Paparazzistyle

When is a guitar set up not set up ?

The answer is when you take it to Boroque and Roll, Gloucestershire.

How much does it cost to have your strings replaced without permission and to tell you that your axe has more issues than the Tory party confrence - £30.00.

How long does it take for an inexperienced luthier like myself to set up said guitar as a last resort before binning it, and making the long list of "issues" vanish- Answer 1 1/2 hours.

How does it play now- great, despite the cheap bass strings.

I tried to support a local business and got ripped so you live and learn !

I know its only Boroque and Roll but I don't like it.

PS. I did let the guy in the shop know what I thought of his "service".

What game should you play with a wombat ?

WOM !

I visited a local car boot this weekend and came home with this "old rusty thing".

I knew at first sight that this thing had potential as a great photographic subject as its rust and textures lent themselves to classic black and white photographic technique. I just needed to find another prop to enhance its old charm, a visit to the fridge and my final prop had been found.

Job done !

Comments welcome...

I was sad to hear that the original and in my opinion the best TV chef had past away today.
I was fortunate enough to meet Kieth at his pub in Totnes years ago when I made my living as a commercial
photographer and had been commissioned to photograph him as part of a food companys promotion. I spent a few days with Kieth and found him to be both warm and great fun although I had been warned that he could be difficult.
Having driven down from the North-East to his Devon home I arrived about 11.30 on the eve of the shoot
and he made sure I was well fed and "watered" before retiring for the evening at about 3.30am, this man was a party animal.
I began preperations for the shoot at 7.00am despite my assistant and myself being a little "tired" from the night before and the whole shoot went very well and without incident after all he was no stranger in front of the camera.

I was taken with this mans passion for food and drink and enjoyed his company and his hospitality, I remember his zest for life and can still hear him singing Me and Bobby McGee as he had the first time I met him, I still have the book he gave me when I left Totnes and value it a little more today.

Cheers Kieth.

I recently broke one of my own golden rules and agreed to undertake a shoot as a favour to someone.

The arrangements for the pix to be taken were agreed subject to confirmation, no confirmation was recieved.
So the whole thing was then done on the hoof, last minute and hurried, not how I ever work as my approach is considered and well prepared.

To top it off some of the subjects of my pix were just plain rude !

I already knew that the larger the fee the more people value my service and appreciate my efforts and I also new that the opposite of this was also true.

If you work for free then in the eyes of many your service is worth nothing !

I will not make this mistake again.

Until the next exposure.... (at full rate, no favours)

www.paparazzistyle.co.uk

I recently received an email from Natasha asking about our story book albums.
This made me realise that unless you have seen our finished books first hand then neither this
blog or my web-site really convey this information very well, I shall try and rectify the situation today.

A. Each book features its own dust jacket which features a design of the clients choice.

B. The layout of the images in the book is totally flexible allowing the use of double page
spreads.

C. Each page is printed like a coffee table book, we do not use old fashioned overlays. Each
book is a printed one-off.

D. Beneath the dust jacket the book is bound with bonded leather in a choice of colours.

E. Each page can feature more than one image of various sizes allowing us to use unique
designs. We do not use fixed templates to design your book.

I hope this helps people understand our service a little better, however I believe that
the only way to appreciate the quality of this product is to see it first hand.

I would like to thank Natasha for her question and welcome questions from anyone regarding
our services.

PS. Our photography contributes greatly to making our books special!

This blog was first published 20/01/2008
Until the next exposure...

As most family's struggle to make ends meet at the moment it is of no surprise to me that
things here at Paparazzistyle have slowed down.

The upside of this is that I have a bit more free time to experiment with my pinhole photography which is starting to show some interesting results, it is also great fun. The
images that this technique produces are quite unpredictable and unlike anything I have created before.

The camera I am currently using cost a few pounds from e-bay and has suffered the indignity of having its lens removed and replaced with a piece of aluminium foil pie dish with a tiny hole in it. (Pukka steak pie dishes are best as they are black).

Using this unusual pairing of cheap camera and outdated film,I have managed to produce this impressionistic style of image which I am very pleased with. It is really nice to be using film again as it seems to bring more of a craft feel to the work it also means that each frame
receives a little more care with visualisation, framing and exposure as each film only gives
12 exposures unlike my memory cards.

Not only are the pinholes starting to look good but the pies are quite tasty too !

Until the next exposure...

I went up to London last weekend for the Landscape photographer of the year show opening, it was great to see all the work in print form rather than the magazine versions.

As I have a picture exhibited I suppose I can say that I don't believe this is a collection of the finest landscape photography produced during 2008 but it was a good night out and worth a look. The show is on at the National Theatre.

While I was in town I took a few pinhole pix,what do you think ?

