourne, Worcester. Blue skies, sunshine and a vicar that gave me free rein in the church to get some lovely shots. What more could you ask for?

Rachel's Dad "giving her away" to Rob.

Looks like he needs a little help with the words here.

Rob and the groomsmen in one of the few shady spots.

After the group shots at the church we headed to Diglis House Hotel on the riverside in Worcester for the reception. Later this lovely cake was cut by Rachel & Rob with a huge military sword!

The little girls decided to attach some kind of sticky foliage to Rachel here whilst unsuspectingly enjoying a drink in the amazing afternoon sun.

Dinner and speeches were in the Diglis' purpose-built function room with large glass windows over-looking the river terrace. This made for probably the brightest indoor shooting conditions I'm ever likely to come across for the speeches. Makes a change to keep that ISO down.

Then with the help of videographer Shaun Foulds we made the most of the setting sun to get some really nice romantic images of the newly-wed couple. Hope I get to see his footage too.

Back inside for the first dance.

And Rachel's Dad showed off some slick dance-floor moves too!

I left them to enjoy the rest of the evening and I look forward to meeting up again to put the album together when they're back from honeymoon.

Katie & Jon's Pre-Wedding Shoot at Homme House

2010-05-26T16:33:00.005+01:00

A searing hot Sunday afternoon greeted us as we headed to Homme House for Katie & Jon's pre-wedding portrait shoot. After a glorious Saturday for Rachel & Rob's wedding (blog post coming very soon), it was lovely to get more sun and to make the most of the amazing grounds around this wonderful wedding venue.

We started down near the water features in an area that makes a perfect getaway corner for the couple to snatch some quiet moments on the wedding day.

Beautiful backlight and a stray bluebell or two got us nicely warmed up!

I loved this little gate and archway with the sun streaming through so much that I couldn't decide which picture to post. So here's three!

Got to get a brick wall shot!

Then it was into the house, pausing to lounge on the imposing entrance steps.

Next time we take this shot Katie, you'll be in your wedding dress!

More amazing brick-work and arches.

Then we had a little look at the lake on the way down the mile-long driveway back to Much Marcle.

Katie & Jon are getting married at Homme House in October so they've got the Summer now to attend to all the rest of the planning. It'll fly by!

Anna & Nigel's Wedding at Hellens Manor, Much Marcle

2010-05-18T13:33:00.006+01:00

On Saturday I was lucky enough to photograph Anna & Nigel's wedding, which was the first wedding ceremony to take place in the Stone Hall at Hellens Manor in Much Marcle. I've photographed wedding receptions at Hellens before but they've only recently started holding the ceremonies there.

We had perfect weather and gorgeous light.
Here's Nigel and his Best Man & ushers getting ready to speak to the registrar in the Stone Hall.

A "where are the rings" moment for Best Man Nick.

Married!
The beautiful setting at Hellens and a lovely blue sky.

Just enough guests to get a nice group shot around the keyhole at the front of the house.

Bridesmaid Sorcha entertained us with some flute playing between drinks and dinner.

Which the little ones clearly enjoyed!

Hellens has some great sculptures around the grounds like this wicker hammock. Anna & Nigel were only too pleased to feature them in their wedding pictures.

Some lovely afternoon sun in the grounds and streaming through the windows in the entrance hall. Perfect for showing off Anna's elegant dress.

I stayed with Anna & Nigel until they went for their meal in the wonderful converted barns. Looking forward to meeting up on your way back from honeymoon to re-live the day.

Rebecca & Rob Married at Ettington Chase

2010-05-14T10:42:00.008+01:00

So a couple of weeks ago I was back at Ettington Chase in Stratford upon Avon for the wedding of Becki & Rob. Their pre-wedding shoot in Malvern was great so I knew this was going to be a good day.
Maid of Honour Larissa had been stuck on the other side of the world due to the volcanic ash cloud so it was a relief to everyone that she made it back in time. Here she is helping Becki get ready in one of the rooms at Ettington.
This is a great time on the wedding day when nerves and emotions are both plentiful! The girls and hairdresser Harriet all made sure things were running to plan and Becki stayed cool and calm.

When the ceremony and reception are all in one place I can zip around the venue dividing my time between the bride's preparations and whatever the groom is getting up to. Here's Rob and his entourage enjoying a bit of pre-wedding sunshine outside the front of the house.

These are the (two) Best Men getting into the posing spirit!

Married!

Larissa catching the bouquet. Actually she dropped it but we won't mention that!

Ettington Chase has some lovely grounds and we were able to sneak away for some shots of just the couple while everyone was enjoying drinks before the wedding breakfast.

Don't know what Becki said to Rob here but it must have been good!

I had my eye on getting into the pool so thanks to the Ettington staff for letting us in there and to Becki & Rob for being great sports and suffering the spa heat for a few moments in their full wedding attire! Love these shots.

This is one of my favourites. They're such a natural couple and Ettington has lots of great locations. Bounced the flash off-camera from the top of the stairs for this one.

Excellent choice of music for the first dance and onwards through the party.

I've delayed posting this one a bit so they're one of the first to see it when they get back from Hawaii. Looking forward to meeting up soon to look through the rest and plan the album.

Lisa & Chris's Pre-Wedding Portrait Shoot

2010-05-09T20:36:00.005+01:00

A few weeks ago I met Lisa at her wedding venue Parkfields near Ross-on-Wye and we got a few shots in the grounds (see the earlier blog post). Chris couldn't make it that day because he wasn't well, so we arranged to meet up again yesterday.
Despite the pouring rain Lisa & Chris made the journey down from Staffordshire and we decided to give it a go. A little rain never hurt anyone did it!
We started off in this lovely bluebell wood in the Forest of Dean. The trees provided great cover and the colours and light were lovely. We even managed to find a dry tree stump to sit on!

Next to a lake near the Forest of Dean Heritage Museum. The fishermen thought we were a bit crazy clambering in amongst trees on the edge of a lake in the rain but never mind!

Lisa & Chris were great - climbing up banks for me to find more bluebells and not afraid to get a bit wet. I think it's going to be a good day at their wedding.

Time for a little off-camera flash in this nice mini-quarry bit we found on the way back to the cars. Love the serious look in this one.

Thanks for braving the elements. We got a lovely set of pictures and I'm looking forward to meeting up again on the wedding day next month.

Rachel & Rob's Pre-Wedding Shoot in Worcester

2010-05-06T17:02:00.003+01:00

On Sunday I met up with Rachel & Rob at the Diglis Hotel in Worcester. They are holding their wedding reception there in a couple of weeks time so we had a little recce around the hotel and the riverside for their pre-wedding portrait shoot.
Although it was a bit cold, the rain stayed away and we spent a lovely hour or so exploring the area.
Here they are in the hotel grounds before we headed out along the river.

