Guernsey Now - Spring 2017 issue

An unusual post this - not about my work, but a little plug from proud parents!

My eldest daughter, Rosemary, has just had a few pictures, including the cover, published in the latest Guernsey Now magazine!

She was commissioned to do the shoot with a spring theme.  Due to publishing deadlines, the photography had to be taken several weeks in advance, at a decidedly un-spring like time, just to add to the challenges.  In addition, Rosemary ably organised 4 different models through agencies, the release forms, flowers and a council photography permit.  And of course then produced some fantastic images.

So do rush out and grab yourselves a copy before they disappear!

Natalie & Phil - A New Year's Eve Wedding

New Year's Eve is always an exciting time for a wedding. Getting married, having a great party and seeing the New Year in at the same time!

This is exactly what Natalie and Phil did.  The weather was once again beautiful, though a little chilly at times following the morning's frost.

Natalie and her bridesmaids had a bit of fun getting ready, while Phil and the groomsmen had a sustaining late breakfast.

 The ceremony was held at St. Andrew's Church, my first there with Rev. Tim Barker.

We took advantage of the beautiful winter lighting for this lovely picture of the bridesmaids, flower girl and page boy as we waited for Natalie to arrive with her father.

 The light was streaming in through the church windows during the ceremony, this gave tricky exposures but also gave the opportunity to spot some lovely details and highlights.  Rev. Barker conducted a touching ceremony.

 When the couple left the church they had rather a large amount of confetti to walk through!

We were just in time to catch the last rays of light during a stop on the coast for a few scenic pictures.  The beach was surprisingly crowded as people went for a winter walk on the sunny afternoon.

 Soon we were in the cosy interior of The Farmhouse for the reception.  Beautiful details adorned the dining room, with quite a stunning cake which had a lot of clever touches.

 Speeches were entertaining.  Dale, the best man, did put Phil under a bit of pressure to show off his musical skills.  All in the best humour.

 We grabbed some fresh air before the evening guests arrived to take a few outdoor pictures, always a chance to take some exciting images.

 Phil is obviously also a bit of a craftsman, as his carefully constructed "Love" sign showed.  The sign provided a strong feature for the dance floor, especially during the first dance.

Not really what it was intended for, but the sign also provided a cute seat for two of the younger guests as they took a break from the dancing.

 There was plenty of time for conversation and dancing as the countdown to New Year's Eve continued.

 Happy New Year to everyone!

Lisa & Ben

Just a few days before the winter solstice we were treated to weather that could almost have passed for a summer's day.  This beautiful, calm and sunny day was perfect for Lisa & Ben's wedding.

Lisa got ready at The Farmhouse, where the reception was to be held later on.

 A midday ceremony meant there was little time in the morning for everyone to get ready, but once all the preparation was finished we just had time for some stunning portraits of Lisa.

Ben cut a very relaxed figure as he got ready with his groomsmen, and again when he greeted guests at St. Martin's Church.

The bride's brother, James, proudly escorted Lisa into the church.  I love the low angled light during the winter months, as it adds some lovely atmosphere to these pictures.

The low light streaming through the windows was tricky to expose for at times, but it added a nice touch to the scene. Indeed, the whole ceremony was a beautiful occasion.

After the ceremony, we stopped off on the coast for a few pictures. As we approached, I noticed some nice light that we were just in time to take advantage of, as the sun dropped just moments later to leave the area in shadow.

As normal my wife, Karen, helped taking pictures on the wedding day.  We were also joined by Rosemary, our eldest daughter, on this occasion too.  Rosemary has got a total of 8 images in this blog, including the one below.  Anyone want to guess which others are hers?

 The Farmhouse was beautifully decorated for this winter wedding, with the multitude of lights coming into their own as it got darker.

 The intricate rings were worth a bit of effort to make a special picture of.

After the first dance, Element 6 played a couple of sets which were well received by everyone dancing, with the rest of the evening music provided by Jason of Q-Sky.  Between them they kept the dance floor busy and lively all night long.

 Enjoy your honeymoon Lisa & Ben, I hope you can check this preview from such a long way away!

Jo & Matt - a fairy tale wedding

Jo & Matt's wedding was without a doubt one of the sweetest and beautiful weddings we have covered.

The wedding dress was very impressive and Jo couldn't wait to wear it.

Everyone got ready in good time.  Jo and her dad, Steve, had a few moments together before their car arrived.

 The wedding took place at Delisles Methodist Church.

