Mumbling Metaphores and Genuine Gratitude [End - 2008]

I’m sat in the same place as I was this time last year, but everything has completely changed since then. January marked an official start of what I wanted to become, I had a vision, and although ideas and views change, that vision has never altered. It’s nearly impossible to sum up a year which has been just so eventful.

Personally, 2008 has proved to challenge me and every single person who I regard as family. There’s been times when you think I’ve let you down, and times when I have. I hope – that when you look back – I’ve made those close to me – proud. Through all the business jargon, that’s all I’ve ever pursued.

I regard everyones strength and optimism through this difficult year as an inspiration, those who can overcome, hide, diffuse (or whatever it is they do) have become the strongest people I think I’ll ever meet.

It seems we’ve drove through 2008, blindfolded, and arrived at a pit stop safely with nothing but a few scratches. Atleast for the next part of this road – we have a friggin’ Sat Nav.

Dani, you’ve become my world and everything that’s in it. Together we’ve somehow forged a wall and started to build things inside it. Our future won’t be spent driving blindfolded – this is a mere construction site, and very soon, we’ll build our little fortress from nothing but determination…and blood…and sweat…and tears, actually – we’ve giving it everything we’ve got.

“I Love You” isn’t the start of it.

With work, there’s been times when I’ve doubted myself, and enivitbly numerous occasions when people have doubted me, I’ve learnt to develop a determination that goes beyond obsession, accepting that most of the time, I am – infact, wrong.

This is not an obsession with photography, and certainly not a determination for media success, it’s simply the fact that I am literally 70% focused on where I see myself being (the other 30% is spent sleeping or drinking coffee).

I can’t begin to look at 2009, because it’s immediately going to throw us in the deep end. You won’t hear a lot from us during the first half of the year, we’re hoping to get our first place sorted by February/March and obviously we’re getting married in June, so, personally, it’s a massive year. From a business perspective – it’s equally as busy , there’s a lot going on from day one, right through the year, the scary thing is – it’s already planned out.

Over the last year, I’ve met some amazing people. I want to take the chance to say a “thank you” to everyone we’ve worked with and to the (over) 200 people we’ve photographed since starting as a business exactly a year today. I also want to say thank you to everyone who works with us on a regular basis. I’ve discovered a nutter, her name is Emily-Jane. I want to thank her for all her support over the last year, working with you has been a total pleasure.

I personally want to thank everyone for giving us a chance, thanks for your trust, your friendship and for even taking the time to read this. I’ll never stop being grateful for everyone who has supported us in building our future.

“Thank You” is a massive understatement.

Happy New Year!

Creative Shoot with SJ

For me, the winter is a quiet time and I always enjoy every minute of it after months of "shoot after shoot after shoot". This year, I decided to use this time abit more creatively and set up a shoot with one of my favourite models and obviously, Emily-Jane.

The day was always going to be abit hectic, we had a model coming from Derbyshire and our make up artist coming from around Leicester, which causes enough problems with logistics etc. Once Emily arrived at the studio, Emily stopped to grab a few munchies (too many to list here haha) and we set off to collect SJ from t'station in Birmingham.

First thing that made me giggle (to myself) was everyones accents. Even though Derbyshire or Leicester arn't too far north of Birmingham, I couldn't believe the difference in accents.

We arrived at the studio and began the mammoth task of figuring out what order to shoot everything in. We started with a few beauty shots of SJ. I love shooting in a beauty headshot style, I think it's amazing how removing somebodies make up and keeping hair out of shot can have such an impact, I suppose it shows a person at their purest physical state, which can only be a good thing in a portrait.
But what would be the point in having Emily around if we wern't doing any make up? Well, other than her constant supply of snacks, hilarious random statements about nothing and her posing direction skillz...not much. So I gave permission for Emily to go mad.

And she did! In all time best, creative style!


SJ did a fantastic job sitting still all day in our freeeezing studio whilst we ran round throwing things on her, whilst her partner somehow endured the mind numbingly boring task of... watching. Well done, both of you!
Just want to say a massive thank you to everyone involved in the shoot. I'm choosing which prints to order for our new studio as we speak! Thanks guys!

Sharon & Paul Pre-Wedding Shoot

So we'd had a morning of pre-wedding consultations at our local pub with a few couples looking to book us for next year, and by lunchtime, me and Dani got a bit peckish so we grabbed a bowl of cheesey chips from the bar.

Scoffing away, saying "We best eat these quick because the next couple will be here in a few minutes". The pub was really quiet, just to set the scene, it's only about 11:30am and the pub is pratically empty, there's one or two people there too, including one couple sat on the next table to us.

We're still scoffing, and I mention to Dani; "I'll just erase the shots off camera from the last shoot" - at this point, the couple next to us say; "You're not Chris Barber by any chance?" - Embarrased, we shamefully admitted, "...yes" - it was our pre-wedding shoot couple...

Thankfully, Sharon and Paul found it funny and after discussing a few points about their wedding, we got out into the lovely winter sun and did their pre-wedding shoot.