Until the next exposure...

I saw this today and thought I would share it with you.

I know times are hard in retail at the moment but this seems extreme !

Until the next exposure...

Some time ago I blogged a piece about being short listed in a major UK photographic competition.

The competition was the Landscape Photographer of the Year with a first prize of £10,000.
Today I received a email from the organisers inviting me to the National Theatre for the opening of the exhibition as my entry will feature in the show and the book as my entry
was commended.

Sadly I missed out on the lucre but I'm still quite pleased with the outcome as more than
20,000 photographers entered the competition, so it looks as if I beat the long odds.

On a serious note it is always reassuring to get positive feed back as most of us photographers work in isolation and can become a little insecure about our work, so any
positive feedback is welcome.

I am beginning to believe in the power of angels !

Until the next exposure...

www.paparazzistyle.co.uk

As a prolific user of digital photography I have been surprised by my recent creative activity into all things film.
It all started when I started using one of my 5x4 view cameras but now that seems to of grown into even lower-tech photo activities as I have developed an interest in the ancient art of pinhole photography.
At this time I have yet to build or buy a pinhole camera but I find the level of serendipity
attractive and creatively challenging.

I may be going through a photographic mid-life crisis or perhaps I'm beginning to miss the
happy accidents that seem to be less frequent than they used to be, maybe modern equipment
gives us more control and makes conventional imagery easy.

Whatever the reason for this I am looking forward to my experiments without a lens and all the other buzzers and bells modern kit provides !

Until the next very long exposure ...

I have just received some good news!
It would appear that a picture of mine has been shortlisted for a major photographic award.
Sadly I am not sure how short the short list is but I do know that more than 20,000 entries
were received by the organisers, so even to get this far is quite an achievement.
Should the image be successful I will win £10,000 pounds and a massive amount of kudos, I have not started spending the lucre just yet as there is a long way to go.

The awards will not be announced until November so I thought I would post this pic (this is not the entry) to celebrate my minor victory.

I think I will buy a lottery ticket this weekend and see if I can beat the long odds again.

Until the next (November) exposures...

We all have days when everything appears to go wrong (Groundhog days) !

Today wasn't like that, it was great, everything was great in fact it was so good I don't want it to end.

What I need to understand is what makes good days good and bad days so bad as they all start
off equal.

Until the next great day...

A new style of wedding photography is now available for those who are camera shy !

A album made up of photographs taken at other peoples weddings can be supplied at very
reasonable cost with spaces for couples to insert passport-style pictures to ensure the album
is fully personalised.

The bride and groom will not be troubled by a photographer, ensuring they can enjoy the wedding
day without interruption.

This service is available from the first of April for a limited time and brides should make
sure that guests bring four passport photographs to the wedding so they can feature in more than one picture. The bride and groom should provide 16 passport pictures each as they will
feature in more pictures.

A sample page is featured below !

Until the next exposure...

www.paparazzistyle.co.uk

Photographing very young children is always a challenge, I created this image which shocked and delighted. The image was created in photoshop and no babies were hurt in the making of this image.

Until the next exposure...

I attended a lecture recently on marketing wedding photography by one of the country's most
successful photographers, it was an interesting experience.

I believe that despite being a very experienced photographer I can always learn more as visual styles change and the demands of the market evolve.

One of the suggestions that came out of the lecture involved costs and how they should feature on a photographers web-site. The advice from the speaker was quite clear that prices should not be displayed on-line ensuring that clients should only be given this information face to face.

This may well prove to be good advice from a commercial point of view however when I am
planning a purchase I like to know what is what at the earliest opportunity and not be drip fed information.I am pleased to say that at Paparazzistyle our pricing is totally transparent
we do not use come and get me prices and then try to upgrade a sale, all of our prices are inclusive although traveling expenses are added when necessary.

You will find all of our prices displayed on our web-site www.paparazzistyle.co.uk this
enables our clients to manage their wedding budget from a very early stage it also maintains
my reputation and integrity.

At paparazzistyle we are proud of our pictures and our prices, we have nothing to hide !

Until the next exposure...

www.paparazzistyle.co.uk

The location for your wedding photography is important and should reflect your own style,
however the quality of light available on the day is my main interest before arriving at the
location.
Most people believe that a sunny day is ideal for your wedding day however nothing could be
further from the truth as a photographer I like to work on bright days with plenty of cloud to diffuse the unflattering effects of the naked sun.
The location is really down to personal taste although thought should be given to the amount of space available for photography, country churches can be a bit of a tight squeeze for large
group shots and provision should be made for these pics to be taken at the reception venue.
The other thing to consider is the big question of "what happens if it rains?" does the venue your considering have a indoor area that is both suitable and large enough to accommodate your
photography requirements should the weather turn.