 When I arrived at the church the weather could only be described as very wet, very windy and very gloomy!  But the weather really doesn't matter for a wedding, as this event most definitely proved.

 There wasn't much room for Jo and her dad to walk up the aisle side by side!

 Sian Street conducted a very touching ceremony.

 The couple were genuinely delighted when they had a quick look at the dining room at The Peninsula Hotel.

 There was a Disney theme throughout.

 We had taken an engagement picture for Jo & Matt which was used for guests to sign at the reception. The lovely image, which showed the couple's closeness beautifully, was very well received.

 Speeches didn't follow a conventional pattern.  The bride's father gave his speech, then we had a video interview where the groom chatted with Peter, Jo's stepfather.

 This was certainly one of the most emotional speeches we have witnessed at a wedding, such a heartfelt occasion.

 What stunning wedding rings.

 The emotional moments continued with Jo & Matt's first dance.

 A surprise dance was suddenly sprung upon the onlookers, this rendition of Thriller was performed very slickly.  There must have been a lot of practice involved, but it was well worthwhile.

Hope you all enjoy this preview while I work on editing the rest of the pictures, my eyes are quite moist  working on this touching wedding.

Anna & Alex - Trinity Church and The Old Government House Hotel

The sun was just up and the shadows were long when Alex and his groomsmen began a round of golf.  It was an early start for me too, but well worth it to get some great pictures of this friendly group of guys.

 The weather was surprisingly warm, but with a stiff wind.  It was the wind that was blamed for a few wayward shots, but then maybe Alex had something else on his mind!

 After the golf I made my way to Anna's parents house, my wife Karen took over photographing the groomsmen.  They had another walk down into Town to The Britannia for a drink before the ceremony.

 I have to own up, my daughter Rosemary took took this very clever picture of Anna's beautiful dress.

Their preparations went well, but time was always going to be a bit short for me to get to the church.

 Seb and Zac were probably the most excited and best behaved page boys that I have come across.

  Alex grabbed a quick glance towards his approaching bride as she was escorted up the aisle by her father, Barry.

 Rev. John Honour conducted a wonderful ceremony, with some very humorous touches!

As the couple exited the church, we were treated to a piper.  This added to the atmosphere as everyone gathered outside the church.

 Then we all made our way to Candie Gardens for a drinks reception.  This was a lovely location for everyone to gather in the warm autumn weather.

 Candie Gardens looked stunning with a good deal of flowers and colour even at this time of the year, the gardeners need to be congratulated for their work.

 There was plenty of time for people to chat and mingle with a glass of champagne, this wedding really was very relaxed and had an air of informality.  After walking down to the Old Government House Hotel, people went straight to their seats in the splendidly decorated dining room.  Speeches were before the meal.

 The bouquet toss made for an amusing sequence of pictures.  Sorry, no room on this blog to see them all!

 After the first dance, Stoked provided the music for the night.  They are always an energetic band that enthuse people to fill the dance floor.

 I enjoy pictures like this that set the scene.

 This was a long day, but rewarding to cover for such a great group of people.

Cath & Jo - St. Martin's Church & Castle Cornet

Cath & Jo's wedding was a particularly busy day, they got married at St. Martin's Church, with the reception held at Castle Cornet.

 Tim, Cath's father, practised his speech in the garden on the lovely morning.

 There wasn't too much time once the bride and bridesmaids arrived from the hairdressers, but all got ready in good time.

While I photographed the bride's preparations with my daughter Rosemary, my wife Karen was photographing the groomsmen.  Jo seemed quite relaxed, cheerfully greeting guests as they arrived at the church.

Cath had a very special chauffeur, Roger's beautiful Rolls Royce provided an extra element of elegance to her arrival at the church.  The bridesmaids arrived in a couple of Land Rovers, both meticulously cleaned as if they had just left the showroom.

 The couple's transport for after the ceremony was already waiting parked nearby, a bit of a contrast, a loud and brightly coloured TVR!

As  Reverend Kerle asked everyone to stand, Cath was proudly escorted up the aisle by her father.

It was an emotional moment.

 Rev. Kerle can always be relied upon to give a touching and humorous ceremony.

 There was a surprise awaiting the couple as they left the church, a guard of honour provided by the rowing club!  A special treat for Cath.  I knew with the rowing club involved in the wedding it was going to be a lively party that evening!

 After a few family group pictures and lots of hugs and handshakes all around we left to go to Castle Cornet for the reception.

 The Castle has got to be one of the most spectacular locations for a wedding.

