Olivia Brabbs Photography

New Blog Location

2009-11-04T07:05:00.002Z

Hi - my blog has now shifted to a different provider...

The link below will take you straight there !

OLIVIA BRABBS PHOTOGRAPHY BLOG

x

Rock My Wedding

2009-10-18T08:17:00.005+01:00

I'm so thrilled to be featured as a recommended wedding photographer on the Love/Lust list for the newly launched Rock My Wedding Blog... The blog creator is the very gorgeous Charlotte who was inspired to bring a bit of State side glam to the UK wedding industry drawing on her own experiences of being a bride to be.... Already, the site is a fantastic source of inspiration for brides looking to bring that extra bit of cool sparkle to their day. Wedding stuffiness and cheese is strictly off limits...

New addiction.... knitting!

2009-10-15T11:08:00.001+01:00

I've been meaning to get some new craft skills under my belt for sometime so I was really thrilled to have the opportunity to do a learn to knit workshop at the very lovely Baa Ram Ewe in Headingley this week. The owner Verity was a complete star and has got me well on the way with the basics. I'm starting out on a very fetching chunky (very chunky!!) scarf - but already have my eye on my next project - funky arm warmers / gloves.

Verity stocks an amazing range of wool focusing on Yorkshire yarns and British breeds which is so cool. So rather than buying a new pair of gloves from the high street that are made in goodness knows where it's so great to have control over the source of your material and get the feel good factor of creating something yourself... Yep - I'm a knitting convert...

National Wedding Show NEC

2009-10-07T16:06:00.002+01:00

I'm heading down to the midlands tomorrow for a busy weekend at the National Wedding Show. I'm not exhibiting myself but helping out my buddy Dee Grismond from Cherrygorgeous who will be showing her gorgeous eco-chic wedding stationery. The show runs from Fri - Sun so it's going to be a long weekend but Dee has reassured me that her stand is positioned next to the bar so no doubt the odd G&T will keep our energy levels up!

If you are planning to visit the show do come and say hi to me and Dee! It would be lovely to see you there....

Lovely testimonial from Pete & Claire's York Wedding

2009-10-06T20:53:00.000+01:00

I received a gorgeous card of thanks this morning from Pete & Claire. I covered their wedding in May in York at The Merchant Taylor’s Hall.

“We wanted to thank you so much for taking our wedding photos – and for the stunning album you produced. We have not stopped looking at it ever since we receive it! Like every couple, choosing a wedding photographer was one of the biggest, and most important, decisions we made when it came to planning the wedding – after all – it’s one of the few physical memories we have. But I’m so pleased to say that we couldn’t have wished for anyone better! The fact you took so much time and put so much effort into getting to know us and our tastes, and into including the whole family on both sides, meant we got excatly what we had hoped for – photos that tell the story of the best day of our lives that we’ll treasure forever! By the end of the day you’d put everyone so at ease that it felt like you were one of our guests! You really have an amazing talent and we’ll be giving you a call hopefully one day in the future for a family portrait! Thanks again Pete & Claire”

Such lovely words – thanks guys!

Pete and Claire’s wedding created one of my favourite confetti shots of all time – you can look back into the May archives to view some of their images.

UK Weddings Show - Harrogate highlights...

2009-09-29T17:26:00.009+01:00

Just thought I'd share a few photos from the weekend as well as a quick introduction to some of my new wedding buddies that I met... (apologies that images aren't up to usual standard - quick flash shots on my little sister's compact! - hopefully they give you the gist though!)

As well as exhibiting my photography we also took the opportunity to showcase "The Vintage China Cupboard". This is a business I run with my Mum and was born out a collection of stunning vintage china that was used for my wedding last September. We simply couldn't bear to part with it all and both still enjoy a healthy obsession with shopping for china so decided to offer our lovely wares for hire for other couples to enjoy. The vintage garden party look is just so cool....

A massive thank you to my trusty helpers - my fab little sister Cordelia and the very lovely Dee Grismond. Dee is the brains behind "Cherry Gorgeous" an eco-chic stationery company. I'm due to return the favour next weekend as I'll be helping Dee on her stand at the National Wedding Show down at the NEC. If anyone is planning to visit do come and say hi!!

We were very privileged to be positioned opposite the very cute Bilbo the owl! Bilbo is very clever and has set up in business offering a ring bearing service! Love it! He will swoop down the aisle bearing the all important rings and land on (the gloved) hand of groom or best man.. He drew a pretty good crowd! You can find out more about Bilbo and his services here..

We really do feel that we had the coolest corner in the show for as well as hanging out with Bilbo we all got to enjoy the chilled but very funky tunes of The Bedroom Orchestra. Tristan serenaded us all day long - apologies if the 3 of us looked slightly insane bopping away on our stand...!

I also made a new friend with wheels... I fell in love with Sweet Pea - a beautiful 1966 Volkswagen Samba Type 2 Deluxe 21 window Microbus - what a fab way to travel in style on your wedding day. Cool company name too - Dub Tails...

Great to catch up with Joanna from Twisted Willow Floristry too - her stand looked absolutely gorgeous.

Once again a huge thank you to all the couples and their friends and family who popped by to say hi. It's been so lovely to hear from lots of you already and I'm looking forward to welcoming you to the studio in Rawdon for a more detailed chat over a coffee and a few choccie biscuits!

Ride the Wave....

2009-09-29T08:41:00.005+01:00

Tickets are now on sale to join in what is set to be one of the biggest climate demonstrations to date in London. Organised to coincide with the Copenhagen Climate talks - it's aim is to send a message to our world leaders that a FAB agreement is required - one that is - Fair - Ambitious - Binding. The date is 5th December and a special train has been chartered to take 500 supporters down to London for the day from Bradford, Leeds & Doncaster - there are tons of great activities planned for the journey and it is being organised as a family friendly event so little people are very welcome. Tickets are just £30 return or £20 with concessions. I have my ticket booked and I really hope lots of you out there feel you could join me...

