Wedding: Jason & Claire - Hedingham Castle & The Ickworth Hotel

Beautiful Wedding Photography by Master Photographer Jeff Turnbull

If this is your first time visiting my Blog then I would like to give you a big warm welcome. I hope you enjoy looking around and finding out what I get up to. If you have any questions then please do contcat me. Thanks for visiting :-)

I had the great pleasure of photographing the wedding of Jason & Claire Howarth recently. The chosen venue for the wedding ceremony was at the wonderful Hedingham Castle which has an amazing Norman Keep. The ceremony itself is done by candle light, which although can provide a challage when photographing, provides a great atmosphere to the proceedings. It was a real scorcher of a day and I take my hat off to Jason and his Groomsmen for managing to keep cool under their wedding attire. Claire is a natural beauty and she looked absolutely stunning in her wedding gown.

The reception was held at the Ickworth Hotel near Bury St Edmunds. The hotel has the most amazing grounds and every time we turned a corner there was a great photo opportunity. Jason, Claire and myself are planning to go back there to have a post wedding photo session. This will be great as we will have the opportunity to get some more fantastic images away from the time constraints that you have on the day of the wedding.

If you're getting married why not also consider adding a Post Wedding Photo Shoot to your wedding package? It's great fun and you'll get even more artistic images to cherish. For further details please visit my website http://www.jeffturnbull.com/ or e-mail me by Clicking Here


Please find below a few images from the day below.

And below... an action shot of yours truly.

Continuous Imporovement

Artistic Wedding Photographer and Photography Training courses in Essex.

Hi.

Despite the economic situation I'm very thankful that I am busier than ever right now.

However I think that this isn't just through just good luck. The reason I'm very busy most of the time is, I believe, because of all the effort I put in a year beforehand. As a wedding photographer many of my bookings are made at least a year before the actual wedding day and in some case up to two years in advance. So the efforts I put in today should benefit me next year and the year after.

So what am I doing to improve my photography business and attract clients for next year?

Well, one of the things I continuously do is to keep developing and improving my style of photography to keep things both fresh and also exciting, not only for myself but more importantly for my clients. I know that my style of photography will not appeal to everyone, in fact I would be very surprised if it did, however the wedding clients I'm looking for are usually on a similar wavelength to me and that means they're looking for something different to the norm and want something that will make their wedding album look fantastic.

So, to let my future clients see what type of photography they could expect I have put together a new YouTube audio slide show which has examples of my most recent wedding and bridal shoots. If you would like to see the video then please click below, sit back and (hopefully) enjoy the show.

www.Photo-Training.co.uk

Another area of my business that I continuously develop and improve is the Photography Training and Courses that I provide. I really love teaching people about photography, not only because I'm into photography myself but it's more about seeing people improve their skills and start producing some wonderful images but also seeing that many of my students go on to become professional photographers themselves either full or part time .

This week I released the Photography Training Programme for the summer and I'm really excited about it. The new programme includes a new 2/3 day Advanced Wedding Workshop Plus... for the more serious photographer, who's looking to either start a wedding photography business of their own or an existing wedding photographer who's looking to develop their photography style & techniques and business skills then there's the Personal Mentoring programme which is run over six months and includes One-to-One training with myself.

Due to the time i will take up I'm limiting the places for the mentoring programme to only 10 people. As an introduction offer I'm even offering the first 5 applicants a 15% discount on the Mentoring Programme. For further details please Click Here

If you would like to know more about the photography services either www.JeffTurnbull.com or www.Photo-Training.co.uk or e-mail me by clicking here

Thanks

Joanna & Martin's Wedding - The Fennes, Bocking, Essex

Exceptional Wedding Photography by Essex photographer Jeff Turnbull

This week I had the absolute pleasure of photographing the wedding of Joanna and Martin.

I photographed Joanna's bridal prep at The Fennes, near Braintree in Essex before going onto the ceremony at St Mary's Church in Bocking. It was then back to the Fennes for an intimate wedding breakfast for family and close friends.

Martin & Joanna, both originally from South Africa, are an amazing couple and just so perfect for each other. Martin, due to a condition, has to use a wheelchair and also is unable to speak however through a communication device was able to deliver his vows and also give a extremely heart warming speech at the meal.

When it came to the photography nothing was going to stand in their way and by leaning Martin againt things or Joanna we were able to get some great images and have a lot of good fun along the way. Even after the meal we were able to have some extra time together and capture some extra special shots

Martin is such a romantic and along the way I have found just a few of the things he has done, including proposing from a hot air balloon as the flew over waterfalls in South Africa (how cool is that?), climbing to the top of a hill to gather sand for Joanna and even on the day of their wedding there was a special delivery for Joanna which was a bottle of perfume that is only available in limited locations around the world.

