Christmas & New Year Marriage Proposals – 10 Ways to Make Your Proposal - London & Essex Wedding Photography

Essex, London & Suffolk Wedding Photographer Jeff Turnbull.
Main websites www.JeffTurnbull.com and www.Photo-Training.co.uk

What a romantic Christmas many of you have had. I have received a couple of enquiries since Christmas day already regarding my wedding photography services from excited brides-to-be after receiving marriage proposals over Christmas.

One of the ways a bride-to-be was proposed to was that she noticed on Christmas day that there was an extra Christmas decoration on the tree. As she looked closer her boyfriend said “go ahead, open the box”. As she opened the box she saw the ring at which time he got down on one knee and proposed to her. It was an even more special moment as he had secretly arranged for their families, including her Grandmother who had helped raise her as a little girl, to come over for the afternoon and had silently come into the room as she opened the box. What a great guy.

Weddings are definitely back in vogue and 2010 looks like to be one of the busiest years for weddings for quite a long time.

So, with this in mind, if you’re getting married in 2010 then you need to start booking your wedding vendors very soon because if you don’t book them, then someone else will book the Photographer, Videographer, DJ, Toastmaster, Band, Wedding Venue, Wedding planner or the Makeup Artist that you had hoped to book for yourself.




Will you be proposing to your loved one very soon?
Here are ten suggestions on making that marriage proposal


1. Cook your loved one a romantic meal and place a note around the napkin like it is a napkin holder asking her/him to marry you. Or slip the napkin (use fabric ones not paper!) through the ring, when she goes to put her napkin in her lap she will find the ring.

2. Leave a trail of notes for him/her to follow and when he/she reaches the end you will be standing there with a sign or you can say "Will you marry me?"

3. Cook and set an elaborate candlelight table (or cater if you are not talented in the kitchen) for a quiet romantic dinner for two at home. Serve her a glass of champagne with the diamond ring in the bottom or ribboned to the stem.

4. Take her/him up in a hot air balloon with a bottle of champagne and announce that'll you'll jump if she/he doesn't marry you.

5. Write her/him a story about your relationship. Almost like a diary with dates if possible. Then end it with the date you are going to give it to him/her telling how you proposed and that the story can't be ended until you have the answer.

6. Take her/him to the theatre and ask the stage manager if he will allow you to come up on stage and propose after the final curtain.

7. Gather friends and family outside his/her home waving banners with the words will you marry me on them and you standing in front of them all on one knee holding the ring. (Make sure that they get the right house).

8. Create a web page all about your life together. Photos, places that mean a lot to you both. Send him/her the web address and wait for his/her reply and when accepted you can then send the address to friends and family.

9. Scatter rose petals all over her bed and put the gift wrapped ring in the centre. Tell her that you bought her a gift to show how much you love her. When she opens it tell her that you want to spend the rest of your life with her.

10. Finally... Do it the old fashioned way. Get down on one knee with a rose clenched in your teeth and the ring in your hand and simply say "Will you Marry me?".

And of course there's some proposals you just don't want

As we move out of 2009 I would like to thank all the wonderful Brides & Grooms that I had the pleasure of photographing their weddings this year and for also the great fun we had. I wish you all a prosperous and fun-filled 2010.

For all the Brides & Grooms who have already booked me for 2010 and for those still to book me I can’t wait to photograph your wedding. It’s going to be a busy year ahead for you and one heck of a great wedding day.
For further information please visit my website below
www.JeffTurnbull.com
www.Photo-Training.co.uk

Wahey! The Snow is here - Winter Photography Ideas

London, Essex and Suffolk Photography training courses and workshops by Wedding & Lifestyle Portrait photographer Jeff Turnbull

My photography services include Weddings, Civil Ceremonies, Engagements, Bar mitzvahs, Bat mitzvahs, Lifestyle Portraits, Products, Christenings, Commercial, Corporate, Product launch, Annual reports, Offices, photography training courses and workshops, wedding venues, locations and destinations. If you have any questions then please do contact me.

Main websites http://www.jeffturnbull.com/ & www.Photo-Training.co.uk

Winter is a great time to get out and take some photographs. While there's certainly no shortage of subjects to capture, getting the shot right can be tricky. Variable light conditions, reflections off bright snow, and hazardous weather conditions combine to make winter the most challenging, yet rewarding, time of year to photograph.

With so many people enjoying our current snowy weather,  plus with many people going away skiing, either for Christmas or in the new year I thought this would be a good time to post a few tips ensure you get your amazing snow & winter shots

Shoot for Proper Exposure:
The light meter in your digital camera is a highly sophisticated piece of electronics, but it can be completely mystified by a bright field of snow. When shooting an intense scene like that, your camera tries to adjust for the mid-tone in the scene and will most likely underexpose slightly. The result is gray, murky-looking snow. This can be fixed by increasing the exposure compensation before you take the shot. How much of an increase depends on the lighting situation and the sensitivity of your camera, but a setting between +0.3 and +1.0 EV should do the trick. The slight overexposure will return the snow to its proper whiteness.


Backlighting and Silhouettes:
The fine line between a portrait and a silhouette is another exposure challenge when dealing with backlighting. The brightness of a snowy background can cause details in your foreground to be washed out, creating a silhouette effect. If you're shooting for detail in your subject, position yourself so the background has less influence on your shot. Move in closer and fill the frame with your subject. If possible, reposition yourself to frame the subject against a background of trees or a building. This will help keep the subject properly exposed and reduce the chance for unwanted silhouettes.


The Importance of Time of Day:
The time of day can have a dramatic effect on your images, especially when you're shooting in snow. The early morning and later afternoon hours will provide warm, pastel tones while the bright light of midday offers cooler and more neutral tones. If you're looking for colour in your photography, avoid the middle of the day and use the warm light of dawn and dusk to your advantage.