Tickets are available HERE - and the site also gives loads of info about the organisers and the key issues behind the Copenhagen talks.

Wow - what a weekend!

2009-09-27T20:13:00.002+01:00

Just a quick note to say what a fab weekend I've had the UK Weddings Show in Harrogate. A big thanks to all the couples and their friends and families who came to have a chat - I'll be in touch in the next couple of days with lots more info for you...

I'll also post again very soon with some of my show highlights - there was some really cool suppliers exhibiting who I'm really keen to showcase to you.... More soon x

Alison's & Rob beautiful rainy day in Harrogate

2009-09-23T10:03:00.006+01:00

Such an amazing day! Alison and Rob's day increased my love of rainy weddings ten fold... Stunning moody light which complements my documentary eye perfectly!

After getting ready at the Yorkshire Hotel in Harrogate we drove over to Alison & Rob's village church in North Rigton before coming back to Harrogate (chauffered by a fab vintage bus!) to the Sun Pavilions. You couldn't get a more perfect venue for a rainy day - the outside terrace is covered so you can still get lots of fab natural light shots without worrying about soggy guests! The main reception room is flooded with natural light - and don't get me started on that roof - love it!

The table decorations were so cute - beautiful mis-match vintage china with each cup and saucer acting as name places too. Each table was named after an Elvis track.

To view more wedding images please do visit my online portfolio. If like me you loved Alison & Rob's vintage table theme please do check out The Vintage China Cupboard which is a North Yorkshire china & prop hire service.

Final Countdown to the UK Weddings Show in Harrogate

2009-09-21T12:27:00.003+01:00

I'm a busy bee this week getting everything ready for my stand at the UK Weddings Show in Harrogate this weekend... It's been great to hear that lots of couples I've recently met will be visiting with their friends and family to get lots of planning ideas.

Complementary tickets are available through the show website....

Do come and say hi if you're planning to visit...

Introducing George...

2009-09-17T16:43:00.000+01:00

It was lovely to meet George last week for a really fun baby portrait session. George was an absolute star and was full of smiles and fab expressions...

Rather than the often time pressured experience of visiting a photography studio I like to visit clients at home so that everything is really relaxed. This is so important for tiny people as it means we can work around feeding / changing and just take time out when needed! There are lots more examples of my baby portrait work on my website - do get in touch for further info.

As a little warning and I'm so sorry to mention the "C" word - but sessions over the next few weeks are quickly getting booked up so do get in touch as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Photography is such a unique and personal present - and rather than many of the quick fix throw away gifts that are starting to appear in our high streets - is something that will be treasured for years to come...

Katie & Mike's wedding at Rudding Park, Harrogate

2009-09-16T14:18:00.003+01:00

Another beautiful day at Rudding Park in Harrogate. Had loads of fun hanging out with the girls getting ready before travelling on a fab vintage coach provided by Yesteryear Cars with the bridesmaids and family to the church.

An example of the beautiful flowers created by Carol & Jenny at The Mulberry Tree in Yeadon.

Best synchronised dancefloor skid I've ever witnessed - good work boys!

If you'd like to find out more about my wedding photography services please visit my website...

Donna & Neil - Ripley Castle, Harrogate

2009-09-10T10:56:00.002+01:00

The celebration at Ripley Castle was the 2nd part of Donna & Neil's wedding following their official marriage in New Zealand. They held a glamorous black tie dinner at Ripley Castle with all the wedding trimmings for their friends and family in the UK.

A raffle was held after dinner to raise funds for The Spinal Injuries Association. The raffle was lots of fun and raised £700 for an amazing charity.

Think Business - new commissions

2009-09-07T14:05:00.008+01:00

Earlier work with the Think Business scheme at Bradford University is featured within a previous blog post. Here are some of my favourite images from the latest commissions. The collection includes portraits of Gemma who teaches street dance to young people and Zahra who designs beautiful jewellery.

I also enjoyed a fantastic day with Jason Burnett who is the World Natural Body Building champion. Alongside his competition work Jason now works with schools and young people looking at healthy lifestyle and positive self-esteem issues.

I accept a varied number of commercial commissions each year - please do visit my online portfolio to view more work - OLIVIA BRABBS COMMERCIAL PORTFOLIO

Bridesmaid Duties!

2009-09-02T18:30:00.003+01:00

Apologies for the lack of new posts - it's been a busy summer packed to the rafters with lots of wonderful weddings - I promise to share some of my favourite images really soon...

I've also been really busy moving into my new studio space in Rawdon, Leeds - it's starting to take shape and am looking forward to welcoming clients old and new to come and say hi in the near future.

I'm very excited to be on the other side of the camera this weekend as bridesmaid for my best buddy Miranda - she was my bridesmaid last September for my wedding so I'm very chuffed to be returning the favour... Pics to follow...

Fab Green online mag - The GIN Lady...

2009-08-08T18:39:00.002+01:00

Just wanted to pass on details of a fab web resource I've just discovered... THE GIN LADY - alongside lots of good info there some amazing shopping ideas - perfect for eco friendly gifts - although I have to say I'd find it hard to give a lot of it away as there are some gorgeous things! I've been eyeing up a few goodies for our allotment as well as my office...oh and my wardrobe...!

Date for your diary - The Wave...

2009-08-08T10:41:00.005+01:00

Stop Climate Chaos are organising a special train to take over 500 people down to London to march peacefully in the lead up to the UN Climate Summit in Copenhagen. It's so important that as many people as possible take a stand to show the world leaders that they need to take urgent action... The key messages of the march are to quit dirty coal, protect the poorest and act fair and fast... Please visit the Stop Climate Chaos Website for more information. I'll post details about train bookings as soon as the payment system is available. The train is due to visit various stations in the North including Leeds, Bradford & Doncaster. I'll be there with lots of friends - it would be amazing if you could join us...

Claire & Jon's wedding at the Courtyard, Harewood House

2009-08-02T07:34:00.007+01:00

A wonderful day with Claire & Jon at The Courtyard at Harewood House in Leeds following their church ceremony at St. Marys in Whitkirk. We had a little bit of wind to contend with but the rain managed to stay away leaving us with some stunning light to work with.

