Woodland Hill Photography

Alexander House Wedding Fayre, East Grinstead, West Sussex

2012-01-30T08:19:00.003Z

Good Morning All,

I had a fabulous day at Alexander House Hotel yesterday. Primarily it was an open day with a few selected suppliers and I thought it was particularly nice for Brides and Grooms to be able to fully appreciated what the venue has to offer and then not be inundated with suppliers trying to catch their attention. I had loads of space to exhibit and people could wander by and look at my imagery and products without feeling harassed. As usual I had many great chats and I am very much looking forward to meeting with you all again. One fact that I found out yesterday; in Norway the engagement and weddings rings are worn on the right hand not the left. I think that this lady's Fiance may want to throttle me as I suggested that to keep up with both traditions, she should also have another one for her left hand! She thought it was a marvellous idea...I am naughty!! The imagery in this post shows a couple having a gentle stroll on a warm day under the shade of the monkey tree.

Hope you had a great weekend. It has been a great week here at Woodland Hill Photography; I have sourced another location for my secret project and hope to be creating the imagery for that in a couple of weeks. I have another project on the go, and the first shoot is taking place this week. Once I have tested the concept fully I will be offering it as a completely new product, it has been whizzing around in my head for a while and it was only last week that I felt it had that little va, va, voom!

I am exhibiting at South Lodge this coming Sunday 5th February and if you are in the area please pop by to have a look at the venue, its beautiful grounds and the many suppliers that can make your day just as you want it to be. I always love a chat so pop by and say hello.

Enjoy your week and wrap up warm.

Claire

Grace: Baby Photographers East Grinstead West Sussex

2012-01-27T13:06:00.004Z

Good Afternoon,

I had a great session photographing beautiful Grace, she is such a yummy little girly all I wanted to do was give her a big cuddle! I first met Grace when she was in her Mummy's tummy and again when she was a month old. She is now 6 months old and such a bonny little girl; this session had to be split into two because she had enough and the mood we needed for the shots she was not prepared to do. She is a girly who knows her own mind so it was back today for part two with Daddy who makes the most wonderful assistant. He never fails to bring a lump to my throat when he talks to his baby girl; I just know I am going to blub during the edit! I am also very excited as she is going to be part of my secret project.

I have posted two images of Grace today, one very solemn moment and another showing her pink frilly dress and gorgeous feet to perfection.

Enjoy your weekend everyone and if you want to pop along and say hello I will be at the Alexander House Wedding Fayre this Sunday 29th. I don't know if you have gathered but I do like a good chat!!

Claire

Alexander House Wedding Fayre, East Grinstead, West Sussex

2012-01-25T08:23:00.004Z

Good Morning All,

Mid-week already and nearly February where does the time go.

I am exhibiting at the Alexander House Wedding Fayre this Sunday 29th January. The show starts at 11.00 am and finishes at 3.00 pm and entry is complimentary too.

Alexander House will be showcasing local and recommended suppliers, but they will also be showcasing their lovely venue and grounds. New for this year is the gazebo situated on the Shelly lawns, so those of you who want the choice to be married outside now have the choice with the magnificent house as a backdrop. If it rains, and don't forget folks we live in the UK, the house will be equally gorgeous to make your vows to each other.

If you are in the area it would be lovely to see you and have a chat so pop in and say hello.

Hope to see some of you on Sunday.

Claire

Shelley and Matthew: West Sussex Wedding Photography

2012-01-21T11:34:00.005Z

Good Morning,

I recently had a lovely engagement session with Shelley and Matthew; I am photographing their wedding this year at The Felbridge Hotel and ahead of the pre-wedding shoot this session made their engagement 'official'! The session was very romantic and I know I keep saying it Shelley, but you have the most beautiful hands and Matthew has chosen and equally beautiful ring to show them off even more...well done Matthew!

I have chosen two images to show you, one that will eventually be printed on my new black and white paper...I know, I know I keep mentioning it but it is new and I am excited; and the other to show Shelley's hand with the exquisite ring that Matthew gave her.

Looking forward to another shoot and then the Big Day you two.

Have a lovely weekend all whatever you are up to and just a quick heads up, I will be exhibiting at the Alexander House Wedding Fayre next Sunday 29th January. If you are in the area pop in and say hello.

Claire

Yas - West Sussex Children's Photography East Grinstead

2012-01-17T19:07:00.003Z

Good Evening Folks,

I recently had a lovely session photographing the beautiful Yas. We started the session with high key as Yas needed some headshots then it was what I like doing best; creating a mood. I have photographed Yas a number of times now and she is just adorable, she has the sweetest disposition and to work with her is always a pleasure. She has also participated in my secret project that took us to a lovely location too.

I have chosen three images all from the 'moody' session; one in colour and two in varying black and whites. These images have had very little post production and all the work was done in the studio and camera, so what you see here is just simple, pure imagery. I am going to get some printed on a new paper that was delivered today that has a very warm tone to it. I produced the .icm profile this morning so I am all ready to go.

I am certainly feeling the cold snap that we are having and I keep telling myself it is good for the garden; not sure my chicken agrees with me though!

Claire

Mark, Elaine and Page: East Grinstead West Sussex Portrait Photography

2012-01-15T19:49:00.005Z

Good Evening All,

I am posting a little late tonight some imagery that I took just before Christmas of a gorgeous trio. It is extra special as Paige has had to travel back to South Africa so she will always have memories of this Christmas! The last time she visited we were covered in a blanket of snow.

I have chosen three images to post and I think that Mark looks particularly dashing using split light, and we were all blown away when we saw the image on the back of the camera! The girls looked effortlessly gorgeous. I had the great privilege of photographing Elaine and Mark's wedding a couple of years ago and they are wonderful people, so it was really lovely to have them in the studio so I could prove to Elaine once more that she is beautiful.

I have just returned home from a brilliant couple of days at the SWPP convention. The week started with a Yerbury training day in Mayfair. Trevor and Faye Yerbury are true masters of their art and I have been looking forward to this for some time; it did not disappoint and learning from them was a wonderful and gentle experience. I was print handling on Thursday and catching up with suppliers and friends over the weekend. Exhilarating but exhausting!

I often think that I sometimes live in the past with regard to my photographic inspiration; to be honest I am pleased that I do as these people are the true greats and their work has truly stood the test of time. I really do not get the time to attend enough exhibitions and the last one I attended of Julia Margaret Cameron's work was sublime; so I really must try to see more of these photographers work close up if I can.

Anyway, enough of my ramblings. Enjoy your Sunday and have a great week.

Claire

Harry and Jack: East Grinstead West Sussex Portrait Photography

2012-01-11T09:33:00.004Z

Good Morning,

I was going to post one of my 'sunny' posts today but it is so lovely outside I am going to save it until we have a dreary day!

This is one of my Christmas sessions with Harry and Jack; they came over with Dad to have some pictures taken as a Christmas surprise for Mum. We had a good session and it was finished off with a tickling session, Jack tickled Dad with gusto and as you can see probably too much gusto! I have posted one image of Harry and Jack and the other one makes me laugh as you can just see Jack and Dad about to topple out of view.

Enjoy your Tuesday and this extraordinary spring like weather we seem to be experiencing at the moment.

Claire

Will, Dan and Isobel: East Grinstead Portrait Photography

2012-01-07T11:18:00.004Z

Good Morning All,

Happy Saturday and the first full weekend of 2012! Today's imagery was taken just before Christmas of three lovely children Will, Dan and Isobel. We had a great session of some high and mid key photography and the aim was to produce some imagery to give as a surprise gift to their Nan. I was most impressed as we had a sausage roll break half way through, which I might add were homemade. I must say I am thinking of incorporating this into all studio sessions! It was definitely a first for me :)

Julie, Steve and Karen have chosen a beautiful frame for Nan and it will be presented as a surprise birthday gift today. I was so pleased that we were able to get everything done in time as we all knew that it was going to be tight; it has made my weekend though. Many thanks to my suppliers for being fabulous as usual, they pulled out all the stops to ensure that I could pick it up myself yesterday. Julie is going to report back but she said there will be tears for sure....I love my job.

I have chosen three images all from the mid key session; Isobel's image has muted colour tones, Will's is in full colour and Dan's image is full black and white. Look out for a compilation that will be called 'the many faces of Isobel' on my facebook business page. I did my first one of these back in August, 2011 called 'the many faces of Jess' and they do make me laugh.

Whatever you are up to this weekend...enjoy; I am having a weekend off and we will be catching up with some friends this evening.

Claire

Happy New Year! - West Sussex Photography

2012-01-03T09:14:00.004Z

Good Morning,

Welcome to 2012 and Happy New Year to you all. January is often considered a rather depressing month; we have enjoyed the festive season and it seems ages until we can look forward to long warm days with blue skies. Looking out the window this morning January is certainly living up to its expectations.

With that in mind I thought I would post some imagery to cheer us all up a bit. I received a Christmas gift in 2008 of a cherry tree that is part of an orchard called Rent a Cherry; I absolutely loved it, as soon as I opened the envelope I was instantly taken back to summer and the promise it held, so it was a gift that had so much to offer from the moment I opened it until that first succulent cherry. I loved it so much I have renewed each year since.

Today's imagery will take us back to April, May and July. We visit our tree during blossom time (we were lucky enough to see some of the cherries setting last year) and again in July to pick the wonderful fruit. The first image shows the beautiful blossom, the second shows the fruit beginning to form and the third shows the delicious cherries ready for picking and eating.

I hope it cheers you up a bit on this dreary day and it will not be too long before I am back to Northiam to watch our lovely tree in blossom again.

Enjoy your week folks,

Claire

Mercedes' Birthday Shoot - East Sussex Portrait Photographer

2011-12-16T16:44:00.005Z

Good Afternoon,

Recently my Goddaughter Mercedes had a birthday shoot with her friends to celebrate her 13th birthday....well what's the point in having an Aunt/Godmother as a photographer if you cannot have a shoot whenever you want one!