These trees must have the fastest growing leaves in existence. I was here a couple of weeks ago and they were bare after being chopped back! Glad they're back now though.

A carpet of cherry blossom just for us!

Some great locations and a lovely couple. Thanks to Rachel for getting the afternoon off work - looking forward to meeting up again on the wedding day!

Becki & Rob's Pre-Wedding Shoot

2010-04-21T21:59:00.005+01:00

Yesterday I met up with Becki & Rob for a lovely pre-wedding shoot on the Malvern Hills. They're getting married at Ettington Chase in Stratford upon Avon next month but were keen to come down to the hills for their pre-wedding portrait session. I'm glad they did as the weather was great and we got some lovely pictures.

We met at the North car park by Tank Quarry before some shots around the amazing clock tower.

This one is inside the clock tower - a location I've had my eye on for a while now.

Then up to the spring where, amazingly we got the place to ourselves for a bit.

This was a perfect location for Becki & Rob as they are having a very natural theme for their wedding. Can't wait for the day!

Just above the natural spring are these benches and paths up to the Worcester Beacon.

The sun was still shining and it made for a lovely romantic setting.

Finishing off with a little off-camera flash just to round off the afternoon.

Thanks to Becki & Rob for coming down from Birmingham on one of only 2 days off for Rob before the wedding! Looking forward to meeting up again at Ettington in a couple of weeks time.

Worcester Photography Composition Workshop

2010-04-15T23:04:00.005+01:00

Seems like a while ago now (sorry I've been away again) but at the end of March I ran a workshop, dragging some hardy souls around Worcester to practice compostion in a city/urban environment. What's good about Worcester and the site of the other composition workshop I planned in Gloucester is that they have a good mix of old and new, waterfront, dock areas, city architecture and lots of opportunities to find interesting shapes, patterns and textures.

We concentrated largely on the redeveloped dock area at Diglis Basin and the area around the Cathedral. We started using wide angle lenses only. This got us thinking hard about what to include in the shot, how to make it interesting with such a wide field of view and what shapes to look for that the wide angle could accentuate.

Here's the lock-keeper's cottage at Diglis Basin. I thought a black and white treatment worked best.

Another black and white of a bit of urban decay. Just round the corner to all the new building going into the sparkly dock areas is this neglected sea cadets' hut. Conveniently there's a wall dropping down to the riverside path so I could get a low angle across the gravel without lying on the floor!

Later in the day we switched to longer lenses to again force us to think in a certain way. This one shows some of the flood levels that have been reached over the years.

A close-up detail of the intricate workmanship on one of the doors to the Cathedral.

This house in the green next to the Cathedral - I think it's one of the university buildings - stood out to me as it was the only one not obscured by parked cars!

Another wide shot that takes in the buildings around the green with the tree and it's little blue circle of flowers as both framing and foreground. Waiting for the sun to come out from the intermittent cloud threw the lovely shadows of the branches into the bottom of the shot.

A classic simple off-centre composition. I do like brick walls for their texture.

Back at the Diglis Basin the houseboats here formed a nice curve which worked well with the perspective of the long lens.

There are some more on my Flickr stream, along with some from skiing.
If you want to come along to one of my workshops give me a call and keep an eye on the webpage and Facebook for updates. The next one is likely to be in search of bluebells on Sunday May 9th.

This Sunday 18th April I'll be at Hereford Racecourse wedding fair then May and June are pretty busy with weddings and pre-wedding shoots. So plenty more blog posts to come!

Lisa Pre-Wedding Shoot

2010-03-29T09:52:00.005+01:00

On Saturday I met up with Lisa at Parkfields Country House near Ross on Wye. Lisa & Chris are getting married here in June so we took the opportunity to get some shots in the grounds ahead of their big day. We're meeting up again in May for a full pre-wedding shoot when Chris is around too.
This is the lovely house itself, set in beautiful gardens with miles of unspoilt countryside all around.

I'm really looking forward to the wedding day so we can explore these grounds even more. Might even get the guests to enjoy a bit of croquet on that lawn behind Lisa in this shot :-)

There's a great little wooded section of the grounds. Might be interesting in wedding shoes!

We found this little hidey house and Lisa was a great sport, climbing inside to get a shot!

Looking forward to meeting up with Lisa & Chris again in May for their pre-wedding portrait shoot and then of course for the wedding day at Parkfields in June.

Photography Exhibition

2010-03-28T22:01:00.004+01:00

Those of you who know me will know that I teach photography at John Masefield school in evening classes 3 nights a week. This term (which has just finished for the Easter break) we have concentrated on getting pieces ready for the second annual exhibition of students' work. The exhibition ran for a week at the Weavers Gallery in Ledbury until today and was a great success!
These are some of the pieces in situ.

Here's a couple from Jane that she had made into canvas wraps. Jane put some prints in last year so wanted to try something different this year. She's had a fantastic journey on the classes and is now selling some of her work locally!

The pieces below are from JM 6th form student Jess who comes along to my Tuesday group. She saw this project through from a concept she wanted to do with a vintage feel shooting into low evening sun. I think she did an amazing job and is a talent to watch out for in the future!

A little section of the corner of one of the exhibition rooms. I haven't done close-ups of the works but rather just wanted to show some of the pieces as they were in the rooms. Here are some great portraits from Jenne, some shots from Carl's recent Kenya trip (the one of the lady in the middle is amazing) and some lovely early morning train shots from Ralph.

Christine has only joined the Monday group recently protesting of a lack of computer skills. Then she came up with this brilliant pair of pieces printed on to fabric and hand stitched into a quilt and a cushion! Who needs computer skills when you can do that?

And here is another lovely piece from Margaret. She did an autumn leaves canvas last year and this one shows again how Margaret understands and seeks out lovely light for her work. You can't really see Tess's black & white prints in the background but trust me they were fantastic and very powerful.

So that's just a little glimpse of what was on show. If you didn't go come next year! I might get them to collect all the images together and make a Flickr gallery so the exhibition can live on. Will post details of that as and when it happens.

It really was great for me to see all this superb work put together in such a variety of ways. Here's to another exciting term ahead and hopefully another top exhibition next Spring.

Little Me Childrens' Clothes

2010-03-19T11:24:00.005Z

Here's a few shots I did a week or so ago for the fab kids' clothes shop Little Me in Great Malvern.
This is some of their new 2010 range expertly shown off by little Molly.
We had a fun morning dancing to Abba!

Some of the shots from this session will be on display in the shop, as well as of course, all the wonderful clothes.

Caribbean Faves

2010-03-11T23:23:00.007Z

OK, I've been back a few weeks so it's old news and it wasn't work but I felt like putting up my faves from the holiday last month. Maybe it makes up for not blogging since January.