Catherine & Mark's wedding at Rudding Park

2009-08-02T07:33:00.007+01:00

Perfect blue skies and lovely fluffy clouds created a beautiful backdrop to Catherine & Mark's beautiful day at Rudding Park Hotel in Harrogate.

I love it when the "small world" syndrome strikes - Adam (pictured with his wife Rachel below) is the son of an old nursing friend of my Mum's and as it turned out very good friends of Catherine & Mark. It was complete co-incidence that two and two were put together before the wedding and so it was lovely to be able to say hi in person on the day. The last time I saw Adam was on a family trip to Beningbrough Hall near York when we were all under 10!

Please do visit my website for lots more information about my approach to wedding photography - OLIVIA BRABBS PHOTOGRAPHY

Rudding Park Fashion shoot with Platinum Bridal

2009-08-02T07:24:00.005+01:00

I enjoyed a wonderful shoot recently at Rudding Park in Harrogate to create some fab fashion bridal shots for Platinum Bridal Boutique of Yeadon. A big thank you to Rudding Park for allowing us to use their beautiful venue as a location and to all the models involved who were great fun to work with. I was also thrilled to be working side by side with one of my photography buddies - Nicky Chadwick...

Here are some of my favourites from the day...

Katharine & Keith's Wedding - The Devonshire Fell

2009-07-21T15:00:00.007+01:00

I'm looking forward to seeing Katharine & Keith tomorrow night for an album planning session and so thought I must pop some images of their lovely day on my blog. It was a stunning day - again the Devonshire Fell provided a beautiful backdrop to lots of love and laughter. The fab flowers were by the very talented Joanna at Twisted Willow.

You can enjoy more wedding images through my online showreel...

UK Wedding Shows - Harrogate

2009-07-21T14:17:00.004+01:00

It's a long time since I've exhibited at a wedding event so I'm delighted to be part of the UK Wedding Shows event in Harrogate 26th & 27th September. This is the first time one of the national wedding shows has come to Harrogate so it's set to be a fantastic event and a perfect way to find Yorkshire's best wedding suppliers and pick up lots of top planning tips.

I have lots of fab plans for my stand so do come by and say hi if you're visiting. I'm also really pleased to be sharing my space with 'The Vintage China Cupboard' which will be launching it's vintage china and prop hire services.

Save the Honeybee - Soil Association petition

2009-07-15T15:54:00.002+01:00

I think the plight of the honeybee has become an important issue to a lot of people - please do take a couple of moments to visit the Soil Association website to find out more about the petition they have just launched calling for Hilary Benn to bring about a ban on a class of harmful agricultural pesticides called neonicotinoids - research has shown them to be a contributing factor in the alarming death rates within the honeybee population - France, Germany & Slovenia have already banned them - let's put the pressure on to make the UK next in line...

SAVE THE HONEYBEE PETITION

My big British adventure!

2009-07-09T11:10:00.003+01:00

For those not in the know I'm just back from my holidays. Rather than clock up nasty polluting air miles we decided this year to enjoy the best of British and have had a fab time down in beautiful Cornwall. We've enjoyed lots of adventures in our wonderful new Soul Pad Tent - who said camping has to be a torturous experience !? From long lazy days on the beach in baking sun, stunning cliff top walks, pottering in vintage shops, yummy cream teas and one or two pints of local cider - it's been ACE ! Our favourite campsite was Henry's in Lizard - so basically as far South as you can go! Really unique site with lots of like minded hippy at heart souls!

Good to be back at work though- or it will be once I've got through my e-mail inbox - 1865 messages! Apologies to all of the new enquiries that have come through - I'll be in touch asap!

The Book of Green

2009-07-09T10:34:00.006+01:00

I'm really delighted to be featured in the just published "Book of Green" which is a fantastic eco living resource. From wedding suppliers through to finances, fashion & home it's a really good reference tool - and best of all it's free!! You can view the book online or it's available through various UK stockists...

Exciting news... WPJA membership...

2009-06-24T20:36:00.005+01:00

A great bit of news - I've just heard that I've been accepted as a member of the prestigious WPJA - Wedding Photojournalist Association. I'm really delighted as for me the WPJA showcases the best wedding talent in the world! Unlike many professional bodies membership is based on strict criteria so I feel very honoured to have made the grade!

Please do visit the WPJA website to enjoy some amazing images - I'm aiming to feature really soon in the competitions....

Even more lovely words !!!

2009-06-21T12:18:00.004+01:00

Thank you so much to Rebecca who has just sent the most amazing message of thanks. The words are beautiful and a brilliant testimony to the power of stills photography.

I photographed Rebecca & Andy's wedding last June at Rogerthorpe Manor. The day was one of the wettest I can remember but this didn't damper any spirits and the beautiful light led to some stunning images....

"We literally cannot stop looking at our album. We are going to have the family round and open a bottle of champagne on Sunday and relive it all again. I am just amazed at how you have managed to capture the atmosphere on the day, in particular those moments, that spark of all our memories, thats now there forver in these images.

You manged to make everyone feel at ease and you have a natural gift for spotting those pictures that tell it all.It was an absolute pleasure,to have you at our wedding. The album is a delight, and exceeded our expectations,its something I am proud to pass on down the generations as the story of 'our wedding'.

I don't know if you are aware, but my husband and I are records managers, we look at what records should be preserved for how long and where they should be kept. Because of this we decided not to have a video, as DVDs, videos, tape as they all become obsolete over time and they cannot be preserved. Photographs continue to be the one product that stands the test of time that all other modern records fail to do. Its easy in everyway, you don't need any equipment or wires, you just pick it up and let your memory take you back to that day and all those other images in your mind outside the frame, come flooding back. Many people have commented that a video could capture sound and movement, but still pictures let you look closely, they allow you to examine the eyes and smile, and look a bit deeper. It's amazing how long we stare at those old black and white photos of the past and how much they tell us of our history and who we used to be. So many moments we wish to capture and freeze in time, only a photo can do that."