This is one of the few sessions that is not secret. We had a fairly varied session that went from high to mid to low key and all the girls looked absolutely stunning. After the session it was off to The New York Coffee Club in East Grinstead where Ashley was over the moon to spot Peter Andre's brother Danny; I think all the girls were hoping that Peter Andre would pop up but alas no! Never mind girls there is always next time.

I still have frame orders to complete and I am awaiting deliveries of wall art; I will be relieved when it is all done and with all my clients in time for Christmas. I had a great studio session this afternoon and I am looking forward to another 1/2 day in the studio tomorrow too.

Enjoy your Friday and ho, ho, ho,

Claire

Last Order Dates: West Sussex Photographer

2011-12-14T08:29:00.004Z

Good Morning Everyone,

I thought I would keep the festive theme going and post an alternative view of my Christmas tree. As you can see I am not known to hold back on the decs! This week is the last week that orders can be made to ensure they arrive in time for Christmas; so things are a little hectic chez Woodland Hill!

The majority of the sessions are for Christmas surprises and I will not be blogging anything from these until January so as not to ruin things. There is all sorts of subterfuge going on at the moment and I love it :) I also have some nice blog posts planned for January that will cheer up what can be quite a dreary month.

I am starting to feel a wonderful atmosphere now as everyone is planning their Christmas with loved ones. I love getting together with my family to make new memories and reminisce over our childhood Christmases, which are dear to my heart. We had huge Christmases as a child and I loved them; I think my Mother, Nan and Aunts were such troopers to make everything so special and memorable. There are so many stories to be told and it is great telling my cousins who are not so little now the antics that my Brother and my Cousins got up to when we were younger; often met with a few glares from the elders...ahh happy days! For those of you who know me would probably not be surprised to know that antics were involved somewhere; and for my poor parents it was double trouble with my Brother and me :)

If you are having your Christmas party this week have a great time and enjoy singing along to all those Christmas classics.

Claire

Ashdown Park Hotel, Wych Cross, East Sussex: East Sussex Location Photography

2011-12-09T21:44:00.003Z

Good Evening,

Welcome to a festive post! I recently photographed a really lovely family at Ashdown Park Hotel and the shoot was to celebrate Maggie's birthday. What a wonderful weekend she had with her family and it was full of surprises, which just kept on coming; so much so I think she couldn't believe it. Her wonderful sons in addition to the weekend, this shoot and a beautiful huge framed print of her choice have also given her a once in a lifetime trip to New Zealand! Sons of the world you have an awful lot to live up to because this will take some topping.

Here is a slideshow of the shoot and I hope it brings back lots of memories of a truly fantastic weekend.

Enjoy your weekend everyone; I am all set for the studio tomorrow so looking forward to my sessions with my ever gorgeous clients.

Claire

Sweet Little Blings: West Sussex Photography

2011-12-08T17:27:00.003Z

Good Afternoon,

I have been doing some product photography for a new company called Sweet Little Blings and the first items to come into the studio are these personalised dummies to bring a little sparkle to your baby's life. They have all sorts of things they are going to produce with a great emphasis on the Bride to Be and the wedding day, so I am really looking forward to seeing what arrives next. I know that one side of the product range will be very difficult to photograph and not eat!

Their website is being designed as we speak so keep any eye out for this great new company.

I hope you are all coping with this wacky weather we are having at the moment and your Christmas preparations are going well. I have a something a little festive to blog later in the week.

Enjoy your windy evening...cue a Brussel Sprouts joke!

Claire

Heather and Roy's Engagement: West Sussex Wedding Photographer

2011-12-03T12:28:00.007Z

Good Afternoon,

Recently I photographed Heather and Roy's Engagement Party at Clair Hall in Haywards Heath. It is a really nice start to their wedding story as I am photographing their wedding next year at South Lodge. They had the most lovely blessing conducted by the vicar who will be marrying them next year. Roy placed the engagement ring on Heather's finger and it was the first time that her ring had been seen in public. It was such a special moment and has really marked the start of their new life together.

Here are three pictures from the evening, one of Heather and Roy and they are so in love it is a joy to see, another of this gorgeous little boy who was having a quiet nap as it was way past his bedtime and one just after the blessing.

December is now well and truly upon us as I am going to try and snatch some time in the evenings to put up my decorations as I just love this time of year.

If you are Christmas shopping...have fun!

Claire

Paul G Smith Installation Luncheon - The London Guild of Toastamsters

2011-11-28T10:22:00.003Z

Good Morning,

Yesterday we attended the installation luncheon for the London Guild of Toastmasters. Paul G Smith who I think is the best Toastmaster ever is now the President of the London Guild of Toastmasters, and it was a real honour to be present as he was installed in his new position.

We had an amazing lunch at the Kingswood Golf and Country Club and it was lovely to see everything looking so festive. After the lunch there were some very good speeches; and of course they would be. I did feel very sorry for the Toastmaster who is now the vice president having to be the official Toastmaster at an event of Toastmasters; now that's pressure!

There was an excellent raffle and all proceeds went to Hounds for Heros, which is a very worthy cause, some of the stories told brought tears to my eyes. Over £1,000.00 was raised in total and I won a spa day for two at Alexander House, how fabulous!

The day did not end there as it was rounded off with some carol singing, I had to cajole but I managed to get our table to animate the 12 days of Christmas. They were unsure but where we lead others merely followed and not before long the whole room was involved; so I consider that one a personal success.

I have also had a honour bestowed upon me as I will be photographing Paul in his official uniform with the President's chain. Looking forward to it too.

Thank you all for a fantastic afternoon and here's to a successful Presidency Paul.

Claire

Molly: West Sussex Portrait Photographer

2011-11-16T09:53:00.004Z

Good Morning,

My gorgeous Cousin Molly and I recently had a 'play' session in the studio. It was a fairly dreary Monday morning and we fancied taking some images and just seeing what I could come up with. As a result of the session some very interesting images were taken that I am now going to perfect. This has reinforced my belief in just experimenting and playing in a stress free environment; it is often the time when new ideas are born. I had a good old chat with my Mentor Kevin about it and I will be back in the studio to expand on the idea and play with the light.

So the image I am posting of Molly today is not one of the prototypes but a classical portrait, which I love to bits, showing Molly as the beautiful young woman that she is. It seems like only 5 minutes since I was carrying her around as a baby and she believed our car had a magic roof!

Claire

Rememberance Sunday at Horse Guards Parade, London

2011-11-16T08:17:00.005Z

Good Morning,

I was exhibiting with Emma Tindley at The Institute of Directors at 116 Pall Mall on Sunday; it was a stone's throw from Horse Guards Parade and Emma and I had the great privilege to be able to witness the gun salute with the two minute silence.

I was moving to see soldiers both young and old coming together to remember those that have fallen and to give thanks to the great sacrifice they made for future generations. Both my Grandfathers served in the First World War; luckily they survived but so, so many did not and have not since. My Uncle was a Paratrooper in the Second World War, again he was lucky enough to survive but when he used to recount the experience of jumping from the plane whilst being shot at by the enemy; one can only be amazed he made it through.

Today these experiences are usually in the form of games on the Wii and Xbox, but so many young men had to experience the reality and still do today, we must give thanks to those who fought and continue to fight for us.

I am attaching the video showing the two minute silence on Sunday; the guns were extremely loud, so much so they set car alarms off and that small scream you can hear is Emma as we both jumped out of our skins! The other image is of Horse Guards Parade with the London Eye in the background. I only had my trusty iphone with me on Sunday so images and video are from that today!

International Loupe Awards 2011- Silver!: West Sussex Portrait Photographer

2011-11-14T06:28:00.005Z

Good Morning Folks,

Well after an very eventful, productive and long day exhibiting at 116 Pall Mall in London; I returned to home last night to check my e-mails to find that I had been Awarded a Silver in the 2011 International Loupe Awards for the Abstract/Illustrative category. This morning I have been informed that the second image I entered in Portrait and People category has been also awarded a Silver in the 2011 International Loupe\Awards. I cannot believe it, two Silvers!!!

I am extremely pleased and grinning from ear to ear!

Another blog post to follow with some i phone footage of an extremely moving remembrance Sunday that we had the privilege to witness at Horse Guards Parade.

Enjoy your week everyone.

Claire

Wedding at the Felbridge Hotel, East Grinstead, West Sussex

2011-11-11T08:42:00.004Z

Good Morning,

The image from today is a blast from the past; well last year! I am in the middle of doing a print order and this was one of the chosen ones. As soon as I opened the file I remembered how emotional this shot was. Graham's Mother is not too well and had to leave the wedding early; as they were saying goodbye to her she started crying and Graham bent down to comfort her. It was just one moment in time, but when I look at the image I am immediately transported back to the emotion that I felt when I pressed the shutter, so I cannot imagine the emotions that Graham was feeling. It seemed so right to have it in today's blog post; today is 11.11.11 and at 11.11 I will be remembering all of those who fought to give us the freedom and democracy that we all enjoy so freely today.

On another note; there has been much excitement in East Grinstead this week with the opening of Peter Andre's New York Coffee Club. Peter Andre is a resident of East Grinstead and has chosen to open his first coffee shop in his hometown. Monday and Wednesday saw screaming girlies, a few celebrities and free coffee. I don't think I have ever seen the High Street with crowd control, Police and bouncers all at the same time!

Have a great weekend everyone; I will be exhibiting at 116 Pall Mall on Sunday 13th November and I have a very special studio session tomorrow so a busy one for me.

Claire

The Girls: West sussex Portrait Photography

2011-11-08T09:29:00.003Z

Good Morning,

I recently had a lovely but poignant studio session with three lovely girls; they are firm friends. The reason for the session was to create some memories that they could keep before Jennie returned home to Zimbabwe. We had lots of fun creating glamour and guffaw, and it is nice to think that as Jennie is enjoying some lovely weather she can look back at the images of her friends. I have posted an image of the girls together and one of Jennie.