I don't really do landscapes so here's a seascape. I find the sea so much more appealing, which can be a problem when I live so far away from it now!

Could have spent hours in here but only Katy was willing to do crazy poses :-)

This is in the same place - the Vortex disco on deck 13.

Raining in Haiti.

Street sellers in Cartagena, Colombia.

Portobelo, Panama.

Portobelo again.

Aah, the Champagne Bar.

Here's our home for the 10 nights - Royal Caribbean's Jewel of the Seas, anchored here at Grand Cayman.

The boys on 7 Mile Beach in Grand Cayman

So just a little taste there - quite a few more on Flickr.
Since I got back I've been catching up and doing some commercial work for Football Fledglings and Little Me, as well as covering Bugsy Malone tonight at John Masefield.
Will put some pics up from some of those soon.
I'll be doing some wedding fayres and pre-wedding shoots in the coming couple of months so looking forward to those and getting on with some outdoor portraits when Spring finally arrives.

Studio Workshop

2010-02-07T21:56:00.003Z

Today I ran my first workshop of 2010. 4 photographers joined me in my studio to have a crack at some still life set-ups. It's a bit of a departure from my usual work but we had some fun playing with the various 'props' and putting our (limited!) flower arranging skills to the test.
One of the attendees, Jane, brought these peacock feathers along and I think they look great with the blue gels on the background.

Here are the same feathers but shooting into the softbox. It gives a dreamy, almost monochrome feel.

A couple of different gels, a tulip and some hyacinths for another set-up. Flowers today were supplied by Valerie Butcher.

Some nice daffs shot against the grey background. We used this set-up with some green gels on the background but I like this simple grey shot.

Thanks for an enjoyable day everyone. The next workshops are in March, details on the main website.

The Imagined Village

2010-01-22T14:32:00.006Z

The last time I saw The Imagined Village was at the Big Chill, either last year or the year before (sorry I can't remember which!). Then they had Sheila Chandra with them and they've also featured Billy Bragg. Now they've slimmed the line-up down a bit but there's still a fair few of them on stage.
I photographed them last night at Birmingham Town Hall for Brum Live and they were great!
There should be a review up there soon.
For now, here's a few pics.

Not many uprights in the bass player collection so this is a nice rarity.

Their sound is somewhere between ancient English folk and Indian/world music, oh with a bit of Electronica thrown in for good measure. Many of the songs are re-workings or arrangements of songs I normally would steer well clear of! That's testament to how good they are at it. I even bought their CD. :-)

2010

2010-01-18T15:50:00.004Z

A bit late I know but the New Year has been on hold somewhat so far because of all that snowy stuff. It was very nice and the Malverns particularly looked amazing but closed schools and messy roads meant not much got done!
I have managed to get a few portraits in though and a job at Malvern Library for their Festival of Learning so it's not been completely dead. Tonight the John Masefield evening classes start again too - a week late.
This term is a short one and I'll be getting the students to think about the upcoming exhibition at the Weaver's Gallery in Ledbury - advertised on my Facebook page. We ran this last year, organised brilliantly by Jeanette McCulloch, and it was such a success that it's on again from March 22nd - 28th this year. It will feature work from my photography students (different work to last year!) as well as pieces from the Botanical Illustration and Silver Jewellery classes.
We're also taking the Unsung Heroes exhibition to Malvern Library in May - I'll post details later - so it's already turning into a busy 2010. My Spring workshops will run on a number of Sundays from Feb 7th until May too - get in touch directly or via Facebook if you want to attend one. Details on the main website.
So just a little update for now. Looking forward to getting the classes started again tonight.
See you soon!

Congratulations to Jo & Paul

2009-12-22T17:37:00.005Z

For my third wedding of December and my last of 2009 I was back up in Stratford at Ettington Chase as Jo & Paul chose the last weekend before Christmas for their wedding. It was -5 degrees as I scraped the ice off the car and headed to Warwick to catch Jo getting ready, then off to St. Margaret's church in nearby Whitnash .

This is a classic shot of Paul checking his watch (not posed either!) as the low winter sun throws a highlight on to his watch arm. The freezing temperatures were well worth it to get this lovely light.

Here's Jo signing the register. I was allowed free rein in the church so could capture the ceremony from a few different angles.

Beautiful light still afterwards but too cold for group shots at the church!

Here's one reason why people choose winter weddings - look at that sky! That's Fred's 80 year old Rolls Royce in the background. A lovely car but I'm glad I was following in my car with modern heating - they didn't have any!

After a few group shots outside (I let the guests pop in and out of the Library through the side door to warm up!) we decided to do the rest inside by the piano. I love this natural one of Jo & Paul.

Later on, after the meal, a special guest took time out from his busy schedule to come and chat to the kids and hand out presents. Needless to say he was a big hit!

With the dark closing in it was time for some more low-key shots. This one is in the entrance hall at Ettington Chase, just lit by the overhead lights.

And finally a nicely worked out first dance.

Congratulations again and I hope Paul didn't let the secret getaway destination slip too early. I'm sure it was amazing and I look forward to catching up in the New Year.

In between Bridget & Tony's and Jo & Paul's weddings I also photographed the John Masefield carol concert at Ledbury Church and I've had a couple more studio portraits today. So it's been a great December. Just need to finish the Xmas shopping now!

Congratulations to Bridget & Tony

2009-12-18T09:31:00.003Z

Just a quick post and a couple of shots from Bridget & Tony's wedding last Wednesday 9th Dec. A small and intimate wedding at Ledbury Register Office, followed by lunch at the Verzon House Hotel just outside Ledbury.

Here's the couple in town by the Christmas tree next to the Market House. We had to wait for a back-up registrar to come from Hereford as the one who was meant to be there couldn't make it! Not too much delay though and Bridget & Tony could carry on with their ceremony and grab a few shots before heading off to the restaurant.

The Verzon is a lovely restaurant and hotel on the Ledbury to Hereford road, run by Peter, Audrey & Jane Marks. I joined Bridget, Tony and their guests there for a little while before slipping off to let them enjoy their lunch and the rest of their day.

Josh's Christening

2009-12-13T18:29:00.004Z

Just a quick post with a couple of shots from Josh's christening on Sunday.
With Clare & Howard's wedding pics uploaded and backed up it was time to clear down the cards, recharge batteries and head off to Eastnor Church for a big family christening for little Josh.

Here's Georgia, Graham & Josh arriving.

A lovely bright December day made for some nice lighting inside the church.

Then it was off to the Feathers Hotel in Ledbury for the party. Here's the family by the Quills room at the Feathers.

Just getting the rest of the pictures ready for the web gallery then I'll be editing Bridget & Tony's wedding from Wednesday 9th.

Congratulations to Clare & Howard!