Throw Some Light on the Subject:
Conventional photographic wisdom states that your flash is pretty much useless outdoors. However, when shooting in snow, firing a flash can provide highlights and bring out details your camera might not have picked up on. The high reflection factor of the snow allows the flash to add texture and interest to a flat field of snow. The flash might also pick up any falling snow in the scene, adding depth.


Avoid using flash when shooting close-up or macro shots with a bright background. The reflection will greatly reduce any detail in your image and can cause distracting hotspots.


Composing your Shots:
All the same rules apply when taking shots in winter, but there are a few techniques you can concentrate on to utilize the environmental conditions


Here are some ways to compose your shots to do justice to the frosty scenes:


Look for contrasts.
The bright, uniform nature of snow gives the chance to use contrast to your advantage. Look for colourful subjects and textures to put against the monochromatic snow and gloomy winter skies. If you're shooting snow in the foreground, such as a snowman, frame the shot with a contrasting background such as a blue sky or a group of trees to pull out as much detail as possible.


Use the available light.
Light is scarce in the winter, so if you have the good fortune of dramatic lighting, seize the chance to get some interesting shots. Look for low angle light to create long, contoured shadows or use backlighting to set up a silhouette.


In the absence of light, take your tripod out and shoot some longer exposures to capture the cool tones of twilight on the snow. With the ever-changing nature of winter light, you'll have plenty of opportunities to experiment with different setups and figure out what type of illumination appeals to you.


The quiet after the storm.
One of the best times to shoot in the winter is after a weather event. From a simple frost to a full-fledged blizzard, the aftermath can allow you to produce stunning photography. Subjects that were once mundane are now incredible, such as ice-covered branches or high, sculpted snow drifts you often find at ski resorts. Plus, these shots are great to look back on as documentary pieces when you're looking through your images in the middle of July.


Strive for simplicity.
Trying to keep your pictures simple is a goal for every shot, but in the winter it takes on even more importance. Draw your viewer's eyes to your subject using string lines and colour contrasts. Create visual appeal with uncomplicated subjects that stand out from the background.


Consider a filter.
There are many filters for digital cameras that you can use to improve your winter photography. Consider using a graduated filter to reduce the contrast between the sky and the ground, or a polarizing filter to reduce reflections from the snow. A good UV filter is always recommended when shooting in sunny conditions. Keep in mind that many of these adjustments could be made in an image-editing program, but getting the shot right in the field is always desirable.


Get Out in the Cold
The rewards of shooting in winter speak will for themselves every time you view your images. Once you develop your style for shooting in colder weather, you'll find winter to be one of the most exciting times of year to make use of your digital camera

Have fun
And while you're out in the snow why not make the most of it and throw a few snowballs as well :-)

Training: For information about my various photography training courses please visit my website www.Photo-Training.co.uk or www.JeffTurnbull.com

Winter Portrait Photography - Deborah James - West Mersea, Essex

Winter & Autumn Lifestyle Portraits by Essex Photographer Jeff Turnbull.

Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com

Recently I had a great portrait session with Deborah and her two daughters. The photographs from the session were to be a surprise for her husband’s 50th birthday. The location was the beach at West Mersea, Essex and I can tell you that on the way there the winds were really strong and the rain was lashing down. I made a quick call to Deborah to see if they were happy to go ahead and she came back with “Too right, we’re really looking forward to it!” How cool is that?

When we were ready to start, the rain kindly stopped and the winds died down and in fact it was only as I took the last image of the session an hour later that the rain started again. Working with them was really great fun as they were keen to try some fun stuff and also came up with their ideas of their own.

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Winter Portraits: Winter is, surprisingly, a wonderful time of the year for an on location lifestyle portrait session. Some of the vivid colours from autumn are still with us making wonderful backdrops for your portraits but also the natural light is more forgiving and with the sun being lower in the sky this time of the year results in less harsh shadows.

Ok, so what do we do if there is rain in the air? Well, to be honest most of my clients still like to go ahead because the great thing about lifestyle photography is that it’s all about freedom. Just think what great photographs I will capture of the kids (and yourselves) jumping in the puddles etc.
So, give me a call if you would like to go out, have a blast and to create special lifestyle portraits of your own. 01376 323 915

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Here are a few images from the session with Deborah and her daughters.

Winter Wedding Photography - Katie & James' Wedding at John Ray House Braintree

Winter Wedding Photography by Essex & Suffolk Photographer Jeff Turnbull. Essex wedding venues: Prested Hall, Braxted Park, Crabbs Barn, Spains Hall, Creaksea Place, Forrester Park & Layer Marney Tower


Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com


Last week I had the real pleasure of photographing the wedding of Katie and James at John Ray House in Braintree.


Katie was a delight to photograph and such fun to work with. I started the day at her house for the bridal prep and had time to get some wonderful photographs of her with her family before then making my way to meet James at Braintree Registry office, which those who have followed my Blog before will know is a lovely venue to get married at and a great place to photograph.

Following the wedding and all of e family photographs everyone went to the White Hart Hotel, Braintree for the wedding breakfast followed by the reception later in the evening.


James & Katie thank you for a great day and I hope you're having a wonderful time in St Lucia

*****

Winter Weddings
I have noticed recently that there is a growing trend of brides choosing autumn or winter weddings.


Winter weddings can be very beautiful and intimate, and certainly can stand out from the many summer weddings that are held each year. While there are some disadvantages to having a winter wedding, there are some significant advantages too.