I wish them both all the best and a wonderful and fun living life together.

Here are a few images from then day. All the images are taken just using available light only and not with the use of flash at all.

Please click on the image to enlarge

Bridal Model Shoots

Jeff Turnbull. Essex based artistic and destination wedding photographer

With the Brides & Grooms I work with they are usually looking for something different with their wedding photography. It could be the way the images are presented, for example digital art book albums but also it's likely the style in which the photographs are taken.

Having something more creative can take a little bit longer to photograph on the but when you're having to fit in the photography session in between the ceremony ending and the wedding breakfast or reception starting how can you guarantee that you will have time to do this?

The obvious suggestion is of course to give yourself more time following the ceremony.

It's what I call the 'Turnbull Hour' where after we've had any formal and group photographs taken I then get the the couple for one hour which allows me to get some very special images of them together .

But... I also know that sometimes you may want to actually spend more time with your guests on the day, so what do we do then?

Well, the answer to this is what I call the 'Turnbull Bridal Model Shoot' This a one or two photo session of you both dressed up again which is either taken the day following your wedding or if you prefer you could even have it when you come back from your honeymoon.

The beauty of this is that you can relax more, knowing you're not pushed for time, and knowing that you will also get some absolutely artistic and wonderful images that you will cherish for many years to come, which I bet none of your friends would have had taken at their own wedding.

Below are examples of shots taken on a recent 'Bridal Model Shoot' I do hope you like them.

To receive further information and to find out how you can add this to your package then please do contact me either on 07961 100 580 e-mail me by clicking here

Please feel free to leave some comments below or to tick one of the boxes.

Many thanks

Shooting with David Beckstead

Artistic and creative wedding photography - From Essex photographer Jeff Turnbull.

Hi. Just a quick entry as it's been a very long day and I'm just heading off to bed.

I'm currently spending a few days up in in the Suffolk / Norfolk borders with David Beckstead. David, who lives in the USA is a fellow photographer and was voted a few years ago as one of the top ten wedding photographers of the world. He's great to spend time with and also very inspiring :-) It's been very exciting to see how he approaches his own wedding photography.

Today we had two couples to photograph and it was great to be really creative and have some fun along the way. I know that when to couples get to see their photographs they will be blown away with them.

Below are a few images that I took today.

If you would like to receive a Wedding Information Pack then please complete your details below and the pack will be e-mailed to you straight away.

Portrait Session - Yellow Fields & Bluebell Woods

Lifestyle & Environment Portrait Photography by Jeff Turnbull. Essex, Suffolk & Hertfordshire

Last week I had the pleasure of doing a portrait session for Sarah.

It was Sarah's 2nd wedding anniversary that day and what better way to remember it than to have a portrait session and receive some wonderful photographs for her and her husband Ben to cherish.

Sarah knew of a field near to where she lives in Castle Hedingham, Essex, that has awash with yellow rapeseed. This made a wonderful backdrop against her vibrant red dress.

After a short session there we then headed of to a local bluebell woods to do do another short session. The bluebell woods were fantastic and what with an old and decaying tractor that was in the middle of it it made a great photo shoot location.

As I have mentioned before, location photography, also known as environmental portraiture, provides the setting for far more creative photography than a studio sessions possibly can. Locations can include the woods, a park, by the beach or even in your own garden if you wish.

Here are a few images from the session I did with Sarah.

Please feel free to leave some feedback at the bottom.

For a short time I am offering an "Early Summer Portrait Promotion" which includes the portrait session plus one 10x8" print of your choice all for only £45 (compared to the usual price of £90).

For further information, or to make a booking please call me on 01376 323 915 or e-mail me by clicking here.

Wedding at Five Lakes Country Club - Brad & Lindsey

Jewish Wedding Photography by Jeff Turnbull - Essex, Suffolk, Hertfordshire & London

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing a wonderful Jewish wedding for Brad & Lindsey over at Five Lakes Golf & Country Club near Maldon in Essex.

The groom, a very keen road cyclist, and his groomsmen had all arrived at the venue on their bikes after having a pit stop earlier on at a pub.

Linsdey, the bride, looked absolutely stunning in her dress and she was a pure pleasure to work with as were all the family & guests. From the moment I arrived, capturing Lindsey getting ready up until the party finished at midnight the excitement never faded at from anyone at all.

Please find below a few images from the day.