2009-12-10T14:21:00.006Z

Last Saturday I was back at Ettington Chase in Stratford for the wedding of Clare & Howard. I did their pre-wedding shoot a few weeks back and now it was time for the big day itself! They had a grand day planned with 160 guests , a superb Christmas theme and lots of partying. A brilliant day.

I started early with a trip to the salon (Classics Hair & Beauty) in Kenilworth to get some shots of Clare and her bridesmaids getting ready, then it was off to Ettington Chase to meet Howard.

Here he is with his brother, getting into the party mood already!

We were inside (in the warm!) most of the day but this is Howard & his sister and bridesmaid just outside the library before Clare arrived.

Clare in a quiet moment before the ceremony and then with her Dad on the way down the staircase to see the Registrar.

A good back view of Clare's amazing dress as her Dad leads her into the ceremony room.

I think this probably suited Clare better than Howard...

All the tables had Christmas song names - this was the top table of course!

Time for a few shots of the star couple between the meal and the party.

Then on to the first dance. Despite protesting that they hadn't worked out any moves beforehand they pulled off a slick performance and soaked up the limelight pretty well!

Howard then took centre stage to join the band for a great rendition of Have I Told You Lately That I Love You - good show Howard!

I slipped away as the late buffet arrived but I think the party went on well into the night!

Thanks for a superb day and have a fantastic honeymoon!

Alice

2009-12-03T10:55:00.003Z

Well that was an interesting day!

I started off Tuesday this week with a trip to John Masefield school for the inaugural Friends of JMHS event. I was invited along as I did their prospectus photos and of course I do my teaching there.

Then it was back to the studio for some baby pictures. Little Ralph was great and we got some lovely shots. The studio has been busy lately with everyone getting their Xmas photos organised. Probably why I haven't blogged much recently!

Later on I got the word that passes were sorted for Alice Cooper so off I trotted to Wolverhampton Civic Hall to cover that for Birmingham Live.
Had to park down the road a bit and trudge up the hill in the rain with a heavy camera bag but I suppose that's to be expected in December!

Here's Alice looking just as crazy as ever!

It was a busy photography pit but nice and close to the stage. Makes for some cool wide angle shots...

...and close-ups

This is Alice's Theatre of Death tour where he demonstrates lots of ways to die on stage! Never a dull moment eh!

The support band were Man Raze. I didn't know who they were before I got there but really should have done my homework as they are the side project of Phil Collen from Def Leppard and also feature Paul Cook of the Sex Pistols on drums! Luckily I got some nice shots anyway. Enjoyed the set too, I might be checking out their album soon.

Watch out for the review on Brum Live soon.
This Friday I'm at Ledbury School Xmas fair so come along and see me and maybe book a portrait session! Then Saturday it's off to Ettington Chase for Clare & Howard's wedding.
Watch this space for pics!

Find us on Facebook

2009-11-12T13:18:00.005Z

Been meaning to do it for a while but I've now set up a page on Facebook for Steve Bulley Photography. Feel free to become a fan!
I've added the 'Find us on Facebook' logo to my main website Steve Bulley Photography and this links straight to the page. Otherwise you could link straight to it from here.
So I now have to update my website, blog and Facebook! Hopefully I'll get some time to keep shooting too.
I'm going to use Steve Bulley Photography on Facebook to advertise upcoming workshops and promotions for portraits etc so keep an eye on that as well as here. It's a good way of getting lots of images on show as well.
At the moment there are a few photo albums showing my work across the range of what I do - wedding photography, location portraits, studio portraits, pre-wedding shoots, music & performance and commercial. I'll add to those over time and post some new ones as well as some from the photography workshops that I've led over the past few months.
Hope you like it.
All being well with passes I'm off to photograph Deep Purple tomorrow night for Brum Live so watch these spaces for the shots.

Clare & Howard Pre-Wedding Shoot at Ettington Chase

2009-10-30T14:56:00.002Z

A lovely wet and windy lunch time greeted me at Ettington Chase in Stratford last weekend where I was meeting up with Clare & Howard for their pre-wedding portrait shoot. That meant I had to hope we would be able to get some nice shots inside or they were feeling brave enough to work with the weather. As it was, we got both!
Ettington Chase is becoming quite a busy wedding venue but it still feels relaxed and welcoming and has some lovely places to get great shots.
This is on the main staircase in the old house. Clare & Howard settled in straight away and were great to work with.

This is in the library which is also used as a ceremony room for smaller wedding parties.

Perfect timing meant our indoor shots took place during a torrential downpour but the sun came out when we were ready to go outside and take advantage of the Autumn colours in the grounds.

Thanks to Clare & Howard for braving the elements! I'm looking forward to their winter wedding in early December at Ettington Chase.

Carrie & James Pre-Wedding Shoot

2009-10-24T19:13:00.004+01:00

Last weekend I met up with Carrie & James for their pre-wedding portrait shoot. It was a lovely fresh morning in the rolling Herefordshire countryside and we got some lovely shots.
Well done to James for braving the bracing air in his shirtsleeves!

Here's some from the shoot.

Carrie & James are getting married next June so they're pretty organised. It's nice to do the pre-wedding shoot in a different season sometimes as they have done.

We waited patiently for the sun to peek its head out and it didn't disappoint.

Thanks for a lovely morning - see you in June!

Malvern Photography Workshop

2009-10-05T11:57:00.005+01:00

This Saturday I led a small group photography workshop in Malvern around the St Ann's Well area. We had a great time and just about managed to beat the weather.
We started off gently down the bottom of the hills and then worked our way up, catching some lovely views like this on the way.

I like to shoot landscapes vertically. You still get to convey everything you want from the scene and I think using a long lens shows off the miles and miles of scenery as well as the Abbey in the foreground.

Just enough sun on the way up to play with some starbursts through the trees.

Then after lunch Chloe joined us and was a great model (as always) for the portraiture component of the day. Here's a few of my favourites.

Lots of opportunities for good portrait settings and backgrounds in just a tiny area of the hills.

Couldn't decide if I liked the colour or the strong contrast black & white best here :-)

We got to have a go at some off-camera flash too. Brick walls make brilliant backgrounds as you can really have some fun in Photoshop afterwards.

So, another excellent day with a good group. They got some nice shots and gave me some lovely feedback so thanks for that. Thanks to Chloe too of course!

Sunday I was back at Ettington Chase for a wedding fayre. Another successful day and it was topped off by getting some shots of this shiny R44 out on the lawn.

Malvern College Fashion Show

2009-10-04T17:59:00.003+01:00

Last Saturday I did the photography for a big fashion show at Malvern College's Rogers Theatre in aid of the NSPCC. It was organised by Jill Campbell from Isis Boutique in Malvern and choreographed by Karen Irving of Fashion First . Fellow wedding supplier and great hair stylist Valerie Butcher did the models' hair and wedding dresses were supplied by Bridal Gallery of Malvern.