The location for the picture below was created with photoshop it does not exist in reality
although the wood the arch and the bride are real enough I just could not get them all at the same place at the same time.

Until the next exposure...

Although I am a Gloucestershire based photographer, I am a native of the North East.

While everyone is caught up in the Valentines day mularky I thought I would mention that
ten years ago today Antony Gormleys "Angel of the north" first appeared alongside the A1
in Gateshead.

Any of you who have visited this blog before probably think this is an excuse to post a pic of
the great lady, however I regret to say that I have never taken the time to photograph this
amazing piece of art.(I may rectify this soon).

I remember the local press of the time shouting about the waste of public funds and a number
of Gateshead residents expressing concerns about TV reception. I believe that this instalation
was the seed for everything good that has happened on the south side of the Tyne Bridge in recent times.
The Sage and the Baltic to name just two.

So happy birthday to a great icon of the north I lookforward to seeing you soon.

Following the show at Dewstow I have received a number of emails from people who want to check my availability for this year and next. As a creative person it is always nice to see how people respond to the images I create.

I would like to thank all of you who took the time to view my work and say Hi .

The other good thing to come from the day was the opportunity it gave me to meet other
suppliers and photographers that I had not come across before including the "Chimney Sweep"
who was the life and soul of the party.

I also received an enquiry from outside the UK this week but I do not think this is due to
the Dewstow show but you never know!

Until the next exposure...

Its time for our first wedding show of the year.
We will be at Dewstow on Sunday (tomorrow) and look forward to meeting those of you who can make it.
If you are unable to attend take a look at our website www.paparazzistyle.co.uk.

Until the next exposure...

A rainbow is an icon of optimism and riches if you believe in the pot of gold legend.
What happens if you break one?

This rainbow has been broken many times and reconstructed. I think the breaks make it stronger.

What do you think?

Until the next exposure...

I believe that the harder I work the luckier I become and the effort I put into a picture
is usually reflected in the final result.

Occasionally the pictures feel as if they are just given as gifts and all you have to do is open the lens and collect them.

Unfortunately it does not happen as often as I would like, but it did on this occasion.

Until the next gift...

No, but I've got a dark brown overcoat !

Wet, Wet, Wet.

Until the next exposure...

I recently received an email from Natasha asking the question above.
This made me realise that unless you have seen our finished books first hand then neither this
blog or my web-site really convey this information very well, I shall try and rectify the situation today.

A. Each book features its own dust jacket which features a design of the clients choice.

B. The layout of the images in the book is totally flexible allowing the use of double page
spreads.

C. Each page is printed like a coffee table book, we do not use old fashioned overlays. Each
book is a printed one-off.

D. Beneath the dust jacket the book is bound with bonded leather in a choice of colours.

E. Each page can feature more than one image of various sizes allowing us to use unique
designs. We do not use fixed templates to design your book.

I hope this helps people understand our service a little better, however I believe that
the only way to appreciate the quality of this product is to see it first hand.

I would like to thank Natasha for her question and welcome questions from anyone regarding
our services.

PS. Our photography contributes greatly to making our books special!

Until the next exposure...

I'm not sure if this is a compliment or not.
A first time visitor to my web-site www.paparazzistyle.co.uk described my work as "fabulously
different" I may use this description on my publicity in future.

Although I'm not shy about beating my own drum, I don't think I would ever of described my work
in that way.

Thank you Simone for your kind words.

Until the next exposue...

Now that the festive period is over it is the traditional time to start thinking about your
holiday plans while embracing the British winter.
Some of you reading this may be considering getting married abroad, it is becoming increasingly
popular.
The wedding I photographed in Santorini last year was truly memorable although from a photographers point of view the hard sunlight of these exposed locations can prove to be a real
challenge. I looked at the work of some of the local photographers on the island and was quite
disappointed with the results I saw. I watched one photographer work wearing t-shirt, jeans and
trainers as he herded the guests together and created what appeared to me to be some very below
par pictures.
It is difficult enough seeking out a photographer you can trust in the UK, the problem is
magnified if you are getting married abroad as many of these "photographers" are supplied as
part of the wedding package or by the wedding venue.
I realise that not everyone can afford to take a UK based photographer with them to far flung locations but if you can I think that this option should be considered.

Anyway enough of that, I shall post a pic I captured on my Holidays to help cheer up this
winter day.

Until the next exposure...

Well now that the big day has been and gone I thought I would look back on the past year
and look forward to 2008.
The past year has given me the opportunity to share in the wedding days of some really nice folk who all seem to appreciate the energy I invested in both the photography and album designs I created for them.

