Stacey & Paul

Stacey & Paul's wedding was a bit different, a very relaxed and informal event.  We started with the legal part of the marriage at the Greffe first thing in the morning.  This was followed by a few more preparations for a humanist ceremony and reception at the Bella Luce.

The initial plan to have the ceremony outdoors in the garden was changed due to the weather.  But the marquee proved to be a great location for Plan B.  The bridesmaids had a lot of fun all day, Ellie in particular appeared to have endless energy.

The caricaturist proved popular!

Stacey & Paul are keen on nature and I wanted to try to reflect this in some of the pictures.

Now what did you write in my speech darling?

We had the chance to pop out for a brief picture opportunity in the evening, this was well worthwhile.
Notable was the sighting of a perigrine falcon swopping just past the couple, a wonderful experience for such lovers of birds.

The marquee looked splendid as the night drew in.

A lovely first dance and some great folk music rounded off their special day.

Nicky & Ollie

Nicky & Ollie had a good practice for their wedding, they were at Karlie & Dan's that I photographed the week before!  I was grateful that their preparations were all concentrated around the L'Eree area, I didn't have far to go between the bride's house and where the groom was getting ready, then just a short hop to St. Peter's Church.

The dress looked lovely with the backlighting.

The groomsmen were in jovial spirits, got ready promptly which left plenty of time for a pint and game of pool.  Here proud mum just couldn't resist the final tie adjustment.

What a great shot this is, I mean my photograph that is!  Though the standard of pool on display did hint at many mis-spent hours!

Onto the church for a lovely service.  St. Peter's Church brings back a few memories, we got married there 21 1/2 years ago.

That's an impressive cloud of confetti.

A few pictures in a garden and then down to Fort Grey, an area with a lot of meaning to the newly weds.  I am really pleased with the beautiful pictures we achieved there, all in a few minutes too.  I always love putting my landscape experience to good use when I get a chance to in weddings.

Then across the island to the Old Government House Hotel for the remainder of the day.

The cake was very special, it was skillfully and beautifully made to mimic the bride's dress.

 Dancing was to The States, I look forward to their performances when I am working.

The groomsmen did assure me they don't make a habit of this!

A very memorable event. Hope you all enjoy this preview of the pictures. 
Please don't be shy about leaving comments!

Karlie & Dan

I felt I knew Karlie and Dan very well by the time we got to their wedding.  I first met them at a wedding just over a year ago, Dan was chaffeur to Juzy & Chris and even carried my camera bag when we stopped off for a few pictures.  We also met 3 times to shoot their stunning engagement album which served as a guest book at their wedding.  So with a few meetings thrown in to discuss their plans, we were all familiar with each other.  I always value any time with my clients and encourage meetings and engagement sessions, it all helps on the day.

I started at the hairdressers and followed Karlie as she got ready.

 Karlie and her mum look so similar.  I really enjoy the image of Karlie in the mirror which her mum was holding, a very powerful and meaningful picture.  Both looked beautiful of course!

Dan certainly needed that pre-ceremony drink, a more nervous groom I haven't seen!  But what was there to worry about?  Karlie looked so lovely walking up the aisle.

That was a great chaffeur you arranged there Dan!  It was nice to see you again Colin.
For pictures on the way to the reception we stopped off at Gran's house.  This was all we wanted, a beautiful interior and a small, but very pretty enclosed garden.

The reception was held at The Venue, always a good choice. 

 Great speeches, even Diddly Duck made a guest appearance, poor Diddly!

 I certainly am grateful you did do a first dance as I am delighted with the beautiful pictures that resulted.

What a fantastic day.  I look forward to showing you the rest of the pictures on your return from honeymoon.

Charlotte & Ian

Each wedding is special and many have some characteristics that make them notable.  Undoubtedly this one had a huge amount of preparation and attention to detail.  The reception venue was probably the grandest I have seen.  But more of that later.
Charlotte  got ready nice and early, this gave us a relaxed time and plenty of opportunity for some portraits of her and her family.