If you want a wedding that will be beautiful and truly unique, there are lots of different winter themes for weddings that are unique and can only be held in the winter months that will make your wedding very personal and very special. Brides who like to do things differently may really like the different themes and style choices available for winter weddings that aren’t available for spring or summer weddings.


Here are just some of the many advantages to consider:
1. You can get exactly what you want (and save money too). It’s more likely that you will be able to get the venue, restaurant, church, or other location of your choice and often at a reduced cost since winter is still considered as "off wedding season"

2. More of your loved ones may be able to attend. By holding your wedding in the winter it’s more likely that family and friends will have fewer social commitments and thus will be free to attend your wedding.

3. Winter weddings are different. Do you want your wedding to stand out and be memorable; a winter wedding can be a great way to do something new and different for your wedding.

Here are a few images from Katie & James' day

Katie & Mum

Father of the Bride

James & his Groomsmen

Shoot & Burn Vs Wedding Albums & Prints

Essex & Suffolk Full Time Professional Wedding Photographer Jeff Turnbull
My photography services include Weddings, Civil Ceremonies, Engagements, Bar mitzvahs, Bat mitzvahs, Lifestyle Portraits, Products, Christenings, Commercial, Corporate, Product launch, Annual reports, Offices, photography training courses and workshops, wedding venues, locations and destinations.





Main Website www.JeffTurnbull.com  www.Photo-Training.co.uk

When searching for a wedding photographer you will be presented with a complete range of prices and services. So here’s the question...

Are the prices of some wedding photographers too good to be true?
Or, are the rest of us seen as being over priced?

Because the majority of wedding photographers these days operate with digital cameras what has come about is the phenomenon many have termed "shoot and burn". It's the situation where a photographer shoots your wedding for what’s seen as a bargain deal, burns a CD with all of the images and hands it over at half the price of their competitors.

So that’s got to be a great deal, right? Well so it seems, until you decide to get some really nice prints made and you then find out that the files need to be corrected, color balanced or worse still the exposures are too far off to produce a decent quality print.

As a buyer of wedding photography, you should know that after the wedding, most professional photographers spend many hours, in front of a calibrated monitor, editing and adjusting the digital files before they go off to the lab or album company for printing. All this work is done to ensure that you get a great quality product celebrating your day. Some photographers claim they can do it in a couple of hours or so, which I know to be true with a few, but only after developing a lot of skill through experience and I might add accurate exposures. But for the majority this just is not true. The idea that you can just send those little files pretty much right off the card, to any old lab and expect to get beautiful results is based on unreality.
It’s important to know that making proper exposures with the digital camera is also much more demanding. In the making of a properly exposed image (that will print beautifully) there is much less latitude than in the days of film. In other words, your exposures have to be right on. It's a fact! Ask any other pro photographer who also has experience with both film and digital and they'll tell you the same thing.
So while some photographers will spend the hours working on your files (naturally at a cost) those offering cheap services simply won't be, resulting in a poor product.

So, when you are searching for your wedding photographer, sometimes a "Great Deal" may not be so great after all. If the price seems too good to be true, the fact is it probably is. As a smart buyer you should ask a lot of questions and look at a lot of prints and not just the price and take a look at the results. I can't tell you how many recently married couples I've talked with, that come up to me while I'm working and tell me how disappointed they were with their own wedding photos. And, it's usually because some photographer pulled the bargain "shoot and burn".

Another problem that I hear about is that many couples who go for a “shoot and burn” package is that they receive their disk, they copy the images to their computer and that’s where they remain. The reason being is that when couples get married these days there are just so many details in starting a life together that getting prints developed goes to the back burner.

So if you really want quality memories of your wedding day look for the services of a real professional photographer who provide a full wedding package complete with prints and albums. A pro that will spend time following your wedding day to ensure that the final prints and albums you receive really will be cherished by you for years to come.

Essex Urban & Lifestyle Portrait Photography

Essex & Suffolk Urban & Lifestyle Portrait Photographer Jeff Turnbull


Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com


I had a great time at the begining of the week with a group of other photographers up in the Lake District for three days. Despite the wonderful secnic location I hadn't gone there to photograph the traditional landscape shots in any way; this was more about Urban & Lifestyle portraiture.


Urban & Lifestyle portrait photography is a genre that I love. Using the surroundings of the cities, towns, industrial sites etc really adds so much to an image as you're presented with a variety of colours textures and lighting resulting in creative portrait photographs.


Brett Harkness, an award winning contemporary and documentary photographer, spent Tuesday introducing us to his style of photography and also sharing with us his approach to the photography business. In the afternoon we got down to what Brett likes to call Funky Flash, which I have to say was awesome. This involved just using a fairly simple off camera flash set-up but in a way that you could be convinced a full professional lighting system was in place.


All in all a great few days spending time with a great group of people.

*****
Do you know someone who would love the idea of an Urban Portrait Sesson? The great thing about a session like this that you can really be yourself and kust let go. This would be an ideal shoot for a band, be it rock, punk, indie or any of the many music genres around or simply for yourself. For further details pleae call me directly on 01376 323 915


Here are a few of the shots taken in the week.

Autumn Wedding Photography Stoke by Nayland Hotel & Spa - Sally & Steven

Autumn & Winter Wedding Photography by London, Essex & Suffolk professional wedding photographer Jeff Turnbull:

Suffolk Winter, Spring Summer & Autumn Wedding photographs & venues include: Swan Hotel Lavenham, Hintlesham Hall Hotel, Wantisden Valley, Somerleyton Hall, Leiston Abbey, Fynn Valley Golf Club, Jocky Club Rooms, Ellingham Hall, The Granghe Hotel Bury St Edmunds Priory Hall, Moreves Barn, Woodhall Manor, Yaxley Hall, Hengrave Hall, Hungarian Hall Events, The West Wing at Ickworth, Otley Hall, Kersea Mill, Leiston Abbey, The Garden Barn, Tattershalls, Butley Priory, Haughley Park Barn, Bedford Ladge Hotel,



Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com


Autumn Weddings
Getting married in autumn with the glorious burst of colours in the trees, the crisp crunch of dried leaves underfoot, the nip in the air and the abundance of choices you have with this season being one of the most dramatic symbols of endings and beginnings autumn stands for. Add to this; spices and mulled wine and the smell of bonfires that really makes the wonderful magical time of Autumn.

