Lifestyle Shoot

So these couple of images were shot a week or so ago on location... secret as I'm sure that no one else uses this location at all...

A friend of mine through work asked if I would take some photos of her sister, sister in law x2 and her children... the idea was for a pressie for the grand parents from each side.

So we arranged the time and place, and met up and took a drive over to this place. It's an old mansion, acres of land and woodland, a few lakes, and this massive hall bang in the center, along with old servant quaters as well...

We walked from the still working farm, all the way to the house, all the way I was taking the natural shots of the kids messing around in the leaves.

I don't really like the posed shots, I don't think they look natural, but, some work when the kids are as cute as this.

So, usually when requested to take some lifestyle shots, I would either suggest a location, or if the family / model want a particular place, I will take a drive at the same time of day (when possible) as the shoot is arranged for. This way I can scout out the best places, and angles to get some nice artistic light... I try to only use natural light so the images look as natural as possible.

However, on this occassion I did not get the time, I only received permission to shoot at this location 2 days before the day, so we pretty much had to play it by ear, but I'm pleased with the results.



This guy was the oldest of the bunch, and obviously the one who could actually take a little direction. He was actually quite willing to try different things, and stood as still as you like, smiled when told, didn't smile when asked... pleasure...

All in all it was a lovely afternoon out, a great walk around some beautiful grounds, and a pleasure to spend some time with friends and great company... they have already suggested that they want to book again soon.... BONUS....

So don't forget to check out my flickr stream where you can see a couple more from the days outing, but not all, obvioulsy the client needs to make their selection....  Flickr Photostream

If you want to know more check out - grahamwelsby.com

And hit the contact button if you would like to chat about anything you read, or if you would like to get some info on booking...

thanks for reading...

graham

HDR Trial...

HDR Photography has always been appealing to me. I've seen many examples good and bad over the years, but really thought I should give it a go.

So camera in hand and an open day at the FlaxMill in Shrewsbury, I went off to take pics of an old decreped building.

This particular image was take with my cheap 18-55 kit lens. At 18mm I bracketed 3 images at 2 stops difference. took the RAW into Photomatix, converted into a HDR, then finished the image off with a little bit of selective colour layers, a tiny bit of dodge and burn, but that was it.

I think the results speak for it's self. I really like this, and as it's one of my first attempts at HDR, I think I'll be doing this more often...

As always, you can see the image and a 'View on Black' here - FlaxMill (Flickr)

And as ever, you can find a few more images of mine on my - Flicr Feed

Thanks for reading...

Portraits...

So I haven't posted anything for a while. I have been a little busy with clients and also trying to improve my website.

So, this little pic comes from a job requested for a portrait session for the CEO of a company in Birmingham.

I have photographed this guy before so know him relatively well, and he was pretty relaxed.

The brief was that we didn't want the usuak head and shoulders shot, but a few other angles that showed a different side. They will be used in a magazine on case studies that he and his marketing team write, editorials on the company, adverts, the web profiles, and from what he was telling me his wife wanted a copy for a new framed shot on the fire place.

So we met at the Theatre Severn in Shrewsbury, organised by a good friend of mine. With the hope we would put Graeme into a more modern surrounding, to give a fresh feel to the portraits. The shot I've added to this Blog is probably my favorite out of two from the many we shot.

Most of it was a little spontanious as I hadn't been to this location before, and haden't had time to scout the place out, it was a last min location change due to not getting permissions for another site.

The set up was easy enough, natural light from a large window to the right, and my trusty 50mm... need I say more? I wanted not to make it look that staged, and tried to make him as relaxed as I could so the poses looked as natural as I could.

I am about half way through editing them, but have already emailed a few to the client, who has already said they love them...

There is another to see here on my Flickr photostream. But I can't post too many for obvious reasons.

Thaks for reading.

Heidi & Marc's Wedding day...

Ok, so not posted in a while... not that anyone is reading or following, but hey, you never know..

So the latest wedding, and I am most certainly enjoying doing them, I'm getting to meet some great people, and I think my photography is getting better and better.

