Happy Christmas

Well I know it's not the big day yet, at least here in England, but as this is read world wide I thought I would post this today just to catch everyone. So Happy Christmas and also have a great New Year I hope it brings all you are looking for.

December

Yet another very busy month, loads of photo shoots, shows and planning meetings, on top of that my pc got hit by a virus and has been nearly 2 weeks in the fixing.

My big news is a collaboration with the Leek United building society,starting this month a selection of my images will form the back ground to the pages on their web site. The picture will change to keep pace with the seasons and help keep the web site looking fresh and interesting for their members. Here's a link to their site Leek United and here's a link to their news page all about me

That all for now I would just like to wish everyone a happy Christmas and a great New Year, I will leave you a picture of a moorland pony that right after this shot tried to eat my camera, every ones a critic!

November

Very busy month with loads going on, great to meet so many people at all the shows and the feed back from the radio Stoke interview has been fantastic.

Christmas comes early

It's been a very busy few weeks with loads happening and I just have a few spare moments to get you all up to date.

The first thing is Staffordshire Life running a couple of my photos, one of which made the cover!!!!! Now it might not seem like such a big thing to you but for me it's massive. When I started full time just under a year ago I had a list of things I wanted to accomplish in my first year and one of these was a photo in Staffordshire Life. Now I did manage this in February so I reset this goal to a cover image for sometime in the next 2 years, so to get it in just under 10 months is really pleasing.



Below is the second bit of good news, The Staffordshire Moorlands calendar has been going for about 20 year and this year all the images are mine. This is a wonderful showcase for my work and also looks to be an on going commitment with 2013 already being discussed. See here for more details.

Here comes the bride, again! part 2

Pictures from Saturdays charity wedding ball in Buxton to raise money for Buxton’s Corbar Birth Centre. See the rest here

Here comes the bride, again!

What a mad few days, but while I get my act together again, I will leave you with this picture of my Saturday night studio venue. The occasion was a charity ball in Buxton, the theme was weddings so I spent most of the night photographic brides. More on the event of last week very soon.

Quick up date

I can not believe it's been over a month since I last posted on here, I've been so busy that this has had to take a bit of a back seat, First came the shoot at Brough park, which went really well and I hope to post some of the shots here soon. Then a week was spent up in the Lake District taking loads of photos. Back to work after a great week found me getting requests for photos from 2 local magazines and a calendar company. On top of this I have also made a Christmas card which is for sale through Colloco in Leek.

I've also decided on the theme for my next exhibition in May, giving me 6 months instead of 6 weeks to work on it.

Before I go I am starting to book up for portraits to be used as Christmas presents, so if you are looking to get one done book now!

Sarah and Alex

Last Sunday I had the great pleasure of photographing Sarah and Alex's wedding at the Churnet Valley Railway. It all cam about after Sarah texted me her wedding date after seeing my web page, making sure that I realised that it was only 8 weeks away and not next year! Luckily I was free having set the bank holiday weekend aside in case we wanted to go camping and jumped at the chance to see a bride arrive by steam train!

The day went very well, the train was on time and the weather behaved its self (mostly). After a short civil ceremony in the station and a few photos with the bride, groom and steam engine (never thought I would write that sentence)it was on to the train for Champagne and Strawberries.

With Monday being a holiday I did not get the chance to start on the photos until Tuesday, but by the end of the day had weeded out the poor ones and was ready to hand finish the rest about 200 images. The first thing that jumps out of the pictures is Sarah's smile, it just never stopped, the next thing was just how much in love they both are, I was getting tears in my eyes just looking at them which is not good when you are trying to edit them.

The final 204 images were finished by Thursday, very quick, you would normally expect a full week at least, but there was a reason for the rush as they are off to visit relatives on Sunday and wanted to show them the pictures.

The last thing was the wait for the bride to pass judgement on the pictures, know matter how good you think they are she is the boss where this is concerned. As always the result was a happy one, for which I'm very glad, having shared their big day the last thing I would want is to disappoint them in any way.