Click on the images to enlarge

If you would like to receive a Wedding Information Pack then please complete your details below and the pack will be e-mailed to you straight away.

Please do feel free to leave any comments you may have or indicate if you like the photos by using the features below.

Male Portrait Session

Jeff Turnbull - Male portrait photography - Braintree, Essex

Last week I did a portrait session for a friend of mine, Mark Edwards. Mark is a very busy man with his own business and is very much involved with the local community, including the local youth football team but he is also the co founder of the Great Notley Photography Club (GNPC).

Once the session started I just like to try different things. The session didn't start until about 7.30pm so it wasn't long really before the daylight went but it did mean that some creativity could be used, especially with the lighting where I used an off camera flash.

A few photos from the session can be seen below which I hope you find of interest.

Contact details for the Photography Club: mike.tilmouth@btinternet.com

Please click on the images to enlarge

Male Portraits:

I'm working a new project at the moment which will hopefully have men (of all ages) having a portrait session done. Talking with my female clients they say they would love to have a great photograph of their husband or boyfriend but getting them to be photographed in near possible. My approach is much different to the studio set-up that many people (especially guys) dread. I do my portraits outside and encourage people to bring out the personalities by doing the things they enjoy. If they're a biker, I say bring the bike along, if they have a dog then bring the dog etc. Whatever they decide I gurantee that they will enjoy the session and inn turn receive some excellent photographs.

So come on you guys give me a call on 01376 323 915 or e-mail me by Clicking Here and receive an information pack or just go for it and make a booking. Or Ladies, why not get a portrait voucher for your man instead?

Until next time, have fun :-)

Wedding at Leez Priory - Kim & James

Jeff Turnbull - Exceptional Wedding Photograper - Covering Braintree, Essex, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Kent & all of the UK

On Monday I photographed the wedding of Kim & James. The wedding venue they had chosen was Leez Priory, near Chelmsford in Essex to get married. It's a wonderful Tudor Mansion which, with it's lovely lake and gardens, is one of the Countries most popular wedding venues. I always enjoy photographing a wedding or event there.

The couple were really great to work with and despite the threat of rain we were very fortunate that when it came to the outside photographs the rain held off. Just in case though, the best man and the bride's sisiter followed along with a couple of umbrellas which in the end were just just used as props.

As we move into May, weddings are starting to pick up and I have another wedding this Bank holiday weekend at another popular wedding venue, Five Lakes.

If you are considering getting married and looking for a qualified master photographer then I still have a few dates left for both 2009 and 2010.

Please find below a few photographs from Monday's wedding.

Engagement Session - Audley End House, Essex

Jeff Turnbull - Engagement & Pre Wedding Photography. Essex, Suffolk, Hertfordshire, Cambrigdgeshire, London

On Monday I had the pleasure of photographing a Pre Wedding session with Christine & Paul who are getting married next month.

The location was the wonderful Audley End House in Essex, one of England's finest country homes. Run by the English Heritage the gardens are a photographer's dream with so many unique areas throughout the grounds.

The couple have also chosen this venue for their wedding next month and I can't wait to photograph their special day. Christine & Paul were great fun to work with and always joking throughout the session. They had a wonderful story to tell in that they first went out together while at school together but then there lives went different ways before they bumped into each other again a couple of years ago.

An Engagement or Pre Wedding portrait session is a fantastic way to get some great images in a fun and relaxed environment. If you've recently got engaged, or even if you're not engaged yet but would want some artistic and creative photographs then why not contact me and arrange a session like this for yourselves. The choice of location is only limited by your imagination really and what's more I know you will really enjoy yourself.

For further information you can contact me on 01376 323 915 or e-mail me on Jeff@JeffTurnbull.com.

Here are a few image from the photo shoot at Audley End House. If you like them then please do leave a comment. Also why not sign up as a Follower so that you can keep up with my regular Blogs

Thanks

Pleae click on the images to see a large version

The One Day Wedding Photography Workshop

Jeff Turnbull - Essex based Wedding & Lifestyle Photograper

Hi.

On Saturday I ran one of my Wedding Photography Workshops which is considered by many to be one of the best one-day course available for new wedding photographers.

This time we were at a different church to the one I usually use; St Mary's Church in Bocking just outside of Braintree. As you will see from the photographs it is a very stunning building and has large gardens to go with it. As you might expect, it is a very popular place for people to choose to get married.

Ben & Sarah were our Bride & Groom models for the day and performed wonderfully throughout.

Many thanks to everyone who attended the course, it was great to work with you all and to see you all do so well

For details of the next Wedding Photography Workshop or any of the other courses that I run (which are being run next month) then please click here for further details.

