DNphoto Blog

New photo-cover albums

2009-06-11T04:05:00.000-07:00

We'd like to welcome you to our next generation of magazine albums. We are now introducing our albums with a photo-cover option to replace the previous dust-cover. This allows us to deliver you an even more professional and long lasting cover which, I'm sure you'll agree looks absolutely stunning. For those of you who have opted for our magazine albums we will now be providing this as standard. We hope you'll be as delighted as we are with this improvement.

Our premium album covers - both the acrylic and metallic covers - are still available and take the overall quality and finish to the next level. Just let us know if you'd like to find out more about the choices or watch this space and we'll add some images for you as we've got a few albums that are hot off the press to show you.

Lisa and William, Saturday 6th June, Motherwell

2009-06-11T03:36:00.000-07:00

The sun shone at all the right moments today, making it extra special for Lisa and William who, judging from the smiles and laughter, had an amazing day.

My coverage begins with the bride getting ready before the ceremony and I got some great shots of 'the girls' which capture all the ecxcitement.

The wedding ceremony took place at Our Lady of Good Aid in Motherwell and it was a spectacular venue which provided a great backdrop for many of their photgraphs both during and after the ceremony. This was ideal as Lisa also had a spectacular dress which perfectly suited the grand scale of the church. I took plenty of shots that show it off to it's best advantage.

They headed off to the Strathavan hotel afterwards where, after the formals, I got to spend some more time with the couple for some very relaxed portraits. Lisa and William were so happy that their smiles and expressions came naturally.

It was another great day and thanks to Lisa and William for being so good to work with.

Carol and Chris, Saturday 16th May, Cameron House

2009-06-11T02:56:00.000-07:00

I had a great time today working with Carol and Chris and everything their wedding went like a dream. Their ceremony took place at Kilmaranock Church, which is a hidden gem in the countryside to the East of Loch Lomond.

Every wedding and every couple are so completely different and that has to be what keeps the job so interesting.

So, even when revisiting a location, a different couple can bring a completely fresh perspective and take things in totally different direction. After capturing the day's events in a reportage style and taking the formals, I spent time around the grounds of Cameron House shooting some more stylised and fun portarits with Carol and Chris.

My day ended after the couple's first dance and I left them as the party got underway. The couple and their families made me feel so welcome and it was a real pleasure to be there.

Gail particularly like the 'aisle' shots as Carol and Chris are bursting with happiness, but I've added a few of my personal favourite below.

2009-05-11T15:03:00.000-07:00

I have a few commercial clients that I do regular work for and, as my site focuses more on the social photography side of the business, I probably don't showcase it as much.

However I thought I'd share this one where the magazine was looking for some creative shots for a feature. I had a carte blanche to come up with a different perspective on the city centre shopping hotspots.

Dan And Joe, 14th March, Loch Lomond Youth Hostel

2009-05-11T14:27:00.000-07:00

There was a great party atmosphere from the offset at Dan and Joe's wedding and the couple, who live in Brighton, pulled out all the stops to give their friends and family (both from here and down south) a real Scottish shindig that was befitting of the grand house and lochside setting.

It was a really happy occasion and I worked to get the shots as the events unfolded - starting with documenting the hustle and bustle as the Joe and her bridesmaid were getting ready, through to the ceilidh getting underway. Yes, this was everything Scottish even down to the traditional fayre served up for their guests - of course, we're talking curry here!

I enjoyed taking the shots of the guys before the ceremony and everyone seemed to enjoy the group shots. One of my favourite shots was a reportage shot taken in the bride's room, where the glare from the window creates a lovely sunburst that adds a bit of sparkle to the image.

Lynn and Neil Saturday 7th March, Edinburgh

2009-05-11T13:56:00.000-07:00

Lynn and Neil were a great couple to work with. They were so relaxed and took everything in their stride. The whole affair was very intimate, sophisticated and quite chilled-out.

The shots captured a lot of the details of the day - starting with the pre ceremony reception at The Howard, while the bride was getting ready. Lynn and Neil wanted to capture a bit of the 'Edinburgh vibe' - so we had a bit of fun after the ceremony at the Lothian Chambers with some of the city's great architecture as a backdrop.

The wonderfully intimate atmosphere continued back at the hotel where, after the group shots, their guests joined them around the banqeting table for the start of the evening celebrations.

I was delighted witht the results as I got a great mix of reportage, details and some good classic portraits while still keeping their natural expressions.