Portrait Event 10th September at Brough Park leisure centre

With just 2 weeks to go spaces are filling up fast, call me on 07801 058345 to book your 1/2 in the spot light. It costs just £40 and the pictures will make great Christmas presents.

Portrait Event 10th September at Brough Park leisure centre

In what I think is a bit of a first for Leek I'm converting a room at the local leisure centre in Brough park in to a photo studio for the day on the 10th of September. Photographic session run for 1/2 an hour starting at 9.00am till 4.00pm. The cost is just £40 including a free 10" x 8" print. The session can be for family groups, couples, kids, bands, or even just one person. The maximum number that can be accommodated at one time is 7, but if you have more just call and I will see what can be done (size does matter).
This is a great opportunity to get family photographs while the tan is still showing and have them ready for gifts at Christmas.
The shots below will give you an indication of the type of portraits available, all these were done in the home, some under less than idea conditions.

Plague rats and poop bags

This could have the sub title of "The exciting life of a professional photographer". What a start to a month, lots of work coming in and a number of great photo shoot, then I go and do my neck in! Wednesday last week saw me being unable to move for most of the day and at points almost passing out with the pain. Just the right moment to take a call from a new customer and discuss an up coming job, how I managed the call I will never know, probably 13 years of call centre training coming in to play (time not wasted then).
Lucky for me I have a great Osteopath and by Friday was almost fit for work and after a rest full week end, watching Caz cut the lawn, I started my latest job yesterday.
The job in question is photographing items for a web site, something I've done loads of, but as with each job it posies new challenges, the biggest with this one matching the previous photographers style and technique so the site keeps its overall great look. The items in question are all to do with your dog or cat, so dog toys, leads, collars and poop bags, and for the cat in your life a great little item the Plague rat. When people think of the life of a professional photographer it probably seems like a collection of photo shoot of beautiful women and fast cars, but for me the challenge of photographing everyday items to a set standard and repeating that over and over again is great, I spent the whole day totally engrossed in my passion, pushing myself to my limits, I feel very lucky that I now get to do that on a daily basis.

Deb,Nick and Jude

A wonderful Saturday afternoon shoot in their living room, Jude was an absolute star and mum and dad weren't bad either.

The last 3 days

Life is not be boring at the moment, here are 3 shots taken this week on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. From working on scaffolding wearing a hard hat, to being out in the fresh air, to then find myself in a studio with 2 beautiful ladies, its been one hell of a week so far.

Look no hands

Just spent the morning photographing the monument in Leek, from the outside, right up to the top.
The Nicholson War Memorial a Grade II listed building and the tallest in the country towering 80ft above the town of Leek in Staffordshire, has had a £178,000 grant for its restoration by the Heritage Lottery Fund.
I have had the chance to photograph from the top before the scaffolding is removed later this week.
Thanks to John Povey and Julie Taylor.

New web site

After months of work and even long taking to decide on the design my new web site is now finish (for now).

Brett Trafford.com

I've taken a completely new direction on the style going a way from the black photo gallery feel to a brighter white look. There's a lot more space for information and loads of links always to hand what ever page your on.
As it is a complete change feed back would be welcome.

Carolyn Bews dot com

Just uploaded a finished web site, Carolyn Bews.com. Really please with the final result, this along with Reflections Coaching mark a new sideline to the photography and one that I really enjoy, I have another site due to be started next week and my new site is in final prep as well.

Last Request

A great photo shoot with the band The Last Request, check out their version of Sweet child of mine.

Chestnut Queen, 2011

I have again had the honour of being the fetes official photographer and spent a few wonderful hours on Sunday taking pictures and being part of something that is so English. The English village fete is a dying breed, they take months to organise, are costly to run and at the end of it are hostage to our great weather.
This fete is one of the best in the country, listed in The Times Weekend supplement as 'One of the 20 great fetes', and it is all down to the hard work of the local volunteers.
My picture taken on the day can be seen HERE

New web pages

Just finished work on a new web design, or at least the first stage and have 2 new pages on my web site Brett Trafford.com.
The first is a weddings page which can be seen here, the next is a Portrait page which can be seen here.