It was a great show and I'm sure they raised a great deal for the NSPCC. The raffle prizes were amazing.

Here's some of the shots from the evening.

Of course, as a wedding photographer I was drawn towards that part of the show!

I love this one of a couple of the bridal models getting ready back stage.

Some lovely stage set-ups with the 2 little bridesmaids - stars of the show!

Moody lighting at the back of the stage.

And these are from the finale.

Well done to everyone involved. The rest of the pics are in the client galleries on my main website. Contact Jill at Isis for the password.

Ross Family Portrait Shoot

2009-10-03T20:47:00.003+01:00

A couple of weeks ago I met up with Laura & John again in Ross on Wye. I photographed their wedding in June and they wanted to come back to Ross for some family shots with their lovely daughter Mia.
These are a few faves from the day.

Some nice back-lighting and a mean and moody look from Mia :-)

I like this little black & white series of Laura & Mia. It was off to the ice-cream shop after this!

Thanks for another lovely afternoon guys.
After this it was back to the studio for a family shoot. A lovely way to spend a Sunday.
Got to catch up on my blog posts. Next up is the Malvern College Fashion Show from last weekend.

Matlock

2009-09-28T22:12:00.003+01:00

Just a quick post to mention my first workshop up in Matlock. I took a group to the old Lumsdale mill site (on my birthday!) and we had a great day getting shots like the one below.

I hope to run some more up there but I'm not sure if I'll get a chance before the spring. My next workshop takes place in Malvern on October 3rd so I'll post some from that too. Got a
few more posts to put up before that though. Time to get back to the editing!

Jo & Paul Pre-Wedding Shoot

2009-09-11T12:55:00.005+01:00

Once again I find myself apologising for not blogging for a while! Anyway, here are some shots from a lovely pre-wedding shoot I did last weekend at Ettington Chase. Jo & Paul are getting married there in December so we met up to get some portraits and chat about their day. I've got a few pre-wedding shoots coming up as the diary is filling up nicely for weddings for next spring. Watch this space for more!

Jo and Paul were a great couple and didn't mind getting a bit grassy for me! Looking forward to the wedding in December.

Time to try some off-camera flash for something a little different.

We had to grab this one in the doorway quickly as there was a wedding on that day with people going in and out. Hope we didn't get in the way too much! :-)

The next Ettington Chase wedding fayre is on 4th October and I'll be there as their preferred supplier wedding photographer. Should be a good day.

In other news, the John Masefield High School prospectus is now out. I did the photography for that at the end of last term so it's nice to see it in print. I'm running three photography classes at JM this term on Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday so it's going to be a busy term. I'm also trying to arrange a couple more photography workshops before the weather closes in. Watch the website for those but they are provisionally going to be Sep 19th and Oct 3rd if all goes well.

Photography Workshop

2009-08-20T15:02:00.004+01:00

Phew, life seems to be settling back again after holiday and the Big Chill.
Since then I've done a couple of portraits, another workshop and of course the Malvern photography class is still on for another couple of weeks. Just booked in another Eastnor Castle wedding for next June too so I'll be looking forward to meeting up with the couple later in the year for their pre-wedding shoot.
Here's a shot from the workshop last weekend in Dymock.

This is all about creating a starburst and using a bit of designer flare. I've also given it a slightly over the top brown/yellow hue for that retro look.
We had good fun on the workshop despite the freezing winds in the morning. Perseverance pays in photography and we had superb light in the afternoon.

Looking forward to going out for another half-day workshop in Ross this weekend and I'll be exhibiting at the wedding fayre at Worcester Cricket Ground on Sunday if you want to come and say hello.

More Big Chill pictures

2009-08-20T14:05:00.001+01:00

Here's a link to the Flickr stream for the shots I submitted to Brum Live from this year's Big Chill festival. Not sure what's happened to the review or if it's going to appear at some point but these are the pics. Feel free to browse/comment etc.

Big Chill 2009

2009-08-13T13:10:00.004+01:00

Here's some of my favourite shots from the Big Chill festival this year at Eastnor.
(I didn't get back in time for the zombie film by the way!)

Hafdis Huld from Iceland. I saw her 2 years ago at the Big Chill and also did some portraits of her so it was good to see her and the band again.

Youth from Killing Joke playing with Indian collective Suns of Arqa on the Open Air Stage.

John Cooper Clarke.

Fun in the bubble foam pit at Sam Sam the Bubble Man's Bubble Inc. stand.

The No Fit State Circus!

I always like to get this kind of shot. This is Ska Cubano in the Coop tent/stage.

Chillers enjoying Max Romeo's amazing roots reggae set.

More giant bubbles from Sam.

Daevid Allen from Gong. Superb being able to see them and re-live some of those psychedelic moments from my youth!!
I've done a review for Brum Live so hopefully that should appear on their site soon. Not sure what pictures they'll use but once it appears click on any pic and it will take you to the full Flickr stream for a few more. I might add some to my main site too, especially one or two of Amadou & Mariam. They were the highlight of the festival for me and I can't stop playing their album "Welcome to Mali".

Time to Chill

2009-08-06T13:50:00.003+01:00

It's that time again already!
I've been quiet on the blog front because we've been off to Italy on hols. Had a great time, drove far too much (3200 miles in a fortnight), ate too much ice cream and generally got very hot. It was nice to be out of the English rain but 35 degrees all day long was a bit exhausting!
Will probably put some holiday pics on my Flickr stream but for now it's back to work!

So today I've been down to Eastnor Deer Park to get my pass for the Big Chill and have a look round the site. It's a bit muddy but sun is forecast so I'm sure we'll be fine. Hoping to get back there later this evening as they are filming a massive Zombie film tonight with loads of the crowd made up as zombies. I narrowly avoided being zombified myself but was able to politely decline on the grounds that I want to be the other side of the lens!

The campsite is great with Eastnor castle as a backdrop but I think we made the right decision not to camp this year. Watching everyone struggle up the hill to pitch their tents brought back last year's painful memories!! As I live so close I'm taking advantage of being able to come home to a bed and a shower :-)

The boys start the weekend as they mean to go on.

If I get back down there later I'll try and get some zombie pictures. If not, watch this space to see the festival unfold over the next few days. I should be putting some reviews on Brum Live too if all goes to plan.

Suzanne Vega & TV

2009-07-13T00:00:00.003+01:00

Just back from Birmingham Town Hall where I was photographing Suzanne Vega and Eddy Morton for Brum Live. It was a charity concert for Casa Alianza and Suzanne was on fine form.
There should be a review on Brum Live in the next couple of days, with some more pictures of course.

One for the bass player collection!

It's been quite a day actually. I covered Shedman's poetry breakfast for the Ledbury Poetry Festival (below), then had a family shoot in the studio before dashing back into town to grab some more performer portraits on the Festival's last day.

