Finally!

You wouldn't believe how desperate I've been to shoot my first wedding of the year.
The fact that it happened to be Chris and Victoria's made that desire even more sweet.
I was so nervous, which isn't anything too different, but when it's been about 3 months since your last wedding, you start to lose touch!
I met up with Chris and Victoria back in September if you remember... (remember when that big ball of fire was in the sky?!)
We met up for a photoshoot which, in case you hadn't noticed, I go on and on about, is thee best way to get to know your photographer.
We had so much fun taking pictures at Ashton Court in Bristol.

As the shoot went on, I really grew to love Chris's "sense of humor"
Chris is clearly a very intelligent man and also very quick witted, which I loved!
Victoria loves him so much, and you can see this by their wedding pictures.

I love how Victoria scrunches her nose up when she laughs at what Chris is saying.
So I hope that;
1) Chris never stops making Victoria laugh,
2) Victoria never stops doing that nose thing.

Onto the wedding!
As I mentioned in the teaser, Victoria got ready at her parents house with her mum Christine, her dad Bob, Bridesmaids Summer and Jennifer along with uber-cute flower girls Molly and Amelia.
The hairdresser and I both agreed that this was one of the calmest pre-wedding houses we've worked at!
A little too calm if anything! (perhaps it was the Barry White that was playing?)
We were made very welcome though. Thank you.
(If anyone knows the full name of the hairdresser, I'll link to her here, thanks.)
Let's see some pictures!

Victoria rocked a pair of Jimmy Choo's.
Apparently, girls like his shoes!
(also, after you've got married in them, Mr Choo will dye them black! There's a pop-fact for you right there!)
Clearly a very popular couple! Wedding Acceptance cards everywhere!
Molly was a little shy but she was good as gold!
Victoria and her mum!
Start 'em young!

And here's Amelia. By the end of the day, Molly and Amelia were best friends.
Victoria is a real trendsetter, but I did encourage her to wear the wedding dress that she had bought, rather than the Ugg-slippers and dressing gown.
C.U.T.E.

Bob was so proud of Christine, his wife.
A special moment as Mum helps daughter with her wedding dress.
And her grandmothers bracelet...
Another special moment. After Christine helps Victoria get ready, Her dad sees her for the first time in a wedding dress. Lovely stuff!
Molly and Amelia FTW
Nothing to say here.

Summer...

And Jennifer. Great Bridesmaids. Really Great.

And here's Chris and Craig waiting patiently for Victoria. Let me know if you get bored of seeing previous brides and grooms on my blog!
An epicly beautiful Roller with an epic sky.

Here comes the bride!

I always love taking pictures of people using their cameras. I'm not sure if this finger and order of service image stabiliser technique works, but I'll certainly give it a shot at my next wedding.
Married!!

Such proud parents.
We've got a similar padded ceiling in our Rolls Royce too.
I love the lines in this picture!

As close as possible.
I can't get enough of this picture. It's a style that I don't usually work in, but I was so happy with it.
I'm sure you'll all agree that Victoria looks incredible here.

The boys, keeping it simple.
For a 700 year old building, Samlesbury Hall was looking pretty good, I'm sure you'll agree!
Chester! Another familiar face.
Michael did a grand job of welcoming in the top table.
The same thing was done at Matt and Yvonne's wedding last year; each person or couple sat on the top table were introduced to the guests by means of a 2-or-so minute speech about them, usually pretty cheeky but loads of fun. I'm not sure if other couples have been doing this at their weddings but I highly recommend it.
I always like the master of ceremonys, but this is something a little more personal. Well done Michael!
I really love this shot of Craig with his mum, Chris's Mum and Matt's Dad (I think).
Blue steel!!

That was nice wasn't it?

Thank you so much Chris and Victoria for asking me to be your photographer.
Without getting soppy, I love this job so much and couples like you (and guests like yours) make it feel like I'm not working at all.

For the photographers reading;
I used almost entirely prime lenses and flash for just 10 of these pictures. I shot on a cropped sensor body.
And remember those business cards? I had 100 printed up.
They all went.
I gave out very few personally, they were just passed from table to table without me even realising it most of the time. Seemed to be a great talking point!

Thank you to Timothy Armes who helped my blog this week.

I've been looking forward to this one ever since Chris and Victoria booked me back in April (I think!)

Chris and Victoria of course are another of my couples that have been at plenty of weddings that I've shot.
Just look back through my blog and you'll see their faces pop up here, there and everywhere!

So although it was great to see all my previous brides and grooms at Chris and Victoria's wedding, it was a little sad as I don't know when I'll be seeing them again. We've built a friendship upon this funny little business.
So thank you Chris and Victoria, Matt and Yvonne and of course Debby and Craig. (as well as all your other friends who I've got to know a little)
Right, I'd better stop there, I'll starting crying like a girl!

