New blog address

Please note that I no longer use this address for my commercial photography blog.  My new blog is situated here, at www.commercialphotographynorthwestblog.co.uk.

Thanks!

Bridal shoot at Arley Hall - product and places photography

I've been a Cheshire wedding photographer for nine years now and in that time have got to know many of the other leading wedding suppliers in the area.

Ian Lloyd is one of the premier florists in the country, and I've known him for several years.  He runs the Flower Shop in Wilmslow, and asked me if I'd like to create some images for a new advert he wanted to run in bridal magazines.  Of course, Ian knows a lot of people in the wedding industry, including many other photographers, so I was flattered by his request.

He wanted to shoot the images at Arley Hall, a place I know well and work at regularly.  I introduced him to Katie and Lesley, who run Lace Bridal in Hale, people I've also known for several years, and who provide stunning designer wedding gowns.  They were delighted to be asked to be part of the shoot and suggested a dress by Vintage Rose Bridal.  

One of the things I most admire about Ian is his inventiveness.  He's most definitely not afraid to think outside the box.  So, we decided that in this bridal shoot there would be no bridal bouquets - instead Ian would create other object to illustrate his skills, and to complement the dresses and setting.

Here are some of the results:

Make up on the day was provided by Allysa Moss, who runs Blush by Allysa.  She can be contacted at allysa.blush@hotmail.co.uk.  It was a welcome return to Arley for Allysa, whose wedding I shot there in 2006!

Hair was done by Joe, one of the stylists at Peter Marcus hair salon in central Manchester.  Thanks to you both for all your hard work on the day.  And a special thank you to Roweena, our model for the day.

Last, but by no means least, the whole day was filmed by Craig from Unforgettable Memories, a fine videographer and all-round good guy.  His film can be viewed here.

Please enjoy the photographs and feel free to leave a comment.

If you have any products you'd like photographing, either on location or in the studio, please give me a call on 01565 777186 or email me at info@martinhambleton.com to discuss the project.

Model portfolio portraits

As I've said many times before, I'm first and foremost a people photographer.  Rarely a week goes by when I'm not making a portrait for someone.  But within that broad term are a variety of subtle differences. 

If you're in business and want a portrait to put on your website or to use as a Twitter avatar, you probably want  a quite simple shot, evenly lit and against a neutral background.  The aim of such a  portrait is simply to let people know who you are; you want to let your audience know what you look like.  

If I'm making a portrait of you and your family, the intended audience is quite different.  This may be for hanging on a wall at home, acting as a record of you all at a certain time, when the kids were a certain age. It may well be an environmental portrait, shot in your own home.  It will certainly be much less formal than the business portrait I've described above.  After all, it's designed to show the love and affection between the members of the family, and to reveal a little more of their personalities.  

Dan is a young man I've photographed before and, if you want to see the results of that first shoot, they can be seen here.  He's recently decided he wants to approach some modelling agencies and asked me if I'd shoot some studio portraits for him to take to appointments, and to form part of his portfolio.

The intended audience for these images is casting directors, who will want a good idea of Dan's 'look'.  I've deliberately kept the lighting and background simple for that reason.  Obviously, these portraits have to show more direction and demonstrate Dan's ability to pose - they are vital to the career that Dan wants to move into.  

Please feel free to leave a comment on the photographs.  

If you are an aspiring model or actor (or even an established one!) and would like to enquire about portfolio shots please contact me at the studio on 01565 777186 or by email at info@martinhambleton.com.   

The Profile Club - new South Manchester Networking

Last month I was asked by Barbara Hallwood of Marketing Profile to attend and photograph the launch of her new business project, the Profile Club.  

I've known Barbara for a number of years, both as Chief Executive of the Altrincham & Sale Chamber of Commerce and as the MD of her own marketing and PR company, Marketing Profile.  We've worked together on many occasions at many events that she's organised.  It's always a great pleasure and compliment to be asked by her to photograph the events, as I know the high standards she sets herself and which, by extension, she expects of everything associated with her company.  It's very flattering that she thinks I live up to those standards. 