The groomsmen on the other hand had different ways of occupying themselves.

I was struck by this scene as the car parked under the arch to take the beautiful bride to the church.

The service followed at the Vale Church, the rector kept nerves at bay with his jovial manner.

The weather was perfect for the drinks reception at Candie Gardens.

It was just a short walk down the hill to St. James for the main reception.  This building is one of Guernsey's most special venues and the interior looked truly spectacular.  Even more so at night in my opinion as you will see lower down.

The lighting was perfect to show off the beautiful cake.  The speeches entertained everybody and the evening fun began with the bouquet throw and dancing.  What an atmospheric setting this proved.

The Devotees got people dancing the remainder of the night away, it was good to appreicate a band like this with the fine acoustics of the hall.

What a way to finish a spectacular event.  Hope you enjoy this preview of the photographs.  Please do leave a comment on the blog, that way I will know if anyone actually reads these posts!

Lindsay & Nigel

Lindsay & Nigel's recent wedding was a joy to photograph for us. As normal, I started with the bride getting ready, this was easier to cover as Lucy did the bride's hair and make up at home, less running around for me.

This moment is lovely as Lindsay's dad sees her looking so beautiful. The timing of the touching hands was the decisive moment for me to press the shutter.

It's amazing pictures one can capture in about 30 seconds!

Meanwhile Karen was covering the groomsmen having a quick drink, or two! Last minute speech writing was also evident. The picture of young Luke cleverly spotted through the empty glasses is one of my favourites.


Onto the church, the floral theme of the day was sunflowers. Coincidently it was Jenny Falla doing sunflowers for the second week running in consecutive weddings for me.



The first time the couple see each other at the front of the church is always a special moment. The church was so full, it was difficult to find a gap to get a clear view of Lindsay and Nigel looking so lovingly at each other.

Rings are always a challenge to photograph and I enjoy trying to do something creative with them, a patch of light and use of shadow makes this clever composition.




The VW van was a very practical mode of transport and we briefly visited Petit Bot for a couple of pictures on the way to the reception.



The reception was held at the Jerbourg hotel. The weather on the day was fairly dull and grey, good for family portraits as excessive contrast can be a problem otherwise. I wouldn't normally post an image like this shot of the whole wedding party on the blog, but the lighting and garden behind give a very attractive quality.

The noisiest table contained most of the groomsmen, the whole atmosphere was very jovial. I must add that Nigel's groomsmen were some of the most pleasant and helpful people we have come across. They were attentive with their duties throughout the whole day.




After the very entertaining speeches we had a special cake to be cut. The couple had a vision of what they wanted for their cake, various people were responsible for various parts of it. The end result was perfect, check out the remarkable resemblance to the couple on top of the cake!


The first dance took place to music from The States, this band never fail to get people rocking!



During a break between sets, we took a short walk to create this stunning image. The fog rolled in and it was rather wet so I had to work fast. When I see this image, it was exactly what I had in mind, the beams of light in the mist were an added bonus. I can still hear the piercing sound of the fog horn when I see this picture.

More dancing finished off the day. Lindsay and Nigel had a day to be proud of to start their married life.

Kim & Matt

Kim & Matt's wedding was a very moving affair, beautiful and inspiring.
Kim was one of those brides who seemed to get ready very quickly with the minimum of fuss. This helped to keep the morning relaxing and stress free. Her outfit was relatively simple, but with some stunning little details and lace work.



There was a sunflower theme to this event, the bright and cheery colours suited things perfectly. I couldn't resist taking the vase on the windowsill.


Meanwhile Matt was being wished good luck by one of his best friends!


Kim was so excited and full of laughter.


The wedding had one of the most moving ceremonies I have witnessed. It really was a privilege, I must admit I felt teary eyed myself at times, making photography a little more difficult than normal.


Noticing a little bit of merriment amongst the groomsmen, we picked up the writing on Matt's shoes!




It is nice to spot and record little moments such as this, as the newly married couple head away from the church, but you have to be quick to capture them.


