Three day week ..

A busy three days beckons, and there's a first for me today as I'm photographing a Wedding in a Mormon church! I have no idea what to expect, but I'm gearing up for a great ceremony with a reception to follow at Macclesfield's Hollin Hall. After that I'm shooting an event at the Imperial War Museum North and then Sunday sees me at another Wedding, this time at the funky Didsbury House Hotel and its sister venue, Eleven Didsbury Park. We've got bagpipes and a little procession down the street at this one! Variety, eh? I love it..

Up and running ..

Safe to say my new studio space is well and truly up and running after a great photo-shoot yesterday. The lovely Charlotte displayed the patience of a saint as I fussed and faffed about with my lights, trying out the best places to put them and checking out my different modifiers. My new venue is a lot bigger than the old studio I had and oh, the joy of all that space. I was in heaven! Ok, I was in The Village Club in Culcheth but it looks like I'll be there for a long time to come ..

Don't forget, I have an opening offer of a family portrait at just £20, so gizza bell and get a booking arranged toute suite! Meantime, check out a selection of shots from yesterday. Not bad for a 'dress rehearsal', eh?..

In the summertime ..

Saturday's Wedding was incredible! A bloomin' big teepee, pizza and ice-cream vans, orange bow-ties and braces, a ceremony in a community centre in Woodford (The first they've ever held there), a conga as the first dance .. and a field full of tents for the guests to camp in .. it had the lot!

It also had sunshine on and off, too, which is a bit of a novelty at Weddings this summer, I can tell you. Bad weather will never bother a bride and groom, though. I say this to every new couple I talk to. When it's your Wedding Day the weather can do what it wants and you will not be bothered. You will be on Cloud Nine and having a ball .. it's only the poor photographer who'll be running around like the proverbial blue-bummed fly ..

So, don't worry if you're planning a Wedding in summertime. Go for it. What's the worst that can happen? A heat-wave and blinding sunlight? Ah, there's another story ..

But do you like me?..

 A "PR' bod I've been working with lately suggested I get a few more 'Client Recommendations' on my website. Big myself up, get the good word out there and all that. Well, it feels a bit weird to ask but I've sent out a few requests by email .. and now I wait to hear. The thing is that, generally, silence is golden. When a client is happy they just use your shots and - eventually - pay you for your work. There's no thought of a 'Thank you' or a 'Nice work, Martin' and why should there be? The payment is thanks enough but .. but .. it's nice to get the occasional pat on the back. Especially as I'm freelance and have worked on my own since 1982. We are all artists after all, darling ..

I say this after finding a cutting from a 1981 Warrington Guardian, featuring yours truly as a chisel-chinned 21 year old at a Press Awards Ceremony in Manchester. I won some award or other - I'm too old to even bloody remember what - and got presented with something or other to mark the event. It was a nice feeling! Having spent the following 35 years photographing other people's award ceremonies, I'm just hoping I get a good word or two in return ..

Stop Press: My pal Chris, second from the left, who now works for the Financial Times, has just reminded me we won North West Young Journalist/Photographer respectively. Hurrah for us!..

Good God ..

It seems that Wedding photographers' blogs these days consist of nothing but a big show of shots from a Wedding. Where the heck they find time to do all that I'll never know. Plus, they manage to list every supplier, the make of the dress, the style of the shoes, the colour of the bride's lipstick .. the works! I really do need to start turning up at Weddings with a note-book. Until I do, you'll have to make do with a little montage of shots - these were from Saturday's Wedding and yes, I know the shot with me in it has snuck back in .. sorry!

There was a report on the news this morning that the Bishop of Salford is considering the closure of 40 Catholic churches in the area. 40! Having said that, I just checked and I haven't done a Wedding in a church since last December and, as it stands, I only have two at churches for the whole of this year. Can you believe that?  Good God ..

Best foot forward ..

Here's an intriguing photograph for you! I took it last weekend during what will probably be the last shoot at the studio, as I'm now busy taking down all the gear to move it over to its new location ..

The picture will be used at Bent's garden centre near Culcheth as part of a children's adventure game. Not quite sure of the details but I'm looking forward to seeing the shot in situ ..

So yes, the studio is on the move and I am - as they keep saying at Euro 16 - on the front foot.

It's going to be great being based at The Village Club, as I'll be able to work at any time from 9am until 'chucking out time' at 11pm and anyone coming in for a shoot will be able to get refreshments whenever they want ..

Anyway, time for me to hot foot it to Salford. I have a great Wedding tomorrow involving the Tudor grandeur of Ordsall Hall and the stark modernism of the Imperial War Museum North.

A boat trip down the Manchester Ship Canal will connect both venues. I can't wait!..

Cold showers ..

Oh no .. not more showers! Hahaha, see what I did there? A little play on words, reference the Great British Summer, seeing as it's raining again as I write this and I'm bloomin' well fed up with it. Anyway, that's not the subject of today's blog ..

