I met a lovely actress by the name of Suzanna Hughes on twitter and Casting Call Pro website for actors and actresses in the UK a few weeks ago and arranged to meet up with her in Finsbury Park in North London to take headshots using just daylight as my light source. Ended up getting some really natural looking images which we were both really pleased with.

Here’s her testimonial she wrote for me on the Casting Call Pro website:

“I actually first ‘met’ Joe of ImageCapture on Twitter and as was looking for some new headshots, I had a look at his website, was impressed with what I saw and booked him!

Dont know about anyone else, but usually having my headshots done is quite a painful process and I usually only like 2 or 3 out of the end result…. with Joe, it was totally different. He took the time to chat and actually find out my personality and then incorporate that into my headshots (isnt that the whole point of them!!) we were only actually shooting for an hour and I was really pleased with almost all of them. I was totally at ease, and actually having a bit of a laugh.

Joe is totally professional, knows exactly what he’s doing and how to get the best out of you and the shots. I can honestly say, they’re the best pics Ive ever had done. I wont be going anywhere else!”

Well….what can I say

Here are a selection of the images anyway:

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Interestingly, David Ison was in the news the week after in the Telegraph newspaper to do with the backing of gay marriages.

The Telegraph writes:
“In an announcement that risks deepening splits within the Church of England, the Very Rev Dr David Ison, 57, said he had performed ceremonies for homosexual couples who had had civil partnerships as Dean of Bradford, even though the Church still forbids formal blessings.
The leadership of the Church of England remains resolutely opposed to gay marriage, with Dr John Sentamu, the Archbishop of York, saying “marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman”. He said David Cameron would be acting like a “dictator” to change the law.
Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, said the proposals are “grotesque” and akin to legalising slavery.
But in his first interview since being appointed to St Paul’s by the Queen, Dr Ison said marriage should be available to same-sex couples.
He added it was better to refer to “Christian marriage” than to homosexual or heterosexual unions, and claimed the Church of England is “obsessed with sex”.

“You can regard two Christian gay people as wanting to have the virtues of Christian marriage,” Dr Ison said.
“As a Christian who is committed to marriage, I would say that for people to take on board, in their relationships, a commitment to lifelong chastity and being together is actually the best pattern for how to flourish if you’re going to be in a relationship… whether you’re gay or straight.
“I’m encouraged that a good number of gay people want to take on the virtues of marriage. For Christian gay people to model that kind of faithfulness, in a culture which, historically, has often been about promiscuity, is a very good thing to do,” he told The Times newspaper.
He added he believes gay people should be able to adopt. While the Government still has questions to answer about its proposals, he insisted: “Marriage doesn’t belong to the Church.”
He warned the language used by some clerics could drive homosexuals away from Christianity, saying: “I don’t think it’s going to help. The role of the Church is to be both inclusive and challenging.”
He indicated he would continue to provide ceremonies in the cathedral to affirm and pray for homosexual couples. “The Bishops’ regulations say you can do things which are pastorally appropriate… Marriage is an institution, but the definitions of that, and how you get into it, and quite what its responsibilities are, have changed over time,” he said.
He added: “I just wish we weren’t so obsessed about sex. I was talking to someone the other day who said, ‘Why is the Church always going on about women bishops and gays?’ Justice and poverty should be the concerns.”
Dr Ison, who will welcome the Queen to St Paul’s as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebration, added the Church should allow women to become bishops. “We’ve had a woman Prime Minister, we have a Queen . . . Why should women not be able to use their God-given gifts in leadership in the Church?”
The married father of four and grandfather of two, added: “I think the Church has had gay bishops… It’s about learning to live in openness with the reality of who people are.”
Dr Ison’s predecessor, the Right Rev Graeme Knowles stood down over the Cathedral’s handling of the Occupy protestors.
In language that would be welcomed by many of those camped outside, he warned of “revolution” if their concerns were not addressed.
The country is “in danger of drifting apart, with the financiers, politicians and others at the top and people ‘lower down’ feeling that they are not being heard,” he said.
“Historically, if the top and bottom of society drift too far apart, there comes a point where there’s an explosion.
“We must get on and deal with the reform of our institutions while we still can, before it turns into a situation of revolution.”
He added: “We need to develop a way of doing economics which is going to take account of the need for people to care for one another.
“It’s hard for a person obsessed with riches to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, whether they are rich or poor.”

Anyway…here are my images from the shoot.

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I know I sound like a bit of a scratched record…but covering a wedding at The RSA, The Strand, London is always one of my favourite places to attend a wedding so I have to include this one of Anna & Patrick, who also turned into one of my most memorable couples! They were so relaxed and fun to work with on the day. They held their wedding in The RSA’s ‘Great Room’ which was adorned by the most amazing paintings. This the first time I’d actually been upstairs to this room for a ceremony and I was pleasantly surprised by the ambient light and the whole feel to the place. The RSA has some really good ceremony rooms but I think this one has to be the best in my opinion. The couple didn’t want me to cover any getting ready shots so I spent a while beforehand shooting Patrick having a fair few drinks in The Strand Palace Hotel just across the road from the RSA.

After the drinks all the guests arrived at the RSA and filtered up the elaborate staircase and into the Great Room where I covered one of the most emotional ceremonies ever with the bridesmaids brought to tears and clutching onto their tissues! Anna & Patrick were taking the brave step of moving out to Quatar so it wasn’t surprising emotions were running high.