The reception venue was at the Fermain Hotel, so the beach was a nice place to stop for a few pictures.


Dad did seem nervous before the speeches, but he delivered a good and amusing speech. He was caught here in full flow!


I really want to convey the true characters and emotions of a wedding, but I also keep an eye out for the finer details present. Being capable of journalistic moments and artistry is a great combination.


Photography is all about light, I particularly enjoy this moment with the beautiful low sunlight streaming through the gardens.

Onto the evening festivities. I had come across a few of the people at this wedding at Sam & Gilly's event almost a year before, (still on my blog from last August if you need to see those images). Well this prepared me for what to expect, these hockey people know how to party! The Devotees got the place rocking. The first dance was a gorgeous moment with this very happy couple.



The groomsmen went out for a break and a cigar, demanding conditions for my photographic skills but well worth the effort. In case the person I spoke to the next day reads this, let me say the camera doesn't do anything by itself. I place far greater value on the talent behind the camera myself.

This just can't be healthy?!

Back to the dancing with the band's second set to see out the night in spectacular fashion.


All in all a memorable day, we have some great photographs to provide you with those memories in the future.

Anna & Nick

It's a busy time of the year, but I try to do a short blog on most of the weddings we shoot, it's nice for people to have a little preview of their images before the full gallery is available.

Anna & Nick had a beautiful day recently. As normal I started my coverage with Anna, her dress and accessories were covered first, followed by her preparations. The light in the conservatory was beautifully even and bright.


I always encourage my brides to get ready in time so we can have the chance to take a few portraits before departing for the service. We had just enough time with Anna, before I had to go to the church myself.




It is important to also cover the groom's side of the day, Nick's brothers worked hard to keep his nerves at bay. With the banter going around I got a good idea of what to expect later in the day!


The bride's arrival at the church is always a key moment. A lovely service followed at St. Andrew's church.







On the way to the reception we were lucky enough to have access to a stunning private garden for a few pictures. Thank you to the owners, we made full use of this opportunity.



There seemed to be a few nerves leading up to the speeches, but all went well. There was a great atmosphere and everyone was enjoying themselves. The cake was especially notable, I also made use of one of the flowers to photograph with the rings.




As dusk fell it was time for the first dance, a difficult time for me, but I enjoy trying to create an artistic record of this important moment.

A brief stroll in the gardens gave us this great picture.

The day drew to a close with more dancing, we have some fun images to round off the photographic coverage.

Adele & Matt

A preview of some of the pictures from Adele & Matt's recent wedding. They are a really sweet couple and the whole day went beautifully.

As usual the interest is centred on the bride's preparations, a packed house made it difficult to know who was who. Adele was helped by her bridesmaids and they all looked stunning.



A touching moment as Adele unwraps a gift from Matt, appropriately it is my job to ensure such memories get recorded.

Jessia the flower girl arrives to get ready. She looked so pretty and yes, we did get some lovely pictures of her having fun later in the day. But you'll have to wait until you see the full gallery for those images.

Andrew gives his daughter a hug as he sees how beautiful she looks.

Covering the groom's side of things is also essential. They all looked relaxed and had a "last supper" consisting of a steak sandwich. Now looking at the picture below, how many men does it take to fix a ribbon to a car?!



Very quickly the time to go to the church arrives. It was nice to be at the Forest Church, where Adele's family have strong links.


A quick glance behind caught perfectly by Karen my assistant, this shows the value of being able to cover different viewpoints if necessary.

The first time the couple see each other at the front of the church can be quite magical.

Call me quirky, but something about this image appeals to me! It is one of my favourite images from the day.




A quick stop on the way to the reception gave us the opportunity to take a few photographs making use of the lovely weather.

The reception was held at the Bella Luce Hotel, a venue with great ambience, both inside and outside in the gardens. I love the couple's look as they check to see the guests just prior to being announced. The speeches were great and the guests had a jovial time.






I enjoy catching little odd moments like this beer moustache!