We got some really nice shots! They are such a great couple, we had so much fun doing your shoot. I can't wait to shoot their wedding Christmas Eve!

Shooting Holly

You remember Holly right? We worked with her a couple of months ago, triggering her aspiration to become a model. This shoot was very different to her previous shoot, although we were re-armed with our make up artist - Emily "Bready" Jane (Great to have her back!)

Holly brought some great ideas to the studio which she's spent the last couple of months planning. The great thing about people bringing in ideas is that it gives me the time to plan exactly how I want to shoot it. This was one of those shoots when model/tog and make up all fitted together really well to create some great shots.

Holly did real great and we had alot of fun working with different ideas, although it was freeeezing in the studio. We'll be moving very soon to a brand new home studio - which is going to be a vast improvement, more news on that in the next month or two.

Just want to say thanks to Holly for choosing us to put such a great idea into action. I really hope you like your new photos!

A Day Away

Don't get me wrong. I love every aspect of my job, I love the variety, I love new challenges and I love the independance working for myself offers. However, we all need a day or two to rest every now and again, and seen as Virgin media decided to provide no internet for a day or two, I thought I should get out and enjoy a family day (me plus mum/dad and dog)

Armed with my new fetching wooley hat and camera (ofcourse) I got snapping in some great Winter light... which soon clouded over and turned to snow?? I even managed to get my favourite ever shot of a Mushroom. Yes, really.

Shoot for Timeout Magazine

I received a slightly frantic phone call last week from Timeout Magazine requesting a photographer to cover an article for them at short notice. After abit of rescheduling and jiggling about, I was able to say yes. Turns out, one of my favourite local photographers was meant to be covering it for them but he's away in New York from Saturday so he recommended me, which was my favourite "tap on the back" so far.

I really didn't know what to expect. I had been informed that it was a childrens choir, but I had no idea what age or exactly what the photos were for. But it's not my job to be nosey, I'm there to take pictures.

I arrived in Bourneville, welcomed by Laura who was really helpful and welcoming throughout the shoot. The small group from of around 9 children performed the Keymaster. Despite only having 4 days to prepare, and not having the certain elements of the performance available, they put on a great show.

These children are really talented and it's great to see people taking time to provide activities for youngsters.


Thanks to everyone who was there on the day for making me feel so welcome and I wish you all the best!

Nikki and Family Portrait Shoot

Going back a few weeks - Nikki contacted us requesting a portrait shoot for her mums birthday with her sisters.

A few weeks later and it's the day of the shoot. The clouds are brewing and the threat of rain has never looked more likely. I believe that family portrait shots shouldn't be posed in a studio - so outdoors was our only choice.

We arrived on location and the rain started, as though it was just waiting for us to get out the car. We started with a few mother and daughter shots in a relatively sheltered part of the park, but it was clear that the weather wasn't on our side.

But Nikki and family are a great bunch and were really co-operative with getting the shots they wanted. After a few shots in the rain, the girls seemed to forget it was pouring down and got on with the shoot, even braving a few without umbrellas.

There was the occasional bright spell, but the day was really dominated by a depressing drizzly cloud hanging over the park.

Thankfully, mum and girls saw the funny side of it all and we got some great shots. Amazingly, in some shots it actually looks warm/dry. I'm sure they'll back me up on this....It wasn't! It were bloody freezing!

Great photos though and that's all that matters :) Thanks guys, hope to see you all again sometime!

Pre-Wedding Shoot - Hana and Kaleem

Myself and Dani took ourselves off for our weekly outing to Birmingham, where we seem to based every weekend now for the last month. It's great because Dani's introduced me to trains. Prior to this, I have been a hardcore bus rider (I use buses). I'm still abit to weary off catching a train on my own, but hopefully, one day, I'll have the knowedge to catch trains without ending up in Tunisia (Honest - it'd happen to me).

Anyhow,

We arrived at Snow Hill station (which is cold!!!) and walked down to Digbeth (Custard Factory) to meet todays clients, Hana and Kaleem, who we're shooting a wedding for in less than a month.

Thanks to my sophisticated army trained timing skills, we got there about an hour early, which, with our tummy's rumbling - was a good thing. We searched and searched but sadly Custard Factory dedicates itself to selling second hand things you never want on a Sunday, calling it "vintage" - apologies to vintage lovers out there - but I don't know why anybody would want to purchase a decaying, smoke smelling, colour faded, stuffed budgie in the middle of a credit crises and Christmas.

I'd like to add that eventually we found a little place that sold jacket potatoes, so we were happy.

We took Hana and Kaleem to a little old pub for a coffee and a chat about wedding arrangements, which seemed alittle silly seen as we only saw them last week - but still we confirmed ideas for photos and clarified arrangements for the day. And then it was out into the cold for a quick shoot.

And quick it was! We braved the cold Digbeth air for about an hour, pretending it was 30 degrees on an exotic carribean island.

Really looking forward to the big day! See you then

Chris