Something new...

In my last post I mentioned that things have been very exciting in our photographic universe. I think this really deserves a post all to itself though - as we now have a studio in Oxford dedicated to portraits of all kinds - families (old and young!), individuals, couples, babies, pregnancy shoots - you name it!

Our address is now:

Simplicity Photography
33 Cowley Road
Oxford
OX4 1HP

It's been a crazy month of moving in, establishing a reputation in the area and marketing our (beautiful yet affordable!) photography services to as many people as possible in the run-up to Christmas. Since Louise is occupied with other projects at the moment, it's me (Chris) who is running the studio on a day-to-day basis and photographing all the portraiture that we're now happily displaying in our portfolio. Check it out at:

http://www.simplicityphotography.co.uk/portraits-portfolio.html

For me, it's something of a dream come true, and I'm lucky to have so many friends and clients who allow me to try out some of my crazier and more far-out ideas! Every so often, though, it all comes together and pays off spectacularly; so I've put a few of my favourite studio shots from the last month for you to have a look at. Enjoy - and remember, if you're stuck for a Christmas present for the family, you know who to call!

Nom and her wonderful son, Reuben



A mischievous smile is caught forever...



Katie, an absolute pro in front of the camera



A high-key edge to Simplicity



Ricki and Nat, with their baby Izak



John and Emily wanted to join in...



A really beautiful shoot with Erica, a pregnant midwife who was about the most relaxed person in front of the camera I've ever worked with!



A crazy angle (in fact from Louise) that worked perfectly for the mood of the photo.


I was so pleased with this shoot I just had to put another photo in to finish with!

To book a studio session or to enquire about our Christmas offers, email portraits@simplicityphotography.co.uk or call 07745 033707. You can find lots of information here:
www.simplicityphotography.co.uk/portraits-about.html

Have fun Christmas shopping - I'll keep you up to date with new studio shoots whenever I've got time!

Chris

An Oxford Winter Wonderland

It's been a while since my last post - apologies! Things have been very exciting in the world of Simplicity Photography - first of all, after a few weeks' rest at the end of a busy summer, we've launched straight into winter and its frosty weddings!

James and Tayce got married on Saturday 6th December in the beautiful city of Oxford (well, I suppose I'm slightly biased...) and had their reception at the magnificent Divinity Schools in the Bodleian Library. Wow.

We love Oxford, and even after dark it's hard to wish for a more grand or beautiful location. Tripods at the ready, we chased a bicycle rickshaw carrying the happy couple from the Quaker meeting house on St Giles to Radcliffe Square - and once we arrived, the cold walk was worth it! We embarked on a photoshoot around some of Oxford's most notable landmarks - the Bodleian Library, the Radcliffe Camera, the Bridge of Sighs, the Christmas lights on Broad Street, the Sheldonian Theatre and the busy High Street.

Here are a few of our favourites from their special day - hope you enjoy them!

Getting ready - the important stuff!



Tayce



The best man ensured everything ran smoothly...



Waiting to sign the register...



Tayce and James outside the Radcliffe Camera



A quiet moment...



The Christmas lights twinkle in the background...

Family and friends can log in to our website to view all the photos from James and Tayce's wedding at www.simplicityphotography.co.uk/secure/james_and_tayce
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Love is in the air...

Last week found us in the (not-so-sunny) north once again - this time for the wedding of the wonderful Paul and Charlotte.

Despite the incessant rain, we had a really fabulous day and came home with some great memories and even better photos! We may have lost our lucky streak that blessed all our other October weddings with gorgeous weather, but we couldn't have asked for a more photo-friendly wedding; and as for the couple, I'll let the photos of these two speak for themselves...

Accompanied down the aisle by a little angel...

The Kiss

Charlotte

The happy couple!

More fun with the lovebirds...

All the Groom's Men...

The rings...

First Dance

Family and friends can log in to our website to view all the photos from Paul and Charlotte's wedding at www.simplicityphotography.co.uk/secure/paul_and_charlotte
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Crazy English Summer

So we've reached October - that magical month of looming tax return deadlines, early-bird Christmas-themed shop displays and, surprisingly, the sun we never had in August. After a couple of rainy weddings in the so-called "height of summer" (how high exactly?) we're enjoying some gorgeous weather for this fully-booked month of crisp autumn leaves!

Last weekend we travelled up to the Lake District to shoot Lisa and John's wedding; as we drove through some rain-god's temper tantrum on the motorway, and were cajoled through stair-rods towards our destination by my faithful (if somewhat temperamental) sat-nav, we hung our heads at the thought of what a mid-October wedding in the Lake District would be like - and made sure we'd packed waterproofs and umbrellas.