I really enjoyed catching up with this year's and next year's wedding clients over the weekend, and as usual had some fabulous chats...I do love a good chat! Have a great week everyone; I have lots to do and a few bits to get ready for my wedding fayre on Sunday.

Claire

116 Pall Mall Wedding Showcase!

2011-11-04T16:21:00.002Z

Good Afternoon,

I am very happy to say that I will be exhibiting at the 116 Pall Mall Wedding Showcase on 13th November. This building is stunning and situated in the heart of London; the building has the most beautiful stairs that are licensed for weddings, yes you read it correctly, they are that beautiful!

Have a great weekend everyone, I will be busy photographing an engagement party and also seeing clients for new weddings and viewings. Enjoy the fireworks; I know I am looking forward to them.

Claire

Jane and Nick, Copthorne Gatwick Hotel, Copthorne, West Sussex: West Sussex Wedding Photographers

2011-11-03T10:52:00.005Z

Good Morning,

Recently I photographed the wedding of Jane and Nick. We started off at the most gorgeous St Bartholomew's Church in Burstow then the fun ensued at the Copthorne Hotel London Gatwick. We had loads of fun on the day and I was laughing so much my sides began to ache! Nick has a close group of friends who really looked after them both on the day, so thank you lads for all your help. I have chosen two images of Nick and Jane for this post, but the third one was with the lads. I saw this location and immediately thought of Star Trek, so we did a 'beam me up Scotty' inspired shot; much to the amusement of people walking by! You really do not want to know where we went next but the looks got even stranger; ahhh happy days!

I hope you are all having a productive week, I have been busy editing, designing albums and yesterday I had a great test shoot for a commission coming up in Spring 2012.

Live long and prosper :)

Claire

Your Kent Wedding Magazine Editorial: Kent Wedding Photography

2011-10-31T07:55:00.004Z

Good Morning,

I hope you all had a great weekend and have your sweets ready. Mine have stayed firmly hidden away otherwise there would be none left for the children this evening!

I was asked by Your Kent Wedding to supply an image for their photographers feature in the current issue of the magazine. The editorial they decided to use although short does sum up, for me, what the first dance is all about.

Have a great week and enjoy yourselves this evening.

Claire

Jasmine: West Sussex Children's Portrait Photography

2011-10-28T09:20:00.004+01:00

Good Morning,

I recently photographed a lovely portrait session as a surprise gift for Jasmine's Grandparents. It was fantastic madness!

I thought I would post this image as it looked like the session was calm and tranquil, if only you could all see what was happening around this image it would have made you a laugh, and I certainly had a great time.

Today and tomorrow I am seeing clients to chat about their weddings next year, so lots more lovely things to discuss.

Have a great weekend and have any of you started your Christmas shopping yet? I confess I have.

Claire

Alexis: West Sussex Portrait Photography

2011-10-24T10:56:00.003+01:00

Good Morning,

Something a little different today and may not be to everyone's taste but I like to experiment with my photography. Alexis came along with her Mum to have a portrait sitting and we had a great session using high, mid and low key styles. At the end of the session I wanted to try something a little different and my aim was to try and create an ethereal ghost like image and here it is.

When I take a photograph, my aim is to try and capture what I have in my head at the time so I end up with a real photograph rather than the composite/montage digital art that seems to be popular now, which relies entirely on photoshop. This image was created in the studio with very little post production and is what Alexis saw on the back of my camera during the session.

I had a very busy weekend photographing a wedding in the most glorious Autumn sunshine followed by some lovely chats with potential wedding clients and I am pleased to say I will now be photographing their special days next year. They have new and exciting things planned so I am getting excited already!

Have a great week everyone.

Claire

Grace: West Sussex Newborn Photography

2011-10-17T09:14:00.003+01:00

Good Morning,

I recently photographed Grace's newborn session and it was so lovely to meet her having photographed her as a bump! She was about 2 1/2 weeks old in these images and I was really surprised by the strength that she had for one so young. I have chosen these images as she looks so unfazed by the whole experience and is just chillin'.

Have a great week everyone, the Autumn colours are really starting now so hopefully we will see some glorious hues soon.

Claire

Eva: West Sussex Children's Portrait Photography

2011-10-13T14:10:00.003+01:00

Good Afternoon Folks,

Hope this blog post finds you all well. I recently photographed the lovely Eva, the story starts when I photographed Eva's Grandfather's wedding, then I photographed Eva's Mummy and Daddy's wedding. Little Eva was just a bump when I first photographed her and a month old when she had her first out of bump studio experience and here stood before me was this beautiful little girl who was just sitting up when she last came to me. Now she is walking and loves to talk to Daddy on the telephone; not quite sure Daddy understands it all. I translated a few of words and it was first, car, Ferrari; now don't say I didn't warn you Dad, you have 16 years to save up!

KJ Floral Designs: Sussex Commercial Photography

2011-10-12T11:25:00.005+01:00

Good Morning,

I have been photographing the beautiful flowers of KJ Floral Design s and these will now be replacing the imagery that is currently on the website. Kirsty is an extremely talented florist and has produced flowers for UK and international royalty. She is now setting up her own business and will be specialising in wedding and event floristry. Kirsty is familiar with the many beautiful venues we have in the area and works alongside the fantastic wedding and event decorators Reveries. Now that's a match made in Heaven!

Have a great week; I am getting back to normal after the Master Photographers Association Awards 2011 for which I was very pleased to be awarded two Merits in Fine Art and Classical Portraiture. Cannot wait for next year now!

Claire

Spa Hotel Wedding Fayre, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

2011-10-08T10:28:00.001+01:00

Good Morning,

Just to let you know that I will be exhibiting at the Spa Hotel Wedding Fayre tomorrow. It would be lovely to meet with you and have a chat about your wedding.

Hope to see some of you tomorrow.

Claire

Ladies' Night at Dale Hill Hotel and Golf Club: Sussex Event Photography

2011-10-04T15:20:00.004+01:00

Good Afternoon,

I recently attended a Ladies' Night at Dale Hill Hotel and Golf Club. It was really lovely to see so many lovely ladies in the most beautiful dresses and you were all a pleasure to photograph. It really reminds me of James Bond seeing a tuxedo and a glamorous dress. I also had some wonderful chats as well!

I enjoyed having a a few days off, especially over the weekend, which is a rarity in my industry and the weather was a real bonus too.

Enjoy the week everyone,

Claire

Another lovely Album!: West Sussex Wedding Photographers

2011-09-30T08:57:00.003+01:00

Good Morning,

Wow, what amazing weather we are having, and I am particularly excited as I am having two whole days off this weekend!

I thought I would post another album image today; this album is a very simple, elegant design and I really like the metal engraving with the Bride and Groom's names.

The whole experience surrounding these albums is just lovely, they come in beautiful boxes and they are contained in fabric bags, just what you would expect when buying something exclusive. It is the album equivalent of Jimmy Choo's!!

Have a great day and I think we should all meander in the sun eating ice cream!

Claire

Kirsty: East Grinstead Portrait Photography

2011-09-26T09:12:00.004+01:00

Good Morning,

Recently I photographed a studio session with the lovely Kirsty; I have chosen to share this image with you because Kirsty ordered this as a panoramic 40 x 20 inch acrylic and it looked fabulous. I think the image has real drama with this crop and the high gloss made it into a piece of art that looks wonderful on her wall.

As well as being incredibly photogenic Kirsty is an accomplished florist and has produced flowers for royalty amongst other well known people in the past. She is in the process of setting up her own business and we have lots of plans to photograph her creations, so plenty to look forward to.

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed a little Autumn sunshine. For me it was a working weekend. I met some very interesting people at an event on Saturday evening followed by numerous chats about future weddings at the South Lodge Wedding Fayre yesterday; I love hearing about the plans that you all have for your weddings, so it does not really seem like work!

Enjoy your week everyone,

Claire

South Lodge Wedding Fayre, Horsham, West Sussex

2011-09-23T17:46:00.002+01:00

I will be exhibiting at the South Lodge Wedding Fayre on Sunday 25th September and it would be lovely to see you and have a chat about your big day.

Hope to see you tomorrow.

Claire

Isle of Wight

2011-09-23T08:37:00.005+01:00

Good Morning,

The Equinox occurred on 21st September with 12 hours daylight and 12 hours darkness, so now starts the turn from longer days to longer nights. I love the seasons and each one has its beauty and I think as photographers we are very lucky to have such a varied climate; despite the constant complaining about the weather!

Today I am including some personal imagery that takes us back to the heady days of summer. We were lucky enough to enjoy a couple of days in the Isle of Wight in July. I had a wedding the previous day and before I could 'clock' off I had to ensure the images were backed up and another set off site. It was only a couple of days; it was so relaxing it felt like a week. We stayed with some lovely friends who took us to this little restaurant tucked away in the rocks that served just lobster and prawns. It is extremely popular on the island and just simple and lovely. On the way out I saw this door and loved it, I had visions of 'Under Milk Wood' and 'Doc Martin' of all things! To me this image summed up the ethos of the restaurant.

That evening we were talking in their lounge, which has big velux windows giving the most beautiful unsullied view of the sky. I spent quite a while gazing at the moon and watching the various cloud formations pass through, so I thought I would pop one on here for you to see.

Thank you Cay, Phillip and Amy for a really relaxing couple of days and yes this is the first chance I have had to look at the images properly!

Enjoy the weekend and I think we will be seeing some autumn colours starting to appear soon.

Claire

Jane and Nick, Copthorne Gatwick Hotel, Copthorne, West Sussex

2011-09-20T08:38:00.005+01:00

Good Morning,

I hope you all had a brilliant weekend; I had a great time in the studio on Saturday and tried out something completely new so looking forward to editing that session! It was great to meet potential wedding clients and chat about the plans they have for their special day and then to have a wedding viewing to reminisce about how lovely their day was. It is always pleasing when they say "wow I forgot about that, ooh is that what happened before I arrived".

