Have a sit down ..

I almost didn't write a blog today. Hell no, I'm far too busy! Well, it's that time of year, isn't it? I've got sofas to buy, cruise holidays to book, detox diets to start .. who's got time to blog? Actually, TV ads aside, I have had a busy start to the year, albeit stuck in front of my trusty Mac as I work through Wedding selections and people's print orders. I spent yesterday mentally back in October, as I sorted out the images for a Wedding I shot then at the Didsbury House Hotel. Today I'm working on a selection of shots that have been ordered from a lady who came into the studio for some 'Dating Agency' photographs. The agency like them so much, in fact, that they've asked if I'd consider travelling to London to shoot more of their clients! Tasty! I've also chucked a bit more work at the websites - both Manchester Wedding Photography and StudioFiveFour - in my never-ending quest to get them up, up, up those rankings. In fact, I googled myself yesterday and was delighted to say I came out on the front page exactly one listing above one of my old mates! We may be the best of pals but I'm afraid there's no love lost in the murky jungle of work! Ha ..

No love lost? Isn't that a Joy Division song? Funny you should ask, 'cos I've got good news about my shots of the band. They'll be going 'on tour' in the Spring as part of a theatrical production about the group. Theatrical production? A play, Martin .. a play. Jeez, keep it simple! I'll tell you more after my meeting with the company. Man, I need a sit down ...

Frosty reception ..

Great, isn't it? Tree down, decorations gone and time for the obligatory 'Let's go to the park and photograph the frost' walk! Normality has returned!
Oh, January, such joy!..

I was searching for a message I'd received recently on Facebook, and suddenly came across a section of my page I'd never seen before. In it were 48 unread messages! Forty-eight!! Bloody hell! It seems it's a section where messages go if you're not a 'Friend' with a person but they message you anyway, so they varied in importance from utterly irrelevant or highly amusing to 'Oh, bugger, I wish I'd seen this'! Irrelevant messages included one which started 'Dear O'Neill' and one which told me about an Uncle who'd died and left me $17.2m .. Nice! Highly amusing ones included two involving the famous photographer Terry O'Neill. 'Is he your Dad?' asked one and 'Can you put us in touch with him?' asked another. A couple of people asked if I remembered them (No!) and there was one which simply said 'Such a loser' but then there were messages saying things like 'The prints were really fantastic' and 'Promotional material received; Photography and quality brilliant!' .... Aaagh! Who? When? What? Oh, bugger! Note to self: Monitor your pages more effectively!..


Oh, the original message I wanted to find? A Wedding enquiry for 2016. The fourth I've had in a week! Looks like Manchester Wedding Photography will be shooting more than frost come this time next year ..

Happy New Year!

And so we take our first tentative steps into the new year!
Happy 2015, everybody!..

First task today - looking forward to the New Year - was to look back at 2014 and design a montage of some of my fave Wedding shots! I spent this morning trawling the files and putting together a 'greatest hits' of the year collection for Manchester Wedding Photography. It's a bit too big to put on here so I added a link to it here! Enjoy!..

And now I must away to set the table, as we're hosting one last 'fling' of the season.
Incoming! Parents at one o'clock... 

Oh, yes it is ...

I was at a house-party last night and one of the guests was Diana Moran! Bloody hell, The Green Goddess, right there in front of me! Looking great, too and telling me fab stories about that other O'Neill photographer - Terry - with whom she's friends and has worked with quite a bit in the past!
Anyway, another guest then asked me which famous people I'd worked with, and it was great to start reeling off the names of the rich and famous from my old days in the press. Maggie Thatcher, Mohammed Ali, George Best etc., etc., etc... Man, I was name-dropping like a crazy boy! Then, I was literally half-way through writing this blog when the phone rang. It was the Salford City Reporter, calling to get a bit of detail on me, as they're hopefully going to run a piece on my forthcoming exhibition at the People's History Museum. "Have you ever worked with any famous people?.." asked the writer. "Well.." I began ...

Picture this ..

Delighted today to show you - with the couple's permission, of course - a Wedding Album I've just been working on. It has one of the most fun covers I've ever produced, and I'm so pleased Liz and Ben went with my choice of image! I will, as well, show you a few of the proofs from their selection. It'll give you a good idea of what you get when you book Manchester Wedding Photography...

Christmas smellies ..

Made it! Survived another Christmas and .. er ..
Oh, ok, I'll own up! I had a great time! Family, friends, food .. gifts, gin, giggles .. love, happiness and .. snow!! Ok, it was on Boxing Day, but that's close enough, isn't it? Didn't half come down, too. Lesley and I were on the motorway when it really started to kick in but, wow, it certainly added to the festive feel! Anyway, hope your Christmas was as good ours and that you, like me, got a present that made you laugh. A can of anti-perspirant, in my case! Not quite what I had in mind when I asked for Christmas smellies ..

A toast ..

I remember meeting my Dad on Christmas Eve once for a pint in the Wagon and Horses in Eccles. The pub was ideally situated half-way between the two factories in which we both worked and, as we'd both finished at lunchtime that day, it seemed like a damned good idea to go for a drink. It's the most insignificant event, an almost hazy memory, yet it's one of the warmest Christmas glows I get when I think of my Dad. I'll raise a toast to him later, and I'll raise a toast to you, dear reader, as we near the Big Day and start to think of the year gone by! Merry Christmas to ya! Enjoy ..

That time of year ..

Gloves! That's what you should be buying people for Christmas 'cos, judging by the kick-start I've had to my latest 'On the one hand' season, there are a lot of people losing them! Yep, it's that time of  year again when I start to see single gloves all over the place! I'd imagined I'd be able to resist them this year but no, I'm still not cured, and I have to stop walking and take a picture every time I see one!..

