What Credit Crunch?

All this talk of the Credit Crunch, and I just havent been affected by it at all! In fact I've been busier than I ever have been. Next years Wedding Bookings are even better than this year!
So whats that all about? People are obviously still spending money on getting Married.
One of my friends was trying to book a wedding venue for next year and has really struggled getting somewhere decent that isnt fully booked.
So it seems this panic hasn't made couples porspone their weddings at all. I have heard some photographers here in Carlisle complaining that they arnt getting as many bookings. Maybe its nothing to do with the credit crunch. Maybe couples are just making sure they are getting a quality photographer for their money.
People will always get that high quality with me, and because its satisfaction Guaranteed they know their precious money is being used wisely.
Credit Crunch my ass!

New Website

I have a new Website!!! Go to www.paulreidphotography.com
Switch the music off if it gets on your nerves as I'm still coming up with what music I want to be on there.

G R Digital

I have used the GR Digital quite a bit now and overall I have been very pleased with it.
Some of the recent photo's I have taken of my kids, like the one above have been done using the GR.
I do love the quality of the grain like noise that they have not tried to mask in a smudgy mess like other compacts have tried to do and it is very like TRI X Grain which is a film I love.
Saying all this, it just isnt enough to keep me happy with it as a compact. Its ability in low light is awful. Pump the baby up to 1600iso and it is a mess. 400 is fine! 800 is ok at a push! But 1600 is a bit pooh!
The camera really isnt helping me either in the direction I am going. I still struggle with the whole film/digital thing. Not so long ago I was using my ancient 120 Agfa camera. This was something I purchased from ebay and is way before even my time (there is not even a viewfinder).
What I loved about it was the way it made the photo's look. It was by no means sharp except for maybe a sweet spot in the middle, but it got the results that I was after. No digital jiggery pokery! Straight out of the camera it looked like a the fine art print I was after.
This brings me back to the fact that some old cameras, like my old Agfa are more for me than any digital camera will ever be.
Don't get me wrong! For my wedding work I'm really looking forward to my Canon 5d mkii.
But for my other projects, I feel myself longing to use seemingly useless old film cameras! Be it even pinhole! I love them! I think I will find myself getting a few different old camera's with which to experiment over the next couple of months until I find the one that suits my next up and coming project.
There will I'm sure be a digital process to it in the end, as I dont think I have the time to return to the darkroom. So some kind of high quality scanning device will have to be purchased.
Ive also said before that the lomography scene is not for me! I am into a lot of the camera's I see that the lomo folk use. But the view of point and shoot without thinking is not what I'm all about.
Think fast and shoot from the hip when needed, but not just snapping and hoping for the best.
I slow down on weddings in November and December, so this will give me time to find the tool best for the next few months. The GR will probably then be sold and replaced with a digital compact more suited to low light. Still think its a great camera though!!!

Impossible?

I was asked by the lovely couple above to capture their wedding event. The catch was that it was on an evening rather than in daylight. It would also be difficult as there would be very little artificial light.

There was candle light and some disco lights. The disco lights would be flashing on and off and timing was everything. I could have just popped a flash on and snapped away, but thats just not how I work. I had already promised them that I would capture the atmosphere whatever the lighting situation. This would be a challenge as the venue, Dalston Hall does have a fantastic Dark atmosphere even during the day.

I must add, I do not have a Canon 5dmkii yet!!!! I feel that would have made things much easier.

I did however have a 1.8 50mm lense and pushed the iso on my 20d to its limit.

Yes thats right, I still use a 20d! I am not one to replace my equiptment every time a new camera comes out. I am however due an upgrade shortly, and the 5d mkii is the one I have my eye on.

Anyway, the night was a success and the couple loved their photo's as I thought they would.

Below are their lovely comments.

Hello Paul,

We received the photo's in the post yesterday.......and we LOVE LOVE LOVE the pictures you took!!!

They are exactly what we were hoping for....you documented our evening perfectly.

Beautiful candid shots which depict each person in a very interesting way.

And the more "posed" shots of Craig and I..... we LOVE them.

The starkness/contrast of the black and white photos are amazing....and Dalston Hall itself certainly plays into that.

Thankyou so much Paul....if we ever hear of any other friends getting married, we will DEFINATELY tell them how pleased we were with your work.

Bye for now.

Craig & Michelle Bell

My New Book

I'm going to post a few photo's from my Up and coming new book, titled Kids. Its great to put a book together and in much the same way I loved putting the little movie together, I think it was important to publish a few of the photo's I have taken over the years.

Memories like frames from an old cine movie

I put this little 5 minute movie together. My Children are growing up so Quickly and I just wanted to put something short together showing flashes of their little lives so far.

I also have a book coming out shortly of shots which I have taken of them over the years. Its all great being a professional photographer, but its important to take those snaps of the people that are important around you. Before you know it those moments are gone. I realise this when thinking back to old cine film taken of me as a child. Although my memories of those times have faded. The old cine films still remain and remind me of times long ago that would have been lost had they not been captured by my father.

This is why I have posted the short movie and have based my new book on my children.

Apologies

Apologies for my lack of postings over the last few month. I have been extremely busy with Weddings and although I should have took the time to keep the blog up to date I just havent had time to do it.

This will change over the next few weeks as I will make sure that I commit 2 to 3 hours a week to the blog in the future. I intend to possibly start the blog afresh with my new commitment to keep it up to date.

I have had a really successful year so far and next year is almost fully booked. I must add that apart from my website and a link from another website I currently do next to no advertising.

Most of my work from this year and what I have for next year has been generated from recommendations from previous clients.

Thanks to anyone that still looks to this blog to see if there are any fresh posts, although as I say I think after the many months I have not posted I may as well start from scratch.

Watch this space for the new Blog!!!!