Actually, just to put you in the picture, this shot was taken in Greece on my 6x6 Yashica and was part of an exhibition called 'Trace' at the old Cornerhouse in Manchester. They printed me some postcards featuring the shot and if you'd like one just let me know, 'cos I've got about 5 million of 'em left ..

I told you I'd had some good news. I announced on a Culcheth Facebook page that I was closing my studio and, within about two hours, I'd been phoned by a chap at our local Village Club asking if I'd like to use the facilities there to shoot any future portrait sessions. Would I? You betcha! So, the upshot is that I'll be shipping all my gear across there and will be up and running by the end of this month. I can't wait. People coming in for portraits will now be able to get a coffee or a beer, or something to eat, and make a proper day out of the whole photography experience. How brilliant! In fact, I'm getting so excited I think I'd better go for a cold shower ..    

News just in ..

Firstly, an apology. My email has gone AWOL, so if you've been trying to contact me over the past couple of days you now know why I've not replied ..

I have a long-running, ever-growing collection of photographs that I call 'Social Seen' - basically images that amuse me from functions I've photographed and, last night I was covering the 20th anniversary party of the Chilli Banana restaurant in Wilmslow. These two shots presented themselves as additions very nicely, thank you. Check out the rest here ..

I'm off to the Imperial War Museum today to cover a conference and, funnily enough, I'm back there again on Saturday to photograph a Wedding. In between that, two cracking Euro '16 semi-finals and some fantastic news about my new 'studio' ..

Tell ya tomorrow ..

Strange times ..

A chap who 'reads me' on a regular basis emailed yesterday to say "I love reading your blogs. They are a great lift - just like a daily Giles cartoon" ..

That statement gave me a great lift, as I'd just come back from the funeral of my pal, who died suddenly aged 68. I wasn't feeling at my chirpiest. Thankfully Boris Johnson then provided another reason to be happy by ditching his plan to run for Number Ten, although can I say 'Thanks very much BoJo, for leading us into this sh*t heap and then sodding off"..

However, no sh*t heap on earth is ever going to compare with The Somme. These poppies blossomed, right on cue, in our garden this week and, as I watched the commemoration of 'Zero Hour' this morning - tears rolling down my cheeks - I could only nod my thanks to everyone who fought in the trenches and realise that, whatever happens in Europe from now on, it will never be as bad as it was then ..

You have to have optimism ..

Dang ! ..

I know I've just come back from a week in Dubai but, to be honest, with the weather we're having here in England right now -  and the dismal state of the country - I could do with re-packing my bags and buggering off to .. oh, anywhere!

I heard a phrase the other day which, now I know it, keeps popping up all over the place. Pathetic Fallacy. In other words, all this rain and cold weather is directly connected to the downcast mood of the country. Certainly feels like it and, ok, it is just a coincidence, but if this was a film then this is exactly the sh*tty weather you'd set as the backdrop to the country going down the pan ..

Anyway, let's not be gloomy ........... !!! ...

Thoughts of warmer climes led me back to my travel shots from years gone by and here's one of my faves. A road sign in Sri Lanka that should read 'Danger' .. only some driver had smacked off half the wording to leave it reading 'Dang'! You gotta laugh ..
 

Nutty ..

I'm skipping right along from England's disastrous dismissal from the Euros last night (That's football, for those of you lucky people living on another continent) and looking ahead to my great  summer of Wedding Photography ..

To be honest, my year's been a bit hit and miss for bookings so far but, come next week, I pile into the season proper with a long stream of dates in the diary. I've got such a variety of Weddings to come, too. In fact, my very next one will see me afloat on the Manchester Ship Canal as the Wedding party sails from Ordsall Hall in Salford to their reception at the Imperial War Museum North. The week after that I'll be photographing a Wedding in a tepee and then I've got, amongst others, dates at Crewe Hall, Didsbury House and Styal Lodge to look forward to. I had a meeting with my 'Crewe Hall bride' last week and her Mum confessed to me that they booked me because I was "nutty" ..

I do like that ..  

Stexit? ..

In or out, remain or leave? Well folks, it's been a tough decision and I've thought about it long and hard but now, this Monday morning, I can tell you I've decided to leave ..

Oh, sorry .. not the EU, I'm talking about my studio. This week marks the third anniversary of its opening and, to mark the occasion ... I'm shutting it down ..

Yes, tears all round but reality must be faced up to and the cold hard fact is this ..
it just hasn't worked! Quite simply, not enough people have come along to be photographed and it sits there empty, day after soul-destroying day ..

However, all is not lost and, in true EU style, I am about to renegotiate my position and will have some good news by this time next week. I already have a new plan in place meaning I'll still be able to offer studio photography and I'll be able to offer more 'location' photography to the good people of the North West. So it's onwards and upwards and, like a certain other story that's knocking about, I've taken control of my borders and opened up my markets ..   

Let's hear it for Stexit .. 

Oh, sh*t ..

I voted In .. and now we're Out. I feel decidedly queasy this morning.