The Profile Club is a networking club with a difference.  It's by invitation only, and aimed at key decision makers in companies.  As well as providing a forum for meeting and networking, it will also offer special benefits to members.  The website has more information.  

The event was a breakfast launch at the Manchester Airport Marriott Hotel.  Barbara wanted some images showing the launch of the club for press and PR use, and to start the archive of the club's networking meetings.  Here are just a small selection of images from the occasion:

The next networking meeting will be on Friday 27th January, again at the Manchester Airport Marriott hotel.  If you'd like more information about the Profile Club, please visit their website or contact Barbara Hallwood at Marketing Profile.

I'll be there again, to photograph events and meet the new members who have joined since the inaugural breakfast.  

PR and event photography is only one of the areas of commercial photography I undertake.  Please visit  my website,  www.commercialphotographynorthwest.co.uk for a fuller picture of what I can do for you and your business.   Alternatively, email me at info@martinhambleton.com or phone the studio on 01565 777186.  

Thanks for reading, and please feel free to leave a comment.

Bridal shoot at Arley Hall, Cheshire

Here's just one photo from a recent bridal shoot I carried out at Arley Hall, where my studio is based.

I was asked by leading Cheshire wedding florist, Ian Lloyd, to create some imagery for a new advert he is going to run in bridal magazines in this forthcoming season.  I've known Ian for a few years through my work as a wedding photographer and it was flattering when someone with his reputation approached me.  

A fuller post will follow with many more photographs, and a complete description of all the talented people involved in the shoot will follow soon.  

Product and places photography in Hale

Wearing my other hat, as a wedding photographer, I've become good friends over the years with Katie and Leslie who run Lace Bridal in Hale, a bridal shop that stocks a range of beautiful wedding gowns.  Having photographed several of them on brides, I can vouch for how beautiful they are.  

I went to see them recently to discuss a bridal shoot I was planning (and the subject of a future post), and they told me about the new website that they were having designed.  One thing they wanted to put on the new site were some shots of the shop interior, to give browsers and possible clients a feeling for the shop and its ambience.  Unfortunately, they didn't have any good photographs to use on the new site .......... so time to step forward and do some interiors photography.  

I also took a few detail shots, as you see, which can be used to illustrate the beauty of the dresses, as an abstract or faded out as a background - as I do with a lot of my commercial work, I was trying to present images that could serve a variety of uses.

The new website is nearly finished.  When it's ready you can see it at www.lacebridal.co.uk, or visit them at 154 Ashley Road, Hale, WA15 9SA.

If you would like to discuss the photographic possibilities of a place, or talk to me about product photography, please drop me an email at info@martinhambleton.com or call the studio on 01565 777186.

PR photography in Altrincham

As a commercial photographer based in Altrincham, I am often approached by local start up companies and SME's to create images that they can use for promotional and PR purposes.

Olio is a new start up business, a deli sandwich shop that opened in the lovely Goose Green square in Altrincham a couple of months ago.  I know the owner, Emma Duckworth, through the Altrincham and Sale Chamber of Commerce, so was delighted when I was asked to take a couple of portraits of her for some publicity use for the new shop.

As well as showing Emma, the portraits were designed to highlight the fine food that the shop produces - in this case, delicious bagels - and also include the shop's branding.  Thus they are 'spreading the brand' when they appear in the press.    

The images appear on the Facebook page and new website for the company and have been used in the local press.

In case you're feeling hungry and fancy trying one of the smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels (and I really would recommend them), Olio can be found at 4 Goose Green, Altrincham WA14 1DW.

If you have a new business, or would like to promote a new product, and are interested in talking about PR photography, please contact me on 01565 8777186 or drop me a line at info@martinhambleton.com.  I'd love to hear from you.