 With the nights closing in during this time, your Autumn wedding photographs will need to be taken as early as possible in the day and if needed, discuss when booking your wedding venue if there is a room that can be used for photographs. If needed, you could decorate this part yourself and design your own canvas to carry on the theme of your autumn wedding.

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This week I photographed the wonderful wedding of Sally-Ann and Steven Underwood at Stoke by Nayland Golf & Country Club Hotel & Spa on the Essex and Suffolk Boarders between Colchester and Sudbury. When I originally met Sally I knew straight away that that she was looking for something creative for her wedding photographs.


Sally had arranged it so that I could photograph part of the bridal preparations down in the hotel spa. After a few initial glances from the spa clients we then got on with the shoot and had an awesome time, making the most of the surroundings. The service was held at st Mary church , Stoke by Nayland, which has some fantastic stained glass windows and then following the service the guests were invited back to the hotel.


Here are a few images from the day.

Family Portraits Lifestyle & Environmental Photography

Essex, London, Suffolk Family Lifestyle Portraits. Braintree Photographer Jeff Turnbull. Covering Colchester, Chelmsford, Sudbury & Bury St Edmunds. My photography services include Weddings, Civil Ceremonies, Engagements, Bar mitzvahs, Bat mitzvahs, Lifestyle Portraits, Products, Christenings, Commercial, Corporate, Product launch, Annual reports, Offices, photography training courses and workshops, wedding venues, locations and destinations.



Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com  www.Photo-Training.co.uk


I was reading this week about Annie Leibovitz, one of America's most famous celebrity photographers, who had just photographed the official family portrait of President Obama and his family in the green room in the White House. This, I'm sure, must have been a great honour for Annie and possibly even for the Obamas.


Family photographs are probably one of the top most treasured possessions in a family home and other than your loved ones, that the number one thing people would try and save in a fire or a flood is the family album.


The problem however is that the majority of photographs people take themselves these days are taken with a digital camera so the images get saved on the home computer and that's where they stay, never to be printed. So unless you have a laptop with all the images on it's very unlikely that your family photographs will get saved at all. Secondly, the majority of family portraits people have taken at a photography studio are displayed in large frames, so again it is unlikely that these will be saved because it would not be practical (or safe).


When I undertake a family portrait session I want it to be a true reflection on them and also of their lifestyle and this means that one group photograph of the family simply isn't enough to do this. What I therefore do is spend anything from 2 hours (minimum session) up to a whole day (with some clients even booking even longer) working and getting involved with the family, capturing them in surroundings that mean a lot to them. This could be their holiday home, the beach, the woods, their homes etc. Following the session I then have a wonderful collecting of unique images of the family enjoying themselves.


The family then has a choice of having framed prints or collages with many clients choosing to have albums created & custom designed especially for them. And because I use the finest album suppliers including Queensbury and GraphioStudio they have a family album to cherish forever.

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Earlier this week I had some great fun photographing a local family. Their young son, Jacob, has just turned two and so it was great to have some family photographs of them all enjoying themselves. So off we went and spent the afternoon at a favourite location where Ashleigh (the mum) often goes horse riding. The added bonus of the afternoon was that I got to run around in the leaves as well. Good times :-)

 Here are just a few photographs from the session.

Fanhams Hall Hotel Ware. Pre Wedding / Engagement Photography - Cat & Neil

Engagement photography Fanhams Hall Hotel. Wedding Photographer Jeff Turnbull


Main Website www.JeffTurnbull.com


During the week I had the pleasure of photographing an awesome engagement portrait session with Neil & Cat at the wonderful Fanhams Hall Hotel in Ware, Hertfordshire.


Despite the weather being a little wet at times we still all had a great time taking in just some of the amazing locations throughout the hotel and grounds. The trees within the grounds were looking really amazing with all the leaves in full Autumn colour


Cat, who I first met Cat last year when she came on one of my photography training courses, and Neil were great to work with and were keen to try out my suggestions as well as coming up with ideas of their own.


I took along 'The Chair' (more details on a previous Blog entry) with me to get a few images of Neil & Cat chilling out in the grounds with the hotel making a great backdrop.


Thanks for a great session guys, I can't wait to photograph your wedding next summer.

The idea of the Engagement shoot is so that the couple can get used to being photographed my myself and we can also talk about the photography on their wedding day. From the session the couple get to choose one of the photographs which will be made into a signature board with all their guests can sign on the day.


Here are a few images from the engagement shoot Click on the images to enlarge

Bury Lodge Photography. Essex Air Ambulance Motorcyle Run Awards Evening

Essex, Lndon and Suffolk Wedding, Portrait & Event Photography by Jeff Turnbull. My photography services include Weddings, Civil Ceremonies, Engagements, Bar mitzvahs, Bat mitzvahs, Lifestyle Portraits, Products, Christenings, Commercial, Corporate, Product launch, Annual reports, Offices, photography training courses and workshops, wedding venues, locations and destinations.


Main website: www.JeffTurnbull.com  www.Photo-Training.co.uk



I'm just back from covering the Essex Air Ambulance Motorcycle Run Awards & Thank You Evening which was held to thank some of many sponsors, fund raisers and staff who had recently made the Dunton to Harwich Motorcycle Run & Harwich Family Festival such a huge success. On the day a whopping £41, 200 had been raised which is such an amazing result. Well done wveryone.