In short, I just wanted to say a big thank you for giving us exactly what we wanted-which is a bit of history that can stand the test of time, that will be looked at in every grainy detail long after we are gone."

Lovely words....!

2009-06-14T10:31:00.003+01:00

Thanks so much to Katharine who sent this lovely text on return from honeymoon - it's really made my day!

"Olivia! Photos are fabulous! Just watched the DVD over and over and now too excited to sleep! You've done such a fantastic job - thank you so much. Look forward to catching up soon! K "

I'll post some photos soon from Katharine & Keith's wonderful day at the Devonshire Fell in Burnsall.

Lucy & Marc's Wedding at Burn Hall

2009-06-07T15:07:00.007+01:00

It was an absolute honour to be asked by Lucy to photograph her wedding to Marc at Burn Hall. Lucy has recently opened the very lovely 'Platinum Bridal Boutique' in Yeadon with her sister-in-law Stacey, which I'm sure is set for great success.

The weather on the day was glorious with everyone enjoying an amazing BBQ and garden games outside on the terrace. Mental note - must find out where those amazing cupcakes came from as they looked so yummy !!

Emma & Matthew's Wedding at the Devonshire Fell

2009-06-07T14:46:00.012+01:00

Another fab wedding day with Emma & Matthew at the Devonshire Fell in the very beautiful Burnsall. After documenting some girly getting ready moments with Emma in Addingham I had to hot foot it to Burnsall to capture Matthew's arrival by helicopter - thinking I had timed things to perfection I unfortunately got stuck behind a bumbling car of tourists who insisted on pootling along at 25 miles an hour - anyone that knows the road to Burnsall will appreciate that overtaking opportunities are non-existent! Had a horrible moment when the helicopter passed me overhead making me think I'd missed the boys but luckily it takes ages for the propellors to come to a halt so just made it in time for some great shots... Phew...

It was one of those amazing days when the skies clear just when you need them to so although there was some rain for Emma's arrival everyone was able to enjoy drinks in the stunning gardens and we were able to head down into Burnsall for some lovely shots on the village bridge. Music on the day was provided by the very fabulous Emley Brass Band. Emma had put loads of thought into the decor and look of the day and gifts for the girls included the pottery that had been painted on her hen weekend and instead of favours guests all received lapel pins representing donations that had been made to the British Heart Foundation in memory of Matthew's father. I stayed at the wedding until the dancing kicked off in the evening - it looked like it was going to be a fab party!!

For further information and wedding portfolio images please visit my website...

Operation Chicken rescue...

2009-06-07T14:37:00.008+01:00

For those of you who don't really take much time to think about the source of your food this is definitely the post for you... My parent's have recently "rescued" 8 hens from a battery farm to give them a new life with a lovely free range existence. The birds were about to be shipped off for slaughter to be made into god knows what after one year of intensive laying. Each hen cost 50 pence...! My mum went to collect the birds and had to experience first hand the conditions these birds are subjected to - 10,000 birds in one massive shed with 4 hens to a cage the size of an A3 piece of paper.

I thought it would be really positive to document the changes the birds go through as they adjust from chicken hell to chicken heaven. The birds now have freedom to roam across an acre of land and a safe warm place to shelter at night time. These are a handful of images I've taken just to record the state of the birds in the first few days of their arrival - hope that I'll be able to show some more happy healthy birds in a few weeks...

My favourite place to chill !

2009-06-03T09:52:00.000+01:00

Just thought I'd share a little secret with you... but don't tell everyone as I like the idea of it being exclusive to those in the know! La Rosa is one of my favourite places to go and chill for a few days - it's the most crazy, beautiful, random campsite you'll ever visit... Full of vintage caravans - eco friendly with a compost toilet in a gypsy caravan and no electricity - a fab box of dressing up clothes in the circus tent - romantic showers in a candlelit cowshed - the randomness goes on and on. I don't want to spoil the fun as you need to discover it for yourself but here's one little photo taken by my hubby that gives you an indication of the level of chill I achieved on our last stay! We also spent a night in the newly opened La Rosa Hotel in Whitby which is stunning - an amazing place for a romantic getaway... If you do make a visit say hi from Olivia & Jonny and my top tip is to ask for the Tinkers Van !

Lizzie & Matt's Green Wedding

2009-05-28T15:06:00.002+01:00

What a gorgeous day - full of emotion with beautiful personal touches. So many friends had chipped into the day - including music, readings and prayers. Lizzie & Matt really thought about the environmental impact of their wedding choosing local venues which enabled them to walk everywhere on the day - as well as bringing in lots of eco touches to their reception at The Endsleigh Centre.

Vib Gyor - iTunes single of the week

2009-05-26T19:10:00.005+01:00

For those not in the know my very gorgeous husband Jonny is drummer in Leeds band Vib Gyor... It's a really exciting week as they boys have launched their debut album and are single of the week on iTunes worldwide.

Apologies for the low res screen grab but very excited as iTunes have used one of my band pics for their home page - coolio!

If you'd like to have a listen and check out the album just take a little cyber trip to their MySpace page - VIB GYOR

Enjoy!

Claire & Pete's wedding - Merchant Taylor's Hall, York

2009-05-26T18:43:00.004+01:00

Another lovely wedding with beautiful Spring weather featuring the cutest wedding car you're likely to see....a rather fab Moris Minor. After a church ceremony in Fulford we headed across York to the very grand Merchant Taylor's Hall. Guests enjoyed a really relaxed drinks reception in the sunshine and then enjoyed some amazing looking food.

Thanks Emma!

2009-05-17T14:57:00.003+01:00

I've just had a lovely text from one of my brides Emma who got married to Matthew at the Devonshire Fell before she jetted off on honeymoon - "Hi - just wanted to say thank you so so much for your help yesterday. I loved having you around and it was so fantastic to have someone so warm and kind and just like another of my friends involved on such an important day"....