While the guests ate, I took the opportunity to shoot a more creative picture of the wedding rings.

A nice romantic monent captured in the evening.

The first dance was a fun time, people took full advantage of visits to the gardens to cool off between more dancing.




The day ended with some quite frenzied activity on the dance floor, I must admit I didn't recognise many of the tracks played but it all went down with great enthusiasm.


Now I was asked in the evening out of all the photographs I had taken, which really was most memorable for me. At the time I couldn't single out any particular image. Hopefully from this preview you can understand my difficulty, it was a special day with many special moments, making it tricky to choose just one picture.

Laura & Dean

Wow - what an amazing day we had last weekend! With about 150 people travelling over to Guernsey for this wedding, it was always going to have a unique flavour. What made it so special for me was the sheer energy and sense of fun, mixed with heartfelt emotions from genuine people.

We start off with the groom's party getting ready, it's surprising what good light you can get even in a small crowded hotel room.

What a way to put on a jacket, but check out the similarity with Dean crowd surfing later in the night!


Laura was so excited by her day and couldn't wait to show her truly spectacular dress, this image of the dress filling the wardrobe makes an amusing scene.

Just look at those amazed expressions as they catch the first glimpse of Laura coming down the stairs.


My wife and assistant ensured this rear view showed the dress to best effect as they entered the church. Also capturing the lovely view of the little guest getting a clear view up the aisle.





Time was short but we worked fast on a visit to the harbour on the way to Les Cotils for the reception. I am always aware of the need to work efficiently and extract the most from situations so the wedding party is not held up. Often parked cars are in the way for photographs, but how about the 853 foot Oriana! Actually I quite like the juxtaposition with the liner here.

Another prestigious symbol of the day was the Spirit of Ecstasy on the Rolls Royce that has a strong family meaning and was used for the couple's transport. What better than a picture using this and the wedding rings? It was very tricky to get the rings to stay in position on the highly polished chrome.

Les Cotils proved a perfect place for the reception, the children had fun and despite many pre-speech nerves, all the speeches were funny and well received.






Well done Lee, it wasn't that bad then?


It was nice to make use of the grounds for a few pictures of Laura and Dean, they were so natural in how they interacted.



The evening entertainment started, DJ Carl Ward got the dancing started and The States proved superb as the band. These people from Essex certainly know how to party!




A pretty wild time was had by all!



Laura lanched the bouquet into orbit high into the night sky, but there was a great reaction by the lucky lady who managed to catch it!

The day drew to a close, what an incredible event.


To the person who asked, yes I am more than willing to travel to the UK to shoot weddings, check out my Tetbury wedding on the blog from June as an example.

Catherine & Taurai

This wedding was notable as being the smallest event I have ever covered. In addition to the bride and groom, the guests present were the couple's beautiful little children. This wedding was small and really sweet.

A nice scene as the groom waits for the bride to arrive at the Greffe.




The couple had the best weather Guernsey could offer for the first two weeks of their trip, a bit ironic then that their first day of rain co-incided with the wedding day. It's hard being a bride and mother to two small children, here Catherine is sheltering in the doorway as we prepare to walk to a nearby garden for a little picnic lunch.

The cover of a beautiful copper beech provided the perfect spot to settle down.

Afterwards we walked to Notre Dame church where Catherine and Taurai lit some candles and spent a quiet moment of reflection.





We met again later in the day, the continuing rain allowed us to take some atmospheric images.


The next day normal weather resumed and we met on the beach to finish off our coverage with some lovely family pictures.


All in all a beautiful day of great intimacy.

Laura & Neil - a Herm wedding

Laura & Neil had a beautiful day for their wedding in Herm. This was my second overseas wedding in as many weeks, even if I only had to travel a few miles eastwards to get to Herm!

Laura worked in Herm for many years, plus she met Neil there, and it was special for them to come back for their wedding. The community spirit and friendship among the people from Herm was very evident and gave a great atmosphere throughout the day.

Here Laura is receiving the finishing touches to her hair, with some interested onlookers watching.