Wedding Photography - Ickworth House & Hotel, Bury St Edmunds

Ickworth House & Hotel, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk Wedding Photographer Jeff Turnbull
Winter, Spring, Summer & Autumn Suffolk Wedding Venues: Priory Hall, Moreves Barn, Woodhall Manor, Yaxley Hall, Hengrave Hall, Hungarian Hall Events, The West Wing at Ickworth, Otley Hall, Kersea Mill, Leiston Abbey, The Garden Barn, Tattershalls, Butley Priory, Haughley Park Barn, Bedford Ladge Hotel, Swan Hotel Lavenham, Hintlesham Hall Hotel, Wantisden Valley, Somerleyton Hall, Leiston Abbey, Fynn Valley Golf Club, Jocky Club Rooms, Ellingham Hall, The Granghe Hotel Bury St Edmunds


Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com


A while ago I ran a wedding photography training day for a group of professional and semi professional wedding photographers from the East Anglia Professional Photographers group (EAPP) up at Ickworth House Hotel in Horringer near Bury St Edmunds.


I had photographed a wedding there earlier in the year so it was great to go back there again. The idea was to help those who are looking to move into the higher end wedding photography market. What I love about the place is that just about everywhere you turn, both inside and outside, there is somewhere to capture some great images and working working with our bride & groom I know that everyone got some really awesome photographs.


One of the main areas I covered was using available light. I'm a great believer in using the light that is around you to capture your image. While using a flash does have it's uses, to me nothing really beats the tones and depth of a image where you have harnessed the natural light that is around you.


I'm happy to say that the Hotel were so pleased with the photographs that I sent them that they are using them in their current Wedding brochure that they send out to wedding couples. Hopefully I will pick up a few wedding bookings from this as I can't wait to get back there again as this type of location really suits my style of photography.


Here are a few images from the day

Portrait & Lighting Photography Training Workshop in Essex

Contemporary & Lifestyle Portrait Photographer Jeff Turnbull. Essex & Suffolk

Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com

On Saturday I was running a 'Portrait and Lighting' photography training workshop for a group of up and coming portrait photographers. They had mainly travelled from throughout Essex with one student having come up for the day from Dover in Kent.

They were a great group of photographers to work with, who really gelled well together and whom I had had the pleasure of meeting four of them earlier in the year on another course that I had run.

The Portrait & Lighting photography training covers studio lighting, with the emphasis on setting up a mobile studio or a home studio. However a session is covered later in the day which involves using and controlling available outdoor light with the use reflectors.

We had two models for the day, Lauren who has just recently signed up with a modelling agency and Holly, who has modelled on a number of my digital photography courses.

Whenever you're considering having your own portrait done it is best that before making your booking that you find out from the photographer what their specialist area is to ensure that it fits in with the style of photographs you are looking for. As everyone who attended the course found out when we looked at some other photographer's website there in a great variety of photographic styles and also a great difference in image quality available.

So... before making your own portrait booking ensure that you like their style, you're happy with their quality and also very important that you like them. Choose a photographer that you get on with will result in greater images.

Here are a few images from Saturday's Workshop

Lauren

Holly

Holly with the Crew

Property Photography, Windmill Cottage & Lake, Chelmsford, Essex

Essex, London, Suffolk Property & Architectural photography by Jeff Turnbull. My photography services include Weddings, Civil Ceremonies, Engagements, Bar mitzvahs, Bat mitzvahs, Lifestyle Portraits, Products, Christenings, Commercial, Corporate, Product launch, Annual reports, Offices, photography training courses and workshops, wedding venues, locations and destinations.



Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com  

One of the commercial areas of photography that I often do during the week is that of property and architecture for top end estate agents and land & surveying companies.

Last week I was photographing a property for a local estate agent Location Chelmsford that had just come to market for the first time. Windmill Cottage, in Springfield which is near Chelmsford is a really lovely property that the owners had built to their own design about 12 years ago.

As well as 6 bedrooms, numerous downstairs social rooms and a swimming pool complex what I loved about the property was the 180'x180' lake that it also has within the grounds.

But here's the great thing about it. Not only is the lake stocked with fish but the owner welcomes OAPs to come and use the lake for free to do their fishing. It provides them a safe, quiet place for them to meet up with friends, chew the fat and of course do some fishing. This is great example of the owner having put something back into the community.

Further details of the property can be found by visiting the agents website www.location-chelmsford.com/

Here are a few images from the shoot

Ok, ok so you want to know how much. A snip at only £1,250,000

Wedding Photography Training Workshop & Courses in Essex

Digital Wedding Photography Training Courses & Workshops Essex, Suffolk, Hertfordshire by Jeff Turnbull

Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com

On Saturday I was running a Wedding Photography Training Workshop for eight up and coming wedding photographers. It's always great to run a course like this as getting other photographers together you always get to share ideas and experiences.

It's a full on day with the first 3 hours plus, at the church covering bride & groom arrival along with the challenges of low light photography inside the church that happens at a real wedding. Afterwards I cover the essential images & photography that are required at weddings plus we also headed of to a nearby field to capture some fun images.

The afternoon includes photography of bride prep and groom prep with the remainder of the day covering marketing, sales and advertising.

Special thanks goes to our two models, real life man and wife Ben & Sarah Jones and also to Martin Roffe for the loan of the wedding car.

If you're an aspiring wedding photographer looking for professional wedding photography training or maybe you're en enthusiast photographer who's been asked to photograph a wedding for a friend etc, then this course is definitely for you.