So this is from the wedding of Heidi and Marc, Heidi is my better half's sister, they had again booked a 'pro', but wanted me to take a few shots as well... the more natural, which I guess is really along the lines of my style.

The setting is in the Lake District, just outside Ulverston at a little place called the Coot on the Tarn... absolutely beautiful, I guess, from my limited experience, a photographers dream, lake and hills as a backdrop for photos, with some lovely grassy areas, with a great flower arrangment in the middle...  Check out... thecoot.com


So the day started with the most amazing sunshine, again blessed with great weather... the church was practically on the beach, so a few shots there.. then moving to The Coot on the Tarn for the full on photo's.

This is one of my fav's of the day, we had done the day, the family shots, speaches, and the party was getting into full swing, and the sun was setting on the lake (which I can only assume is called the Tarn) and I thought that I would steal the bridesmaids for a secret photo shoot for the album... the bride was pretty on her way, so wouldn't have looked that nice, eye's gone, very funny.

So we took a few nice posed shots, and everything was going swimmingly, I had already had a few (it was my sister in law to be's wedding) so got a little confident, and started ordering the girls around, and for some strange reason shouted for the girls to do the Charlies Angels pose, the obliged without any complaint, and we had a great time. Laughs all round. And I think this pic just came out really really well... I think so any way...

I stood a good few feet away, using my 55-200mm lens, zooming in a little closer. I was also using my all new Nikon D300s... oh my god, love it..!!!

I had a great time, and now feel very confident about doing a full wedding by my self, but again, I will nto go in all cocky, as I still need a lot more experience, so hopefully I'll get some referals and see what happens...

So check out more here - Heidi & Marc Set
And keep checking back to look at - My Photostream

Thanks...

Iron Bridge

This shot was take a while ago, a good friend has been over from Australia fro a couple of years, but living and working down in London. And she is now going back to the land of crims.

So she popped up to see me and the family, so we went to one of my fav places, Iron Bridge in Shropshire for a few drinks.

We were walking through the town and having a little look around as she hadn't been there, sat down on a wall to take in the view and the sun broke through the clouds, I composed my shot, asked her to turn around and got her with a nice natural smile.

It was the 50mm lens, at f3 and relatively fast sutter (again, sorry I forget). I like these kind of shots, the sun coming in from the side... I think there really is the nice natural look about them.

The only post process work is adding my water mark, the rest is as shot.

Don't forget to take a look at my other images - Flickr Photostream

thanks

Still life...

I have seen this tyoe of image a lot on Flickr and wanted to give it a try.


So armed with a new box of strawberries, a clean glass, bit of water and my 50mm, f2.8 and as fast as I could get the shutter.


I made the set up, obviously in front of a wall (outside my kitchen) and had a platform, draped a black sheet over it, and placed a piece of clear perspex ontop, mainly so the sheet didn't get wet, but as it happens it gave a lovely reflection.


Tripod at the ready and shutter remote, and just started dropping... got some duff ones where I missed it, but got some nice ones too... I'm going to try the same set up with a clear vase, see if I can get some entry bubbles.

Again, please check out my website GrahamWelsby.com and my Flickr Photostream


Thanks

Trip to the Zoo...

Ok so this is a quick blog about my last trip to Chester Zoo with the family...

It was a very very hot day, so most of the animals were just not willing to pose, laying around sunbathing...

So this was on from the Insect house... he was just sitting there, every so oftern moving his wings around.

I used my 55 - 200mm lens, and shot with f5.4, can't remember the sutter speed, but it wasn't that quick because it was quite dull lighting. I could of used flash, but I always think flash doesn't give the natural look I like.

I focused on the head, and composed the shot so I had a little bit of the leaves in the forground to give it a little bit of a border... I hope you like it. I tried to make it look like he was hiding and I had to walk miles through the jungle to find him.

This is one of my favorite shots of insects, I've yet to add it to my website. Pleae let me know your thoughts.

Don't forget my Flickr Photostream
Also try this - View Large

Thanks