Just round the corner in the village the groomsmen got ready and made their way to St. Tugals Chapel. This chapel is a wonderful place with immense charm.




The chapel may look small on the outside, but it accommodated all the guests and a touching service followed.


A generous helping of confetti and the bride and groom led the procession down the hill, accompanied to the great sound of the bagpipes. This drew a small crowd of people off the beach by the harbour to have a look.



The scene at the White House Hotel was picture perfect, lovingly tended gardens set off against the deep blue sky.


The meal was held inside the cool hotel, where Neil found that having your brother as the best man meant that several quite embarrassing moments were recalled with glee by him!



A brief break at the Mermaid Tavern after and then the evening carried on centred on the marquee in the gardens.


The throwing of the bouquet was quite dramatic and I was able to capture an amusing sequence of images. Sorry no room to show them all here.

The dancing was great fun and eveyone had a really memorable time.


As sunset approached we were keen to take the opportunity to make use of the lovely light to create some beautiful pictures.


Unfortunately the day drew to a close, many guests were staying on Herm for the weekend, for the rest it was a walk to Rosaire and a trip back to Guernsey.

Lucy & Ben - The Great Tythe Barn, Tetbury

Lucy and Ben's wedding was a bit different for us to cover in several ways. One was that it all took place in the beautiful Gloucestershire countryside, all in one location at the Great Tythe Barn. Also the large number of Italian guests gave it a unique flavour with the mix of cultures. The cottages and the barn where the service and reception were held are all clustered around the yard, it was nice to just walk from one area to another. The history is something to wonder at, the barn is well over 400 years old.

The bride and groom got ready in different areas and had to take care not to see each other before they were meant to.





A quick peep through the net curtains to check that people were going inside for the service. I really enjoy these sorts of images, they tell a story as well as make attractive pictures.

Another moment captured, as dad checks his watch. It is difficult to photograph genuinely candid moments, one has to be alert and anticipate any action, as well as combine light and composition to add the final touches to the image.


The interior of the barn is surprisingly large, just as well as it was pretty crowded with all the guests attending this wedding.

On the way out after the service, this series of images sums up the exuberant mood.

The nice weather and gardens gave us an opportunity to take some attractive portraits.


I operate in a very discreet and documentary fashion, so even though I kept back from this part of the day when the couple were videoed I managed to be quick enough to get this shot as Lucy's veil blew away.

The reception started and the interior was beautifully laid out, olive trees made the centre point of each table. The trio of Italian singers (called Take Two) set the mood in a superb way. At frequent intervals people would bang their plates with the cutlery and chant "bacio, bacio" - the couple then were expected to stand and kiss, all great fun!


I couldn't resist this nice detail shot in this blog.

The caricaturist was very popular, and skilfully drew various guests, naturally doing one of the couple themselves.

The speeches proved very amusing and were appreciated by everyone present.



Fast forward to the first dance, it is challenging to record the emotions of such an event and, at the same time, provide beautiful images. Between myself and my assistant (Karen, my wife) we managed to achieve some delightful images.





With chinese lanterns not being allowed, the couple had a balloon release instead.


Eventually the day drew to a close, we had a spectacular day and we hope that these images provide memories for the future.

Ali & Stuart

What a fantastic day everyone had for Ali and Stuart's wedding. Lots of preparation went into the day and it was a pleasure to photograph the day's action. The bride is always at the centre of attention on her special day, here the bridesmaids are busy while the make-up receives the finishing touches.




Meanwhile the guys manage to fit in a quick round of golf, watch a bit of the Test match, grab a bacon roll and off for a drink. Now note those shoes that the best men are sporting! I have to credit this image to my assistant (and wife), I have recently had some people compliment me on some blog pictures and I had to own up that their favourite was actually my wife's work!



A brief glimpse of the bride and her father as they enter the church. The inside was packed with a large number of guests.





It was nice to have a walk to the marquee from the church, with a few pictures taken on the way.