 The reception itself was held in the Hatton gallery, speeches took place before the meal.  The decor was perfect, with little jars of honey from the family hives on all the tables too!

 The guests were treated to some great evening entertainment.  We had to quickly fit in some pictures on the way to the Amherst Room.  Now most weddings may have a band or a DJ, but we had 2 bands and a DJ!  Plus the groom himself played in both bands, Jo and Cath really are a very talented couple!

 It was hot and loud!  Gay Army and Thee Jenerators pumped out some awesome music to a very appreciative audience.  I was certainly impressed and enjoyed the show and taking photographs of the high energy performances.

 Then it was back to the Hatton Gallery for the cake cutting and first dance.  DJ Andre kept the dance floor heaving in this atmospheric setting.

 A special day for a special couple.

AeroSparx - night time air display

I don't seem to post many non-wedding related pictures on my blog, not quite sure why really.  But, in any case, occasionally something comes up that is quite special and spectacular.

Tonight Guernsey was treated to an amazing display by the AeroSparx team.  On a beautiful still night, with a high spring tide, St. Peter Port Harbour was the perfect setting.

I was actually enjoying a family meal in town before one of my daughters leaves to start university.  While they didn't have to move from their seats as they had an upstairs view over the harbour from The Taj, I made my excuses as I ran off to set up my cameras on the Albert Pier.

It is always tricky to photograph something that one has never seen before, but I figured the exposures should be similar to a firework display.

Things happened fast and the near 10 minute display seemed to be over in far too short a time.

Anyway here are some of my shots, the first one is an exposure that covers just over 7 minutes of the display in one image, it illustrates the bewildering amount of manoeuvres these guys make, in the dark, while firing pyrotechnics!

Quickly packing up, I then made my way back to finish my beer and nan bread.  A quite special evening.

Mica & Richard - a wedding at Castle Cornet

Mica & Richard's wedding was very distinctive.  Firstly they had a small and very sweet ceremony at St. Saviours Church on Friday, then the next day a spectacular celebration at Castle Cornet.

Believe it or not, this actually wasn't the smallest ceremony we had photographed.  It was beautifully relaxed and quite delightful.  Rev. Charmley took the ceremony, with only the couple and their parents present.  Well I was there with my normal team, my wife Karen and also my eldest daughter Rosemary.  As normal, we kept ourselves very discreet, even more important with such a small number of people in attendance.

A few work colleagues had hidden away outside as Mica & Richard emerged as a married couple.

Now onto Day 2. 

 One of the bridesmaids, Sophie (on the far right), spent the following day in a bath of tomatoes for charity!  A strange contrast indeed!  Well done and good luck with your tricycle ride to Paris too.

 While Rosemary and myself covered the bride getting ready, my wife Karen photographed the groomsmen.

 An old friend needed some special attention throughout the morning.

 The scene at the Castle for the ceremony was idylic.

 Rev. Charmley took the ceremony again, but the legalities had been taken care of the day before.  What a unique setting.

 A wedding in a castle, with a cake to match.

 The details in the marquee were obviously very carefully thought about.  The effect was stunning.

 Our toastmaster, Anthony, had come over specially from Jersey.  He was a great asset to the smooth running of the day.  But then having worked with his father, I knew Anthony would be well trained.

 Speeches took place prior to the meal.

 As evening approached we had the cake cutting and then people enjoyed the evening sunshine as preparations took place for the first dance.

 Castle Cornet is always an exciting place to photograph in, it was fun to take a few more artistic pictures later in the day.

 What a truly great day we all enjoyed with Mica & Richard.

Wynne & Wynne

After a recent successful day in the studio shooting pictures for local hairdressers 'Wynne and Wynne', http://www.wynneandwynne.co/, with my daughter Rosemary, our work was published in the 'GSY Life' magazine. It had five double page spreads, and included the set - up and preparation for the event.   

Go out and find yourselves a copy of this nice glossy magazine to see the reproductions in full.  I have posted a few images below.

As normal most of the work is in the preparations.  All the hairdressers and models had great fun while they worked to produce some amazing styles.

James Harrison filmed the day, producing a very dynamic video that is great to watch.

As soon as the models were ready we started photographing them in a variety of poses.  The idea was to show off Wynne & Wynne's work in an exciting way.

 The day was long and hard work, but it was great to have the opportunity to photograph this event, thank you Tammi.

Also thanks to my eldest daughter Rosemary for assisting and taking some great pictures herself.
https://rosemarydespres.wordpress.com/ for more of her work.