Yesterday was also the time of year again for our annual Freelance 'do', and this year we got a record-breaking five freelance photographers together for a nosh-up and a wee drinky! For the second year in a row we went to the Deli-Lama cafe in Salford, and they did us proud with poussin, iced-berry ice-cream and reggae reggae Christmas carols! Highly recommended..

Back to the StudioFiveFour this afternoon for what must surely be the last Portrait session before the Big Day. Two little girls are being photographed and yes, their Mum does want to give a print as a Christmas present! What a rush job! Still, it is that time of year ..

Splashdown ..

So, the funny story ..

I was shooting a Christmas Wedding at Peckforton Castle, literally on this Monday a year ago. The weather was abysmal. It rained non-stop all day, and I didn't get a single photograph of anybody outside .. much to my frustration. However, just before the Wedding Breakfast, the rain stopped and I practically pleaded with the Bride and Groom to come outside for a quick photograph. They reluctantly agreed, as long as the Bride could hold her dress up and away from the soaking paths, so it was lights, cameras and a hasty walk down to the gate-house at Peckforton to enable me to get the whole of the Castle in the shot. I parked the couple under the huge tree there, plonked down my tripod, set up my light and .. a Rook dropped a big blob of poo straight onto the Groom's head! (It was easy to see .. the guy had no hair!) I automatically pressed the shutter, even though I hadn't set the exposure or white balance, and was just about to shoot again when the Bride screamed in dismay and set off back to the Castle at 100mph. The big, black splish had bounced straight off the Groom's head.. and all over her dress! The shoot was over!
No shots of the couple outside the castle.
So close!!..

Next there were tears, and then I got a ticking off from the Bride's dad, but I was more concerned that I hadn't got a shot of the couple with their venue in the picture! Still, everything calmed down and, by the time the pair came to Manchester Wedding Photography to pick up their Wedding album some months later it was all a great, big, funny part of the day. It goes to show that these things are always worth shooting 'cos, when it's all done and dusted, a dress is for a day, but a memory is a memory for ever!..

"I'd love to Blog that one day.." I said to them. "You should.." they said.
I just have..

Happy Anniversary, guys!...

Time passes ..

The Shortest Day of The Year! I love it! It's such a pyschological moment for me 'cos, in my head, that's winter done! Bizarre I know, but it really cheers me up to think that, from today, our half of the planet begins its spin back towards the sunshine and Spring is on its way! Well, kinda!..

Anyway, as per, I shall be playing Jethro Tull's 'Solstice Bells' and digging out my sunblock and swimming trunks..

Great shoot at StudioFiveFour yesterday with a one year old puppy. I should say a very happy one year old puppy, 'cos I had to feed him so many treats to get him to sit still that he left the studio about three pounds heavier! And, believe it or not, I still have a shoot booked in this coming week for a family who want to give a portrait of themselves as a present to their parents! Talk about last minute!..

A year ago I shot the last Wedding of the year for Manchester Wedding Photography, and I have a rather amusing story from the day. Twelve months on, and with the blessing of the bride, I think I'm now safe to tell the tale.
No time now, tell ya tomorrow.. 

Getting a sweat on ..

There's a lot of water around at the moment, what with the 'orrible weather and all that, so I had to laugh when I edited this shot from July for 'one of my brides' the other day. Look at Mike's brow! Dripping with the stuff! Boy, did that guy have a sweat on! Oh, for July's temperatures right now. At least, I think it was the heat, though I know Weddings can be a stressful time for young lads! Anyway, I'm delighted his new wife added this shot to their selection!..

Emily's just one of 'my brides' who's done the 'Christmas thing' and got a spurt on with their picture choices these past few days! It means I'm knee deep in Summer Weddings at the mo although, it's true to say, some of those were as wet as it's been here lately!..

The New Year's looking good for Manchester Wedding Photography, and I've even had two Wedding enquiries this week, something that hardly ever seems to happen this close to Christmas. At this rate, it'll be me that's getting the sweat on ..

Just cut the bloody ribbon ..

Three PR jobs today! My God, count 'em! It's been a while since I had three in a day like this! In fact, it pains me to think back to the 'old days' when I'd be so busy - and so in demand, blush, blush - that I was actually able to dictate when jobs would go ahead, just so that I could work them into my diary rather than the other way round! I even had a Wedding like that, once! The couple wanted me as their photographer so much that, when they found out I was already booked on their Big Day .. they changed it to when I was available! Talk about an ego boost!
Well, I am an artist, dahling....
It's funny how work has changed. I'm just glad I'm hanging in there!..

Damn! Forgot to put keywords in again! Erm .. Manchester, PR, Photography! There, that should do it! Doing my own pr here ..
 

Moan, moan, moan ..

One of the favours from my nephew's Wedding on Saturday .. with my name on it .. and yes, quite a few people came up to me during the day reminding me to put down my cameras and remember that I was a "guest as well" ..

I'm sorry? Put my cameras down during a Wedding? Well, that was never going to happen, and that's why I've got over 1, 000 images to edit today before I hand over a disc of images as my contribution to the gift pile! ..

We all had a fantastic day although, me being me, I had to have a couple of grumbles on the day. The first was when the staff at The Worsley Court Hotel erected a gazebo right in front of a gorgeous area for photographs. Grade 2 listed Tudor-exterior black and white building, with a plastic tent right in the way so that people could puff on fags just where I wanted to put the bride and groom! I hate smoking!! If you follow me on Facebook you'll have seen my rant about that while I waited for the bride to arrive. Second, a very rude registrar who deliberately stood  between me and the newly-weds just as they were about to sign the register. "You can't photograph the register.." crowed one of the mini-Hitlers! "I know.." I hissed "I've been doing this for thirty-six years...!" Grrrr....