While I was driving to Birmingham for the Suzanne Vega gig, the Benjamin Zephaniah interview aired on BBC West Midlands and featured... me! Well, not really featured but they filmed me photographing Benjamin after his interview and showed it on the tele. Will have to keep that one on the Sky+ box for posterity!

Poetry, Sheds & Three Bens

2009-07-11T23:26:00.005+01:00

It's Ledbury Poetry Festival time again. I haven't managed to get to as much this year but we've had a slightly different take and gone for capturing some performer portraits around the town.
Below is Booker prize winning writer Ben Okri. He gave a brilliant performance to a packed audience in the Community Hall and then was very accommodating with his time in order for me to grab some shots up by the Heritage Centre.

Then today I was privileged to sit in on Benjamin Zephaniah's BBC interview (showing on BBC West Midlands News on Sunday 12th July) and take some portraits of him in the 16th century Painted Room next to the Festival offices.

I love this one. I can never resist a 'Please Don't Touch' sign!

Here's one from Benjamin's riveting performance this evening. Another packed audience and a show that you didn't want to end. I last saw Benjamin Zephaniah live in 1984 at Brockwell Park in Brixton at a CND rally. Makes me feel old when you think that's 25 years ago!

Just to keep the Ben theme going, here's Ben from John Masefield High School doing his beatbox thing at their show with the Anomalies and Shane Solanki today. I covered their workshops last month when they were getting ready for this so it's great to see the finished product. I'll also be catching up with them at the Big Chill so will post more from that.

Finally, it was cool to speak to Shedman John Davies again. He stayed with us last year and his shed has been even more popular this year. It was very welcome to take shelter in when it chucked it down today as well! I'll be going to his breakfast performance tomorrow (Sun) so I may post some more from that too.

Our Day Out

2009-07-07T09:21:00.006+01:00

Friday saw another great performance from the John Masefield team. The Lower School performed Willy Russell's Our Day Out and there was some amazing acting on display. They're a very talented group.
Here's a few shots from the performance. The rest are up in the usual place on my main website.

Congratulations Laura & John

2009-06-28T20:03:00.005+01:00

Yesterday I was back in Ross on Wye for the wedding of Laura & John. They tied the knot at the register office in Ross, which is a lovely little former chapel, and then I got some shots of them and their guests in the grounds of the Royal Hotel.
Laura & John are from near where I used to live in Surrey and have Essex connections too so they booked me because of my own Essex heritage - and my photography of course :-)! It was a glorious day and I'm sure they'll have a great honeymoon.
Here they are at the Royal.

I love this one of the bridesmaids just after they arrived at the register office. The registrar down there is also a Surrey/London exile so we had quite a good little chat between us all!

Poets, Portraits, Horses & Proms

2009-06-27T21:48:00.005+01:00

Well this was a fairly busy week. My teaching at Malvern Library started on Tuesday so I'm doing 2 nights at John Masefield and 1 at Malvern Library at the moment. Always nice to meet a new group and start them on their journey. I have had some great feedback from the workshop last week too and have started to take bookings for the dates in July & August. Full details are now on the website.

Monday I was back in John Masefield to cover a poetry workshop. Shane Solanki is working with a group of year 7 students who will be performing at the Ledbury Poetry Festival and the Big Chill, alongside The Anomalies groups that I photographed last week. Here's Shane wondering how he's going to get them into shape in time!! Actually they were a great group and I'm looking forward to covering the performances.

Then on Thursday I did a lovely outdoor family portrait shoot over near Ross and we had some unexpected extras! These two came to see what was happening and it was a close call for my camera bag as I managed to rescue it before it got eaten. Along with the cows that came along just after this was quite a session!

Thursday evening I went to meet a wedding couple who have booked in for next June. Thanks Carrie & James, can't wait for your pre-wedding shoot soon.

Then Friday it was off to Munstone House in Hereford for the Hereford Cathedral School year 11 prom. Thanks to Alesa for coming along and helping with that one. We had a studio set-up in the reception area and got some cracking shots. They're up on the main website now for those who know the password to have a look at.

More Workshops

2009-06-21T20:15:00.003+01:00

This weekend was the inaugural Steve Bulley photography outdoor training workshop. I took a group of 6 delegates to a local woods to get some hands-on advanced camera skills in changing and tricky light situations. After two years of highly successful evening classes at John Masefield High School, I have responded to demand and started to offer these one-day workshops. As this was the first, we did the morning on general SLR skills and the afternoon with a model, learning location portraiture.
During the summer I will be running 3 variations on this. I will be running camera skills at both beginner's and intermediate/improver's level, and a full-day portrait workshop. These are aimed at photography enthusiasts who want to get the best out of their SLR or advanced digital compact camera. Call me on 01531 637330 for more details or keep an eye on the main website. They will be run around the Ledbury area and also in Matlock on the edge of the Derbyshire Peak District.
We had a great time on Saturday and were able to enjoy a wonderful range of lighting, thanks to the variable weather and forest canopies and trails. Our model for the afternoon was Chloe who did a brilliant job. Here's a couple of my favourites and I'm sure the workshop delegates got some lovely ones too.

Workshops & More

2009-06-21T19:43:00.006+01:00

Last week I was back in at John Masefield to cover the first workshops taking place to prepare students for their performances at the Ledbury Poetry Festival and the Big Chill music festival. Hereford band The Anomalies are in for the next few weeks to coach the students and help them write rap-style poems to perform at both festivals.
To protect the kids' new rap identities and so as not to give away any secrets ahead of their performances, I have only showed pics of Sam & Murf from the Anomalies here. :-)

After that, things were very different as I covered a First Holy Communion for a school in Ross-on-Wye. No pics yet as I have to make sure the parents are happy with shots being on the web. There's one or two lovely ones I'll probably be able to share on here soon though.

Then rounded off my recent CPD (!) with an urban portraits workshop in Bristol led by Damien Lovegrove. It was brilliant and a took place on a glorious sunny day round the streets and waterfront area of Bristol.
Here's a couple of my favourites from the day.

Congratulations Vanessa & Ian

2009-06-08T00:00:00.007+01:00

Ness & Squeak (to his friends) tied the knot on Saturday 6th June at Eastnor Church. Despite the rain it was a great day and loads of fun. Here's Vanessa arriving at the church probably laughing at me getting a soaking :-)

This shot of the rings was at the Wellington Inn up at Chances Pitch. Ian sneaked in there for a quiet pint before the proceedings.

A bit later on at Hellens in Much Marcle, Ian found the cake-cutting knife could be put to other uses.

We did most of the groups inside in the wonderful rooms at Hellens but I managed to get Ian & Ness back outside after dinner for some shots of the two of them. I love this one in the doorway of the main house.