For further information please contact me personally on 07961 100 580 or 01376 323 915 or check out the 'Photography Training' website at www.Photo-Training.co.uk or at the main website www.JeffTurnbull.com where you will find details of all the courses that I run

Here are a few images from the wedding course.

Wedding Photography at Gosfield Hall, Scott & Kate Caisley by Photographer Jeff Turnbull

Gosfield Hall, Essex Wedding Photography by Full-time professional wedding photographer Jeff Turnbull. Essex, Suffolk & all UK & International Wedding Destinations

My main website can be viewed here www.JeffTurnbull.com

Last weekend I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of Scott & Kate Caisley at Gosfield Hall, a very popular and dedicated wedding venue in Essex. Gosfled Hall is a great wedding location and I love photographing weddings there as it's always a great experience and the venue really suits my style of wedding photography

When I originally met Scott & Kate I thought what a cool couple there were and I just knew that photographing their wedding was going to be great event. On the day, the guests arrived from all of the South East & London and places further afield including one of Scott's best friend flying in from Dubai.

Their young son, Sam, was the page boy and seeing him in his suit, my daughter Holly who was assisting me again said that it was the cutest thing she had ever seen. When we went to see Kate she looked absolutely stunning. As often happens unfortunately there was much less time than hoped to photograph Kate before she had to go to the ceremony.

Special thanks to the Best Man, Patrick, who was a great help on the day. He also delivered a great speech.

Here's wishing Scott, Kate and young Sam a fantastic future.

Gosfield Hall is one of the most popular wedding venues in Essex and it has probably the most impressive bridal suite out of the many wedding locations in the region.

My wedding photography style is about being creative with the light. With all the photographs below I have either used available light with the help of reflectors or as with the wedding cake cutting shot and couple's first dance I used a Lowel id video light as this provides a great natural glow which cannot be achieved with flash.

Click on the images to enlarge

Scott (blue top) with the boys

Kate & Sam

Can't miss a photo opportunity of the Stag (sorry Scott)

Female Portrait Session. West Mersea Beach Huts, Nr Colchester Essex

Qualified Wedding & Portrait Master Photographer Jeff Turnbull. Braintree, Chelmsford, Essex, Suffolk & the UK.

Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com

On Friday I had a real fun family portrait session with sisters June & Lisa, down on the beach at West Mersea, near Colchester. The beach make a great place for a lifestyle / environmental photo shoot as you have plenty of space with great surroundings but also with the breeze in your face and hair it provides you with a real feel good factor.

West Mersea has over 380 beach huts, but the best ones, in my opinion, are the 100 or so pastel coloured huts which are also the newest.

"The Chair" came with me and, despite funny looks from a few locals as I carried it aloft, we soon found a suitable spot and started the shoot. Doing an outdoor portrait session like this is great fun and working with June and Lisa was a dream. They are both free spirited ladies and weren't even fazed when they decided to get changed by one of the huts. Naturally I chose this time to wander off looking for different locations.

"The Chair" could be seen as a personal project but the main idea is to see just where it takes me on my portrait sessions. With each outdoor shoot I will be taking the chair with me to create some fun and interesting images.

Know of a unique location? If so why not let me know. If the location is really cooky then I'll even provide you with a complementary portrait session.

For further details you can call me personally on 07961 100 580 or call 01376 323 915. I can also be e-mailed at Jeff@JeffTurnbull.com

Here are a few images from Friday's sesion

What? You Expect a Cheap Photographer to be the Best?

Braintree, Essex, Suffolk Qualified Master Wedding & Portrait Photographer Jeff Turnbull

Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com

As you may have read in the newspaper yesterday, a couple took their wedding photographer to court because they were very unhappy with the photographs from their wedding day.

Now although the couple got awarded compensation, the fact is they have photographs from their wedding they are very unhappy about and which cannot be replaced

Reading the paper the couple mentioned that they had visited 11 wedding shows before choosing their wedding photographer. I don't know much about the photographer myself and when doing an Internet search it was clear that he had taken his website down so I cannot see his previous work however I must say that it seems their real motivation for choosing the photographer in question was purely down to price.

In all honesty, you cannot expect a cheap photographer to be the very best, that's why they're cheap! The simple fact is that the best photographers are not cheap at all and for good reason.

What you will get however is the greatest value because the best photographers have worked hard at what they do. They know how to control the guests for the photographs, they understand about lighting and colour balance, they know all about composition and posing to ensure that everyone, especially the couple, are looking their best and also they are able to think quickly on their feet. Usually with a wedding, because things are often running behind you have about 5 minutes to do what would normally take an hour at a portrait session.

Yes, you have to control costs, and there's nothing wrong with going with a cheaper photographer if you want but remember that long after the cake has been eaten, you've packed away the dress, and you've paid all your bills, your photographs are the only real record that you have of your big day. So who would you entrust? A photographer purely based on their price alone or someone who has spent time on their craft to ensure that you get the best photographs possible of your wedding?

Finally I met a potential client the other day where the conversation went like this.
Client: "My builder friend has just bought a new camera so actually I'm thinking of getting him to photograph my wedding."
Me: "Mmm, my photographer friend has just bought a new trowel, maybe I should get him to build me an extension!"

I think I got my point accross :-)

Here's the link to the Daily Mail article

Male Portrait photography: Great Notley Country Park & Bowl, Braintree

Braintree, Essex, Suffolk Wedding & Portrait Photographer Jeff Turnbull
Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com

My weeks continue to be very busy. I've been undertaking many location portrait sessions plus I'm also still very busy with weddings through to the end of the year.

One of the commissions I did last week was a portrait session for a local photographer, Tony Sale, who's based in Gosfield. Tony is a talented guy who I've had the pleasure of shooting with me as my second photographer at a few of my weddings.