Recently I had a great pre-wedding session with Jane and Nick at the Copthorne Gatwick Hotel. This is another venue with some beautiful grounds to stroll around, we have so many in area I do feel a little spoilt. Their young son Harry had a brilliant time running around and it made for some funny moments during the shoot.

Looking forward to seeing you soon and yes Harry I will try and bring some chocolate rolls!

Have a great week,

Claire

Julie and Jon The Beacon, Tunbridge Wells, Kent: Kent Wedding Photographers

2011-09-16T15:19:00.006+01:00

I recently photographed the wedding of Julie and Jon at the very picturesque Beacon Hotel near Tunbridge Wells, Kent. We were extremely lucky with the weather, it stayed dry until 10 minutes after they sat down to eat and the rain was relentless for the entire evening; so no more going outside for us that day! Julie and Jon had a wonderful time celebrating with their family and friends and I had so much fun with you all. Jon has the most infectious smile I have ever seen, he gets that from his equally lovely Dad and I giggled all the way through the edit. I think the pictures of Julie and her Dad speak for themselves what a truly lovely and funny man, although I was told off my Julie's Mum for encouraging him ... it was worth it!

Have a great weekend everyone,

Claire

Wakehurst Place, Ardingly, West Sussex

2011-09-16T06:53:00.002+01:00

Good Morning,

I hope your week has gone well and here we are again at Friday!

Last night I attended a function at Wakehurst Place to celebrate the opening of a new venue for weddings. Going forward as well as being able to have your reception in the magnificent mansion house you now have the choice of the seed bank.

For those of you that have been to Wakehurst you will know that they are doing magnificent work in building an archive of the world's seeds to ensure that the world's amazing flora and fauna does not become extinct.

The seed bank building is in contrast with the mansion house with its contemporary lines and would make for some very interesting photography and I for one am very excited at the prospect of photographing a wedding there.

It goes without saying that any wedding that takes place at Wakehurst comes with the most beautiful grounds that just takes your breath away.

It was nice to know that Wakehurst Place uses the profits from its weddings and events to plough back into the seed bank and grounds to keep this venue looking gorgeous and to ensure the seed project continues to grow; how brilliant is that.

It doesn't matter whether you are getting married or not go an have a visit to this tranquil paradise and try the scones, they are just yummy!

Enjoy the weekend, I am in the studio on Saturday and I am also seeing lots of lovely wedding clients new and old.

Claire

Nicola and Chris Yew Lodge East Grinstead West Sussex: West Sussex Location Photographer

2011-09-13T07:50:00.008+01:00

Good Morning,

Happy and a slightly less windy Tuesday everyone.

I recently photographed the wedding of Nicola and Chris and we were so lucky with the weather just the odd shower here and there. The day started off at the Selsdon Park Hotel a most magnificent building and Nicola organises many events for them so she had the run of one of their wonderful suites. The next step was the most gorgeous St Mary's Church in Farleigh tucked away down a beautiful lane and surrounded by fields and inside it twinkled delightfully with lots of candles. Next stop was the wonderful Yew Lodge in East Grinstead and this venue never fails to delight with its many photographic opportunities; I am sure was a feast for Chris' eyes as he is a landscape gardener (and a very good one too).

It was a lovely day and I really enjoyed photographing you all, Nicola wanted lots of Bride and Groom portraiture and it was such a joy, and I even think Chris enjoyed it a bit too!

Looking forward to seeing you soon you two.

Claire

Lovely Album Covers: West Sussex Wedding Photography

2011-09-09T14:55:00.003+01:00

Good Afternoon,

Well it is the end of another week and to everyone getting married tomorrow, including my lovely Bride and Groom I hope you all have the most wonderful day.

I thought I would share a lovely album cover with you; I only use one very exclusive album company now and they have so many wonderful coverings that would suit most wedding themes. This cover was the exact colour and pattern of the coat of a recent Groom of mine and it looked fabulous on their album. It really completed the whole theme of their wedding, so I though I would share with a little bit of imagery.

Enjoy the weekend and let's hope we have a few dry spells.

Claire

Julie and Jon The Beacon, Tunbridge Wells, Kent: Kent Wedding Photography

2011-09-05T10:29:00.006+01:00

Good Morning,

I recently photographed Julie and Jon's pre-wedding shoot at their gorgeous wedding venue The Beacon in Tunbridge Wells Kent. We had great fun planning the photography for their big day, the theme of their wedding is very close to their hearts and so fitting to the county of Kent. Having grown up in Tunbridge Wells and frolicked amongst the 'gardens' and orchards myself as a child, I cannot wait to see the finished theme.

I hope you all had a lovely weekend; I saw lots of lovely clients on Saturday and it was a pleasure to talk about some really exciting plans for a wedding that I now have for 2013. I never tire of hearing the lovely things that couples are planning for their weddings, and there is always something new to look forward to that I have not photographed before too. We are so lucky to have so many beautiful locations for wedding photographers in Surrey, Sussex and Kent.

Well it is back to editing weddings and studio sessions for me, so I hope you all have a great day.

Claire

Beautiful May: Kent Children's Photography

2011-09-02T13:20:00.003+01:00

Good Afternoon,

I hope you are enjoying some lovely weather at last; we do seem to have very turbulent Augusts now followed by some beautiful Autumn months so I hope things settle down for a bit.

I recently photographed May as part of a project that will not be unveiled for some time but at the end of the session we had a couple of minutes to capture some images. These shots show just how demure May is and she was so patient during the rest of the shoot I cannot wait to photograph her again.

Have a great weekend; no weddings for me this week but plenty to keep me busy with the studio, lovely new wedding clients and lovely newly married clients so looking forward to lots of great chats!

Claire

Nicola and Chris Yew Lodge East Grinstead West Sussex: Sussex Location Photographer

2011-08-30T09:17:00.003+01:00

Good Morning,

Well it has certainly been a busy few days and I think the weather was very kind for the South East and Sussex Wedding Photographers!

I recently photographed the pre-wedding shoot of Nicola and Chris at the lovely Yew Lodge in East Grinstead West Sussex. Chris is a landscape gardener and I think he felt right at home in the beautiful grounds of the lodge and having visited their home I know how fabulous his own garden is!

We had a great time walking, photographing and chatting and it made for a very lovely evening indeed.

Have a great day and watch out for some images of the lovely May this week.

Claire

Master Photographer National Awards 2011!! : Sussex Portrait Photographer

2011-08-26T14:35:00.006+01:00

Good Afternoon from a very excited photographer in East Grinstead!

I was informed this morning that two of my images have been awarded Merits in the Master Photographers Association National Awards 2011. One in Classical Portraiture and the other in Fine Art; I am so happy as these images will now be in the finals and I will be pitting my wits against some of the photographic legends. The standard of this competition is really high and to gain a merit and a place in the finals is quite something.

I am still excited and what a fabulous start to the weekend.

Claire

The Many Faces of Jess! : Kent Location Photography

2011-08-25T15:28:00.005+01:00

I had a fantastic shoot yesterday creating some imagery for a project that I am working on. Unfortunately the images will not be posted anywhere publicly for some time and the only person that will get to see them is my Mentor. However, we had some fun at the end of the shoot and I had a few minutes to capture these images of the wonderful, vibrant and funny Jess; and as a collection they just make me laugh, so I thought I would post them here to hopefully bring a little cheer to your day.

Isn't she just brilliant; can't wait for the next shoot Jess.

Claire

Emma Tindley Couture East Grinstead, West Sussex: Sussex Location Photography

2011-08-19T17:18:00.005+01:00

Good Afternoon,

I hope you have all had a good week and you have lots of nice things planned for the weekend. More imagery again today and this is the beautiful shop of Emma Tindley Couture based in East Grinstead. Emma was a finalist in the Young Designer of the Year awards and I am certainly not surprised as her dresses are exquisite. We are creating a collection of imagery that is going to be used for her new website; it is extremely exciting and I cannot wait to see the finished product that will show the collection we photographed in April, the shop interiors and the new collection that she is planning for next year at a very special location. I was very privileged to have a sneaky preview at some of her materials and the one shown here is a French Chantilly Lace, which has recently been used in some of Vera Wang's designs. I cannot remember the celebrity who wore it but the lace was used in a dress by Vera Wang that recently featured in Hello magazine; just how fab is that...love it! The lace is just sublime close up. Emma will be available for appointments commencing 3rd September, so if you are getting married next year take a look at her beautiful dresses; you will not be disappointed and they are a pleasure to photograph.

Happy Friday everyone,

Claire

Paula - East Grinstead Pregnancy Photography: Sussex Portrait Photographers

2011-08-17T09:03:00.002+01:00

Good Morning,

A little more imagery today; Paula came to the studio for a secret pregnancy portrait session as she wanted to give her partner a piece of art for his birthday; and what better than a beautiful image of her carrying their beautiful baby girl.

Pregnancy is such a beautiful time and often gets overlooked; I just love the contours of a pregnant woman. She is carrying the miracle of a new life and this should really be celebrated.

Here is an image of Paula and she was quite happy for me to post it to my blog, and who wouldn't be; she is gorgeous!

Their little girl has now been born and I cannot wait to photograph her in the next couple of weeks.

Have a great day,

Claire

Czarina and Ragnar - Portrait Photography East Grinstead West Sussex: Sussex Portrait Photgraphers

2011-08-15T08:08:00.002+01:00

Good Morning,

I hope you all had a lovely weekend and managed to enjoy some sunshine. Czarina and Ragnar had some engagements portraits done ahead of their wedding next year. We were meant to be on location but the weather was not kind so we decided on a studio session. It was so lovely to hear of their wedding plans and their love for each other just exudes from the images so their wedding day will be very special indeed.

Thank you for letting me be a part of of your engagement story and it was a real pleasure to photograph you.