The garden and marquee gave a very summer garden party feeling, with perfect weather. The speeches were great fun, the two best men gave a great double act, even if some of what they said was a little embarrassing for the groom.


As night fell the action continued.

The first dance gave the couple the chance to show their athleticism. The dance floor was absolutely heaving, making it actually difficult to find room to take pictures.



One of my jobs is to record memories and it was lovely to photograph such a precious moment as the bride and her mother danced together.

The marquee certainly made a beautiful sight as the day drew to a close.


Finally the party ended, except for a few die hard party goers at one end of the otherwise empty marquee.
What an amazing day.

Kirsty & Ian

We had another busy and fun packed day with Kirsty and Ian on their wedding day. It all started on a damp rainy morning with a round of golf. Now 10 year old Morgan showed his potential by being the only person to score a par on the round!


We'll stay with the groomsmen as they completed their preparations, (great hair do Ian!), onwards for a pint and a game of pool.



Meanwhile Kirsty was getting ready and looked stunning. So did little Millie, who was beautifully behaved throughout the long day.




A nice intimate service followed and it was rewarding to photograph some precious moments.



A few pictures on the way to the reception at the Farmhouse gave us the opportunity to take some lovely portraits of the newly wed couple.


Everyone had great fun at the reception, with very amusing speeches.




The evening entertainment included not just a DJ and dancing, but also a casino. This proved very popular and seemed to be taken pretty seriously by the younger crowd!




We finish this blog off with a little intimate moment at the end of a very late evening.

This blog is a bit short on text, but I am sure you prefer for me to share a few more pictures, thank you for looking.

Francois & Stephen

We had a beautiful day last Saturday for the wedding of Francois and Steve. They had planned this day for a long time, and I am sure that all their preparations were more than worthwhile. The weather was absolutely gorgeous, blue skies warm and light winds.

There was a crowded house where the bride and bridesmaids were getting ready, I really enjoyed this picture, where the little flower girls gaze in admiration at Francois as her dress is laced up. Fran made a stunning bride as expected.


Onto the groom's party for their preparation. Another crowded house, especially as the men are all rugby players. Now you don't expect men like this to have to use make-up, but Steve had a good excuse. There is never a good time to cut yourself shaving, least of all on your wedding day!



At the church we had some nearby roadworks to contend with, but everyone made it in good time. Here the bridesmaids are waiting for Fran to arrive at St. Martin's church.



Reverend Keirle always has a good joke or two for the people present, but the best man played his own joke by presenting a couple of hula hoops as rings. Once the laughter died down he promptly ate them and normal service was resumed!


We stopped off at Fermain Bay on the way to The Venue for a splendid reception.



The first dance provided me with the opportunity to record this close moment between the newly weds.


To finish off this blog I have chosen one of my favourite images of the day, a very demanding picture to take as the couple let off a chinese lantern into the dark night sky. What makes it so special are the beautiful colours, dramatic lighting, and of course the lovely expressions as I got the perfect moment just as the lantern was released.

Liz & Chris - a wonderful wedding in Sark

Every wedding is special, but some end up being truly exceptional and, this was one of the latter without a doubt. As a lover of Sark it was wonderful to be chosen by a couple who share this affection and naturally wanted their wedding there. They had organised everything meticulously and the whole day ran beautifully. I really found it very difficult to select which images to use in this blog, so please enjoy the below knowing there are a lot more beautiful pictures to share of this day. So there's not much text below and a few more pictures than normal.

I started early in the morning with the bridal preparations, it was a pleasure to photograph those special moments that illustrate the bonds between Mother and Daughter and between the bridesmaids. A record of precious moments showing precious friendships.


Liz looked stunning and the grounds of the house made the perfect walk to the waiting carriage to take her to the church.





La Moinerie was where the groomsmen were getting ready, those button holes certainly proved a bit tricky to fit.


A gentle walk to St. Peter's Church was ideal to keep the nerves calm, where Chris awaited the arrival of his bride.