I've loved 2009, I've met some incredible people, learnt some good lessons, ate some wonderful food, attempted to dance with the best dancers to the worst and best music, seen some incredible bands and taken some killer pictures.

I can't wait to get wait to shoot my first wedding of 0'10.
It already promises to be an even more successful year than '09.

Thank you to all my brides and grooms who have chosen me over other photographers, I've really enjoyed meeting you all and getting to know you.
We've had fun.

And finally, thank you to my amazing wife. None of this would of been possible.
You really have no idea how patient she is with me!

Enjoy my look back at 09.

First, I shot our close friends, the Hornby's as an anniversary present for their parents.
Gorgeous weather in Bristol on that day!
Look out for Sabrina, she's just booked me for her wedding this year!


Then came the wedding of Debby and Craig, this was a biggy for me for many reasons.

I can't believe this was in 09! It feels like years ago!
Mark and Laura are a wonderful couple, I loved shooting them.

This is my brother Phil, and his wife, Hannah.
They're allot of fun and awesome family to have.
This shoot was a little embarrassing for me as I had to tell my brother how to kiss photogenically! Mmmm!

Then came a really great wedding!
Ian and Grace
This by far though was one of my favorite ever bride portraits.
(I was also very pleased with the edit!)

Bianca and Jimmy came next, I did an engagement shoot with them in Knighton. For those who don't know where Knighton is, it's no where near anything.
Bianca and Jimmy are great friends of ours, I was really looking forward to shooting their wedding!

I did a few child portraits around Bristol, mostly in the Ashton court grounds.

Then a Bristol photoshoot with this couple, Mark and Laura are allot of fun to be around.

Then their wedding came, I forget now but by the looks of it, the photoshoot was either 1 or 2 days before the wedding!
A great wedding, and a beautiful bride.

Some familiar faces in there? I should think so! And look out for Rowan in the middle here, I'm shooting his wedding this year too!

Paul and Cassie, what a great couple and super good looking too! People like this make my job very easy.
Another engagement shoot where the wedding was just a couple of days later...



By Far, my favorite groomsmen portrait of '09.
I would never usually edit an image like this, but with such awesome faces, I had to push it to the extreme.
Without the expressions, this picture would be a flop.
FYI, I had a bride book me because of this picture.

Right, I've been looking forward to posting this one. For sure, a favorite engagement shoot. This was text book.
1) Luke and Jasmine both put allot of effort into looking good for their shoot.
2) Both start the shoot quite nervous.
3) But, chose some great locations with personal attachments
4) Light was perfect
5) Did a little trespassing
6) By the end of the shoot, I'm sure Luke and Jasmine forgot I was taking pictures, they felt so relaxed.
7) Shot roughly the same amount of images on this shoot as what I do at an average wedding.

Bianca and Jimmy's Wedding. Loads of fun!

Another experimental groomsmen shot.

Then my first wedding of many at Clearwell Castle. Thanks Will and Cindy

Luke and Jasmine got married. Of course, with one of my famous Joseph Yarrow Engagement shoots, Jasmine and Luke were totally relaxed in front of the camera! Book now!

Then a really fun Engagement shoot in Badminton with Adam and Lucy. Their wedding is in the summer. Remember that season?

Then I tried something that I've not really done before. A baby shoot. Harvey was easy to shoot, as were his parents, Becki and Ben.
Looking forward to doing a few more baby shoots this year.


Certainly one of my favorite shots from the shoot.

Followed by an engagement shoot in Sheffield!

And a wedding at Clifton Mansion house in Bristol. I can't wait to shoot there again this year!

This also was a text book shoot!
Great looking couple.
Awesome locations.
Both started off nervous.
Ended up dancing by the end.
True story

A few weeks before, I had been inspired to change my equipment to make my pictures better.
This part of the shoot was at dusk... well into dusk actually. This was shot with totally natural flash.
I was nervous about changing my equipment, but shots like this made me confident that I had made the right choice.

I'll keep this one short and sweet.
I was contacted by this lady, she asked me to take some pictures of her and her husband in their wedding attire for the wedding anniversary.
Sure, no problem at all, but why?
She was so disappointed in her images that she had to have them done again.
I hear this sort of things very often.
Do not book a photographer that you're not sure about.
I personally know people who have cried because their wedding pictures were appalling.
Your wedding pictures are one of the only things left from your wedding, so don't mess around.
Anyway!...
This shoot was allot of fun!

Matt and Annie got married.
Hands down, one of my favorite weddings of '09.
You should of been there!

