The Dressing Up Project has begun!

I went down to South Shields yesterday to photograph Lucy who's wedding I shot last April, now my self imposed rules for this project are that as much as possible I should only shoot with my camera, a 50mm f1.4 lens and my flash, obviously if I have a whole school (as I do for a future shoot) to photograph 50mm might not cut it but for this one my 50mm was perfect.

I've also imposed myself a 50ish frame limit for each model so that I don't get bogged down by the editing because with 10+ shoots every week it's no good shooting 2 or 300 frames per shoot.

So here's Lucy, proving Fairy Wings are the future -

This one taken within the art piece - Conversation Piece is my favourite from the session

Simon and Georgies Pre-wedding shoot - St Marys Island and Whitley Bay

I caught up with Simon and Georgie on Good Friday to shoot their pre-wedding photographs, I'm shooting their wedding in June and after these shots I cannot wait, they are a super lovely couple, they're full of fun, love photography and are massively in love, it's a bit of a photographers dream really, here's just a few favourites from the shoot -




 



 
aww, I do love love!

 
Gorgeous bride to be

 
Handsome groom to be!

 



 



 
Love this blue!

 
My absolute favourite shot!

Lisas Boudoir Photoshoot

I went off to meet with Lisa yesterday afternoon to shoot a little present for her husband to be and also because Lisa wanted some truly amazing photographs of herself. We spent a couple of hours just laughing and getting great shots and I'm so jealous because Lisa looks amazing.





We tried to get some great photographs in the nearby woodlands but sadly the rain was horizontal, I do love this one though!




You would kill to look like this wouldn't you?!



Just amazing and so beautiful!

Now obviously this photoshoot was about making a woman feel great about herself and that's the great thing about boudoir, there really is no other kind of photoshoot like it. As much as I would love to share some more of the photos from the session, they're not for public consumption!

Ladies of Newcastle, Gateshead, Sunderland and Durham, if you want a boudoir photoshoot where you'll bring out your fierce side, have fabulous fun, girly giggles and get some once in a lifetime photos then click through to my website and contact me.

What are your Buzzwords?

I like to read blogs and I'm often inspired by what I read on other artists/photographers blogs. Today I found Ali Edwards talking about her word for 2008, I couldn't put my hopes for 2008 into just one word (those of you who know me will know I'm forever a rambler) I did however come up with a list of my hoped for buzzwords of this year, these aren't resolutions just pointers to the things I want (and need in some cases) to happen both personally and also in a business sense too.

What are your 2008 Buzzwords?

Heres mine :-

Patience
Success
Financial Independence
Freedom
Understanding
Growth
Learning
Friendships
Connections
Strength

Here's hoping that in 12 months from now I can look back and smile knowing that I've atleast made progress with some of them.

Favourite 2007 Moments....

As my 2007 season powers down I'm reminded of all the great moments I've had the joy of shooting this year, it's been a great first season for weddings and a successful second year or portraiture. I've grown immensely this year and I never stop learning thanks to the wonderful photographers I get to mix with. over the next week or so I'll be sharing some of my favourite images of 2007, some of which have been shared before and some (like todays) are brand-spanking new!!


This photo is from my last wedding and I love the intimate feel of the photo, it's not the easiest shot I've ever taken in fact I couldn't even have done this on my own. I need to say a big thanks to my assistant Nigel who held the lighting set up that we had to achieve this shot. I think it has a vintage feel and it's a look that I love, it's a look I also used here in a photo which I've shared before.
This one didn't use the lighting set up because it was 10am but it's a look which I'm hoping to spread through more of my work in 2008.

2008 is shaping up to be my biggest year with lots already booked in, I do have some concessions though, if you are getting married in the early part of next year then I could well still be available so why not hop on over to Mandy Charlton Designs, contact me and I could be shooting your wedding or if you're a parent why not book yourself up some milestones shoots, these are very popular and you get 4 shoots in the next year of your precious ones life, plus of course I get to see them grow and develop and pinch hugs etc.... mwahahahaha

Let me just add that I've now widened my blog to show bigger photographs and I've changed the header, however, the joy that is Internet Explorer doesn't seem to like it so just to say that this blog is best veiwed using Firefox or if you're like me I use Flock

Is bigger always better?

Well in the case of photographs I beleive that answer is almost definetly yes!! You should see how a photo looks on a canvas for instance, I guarantee once you've gone to canvas you'll never go back to prints! I think this is the next one to go on canvas, what do you think?

L is for.... Oh and Win a Canvas

Lovely Looby with the famous silly expressions!! I particularly love this one. It's rare I get those wonderful candid pics of Looby anymore, she's become far too camera aware in the last year or so and so everytime she senses a lens in her face I get the standard cheesy grin or the silly face has also become quite popular of late, maybe she's been taking tips from her daddy!!

Yes I forgot to mention, last months winners of my Win your wedding album competition were Louise and Craig who are marrying next year at Ramside Hall, can't wait for that wedding, I hear the groom is very fond of his golf!!

So Octobers competition is to win a 16x12 Canvas worth over£120, any wedding photography bookings during October will be entered into my special draw and 1 lucky couple will get their favourite wedding photo enlarged and immortalised in canvas forever!! Details are of course on my website Mandy Charlton Designs.

Don't forget as Christmas approaches and you're stuck for gifts that photographs of a loved one always go down a treat so check out my specials, oh and did you know that Mandy Charlton Designs does gift vouchers, why not buy someone a photoshoot of their very own for Christmas, it's the present bound to impress and whats more I'll even gift wrap it for you in a tasteful box guaranteed to make the recipient smile on Christmas day.