St. Peter's Church in Sark is surprisingly big inside, with an unusual layout as there is no central aisle. The scene inside looked very impressive with the packed guests and stunning flowers.

Now I knew the couple well after spending time with them in London and Guernsey shooting their engagement session. Liz is a person who hardly stops laughing, this was very evident on her wedding day!

A favourite candid moment as the couple await to come out from signing the register.

There were congratulations all around outside the church as the sun smiled on the newly weds. Then it was off in the carriage accompanied by the sweet sight of some of Sark's children cycling behind the carriage.


La Seigneurie gardens in Sark are one of the premier tourist attractions of the island and it was a fitting place to stop off with the now Mr. and Mrs. Carter to take some beautiful portraits of them. Thank you to La Seigneurie Gardens Trust for their permission to do this.


Then a gentle ride to Les Cotils to the marquee for the reception.

What a perfect location and how beautiful it all looked inside. The staff of La Moinerie and Le Aval du Creux have to be congratulated with the results of their efforts.


It was difficult to photograph the speeches as there was much to laugh about and I found that infectious.


As dusk fell the scene outside made a worthwhile picture as the lights in the tent contrasted with the blue of the approaching night.

What a first dance! They promised something different and certainly delivered, the speed and energy of their unusual routine was fun and admirable, if a bit of a challenge to record.

The band was made up with Luke as The Trumpet Player, The Kings of Swing and Wavelength. A great mix of music from brass to crashing Queen numbers accompanied with frenzied dancing. It was a treat to hear these accomplished musicians perform.

The dancing continued unabated with extraordinary energy the whole evening. What fun everyone had.



A conga to finish off and, yes Liz is still laughing. What a superb end to the day.



To those who have not seen Liz and Chris' engagement album, please scroll down to my blog entries in February and January.
Also for the visitors to Sark for this wedding who may not have had the chance to see as much of the island as they would have liked to, please check out the Landscapes section on my website where there is a small selection of some of my Sark images.

Guernsey Festival of Photography

The Festival has opened and what a packed month of events it will be. I encourage everyone to visit as much as possible and take the opportunity to get involved and especially attend the lectures by some of the world's greatest photojournalists. Catch up with the full timetable of events at www.guernseyphotographyfestival.com

I am honoured to also have an exhibition to celebrate the 65th anniversary of Guernsey's Liberation. My show is on the railings around the Town Church, I photographed people who actually lived through the Occupation in the Island. Each image is accompanied with a few words about each person's memories of that difficult time.

The text that introduces the exhibition is reproduced below, together with a few of the images on show. Hope you enjoy these and go to see the rest.


"Occupation Recollections - A Series of Portraits"
by Nick Després FRPS

Nick is a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, and is a local professional photographer who specialises mainly in weddings. He was delighted to be invited to have his own exhibition as part of the festival on the theme of the Liberation, his own family history gave him a strong connection and understanding of that time. Doreen Bichard and Desmond Tostevin, both featured in this exhibition, are relatives on his father’s side. In addition Juan Alarcon was a good friend of Nick’s grandfather. The latter was a Polish national who had settled in Guernsey after fighting for the British forces in the war. The first time he saw his daughter, Nick's mother, she was 18 and had being allowed to leave to settle in the Island. His own family's plight gave him an appreciation of the subjects' hardship throughout the Occupation.

Nick said it was quite moving to meet and photograph the subjects for this exhibition, he gained a lot personally from this project. He is keen to continue to photograph people from this period, please contact Nick if you would like to take part.
Please take your time to view the images on display, and appreciate the hardships that people living through the Occupation faced.

Juan Alarcon - fought against General Franco in the Spanish Civil War, but was captured and brought to Guernsey as a slave worker by the Germans. Enduring atrocious conditions, he also lost part of his hand. Many of his compatriots in his division were massacred by the Germans after being taken to Austria. Juan managed to stay in Guernsey, married and worked as a farmer. The picture he is holding shows him as a 17 year old soldier in Spain, he is 91 this year.