     

Natalie & Guy

Natalie & Guy had a great day, getting married at St. Stephen's Church with their reception at La Grande Mare.  As I type this with the rain pouring down outside, it seems odd to be working on their pictures when their day was blessed with no wind and beautiful sunshine.

The bride and bridesmaids had a very early start to the day at the hairdressers, but with a midday ceremony, time was always going to be tight.

 Though once they were back at mum's, it wasn't long before everyone was fully ready at quite impressive speed!

 Guy and his groomsmen had a lot less to do, even managing to fit in a drink at the Rocquettes before the ceremony.

Natalie arrived precisely at 12 o'clock.

 This was my second wedding in recent weeks at St. Stephen's Church.  Again, Father Moore treated us to a lovely ceremony.

 The car looked so good, that Guy couldn't resist getting in the driver's seat!

 Once the correct chauffeur was in place, the couple made their way to the reception via a quick stop for pictures.

 Everything was beautifully laid out in the dining room.

 Speeches were great, with the best man in particular getting everyone laughing.

 We were even treated to a very personal and humorous song, before a couple of brave young people also said a few words.  This was much appreciated.

The couple had mentioned previously that they were going to have around 100 extra guests arriving for the reception. They were not exaggerating! Natalie and Guy were obviously a very popular couple, with the extra guests adding to the vibrant atmosphere on the packed dance floor.

 The good weather continued right throughout the day, with the evening being calm enough for people to enjoy time relaxing outside between songs.

 I wanted to share these last couple of pictures that I am especially pleased with. We snuck away from the dance floor to take some pictures after dusk. It was lovely to take a moment away from the frenzied dancing to enjoy the stillness outdoors, with a beautiful mist forming over the water..

Shanti & Tim

Shanti & Tim had such a sweet and relaxed wedding, with the ceremony at St. Stephen's Church and the reception held in the grounds of Sausmarez Manor.

 There was a great bond between the bride and her bridesmaids.

 Baby Rollo was absolutely delightful throughout the day.

 The groomsmen enjoyed a lunch at The Boathouse before making their way to the church.

 Shanti travelled to the church in a stunning car.

Shanti's son, Alfie, walked her down the aisle- a moment I'm sure he was very proud of.

 This was my first wedding at St. Stephen's Church since its refurbishment, and also my first there with Father Moore.  The interior of the church was certainly in pristine condition and made for a lovely backdrop for the touching ceremony.

Sausmarez Manor had a lively, garden party atmosphere for the guests to enjoy, along with plenty of sunshine.

 The marquee that had been set up looked amazing. The interior was decorated with vibrant flowers and the outside of the marquee looked just as beautiful.

 The quiet warm weather was ideal, as the speeches unusually took place outside the Manor.

 The speeches were entertaining, with the best woman's speech being particularly memorable. The lobster theme was certainly unique, with hilarious attention to detail as Tim ended up with a lobster claw to wear!

 The setting of the reception made a beautiful scene as night fell.

 Inside the marquee it seemed like no one wanted the day to end, with some frantic barn dancing finishing off what was a very special day for Shanti and Tim.

Renée & Nick

Renée & Nick had a wonderful day for their wedding.  Sunny and warm, but not too hot like the last few days!

Hair and make-up were done at home which made for a relaxing start.

 Renée looked quite amazing.

 My daughter Rosemary took these images below while I was photographing some portraits of the bride.

 Dad's expression says it all.

 Meanwhile, Nick and his groomsmen had time for a quick drink at the Deerhound before the short walk to the Forest Church.

 The ring did go on, eventually!

 A brisk breeze made it tricky to take pictures with Renée's hair and veil needing a bit of attention.  But the scenery was beautiful.

 Then we made our way to La Grande Mare for the reception.  Everyone enjoyed the nice weather out on the lawn prior to moving indoors.

 The dining room was laid out to great effect.

 I was really pleased with what I managed to come up with when I photographed the rings.  Nick had designed his own ring and a friend and guest at the wedding had made the rings (from Rocks, Le Pollet). This was a lovely personal touch for the couple.

 Speeches took the traditional slot after the meal and were good entertainment.

 Dancing was split between the normal dance floor with Q-Sky as DJs, and a couple of friends singing and playing guitars in the conservatory.

 We sneaked off for a few pictures in the evening, getting some beautiful images as night fell.  One example is below.

 There was some lively dancing, which was a fun end to a great day for Renée and Nick.

Gemma & Christopher

Gemma & Christopher had a delightful wedding at St. Sampson's Church, followed by a reception at The Farmhouse.

