Whilst many cars were stuck in snow drifts, Rob & Wendy donned their wellies and headed to the coast for these pictures.  Hikers dressed in thick coats, hats and gloves looked on in amazement.  The great thing about these photos is that Rob & Wendy appear happy and relaxed, rather than freezing cold – obviously good actors!

I think my husband was secretly quite pleased when I told him we’d be photographing a wedding on Valentine’s Day, since it meant that he didn’t need to arrange a surprise weekend away!

In fact, the wedding of Julie and Phil at the Portsmouth Marriot on Valentine’s Day turned out to be a very romantic day – not only did Julie and Phil tie the knot, Julie’s parents celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary on the same day.

Something old, something new, something borrowed…. 

So much thought had gone into the whole day and especially to ensure that the celebration was also about Julie’s parents’ anniversary. 

One of the really touching things was that the buttons on Julie’s stunning wedding dress were actually from her Mum’s wedding dress 50 years earlier.  The dress was hand-made by a family friend and was simply beautiful – here is a picture that shows off the amazing lace detail.  One of the bridesmaids even had a cuddly panda wearing a matching dress! 

Stunning wedding dress

The panda's matching wedding dress!

 The snow thawed just in time

Julie and Phil were so lucky that they decided to get married that weekend and not the previous weekend when most of the country was blanketed in the heaviest snow for 25 years.  The sunny weather meant that we were able to go outside to take some lovely late-afternoon photos, though we had to do this quickly as it was still bitterly cold!  Here are a couple of my favourites.

Julie & Phil

Still laughing after 50 years

 A well-kept secret

One of the reasons that I love photographing weddings is that I enjoy getting to know couples and their families before the big day, and this helps to keep the photography nice and relaxed at the wedding. 

I first met Julie, her sister Wendy and brother Gary back in the Autumn when we did a secret portrait shoot in West Sussex, so that they could give their parents a framed portrait photograph for their anniversary.  It was so emotional when they presented this to their parents at the wedding – a few tears were shed all round. 

Unwrapping the big surprise

 View the online wedding album

The online wedding album can be viewed by Julie & Phil’s family and friends on my main website - please contact Julie or Phil for the password.

The new two-hour package includes the following:

• Pre-wedding consultation
• Two hours photography 
• Online wedding photography gallery- to share your photos with family and friends
• DVD of high-resolution photographs
• Profession prints of your favourite photos

Of course, you can choose to upgrade the package, by adding extra hours of photography, albums or framed prints/canvasses. 

Find out more on the weddings page of my website.  Or why not contact me today to find out more or to arrange a no-obligation consultation at a time that suits you? 

http://www.kirstyjohnstonphotography.co.uk

Enter our competition today to win a fun and relaxed photoshoot of the two of you – worth £75!

A fun, relaxed photoshoot

We offer fun and relaxed portrait shoots throughout East Sussex and West Sussex.  We meet in a location of your choice and take some great informal shots of the two of you.  You will then be able to view your photographs in an online image gallery and pick out your favourite.  I will arrange for this to be professionally printed and mounted for you to keep (for free).  Please take a look at my portrait gallery to see examples of recent photoshoots.

The photoshoot will take place in either February or March – we can have a chat about which day works for you (I’m afraid that I’m already booked to photograph a wedding on Valentine’s Day so we’ll have to pick another date).

How to enter the Valentine’s Day competition

I like to keep things simple, so there are no difficult questions to answer, you just need to drop me an email using the contact form on my website.  I will then put all the entries in a pot and pick out the winner.   No catches, just a very nice and thoughtful present for you both.

Hurry..the closing date is 11th February

The competition is open until Wednesday 11^th February 2009.  I will contact the winner by 12^th February; so for those of you who don’t win you’ll still have a couple of days to buy that all important Valentine’s Day present!

Please note that this competition is open to couples only. 

Good luck and happy Valentine’s Day!

A couple of years ago I was a stressed-out bride trying to decide who to pick to photograph my wedding.  So how do you choose?  There are loads of tips in bridal magazines and on websites, but I thought I would offer my personal thoughts on the importance of finding a photographer you’re comfortable with and the benefits of a pre-wedding photo shoot.

Natural smiles, not gritted teeth.

The most important thing is to get a photographer that you feel comfortable with, after all you’re going to spend much of the day with them, and you want your wedding photos to be full of natural smiles rather than gritted teeth!  Most photographers are lovely people and will do a great job, however there are some (we’ve all seen them at a friends’ wedding!) who like to take over and order you about.  You want a wedding photographer who will make the effort with your friends and family and who will blend in to capture great natural photos.  

An understanding eye

A good photographer will take the time to fully understand what photos you want and in what style; they’ll give you advice on looking your best and will be sympathetic to any ‘body issues’ you have so that they can take photographs sensitively (for example I’m a bit paranoid about my nose and wonky teeth so I don’t want photos highlighting those!). 

A pre-wedding photoshoot is a great way to ensure you feel comfortable with the photographer and is a nice opportunity to discuss any photos that you do/don’t want. 

Most important day of your life

You also need to look for a photographer who is genuinely enthusiastic about your wedding.  Some photographers photograph so many weddings that this enthusiasm inevitably wains…yet you want them to be excited for you as this is one of the most important days of your life.  When you meet potential photographers, look for someone who is genuinely interested in your day and has a sparkle in their eye when they talk about photographing weddings.

Ask around

And of course, seek recommendations for great photographers from family, friends and work colleagues.  This is how I found my photographer and it gave me a lot of reassurance that they were nice people and their photos were great!

Anything I’ve missed?

Have you had good or bad experiences with photographers in the past?  I’ll be posting more tips soon, so if you’ve got ideas to add, please let me know and I will add them.

Thanks for making 2008 such a special year – I genuinely loved photographing your weddings and getting out and about to take funky ‘lifestyle’ portraits with you. 

I look forward to more adventures in 2009 – please keep an eye on this blog for details of special offers that I will be posting monthly throughout 2009!

www.kirstyjohnstonphotography.co.uk

Stunning wedding photography and civil partnership photography in Brighton, Sussex and throughout the South-East UK

I specialise in stylish, informal reportage-style wedding photography; the kind that tells a story. I’ll create a beautifully shot collection of colour and black and white images to give you a vivid, timeless reminder of a very happy day. I can even photograph you and your friends before the big event in hen or stag night finery, to capture more good memories for the future.   Please take a look at my main website to find out more about our wedding photography services throughout Sussex and the south-east UK. 

Please take a look at out our wedding photography packages and wedding photography gallery.

Contemporary portrait photography throughout Sussex

My portrait photographs are contemporary, lively and fun and my photo shoots are relaxed, informal and enjoyable. I often take photos outdoors to make the most of natural light, and I digitally-perfect every image. You choose which pictures you’d like to buy before taking advantage of an exciting range of printing and framing options. There’s nothing quite like a natural, well shot portrait photograph taken by a friendly professional who knows exactly how to capture the essence of the people you love.

Please take a look at my main website for further detail of our portrait photography shoots throughout Sussex and our portrait photography gallery.

Expert commercial photography

I take well considered, top quality commercial stills for businesses nationwide. Whether it’s an important corporate event, a PR project, website photography, a company brochure or Reports & Accounts, I’ll capture the images you need to fulfill the brief perfectly. I cover everything from advertising projects to exhibitions, parties to promotions, products to pack shots. I also offer professional corporate portraiture to businesses. Whatever your commercial photography needs, I’ll propose innovative ways to project your business’s identity, activities and core values positively and clearly.

Sussex wedding photography