Ah - thanks Emma! I absolutely love my job and feedback like this makes me love it even more !!

Our wedding hits the States!

2009-05-01T13:16:00.006+01:00

I'm delighted to have been approached by the wonderful US site Portovert to showcase our wedding on their real weddings section. Although focused on services state side the site is really informative and full and good tips for couples looking to bring eco ideas into their wedding day.

OLIVIA & JONNY'S WEDDING - AMERICAN STYLE!

I love some of the descriptions from the day - especially "a Shakespearean vision" !!! - makes me want to do it all over again!!

Steph & Alex's wedding at Markefield Hall in Ripon

2009-04-30T11:38:00.001+01:00

Another amazing wedding - I really really love my job!

Markenfield Hall near Ripon is a totally unique venue and it was a privilege to join Steph & Alex and their family and friends for a wonderful day. Markenfield can only cater for smaller groups with the focus being on the daytime so is perfect for a more intimate relaxed wedding. Again we had beautiful spring weather and with blue skies, fluffy clouds and blossom on the trees in the Orchard the back drop was perfect. It really is worth visiting the Markenfield website as the house has such an interesting history and looks stunning with it's famous moat and black swans. Steph & Alex had chosen a black and white theme finishing the day with a fab vintage bus (black and white of course!) that took them all to the Sun Pavilions in Harrogate for a party.

Adam & Gail's Wedding at Rudding Park

2009-04-29T17:04:00.005+01:00

I had the great pleasure of being part of Adam & Gail's beautiful wedding at Rudding Park in Harrogate. The day was amazing fun with everyone really getting into the spirit of the celebration in the spring sunshine. Highlights of the day for me were Gail's stunning dress, the never ending smiles, being invited to eat pudding with the bride at the top table and Gail & Adam's spectacular 1st Dance. They'd prepared a very cool routine to Fleetwood Mac's "Everywhere"... There was a lovely moment for me as Adam had sent Gail some beautiful flowers before the ceremony accompanied by a Rudding Park Card - we quickly discovered that he'd picked out a card that was designed by my Mum and included photographs by my Dad! Gail said she was thrilled to have two more Brabbs' featuring in her wedding day! There was another family connection as Adam's Uncle used to work with my Dad in his TV Times days - small world!

It's been very hard to whittle down the images to a handful for the blog as I was at Rudding for nearly 10 hours but here are some of my favourites from the day.

Platinum Bridal Boutique - Yeadon

2009-04-18T16:34:00.002+01:00

I'm really passionate about building good relationships with my fellow wedding suppliers both in terms of creating a really good community of like minded professionals but also it's so great to be able to give genuine recommendations to my clients. There is such a mine field of options when it comes to planning your wedding and so often a personal word of mouth recommendation can be worth its weight in gold.

With that in mind, I'm really delighted to introduce a fab new bridal boutique in Yeadon - Platinum Bridal Boutique. Run by the very lovely Lucy & Stacey who are determined to offer something fresh and modern to Yorkshire's brides. The interior of the shop is really cool and I wish them tons of luck in their new venture. I'm looking forward to working with the girls in the near future on some fashion photography projects. I'm also extremely delighted to be offering my services for Lucy's wedding this May at Burn Hall.

Wedding season is approaching fast!

2009-04-16T12:42:00.002+01:00

I always love the sense of anticipation when wedding season is just around the corner. Suddenly the diary is really busy with pre-wedding planning consultations and it's always so lovely to catch up with clients and find out all the final plans for their weddings. These planning meetings are so important to supporting the way that I work. By going through timings and details in fine detail it means I can just roll with things on the day allowing the couple to focus on their day with minimal awareness of the logistics of the photography. It's also a perfect opportunity to find out lots more about the couple's friends and family so I have some stories in mind when looking for those character shots. Preparation is definitely the name of the game for chilled out photography!

I have the priviledge to be photographing at a range of venues this year including Rudding Park, Markenfield Hall, The Devonshire Fell, Haleys Hotel, Harewood House, Weddings & Wellies, The Sun Pavilions and lots of fab marquees including Papa Kata Teepees. More to follow in due course on all the lovely weddings to come!

Hannah's Bat Mitzvah

2009-04-08T09:39:00.000+01:00

It was wonderful to be part of Hannah's Bat Mitzvah celebration at The Marjorie & Arnold Ziff Community Centre in Leeds. I've recently started offering photography for Bar / Bat Mitzvahs as I was really keen to introduce my documentary approach to an event that is so full of friendship, family and fun. As with my wedding photography, it's about bringing a sense of formality when required but otherwise being an unobtrusive observer and allowing the celebrations to flow naturally - capturing people as they are. A big thank you to Hannah and all of her family and friends for making me so welcome.

The Age of Stupid..

2009-03-26T13:18:00.001Z

If you get the opportunity to see this fantastic film please do - I can't recommend it enough.

The Age of Stupid Trailer

The Age of Stupid is the new release by McLibel director Franny Armstrong. Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite stars as a man living alone in the devastated world of 2055, looking at old footage from 2008 and asking: why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance? I think what makes this film have so much impact is that it really gives the facts from a human viewpoint - real life stories are used to illustrate the crises occuring worldwide. The footage of the NIMBY brigade opposing proposals for a wind farm in the UK is particularly galling. The film does end with a sense of hope that there is still time to take action but I do feel it is difficult to not feel incredibly small and helpless in the face of such huge global corporations and their senseless greed. I do believe though that everyone can make a difference and despite what you may think about climate issues the fact is that there is only so much resource to go around and with our increasing population numbers we all need to make changes on as many levels as we can.

It was great to see the film at the wonderful Hyde Park Picture House to a full audience - in fact the queues were so big outside they had to delay the start by 30 mins to get everyone seated...

