2007 Portfolio - Mar Hall and Guthrie Castle

This has been yet another busy season and I realise that I should have been posting more regularly. So, to show you that, yes, I have been working hard over the last few months, I've put together a wee compilation of the best of this summer's weddings. It has been an amazing year with some fantastic couples, brilliant venues and some great parties - and I've even found time to be a guest at two weddings of both myself and Gail's best friends. However, the weddings don't stop there so I'll have more to update over the coming weeks. Check our website for more pictures & watch this space...

Emma and Michael at Dryburgh Abbey.

On the road again, and this time off to Melrose for the marriage of Emma and Michael at Dryburgh Abbey. This has been a great year for photo -opportunities, with some very grand and dramatic locations. Of course, they would be nothing without a great bride and groom and Emma and Michael were no exception. They wanted to make the most of their fantastic location and I think we were all overjoyed that the rain kept away and let them have the outdoor ceremony they wished for.

Mhari and Kenny at Edinburgh Castle

Friday seen the start of a busy weekend for me - starting of with the wedding of Mhari and Kenny. I was off to yet an other amazing venue - this time the backdrop was Edinburgh Castle, where the couple held their ceremony and reception. I spent some time with Mhari at the Radisson Hotel, before she left for the Castle and then some time with Kenny around the castle grounds before her arrival.

Claire and Alasdair at Culzean Castle

After their wedding in Troon, Claire and Alasdair went on to host their wedding meal and reception against the beautiful backdrop of Culzean Castle. It was a beautiful, sunny day which let me get some great shots of the couple as they moved around the castle grounds while their guests enjoyed a highland dancing display on the battlements. Their intimate meal for friends and family, by Nairn's Anywhere, was held in the castle's State Room. The castle has always been a special place for Clare and I'm sure she couldn't have dreamed of a more perfect wedding.

First day at school

Here's James on his first day at school. Hyper before he get's there. Sorry Miss...

Manish & Abi's Wedding

I had great fun shooting Manish & Abi's wedding last Saturday. The service was in their local church (Queens Park Baptist Church) followed by a packed reception in Pollockshields Burgh Hall. Caterers en croute provided the food and afterwards, family & guests were treated to an eclectic mix of musical styles from no less than 3 different bands , The Fortunate Sons kicked off the dancing (bluesy/folk sound), The Hallanshankers then took over for the Ceilidh, and downstairs, Jazz players 'Jazz & Co.' treated guests to a set of contemporary Jazz classics. Magician Lewis Barlow mingled with guests and keeping them entertained with some stylish close up magic before evening guests (and hungry day guests) tucked into a full Indian buffet provided by Bombay Blues (the lamb Kofta curry was superb guys!)

With everything else going on you could almost forget that the rain poured constantly ALL day without any respite!

May Portraits catch up.

May seems to have passed in a flash and I thought I'd post a couple of things to let you all know that we are still alive & kicking. First pic here is one from a couple of weeks ago when I shot some portraits for Craig and Leigh-Anne. The wall belongs to Craigmillar Castle near Edinburgh. Leigh-Anne tells me that the shot below is one of her favourites. We had some cracking weather over at Craigmillar and this shot was taken in the shade of the inner courtyard of the castle.




Met with Paul and Laura on Sunday to take some shots in Glasgow. We started at St Andrews in the Square where the happy couple are tying the knot later in the year, and then we took a few street shots around Saltmarket. After some early nerves, Paul and Laura soon got into their stride and relaxed and had some fun being captured on CCD.

David Hits the Headlines with Steven and Jodie's Wedding

For all those brides-to-be who are busy scouring the shelves for their Bridal magazines - please be on the lookout for this season's Real Life Wedding magazine. Why? - because we've made the front page!

This stunning picture is of Jodie Baynes, who got married to Steven at a beautiful winter ceremony just days before Christmas. Jodie reveals the story of their wedding inside the magazine which was full of thoughtful and seasonal elements like their mulled wine and mince pies, snowflake stationery and personalised Christmas baubles for their guests. Jodie was amazing to photograph, she was full of expression - a really elegant bride. It was a fantastic wedding to photograph and the team at RLW thought so too.

The weddings that I photograph feature regularly in both Real Life Weddings and it's sister publication The Scottish Wedding Directory.

Claire and Jim's Portraits

I was out last night meeting up with Claire and Jim, who are getting married on the most auspicious day in July (07/07/07). We met on the Clydeside, near to the Science Centre. It was early evening when we arrived so I took advantage of the late sun and we managed to get some very dramatic shots. It was the first time I had met up with Jim and both he and Claire seemed to relax quite quickly in front of the camera (which was pretty amazing considering the weather was Baltic!). They are a great couple and I can't wait to shoot their wedding - if these results are anything to go by!