We then filtered down to the outside rear entrance of the RSA where the steps are to do the group shots I’d been asked to cover. It was funny as everyone was waiting for the stragglers and it just happened to be a lady on crutches who’d broken her leg and I felt really sorry for her as they were all poking fun at her for taking so long! Made a nice picture anyway and I don’t think she minded

After this just me and the bride and groom took a stroll down The Strand and down the back streets to get some natural arty shots of them using the lovely arches and architecture as a backdrop. We went back to the RSA after this where everyone had adjourned in The Crypt in the basement, which is really cool as you wouldn’t have any idea you were in the heart of London as it’s so different from the hustle and bustle brimming with tourists just steps away. The wedding finished off in the Benjamin Franklin room where the couple enjoyed their wedding breakfast followed by some hilarious speeches!

Anyway…I’ve rambled on way too much so please enjoy my selection of images from the day.

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After the ceremony I’ve got vivid memories of the bride and groom swigging from a hip flask under a tree in the churchyard! A couple after my own heart
After a short shoot we then went off to The Royal Chace Hotel Enfield for their wedding breakfast and reception. The Royal Chace has got to be one of my favourite wedding venues in London, not just because it’s one of the closest venues to where I’m based but the way the staff run the ship there, as it always runs to clockwork and it’s like working with family as they’re all so friendly.
Anyway..enough rambling on-here’s my video slideshow of the wedding. People with iPads and iPhones won’t be able to view this I’m afraid and as it’ll just look like a blank black page-sorry!

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They got married in The Millennium Gloucester Hotel in the heart of London, with palm trees and a very impressive banqueting hall which would be hard to beat in grandeur. A nice touch about the venue was that once evening arrived you noticed that all the palm trees were adorned with little lights that really set a nice atmosphere to the whole room and gave it ambience.

Reena and Joe arrived down the aisle in style down a red carpet that lead up some steps between the palm trees and then down to the front of the room where the registrars were seated.
After the ceremony Reena, Joe and I went off in a limo to Hyde Park to take some shots of the two of them up close and personal. It was funny (not for Reena though!) as a squirrel was really interested in Reena’s dress and wanted to climb up it. I think it was the bouquet it was after as it thought there was a nut in the middle of it maybe! After getting chased out of the park by the squirrel we then went off to the Natural History museum to get some dynamic shots of them in front of the building.

We then went back to their reception where I have to say I had the best food ever tasted at a wedding, it was also in abundance and seemed to flow continuously! Want to say a big thank you to Reena and Joe for looking after me and making sure I was fed and watered

Anyway, here are my selection of favourite images from their day-hope you like them. As usual you need to click twice on the images to make them full size. I have to apologise though as I seem to have made the images a little on the small side this time around!

Here’s their video:

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Anyway…here it is. So anyone wanting any birthday parties or Xmas parties that are coming up covered make sure you let me know as it makes a nice change sometimes changing the agenda to celebrations other than weddings! Not saying I don’t love covering weddings but it’s nice to also do party photography in the Winter months occasionally.

Oh…if you’re viewing this on an iPad or iPhone it won’t show up as you need flash!

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You might remember my earlier entry of Tim and Hayley’s engagement shoot. Tim and Hayley’s wedding day was a glorious sun filled day. They made the most of Spains Hall and had their ceremony in the main hall which is in the main part of the building adorned with old paintings on the wall and full of character. Can’t get more English than Spains Hall and you get a real feel of history when you enter.

I particularly enjoyed shooting the prep shots for the wedding in the Elizabethan bedroom with the four poster bed. Hayley reminded me of a graceful swan and looked so elegant in every shot it was hard to choose which ones to put in…so I included most of them!

Anyway….enough waffling on. Here’s my selection of my favourite images and also video slideshow from their day.
Promise to get my act together soon and make another post as I’ve got loads to put up so thanks for your patience

Click twice on the images to make them full size.

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Another factor that has really knocked me sideways is my very dearest friend of 20 years passed away recently and this has as you can imagine been a massive blow to me…but I’ve thrown myself into my work and have carried on creating and capturing those moments like ever before. I’ll be posting more weddings soon…

Dean and Jen got married in the prestigious St.Pauls Cathedral and I was really chuffed they decided to go with me as their photographer on the day as it’s a venue I’ve always yearned to work in. It was very restrictive however and I wasn’t allowed to cover the ceremony or use flash anywhere in the building so had to rely on my amazing Nikon D3 and it’s low light capabilities. For the reception however I could use flash so set up my off camera lights and got some lovely natural looking images although it was really dark in there.

Anyway….back to my editing of 3 weddings so better add this and rush off.
Here’s their video-enjoy!

Here are a selection of my favourite images from Dean and Jen’s day-hope you like them
Check out the 3rd image along-it was like something out of the Da Vinci Code and the Opus Dei down in the Crypt!
As usual, make sure you click the image once and then once again to make it full size.

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Here are my favourite shots from the e-shoot. You’ll notice there are some that are similar as I can’t decide which ones I like the most so just put them all up!
(Click twice on a selected image to view it full size)

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Anne and Patrick are getting married at my favourite wedding venue in Central London, The RSA in The Strand. They’re then taking the brave move of moving out to Quatar soon after so want a London wedding with red buses, hustle and bustle of The Strand and also the quiet leafy park nearby in Embankment.

I took them both down in the dark atmospheric Vaults below the RSA to do their portraits. You really find it hard to believe that you’re in the middle of busy Central London when you’re down there and it’s so quiet you could hear a pin drop!

Here are my favourite images from the e-session – click twice on the images to see them ful size as usual.

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