I don't think I'm doing this couples wedding, but they were guests at a wedding that I also was a guest at. Tried my best not to be an Uncle Bob

Got this great shot of Jessica with her two brothers Micah and Keir

Strictly speaking, I didn't take these pictures. Jessica did, so although I set up the lighting and camera, she takes full credit for the shots.
Unfortunately, she doesn't plan on taking any more shots as she doesn't think she's good enough! Crazy I know, but I think we'll do a few baby shoots together, with Jessica entertaining and assisting!

Amazing weren't they!!?

Really looking forward to Chris and Victoria's wedding in March, that's going to be allot of fun.
This shoot was loads of fun!

On my way up to this wedding, I got an email from the WPJA saying that they wanted me to join their organisation.
This was the best wedding/business related news I was given all year.
I was so glad that I could shoot a wedding the very next day!
Thanks for booking me Andy and Julia!

Hands down, the hardest engagement shoot with Paul and Rebecca.
We had so much fun though!

Another wedding at Clearwell Castle. Thank you Dave and Paula!

Nathan and Vicky's wedding came next. Fun!

Matt and Yvonne had an engagement shoot by the harbor. It was here that I realised that the evenings were getting darker, so this shoot was quite a challenge for me. Great couple though, they made it much easier.

Jimmy and Louise chose our favorite city of Bath for their engagement shoot!
Another text book shoot!

Then Matt and Yvonne got married!
Nothing...I repeat Nothing, beats the expression of the guy behind Yvonne! Brilliant!

Then for my last wedding of the year, Jimmy and Louise got married at Clearwell Castle.

Whoa!

That was a busy year on reflection!
My original draft of this blog had about 200 pictures in!

A huge thank you goes to all my Bride and Grooms, past and future.
You've treated me like a King and I've eaten like one (Although I'm sorry I'm so hard to feed with my food intolerances!)
Thank you also to all the great comments on my blog, I love receiving them, they always make me feel so great!

Keep on visiting and commenting!
I can't wait for this year to get moving!

Jessica and myself met them under Blackpool tower, and we were both pleasantly suprised!
"I hope that's them over there Jess, they're pretty good looking!"

We went for a drink to get to know eachother and I soon realised that Paul and Rebecca's wedding will be allot of fun!
They originally found me after they saw the wedding of Ian and Grace that I shot at Davenport Green Hall, their same wedding venue!
We started shooting at 7 as that was when the lights came on.

Jessica used to come to Blackpool as a little girl on her holidays, and loves the whole feel to it, Paul also loves Blackpool, but Rebecca and myself couldn't quite see the attraction! Still, we had a really good time!

It was busy.
And when I say busy, I mean Xmas shopping on Oxford street "busy"

Also, it was windy.
And when I say windy, I mean 70mph winds sort of windy, and this is a seaside resort, so we had sand whipping up all over the place, I've still got sand on one my lenses!

Honestly, this was one of the hardest shoots I've ever done!
But, Rebecca and Paul and of course Connie their little girl were absolute troopers!
I really got very few shots that I was happy with, so enjoy the few that i'm posting here!

We had a great time guys and we really can't wait for your wedding!

Just remember that our offer of another engagement shoot in Manchester is still open!

Enjoy!

"Hey, Joseph, How did you manage to get that soft directional light on Paul here?"
Good question! A big white bus was driving along side us and I bounced my flash at the bus. I think all the people on the bus thought Paul was a famous male model!


Seconds before this picture was taken, I decided that I wasn't happy with using a bare flash, so I got out my white studio umbrella....in 70mph winds....I won't be doing that again. One, because its stupid, and Two, because it buckled in the wind so fast that all I could do was literally screw it up into a ball and throw it away!

I really love this last picture.

Luckily enough for me, a fair few couples who just happened to be engaged (my favorite marital status!!)...also liked the pictures, so Debby and Craig passed on the essentials and I've got some nice little bookings coming up! Thanks guys!! =)

Annie and Matt were guests at that wedding, and it was their wedding on Saturday.
Their ceremony was held at Manchester town hall, which was absolutley beautiful!
I'd love to shoot there again, it was full of this incredible gothic architecture, I loved it!
The ceremony was great, Annie walked down the ailse to "This is the one" by the Stone Roses which has to be a first for me!

Matt and Annie also had two readings from friends during the ceremony.
They exchanged rings and made everything all hunky dory.
Infact, on the subject of rings...Annie's engagement ring had engraved on the inside "This is the one".
Incase you didn't know, it's a song by the Stone Roses, a little underground Manchester band.

Then the reception...where do I start here?!
The reception was held at a family friends home in Didsbury which was a non-typical reception location, but it was so perfect!
I think, instead of rambling on about how incredible it was, I'll just let the pictures talk!