Still, that's another one in the bag and - sob, sob - that's my last Wedding for 2014. Take a break, Manchester Wedding Photography! Time to put the Portrait and PR head back on, 'cos it's a busy old week in those departments. I've got three portrait sessions booked, plus two PR jobs and two Christmas parties to photograph. Oh, and a trip to the dentist! See, I knew I could find something else to moan about ...

 

Here comes the sun ...

And so to today's Wedding! This afternoon we'll see Manchester Wedding Photography in action at a sparkly little affair at the rather pleasant Worsley Court House and yes, after all the appalling weather we've had lately, it does look like I'll be able to complain that it's too sunny! Hurrah!..

Christmas lost ..

Ah, the innocence of Christmas ..

I've just been out to photograph a class of schoolchildren, singing carols near my studio (Well, if you can call THAT song from Frozen a Christmas Carol!) I handed the Deputy Head a card and said I was going to put a couple of shots of Facebook. I knew it was a no-goer the instant I saw her face. "Hmm.." she said "Some of the parents might not have given permission..."

Permission for what, for God's sake? Permission for anyone else - in the whole world - to actually see their child's face? The same child that, more than likely, has a phone with a camera and is photographing other kids left, right and centre! I mean, what the hell do they think I'm going to do with the photograph? What horrible disaster do they imagine is going to come from having their child's face seen in a picture? It's no wonder today's kids are growing up with a weird, warped, self-centred view of the word! (And don't even get me started on parents who call their kid 'mate'!!)

God, I hate society today! Just look at my archive! Check it out on studiofivefour.com! It's full of old pictures of kids, all more than happy - nay insistent! - that I took their photographs! Just when did we flip into this namby-pamby precious likkle icky-wicky society, where the roost is ruled by dahling likkle Sigourney or Mohammed (To use the most popular boys' name in the UK this year!) ..

Aaaagh! Bah! Humbug ....

Parents!..

Phwoar! A nice, big meaty snog! This is one of the new pictures I've added to my Manchester Wedding Photography website. "Hey .." said Lesley, giving all that hard work the once-over "Do you remember the mother of a bride who told you off for that?.." I thought for a moment. "Oh, cripes, yes..." I laughed, the memory of it coming back like a dodgy hamburger "She actually contacted me to tell me off, because I'd photographed her daughter  ... kissing!!" Yes folks, I once had an MOB (Mother of the bride!) phone me to say how inappropriate it was that I'd photographed her daughter - a bride - kissing her new husband! I only have to think of that story now and an image of Les Dawson pops into my head. "Have you met my Mother-in-law?.." he growls, top lip curling!..

Anyway, speaking of parents, I was delighted to see that The Peoples' History Museum is now promoting my forthcoming exhibition 'Made in Eccles' and there, in pride of place, is me old Dad Joe O'Neill. I love that shot, and it always amazes me to think he was only 44 when I shot that. Ten years younger than I am now! God, what I'd do to be able to kiss him now .. 

Concentrate! ..

Moving house! I can't see it ever happening for me! It would take so long for me to go through all my 'stuff' that I'd forget why I was trying to clear it all out in the first place! Take this morning, for instance. All I needed to do was find one old Wedding photograph to add to my new revamped website. A ten minute job! Ha! I have been so side-tracked! I've looked through 1970s diaries, old programmes and exhibition flyers, stored negatives, autograph books, boxes of god-knows-what .. my old cub-scout necker, anyone? - and a heap of archive CDs. You'll be pleased to know I did actually find what I was looking for - and I've already added it to the new website of Manchester Wedding Photography - but I also dug out some really cool 'old' shots of yours truly at work! I say 'old' .. the CD I pulled this off was dated 2004 .. yet look at it! Here I am at Peckforton Castle, still using my lovely Mamiya RZ67 camera to shoot this Wedding scene and yes, I did used to hike it up a ladder and tie it to the top rung to keep it steady!..

I actually met a 'photographer' on a job last week who'd never heard of an RZ! Imagine not knowing of such a wonderful machine! Imagine never having used film! And yet this guy gives 'lessons'! (I looked him up on his website!)  How can a guy who's only been a photographer for two years give lessons? What experience could he impart to an eager young snapper?  How can ...  Oh, I'm getting side-tracked again ..

Past, Present and Future ..

This suitably festive photo is the first one that'll greet you when you click on my (re!) re-designed Manchester Wedding Photography website! Yes, I've been at it again, changing fonts and shapes and pictures and driving myself mad thinking how my pages should look. Anyway, I've done it now ('til the next time) so it's a case of 'Step away from the computer' and let's let the pages do their job. It's my Christmas Present to you ..

Not doing too well this year on the Christmas party front! Our annual 'Freelance Bash' which, in Christmas Past, has been beer and a Chinese with me and four other snappers/writers .. has been postponed twice already because one or other of us is always working on the date we set (It was my turn to be double-booked last Friday!) Anyway, I'd finally got a date where we can all go and 'inked in' the pencil in the diary only to find .. the Christmas Markets will have finished! Oh well, at least there's always Christmas future ..

Read my blog ..

Check out this list! These are stats from yesterday's blog, showing the countries where people have logged on to read my ramblings! Isn't that brilliant? Although I'd love to know what causes these sudden bursts of interests in different countries - there were 29 'reads' of the blog in Ukraine, for example. Oh, and 'Hi!' to the one person in the UAE who dropped by!..

Had a great portrait shoot in the studio yesterday. A fourteen year old lad whose mother was convinced would be a nightmare to photograph! Folks, he didn't want to leave! Well, ok, he did .. of course he did .. it was almost tea-time .. but he wasn't as traumatised as his Mum thought he would be! There's another booking like this on Saturday too and, again, it's a case of Mum being unhappy with the school photo her son has had taken. Happy to help, all you Mums out there! Happy to help ..

