It was wonderful when I received an email from Jayne, Tweedmill Textiles asking me to call in to discuss their requirements of lifestyle images for their autumn/winter catalogue 2018. They reviewed my portfolio and were impressed by my interiors and food imagery.
This was just up my street. I visited the team, got the job and the below images show the images I produced for them. I managed to take over 2,00 images. Locations were Telacre Beach, Flint Castle and the hills in North Wales.
Enjoy...
The commercial side of my business has expanded so much recently. With food shoots for The Swan, Marbury; The Alyn, Rossett, to name a few. So enjoying photographing new menus and helping businesses create more sales and get more customers. Most of my images are used on social media and websites.
A few images from my food and business portfolio.
Just to clarify my business. I'm a wedding and commercial photographer. Weddings are seasonal and mainly held during the summer. However, my commercial photography keeps me busy all year round.
Just a clarification I thought you should know.
Happy Friday.
I've been lucky this year with the weather photographing weddings. It's been an unusual summer with hot sunshine for most of it.
We met a couple of months on a cold winter's morning and it was hard to visualise their wedding with different weather but it was different. Warm, sultry and so romantic.
Such a fun couple and their wedding reflected this.
Here's a few images from Carla and Ben's wonderful wedding at the gorgeous Plas Isaf in Corwen.
Wishing you both a wonderful life together.
Ray
Pubs Ltd asked me to visit the business the day before it opened in mid April. Such a difference from the start of the project...
I started to photograph The Swan, Marbury almost 2 years ago for Pubs Ltd and Jerry Brunning (Brunning & Price). Jerry wanted a record of the project from the start to the finish to show customers in an album and on a iPad. It was such a thrill to be asked to do this for Jerry. The guy who created the 'gastro pub look'.
I was in a great position in that I seen the project from start to finish. A few images from February earlier this year. I'll be following this blog with another showing the completed Swan at Marbury...
It was through Twitter, that Jan Chillery, Secretary of the Chester Regatta, got in touch with me and asked me to photograph the oldest regatta in the world. Luckily the weather was great.
It was so much fun. Fun to even pop on a boat with Jan Chillery, the Sheriff of Chester and his wife on the River Dee. Looking forward to next years event and here's just a few images from the day...
I was asked by Alex Smeaton to photograph the business called The Alyn, Rossett. A beautiful set pub/restaurant on the bank of the River Dee. Interior/Exterior images, behind the scenes in the kitchen and a selection of their food menu. All for use on their website, social media platforms and printing materials.
My commercial photography has changed considerably since I originally wrote this post in 2018, but looking back at these photographs reminded me of something that hasn’t changed.
I enjoy photographing businesses.
That might mean photographing the people behind a company, the food coming out of a restaurant kitchen or the environment in which a business operates.
Business portrait photography
People want to see who they’re dealing with.
I photograph business owners, professionals and teams, creating natural portraits for websites, LinkedIn, marketing and company profiles.
I bring professional lighting to the workplace, so businesses don’t need to send their staff to a studio. I can create a consistent look while allowing each person to still look like themselves.
Food & hospitality photography
I also work with restaurants, hotels and hospitality businesses to photograph their food and the spaces in which it is served.
Food photography isn’t simply about recording what is on the plate. Lighting, composition and atmosphere can completely change how somebody experiences an image.
The photographs below are some of my earlier commercial work. My photography has developed considerably since these were taken, but they form part of the journey that brought me to the work I create today.
I now specialise primarily in business portrait photography and food & hospitality photography, working across Cheshire, the Wirral, Wrexham and North Wales.
If your business needs new photography, please get in touch.
Ray
Jackie Clarke, Professional PA
Jerry Brunning, Pubs Limited
Holt Lodge menu
The Swan, Marbury development
I recently completed putting together the most amazing album for a client. We both opened the box that the album came in. It was a nerve racking moment. As we opened the packaging we were thrilled by the feel and look of the album. The way the light bounced off the glossy pages and the velvet introductory page!
In this world of digital technology, moments like this never happen. I'm currently adding to all my portrait shoots 6 free 7 x 5 prints so you can feel and see the prints and get an experience you can't get on your iPhone or laptop!
It started to snow when I arrived at the cottage yesterday and it's still snowing now with over 10inches. A perfect opportunity to get out my camera and capture this ancient cottage and grounds....
Happy Christmas.
Ray
That time of the year again when time seems to be on our side a little bit more and we get the opportunity to see people again and nurture new and old friendships and discover the interesting locations of friends....
So looking forward to a quiet Christmas and New Year.
Hi there and it's time to discuss manual exposure. You constantly let me know via email or messenger that you find it hard to master manual exposure so it's about time you were helped so here's a basic run down of how it's achieved.
You must first and foremost read your cameras manual and if you don't understand it read it again and again. It's so important to understand how your camera works. You drive a car after you've taken lessons and the same is true about photography!
For the photograph of the swans in the photograph below, manual exposure was used with spot metering. The spot meter (the circle in your viewfinder) was positioned over the nearest swan. Looking at the meter +2 stops of exposure compensation was given to render the swan as white with detail.
Think about what's just been said.
Cheers and happy snapping.
We all the most magical engagement shoot a few weeks before their but their special day was even more magical.
Let the photos do the talking...
One very special day.
See you soon with the album and thank you for asking me and letting me into your family.
Ray
This afternoon. I'll be blogging about Matthiew & Diane's barn wedding.
Stay tuned at about 5pm today!
It will probably be, so far, the pinnacle of photographic career when I photograph in London on Friday evening. I don't really do nerves anymore with taking photographs but I do have butterflies and thoughts about the evening. Will the lighting be satisfactory, etc.
Dress: Botanical chic. I have my new plant motif braces and waistcoat!
I'm just going to enjoy it all and thank my lucky stars that have been asked to photograph it.
Why do I adore London so much? If this makes sense, I'm an ant there amongst millions of ants!
Ray
MINI CLICKS! A short video for those of you who like to use Lightroom. Here's just one of the ways I colour correct in Lightroom.
Sqwarly showers were frequent on the morning of Howie's christening but you can't let the rain stop big occasions.
Fabulous time in Flint with so many special people. Let the photos do the talking...
And here's part 2 of Lee & Stacey's wedding. The continuation of the ceremony and onto the reception at Soughton Hall....
All the best to you both and thank you for asking me.
Ray xxx
This was a wedding I'd been waiting for for so long and for so many reasons. Lee & Stacey both had their wedding preparations in Flint and after the ceremony at Soughton Hall for their reception and stay over the weekend.
It comes in handy having two photographers during weddings to capture the all important bride's preparations and the groom's too.
Lee's prep was in Flint and Stacey's in Bagyllt.
This was one special day....
