He asks why I am bobbing my head so much when taking the photographs. At first I wasn’t sure what he meant, but then I figured it out…(Connor – thank you for asking me at Tim and Claire’s wedding). I wasnt trying to be all cool and rockin with it. Having heard me sing Em will tell you straight that my coolness disappeared with me jumping around in my PJ’s to Black Eyed Peas I gotta feeling. So, if it wasnt because I was cool why was I doing it. Well, I was doing it most when I was taking the group photographs during the wedding. The reason. Because I was focusing on the bride and then recomposing the image to make it a nice image with the group central in the frame.

So, logistics. I have set my Canon when Auto Focusing (AF) to Manuel Selection and selected the central square. Im not sure if all the Canon models use the same symbols, but on the Canon 5D Mark II press the butten with a square and dots around it. This allows you to choose the square you want to use as the focus. As I said I choose the central square point. Then, when focusing on the bride I half press down with the shutter to lock the focus and then recompose my frame (ie what I am seeing through the view finder) to make a nice central shot of all the group.

Here’s a little storyboard of the quiet moment between Ally and Brad when we headed outside for some photographs of just the two of them. I’ve posted it because I love this moment. The atmosphere is palpable. And because I was focusing on Ally and then moving the frame a bit.

It started with a huge hug when I got off the plane. Tara and Dave are so warm, caring and just incredibly kind. From that first moment getting off the plane in Jersey they could not have been more welcoming to me. Inviting me to spend the evening before their wedding with them and their families for a BBQ. For their complete story head over to my old blog here. They are both incredibly generous people who, through a gale force storm promised themselves to each other. And for the details they got married in the Mont Orgueil in Gorey on Jersey. 

It is that simple. I want to Thank You. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for being amazing. Thank you for showing more humanity and kindness than I knew. I have learnt so much in the last year and a half, and that is down to my truly awe-inspiring family and friends. I am so thankful to have you all in my life. I will try to never take that for granted. And will aspire to be more like you. Thank you.

Beep. Beep. Beep. The checkout lady is scanning each item and I am in a focused daze to ignore the thousands (well I may exaggerate a little) of families busy doing their shopping. The last 20 minutes I have been concentrating on driving our trolley with formula 1 speed and precision  using corner hugging manoeuvres and three point turns. Navigating the quickest route around Sainsburys without any casualties. Em is busy picking up the big items and together we meet up at the checkout.

Phew, last 5 minutes to go. And as we are waiting for the person in front my eyes alight on a book. Not so much a book as the answer to the daily question. What will we have for dinner? accompanied by an unhelpful fridge with a couple of soft carrots in the veggie tray, hunks of cheese, some wilted lettuce and if we are lucky half a pot of creme freche. So, not only is the sight of this book sparking the idea that never again will we have pasta a la carrot and also a self congratulatory present for surviving another saturday morning supermarket shop I buy it. Yes, I have bought into Mr Jamie Oliver’s 30 minute meals. Oh boy, and how good is he. I have just done the Wonky Pasta meal. It was easy and actually made in 30 minutes. Of course I wasnt cynical. ha.

Claire and Matt’s wedding was very much a family affair. In started the night before when Matt’s dad, who plays in a band was performing at the local pub as practice for his son’s wedding the next day. Claire got ready in her room at her parents house and all the family were involved one way or another. For the full story head over to my old blog. The gorgeous venue was Earsham Hall in Norfolk. It is privately owned and the lovely Annabel who coordinates everything is fab. Claire wore a dress by Benjamin Roberts The lighting from the DJ was out of this world – the best I have worked with and made the room look doubly amazing. They also had an evening hog roast (organised by Earsham Hall) instead of the usual buffet, that worked so well…here are a few pictures from the day.