Just over a week until the next outing for Manchester Wedding Photography but, this time, it's a bit of a 'family affair'. My nephew ties the knot with the lovely Ashley on the 13th and I've offered to shoot their Big Day as a Wedding Present. At least you'll know that, as I'll be busy working, I won't be the one doing the embarrassing 'Uncle' dancing on the disco floor.
Now that would be a blog to read ..

Just like buses ..

Exhibitions, eh? They're just like buses! You wait ages for one, and then two come along at the same time! I think it's true to say I don't often get days like this, with final arrangements being made for not one, but two exhibitions of my work within the next few weeks. It's really exciting! Firstly, the press releases and posters are going out for my part in a show at the Ono Arte Contemporanea gallery in Bologna, Italy, and then on Friday I'm having a meeting to finalise arrangements for my 'Made in Eccles' show at the Peoples' History Museum in Manchester. On top of all that, this week I've had to start delivery of the first batch of images to the 'Martin O'Neill Collection' (I love that name!!) at the Mary Evans Picture Library in London and I've been asked if more of my images of Chris Sievey/Frank Sidebottom can be used in the forthcoming film about his life!  I mean, forget Christmas! I'm getting all my presents now!..

Bugger! I forgot to mention Manchester Wedding Photography ! My SEO guy says I need to drop it into the 'conversation' at least once a day. I know, I can tell you about the time I shot a Wedding in London when all the guests travelled from the church to the reception in a big red London bus. Trouble was, the reception was by Tower Bride .. a week before Christmas! The bus went so slowly through the traffic that I could keep getting off the back and walking down the street to photograph it in the jams!..

These buses? From a trip I did by Greyhound Bus across the States.
Ding, ding! Fares, please! .. 

Back to life, back to reality ...

Ten days in Egypt! Just what the doctor ordered! Although I did start to come down with a cold the second I got off the 'plane at Ringway! That's the price you pay for an international jet-set lifestyle, I suppose! Anyway, did you miss me?
Thought not ..

Didn't take any photography gear with me other than the Fuji X10 and, once again, I was one of only about three people in the whole resort that actually took a camera on holiday. Everywhere else it was 'phones, tablets, and ipads... the compact camera industry must be freaking out! Still, my lovely machine performed admirably as always, and here's one of the more amusing shots from my trip.
Ps: So why is it called the Red Sea?  ..

Nice to be back at work though, and my new Manchester Wedding Photography site seems to have been doing its job! I've come home to two Wedding bookings, two portrait sessions and three Christmas parties to shoot! Ah, yes, December already! We didn't hear a single mention of Christmas whilst we were away.
I'd better get my festive head on, and quickly.
Just need to take a Lemsip first ..

That covers it ..

Great news! My new website has gone live! It's out there! It's working, it's .. you get the idea! After a good month of work on it, I was delighted this morning to receive an e-mail to say that the transfer had been successful. I've now got an all-rockin'n-rollin', slide-show-tastic colourful, bright new website. Weddings, Portraits, Pr and .. other stuff! That's what it's called, and I think that about covers it!..

You're hired ..

There was a lovely piece in the Sunday Times last week about successful businesswoman Karren Brady, which was a coincidence 'cos I'd just added a picture of her to my new Studiofivefour website. I shot her at home for OK! Magazine, with hubby Paul Peschisolido and with their little daughter Sophia. The shock of it was that the 'little' girl has just started University! Eeek! Where did that time go? By the way, despite my staunch and unwavering modesty, I'm going to tell you that Karren wrote to the magazine to say my portrait of her was one of the nicest she'd ever had taken!..

Apprentice fans will also be amused to know that I once did some portraits of Sir Alan Sugar too, and I can tell you that what you see on the box is what you get on the day. That man does not do smiling! I smiled, though, when, covering his attendance at a Q and A in Manchester later that evening, we were waiting backstage for his big introduction. He lifted his hands and tried to put them into his jacket pockets but, as it was a new suit, they were still sewn together. I'll never forget having to snip through the stitches with my penknife, just seconds before he went on stage!..

Back in black ..

Last night I did something else I've never done before! I took a call about a booking for a second Wedding .. from a bride whose first Wedding I shot! But, more than that, it was a call from an old pal who I used to be in a punk band with and so, being a rock chick, she got married in a black Wedding dress! Tish was the bass player/singer in a little combo we had in the early nineties. I was the drummer or, should I say, I owned a drum kit! Listening back at old tapes it's patently obvious I couldn't drum. Apparently you need a sense of rhythm!..

Anyway, there ya go, she's booked me again and I'm delighted to have been chosen to capture her (next) Big Day. And it's obviously a music thing, 'cos another bride who married in black was Vicky, who you can see here in my shot with her new hubby, my old mate Mick Middles, erstwhile music writer and red wine quaffer of this parish. I like this picture so much I'm adding it to the new web-site of Manchester Wedding Photography. Sneaky SEO mention of the name, there!
Rock on ...     

Three years and freebies ..

On Saturday I did something I've never done before! I arrived at The Park Royal in Warrington to begin photographing Dawn and Mike's Wedding only to find a 'different' bride and groom sitting at a table in the hotel's foyer. "Hang on.." I joked "Am I at the right Wedding?" ..

Turns out the couple had just got married a few minutes earlier but had decided on a "low-key" Wedding with very few people in attendance. Low key? I counted four people! "No photographer?.." I asked, nodding at the front door. "Come outside, I'll shoot a picture for you..", and so it was that Rob and his new bride got a free Wedding portrait from Manchester Wedding Photography!
I'm just too nice ...

(Note to accountant: I'll try not to do this too often!)