One of the sculptures on the lawn. I think this was the moment I tripped over my camera bag. The things I do to get the picture! :-)

I managed to recruit a couple of young assistants later in the party. This one had a few crazy ideas about how to use the flashgun!

The rain eased off enough for everyone to enjoy the grounds and it left some lovely evening skies behind.

Congratulations again Ness & Ian and thanks for a fun day. Have a great honeymoon!

Silver Award

2009-06-04T20:45:00.003+01:00

I took this picture on a family shoot recently and I'm pleased to say that it got awarded a silver in the SWPP monthly image competition in the environmental portraiture category. It's quite a busy category with over 80 entries in May so it's good to get noticed amongst some stiff competition.

It's one of my personal faves from last month's shoots so I'm glad other people like it too!

Congratulations Paula & Adrian

2009-05-27T12:41:00.004+01:00

Paula & Adrian were married on Saturday 23rd May at the Pump Rooms in Tenbury Wells. I was with them all day and these are some of the pics. It was a lovely day and the sun shone for us even though it's been murky and rainy for the few days either side.
There's a make-up artist under this dress somewhere!

Paula arriving at the Pump Rooms. The food festival taking place there at the same time meant we didn't have a great deal of space for pics but plenty of onlookers!

Adrian trying to keep up with his new bride after the ceremony.

I love this view of Paula & Adrian with the amazing architecture of the Victorian pump rooms in the background.

Adrian's speech.

The couple had their first dance to Take That's Rule the World.
Congratulations and have a great honeymoon in Rome.

The Specials

2009-05-16T12:56:00.004+01:00

Well it seems that blog posts are like buses for me. That's 4 in a week.
Anyway, last night I had the absolute privilege of getting a photo pass for the Specials homecoming gig at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry. My camera was still in the bag when Noel Gallagher wandered in surrounded by security guards so I missed that shot but never mind!
Obviously the Specials were amazing. 30 years on and they've lost none of their energy (well maybe a little bit) and they are LOUD!
An amazing pit experience. Here's some of the shots.

Neville - Bernie Rhodes knows don't argue!

Sir Horace Gentleman, one of my bass inspirations.

What a drummer, Brad with his 2-Tone kit.

Terry Hall still on top form

Roddy Radiation looking more Clash-like than ever.

There should be some more up on Brum Live soon along with a full review.

It's The Little Things...

2009-05-15T17:53:00.004+01:00

...that make it all worthwhile.
Not that being a photographer isn't great every single day but sometimes some lovely little things happen that touch you and make you smile.
This is a picture Amy drew for me when we met up to go on a family portrait shoot up the Malvern Hills to catch the bluebells out in full bloom.
Isn't it great! It's my instruction manual for the shoot :-) I think Amy will make a good art director one day.

Here's a couple from the shoot itself

Lovegrove Workshop

2009-05-15T17:37:00.003+01:00

Last week I went on a great studio lighting workshop down in Bristol led by Damien Lovegrove.
It was an excellent day and I've been trying out the new styles and lighting techniques that we learned already. It's great to continue learning and growing as a photographer and these techniques will transfer really well to my own studio work.
These are some of the pictures I took on the day.

Hollywood style lighting

Strong kick lights

Coloured background gels

Low-key lighting using one large softbox

Ringflash

I'll be doing another location workshop in June. Looking forward to that one already.

Wedding Fayres

2009-05-11T09:27:00.005+01:00

Above is the stunning wedding venue, Ettington Chase near Stratford upon Avon. I mentioned before that I am their preferred wedding photographer and they have one of my display albums to show potential couples. I did a wedding fayre there a couple of weeks ago and it was a great success. Thanks to Clare & Howard for booking me for their wedding at Ettington Chase in December. I look forward to booking some more dates in from the other couples I spoke to.
The venue's wedding co-ordinator, Nicola also commissioned me to take some publicity shots of the ceremony rooms in their wedding attire. Here are a couple of them.

One of the ceremony rooms at Ettington Chase.

This is one of the wonderful bridal suites.

The fayre also had a fashion show of bridal wear so here's a shot from that.

The weekend after I also did a wedding fayre at the Belmont Lodge and Golf club. Most of the couples there were getting married in late 2010 or 2011 so I look forward to speaking to some of those again as soon as they are ready to book.

That's probably it for wedding fayres until the Autumn now.
My next wedding is in Tenbury Wells on 23rd. Looking forward to a great day with Paula & Adrian!

New Ventures

2009-04-17T22:58:00.003+01:00

More exciting news!
The studio has been great for the last couple of years but it's time to try something new for my portrait clients. I'm keeping the studio going and I'm investing in further professional career development in order to push my photography even more. I love to carry on learning and my clients will benefit from this over the coming months as I put my new skills and techniques to good use.
The first new venture I'm planning is to introduce environmental portraiture into my repertoire. I've always offered portrait shoots in clients' homes but this is going to go further in that I'll be joining families on trips out and capturing those precious moments of childhood that we want to keep forever. So often I see photographers offering this product without much thought and as a default because they don't have a studio. This is very different as it has been very well planned and I will have a whole new range of products for wall display and beautiful books and albums specially designed for portraiture.
I have also attended training with one of the best wedding and portrait photographers in the country Damien Lovegrove and I am really excited about this new direction and the chance to offer families a stunning new experience.
I have a new website Steve Bulley Portraits where I will be launching my new products. It's up and running and will be growing over the coming weeks. The new look will be used throughout my main site as well as in this new site and my other new site concentrating on weddings.
Keep an eye out for further news both here and on my main websites.
If you want to be one of the first to join me in this journey then give me a call.

Branching Out

2009-03-28T14:55:00.004Z

All businesses need to grow and I've been spending some time in March making sure that mine is one of them. You can now see my wedding albums in a number of bridal designers' studios across the Midlands and I'm delighted to have been confirmed as the approved photographer for Ettington Chase Hotel in Stratford upon Avon. It's a lovely wedding venue with great staff and I look forward to photographing many weddings there over the coming years. I'll be doing a wedding fair there on Sunday 26th April so come along and say hello!
April looks like being a busy month with various jobs coming in and my teaching is expanding to Worcestershire Council as well as continuing apace at John Masefield. Some of the students who have been on my courses over the last year or two will be exhibiting their favorite pictures at the Weavers Gallery in Ledbury from this week 31st March. Come along and show your support, entrance is free.

Unsung Heroes

2009-03-01T20:12:00.006Z

I have finally finished my 3 pieces for the exhibition untitled 'Unsung Heroes' which opens at the Courtyard Theatre in Hereford this week. The exhibition is organised by Jeanette McCulloch and features 11 artists, each picking a subject within the Unsung Heroes theme. My work is about people who work to help people in the community who might otherwise get left on the wayside. Pat Jones at Malvern Hills Community College and Sue Davies at Turning Point are the main subjects but my pieces also feature others from these organisations, and of course the people who benefit from their work.
The pieces are collages but below are a couple of pictures that are featured.