Then, awakening in a lovely little boathouse on the shore of Lake Windermere to a beautiful blue sky, we realised it was all going to be alright. In the end it was a particularly relaxed day - John and Lisa were wonderful to work with, and there's a great candid feel to the finished album. Some of our favourite photos:

The blue sky!

The father of the bride trusts the groom to look after his vintage Morris...

A quiet moment together...

The speech...

Next weekend we're off to Coventry, so here's hoping the weather holds!

Family and friends can log in to our website to view all the photos from John and Lisa's wedding at www.simplicityphotography.co.uk/secure/john_and_lisa
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Industrial estate?

Last weekend we were a bit closer to home: for those that know it, Osney Mead Industrial Estate in west Oxford. What were we doing there, I hear you ask? A product shoot for some new pallet-shipping company? Headshots for the managers of the cash-and-carry? No - it was in fact a wedding at Oxford Community Church, held in what used to be an electromagnet factory. It's now a very smart conference and function centre as well as being a church building big enough for every one of Sam and Abi's numerous friends.

Smiles and laughs were plentiful, and we really enjoyed the day as a fantastic wedding as well as a job well done. We had a wonderful time with Sam and Abi, who were up for anything; even reacting positively when we suggested posing next to a giant red freight container!

Like mother, like daughter...

Did someone say "excited"?

Smiles all round

A touch of industry...

A candid snap...

Mum and Dad

Family and friends can log in to our website to view all the photos from Sam and Abi's wedding at www.simplicityphotography.co.uk/secure/sam_and_abi
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As unique as a unicorn

It says on our website that "every wedding is unique" - and, in a fabulous way, that's certainly true of last weekend's photo-fest at Abingdon's Unicorn Theatre. I've never done a wedding in a theatre before, and it was great to feel just a little pushed into working hard against some difficult lighting conditions and some wonderful quirks. The best man was ably assisted in carrying the rings onto the stage by the couple's faithful friend Dash - a handsome black greyhound!

Some of our picks from this week's wedding:

Cool under pressure...

Having fun with the groomsmen - they didn't need much encouragement!

Family and friends can log in to our website to view all the photos from Andrew and Sarah's wedding at www.simplicityphotography.co.uk/secure/andrew_and_sarah
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Saving up for that rainy day...

Meeting lots of new people at weddings every week, we spend a lot of our time talking about that favourite of all British subjects - the weather. If it's a gorgeous, bright sunny day with a clear, cloudless blue sky, guests will often comment on how lucky we've been. I love a good hot summer's day, but (and here I'm letting you into some secrets of our trade) unfortunately cameras don't. If we're not careful and spend a bit of time thinking properly about the right lighting both indoors and out, our overjoyed, happy smiling couple and their guests can either turn an over-the-top blown-out white with no detail at all, or even worse the skin tones flop into a rather unhappy grey. Getting it right, though, is satisfaction itself - a fantastic hard-lit photo in the sun is something very special.

Photography is a curious mix of skill, maths and sometimes just pure chance - being in the right place at the right time does take practice but sometimes you just don't know what's coming! So sometimes it's nice to have the softest light around (i.e. a good overcast cloudy day), so we can worry just a little bit less about light meters and leave us free to focus on what we love about weddings - the people! James and Emma got married in Somerset on just such a day - not much to write home about if you're trying to stay absolutely dry the whole time, but at times it was just lovely weather for their photographs.

A letter of encouragement from one of the many children at the wedding...

It stopped raining at all the right times...

The cake in all its splendour - and some lovely effigies of the bride and groom!

A sneaky candid snap of the bride and groom

Family and friends can log in to our website to view all the photos from James and Emma's wedding at www.simplicityphotography.co.uk/secure/james_and_emma
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A sporty saturday

We do a lot of photography at exceptionally well-planned weddings, with gorgeous locations and perfect caterers, and an organised group of groomsmen to make the day run smoothly. Last weekend's wedding was certainly well-planned, but even more it had what many fabulous weddings have - a touch of the couple's own personality on everything. Tim and Kate got married in Headington, had photos in the fantastic cloisters of New College, Oxford, and had their reception at the stylish University Club.

Louise had a great time in the morning with the very sporty Kate and her bridesmaids, finding out that apparently her wedding day was the first time in 15 years that Kate, usually dressed in tracksuit and trainers, had worn a dress! They were blessed with some beautiful weather, which was in some ways a little unusual for this year...

A shower of colour from the confetti...

Inquisitiveness gets the better of him, whilst he should have been in a group shot...

In the cloisters of New College Oxford

Love at first sight?

Friends

Opportunities for amazing photographs all day - even in the evening!

Family and friends can log in to our website to view all the photos from Tim and Kate's wedding at www.simplicityphotography.co.uk/secure/tim_and_kate
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