I cannot believe we are in the middle of August already, where is the year going!

Claire

Location Photography East Grinstead West Sussex

2011-08-14T09:52:00.003+01:00

Good Morning,

Thought I would post some more imagery today; this was taken on a recent location shoot and I just love the wistful nature of the image. I have called it going home, look deep into the image and you will see why.

Enjoy your Sunday and I am having a client viewing day today, and I always enjoy those.

Claire

Lydia - Portrait Photography East Sussex

2011-08-12T11:01:00.009+01:00

Good Morning,

Had the most fabulous day yesterday; I love this location and the array of photographic opportunities both inside and out just seems endless. Lydia has a timeless, classical beauty about her and it was hard to choose one for my blog, eventually I made a decision and here she is. The image was taken utilising the natural light available at the time with very little post production.

Have a great weekend whatever you are up to.

Claire

Julia Margaret Cameron

2011-08-09T07:39:00.003+01:00

Good Morning,

A slightly different blog post today! Recently I went to an exhibition of Julia Margaret Cameron's work (1815-1879), she was a late blooming photographer who really experimented with portraiture. She was not afraid to close crop, blur and smudge her images, these methods so commonplace today were pioneering in her time. She was never afraid to use cracked negatives to create a new and interesting effect; and she was much derided by her fellow photographers.

I was wandering around the exhibition and could scarcely believe that some of these prints were 150 years old. She managed to capture a contemporary yet timeless element to her subjects that stand well with the imagery of today.

I did feel a little sad that photography and the art of taking an image seems to have become very devalued over the last decade and where are the prints that will be viewed in another 150 years; I truly hope they will not be lost in the digital mire. There are so many wonderful cameras on the market and in the right hands can really open up new and exciting opportunities for the photographers of today. On the flip side this new technology is giving rise to a fallacy that the camera will 'work' everything out and the operator will always get a good image. Alas this is not so, seeing light, creating light, composition, storytelling, instructing the camera and not letting it instruct you are the things that separate the a photographer from an operator who has bought a lovely camera.

All this from one exhibition, very profound; and I am sure she would be very pleased to think that generations later she is still having an effect on the photographers of today. I now know why I get so excited when I receive my albums and wall art back from the manufacturers, these images are here to stay for generation, upon generation of that person's family to look, touch and feel the emotion that was captured by the photographer and immortalised as a moment in time.

Have a great day everyone!

Claire

A lovely testimonial

2011-08-03T08:07:00.002+01:00

Good Morning,

I just wanted to share a lovely testimonial that was written on the reviews section of my Facebook business page. It is always lovely to read people's experiences of my work and the service I offer and they never fail to bring a tear to my eye. Thank you and your words really do mean a lot to me.

Here is the review:

We were married on 25th June 2011 and were fortunate enough to be able to have Claire and her assistant record our perfect day for us.

We looked at a relatively small number of photographers before deciding on Woodland Hill, simply because we didn’t need to look any further once we had spent a small amount of time in Claire’s company and seen some of her beautiful work – not to mention baking skills!

Claire’s obvious photographic talent is there for all to see, it is the less tangible talent that makes her so special. Her personality, sense of humour and passion make her so much more than our wedding photographer. She was our guest whose company we are so thankful to have had on our day (before our day and since our day).

We couldn't be more delighted with the outcome of our wedding photography - all the photos are beautiful and more than we could have ever imagined and we have such a wonderful record of our day. The album is unique and timeless and something we will treasure forever.

I am confident you will not find a more skilful, enthusiastic and passionate photographer who will strike such an instant rapport with ALL of your guests however long you look.

Our guests have even commented on how brilliant she was! She made us and guests feel happy and confident in front of the camera and being people who don't like having their photos taken we and they enjoyed every minute of it - especially the fun evening shots at the Rocks with the bridesmaids and groomsmen!

Worth every penny and so, so much more.

Thank you Claire for helping to make our perfect day just that.

Nicky and Matthew, Yew Lodge, East Grinstead, West Sussex: Sussex Wedding Photography

2011-07-29T17:09:00.006+01:00

Happy Friday Everyone!

We had a wonderful day at Nicky and Matthew's wedding, the weather was good and as usual Yew Lodge did not fail disappoint with is great interior and exterior. The day started at Nicky and Matthew's house where the bridal preparations were in full swing, there was much excitement as Matthew had managed to hire a Rolls Royce Phantom. This was not any old Rolls Royce, oh no it is the one the stars use and its number plate is BAF7A; how brilliant is that. We were told is is used regularly by Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones to name but a few!

Anyway back to the most important people Nicky and Matthew, they were married at Yew Lodge in the beautiful Oak Room and their reception was held in the new reception room, which boasts a lovely black granite floor. So the first dance was quite something with the floor and the lighting the owners have installed. Here are a couple of pictures of the day; I just loved the passion in Nicky and Matthew's first kiss, the 500 year old yew tree and just one little tantaliser of the inside!

Have a lovely weekend whatever you are all up to,

Claire

Ruby - East Grinstead, West Sussex Children's Photography

2011-07-21T15:34:00.003+01:00

This is the gorgeous Ruby and I cannot believe that she is now standing. It does not seem five minutes since she was first in the studio when she was just over a month old. I remember this session vividly; every time Dad held ruby for the 'arm' shot she 'spent a penny'! Ruby's Mum and I found it hilarious!

Anyway here are a few tasters of the session and she is such a happy, bonny little girl I had to share them on here.

Have a great day.

Claire

Lisa and Pete - Hotel du Vin and High Rocks Inn Tunbridge Wells Kent: Kent Wedding Photography

2011-07-13T10:22:00.008+01:00

I recently photographed the wedding of Lisa and Pete; we had a fabulous day, the weather was kind albeit a little humid and I had two lovely locations to work in.

Lisa prepared for her wedding at the Hotel du Vin in Tunbridge Wells and this beautiful building is steeped in history. It was really nice to be able to work there as my Great, Great Grandparents used to run the hotel when it was the Calverley Hotel about 120 years ago!

Before returning back to the hotel I travelled to the High Rocks Inn to meet Pete and the Gang from the train. Unfortunately they were not on the steam train, but this certainly did not dampen the excitement. Funnily enough the High Rocks was where I was fortunate enough to have my wedding nearly 12 years ago, and the Toastmaster from our wedding is still working there; it was lovely to have a chat and catch up with him during our break.

It was a beautiful day for Lisa and Pete with lots of lovely memories for me too!

Hope you are enjoying your fabulous Honeymoon you two and looking forward to seeing you both on your return.

Claire

Nicky and Matthew, Yew Lodge, East Grinstead, West Sussex

2011-07-04T11:46:00.006+01:00

Good Morning,

I hope you are all well and I cannot believe that it is July already and the longest day been and gone!

I recently had a lovely pre-wedding shoot with Nicky and Matthew at Yew Lodge; it was raining but we still had loads of fun. I love pre-wedding shoots as it is a time to relax and chat about the big day whilst exploring the grounds of their venue. Despite the weather with Nicky and Matthew there was lots of laughter and I cannot wait until their wedding day.

Have a great week,

Claire

Rowfant House, Rowfant, West Sussex

2011-06-24T17:18:00.004+01:00

I have been waiting for the weather and light to be just right in order to get the exterior shots of Rowfant House as these are going to be used for their new website and printed material, all of which is currently being designed. After a most unusual month of rain, grey cloud and general misery, today offered me just what I wanted. I made my way over to Rowfant House to catch the early morning light and wonderful blue skies. Here are a few images; I particularly like the black and white image but I wanted to pop a colour one in to show you how lovely the skies were this morning. There is another image of the lake, which I rather liked in what I would call subdued colour, and I think the texture and faded colour tone gives it a paint like quality.

I hope you enjoy the images, and have a great weekend as it is set to be hot, hot, hot! I know I will need to take plenty of water with me tomorrow!

Claire

Wedding at the Felbridge Hotel, East Grinstead, West Sussex

2011-06-20T07:56:00.002+01:00

Good Morning,

I hope you all had a lovely weekend and managed dodge the rain! I photographed a beautiful wedding reception at the Felbridge Hotel yesterday. It was a genre of wedding that was new to me so I was naturally nervous, but I had done a lot of research and chatted quite extensively to the family; so now it was to put everything into practise.

Once I had taken the first image I was fine and the day flowed beautifully. The family and friends were an absolute pleasure to photograph and I loved the vibrancy and colours that surrounded me. The aim of the photography for the Bride and Groom was 'regally romantic' and it really suited the occasion; my Bride was so demure and beautiful and having her handsome husband by her side really made for some wonderful moments.

So today it is to make a start on the editing and re-live the day again, which is something I love to do with every wedding that I photograph.

Have a great week everyone,

Claire

Food at Rowfant House, Rowfant, West Sussex

2011-06-14T16:09:00.002+01:00

Last night it was over to Rowfant House to photograph some food; I can think of worse ways to spend an evening!

Rowfant House is being completely refurbished and this is going to be a truly spectacular venue when everything is finished. The house itself is steeped in history and benefits from some lovely architecture with magnificent grounds to match. Once the interior is finished it will match the majesty of food being served there. There is going to be no stone left unturned and my photography will be used for their new website, which is currently being designed.

Here are a few shots of the food created by Chef and Commercial Manager Rich Spicer and yes folks it tasted wonderful so if you get the chance try it out for yourself. Lucky old me has to go back and photograph some more dishes, how will I ever cope!!

Looking at this has made me hungry, sorry if it has done the same to you!

Claire

Bump to One Year - Max is One!

2011-06-10T16:43:00.003+01:00

A couple of weeks ago it was time to go on location for Max's one year shoot. It was hilarious and mad; editing the pictures really made me laugh. As many of you will know I have followed Max since he was a bump and it has been a real pleasure to watch him develop over the year alongside his big sister Millie. As much as I always photograph Max at each session, Millie never fails to pull something quite magnificent out of the box and it has been as much a pleasure photographing Millie as it has Max.

