01:
What a soggy Saturday! Has summer already disappeared?
I did the engagement shoot for Heena & Vinay this weekend. Really well done to both of them for braving such a damp and miserable day, their images look fab and it’s really quite difficult from the images to see how damp Manchester can be.
Their Indian wedding has yet to happen later this year at Davenport Green, but they’ve already had their civil wedding which was quite lovely and have sent me this fantastic email:
“Dearest Kiran,
Vinay and I really wanted to drop you a quick email to say a massive thank you for doing such a fabulous job (against all adversity!) at our saagai and civil wedding on 7th March 2010. The cold weather and tight schedule didn’t dampen your spirits or your ability to take some amazing photos, which in turn has given us a lasting record of our perfect day. Vinay and I are delighted with the superb, creative, unique and sheer quantity of photos you took – it is most certainly going to be a difficult selection to make for our storybook album.
You really captured the day for us and have given us precious crystallised moments to cherish – certain things we didn’t even get a chance to see for ourselves on the day. We look forward to you covering our pre and post Indian wedding and Wedding Reception.
Much love and happy married smiles, Heena and Vinay”
23:
Well, what can I say about Heaton House Farm. It’s a real farm alright, with proper real smelly cows and big tractors, but behind the facade of sheds is a hidden gem. A labyrinth of interconnected marquees, with first class onsite accommodation (oh, and an onsite brewery, how good is that 
). I am surprised I have never been here before but it is absolutely perfect for an Asian wedding.
The weather was funny on the day, hale stone one minute, sunshine the next, on and off throughout the day. However, we managed to dodge the hale for some spectacular images and because it’s set high on a hill, we had spectacular views and were treated to a glorious sunset.
Here are a few sneaky pix, enjoy!
31:
A freezing cold day, but after a week of rain, somebody was looking down on Heena & Vinay because it was non stop sunshine all day. Davenport Green Hall is a fab wedding venue and is quirky and funky at the same time. These are pictures from the civil wedding which was preceded by a small religious ceremony in the morning, the indian wedding will be later in the year, held again at the same venue but in the specially built marquee which is perfect for huge stylee Indian weddings.
Enjoy!!
22:
Finally after weeks of pounding the pavements, yesterday saw the Sport Relief mile event.
Manchester was the chosen venue, and what a fab atmosphere it was as well. The sun was shining and Spinningfields was buzzing.
A little apprehensive, we (the 6 milers) set off at 10am, through the streets around Hardman Square and Granada Studios, and 6 times through cobbly Coronation Street, wow it looks so small close-up and those cobbles were really tricky on the old feet.
I must say a big thank you to everyone that has sponsored me, your money is going to be put to good use.
How long did it take? Well, 1hr 3mins, not the fastest but hey, we all gotta start somewhere, at least I did it non stop.
Here’s a couple of snaps from the iphone as I was running round and one mugshot just to prove I DID IT!!!!
A little pre run warm up!
‘Ay Betty, I’ll av an hotpot luv!’
Honest, I ran it all!!
28:
We will be exhibiting at the Lymm Hotel wedding Fayre on the 21st March 2010. So come on down and chat to us about your wedding.
As you know I will also be running for Sports Relief in Manchester City Centre on the same day, but rest assured we will have somebody at the hotel to answer your queries. If I am in any fit state I will try and get to the Hotel by the afternoon.
The details of the hotel are here.
05:
Come and join us at the Debenhams Trafford Centre Bridal Event on the 20th & 21st February 2010.
If you’ve been befuddled by all the other photographers out there. Come and see how we can make your day stress free and deliver the most natural and creative images from your wedding.
Also, don’t forget the Debenhams Gift List service, register your list on the weekend and you will receive:
* Free bottle of bubbly
* £50 on a gift card after your wedding to spend on whatever you like
* Free delivery for your guests
* Free prize draws £300 Estee Lauder beauty hamper
* Free goody bag
See you then!!
Psssst: Put it in the diary now, so you don’t forget!
30:
Yes you can see my very delectable pins, running for Sport Relief on the 21st March 2010, in Manchester City Centre. I have signed up to support a very worthy cause and to help those less fortunate than me.
Not to make it too easy i’ve opted to run the 6 mile (10km) course, which will apparently pound it’s way through the cobbled streets of ‘Coronation Street’, so If you would like me to pass on any messages to Ken & Dierdrie, just let me know.
Your support would be very welcome, just click on the icon to make a donation 
If you would like to join me for the run (in my case it will be a dainty canter), sign up and we can create a team (ex-marathon runners need not apply).
21:
A dramatic week for the photographic industry. On 13th of January 2010, the Environment Agencies Twitter feed published a call looking for amateur and student photographers in England and Wales interested in works experience.
The Agency was looking for photographers to work for free and supply them with a library of images at no expense to themselves so that they could build up a library of images to do with as they wished. Apart from travel expenses their was no other remuneration offered. A job normally undertaken by professional photographers and paid at commercial rates and under an agreed usage license.
These would not just be happy snaps we are talking about, but as is seen all over the internet, there are some very talented amateurs out there and just to make sure, the agency had requested that potential applicants should send in their CV along with sample images. So they could vet them and only used the very best, to keep the high standard of imagery produced by professionals.
Needless to say it resulted in huge condemnation from organizations representing professional photographers, such as the AOP (association of Photographer) and PI (Pro-Imaging). An ill thought out and negligent request by the Agency, who never even stopped to consider that these amateurs are unlikely to carry any sort of public liability insurance.
The Environment Agencies Facebook page was immediately bombarded with outrage from photographers, and in an attempt to save embarrassment, messages started to be deleted until eventually the whole Facebook page was shut down by the Agency in the evening.
The following morning Alex Ross, head of media events for the Environment Agency, issued a statement, part of which reads ‘ ‘The initial advert could have been better worded to recognise that we will always pay photographers’. However this did not go far enough to categorically say that students and amateurs would be treated fairly and paid a commercial fee.
Following further condemnation PI, eventually received a statement on the 21st January from the Agency which makes the following observations:
1. That amateurs and student photographers will be paid at an agreed rate per normal commercial best practice for their time plus expenses.
2. That the original terms re expenses only remuneration that were sent to applicants responding to the original advert for budding photographers are withdrawn.
3. That those who have replied and accepted work on an expenses only basis will now be paid as noted above for any work offered to them.
This is an unbelievable about turn by a government agency, and after pumping billions of tax payers money to prop up the follies of the banking system. This only further attempts to undermine a substantial part of the UK creative economy, which only smacks of shear desperation.
To read the full story go here www.pro-image.co.uk
15:
6am on the 2nd day of the new year and there was a sharp frost on the cars outside, apart from the freezing temperature there shouldn’t be any difficulty with the weather today.
How wrong could I have been, by 9am there was a blanket of snow at least 6in deep. Fueled up with a bacon butty, I set out to shoot Helen & Alec’s wedding, armed with a shovel in the boot, waterproof hats, boots & gloves, oh, and my Autosocks (check them out here http://www.autosock.co.uk). Thankfully, the snow hadn’t penetrated the heat of Manchester city centre, so it was all systems go.
The beauty of having a wedding at Manchester Town Hall is that no matter the weather outside, the interior has a plethora of creative opportunities and the lighting is wonderful because of the numerous huge spherical luminaires.
Here are a select few from the day:
03:
Happy New Year to all our clients and friends, we hope that 2010 will be prosperous for all of you and look forward to an exciting year ahead.
With more bookings than ever, 2010 looks like it is a bumper year already.
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