Day out with the Kids at Findlaystone!

I decided to make the most of the good weather on Saturday and went straight out after Rhonda and Steven's shoot to Finlaystone Country Park in Langbank. I wanted to spend some time with the kids in the last few days of their Easter holiday and, as I was in the mood after the morning shoot, I just had to take the camera. We bumped into some friends while we were there so the kids went of to play together while we got the chance to relax. The only regret was not bringing anything for the b-b-q. Here are some very happy kids.

Steven & Rhonda's Engagement Portraits

Another fabulous morning (in April???) and I met up with Steven & Rhonda for a chat about their wedding and of course to take a couple of pre-wedding shots for them. Apart from a couple of scary moments when we nearly all fell in the river next to the mill (featured) we had a great little portrait session and managed to catch some nice light. Really looking forward to the wedding next month in Troon.

New Arrival

Congratulations to Margo and Mark on the safe arrival of baby Jack in the early hours of Saturday morning. We are all totally thrilled!

Mike and Lizzie's Portraits

A lovely spring morning in Culross set the scene for a relaxed portrait session with Mike, Lizzie and 'Murphy' the Jack Russell at the weekend. It was great to finally meet with Mike and Lizzie, having booked us for their wedding at Guthrie Castle later in the year. We shot some natural and relaxed portraits using the mediaeval buildings and streets of Culross as a backdrop.

A great portrait session, but Murphy always tried his best to be the centre of attention!

Tony & Leah's Wedding

Tony and Leah's wedding on 25th Feb provided us with some fantastic opportunities for photographs. The service took place in Garnet Hill Synagogue and the reception at Mar Hall, Bishopton (about a mile from our doorstep!)

Leah's fabulous dress is shown here while she and Tony stole a quite moment in their suite at Mar Hall.

During the reception the Tony, Leah and guests took to the dance floor for a bout of fast and furious Israeli dancing.

They were a great couple to work with as they were so natural in front of the camera. Leah was a brilliantly happy bride and even in her more candid shots she was radiant and always expressing a smile.

Special thanks to Ken for second shooting and grabbing some great candids!

February Weddings

My next busy spell took me to The Isle of Eriska Hotel, near Oban, for the wedding of Suzy and Thomas Finkle. Susy and Thomas's celebration was an intimate affair surrounded by their family. The photo opportunities were abundant at as I had the luxury of bags of time to spend with the bride and groom before their evening ceremony. I spent time with the guys on a clay pigeon shoot and time with girls as they relaxed and prepared. My special thanks to Susy and Tommy who made us feel more like wedding guests than photgraphers for the day.

New Award & Latest news

We have fought our way out of a mountain of wedding albums and decided it was time to take stock of what's been happening lately. Apologies for the big time lapse since the last update - but it seems a photgrapher's work is never done.

Probably the biggest thing to date was David picking up an award at the annual MPA Scotland awards. Yes, my brilliant husband got himself an 'Award of Excellence' in the Avant Garde Portrait category for the entry posted below. This is a portrait of Lisa on the pier at Irvine.

The next biggest thing was probably the wedding of our great friends, Martin and Louise. This wedding is probably so special because it was at Martin and Louise's housewarming party in '95 that David and I met. So why did it take them 19 years to get married?

It was a great, if unconventional, wedding which took place on 27th January in The Pierhouse cottage at Loch Melfort near Oban. It was small, intimate and really good fun. The Humanist ceremony was really personal, they had a treasure hunt for the kids, Louise made her own wedding cake and bouquet as well as an impressive spread of canapes and pink champagne.
A house party followed the meal at a local restaurant; then a poker game in the evening - which ended in the groom causing himself some GBH when he split his chin open mucking around outside in the dark. Being in very remote place with a severe lack of first aid supplies the best he could do for sticking the open wound was the 'best before' tape from a loaf of bread.


We were also thrilled that Louise asked Antonia to be a flowergirl

All new Blog

Hi Everyone.

We have decided to start afresh with a brand new blog for 2007. Watch this space for wedding, portrait and personal work. We recently moved to a new place and the kids are just beginning to get used to it now. Yesterday I snapped some shots of them playing in the conservatory with a giant tub of play dough that our good friends Martin & Gayle (thanks!!!???) had given them at Christmas. Antonia's & James's modelling skills are featured below!