Further information about the film can be found at - The Age of Stupid
Other informative sites to find out more about what can be done...
Friends of the Earth
Stop Climate Chaos

Radio Aire's Cash for Kids Charity Golf Day

2009-03-20T14:20:00.003Z

One of the things I love most about my job is that every week is so diverse. I always love the opportunity to try something new and so was delighted to be asked by the station's fundraising manager Ros Raine to photograph Radio Aire's Charity Golf Day at Oulton Hall in aid of Cash for Kids. I know very little about golf but had an amazing time covering the stirling play by all the teams involved. A particular highlight was speeding around the huge course with Ros on a golf buggy capturing action shots. The Radio Aire team had the brilliant Tom O'Connor playing with them. The weather was absolutely glorious and it was again such a treat to be out and about with the sun on my face...

Twisted Willow - beautiful flowers

2009-03-17T21:13:00.004Z

I'm delighted to be working with the very talented and lovely Joanna from Twisted Willow Floristry at the moment. Her work is absolutely stunning and these portfolio shots were taken at Denton Hall near Ilkley. Joanna was exhibiting at the wedding fair there on Sunday so I took the opportunity to join her at the end of the day to capture her display pieces. The lighting was really lovely on Sunday and it was such a treat to feel sun on my back whilst out taking pictures!

Getaway Girls Director's Report

2009-03-14T17:46:00.003Z

Getaway Girls is a fantastic charity based in Harehills in Leeds. They provide self development and informal educational opportunities with the aim of engaging the city's most disadvantaged young women and encouraging them to make positive life choices.

I've worked closely with the team there for a couple of years and so was delighted to be involved again in creating some images for their Director's Report.

Back from the mountains!

2009-03-14T17:02:00.005Z

Sorry for the recent blog silence but I'm just back from a fab week's skiing in Tignes in France. Had an amazing time with the best snow I've seen for years. Conditions were definitely easier at times for the borders who were in powder heaven but still fun for us old school skiers! As well as all of the snow fall we had some perfect blue skies which for me is what it's all about - deck chair in the sun with an unbeatable view of the mountains enjoyed with an epic sized chocolat chaud with cream a plenty! As is often the case on holiday I only had my little Lumix compact with me but still had some photo fun - Jonny will probably kill me for adding in the arty beard shot but never mind !

Natural light baby photography

2009-02-24T17:43:00.004Z

I've just completed a lovely shoot with a beautiful little girl called Mia and her family. I thought I'd upload a handful of images to showcase what stunning results you can achieve with available light. As I've highlighted before, working with little people in their own environment is so much more rewarding and relaxing for all involved.

I love to photograph tiny hands and feet - babies shoot up so quickly and I think these images are such an important document of your growing child.

Rainy Weddings

2009-02-18T10:30:00.004Z

With all the drizzle about today and my recent post about Mosaic Brides my mind turned to an feature from a previous edition giving some of my top tips for coping with rain on your wedding day. I had a rainy day when I got married last September and the advice I have always given to my couples was true from personal experience - rain doesn't have to ruin the day! I do remember having a minor "mourning" half hour for the loss of the summer garden vibe I'd aimed for but quickly picked myself up and got on with it... Instead of letting the rain take over - just embrace it and make it a feature in your photographs. Some of my favourite wedding images have come from rainy day weddings - the lighting is fab - and very flattering for skin tones!

I think one of the biggest worries for girls is that their dress will be ruined - my philosophy was what the heck - I'm only wearing this thing once and I'm damn well going to enjoy wearing it! My dress and shoes were annihilated by the end of the evening but with a bit of careful cleaning from my Mum they came up good as new...

Well, here's the article...which features one of my images too!

Mosaic Brides Magazine

2009-02-17T11:20:00.004Z

It's always a buzz to see my images in print and I'm delighted that Mosaic Brides magazine have used a winter wedding image to complement one of their features.

The magazine is a great source of local planning ideas and the link below will take you to an online copy of the latest edition- the image is on page 13 - enjoy!

MOSAIC MAGAZINE

Sam! Fun at tea time...

2009-01-26T16:04:00.006Z

Enjoyed hanging out with Sam and his family yesterday to capture some everyday at home shots - had great fun at tea time playing dodge the yogurt! I love these kinds of sessions - for me kids need to be photographed in their own environment where they feel most comfortable. It's about taking time too and not expecting them to "perform" in an allotted time slot as is often the case with a studio based shoot.

Saturday Night Magic!!

2009-01-25T14:24:00.004Z

Had a chance encounter with a couple of amazing guys in Medusa Bar in Horsforth on Saturday night - the amazingly talented Daniel Madison & Gianni Vox who very kindly gave me, my husband and some friends an impromptu magic and illusion show! All in return for a couple of pints of Leffe! I've seen lots of magicians at work at weddings and corporate functions but none were a patch on these guys. They describe their work as underground magic and are creating quite a stir in the traditional magic societies by refusing to conform. Daniel has an amazing story to tell about his past as a card cheat and how he turned his life around to use his skills in a more positive way. I can't recommend these guys enough and if you are thinking of hiring a magician for your wedding or party then these are the boys for you!

There's loads of info on Daniel's personal website - DANIEL MADISON - and it's also worth checking out DEVIL'S ADVOCATE PRODUCTIONS as Daniel is associated with some other amazing magicians... Enjoy!

JCI portrait shoot

2009-01-25T11:56:00.006Z

Saturday morning involved a portrait shoot down at Kirkstall Abbey for council members of JCI Leeds to create some new headshots for the website. The weather was fantastic and I had some stunning winter light to work with - hats and fingerless gloves essential though as it was chilly!

My Real Wedding...