Jeff Turnbull - Exceptional Wedding & Lifestyle Photography www.JeffTurnbull.com

01376 323 915



Here are a few photos from the day.

From L to R: Nigel, Gary, Chris, Owen, Bert, Rachel, Carly and James along with our Bride & Groom Ben & Sarah

It came... It saw... It conqured!

I was travelling from from Frinton-on-Sea, Essex this afternoon where I had just done a photo shoot.

It had been a nice bright afternoon with the sun shining and fairly clear skies. As I was driving along, all of a sudden from nowhere everything outside the left hand side of the car become very dark. I looked up and saw this huge black cloud looming down where within a moment hailstones were pelting down while all the time everything to the right of me remained really bright.

I managed to pull over and grabbed one of my cameras and jumped out of the car and grabbed a couple of shots before I got totally soaked. Within a few minutes the storm cloud had finished what it came to do and disappeared leaving bright skies again.

For larger versions please click on the images below.

Silver Award Achieved

Jeff Turnbull Wedding & Lifestyle Photography:

I decide that this year I would start to enter national photographic competitions. The main reason for this is that I know it will help stretch me an my ability and help me become a better photographer. So last month I entered the national monthly competition held by the Society of Wedding & Portrait Photographers (SWPP)

I'm pleased to say that I achieved a silver award with my entry below.

The photograph itself was taken on the morning of his (Tarik's) wedding. I had arrived at the bride and groom's home and noticed the wonderful blue wall on their terrace. I thought that the combination of the blue wall and his white shirt was really striking.

Portraits. This year I'm working on putting together 'Lifestyle Portrait Days' offering individuals, couples and families the chance to be photographed in some wonderful locations. If this is of interest to you then please do contact me on 07961 100 580.

Who knows, your portrait could be picking up a gold award at some time.

Bringing Black Back!

First there was black & White and then came along Colour. But today... are we going back to Black & White?

One of the comments many of my clients make is that they just love the black and white photographs that I produce for them. At a time when colour seems so important to us (even when my daughter, Holly recently got an iPod for Christmas she was given a choice of nine colours to choose from!) what is it about black & white images that people like?

To me I love the look of b&w as it brings out the emotion of an image far more than colour usually can. But also what I love about is that it takes me back to the days of when I first got into photography at college and I first produced a set of b&w prints in the dark room. With then current cameras and software available just about anyone can turn their photos into b&w but unfortunately what you usually end up with can be just various shades of grey but lacks the contrast needed to really give an image some kick.

If you're interested in having a photo shoot, either by yourself, with a loved one or your family then please contact me either via my main website www.JeffTurnbull.com or please call me on 07961 100 580.

Below are just a few images from a portrait shoot I did with Emmy Hut and her family over at Hylands Park in Chelmsford. Having done the shoot I was really keen to produce them in b&w that resembled the same rich tones from the days of film. I hope you like them.

Click on image to enlarge

Winter Wedding - Leon & Riana

Last Friday I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of Leon & Riana.

Well, the night before the wedding the snow fell... and it fell... and it fell!

Photographing in the snow brings quite a few challenges. Firstly, with it being so cold you have to have a pretty hardy couple who are prepared to be photographed outside in the cold, especially the bride whose shoulders are often exposed. Fortunately, Leon & Riana were happy to do so.

Another challenge is the lighting. When you have everything covered in snow and the sun decides to come out you can end up with real contrast issues and of course lots of shadows. It is assumed that photographs in the snow will come out really bright, however the camera will actually tend to under expose each shot so the snow and the surroundings can end up looking rather grey. Getting the metering right really is the key.

Assisting me was Rebecca judge, an Aylesbury based photographer and someone who has attended some of my training courses, to help control the lighting with use of reflectors rather than me having to put my flash to use which I feel does nothing to enhance a photograph.

The wedding took place at a lovely church (St Mary the Virgin) in Stebbing , Essex and it was the first time I'd covered a wedding there. The church is wonderful building, both on the outside but also the inside, with it's fantastic arches and windows. Unfortunately it was a 'strictly no photographs during the service' rule which was shame as I like to get images of the couples exchanging vows and the first kiss etc. But unfortunately it wasn't to be.

Here are a few images from the day.

Please click on the image to enlarge

The snow-covered ground before the wedding

An internal shot before everyone arrived

Riana looking lovely arriving at the church

Riana and matron of honour Sarah.

The use of back lighting allows the halo effect around their hair.

Leon & Riana together

So... did I manage to get a couple of sneaky shots of the couple from the back of the church? Well... that would be telling.