Today's picture was taken three years ago to the day! Happy 3rd Wedding anniversary to Wendy and Phil, whose Wedding I shot at Manchester Town Hall ..

 .. for money!

Go, Cowboys .. but go faster!

 So, American Football. Live and in the flesh! I went to see the Dallas Cowboys play at Wembley on Sunday and I'll tell you what I think about that. I think I don't need to go and see another live game of 'Gridiron' ever again in my life .. ever! My God, those boys can drag it out! I mean, I knew there were lots of breaks in the game - after all, I've followed it since the early days of Channel 4's broadcasts - but I didn't realise until Sunday's live match just why the programme cuts back to the studio so often. It's because bugger all is happening on the pitch! Bugger all! Yep, it's TV coverage for me from now on ..

This week's a Portraits and PR kinda week with lots of prints to get out and another Wedding album to design. I've been redesigning my 'other' website, too - the Studiofivefour site for 'Weddings, portraits, PR and .. other stuff'. I'm moving it over to a different Web company so it's all rather painstaking trying to ensure I get every single last bit of info, image, link, keyword and SEO content across to the new site. I'll tell you this, though! As slow as this process is I'm still moving faster than the American Footballers ...

Remembrance Sunday ..

Thank you!

Go, Cowboys ..

Look what I've got on the diary this weekend! Michael Jackson's Wedding and the Dallas Cowboys! How exciting! ..

Yes, believe it or not, I'm shooting Michael Jackson's Wedding this afternoon and going to see the Cowboys at Wembley on Sunday! Ok, I guess you've kinda figured it's not that Michael Jackson who's getting wed today, but it's going to be just as much fun and I can't wait to get cracking! It'll be at Warrington's Park Royal Hotel. Four o'clock 'kick-off', as it were, so not much scope for outdoor photography .. and it's started to rain again as I type this!

Then, can't wait to hit the road for tomorrow's game of American Football. I've been a fan of the sport since the early days of Channel 4's broadcasts but I've never, ever seen a live game. Ok, I have, but it was the Manchester Allstars at Salford Rugby Ground. Not quite the same thing ..

So, a big Hoo Raa for America's team and let's hear it for  Manchester Wedding Photography .. Gimme an M, gimme an A, gimme an N ..

Hmmm, that could take a while ..

Sit back, relax ..

Well, I set my quiz yesterday and sat back and relaxed, waiting for the deluge of email answers to flood in. I was totally underwhelmed! Two people answered! Two! (And they were both wrong! Sorry Simon and Jo!) Come on, dear reader, I am sulking! Where's your enthusiasm? There was a signed Martin O'Neill photograph up for grabs there! (Or is that what put you all off entering? Hm!..) Anyway, if anyone gives a monkeys, the answer was .. The Statue of Liberty. The shots were taken inside the statue and show the windows in the crown on Liberty's head, which was used as a fantastic viewing platform, and the very crowded spiral staircase which visitors climbed - and vertiginously descended - to get up to said Crown. So now you know. Quiz over ..

Great evening at my pal's book launch last night and all the more satisfying as I get two mentions in the story and a byline for two pictures within the book. Lots of laughs and love for the late, great Chris Sievey. By a strange coincidence I also received yesterday two contracts to sign, one of which was to grant permission for some of my Chris Sievey photographs to be used in a forthcoming film. The other was the hard copy from the Mary Evans Picture Library to arrange representation of my "terrific photographic collection". If it carries on like this I'm gonna have a mug as smug as Rod Stewart's, seen here at Maine Road and, yes, dug out of my archive during my latest 'root'! ..

Now, my IT bod says that, in order to get a better Google ranking, it's very important for me to mention Manchester Wedding Photography in my blog. Not too often, mind. Just enough for the great analyst in the sky to pick up the words. Oh, there ya go! Done! Sit back, relax ..

Quiz time ..

Ok, Blog Fans! Quiz Time! How exciting! Your starter for ten! Do you know where these shots were taken? Time starts now!..

Yes, I thought I'd show you another couple of shots that have reappeared after more mega-trawling through my boxes of transparencies. They were taken a long time ago - twenty-nine years by my reckoning - and they show places that, sadly, aren't accessible anymore. Tell me what you think and drop me an answer here!
I'll send a signed print from my 'travel' selection to one lucky winner!..

Seems I'm the 'official photographer' at a 'do' tonight. Hey, I'll do anything to get into events with free wine! It's the launch-event of a book written by my old journo pal Mick Middles. His newest offering is all about the life and times of Chris Sievey/Frank Sidebottom. I was filmed last year for a forthcoming film about Chris and told a little story about how I asked him to sneak up behind Prince Edward's Missus when she was opening something or other in Manchester. You know who I mean. Sophie, thingy! Anyway, he did, then she turned round and spotted him and .. er, told me off! The annoying thing is that - the day before the book launch - I find the bloody trannie, don't I?
Damn! Timing ..

Speaking of timing, my next Wedding looms and, this weekend, Manchester Wedding Photography will be seeing action at the tasty Park Royal Hotel in Warrington. Time of Wedding? 4pm! Time it goes dark? - and no, this isn't the second question in my quiz! - 4.01pm!
Oh yes, it's going to be a lighting challenge alright!..   

  

Hard copies ..

I'll say this about Press photography! You certainly got to meet some famous people! I was rootling around my many boxes of archive negs and trannies yesterday when I came across a box marked 'Celebs'. Like, wow, dudes! Kaboom! Check out who I found in there! Joan Collins, Cliff Richard, Cilla Black, Norman Wisdom and flippin' Peter Ustinov, of all people! (I'll always remember Joan telling me off for 'getting too close') There are also shots of Eartha Kitt, David Bellamy, Rod Stewart, George Best, David Hockney and, er ... Jimmy Saville and Rolf Harris! Oops! God knows who else I met over my years on newspapers, but a lot of those shots will have gone down the pan when the Manchester Evening News dumped all its negatives when it moved offices. (No comment!!) But that's film for you, isn't it? Those tiny slips of gelatine are all you've got! I was once the only photographer allowed to cover an event with the Queen in London's Hyde Park but, unfortunately, the client got the film. Same with Take That, so I have no copies of any of that work, and it's very unlikely I'll ever get any, now. Shame they hadn't invented the digital era, when I could have backed up my own set of images on a secondary memory card!..