Cameron's already announced his resignation and the pound has plummeted ..

God help me I hope I'm wrong but, right now, this shot from my archive perfectly sums up

my view of the UK's future ..

Ali ..

It's taken me a while but I thought I'd dig this out to show you. It's the autograph of Muhammad Ali, which he gave me when I photographed him once for a PR client. (Actually, now I think about it, it was Max Clifford, but let's not go there now, eh?) It was written in shaky Parkinson's inflicted handwriting on May 30th 1992. Sad to think he's now gone but, like a lot of illnesses, you have to admit it was on the cards. Alas, the recent sudden death of my pal wasn't anything anyone was expecting, and I'm still so shocked to think I'll never see him again ..

Anyway, I'm not going to get all maudlin' on you but "Life's too short" is an expression I'm hearing more and more so .. shut up and get on with it, Martin!

Born again ..

  

Your Blog must be integrated into your web-site. This is what I read and so this is what is going to happen from now on. From this day on my blog is going to be here. How it'll pan out is anyone's guess but, as my blog is 'the ramblings of a professional photographer', then what better way to kick off than with .. a picture of said photographer!
This was shot at the Festival of Power and Speed at Cheshire's Cholmondeley Castle just over a week ago. I was there on Press Day to photograph for a PR client and I'm no petrol-head but what an exciting day it was ..

Anyway, there ya go .. a picture with a car to drive my web-site forward. Yes, new site but the jokes don't get any better ..

For Dad, and for David ..

Here's my Dad, messing about with my old Zenith EM, circa 1977. Father's Day has become a rather sad affair since he died just before it in 2009, but today was made even sadder with the news that a friend of mine, a proud Dad himself, lost his fight for life after a serious illness. If your old man's still knocking about then go and hug him right now. Hug him, buy him a pint, tease him about his crappy taste in shirts .. just love him whilst you still can ..

For Dad, and for David .. 

Coming home ..

Football's coming home, and so is Tim Peake! Well, one out of two ain't bad! Welcome home, Major Tim, and congratulations on one hell of a fascinating mission. Now there's somebody whose autograph I'd ask for ..

.. which is more than can be said for the lads in the England football team. I know they scraped a win on Thursday but man, they play such an uninspiring game. I've learnt a lot though, watching the Euros over the past week. First of all, I now know it's very important to say that a team plays "on the front foot". That makes it sound like they actually hop around the pitch, but there ya go. Secondly, everyone on a team must speak with their hand over their mouth. This is vital. Thirdly, if you're stuck in traffic on the way home from work, it's helpful to know that most games actually only achieve anything in the last 90 seconds of extra time. You should know too that players spend more time on their hair and beards than actually training. This is also vital. Ooh, such pretty boys! Finally, and most fascinatingly, I learnt that, in every game, each player - on average - covers the turf with approximately one and a half gallons of spit!

So now you know ..

Ps; Today's shot - and I know I've shown it before - is another from my archive, circa 1980. 

Footie ..

One of the 'perks' of self-employment is that your boss always lets you have time off when there's footie on telly. Yesterday I put in a request for a half-day and I very kindly agreed to let me have it, and so it is that this afternoon will see me glued to the box for the England and Northern Ireland games. Handy that, isn't it?..

Ps: As you can see from this shot from archive, actually photographing the game was never one of my strong points..

The Manchester Bomb ..

It's 20 years since the 'Manchester Bomb'. I'll always remember that day as I was working on a PR job at Warrington Hospital at the time the bomb went off, but had been made to switch off my mobile 'phone whilst I took my photographs. I missed the whole damn thing!..

This cute shot of a parade - taken from my archive - is an appropriate picture to mark the event, and residents of our fair city may recognise in it the scene of the event. The bomb was planted just the other side of the iconic scalloped roofing of the old Marks and Spencer building. A couple of years later, after that entire edifice was demolished because of the bomb-damage, I was booked by M&S to photograph the start of the new building work. Ironic .. 

Three wishes ..

This time last week - almost to the minute as I write this - we entered Dubai airport to start our journey back to the UK. It was our last taste of the scorching sunshine and unbearable 43 degree heat. We literally hadn't seen a cloud for a week. "Wouldn't it be nice .." we laughed " .. to stand in a rain shower and feel cool water on our faces? .." It's practically not stopped raining since! Be careful what you wish for, eh?..

A couple who came to see me about their Wedding photography yesterday had one simple wish. They wanted to find a photographer who'd take their Wedding photographs the way they wanted them taken. They'd already been to see two other photographers and were getting fed up. "We just want to find a photographer .." said the groom " .. who'll take the kind of pictures we want, not the kind the photographer wants for their portfolio .." I hope I can make their wish come true ..

Three wishes? How about world peace? Workable gun laws in the US? A decline in CO2 levels? A decent English summer? A clear-cut answer to the EU referendum? A goal-scoring English football team?

Man, I think we'd better make that 300 wishes ..