We are off on location again in the Autumn, and I think the results will be a little more controlled with Max being just a few months older; but I did love the chaos of this shoot!

Here is just a taster of the day and have a great weekend.

Claire

Playdays in Sussex!

2011-06-08T16:20:00.003+01:00

I recently had a what I would call a 'play day' with fellow photographer Lisa Beaney and we went to a most stunning vintage location for a shoot. Lisa's daughter Holly kindly agreed to model for us and I am attaching a few images of the day.

It is always good to set aside time to explore and experiment with our photography and having a fellow photographer to mull over ideas with definitely makes for a really rewarding day.

We have so many stunning locations in the South East and I cannot wait to search out some more to see what I can come up with!

I hope you enjoy these tasters and thank you Holly for for infinite patience.

Claire

Alyson and Julian at St Swithun's and The Ravenswood, East Grinstead, West Sussex: Sussex Wedding Photography

2011-06-03T17:57:00.008+01:00

Well the weather has certainly be kind to us for quite a while now; Alyson and Julian's wedding day proved to be absolutely balmy. They were married at St Swithun's Church in East Grinstead and I think we are very lucky to have such a wonderful church right in the centre of East Grinstead; you can see its golden tipped spire for miles around. It was then off to The Ravenswood and as you know I think this is a beautiful venue with wonderful grounds. From the two shots I have chosen of Alyson and Julian's wedding it is the first that has the significance; next to the the Best Man you should be able to see two candles lit side by side, these were in remembrance of their Grandparents. I was really struck by the placement of the candles because although small they really stood out for me. I felt that it was like having them at the service as two guests in pride of place right at the front; this attention to detail really touched me. The second shot was taken at dusk and you can just about see the boat house although the size and placement of my watermark may have obscured this!

I hope you enjoy the tasters and I very much look forward to seeing Alyson and Julian for their viewing soon. Hope you are having a cocktail or two on your fabulous Honeymoon you two.

Claire

Flaming June!

2011-06-01T07:51:00.003+01:00

According to the weather it may well turn out to be a flaming June, and it is hopefully time to reintroduce those summery clothes we all got used to using in April!

I am just finishing editing my last wedding so I will pop a couple of images on here soon as a taster. I am having lots of fun with the group shots this year, and approaching them differently is creating something unusual and really enjoyable for all concerned. June is set to be a nicely busy month for me with some interesting weddings and meetings.

My husband is also having a graduation for his foundation degree, so it will be a very proud day to see him go up in his robes to receive his certificate. Hopefully it will not be too long before he completes the degree and we are there again. For those of you who are wondering, he is a mature student and working full time, reading this back I was not sure what kind of picture I was painting!!

Have a wonderful month everyone!

Henk Van Kooten Seminar

2011-05-27T11:51:00.004+01:00

I attended an all day seminar with Henk Van Kooten yesterday. I always love going to these events as it is always a good opportunity to catch up have a good old chat with my fellow photographers, in addition to listening to some truly inspirational speakers.

Henk Van Kooten is a Dutch photographer and his style of photography is truly amazing and it is not hard to tell the story and inspiration behind each image, although a couple had me baffled, but I am sure that was the intention!

It was a full day and the work he showed us was only the tip of the iceberg. The day ended with one of the most moving slideshows I have ever seen. At the end there was lots of blinking and looking up at the ceiling and I commend him for tackling this sensitive area is such a beautiful if heart wrenching way.

Back to work today and trying to absorb all the information that was imparted yesterday.

Hope everyone has the most wonderful bank holiday weekend.

Claire

Vic and Mark at The Ravenswood, Sharpthorne

2011-05-20T14:38:00.007+01:00

It feels so good to be able to talk about Vic and Mark's wedding. The actual day was a secret and they had a masked ball in the evening to celebrate Vic's birthday and their very special wedding. It was great fun to watch and photograph the evening guests arriving and when they heard "we're married" it just did not sink in first time; then to see the looks of surprise and joy on their faces was wonderful and made for some great photography.

The Ravenswood is a stunning venue and I am lucky enough to be back there this weekend! Here are a couple of shots from the day. I hope you are having a wonderful honeymoon Vic and Mark and looking forward to seeing you next week.

Have a great weekend and I think it is going to be quite nice again.

Claire

Felbridge Hotel, East Grinstead and The Cupcake Kitten, Angmering, West Sussex

2011-05-16T16:04:00.005+01:00

After photographing a really lovely wedding at The Ravenswood in Sharpthorne on Saturday it was off to a wedding fayre on Sunday at the Felbridge Hotel. This event was sponsored by Your Sussex Wedding and as always it is really nice to chat to engaged couples about the preparations they have for their big day. I never tire of hearing about the colour schemes, dress, venues and all the little touches they are planning to make their wedding really special. There is so much exquisite taste out there I am sure weddings bring out the creative side in everyone.

I had the good fortune to be sitting next to a lovely family company called The Cupcake Kitten and as you have probably guessed they make cakes...how lucky was I!! Jenny is the baker and she had some beautiful creations on her stand; there was one item that particularly struck me as being quite unique and it was called the cake pop. They were so beautifully done and really complimented her range of cakes and biscuits and I think they would make the most splendid favour at a wedding or take home gift at a party; the more I thought about it the cake pop's uses seemed to become endless. Lovely Jenny sent me home with some cupcakes and a cake pop and the delicious inside did not betray the outside. As I was half way through I occurred to me that I should have taken a picture of it; alas it was now to late so why don't you can pop along to their website and have a look for yourself.

I have one cupcake left and that is a treat to be savoured whilst editing my latest wedding!

Have a lovely week,

Claire

Portrait Photography East Grinstead - Mercedes and Anise

2011-05-09T17:15:00.006+01:00

I photographed Mercedes and Anise my beautiful and gorgeous Goddaughters in the studio recently. Mercedes started senior school last September and it was this session that really highlighted how grown up she is becoming. What particularly shocked me? Well Mercedes is now marginally taller than me and I stress marginally, although I think this will be short lived! Anise has strict orders to stay shorter than me as I do not like being a shorty at all.

This session really shows how the girls are growing from beautiful girls into gorgeous young ladies and I really think my days of being a 'cool' Aunt may be numbered, so I have to make the most of this whilst I can.

Anyway here are some images of the girls and we already have another session planned...why not. Two fantastic models, and I think that's what they call Godmother perks!

Have a great week,

Claire

Lisa and Pete The High Rocks, Tunbridge Wells, Kent

2011-05-06T15:19:00.010+01:00

Good Afternoon,

I know, I know I am like a bus you do not hear from me then two posts come along at once! Here are a few images from Lisa and Pete's pre-wedding shoot at the High Rocks in Tunbridge Wells. This is a truly beautiful venue and I had my wedding reception here 11 1/2 years ago so this shoot brought back all sorts of lovely memories.

The High Rocks themselves are wonderful to walk around and the varying light conditions made for some very interesting lighting. The images you see here were taken using natural light only.

We have some great plans in store for the big day itself so lots to look forward to.

Have a great weekend and if this lovely weather stays with us; enjoy!

Claire

Pre-Wedding Shoot at The Ravenswood, Horsted Keynes

2011-05-05T14:35:00.008+01:00

Sorry it has been a while since my last blog update; April was a busy month and I am doing lots of editing to catch up, so I am hoping to be able to post some more images during May. Easter proved to be absolutely glorious and I really enjoyed the Royal Wedding; I was glued to the television all day and loved it!

I had a lovely pre-wedding session with Julian and Alyson at The Ravenswood; the evening light was glorious and it was really relaxing wandering around the magnificent grounds chatting about their forthcoming wedding and having some fun with the photography. I always love these sessions and it really gives my Brides and Grooms a good idea of being in front of the camera.

Here are a couple of images from the session and I particularly like the last image as it conjures up dreamy summer days for me; I am hoping to bring this style into my photography a bit more this year.

Copthorne Hotel, Effingham Park, Copthorne, Surrey

2011-04-08T10:55:00.003+01:00

I am exhibiting at the Copthorne Hotel, Effingham Park Wedding Showcase on Sunday 17th April, 2011.

If you pop in come over to our stand for a chat; it would be lovely to see you.

Claire

April News and Editorial in Your Sussex Wedding Magazine

2011-04-04T08:21:00.005+01:00

Good morning,

I hope you all had a lovely weekend; the weather was balmy yet again. In February I was asked to contribute to an article in the April/May edition of Your Sussex Wedding and I have scanned a copy of my article for you to see. I really enjoy writing and it is a real pleasure to see an article in print with my imagery.

April started off with a lovely shoot over the weekend and trying something completely new. I really enjoyed the session. It is always good for me to stretch myself in my photography, and with the permission of my client I am hoping to be able to post an image here soon; I do want her express permission due to the technique used.

I am on location later in April to photograph some of Emma Tindley's dresses for an event that we have coming up in May, and I will be posting more details about that nearer the time.

Wedding Season is about to start in earnest and I am really looking forward to my pre-wedding shoots in some truly beautiful locations. The High Rocks, Tunbridge Wells, The Bluebell Railway and The Ravenswood to name a few, so lots to look forward to.

Have a great week everyone and I hope you enjoy the article!

Claire

Masters of Light Seminar - Leamington Spa

2011-03-28T09:13:00.003+01:00

Good Morning,

I must say the weather over the last week has been absolutely glorious and some days felt more like May than March. The sunny days have definitely given me a spring in my step!

I travelled to Leamington Spa this weekend to attend a Masters of Light Seminar with three very eminent and fabulous photographers. Martin Grahame-Dunn, Kevin Wilson and Oz Kharawala presented a two day programme covering a wide spectrum of subjects and I have so much from the weekend to take away with me.

I was hoping that the weekend would help to clarify the next step in my photographic journey and I had some ideas prior to the weekend. It is amazing how these things really take shape and I now have the theme in my mind, so it is just a matter of executing it now! This week sees me much more office based apart from a very special studio sitting on Wednesday, and I hope to chat with my mentor Kevin Pengelly to go through my ideas with him.