Having said that, it's good to see that 'hard copies' are still proving popular in some areas. A young lady who lives some distance away came up for a family reunion during the summer, and organised a big family portrait during her visit. She's just emailed to say she'll be back in the area soon, and could I meet her at StudioFiveFour Photography on December 23rd, where she'd like to order one of my canvas prints. "But .." she adds "Don't worry! I won't need it in time for Christmas!"..

Interesting, that ..

A couple of interesting points came out of my ongoing website design over the weekend. Firstly, I was questioned about this photograph, which I'd added to the PR page of StudioFiveFour Photography. "It's obviously superimposed, isn't it?.." came the query. Er no, my friend .. it isn't! This is a 'straight out of the camera' photograph, taken of the owner of the Yang Sing restaurant in Manchester for a Business Magazine about five years ago. The story? The fact that the price of rice was rising, cutting profits for the numerous eateries in Chinatown. Well, how do you photograph the price of rice? This was my take on it. The 'lady' in the background was part of the restaurant wall decoration, so I plonked my subject in front of her and stuck a flash-gun either side of him. It was then left to his PA to stand on the table and spill a stream of rice through her fingers as he let it splash around him. I'm sure she never saw that coming in her job description! However, I was really pleased with the effect. Just wish I'd taken a shot of the mess I left behind me ..

The second point arose when a chap I met on Saturday was asking about my portrait pricing. In a nutshell, he couldn't believe I was so affordable! Seems he'd taken his little daughter to Venture photography and spent over £600 on a series of images. Thing was, that was well over a year ago and, as he put it "I'm still f*ckin' paying for them!"...
Interesting, that ..

Whacked ..

Friday already! Oh, my Lord, where has the week gone? Well, I'm glad you asked, 'cos I can tell you straight away! It's gone in a flurry of shoots and website design .. and not necessarily in that order! I've spent absolutely ages transferring all my website pages across to a new company and, I have to say, it's been well worth it. I think my new site looks amazing! After I changed the location of Manchester Wedding Photography I decided I'd go the whole hog and shift the rest of my website over, too. As soon as the new home page goes live I'll let you see it but I can give you a few clues here by showing you links to the PR and Portraits pages..

And shoots! Yes, it's been a really busy week for 'real' work, too! When I've not been at the computer I've had some great jobs this week, including the advertising shoot of a Company's new boardroom, and various and assorted family and baby sessions at the studio! Can I possibly dare to think that there are the stirrings of a Christmas 'rush'?  I say that because, as well as a family shoot, I also had two different grandmas bring in their grandkids to be photographed as gifts for their parents. Here's hoping ..

So yes, I think it's fair to say I'm really looking forward to two days off this weekend. I'm whacked! Today's picture, from my archive of a trip to Kenya, is perfect for the Friday blog. That man in the cart? That's me, that is ...   

Early bath ..

The thought occured to me this morning that I may well have just been to the first Wedding I've ever been to where no-one smoked! Let's put it this way .. if they did smoke they must have done it a long way from the venue, 'cos I didn't once have to waft my way through a great cloud of yukky ciggy smoke at the front door! Hurrah! I was at the swanky Didsbury House Hotel in South Manchester for the Wedding of Alison & Rich, and what a brilliant day it was, too! 998 frames and exhausted by 8pm!! That's the way to do it! Have a look at some of the shots on the website of Manchester Wedding Photography..

Yesterday's shoot was also the first 'winter' Wedding of the year. The clocks went back the night before so I was struggling for light by 4 o'clock in the afternoon!
No chance of an early bath, though ..

On reflection ..

This is me, when I was 17, practising long-exposure photography on a nippy November night in Manchester back in 1977. My next-door neighbour had lent me his Rollei 35 and I kind of hoped that, as he had no knowledge or interest in photography, he might forget I'd borrowed it and the little beauty would have been mine forever. He remembered, damn it, and it was back to my second hand Zenith E again the next week!..

Anyway, excuse me, I'm getting all reflective ! Hahaha.. see what I did there?..

Sigh! No, it's the clocks going back, see? Waving goodbye to British Summer Time always makes me misty-eyed and sentimental and I can't help but look back as we move forward to winter. You know the sort of thing. How was summer? Did I make the most of it? Was my work any good? Did I tan? Important stuff like that ..

As it happens, it was a good summer! Weather-wise, photography-wise, garden-wise, friends and family-wise. Yes, nine out of ten for summer 2014, the summer I launched my new Manchester Wedding Photography site. Looking back, that's going to stand me in great stead for the future. Worth reflecting on ..

Your site is ready, sir ..

I've just stuck my head above the computer after a full two days' bashing it against my new website design. Folks, it is finished!..

Manchester Wedding Photography.com is up and running, at last!
At last, and for real!..

Thing was, after I'd got hold of the domain name in May I was feeling pretty chirpy that I'd soon be flying up the Google+ rankings. Ha, what an idiot! As if that was going to happen! Despite all my best efforts - all the SEO, the keywording, the blogging, the tweeting, the Facebooking, the Pinteresting, The Tumblring - nothing worked!..