Doreen Bichard – wonders how her Mother coped with caring for the children. She left school at 14 and worked as a children’s nanny. She recalls that many goods were bartered for with tea being a precious commodity to barter with. Also a vivid memory was the pitiful state of the slave workers that used to be transported in railway trucks past where she lived at Les Vardes.

Desmond Tostevin – as a boy of 14 when the war ended Desmond says that he did not feel the responsibility and worry that his parents had. He recalled that during the initial air raids on Guernsey he was in a fishing boat off the west coast, they were fired upon and had to run the boat aground amongst rocks where they hid, pertrified. A bullet was lodged in the bow of the boat. Tragically he lost an uncle in 1941 who was part of a fishing trip that was shot at in Saint’s Bay, the exact circumstances are still not clear or fully disclosed.

Madeline Sims – worked as an assistant in the Bailiff’s office. She used to listen to her crystal set at home and would record the news. At huge personal risk she would provide typed copies of this and would brief the Bailiff daily. Madeline and her husband would print up what they had heard and distribute these as part of the Guernsey Active Secret Press. The consequences of discovery would have been extremely severe.

Roy Burton – had to work hard on the family farm, he was 14 at the end of the Occupation. A German soldier who had tried to use one of their fields for grazing his horses ended up becoming a life long friend, helped out around the farm and sometimes ate with the family. Roy wrote to his friend Rudolf, “when we first met we were classed as enemies in the 1940-1945 war and now we are as close as brothers after being friends for 67 years”.

A few portraits....

Now I had photographed a couple of sessions with Matthew, on my third visit I took the opportunity to photograph a few pictures of Edna his mum. Edna is one of the most striking women I have photographed and I am really pleased with what we managed to achieve in a short space of time, one flash light, a piece of background material pinned to the curtains in the dining room and of course a great model.





We photographed quite a few different poses many worked very effectively. Matthew awoke from his post lunch nap and so we couldn't waste the opportunity to take some additional images of him.

Ali & Dave's wedding

This was a really sweet event that took place back in February. Ali and Dave got married in the half-term at the Greffe, followed with a blessing at Notre Dame church. Here the bride arrives in style.

A few moments adjusting the bridesmaid's outfit gave me the opportunity to capture an unexpected image of the beautiful backlit blue dress.

Notre Dame is one of my favourite churches, I remember being told when a child that the roof timbers were constructed to ressemble the construction of a ship's hull.


I am always vigilant to any discreet candids where I can, the lighting here suited a black and white image that enables the lines and textures to be more prominent.

The couple were throughly enjoying this informal service, Father PJ was in great form and added much humour as expected.

I love winter weddings, the low light gives lots of wonderful opportunities to take different pictures. Photography is all about light and one has to be able to make use of the direction and quality to produce great pictures, timing and composition add the finishing touches. This all comes together here with these shadows.

A short picture session followed on the way to the reception, the cold conditions ensured that no-one wanted to hang around for long.


A small and intimate reception dinner followed. I concentrated on a few details and capturing the moments that make special memories.



A dance rounded off the day, the younger guests made full use of the floor and I was able to photograph some touching and initmate moments.

Tim Gaudion at The Gallery

I wanted to post a short piece on an enjoyable evening a week or so ago when Tim Gaudion ataged an art exhibition at The Gallery in Mill Street. Now I have known Tim for a fair time, mainly known him as a web designer and videographer, he is behind the filming of Karl Taylor's instructional dvds. So it came as a bit of a surprise to find out recently that Tim was a very accomplished artist, I was keen to see more of his work and the opening night of his show provided this opportunity. I took my camera and just a standard lens, it was interesting to see what I could achieve in these circumstances, I was pleased I went.

Tim was kept busy chatting with the large crowd that gathered.

There was a lot of interest in the beautiful work on display.

How much? Bargain!

One of my favourite pictures for a while, it was cold and wet, but the view from the street made for a fascinating picture.

Just a quick picture on the cycle ride home, dark and with a brooding night sky, but there was a certain quality about this image that I couldn't just pass by.