Pin ItLast week I had the honour of being asked to photograph Lisa and Ian's wedding blessing in Chigwell. Being that it was Christmas just made it even more special, luckily the snow had held off and we even managed to get a rainbow in some of the shots. Click below to see some of their images from their truly magnificent day.
You can also download this video through i-tunes (then add it to your i-phone or i player) by clicking here i-tunes download.
Christmas is all about the kids and I'm lucky enough to have two great young god children who their Dad was kind enough to bring round the other day. You could literally see the pleasure in their eyes as the day gets nearer, purely magical.
Whilst they were here they decorated some special Christmas Biscuits two of which now have pride of place on the Christmas tree. Take a look at this short video showing some of the fun we had. We also ventured outside for a while but the snow meant we didn't stay out too long.
On another thought I've just about finished driving around delivering various photography type gifts ordered by my clients. It's amusing meeting in lay-byes, distant pubs and work locations as couples try and keep their gift ideas secret from each other. This year I had the fun of meeting a husband in one location and his wife in another location (an hour later), neither of them new about the others idea and I was sworn to secrecy by both of them. I guess it shows they both loved the pictures we took earlier in the year.
A few days ago my blackberry decided the little ball used to navigate around the menus would no longer work. This caused me problems and rendered my phone unable to carry out anything but making and receiving calls. 3 years ago that would have been all I would have wanted but having been spoiled with instant access to e-mails, and my diary plus a limited web access (about as good as dial up) all of a sudden it was like I'd lost an arm.
So a phone call to my supplier shows that I'm due for a free upgrade. I'd heard the hype of the new i-phone and had a play on one in America last year which I must say impressed me so when it was offered I took it up.
What makes this so much better than anything else I'm aware of is its ability (much like a PC) to download software and personalise it. For example one of my favourite apps i've discovered is imapmyrun. The basics are you press start when you run the phone then logs your route using its built in GPS you press stop when you finish. The i-phone shows you your route tells you how far and fast you've gone and adds any hills etc to its calculations. Not happy with that it then uploads the information to a website (if you choose) where you can track your training efforts over the months. The cost for this .... zero, the app and web site is all free, of course you can upgrade if you wish but if your happy with the basic package (like me) it's fantastic.
Another great trick is it's ability to connect to the net either via 3g or if you're in a wireless network area you get the full broadband effect. Watching TV live (including sky sports) or the various catch up videos all on your phone. Not to mention listening to any radio station in the world (handy if you want to know American Football scores and you live in England).
There are thousands of apps available that suit any hobbies (bird watching, football scores, learn languages etc) and many of them are free. Whilst on my run I tend to listen to books I would like to read but haven't been able to find the time previously, currently I'm listening to this one, which surprise surprise is also free.
Has the i-phone changed my life for the better? Very much so, now all I need is for people to advise me on some of the best apps, don't be shy.
Is there anything more annoying in life than an intermittent fault? You know the sort of thing, like the car that only starts when it feels like it but behaves perfectly every time it's taken anywhere near a garage.
On the wedding last weekend one of my flashes decided to work to rule. I'm sure anyone who takes pictures will realise that the timing of an image is a vital aspect when capturing real moments in time. The last thing a photographer needs is that nagging thought of, is the camera going to fire when I push the button. Of course I try and plan for every eventuality and is one of the reasons I carry so much equipment on a wedding. My car is heavily loaded with up to 5 cameras and three separate flashes, not including spare tripods and studio lighting etc. The majority of the equipment never sees the light of day and stays securely in the boot but the thought of it being there just makes the nerves settle that much easier.
So having successfully substituted the faulty kit and finished the job it was time to inspect the camera and flash for anything obvious. It became apparent that a trip to the repair shop was in order. A trip into Central London (Oh Joy) to Fixation and quick chat with the repair team sees me leaving my camera/flash with them to investigate and report. Fixation are authorised Nikon and Canon (apparently some people use Canon) repairers and also have a thriving hire and sales section. It's interesting to spend half an hour or so just looking at the various equipment they have on display. I must admit I was very tempted by the roller style camera bags, perfect for those long haul flights and a really cool solar panel for running a laptop ... hmmmm.
A couple of days later a phonecall tells me the camera is ready, the culprit being the hotshoe, I had guessed this to be the case and was pleased when my theory was confirmed. I had feared a chase the fault exercise, where everything that can be replaced is replaced in an effort to find a fault (I used to work in the motor trade). I've tested it several times and all seems in order. The true test will be this weekend at a Bar mitzvar i'm shooting, The backups are all on charge just in case.
So all in all I'm very pleased with the service ... just wish they weren't in the city.
Last week I had the honour of being asked to photograph Lisa and Ian's wedding blessing in Chigwell. Being that it was Christmas just made it even more special, luckily the snow had held off and we even managed to get a rainbow in some of the shots. Click below to see some of their images from their truly magnificent day.
Christmas is all about the kids and I'm lucky enough to have two great young god children who their Dad was kind enough to bring round the other day. You could literally see the pleasure in their eyes as the day gets nearer, purely magical.
A few days ago my blackberry decided the little ball used to navigate around the menus would no longer work. This caused me problems and rendered my phone unable to carry out anything but making and receiving calls. 3 years ago that would have been all I would have wanted but having been spoiled with instant access to e-mails, and my diary plus a limited web access (about as good as dial up) all of a sudden it was like I'd lost an arm.
Is there anything more annoying in life than an intermittent fault? You know the sort of thing, like the car that only starts when it feels like it but behaves perfectly every time it's taken anywhere near a garage.
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