But, it's been my good fortune to have an IT specialist as one of my forthcoming grooms. He was kind enough to give the site the once over, made a few recommendations and  .. whaddya know? .. I made the front page of Bing before I'd even finished the site and popped up twice on the front of Google after I'd only linked a couple of blogs!!..

So, there ya go! Get someone in who knows what they're doing! Man, I just wish that applied to Wedding Photography, too ...

Life is too important ..

I shot this on the way into the studio and, after the start to a week that I've already had, I'll quite happily take it as the theme for my blog this morning. Let's be daft, let's be light-hearted .. let's have fun! A sign above my desk says "Life is too important to be taken seriously"... and it does me good to remember that every now and again!
End of blog ..

File under twat? ..

Jake the Peg, Jane Street .. and Jump, you twat! Just the first three listings in the 'J' section as I begin the long process of cataloguing all the negatives in my archive. 'Jake' is a shot of a 'three-legged man' shot through a van window in Blackpool; Jane Street is a series of photographs of youngsters running up said road in Salford .. and 'Jump' is the picture shown here, one of my favourite pieces of grafitti, scrawled onto a road-safety poster in Eccles! Hmm, now should it be filed under 'Jump' or 'twat'? Might need to double list that one! Anyway, yes .. the process of filing all my work has begun. Now that I've been taken on by the Picture Library it's not good enough to simply have rows of big boxes of scrambled negatives on a shelf, a lucky-dip lottery every time I shove a hand into the chaos. Time to get a grip and get 'em organised, and I've got to say that looking through them all again is an absolutely fantastic experience! Smokers, snoggers, Stretford anyone?..  

Time and travel ..

Having a pub meal in London at the weekend, I couldn't help but notice the Italian at the next table. I knew he was Italian - ornate facial hair, scarf up to his ears and a leather cap on backwards - but I became fascinated as I watched him examining a bottle on his table. He picked it up, turned it around, read the label, shook it up and down a bit, held it up to the light, unscrewed the cap, sniffed it, scratched his goatee .. then put it back down on the table, perplexed. It was a bottle of vinegar!..

It brought back to mind the sheer excitement of travel. The thrill of being somewhere new and the absolute 'exoticness' of everything .. even vinegar!
Made me want to pack a bag right there and then!..

Thing is, now I've been accepted by the Picture Library, the only bags I'll be packing for the next few weeks are negative bags, as it's suddenly dawned on me that every shot in my archive is going to need to be properly filed. It's fun to think, though, that by viewing my work, people will be able to 'time-travel' and see a world that, if not quite exotic, is as different again from the one around them today..

A moment in (my) history ..

Great news! My mission to London has been a success and I'm delighted to say my archive is now being represented by one of the finest 'specialist' historical Picture Agencies in the country! I went down for a meeting with a very nice guy from the Mary Evans Picture Library who said he 'loves' my work and would be very happy to add it to their wonderful collection. I am so flattered, and in such great company, too. The library houses the archives of both Shirley Baker and Roger Mayne, both fantastic photographers of the latter half of the 20th century. So this will be a really great way for my work to be seen and - hopefully - used around the world! Oh, did I say they were one of the best in the country? Sorry, I meant World! The library is itself represented by over 100 agents in over 70 countries across the globe! World domination beckons! Or at least the odd shot in an American magazine every now and again!..

Speaking of history, I popped down to the Tower of London to see the magnificent 'Blood swept lands..' display of ceramic poppies filling the moat. I couldn't get near it! There were, like, a kertrillion tourists hogging every inch of the railings above the display, all taking 'selfies' for the folks back home in Idaho! I actually thought I'd caught a  moment when I saw this chap in a 'Help for heroes' sweater, standing with his head bowed in what seemed like poignant prayer for several minutes. As I moved away I looked back to see he was actually .. texting on his phone!
Hmm, I doubt they'll take this shot for the archive!.. 



 

Train-spotting ..

I'm putting a few bob in Richard Branson's pocket this weekend, as I head off on the train for a quick jaunt down 'the smoke'. I have a meeting on Monday morning that could be rather good news if it goes well. Keep your fingers crossed!..

Meantime, there's some catching up with an old mate to do, and then we're off to see a band who I've liked for over 30 years .. but have never seen! Sad Lovers and Giants aren't, I imagine, a band that spring readily to many people's minds but I think they're like, dead cool, yeah,  and I couldn't believe it when I saw they were reforming for this one-off gig in London..

My archive picture today comes from a visit to Flagstaff, Arizona, when I would stand, mesmerized, by the absolutely incredible length of American freight trains that passed by a nearby crossing. Yikes! Does that make me a train-spotter?..  

Life's too short ..

I had a rather poignant afternoon earlier this week. Booked in to the studio was a lady who wanted a nice family portrait because, in her own words, she "hadn't got long". She has a cancer that has reared its ugly again. As I was preparing the studio, I had a text from an old snapper pal. Morrissey, it said, had cancer! Well, that made for a thoughtful old photo-session, I can tell you, and it just drove home how important a role photography plays in our lives. I wish both my 'photographic subjects' well..

Speaking of driving, the O'Neill-Mobile came in handy when, for the first time, I used it as my roaming Sandwich Board, slapping on my new magnetic signs at both the Weddings I shot over the weekend. I hope it's not long before they start to work! ..

Treated myself to a brand new 26 mp Nikon the other day - you know, the one I absolutely need to do my job properly - and I finally plucked up the courage to tell Lesley about it at the weekend. She started talking to me again last night!
Only joking, life's too short ..

A friend dropping out ..