As soon as I can get the thing finish I will up load a completely new home page that will match these two. The work is taking some time as it is having to fit in with my other photography and web design work.

Fashion shoot

A few of the pictures from a fashion shoot with a difference I did last week for Elle and Belle from the blog Our Handmade Journey.

Scooterfest

Some of the Scooter portraits taken at Scooterfest over the weekend. Each image takes around 2 hours to complete as I have to cut the Scooter out from the back ground by hand, their just to complex for photoshop to get right.

The images taken at Scooterfest are all viewable at www.bretttrafford.com/scooterfest

Hidden views

The exhibition starts on Saturday 30th April at the Coffee Clique in Getliffe's Yard in Leek.

So what is it all about, Hidden Views is about the need to see places you are not normally allowed to see, the idea arrived in the second week in March and at first I nearly did not use it as the time was so short. Not only was there the matter of getting 30+ good images (hard enough on its own) but these had to be taken in places you would not normally get to or even see.

Problem 1, Where was interesting enough to photograph, as these views are normally hidden, how would I known there was a view worth seeing?

Problem 2, Getting access, who do you contact, how do you get in and having taken all that time and effort then back to problem 1.

The out come surprised me, access was no problem once the right people were contacted, in fact the best part of the process was meeting loads of great and very helpful people. The images that I finally selected are better than I could have wished for given the condition in which most of them were taken as hidden views are normally hidden for a reason, bad light, cramped conditions, or poor access.

So the exhibition started this Saturday and runs for the month of May, I will be there Saturday morning and would love to see you all.

The picture is as good an example of the exhibition as you could get, it is taken in side the Monument, Leeks most iconic building, looking at the clock workings and showing the back of the clock faces, faces whose fronts have been seen by everyone in the town, but the backs by only a select few, a truly hidden view.

Chestnut Queen, 2011

Meet Matilda the up coming Chestnut Queen, due to be crowned on Sunday 26th June at Bagnall fete. The photo shoot was done to provide some publicity shots to advertise the fete.

Carolyn Bews, photo shoot.

A couple of shots from a shoot I did a few weeks ago. The lady in the pictures is Carolyn Bews, Leeks best fitness coach, although I'm a bit bias as she is my coach and has done wonders for my fitness, back and posture.

Cheadle Arts Festival, winner

This is the window display that won first place, in the Cheadle Arts Week, and its mine, well my photos any way, the hard work of setting up was all down to the Ladies of Hallmark cards.

New project

Just a sneak preview of my new project, Hidden Views. More in a few days.

Cheadle Arts Festival Sat 12 - Sat 19 Mar 2011

Brett Trafford photography is happy to join this historic market town in a week-long feast of fun for all ages! From crafts, art, workshops, demonstrations and concerts, Something for everyone!

As part of the festival there is art in the high street where a number of shop fronts are used to display work from local artist, I have my work on display at Hallmark cards and am running a free prize draw for a portrait shoot, just call in to Hallmark cards for an entry form.

James and Adele

A couple of images from a shoot last week.

New toy

I had not realised I had not posted on here for so long, but i have been very busy working on an exhibition and photography course and a web site (a new side line). So just to fill a gap here is a shot taken last week while I was up in the Lake District, it was taken on the other reason I've not blogged much, my new Nikon D7000.

Work in progress

Finally got around to sorting out a sales site for the pictures, now all I need to do is up load and sort 1,000+ images.

Other work in progress is a 5 week photography course, this is due to start in February and although the bulk of it is already written I will find my next few weeks very busy rewriting bits and compiling the photographs.

For the last bit of work in progress look at the image below, an attempt at a change in style, trying to bring more darkness in to my images.