In order to get something different for Tony's official photo for his website, www.tonysalephotography.com, we headed over to Notley Bowl, which is part of the Great Notley Country Park & Discovery Centre near Braintree in Essex.

Armed with an armchair (as one does) and a large bag of camera equipment we climbed up to the top of the hill where the sculpture, known as 'Kestrel of the South' or 'The Bird of Freedom' rests and looking very majestic.

Being a Lifestyle Photographer, environmental portrait sessions and photo shoots like this really suits my style of photography as it allows me more creativity plus the challenge of using natural light, thus ensuring that my clients get something really special to display; be it on their wall, their desk or even their website

If you're considering a unique portrait session and want to have your final framed prints & canvasses etc in time for Christmas then I still have a few dates left but you do need to be be quick so please call me personally today on 07961 100 580 or you can call 01376 323 915 . Alternatively please e-mail me at Jeff@JeffTurnbull.com

Another busy schedule this week including:
Brochure shoot... Property shoot... A Wedding... Portrait sessions...plus at the weekend I'm running a 'Wedding Photography Workshop' Hopefully, I'll get some of the results of my week up on the Blog:

Have fun

Wedding - Gary & Sara Gray - "John Ray House" Registry Office & White Hart Hotel Braintree

Essex, Suffolk & International Wedding Photographer Jeff Turnbull
Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com

On Saturday I had the real pleasure of providing the wedding photography for Sara and Gary at John Ray House, the wonderful Registry Office in Braintree, Essex. It's a awesome building and has great architecture both inside and out and is a lovely venue to be the wedding photographer.

Once again the weather was great allowing me to capture some traditional and contemporary photography in side and outside the venue.

Gary and Sara originally met as they were next door neighbours, however as they both worked long hours and were both commuting they had actually lived next door to each other for two years before they actually got to meet each other!

Following the wedding ceremony the wedding breakfast & reception was held at the White Hart hotel, which is a 16th century building also in Braintree.

Although the wedding season is slowly meant to be coming to an end I'm pleased to say that my wedding calendar is still very busy for 2009.

2010 dates are also getting booked up fast so if you're planning on getting married next year then please contact me on 01376 323 915 to confirm availability and to arrange a no obligation wedding consultation. Also as a BONUS for early booking I'm including a Complimentary Engagement/Pre-Wedding shoot for all album bookings.

Here are a few photographs from Gary & Sara's wedding

Oprah Winfrey & Black Eyed Peas - Cool Video - Impressing your Clients

Essex & Suffolk Wedding Photographer, Braintree, Colchester, Chelmsford, Sudbury
Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com

Now and again I see something that has me really stoked.

I saw this great clip at the weekend and although it has nothing directly to do with wedding or portrait photography it does remind me that to be ahead of the game, no matter what it is, that you have to wow your audience in order to grab their attention and to want them coming back for more.

I like to think that I try and do this by continuously working on my craft and by stretching myself to improve my capabilities as a photographer in order to produce the best quality images that blow my wedding, portrait and commercial clients away, time and time again.

Please click on the video (it's only just over 4 minutes long) and see what you think. If this video does it for you then you're definitely my type of client and one I'd love to work with you. I hope you enjoy the clip.



For further details about myself and to see further examples of my work then either visit my main website at http://www.jeffturnbull.com/ or check out more of my Blogs www.JeffTurnbull.blogspot.com

01376 323 915 e-mail Jeff@JeffTurnbull.com

Choosing your Wedding Photographer

Following a conversation I had with a client this week regarding Professional v Part-time Photographers I thought it might be a good idea to post on here a page from my main photography website which covers this topic.

What to think about when choosing your Wedding Photographer
The photographs from your wedding are very important to you and are going to be the best record of your day so with so many wedding photographers these days offering their services who do you choose?

Part-Time v Professional
Many so-called ‘wedding photographers’ have their own full time jobs during the week and are likely do wedding photography just to bring some extra money in and in some cases have not even had any proper training. There are examples where the couple getting married have had to call up a full time photographer panicking, with only a week or so before their big day, because the photographer they had originally booked now has to work that day so won’t be available for their wedding.

Essentials
In addition, many part-time photographers don’t have the necessary indemnity insurance that’s required and also they often don’t have the correct professional camera equipment to do the job and are also unlikely to carry the essential back-up photographic equipment.

Perception v Reality
The main reason for choosing a part-time photographer is they are perceived as cheaper. One couple said to me that they had decided on another photographer as he could offer the same service for less. However they found that the other photographer couldn’t offer the same at all. He had no insurance, no network of other photographers in the event he was was ill, he didn’t carry the best equipment available and probably worst of all he didn’t use a professional photo lab but instead used a high street outlet. So in fact they got much less for less.

Price
Of course price is very important, after all your wedding day can be a very expensive occasion and you will have a budget that you want to work to, however when choosing a photographer you shouldn’t make the price your main reason for choosing your photographer.

Value
As a full-time photographer I’m proud to say that I am a Qualified Member of both the ‘Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers association’ (SWPP) and the ‘Master Photographers Association’ (MPA) which is only available to fulltime photographers who have met the required high standards to become a Master Photographer.

Providing YOU Peace of Mind
Being members to these associations means that I work to a strict Code of Conduct & Practise but also it allows me to keep up to date with the wedding photography profession, it gives me access to continuous training, it puts me in with a network of other professional photographers, and also being a full-time photographer it allows me time to continually work on my craft.

Remember...
Anybody may be able to take a photograph of sorts. But who would you choose? A part-time photographer or someone who spends their working week working on the one area that will give you the best memories of your wedding day, allowing you to cherish them forever?