The Manchester Evening News used to be massive. It was known as the 'friend dropping in'. I was the second ever freelance photographer to start working for them. The man before me was the late, great Derek Eastwood who, like the late, great Weegee, had a radio receiver in his car and would arrive at many a serious crash or major fire long before the emergency services. The MEN, being a newspaper, would very often use this work and Derek made a very good living from it, thank you very much. I started there in 1982 and became very quickly established as one of the 'crew', working practically every day for them under the guidance of the late, great Picture Editor Stan Royle and, on one momentous occasion, getting a staggering 27 photographs in the 'paper in one night! They sent me to Libya once too, for goodness sake, though that might have been their way of cutting down my earnings for a wee while!..

Well, they've cut freelance earnings now alright because, today, they announced that they will no longer be using freelance photographers on the 'paper. Thirteen snappers are out on their ears, and they were all probably only freelance because, as was the case with me, they'd already been made redundant from a newspaper in the first place! Oh, what a sad day!..

Do you know the most ironic think about this 'end of an era' moment? It was announced by the Associate Editor, a Mr W. Ankers...

Falling for you ..

I went to the doctor yesterday. The old shoulder has been giving me 'gip'! Turns out that's why .. 'cos it's old! Degeneration! OMG! (And I thought it was only my grey matter that was going downhill!) Anyway, painkillers with possible physio in the future and that's that. The doctor, who I'd not seen before, was a very nice young Indian lady who looked at my notes and said 'Degeneration's not really surprising, you know, looking at the lifestyle you lead.." "Oh?.." I uttered, with a sharp intake of breath and slight reddening of the cheeks! "Well.." she said "Badminton, swimming, photography..." Phew! I nodded my head, enthusiastically. "How often do you take photographs?.." she asked. I laughed, and pulled open my jacket to reveal the Fuji X10 around my neck (Yes, I know...) "As often as I can.." I smiled "I have the studio across the road.."
"Oh.." she said "Have you got a card?
I'm getting married next year!.."

I was editing Friday's Wedding yesterday, and came across the picture I'm showing you today. It was one of those shots I knew I'd got as soon as I fired the shutter. The briefest of moments as the little flower girl - called Poppy, appropriately! - took a tumble during the line-up. I put it on my Facebook page last night and, when I checked this morning, it had been viewed by 475 people!
Well, I nearly fell over backwards!..

Let there be love ..

The rain and wind is finally here this morning which means that - incredibly - both my Weddings were shot in glorious sunshine this weekend! In fact, yes .. I did moan that it was too sunny but hey, the Great God of Wedding Photography didth smileth oneth more upon the young O'Neill! You can check out both Weddings from the top of the list on my Recent Weddings page ..

Now, I can't let this weekend pass without mentioning poor old Alan Henning, the horrendously unfortunate victim of the worst kind of evil in the world. For me, of course, the thing that's really brought this whole episode home - the thing that's made it so much more awful, if that can be possible - is that Alan was from Eccles. My home town. He was a taxi-driver .. from Eccles! Not a high-flying diplomat, or a glamorous international photo-journalist, but a caring, compassionate taxi-driver .. from Eccles! My heart goes out to him and his family and well done to the people of Eccles for the great memorial they gave him last night. All I can offer is a shot from my archive of the church that staged it - right across the road from Alan's taxi office. A view he must have seen a thousand times!
 RIP Alan ..    



  

 

Raining champion ..

Mottram Hall today, home of the big window that gives you lovely light like this! That's if there is any light, as the radio's just issued a 'heavy rain' warning for this afternoon! Hey, who needs bright sunshine to shoot a Wedding? ..

Still, I won't need to worry if I get slowed down by the rain, 'cos tomorrow's Wedding is right on my doorstep and the whole thing will involve travelling no more than six miles max! I might even walk it! Get lost .. you haven't felt the weight of my backpack! Perhaps I should take out the kagoule (I'm not joking) ..

There was a programme on TV the other night entitled "My £999 Wedding" and, to my relief, that price didn't include a photographer. Now that would have really rained on my parade if they'd thrown in the snapper, as well ..

Party like it's 1978 ..

Well, happy anniversary to me! Out of the blue I've received a 'Congratulations' message from a pal on LinkedIn. "Impressive.." he says! Oh, thanks very much, but what is? Well, it seems LinkedIn's doing a little bit of PR for me, and has flagged up the fact that this month marks my 36th anniversary as a professional photographer. Ah, I'd forgotten about that! Yes, it's my anniversary! Not quite sure of the actual day now but one fine morn in October 1978 saw me nervously enter the doors of the Sale and Altrincham Messenger to begin my career as a 'real' photographer! I actually think it was a Thursday too, and I remember that, by the Saturday, I was the proud owner of a green Honda 50 motorbike - hadn't taken my driving test, see - and had already photographed the Captain of Manchester United and been complained about by the Mayor of Trafford for asking him to wear a football scarf! Beneath his dignified position, you see! Happy days! Oh, well, here's to the next thirty-six!! I mean, come on, I'll only be 90! Party, party ..

Stop, already ..

October! Stoptober! Have you heard all those flippin' ads on the radio lately? Stoptober! Stop smoking this Stopotober! Stoptober! Stop drinking for October! Well, I'll tell you what I'm going to stop for bloody Stoptober .. I'm going to stop listening to commercial radio! Man, it is so boring, and I'm not just talking about the adverts. Hey, Smooth FM, enough with the Barry White, already! Absolute 80s .. if you're going to play The Cure every day then please pick one of their good tracks! Jeez, I can't even listen to Classic FM anymore! And the ads?! Where do they get the voice-over people for these irritating bursts of blather?  My goldfish is a better actor! And he doesn't speak with a Scottish accent! (Oops, sorry Suzanne!..) No, it's all too, too boring and I'd actually like to thank them for pointing me back to internet radio and Radio 4!..

Hmm .. I need to get some photography connection into this blog! Ah, cue shot from archive of two sleeping bus passengers. Obviously been listening to commercial radio. Just hope they don't miss their BusStoptober!...

Groan ..