There was quite a crowd getting ready at Gemma's parents' house, with six bridesmaids and two flower girls.

 Everyone was amazed how gorgeous Gemma looked.

 Gemma waved goodbye as the bridesmaids departed for the church.

 A bit of a breeze gave a few moments of drama with the veil.

 This was my first wedding with the new rector of St. Sampson's, Rev. Timothy Dack.  We were treated to a beautiful and emotional ceremony.

 Christopher and his family had travelled all the way from the United States, for a wedding in Guernsey's oldest parish church.
 
 St. Sampson's Church has a distinctive charm.

 The weather was lovely and encouraged people to enjoy the garden and terrace at the reception.  The dining room was laid out in a very effective way, with lots of pretty details.

 We were treated to some great speeches, with Gemma herself also speaking.

 With people enjoying the evening sunshine outside on the terrace, the first dance took place a little later than planned.

 Paradiso played some excellent music and this kept the dance floor busy.

 James, one of Gemma's brothers, normally plays bass with Paradiso, he guested when the band started their second set.

 Wishing Gemma & Christopher all the best with their life in the United States.

Katie & Arrian - Vale Castle

Another remarkable wedding - Katie & Arrian had what can only be described as an action packed day!

It started with the groomsmen and some other guests playing football.  Now when I was asked to cover this I wasn't really prepared for what was going to happen - this match was not some little kick around - this was SERIOUS!  Just check out the action below:-

 Oh the score?  Guernsey 2 - Rest of World 1.

The bride and bridesmaids were having a much more sedate start to their day.

When faced with a difficult room to photograph the dress in, I tried to come up with something a little different and was pleased with the picture below.

 St. Matthew's Church was where the ceremony took place with Rev. Jan Le Billon.  The last wedding we covered with Rev. Jan was a very emotional affair, this wedding was no exception.

 We had a great deal of laughter, tears and even some dancing to the music while the register signing took place.  A quite beautiful event which really left its mark on those present.

 The weather cleared up to give us blue skies and gentle winds.

 Bordeaux Harbour is an area dear to the couple, so this was a natural stop for some pictures.  Then it was just a short hop to Vale Castle for the reception.  Guernsey has some fascinating ancient monuments and Vale Castle is one of my favourite locations, to have a wedding there was very exciting.

 This wedding was also my first time with the Tipi, (contact Bonita at www.simplytipi.com), a bit different to the normal marquee.

 Set within the castle it looked spectacular, especially the interior.

 Speeches can be simply described as hilarious!

 The atmosphere inside the tent took on a further dimension in the evening.  Once the first dance was over, the dance floor was so packed it was tricky to actually photograph what was happening.

 A quite unique setting, which looked wonderful under the moonlit sky.  Tranquil on the outside, but inside the activity was frenzied right up to the last dance.  A wonderful day, just what Katie & Arrian had planned.

Nicki & Shaun

I was looking forward to this wedding for a long time.  We had worked together for over a year prior to Nicki & Shaun's wedding photographing an engagement book, so we got to know each other pretty well by June this year.

By the time we got back from the hairdresser time was getting a little tight for everything else.

 We just had time for a few portraits of the stunning bride before everyone got into the cars to make their way to Sausmarez Manor for the ceremony.

 Couldn't resist this shot of Steve from Executive Cars, a good story can be told in a single image.

 At the Manor the best man was keeping the groom's nerves at bay.

 A reassuring arm when it's needed most!

 The bride's father drove her to Sausmarez Manor in his Aston Martin, the traffic through St. Martin's was a little stressful, but we all arrived only a few minutes late.  The car looked great in front of the Manor.

 Difficult light, but loads of atmosphere.

 Lots of hugs and handshakes after the ceremony.

 While I photographed the family group pictures, Dave Lowe waited nearby for a "surprise" carriage ride for the newly weds to be taken to The Venue for the reception.

 A nice bit of quiet time for Nicki & Shaun before they re-joined all their guests at The Venue.

 We were all well entertained with the speeches.

 But what we were all waiting for of course was THE DANCE!  Nicki & Shaun had been training for this for towards two years, under the watchful tuition of Andy & Lisa of Two Left Feet.  I had even attended a couple of practice sessions too.  We moved downstairs and it all went amazingly well, a beautiful moment that everyone enjoyed.  The emotions were very evident at the end!

 The rest of the dancing was back upstairs.

 Another beautiful wedding day, congratulations to Nicki & Shaun.

Ann & Jeff

This was a really sweet wedding.

