The Fabulous Fulcher Family

June has been such a busy month, with lots of album design to do as well as a considerable amount of shooting. The blog has taken a back seat but it's time now to post some fresh images.

The first pair are from a portrait session I did over a couple of weeks ago at the Fulcher family home. Mum and Dad are moving to Geneva shortly, so it was a good opportunity to update their family portraits, examples of which from down the years adorn the walls in their home. It's always good to work with people who really value their photographs. The first image shows Mum, Dad, their two daughters Sammy and Becky and their respective partners, together with little Chase:

And this shot is a gem of the little man himself:

Chase was a star. His big blue eyes shone like sapphires. He popped his hand on his knee as if he'd been posing for a living for a lifetime - he's clearly destined for the catwalk!

Family portraits taken in the home are generally stress-free if you have tiny children, they feel comfortable and relaxed in their own surroundings. But if you're considering having a portrait session for your family, it's also great to use an outdoor setting as this offers a more diverse range of backgrounds. Either way, the main aim is to have some fun, and that's how it was with the Fulchers.

David

Sue-Gwen and James Tie the Knot at Stowe Landscape Gardens

It was my privilege on Saturday to photograph Sue-Gwen and James' wedding. The ceremony was held at the National Trust's Stowe Landscape Gardens, just outside Buckingham. If you haven't been to the gardens at Stowe I would strongly urge you to pay a visit - they are simply stunning. Sue-Gwen and James could hardly have chosen a better venue.

The day started with the bridal preparations, at the end of which Sue-Gwen looked absolutley fantastic:



James, too, was looking very dapper:



After the ceremony, the happy couple were quick to toast their day with a glass of champagne:



A wedding at Stowe includes a tour around the gardens on a golf buggy (which was splendidly chauffered by the National Trust's very own Lewis-Hamilton wannabee Issy). First stop was the Temple of Ancient Virtue which is bursting with photographic possibilities. Here's a favourite of mine from the day, taking advantage of the frame created for Sue-Gwen by the extraordinary architecture:



No wedding at Stowe would be complete without a series of shots around the Palladian Bridge. Here's one in which the architecture again forms a wonderful frame around the bride and groom as they indulge in a little kiss and cuddle. No posing in this shot, you know - well, almost none!



After a while, we retired to the nearby Villiers Hotel in the heart of Buckingham where wedding co-ordinator, Ellie, made sure everything ran smoothly. Here is James complimenting his new bride as he makes his speech:



And just to show that Villiers offers great photo opportunities, too, here's one of the shots taken towards the end of the day, this time using the staircase as a frame:



I hope you enjoyed your wedding day, Sue-Gwen and James. I had a lot of fun working with you and your guests (especially with your sisters, Sue-Gwen - they can give me a call if they ever feel like having a go at being a photographers' assistant again)! I look forward to seeing you on your return from honeymoon, and to showing you more of your pictures.

David