Have a wonderful week and now the clocks have moved forward I feel like summer is on its way and as each day I see some more wonderful flora and fauna waking up from its long winter sleep; how wonderful!

Claire

Felbridge Hotel and Spa, East Grinstead - Wedding Showcase

2011-03-14T10:28:00.004Z

Good Morning,

Lots to do today after a great day at the Felbridge Hotel and Spa Wedding Showcase yesterday. I had some lovely chats and it is always so nice to hear everyone's exciting wedding plans. For all of you who requested details, these are currently being prepared and will be going in the post today.

Congratulations to the four lucky winners of a studio experience and 10 inch framed print and they are, Emma Lipscomb, Hayley Sims, Shelley Dibbon and Czarina Tiley. Thank you to Paul G Smith, who is the most wonderful Toastmaster for picking the lucky winners at random.

I do like a wedding fayre; Nikki and I got to meet so many nice people and chatting to them is a real pleasure but it is also really nice to catch up with suppliers old and new such as Carly, Libby and Skyla from The Felbridge Hotel and Spa, Joanne from Elegant Stationery in Haywards Heath, Paul G Smith our lovely Toastmaster from East Grinstead, Lisa Jane from Crystal Brides in Horsham, George Moss Jewellers from Uckfield, Lovely Orchard Nurseries in East Grinstead and Cakeability in Forest Row.

Have a great week everyone and Spring is really in the air now, so not long until the long summer days are here again.

Sussex Photographers - Master Photographers Association

2011-03-09T10:46:00.005Z

Well it has been a whirlwind couple of days for me as I was judged for my Master Photographers qualification and I am pleased to say it was a unanimous pass by the Judges. I had a lovely comment from the observer, who is also a qualified Judge to say that my panel was beautiful. I am extremely pleased and it is the culmination of lots of hard work including the Diploma in Photographic Practice.

I am now Claire Hill LMPA DipPP, Accredited Master Photographer; wow it feels so good to be able to say that.

The photographic journey continues for me and now is not the time to rest on my laurels; it is a time to continue to develop; continue to love photography and relish in finding new and different ways to photograph people and bring out the beauty that exists in us all.

Claire Hill LMPA DipPP
Accredited Master Photographer

Sussex Photographers Kent Artists March - My New Logo!

2011-03-03T16:54:00.002Z

I am so excited as I have today picked up my new logo from Elizabeth Harbour Designs. Elizabeth and I went to school together and have been friends for a very long time now!

Elizabeth lives and works in Wateringbury, Kent; she an artist and published illustrator. Elizabeth studied at the Maidstone College of Art and then she did her Masters Degree at the Royal College of Art, so a bit wow in my book. She has also taught at Central St Martins, but now concentrates solely on her own business.

If you would like to have a look at some more of Elizabeth's work her website is www.danbypress.co.uk.

I gave Elizabeth the brief of what I was looking for in terms of influence and how the logo should reflect my style of photography and she has designed this amazing logo. It was spot on immediately so I am really pleased with it, and you will start to see it cropping up everywhere within my business.

Thank you Elizabeth, it is fabulous.

Sussex Photographers March - And the Winner is?

2011-03-01T08:48:00.001Z

Good Morning,

Well after all the fabulous sessions I had experimenting with the 'Ice' technique there has been two weeks of voting, which finished last night at 10.00 pm.

Who is the lucky winner....

It is Ruby with 70 votes! All the entrants can be found in my Ice Girls album in the Woodland Hill Photography Facebook business page.

Well done Ruby and I will be chatting with your Mummy about the prize you have won.

Now let's hope that Spring is around the corner with balmy sunny days.

Spa Hotel, Tunbridge Wells, Kent Wedding Fayre

2011-02-21T08:25:00.003Z

Had a brilliant day at the Spa Hotel Tunbridge Wells Wedding Fayre yesterday. It was lovely to see so many people and having lots of nice chats with them all. I will spend today sending out all the requested information, and I have a lovely cupcake that Jens Cup Cakes gave me to nibble on whilst I work away!

The four lucky winners of a studio experience and a 10 inch framed and mounted print are; Sam Skinner, Nikki Dominic, Sarah Dray and Lesley-Anne Beed. Well done girls and I look forward to seeing you all soon. Another big thank you to Paul Toulson of Paul Toulson Jewellers from Tunbridge Wells for picking the lucky winners. By the way his bespoke jewellery is fabulous!

Have a great week and there is one more week left of voting for your favourite Ice Girl, so be sure to pop along to my Facebook Fanpage to have a look at the candidates.

Sussex Photographers February - Ice Girls voting has now started

2011-02-14T11:06:00.000Z

Happy Valentine's Day!

Ice Girls voting has now started so be sure to vote for your favourite on my Woodland Hill Photography Facebook Business Page. I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who took part and your enthusiasm for this new technique and the competition was brilliant.

I look forward to reading all the comments and I am going to produce a slideshow during voting to show a few images from each session.

Good Luck girls and I think you all look fabulous.

Kent Photography January - Spa Hotel Wedding Fayre Tunbridge Wells

2011-02-02T09:33:00.001Z

I will be exhibiting at the Spa Hotel Wedding Fayre in Tunbridge Wells on Sunday 20th February. It is a stunning location so come along and have a chat. I am hoping to be able to show the new range of albums that I will be offering this year; they are to be seen to be believed.

Hope to see you soon.

Claire

January - Ice Girls see the images so far

2011-01-31T15:19:00.001Z

Ice Girls is well underway now and the album has been created in my Facebook Business Page. It really does work well with girls and ladies so take a look; everyone is having loads of fun and the style is proving a real hit.

Here is a link if you would like to see what I have been up to so far; the album will continue to be updated with further images until 14th February.

Have a great week everyone!

Here is the link:
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/album.php?aid=325486&id=330014795099

Sussex Photographers January - Credit Cards now accepted

2011-01-27T16:12:00.000Z

As from today I now accept all major credit and debit cards with the exception of American Express and Diners Card.

January - THIS IS IT; ICE GIRLS 2011!

2011-01-24T10:57:00.001Z

I am very excited about this and as a way of introducing this new style of photography to my business; I am running a competition for one lucky winner to become the Ice Girl of 2011.

Over the next few weeks I will be giving complimentary sessions using the “ice” technique, all you need to do is make an appointment with me and you will receive a ½ hour complimentary session. When you come back for a viewing you will then choose the image that you want to be entered into the competition. It will be placed in the Ice Girls album on my Facebook Business Page. Once the sessions have finished on 14th February everyone will have the chance to vote for their favourite by placing a comment underneath their chosen image. Only one comment may be made per person and voting will not be considered until 14th February.

If you are the lucky winner you will win a studio experience with framed enlargement, album and a DVD slideshow and this prize is worth in excess of £460.00, so well worth having.

This is going to be lots of fun, so come along with all your friends for a chance to be Ice Girl 2011. Ice girls and ladies of all ages are welcome; so come on girls what are you waiting for.

My contact details are:

01342-303491
woodlandhill@btopenworld.com

Looking forward to seeing you all.

January - New Albums

2011-01-21T08:32:00.001Z

Well it has been a very eventful week; I had a great time at the convention and it was good to catch up with old friends and make new ones. The hotel was buzzing with all the photography talk and I loved it!

So it is now back to work and I am so excited about a range of albums that I will be introducing this year; they are absolutely gorgeous and are to be seen to be believed. The designs are very unique and beautiful, and more importantly quite different in style to anything I have seen. I still stock my existing range making, for a nice cross section of style to suit all tastes.

Keep any eye out on my blog and facebook page for some news; things are still being put in place but it is sure to be different.

Have a great weekend, I am looking forward to a couple of days in the studio and Saturday sees the next sessions of both my bump to one year babies. I think we will see some major changes this session and I get the feeling little Max is on the move...should be fun!

January - Watch out for something exciting!

2011-01-14T19:05:00.001Z

Keep an eye out on my blog and facebook business page for something exciting in the next couple of weeks. This is going to be very different and very fun!

January - Happy New Year!

2011-01-04T08:09:00.001Z

Good Morning and Happy New Year to you all. It has been a little while since I posted in my blog and I just cannot believe how the time flies.

Well it is the start of a new year and let's hit it off with some recent images of Poppy and the Gang. Poppy had a studio sitting and her friends joined in, we all had a great time; they were all a little shy but after a bit of cajoling got into the spirit of things and what a gorgeous bunch they are.

December was a busy month all in all, and I had a brilliant couple of days in Cardiff with Mark Cleghorn and the PT4U team. As some of you may know I was one of his 'famous' five finalists back in the summer and we were privileged enough to have two days of dedicated training. It was the most amazing opportunity to be able to have the chance for such dedicated training with him, and he has been keeping an eye on what we have been up to, so no slacking for us!! Getting together with the other finalists was great as we have all kept in touch with each other since the final, and congratulations to Tracy who has had a beautiful boy and is taking the whole thing in her stride.!

I am also excited as the annual SWPP convention is nearly here; followed by a seminar by my brilliant mentor Kevin Pengelly who is travelling from Suffolk to speak to the MPA members. Looking forward to it Kevin.

Well hope you all manage to get back in the swing of things and for me I feel happier knowing it is getting 2 minutes lighter every day.

Claire

November - Nell The Diva Dog!

2010-11-03T17:00:00.001Z

I recently took some further head shots of Jake and we thought it would be fun to bring Nell along and give her a studio session. Well folks this must the world's first Diva Dog; we all had so much fun with the session, which will become apparent when you see the slideshow. To give you an insight into the wacky world of photographers, I was barking and howling to get her to 'sing' with me and tilt her head, and something that got her running around the studio was squirrels; not actual squirrels I hasten to add just the mere mention of them. The finale was the glasses as suggested by Mandi her owner; we both think she looks like Uncle Bulgaria from the Wombles.