2009-01-20T19:59:00.010Z

I was honoured to be asked by Pure Weddings Magazine to share some images and details from my own wedding for one of their Real Wedding Features in their Spring 2009 edition. The piece is titled "The cameras are turned" with the key focus resting on my experiences of being photographed alongside our efforts to incorporate lots of green ideas into our day. The magazine is now on the shelves and is a great source of information for planning a wedding in Yorkshire and Cheshire.
Being "in the industry" meant that I had a bit of a head start on finding wedding suppliers that I knew would share our ideas and I'd love to take this opportunity to say thanks to them for their amazing contributions to our day:

Weddings & Wellies - the yummiest food with a focus on local produce
Marston Moor Marquees - tents with a modern twist
Cherry Gorgeous
Jonny Bagdads (festival van from Masham serving up falafal pitas and vege curry)
The Nerds (fab covers band - we boogied all night! - they also do a barndance set)
ODB Hairdressers - 0113-289 9191 - the very lovely Sara came out to us at home
Michelsberg - bespoke Leeds based tailor that created Jonny's fab suit
Tina Nicholson Photography - a good friend who was brave enough to take the photo challenge - she and her husband Phil did a stunning job - thank you Tina!

'It's not easy being Green' - TV appearance!

2009-01-18T11:02:00.002Z

I've just had notification from the BBC this morning that "The Lovely Green Wedding Event" will be featured in the current series of 'It's Not Easy Being Green". The date for the episode is 18th Feb - at 8pm on BBC2.

There is an informative website that accompanies the series which has an interesting section on Green Weddings - BBC & GREEN WEDDINGS

Looking forward to my mainstream TV debut !!!

Trade convention in London

2009-01-17T17:56:00.000Z

Had a whirlwind trip down to London yesterday to visit the SWPP trade show to have a good nosy at some album and display options for the coming year. It was an exhausting day but worth the journey. Came away with some great product ideas but unfortunately with lots of frustrations too! It’s so challenging trying to upkeep my green business principles when faced with so many overseas album companies. I was delighted though to learn about the launch of a new range of matted albums by a well established UK company who will be producing everything on home soil. The only import item is leather from Italy.

I always find photography trade shows quite "interesting" due to their very male dominated environments – you just learn to take everything with a pinch of salt after a while. At least it wasn’t as bad as Focus can be – a trade show down at the NEC in Feb where you’re subjected to half-naked female models on many of the stands – I put a request in every year for male models to make it fair but no luck yet… Ah the joys of being a girl in what is still very much a boys and their toys world!

Christmas Wedding at Redworth Hall

2009-01-06T14:45:00.001Z

Terry & Helen had a wonderful wedding at Redworth Hall on the 29th December - lots of seasonal touches and tons of candles which really brought out the atmosphere of the venue's Great Hall.

New Year Celebrations

2009-01-03T17:43:00.001Z

I hope you've had a wonderful Christmas and fantastic New Year... For the last few year's we've enjoyed a few days away over New Year with Jonny's family up on the coast near Whitby. This year there were 25 of us staying in a scout association property which used to be an old railway station house - complete with disused railway line outside the front door! Good family fun with girls and boys dorms sleeping in bunk beds, bracing cliff top walks, fish and chips in Whitby and lots of laughs and games. It's so nice to escape the usual pressures of New Year and have time to catch up with family and friends and clear the head with some sea air!

I'm now looking forward to a fantastic 2009 - January is always an exciting month as it gives me time to catch up with the business and set new ideas in place for the coming year.

Wishing you all a happy and prosperous New Year
xxx

Happy Christmas everyone!

2008-12-19T20:35:00.001Z

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!

I'm planning a good old fashioned family Christmas - no turkey for me though - as a non-meat eater I will be cooking up one of my favourite dishes a really delicious mushroom pate en-croute - goes brilliantly with all the trimmings! I'll be quickly back into wedding mode though for Terry & Helen's day 29th Dec who are getting married at Redworth Hall near Darlington - some images to follow!

The Green Guide For Weddings

2008-12-04T16:12:00.004Z

I'm delighted to be included in the recently published 'Green Guide for Weddings' written by Jen Marsden who was a former editor of 'New Consumer'. The book is packed to the rafters with eco-friendly ideas to help you plan a green wedding.

The book is available to purchase across the UK in retail outlets or over the internet via the link below:

There are lots of other options in the 'Green Guide' series including fashion, home & household and travel.

Eco-chic wedding stationary - new product shoot

2008-11-19T17:46:00.005Z

Cherry Gorgeous is one of the UK's leading innovators in the green wedding movement producing stylish eco-chic stationery. I've worked closely with Dee Grismond from the company over several projects including 'The Lovely Green Wedding Event' in October so was delighted to be asked to complete some new images to showcase new ranges including funky new favours.

Think Business - Bradford

2008-11-11T17:14:00.000Z

I've been commissioned to undertake a series of sessions with businesses working with The Think Business scheme at Bradford University. The scheme aims to support and help young businesses develop and I've had the opportunity to meet some inspiring entrepreneurs with many more sessions to come in 2009. I always enjoy the challenge of corporate portrait shoots - similar to weddings - having to think on your feet, overcoming environmental obstacles and sourcing the best possible light in that given moment.

Getaway Girls Fashion Shoot

2008-11-07T22:56:00.000Z

Getaway Girls is a wonderful charity based in Leeds that works with young women aiming to increase their confidence, self-esteem and skills base. I've worked with the charity on various commissions over the last couple of years and so was delighted to be asked to work with some of the girls (and token boy!) on a fashion project they had just finished. The focus of the project had been looking at recycling clothing through clever alterations - not only a brilliant way to save money but also very eco-friendly... The shoot took place in Harehills in Leeds which is where many of the young people live - we were blessed with some really fab lighting and so with a clever bit of creative flash were able to use the back to back terraces and famous Leeds red brick walls to great effect.

Allerton Castle - winter wedding heaven

2008-11-06T19:02:00.000Z

Winter weddings are becoming more and more popular and Kelly and Ben's wedding 28th Nov at Allerton Castle was a perfect example of how fabulous the light can be out of the summer season. Add in some roaring fires, hot mulled wine and candles and you have the perfect recipe for an stunning backdrop. Beautiful crisp blue skies greeted me in the morning for some landscape shots with a misty afternoon adding some real moody atmosphere. I've had to include a shot of the bride's Prada shoes as they have to be the most fabulous bridal shoes ever - respect to Kelly for managing the staircase so gracefully in those heels!