This is Sue from Turning Point giving Reiki healing.

And this is the class who learn about numeracy through cooking at Malvern Hills College. led by Carol Major.

Unsung Heroes runs from Friday 6th March until 25th April and is in the upper and lower canyons.
Come along and see it!

Hungry Work

2009-02-22T12:22:00.002Z

I was asked to take some publicity pictures for the Sitara Restaurant in Ledbury.
They will go on their website and marketing leaflets but here are a few previews.

This is the lovely, bright interior of the restaurant.

A tasty chick pea dish!

Satisfied customers enjoying their meal.

Double Twins

2009-02-22T12:12:00.003Z

Not sure how many people have had a job like this.
Nicky has been in before with her identical twin girls but this time brought the whole family, including her own identical twin sister.
So, a 14 person family group and a double set of identical twins made for an eventful morning in the studio!

Congratulations Angie & James

2009-01-19T15:54:00.004Z

My first wedding of 2009 was last Thursday at St James the Great church in Colwall then at the Feathers Hotel in Ledbury. Angie & James picked the best day of the week, maybe even the year so far! As you can see below, the sun came out and although it was a bit cold and windy, there was no rain, fog, snow or ice like there has been for the rest of the week.

They had a lovely car to bring Angie and then take them back to the Feathers.

Some classic shots of the couple back in Ledbury.

Arty Start

2009-01-11T20:33:00.003Z

Well I've had something of an arty start to the New Year so far.
As well as helping artist Jeanette McCulloch and poet Nick Alexander put together their limited edition book "Excavations of Eternity", I have been photographing works for a catalogue for another artist Dave Cormack. That really sorts out your eye and highlights any flaws in your camera's sensor alignment or your perception of straight edges! I've enjoyed doing that and am pleased with the results (see below).

The school term is under way again too so I've been back at John Masefield helping the 6th form fine art students with their photography and my evening classes start again from next week (19th Jan).
Finally, I've started to put together my work for the exhibition that I'm involved in: Unsung Heroes. This is organised by Jeanette too and features work from 12 very different artists. It's at the Courtyard Theatre in Hereford from 6th March. More info and sneak previews to follow!

Happy New Year!

2008-12-30T18:12:00.004Z

Yes I know I've been bad and haven't blogged for ages. Just to prove I haven't been hibernating, here's a picture from the crazy Boxing Day raft race in Matlock Derbyshire. The guy in yellow is just about to try and soak me with a water cannon! (He missed by the way).
November was a very busy time with Xmas portraits and December didn't slacken off much.
I also covered High School Musical for John Masefield High School so here's one from there too.
I promise to be back soon!!

Bryan Adams LG Arena 2nd Nov 2008

2008-11-08T20:35:00.004Z

Fresh from Claire & Nick's wedding at Eastnor, I was back at the NEC (now called the LG Arena) for Bryan Adams. He's touring at the moment to promote his new album "11".
I did the photos and the review for Birmingham Live.
These are in black and white because the screens broadcasting the show were in black and white so I've stayed with the theme! There are some colour ones on the Brum Live site so have a look!

Claire & Nick's Eastnor Castle Wedding

2008-11-08T20:18:00.008Z

Last Saturday (Nov 1st) the rain just about held off for Claire and Nick on their wedding day at Eastnor Castle. Eastnor is a great location and it was a brilliant day. We just had time for some group shots outside before the light went and there was plenty of scope for something different around the castle rooms.
Here's a few from the day.

JMHS Evening of Drama

2008-10-30T19:17:00.004Z

Last Wednesday at the Market Theatre, Ledbury saw another great performance from the John Masefield Theatre Group. I went down to cover the second half after teaching my SLR class and caught a piece from the Crucible and a devised piece by year 13 students Sam and Nicole named Happily Ever After.

Claire & Andrew's Wedding, Ledbury Church & Hellens

2008-10-15T17:00:00.005+01:00

Doesn't time fly!
Claire & Andrew had a fantastic day a couple of weeks ago. The ceremony was at Ledbury Church (St. Michael & All Angels) and the reception at Hellens, Much Marcle.

2008-09-30T20:32:00.002+01:00

I can't believe I haven't blogged since the Big Chill.
What have I done since then?
Broke the record for number of kids in the studio and done my first civil partnership for a start. I've also started teaching again for this term, both at John Masefield and Age Concern in Ledbury.
I've been working on sprucing up the galleries for my website and also frantically getting audio and video clips together for the Poetry Festival's retrospective web page for National Poetry Day (Oct 9th 2008).
Here's a picture I like (above) that will be on the new website gallery.

The Big Chill 2008

2008-08-14T21:26:00.004+01:00

As Sunday was a punk day I've decided to be alternative and not post pictures of the frontman (or men) for the Buzzcocks.
So here's the bass player and the drummer! Too often over-looked I reckon and it's not always easy to get a decent shot of the drummer so I'm pleased with this one.
You can just about see a bit of Steve Diggle on the big screen behind the bass player and there's one of Pete Shelley on my main website so they're not totally missed out!

2008-08-14T21:04:00.005+01:00

Sunday at the Big Chill.

Pictures from top to bottom - my oldest boy David playing Jengla (not sure if that's how you spell it?) at the Sunrise festival which was stuck up in a field at the far end of the Big Chill; one of the John Masefield girls performing in the Words in Motion tent as part of the Anomalies/Ledbury Poetry Festival/Big Chill collaboration; Jilted John; Jilted John's ultra-cool and very skinny bass player playing the bass line for Going Steady (top tune!); and Gordon the Moron showing off his badge collection.
Sod Leanord Cohen, Sunday was all about ageing punk rockers for me! An excellent performance from Jilted John warmed the evening up nicely for the Buzzcocks (see post above). Jilted John was the first record I ever bought and Going Steady (the B side) one of my earliest favourite bass lines so it was a treat to see it. Shame I missed him in his other guise as John Shuttleworth earlier in the day.

2008-08-14T20:54:00.006+01:00

Pics from Saturday at the Big Chill.
I've got one of Beth Orton on my main site and there are loads of others around so I thought I'd post this nice one of her fiddle player instead.
Under that is Rachel Unthank and then 2 of the Winterset - Rachel's sister Becky with pianist Stef Connor in the background. I hadn't seen them before and was pleasantly surprised.

2008-08-07T23:18:00.006+01:00

Last year the Big Chill used one of my pictures of sunflowers (shown on the left) from 2007 for their 2008 ticket information page on their website.
It was also used as a cut-out on the front cover and first few pages of the 2008 programme.

So I thought I'd continue the trend. What do you think of this one for next year's cover??