Anyway enjoy the slideshow, this session had me splitting my sides.

Claire

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SLIDESHOW

November - Family Fun at East Court, East Grinstead

2010-11-03T06:54:00.001Z

Good Morning,

I have added a new taster slideshow to my Studio and Locations slideshow page called Vicky's Family Fun Day out!

We all had great fun during the shoot and enjoyed the beautiful Autumn colours at the same time. I think we are so lucky to have the seasons and for photographers they create such a varied range of looks throughout the year. I use East Court a lot as is has lots of great photographic ingredients and with its look changing so much during the seasons, I never tire of going there.

Have a lovely day and I hope you enjoy the slideshow.

Claire

October - Project i phone

2010-10-29T10:34:00.001+01:00

I love the cameras that I use for my professional photography and I am a Nikon D700 full frame user. My cameras are brilliant in low light and they are wonderful pieces of kit and enable me to become even more creative in low light. I recently had a few days off and was going to take one of my Nikons with me; but then a thought struck me; what would happen if I was stripped of everything and went right back to basics, how would my training and skill set cope? It was then that I set myself a challenge, and for me stretching myself photographically really helps me to continue to find new ideas and ways of taking an image. So for this challenge I took it back about as far as back to basics would go; the gear I took was an i phone, an app, a pair of sunglasses and a bonus thrown in by the hire car company…tinted windows!

Once I laid down the gauntlet to myself I wondered how the whole thing would go, but I really enjoyed the challenge and yes the kit had real limitations but I enjoyed finding ways to overcome them to achieve the results I had in my head. I call this project i phone and when I look at the images it made me think that a great camera is only as great as its owner, but a basic camera can be great because of its owner; and just owning the biggest and best camera in the world will not guarantee wonderful images. It is the skill of the photographer combined with great equipment that really makes for the best team.

I loved doing project i phone, for me it was very stretching and thought provoking. It has made me appreciate my lovely cameras and equipment even more but at the same time I see my little i phone in a different light now because in the right hands it too can achieve lovely images albeit a little restricted!

CLICK HERE TO SEE FULL PROJECT I PHONE SLIDESHOW

October - Photo Noir with Ruby Sue

2010-10-27T09:20:00.002+01:00

This is a Photo Noir session with the delectable Ruby Sue and I hope you all agree she is absolutely gorgeous. I am photographing Ruby Sue's Parents' wedding next year and this is the first of Ruby's studio sessions, she will be so comfortable in front of the camera by the time Mum and Dad get married. Mum and Dad are also having their pre-wedding shoot sometime in the Spring, so don't worry they will not be left out of the proceedings!

I do love Photo Noir it is such a classical look and they make such beautiful timeless prints.

As usual there is the DVD slideshow and a couple of images to look at.

CLICK HERE TO SEE DVD SLIDESHOW

October - Hello

2010-10-24T16:40:00.001+01:00

Good afternoon everyone,

I have been a little remiss with by blogging this month. Apologies for that and I have some images that will be going up in the next few days including project i phone, which I know some of you will have already seen on my personal facebook page and it will feature here too.

Happy October and enjoy the Autumn colours.

Claire

September - Photo Noir Promotion for October

2010-09-27T10:53:00.000+01:00

I really love low key lighting and just in time for Christmas I am running two photo noir days on Sunday 24^th and Sunday 31^st October. This is beautiful, timeless photography that you will treasure forever.

The session fee is £40.00 and comes with a free 7 x 5 inch print.

Sessions are on a first come first served basis,; when they are gone they are gone.

The two dates are dedicated to photo noir and I would love to see you so come on folks give me a call and let’s create some beautiful classics!

Claire

September - Jake

2010-09-15T07:52:00.001+01:00

CLICK HERE TO SEE DVD SLIDESHOW

Had a busy weekend in the studion and on location. In the afternoon Jake came over for some updated headshots that he needed for his acting work. Once we finished those it was off outside to try something a little different; we dodged the rain and embraced the rain and here are a couple of shots from the session along with the usual slideshow.

September - Jane and Graham East Court, East Grinstead

2010-09-13T15:04:00.001+01:00

CLICK HERE TO SEE DVD SLIDESHOW

Had a great pre-wedding shoot on Saturday with Jane and Graham despite the rain. We still managed to laugh our way through the shoot. They were holding a 999 day at the venue so it was a case of dodging the various emergency vehicles so as not to have them in the backdrop! Jane and I had to work really hard in keeping Graham away from the hot dog stand, and I think we did rather well.

Here is a completely whacky image from the session and I think this proves that rain can be fun too. The blobs of light are all part of the image; they were the raindrops with the light reflecting through them and very little post production done to this image. As usual there is a dvd slideshow showing a selection from the session.

September - Max and Millie

2010-09-09T08:11:00.000+01:00

CLICK HERE TO SEE DVD SLIDESHOW

Well Max is now four months old and he has grown into the most bonny little boy. He has a gorgeous smile with dimples in his cheeks, he was delectable!

I have just purchased a Highlite and for those of you who have been following my facebook page will know how much fun we had trying to fold it up!! For this session I used the Highlite in order to create a high key look and this was its first outing. I decided to use high key as I thought this would be most suitable for Max at his current age. Once he is sitting up I plan to use a mid or low key look for one of his sessions. This was also a very important session for another reason, little Millie has now started school and I cannot believe how time flies, when Becs and Colin first booked me for their wedding she was not even two! I have seen an image of her in school uniform; what a grown up girl she is.

As usual I have included a couple of images and click on the link above to see a DVD slideshow.

September - Everdon Church Flower Festival

2010-09-08T10:21:00.001+01:00

On Sunday I attended a get together with Everdon Village to present an album and DVD Slideshow to the florists responsible for the magnificent Everdon Flower Festival held on 5th December last year; it was also in celebration of Advent. The theme was pantomime. Sets were created for each pantomime and they were magnificent. It was the thought that went into each set to create the theme using a mixture of flowers and props, and of course Everdon Church was the ideal building to add atmosphere to the whole thing.

On arrival we were given a leaflet detailing each theme with an explanation and we were advised on the ideal route to view the sets. I walked around first of all to take in the themes and then commenced the photography in a slightly more random order so I could approach the themes without too many people in them.

All proceeds go to the renovation of Everdon Church, and I think it was such a lovely thing for the florists to do as the work they put in was clear to see in what they achieved. There was also a huge range of homemade cakes for sale and I really enjoyed a slice of choccy cake with a nice cup of tea.

The flower festival will be on again this year at the same time and it has a small feature in the Daily Telegraph ‘What’s On’ section. We are hoping to change that this year with more editorial and imagery, so watch this space to see if we are successful.

The ladies are underway with the planning and it will be full on from now until the grand opening; and knowing how much hard work goes into their creations, I would not blame them for having a holiday afterwards.

So all I can say is go for it ladies and wow me again, and I have every confidence you can.

Everdon Flower Festival, Everdon Church, Northamptonshire

Just a little update by Claire Hill

August - Natalie and Jamie Yew Lodge East Grinstead

2010-08-26T11:50:00.001+01:00

It was a real pleasure to photograph the wedding of Natalie and Jamie; the service and reception were both held at glorious Yew Lodge. The building is really beautiful inside and out, and if that was not enough the grounds are magnificent. I was a little worried that we would not get outside and it was a bit hit and miss but in the end the weather was kind and we managed some photography in the woods. Natalie was really pleased as she was able to have some pictures under the Yew Tree, which is about 500 years old...wow.

Here a few images and a taster DVD Slideshow to whet your appetite. Natalie and Jamie are honeymooning in St Lucia, so really enjoy yourselves and make sure you have a cocktail with a cherry in it for me!!

CLICK HERE TO SEE DVD SLIDESHOW

August - New Article

2010-08-22T20:18:00.000+01:00

I have published a new article in my Facebook Fanpage called questions to ask a potential photographer.

If you click on the facebook link to the right of this page it can be found in the notes.

I hope you find it informative and have a great week everyone and for me it will involve lots of post production so watch this space for more imagery!

August - New Article

2010-08-15T19:02:00.000+01:00

Hope you all had a lovely weekend and just to let you know my latest article has been published on my facebook page. If you want to have a read just click on the facebook link to the right of this page and I hope you find it informative.

August - Lizzie and Tom Dale Hill Hotel and Golf Club

2010-08-12T07:41:00.002+01:00

Had a lovely fun filled day at Lizzie and Tom's wedding last week. They are currently having the most wonderful Honeymoon in Las Vegas and Hawaii. We started the day at the Dale Hill Hotel and Golf Club, full of excitement with the preparations; it was then off to St Mark's Church in Tunbridge Wells and as you can see it is a magnificent building. Lizzie and Tom arranged for sandwiches and champagne to be served after the service and during the group shots and I think this was very well received by everyone! It was then back to Dale Hill for the reception with fun and frolics on the golf buggies.. Wow what views the golf club has. Thank you once again to James and the team at Dale Hill for being brilliant, as you know I always love photographing there and I hope to see you all again soon. Lizzie and Tom have a relaxing time and looking forward to seeing you when you get back.

CLICK HERE TO SEE DVD SLIDESHOW

August - New Article

2010-08-09T07:39:00.000+01:00

Hello Again,

The start of a new week; just to let you know I have published a new article on my Facebook Fanpage 'The Wedding Day - The Groom'. If you would like to read it just follow the link at the bottom right hand side of my blog.

Have a great week.

Claire

August - Welcome to a new month

2010-08-04T07:44:00.000+01:00

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to August, the time of holidays and weddings so to all my fellow photographers out there, I hope the month is a good one and the weather is kind to us all.

I have published an article on my Facebook Fanpage; this item is called 'The Wedding Day - Bridal Preparations'. If you want to have a look just click on the link from my blog and it can be found in notes.

Have a fabulous month and whatever you are doing, have fun!

Claire