Papa Kata Teepee wedding - Catherine & Paul

2008-11-03T19:24:00.000Z

After all of the excitement of The Lovely Green Wedding Event I had the opportunity to enjoy the fab Papa Kata teepees at Weddings & Wellies again for Catherine & Paul’s wedding 25th October. Following a ceremony at The Black Horse in Clifton everyone headed over to Weddings & Wellies Low Farm in Norristhorpe for a beautiful reception. A roaring fire in the centre of the tepee was a welcome site on a blustery day.

As most photographer’s will know you can find yourself in some precarious situations when going for that full group shot from an aerial view. This has to be my all time favourite – stuck on my own in a cherry picker on a tractor about 15 ft in the air in what felt like galeforce winds! – it was worth the effort (and fear) though as it was a fab shot…

Weddings & Wellies were the kind hosts for the Lovely Green Wedding Event and well worth checking out as an alternative wedding venue. The site is a working farm and run by Claire & Duncan who are passionate about green and local issues. The wonderful thing about the farm is it's a blank canvas so from a hippy style festival vibe with teepees to a more traditional marqee with afternoon tea it's all possible. The farm is photography heaven with sweeping views and quirky backdrops... I'm looking forward to spending more time down on the farm for weddings booked for 2009!

A mix and match Saturday..

2008-11-02T18:03:00.000Z

I can always tell when the "wedding season" is coming to a end as I start to discover weekends again and am able to start taking on more diverse commissions... This Saturday was pretty busy catching up on wedding processing tasks and 2 photography sessions. The first was a family portrait session involving 6 kids.

The evening saw me heading over to The Academy Health Club in Harrogate to document their annual tennis club awards evening - the theme was James Bond and all of the guests had gone to town with their outfits. Flash cars, fire eaters, martini cocktails, silhouetted dancers and the all important casino made sure everyone had a fantastic evening.

The UK's 1st Green Wedding Show

2008-10-26T17:03:00.000Z

It’s been a whirlwind few weeks since getting back from honeymoon with a big build up to a really exciting event that was held 19th October – “The Lovely Green Wedding Show”.

The show was the UK's 1st Green Wedding Event so I was really excited to be one of the oganisers alongside Dee Grismond from Cherry Gorgeous and Claire Ellis from Weddings and Wellies. And doubly proud that the we managed to put Yorkshire on the map in leading the way with the green wedding movement as the focus is normally based down south. There are lots of pictures and some info about the event on the show’s website – LOVELY GREEN WEDDINGS.

A huge thank you to all of the amazing suppliers who helped make the day such a success – you can find out all about them on the website too. We were delighted to be joined by the BBC who were filming for the next series of “It’s Not Easy Being Green” to be aired next February.

Our key motivation for the event was to showcase some of Yorkshire’s finest green innovators and demonstrate that it is easy to incorporate green ideas into your wedding planning. Equally, there was the desire to prove that wedding shows don’t have to be boring hard sell experiences – feedback from guests has been amazing all saying they really appreciated having time to really chat with suppliers who were on their wave length and weren’t pushing their services. We’re determined that there will be another Lovely Green Weddings event in 2009 so do watch my website and blog for more details and if you’re a supplier with green credentials who might be interested in exhibiting at the next show please just drop me a line – over and out….

The Wedding Photographer's Wedding!

2008-10-06T00:13:00.000+01:00

So for those not in the know September saw me become a MRS! to the very lovely and handsome Jonny. As I get to enjoy so many weddings I thought it only fair that the tables are turned and I shared a few memories from my day. Just click on the image to view some more pics - a huge thank you to Tina Nicholson for taking some fab images and not only coping with the pressure of capturing a photographer's wedding but also the added strain of performing in front of 2 parents who are professional photographers!

The day was very chilled out with a kind of shabby chic vintage tea shop meets Field of Lost Vagueness at Glastonbury theme (!) We were lucky enough to be able to hold our reception at my parent’s house near Harrogate so had a free rein to do things our way. A big priority was to bring lots of green elements to the day including eco-chic stationery, organic local produce, coach transport, vintage crockery and seasonal flowers. Very very happy to be married to the love of my life and apologies to all prospective clients who’ve been getting in touch recently as I’ve been tending to get carried away talking weddings – I’m still on a high! It really is the best day and I’m just so excited for all those future brides and grooms out there… if you’re thinking about an at home marquee based wedding I’d be delighted to pass on any words of wisdom to help with your planning so please just get in touch.

Charity Project 2008

2008-10-03T23:39:00.000+01:00

Starting this year I’ve decided to take on an annual charity project as I strongly believe that it’s important to take on personal work that creates new challenges and gives something back to the local community. This year saw me working with Sue Ryder Care Wheatfields Hospice in Headingley, Leeds with a brief set to recognise and celebrate the work of the volunteers as part of the hospice’s 30th anniversary. It was an amazing photographic journey working alongside patients and volunteers in the hospice and day-unit as well as recording the many diverse roles undertaken in and around the patient services – from kitchen tasks, chaplaincy, gardening, admin and fund raising – volunteers are the life blood of the charity.

Further images from the project can be viewed on my website – WHEATFIELDS PROJECT . I’d like to take this opportunity to say a huge thank you to all of the staff, volunteers and patients at Wheatfields who made me feel so welcome – please do visit the Wheatfields website to find out more about the amazing work that is done there.

I’m starting to have a think about project opportunities for 2009 so please do get in touch if you work with a Leeds based charity that would like to be propose a photographic brief.

Welcome!

2008-10-01T19:31:00.000+01:00

Hi to all

After many well meaning attempts I'm finally delighted to announce the start of my blog! I'm hoping the blog will be a perfect way to share lots of extra information with clients old and new as well as photography and business friends. Rather than just being one big wedding review I'll be giving a real insight into what's going on in the wonderful world of photography in Yorkshire. They'll be plenty of images to enjoy along the way and I'll be giving a particular focus through the blog on my thoughts and experiences with green weddings.

So... there's nothing else for it - let's get blogging!

Olivia x