Further Reading & Advice:
Please read this article from "You and Your Wedding" http://www.youandyourwedding.co.uk/v1/Choosing_a_wedding_photographer/206


Are you looking for a professional photographer? Then please contact me on 01376 323 915 to arrange a no obligation consultation or e-mail me here jeff@jeffturnbull.com I look foward to hearing from you. To visit my main website, to see more about what I offer and to see examples of my work please visit www.JeffTurnbull.com

Orsett Hall, Essex - Gary & Cheryl, Pre Wedding Photography

Essex, Pre Wedding & Engagement Photography Jeff Turnbull - Orsett Hall Wedding Venue

To visit my main photography website please click here

Today I had a really fun photo session with Gary & Cheryl at Orsett Hall in Essex. Orsett Hall is a wonderful venue for a wedding and I love photographing there. They are a really loveley couple and I can't wait to photograph their wedding there in 2010. I had first met Gary when he came on one of my Photography Courses last year so it was great to find out even more about them, including how they met on holiday and what they like to get up to in their spare time.

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The purpose of today's session was for their pre-wedding / engagement portrait shoot. This type of portrait session has many benefits; firstly the couple get used to being photographed by myself, so come the big day they will be more relaxed. Secondly I can explain to them about the posing to ensure that they look very natural. Thirdly we get time to just chat along the way so i can find out more about the couple and they get to know more about me.

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From the session the couple receive around 30+ different images to choose from out of which their favourite photograph will then be printed as an enlargement and mounted to be made into a signature / dedication board. This board is then signed by their guests on the day of the wedding and after which the couple can then have framed. This makes a wonderful keepsake and of course can be displayed in their home for everyone to see.

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The usual cost for this session, including the signature board, is only £145.

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Want to receive this fantastic photo session & signature board for FREE?

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Then book your wedding with me for and for a limited time I'm offering this to add this to your package absolutely for free. So start by contacting me today on 01376 323 915 or e-mail me at Jeff@JeffTurnbull.com to arrange your initial wedding consultation.

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Please note that 2010 wedding dates are quickly getting filled so I really do urge that you contact me today. I look forward to hearing from you.

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Here are a few of the photographs from today's session with Gary & Cheryl.

Here's an example of a signature/dedication board

To book your wedding consultation or to asks any questions then please contact me on 01376 323 915 or e-mail me at Jeff@JeffTurnbull.com I look forward to hearing from you.

Wedding Photography Maidens Barn, High Easter, Chelmsford.

Chelmsford wedding photographer at Maidens Barn, High Easter, Essex

Visit my new website here www.jeffTurnbull.com

I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of a great young couple, Corinna & Stuart at Maidens Barn. It was a really lovely wedding to do and working with the couple was great fun throughout the day.

Maidens barn is a lovely Essex barn that has been beautifully restored and modernised to provide a wonderful venue for weddings and receptions. On the day the weather was great and the gardens were blooming making it a really colourful occasion. The only problem was there was a lot of interest from all the wasps!

Corinna looked absolutely stunning in her dress and as she walked up the isle there was hardly a dry eye to be seen, including her own.

My 16 year old daughter Holly came along with me as my assistant which she was doing the first time and I must say that she did a fantastic job and wasn't fazed at all even though she recognised a few of the guests as people who went to her school.

I wish you both many years of happiness together. You guys rock!

Here are a few shots from the day

Essex Air Ambulance Motorcycle Run. Dunton to Harwich

Jeff Turnbull. Essex wedding & portrait photgrapher based in Braintree. Providing charity photography accross Essex

To view the motorcycle run gallery please 'Click Here'

To view my main website please 'Click Here'

On Sunday I had the pleasure of covering the 10th annual Essex Motorcycle Run which is a huge fundraiser for the Essex Air Ambulance. This was the second year I've covered this event and it was even better than last year.

It all starts of at Dunton where there was record numbers with over 5000 bikers taking part and hundreds of non bikers joining in up in Harwich. The day was a huge success and I am pleased to say that its a record year with an amazing £40,596 being raised.

At the finish there was pleanty going on with live bands and other activities as well as a Mr and Miss Bike Run competition.

Further details about the Essex Air Ambulance charity can be found here http://www.essexairambulance.uk.com/

This was the first motorbike accross the finishing line

Mr & Miss Bike Run: Paula Lyon & Nick Galpin

www.JeffTurnbull.com - New Website Launched - Essex Wedding Photography

Essex Wedding & Portrait Photographer and photography training by Jeff Turnbull

Hi. Well, it took a little longer than I hoped but I can say that my new website is now finally up and running. www.JeffTurnbull.com

Landing Page Screen Shot

It seems that when I'm putting together a new website that I am for too optimistic in how long it will actually take to have it written... laid out... and then have it actually launched out there in cyber land. I thought it would only take a few hours... but it actually took (on and off) nearly a week!

Unfortunately the company I was dealing with are 8 hours behind and although I was very happy with their customer service it just meant that I could not start to deal with them until 5pm each day. However it did mean I could sit up all night until 1am in the morning still communicating with them, which is good, right? ;-)

Main Page Screen Shot

The new www.JeffTurnbull.com website allows me to get larger images displayed which will hopefully showcase my work better. Another feature I like is the ability to have music on there. I know there are mixed views about music on websites (especially for those viewers who are surfing while they are at work! lol) but usually when I put together a slide show for a client it always has music so to me it just makes sense to give the viewer the full experience.

The previous website (albeit now only a watered down version) can still be temporally viewed at www.JefTurnbull.co.uk but the idea of this is just to redirect people to the new site.

I hope you like the look of the new site and if you have any feedback (positive or otherwise) it would be really appreciated. Again the new website is www.JeffTurnbull.com

I look forward to hearing from you.