Enjoy! =) (I did)

FAN-TAS-TIC

Annie's Bridesmaids were, to quote a certain bride; "off the chain" =)


I've been down coal mines in Wales, and I thought this was dark in here! =)
Annie and her Dad walk into the brides entrance.


The ceremony!




Doesn't she look amazing?
















A big Red London bus picked up the guests and drove them to the reception in Didsbury. I guess you don't need me to give you their phone number =)

A little bit of red never hurt anyone...

Right then...the reception, this is where I don't need to say much.
I think Annie's reaction says it all!













Look at those colors!!! argh! amazing!









I love this cheeky little capture!






I love this smile! Contentment!






You knew it was coming...


I'm so very proud to say that this wasn't posed! I was just in the right place at the right time!

Matt and Annie had as their first dance, this song by a band called the Stone Roses...? Don't know if you've heard of them or not.
Anyway, they've got this song which I hadn't heard before called....oh, whats it called, I think I've forgotten...

Their first dance really put my hairs on end, it was a cracking atmosphere!! This is SUCH a cool job!


Congratulations Matt and Annie.
Thank you so much for choosing me as the person who is in charge of capturing your memories.

I love the city of Bristol for example, it's one of the most chilled out cities in England in my opinion.

When Jessica and myself were dating, we'd end up in Manchester most weekends when I was up at hers and I've grown to love that city.

When Matt and Annie said that were getting married in Manchester-flippin-townhall, to be honest, it didn't really click with my brain that we'd end up doing a shoot in the city!
I've been dieing to do a shoot in Manchester in the early evening for years now, it's full of incredible, almost imposing architecture, grungy back alleys and ultra modren glass and brushed steel boxes. I love it, and it's dark sides remind me a bit of Blade Runner.
When we were looking for eachother to meet up, I couldn't work out if I recognised this guy walking towards me was a front man of a rock band, or the guest from a wedding I shot, it was of course the latter, so we hit a pub, chatted about weddings and music and started shooting.

I felt like quite the little Manc, just about knowing my way around the city! =)

So Matt and Annie were an utter pleasure to shoot, definatly very high up there with my most fun couples (no, i'm not compiling a spreadsheet)
Enjoy these (finally) urban pictures, and look out for their wedding very very soon!

Nee-Norr!!







I challenge you to find someone with a bigger smile that Matts! It's awesome!!
Oh, by the way, not that you can see it, but the building in the background is the place where they will be getting married on Saturday!

Can you believe that these guys haven't watched Americas Next Top Model? I think they lied to me!



A random key in the background here...
I very rarely use my flash straight on, but I think with the choice of background, and their facial structure, I think it suited them very well!





Annie has a slight Anne Hathaway look to her in my opinion. (I hope you don't mind me saying that Annie!)

I think this could be my favorite from this series of images;

Yes, thank you Next for lighting up your store needlessly bright at night, but next time, can you just take the signs down for me?




Thank you and goodnight!

I usually learn something from my shoots each time, either about my equipment, lighting, myself, and also usually I learn loads about the couple.
I'd say that this time, the lesson I learnt is that the train from Bristol gets into Manchester at 7pm, and then the last train back to Bristol is at 7 minutes past 7...leaving me approximately 7 minutes to do a photoshoot.
I work fast =)...and Jessicas family are also very good and putting me up at late notice! (Thanks Jo!)

Annie and Matt, you truly were an absolute pleasure to shoot with! I hope you both enjoyed yourself! I had a cracking time, and I now can't wait to see you both on Saturday.

The Engagement shoot went well as you'll see in the pictures.
Just a word of advice though to any photographers who are looking into shooting weddings as a business. Always, ALWAYS do a pre wedding shoot.
Sam and Esther were very comfortable in each others company, but obviously quite nervous in front of the camera.

By the end of the shoot, just as the light was dwindling, they were acting like there was no photographer with a big lens peering through the grasses. They even treated me to a little dance show!

If I were to arrive at the wedding without doing a real shoot with them beforehand and expect them to be relaxed in front of the camera then I would of had a nasty surprise.

An E-session isn't just for the couple though. It relaxes me too. I'll learn what angles the couple look good from, what makes them laugh, and what they're willing, or not willing to try.

I just wish I could shoot from this angle all day!

If you're on the hunt for a photographer, don't waste your time on someone who isn't willing to incorporate an engagement session into their packages. Or if that isn't possible, look for a photographer who can just offer you an engagement session alone.  You'll really love it, they're really fun! (Depending on your photographer), and you'll probably be able to use some of the pictures in your wedding stationary ("Save the date" cards, "Thank you" cards etc)

Although I am currently based in Bristol, I shoot weddings in a photo-journalistic style throughout the UK, including Ireland.