The trip to Santorini was probably the high point of the year as this was my first destination wedding. The other thing I noticed this year was that none of my clients were
married in churches, choosing to marry in country house hotels or castles instead.
As always I undertook a number of portrait shoots although the wet summer played havoc with these outdoor location shoots and some of the weddings.
The most important lesson I learned this year was to trust my instincts more and decline
wedding bookings from those who were more interested in pounds than pictures. I am the first
to admit that my services are not cheap but I do believe that they represent value for money. The new photography only option will also help to make my services available to
couples who do not require the top quality albums I supply.
Trash the Dress was added to my list of services this year, although its too early to say how
this will work out as December is probably not the best time to "Trash the Dress".

As for next year its shaping up quite well, I am currently working on a technique that I believe will be very popular with my clients and that no one else appears to be offering.
More of that in 2008 until then best wishes for the new year!

Until the next exposure...

Wishing all of you in blog-land a merry and peaceful Christmas.

Until the next exposure...

Having worked digitally for the last 4 or 5 years, I had to think long and hard about the last time I shot film . Having thought for a while I remembered doing some shots on my Mamiya that needed to be cross processed last spring !
Although I have the ability to scan film I don't, I shoot digital because its easier and quicker like everyone else.
This got me thinking about my 5 x 4 camera outfit. The whole process of using this format is worlds apart from the almost shoot from the hip digital ethos. I have finally decided to part with the Mamiya system although strangely despite its lack of use I will miss it.

The deal I have done with myself is that I must start using the 5x4 system again for my personal projects and get back in touch with the slow considered methodical approach to image
making that this format demands. For those of you who don't know what a 5 x 4 camera is,it is best described as the sort of camera that the photographer still has to place a cloth over his head to view the upside down image on a ground glass screen it is heavy to lug around and can only be used on a tripod however the quality of image is superb!
I will no doubt be shooting digital most days but I am looking forward to going back and visiting this almost luddite approach to my personal photography in fact I forgot to mention that I have just ordered a new digital outfit but this is for work its not quite as much fun!

Until the next long exposure...

At last the new website is up and running it has a few minor things to be sorted but its almost done you can visit it at www.paparazzistyle.co.uk I would be grateful for any feed back.
The rates for 2008 have yet to be added.

Until the next exposure...

Three wedding photographers have all been booked to cover the same wedding, a traditional
photographer a contemporary photographer and a documentary style photographer.
Just before the brides arrival the best man falls to the floor as if he has died. The traditional photographer gives mouth to mouth straight away while the contemporary photographer
gives him a heart massage.
As the bride arrives the best man is still on the floor and she asks the traditional photographer "what did you give him?" and he replies "mouth to mouth"
she asks the the contemporary photographer the same question and he replies "a heart massage"
she then turns to the documentary photographer and asks "what did you give him" and he pauses before answering " 1/125th at F8" !

Until the next exposure...

I was thinking back recently about the time when I attended Newcastle College of Art and the aspirations I had regarding my future in photography these were mainly based around advertising and commercial photography and I was fortunate enough to realise many of my goals.

Wedding photography at this time was quite formulated and your talent was only recognised if you knew how to make the bride and groom appear in a brandy glass (oh dear)! I could never of considered becoming a social photographer at this time, as I was a child of the "Blow up" generation.

Thankfully things have moved on and wedding clients are demanding more, I never dreamt that I would end up shooting weddings and loving it.

I then started to think back to the photographic images I most admire and the photographers who
created them. Bill Brandt changed my life, I remember seeing his work for the first time in the
Side Gallery the blacks of his prints were like the coal that featured in his work and Ralph Gibsons ability to show the beauty of every day things caught my eye. I was impressed with the way these guys viewed the world and I wanted to give it a try. Tony Ray Jones also inspired me with his study of the British at play in his book "A Day off".
The surprise for me is that wedding photography has enabled me to pursue a more documentary style which I abandoned years ago in the belief that I would never make it pay, despite it being my natural style.
How things have changed !

Until the next exposure...

Just as we were all adapting to the new digital media another photo revolution may be on the
horizon. The very art of stills photography and the "decisive moment" is under threat.
As someone who derives an income from taking pictures I'm unsure about the implications of
Casio's 60 frames per second camera planned for next year.(yes sixty)
What's the problem you may ask? Well this new technology threatens the very ethos of still photography by enabling the user to shoot tommy gun fashion in a way that is more akin to shooting moving pictures, although I do not envy those who will have to edit these shoots.
The camera is believed to be a six mega pixel consumer model, a working prototype has yet to be
produced.
As a photographer who shoots paparazzistyle I don't know if I should laugh or cry. Film to digital was one thing this may be a step closer to tethering me to the computer permanently.

I think this revolution might have to start without me unless they produce a software package
that will enable me to have a life.

Until the next 60 exposures per second...