Ann & Jeff got married at the Shiloh Church where it was great to meet up again with Phil Baskerville, previously the rector of St. Sampsons.

 Ann's excitement was plain to see as her bridesmaids departed for the church.

 Jeff was in great spirits as he greeted people arriving at the church.

 Ann and her bridesmaids went upstairs at the back of the church, so they descended from the gallery into the packed church.  A wonderful entrance.

 After the ceremony everyone gathered outside for a while, one of the best attended ceremonies I have seen, with barely a spare seat in the church.

 The newly wed couple went straight to the Hotel de Havelet for the reception.  I hadn't seen this hotel since its recent renovation, I was very impressed.

 A very informal and relaxed reception followed, just what the couple wanted.

Zoe & Steve

It was especially pleasing to cover Zoe & Steve's wedding.  I have known Steve from a long time ago and over the last few years have seen them at quite  a few of their friends' weddings.

The day dawned with a beautifully quiet and misty sunrise.  Yes, I was actually up and about at 5am.  I was wide awake and the light was too nice to ignore.  But those pictures are not the reason for this blog.

Zoe had one of the broadest smiles of any bride I have seen, this didn't falter at all throughout the day.

 Everyone was really excited to see her.

 Dad and bride had time to have a few moments together as they waited to be taken to the church.

 Steve may have been showing a few nerves at times, but all the groomsmen had a good laugh getting ready.

 This bride was not going to be late.

 Rev. Kerle conducted a lovely ceremony, with plenty of emotion and laughter.

 The newly weds had a long walk through the confetti outside the church.

 Candie Gardens may have just had the flower beds cleaned up the day before, but it was still a beautiful place for us to stop by for a few pictures on the way to the Old Government House Hotel for the reception.

 There was plenty of time for people to enjoy some time outside,

 Nowhere to hide for Steve during the best man's speech!

 The first dance looked great on the shiny new floor.

 Moulin Rouge next for this lot!

 Thick fog descended after dusk, giving us some interesting light for pictures in the gardens.

 What a wonderful day for Zoe & Steve.

Yuan & Ashley

Yuan & Ashley were a delightful couple who had officially got married in China.  However we photographed them in Guernsey with a few friends and family.

We managed to fit in a few different scenes in Guernsey to give a lovely reminder of our beautiful island.

It was a touch early for the bulk of the bluebells, but with the kind permission of a nearby landowner we had the opportunity to take some pictures in a stunning field of daffodils.

Yuan & Ashley had a great sense of fun about them.





It wasn't the warmest weather, but a few pictures at sunset were well worth it and finished off a busy day.

The very best for your future together Yuan & Ashley.

A few pictures were taken by my eldest daughter Rosemary, including the last one above.

Helen & Matthew

This was a lovely wedding that we covered in early March.  We only covered the ceremony, but it was surprising what can be obtained in a short space of time.

Heavy rain made people hurry for the shelter of St. James.

But Chris Taylor played appropriate music as the bride arrived…


The sun duly did come out!

A very proud dad and a beaming bride.

The weather had changed for the better and Helen & Matt departed after lots of congratulations and some family group photographs.


One of my favourite pictures, I spotted their hands together through a clearer part of the reflections in the glass as the car started to leave.  I had to work fast to get the correct exposure and focus, but the result is an off beat image that still tells a powerful story.

Royal Photographic Society - Guernsey Distinctions Advisory Day

I didn't realise that such a gap had elapsed since my last blog post, so apologies to anyone out there who has been keenly waiting to read this!

I proudly serve on one of the Royal Photographic distinctions panels, this is quite an honour.  It involves actual assessment days where a panel of suitably qualified photographers awards distinctions to work that meets the high standards needed.  We also take part in workshops and advisory days.

At the end of February we actually ran an advisory day here in Guernsey.  These days are to help people prepare their work for submission for an assessment at a future date.

We had a very well attended event, well organised by the RPS Southern Region.  People had travelled from the UK and Jersey to take part.  Two other Fellows of the Society, Steven Le Prevost from Guernsey, and Roy Robertson from Scotland, joined me,  to make up the team that gave advice to the participants.

Here are a couple of pictures, courtesy of Dave Peckham, that show us in action.



I'm the one in the centre, in listening mode!



We got some great feedback from those who attended, another bonus was we saw some exciting work. Best of luck to those who apply for their distinctions in due course.

Just over a week later I was at the RPS headquarters in Bath, where we had a 2 day distinctions meeting.  Hard work, but very rewarding too.