No Photo's during a ceremony?

I get slightly annoyed sometimes when no photo's are allowed during a ceremony. I try to explain that I do not use flash and I am very discrete. This doesnt seem to wash with a lot of old fashioned registrar's.
Seems strange then that the same registrar's have no problem with a video photographer position directly in front of a couple. I try to tell them that theres no difference but I find that its like trying to talk a bouncer into letting you in a club when he's already made his mind up.
Luckily some are absolutely fine with these important moments being captured. And the ones who dont let me? Well I sneak some shots anyway! Its not their wedding day!!!!
Thanks to the gent in the top right corner sneaking a flash shot I got some fantastic flare in the shot below! Cheers you sneaky boy!

A photographers best friend! The iPHONE

I know this is a firm favourite with many Photographers but the Iphone has to be the best gadget I've ever had.
I'm not including camera's here! Although the Iphone does have a camera. Its not too bad either and theres plenty of editing software from the fantastic App store. I'm a great believer in the fact that the best camera you have is the one you have on you at the time. See the photo above of the spooky staircase at my old flat in heartbreak hotel. The flat itself wasnt as bad as it looks, although a bit damp it was great and I had some of the best times there.
Back to the Iphone!!! Why is this my favourite gadget! Basicly because I use it more than any other peice of equipment.
I use it for my emails which is invaluable when I'm hardly ever in front of my PC. Of course I use it for music! In fact I have my lifes CD collection on there. I also use an app called Last FM which is a kind of radio station which knows what music I like. I listen to it through the stereo in the car, in the Gym and on my speakers at home. I've watched a full season of 24 on it! I watch BBC IPLAYER and YOUTUBE on it. I browse the internet on it! I can see when my friends are on their Xbox's and what games they are playing. I use facebook and update this blog on it. I use the note pad and a task manager on their for my everyday business. I use the calander for all my weddings and portraits. I show potential customers my animoto slideshows on it!  I can remotely control my Nikon D90 using it! Yes thats right, I can actually have my camera somewhere else and see what the camera sees on the Iphone screen, then adjust shutter speed, aperture ect and finally take the picture all using the Iphone.
Oh yeah and its a phone which I make calls and send texts on! The great thing is, its so user friendly it makes all of the above a pleasure to do!
The only thing that I wish it had was a flash for the camera! Then I could take happy snappys of friends on nights out.
I will give you a list of the apps I would recommend on my next post. If you think this is all because its a new toy then you would be wrong as I've had it for 8 months now and I use it more than ever.

When will the technology slow down?

I remember when I shot a lot more film than I do now and it was a golden time believe me! You would buy a camera and it would last you 10 years or more. If it broke you would get it repaired!
These days I find I am replacing camera's every 2 years. Why? Because they keep improving things! For this reason I never buy the most expensive model as whats the point if in a 4 years time its obsolete? I have been happy with my Nikon D90 for some time now but there is always some flaws that niggle me. Then yes indeed they bring another model out that does something new and I have to convince myself that I should stick with the camera I already have.
The main thing which keeps improving is the increased iso's on these camera's. The Nikon D3s can basicly see in the dark! 6400 iso speed on these new digital cameras look like 800 iso film.
Then there's the whole movie thing thats going on at the moment! I hate to say but I'm a sucker for all of this!!! I look at these shiny new toys and want them so much! I think there's a movie maker in every photographer and Canon/Nikon have took advantage of this.
The camera I still covet is the Canon 5d mkii! There have been other models like the Nikon D3S but the Canon still calls out to me in the night!!! The fact is this camera should be all any photographer would ever need or want! 21mp, Iso up to 25600! HD movie now has 24p after the latest firmware update. Its full frame so I could run around with my 50mm lense like the old days with my Canon F1!! Can you see where I'm coming from here? Is this a camera that would last me 10 years like the old days? You can only wait so long before you stop hanging on for the ultimate camera to come along! What about noise on hi iso photo's? They will probably improve this! But why would I want that? I like the noise in black and white photo's! I loved grain in my days of film!
So I will keep my eyes on this wonderful camera but will I keep stopping myself from getting it?

Lake District Weddings Part 4

Lake District Weddings Part 3

Some amazing movie work using Dslr's

I have been looking at a fantastic competion on Vimeo which gives DSLR users the chance to post their movies for judgement.
Basicly the story was started off by Vincent Laforet and its up to anyone to continue the story on.
Take a look! Its amazing how professional the winners of each part are.

http://vimeo.com/groups/beyondthestill