Some of my favourite shots were taken in the evening outside the hotel. The black and white images, show off the reflections of the rain on the cobbles. (Although Gail was quite alarmed at the bus appearing around the corner)

Contemporary portraits

2009-02-27T05:10:00.000-08:00

Even though it was was a freezing cold day, Lucy was brave enough to hit the streets of Glasgow with me to shoot some 'edgy' portaits for her. We started off in the West End and headed to George Square via the subway. Lucy was thrilled with her images so it was well worth putting up with the banter we got from the locals.

Gold award

2009-02-27T03:14:00.000-08:00

Just recieved another certificate in the post! This one is a Gold Award for an image submitted to the SWPP monthly competition. This is the second gold award I've recieved since I started entering the competitions last year. This is the winning image of Callum and Pauline who's wedding I shot last July.

Scottish Wedding Directory

2009-01-13T05:59:00.000-08:00

A great number of our clients first come across our images in the SWD magazine - to which we regularly contribute images to support their editorial features. As the latest of their bi-annual issues has just hit the shelves we thought we'd share a few of them with you. You may recognise them if you're flicking through the magazine.

Elaine and Jim

2008-12-15T06:53:00.000-08:00

It's great to see couples whose weddings I have shot come back to me again with their new families!

Here are a couple of shots from a family portrait session with Elaine and Jim.

Carol and Iain, Saturday 22nd November

2008-12-15T06:42:00.000-08:00

Picture the scene... a busy Saturday afternoon in Glasgow's West End with a little sprinkling of snow before the ceremony. A very relaxed and happy atmosphere here, witht he bride leaving on foot from The Grosvenor across the road to Oran Mor for the ceremony and reception. The couple joined me outside for a while to take some fun street shots and I spent time capturing the happy expressions of the couple and all their guests.

Good to see Laura and David as guests here, too, after shooting their wedding almost a year earlier.

Pamela and Craig, Friday 21st November

2008-12-15T06:33:00.000-08:00

The start of a busy weekend! Today was the wedding of Craig and Pamela which took place at Stepps Parish Church and afterwards of to Glenskirlie. There was quite an atmosphere at the house when I arrived to take shots of Pamela beforehand - thanks to all the bridesmaids and flowergirls! It was a lovely bday and although sunny it was deceptively cold, so we took most of the group shots in the sanctuary of the church!

The coupled braved the cold back at the hotel for a while for their portraits and escaped to the warmth of their room for a few more relaxed shots.

Aileen and Ross, Staurday 26th September

2008-12-15T06:29:00.000-08:00

This wedding started off locally for me, at Bishopton Parish Church and then headed down to The Gailes, in Irvine. I stopped off at the beach with Ross and Aileen before they went on to the hotel to join their guests and we managed to get some of the fantastic shots they had hoped as they walked across the sand. I've put a few of my favourites here.

Jillian and Stuart, Saturday 6th September

2008-12-15T06:21:00.000-08:00

Jillian and Stuart's wedding ceremnony took place at Kirkton Church, Carluke and afterwards headed off to Cornhill House in Biggar. We managed to avoid the rain long enough to get some great shots outside. There was a real party atmosphere back at the hotel with plently of great reactions and laughter during the speeches.

Kirsten and Giles, Drumintoul Lodge, nr Aviemore, Saturday 9th August

2008-08-21T03:55:00.000-07:00

This was an amazing rural location which gave loads of opportunities for Kirsten and Giles' photos. Here are a few of my favourites from the day - taken at the water's edge and using some of the old buildings around the grounds as a backdrop.

Claire and Andy, Nether Barfod, Lochwinnoch, Saturday 26th July.

2008-08-21T03:38:00.000-07:00

This was a wedding with a difference and a real family affair. The venue was the groom's father's farm in Lochwinnoch where a huge marquee had been set up to cater for everything.

The day started off with the bride's arrival on a horse and carriage and after the the ceremony the whole carnival atmosphere began.

The marquee had a soft play area set up for the kids and outside thet had bouncy castles and a trampoline and a magician to keep all the young ones entertained while the 'grown ups' got on with the partying.

In keeping with the relaxed and fun atmoshpere of the day, I aimed at catching a lot of the images of the events as they happened, keeping things fairly loose. Claire and Andy then took some time out from the party to spend getting some more creative shots.

It was a wedding that I thouroughly enjoyed !

John and Rosaline, Holy Trinity, Motherwell and Roman Camp Hotel, Callendar, Friday 25th July.

2008-08-21T03:21:00.000-07:00

I arrived to photograph Rosaline before the ceremony and have to say that she is one of the calmest brides I have ever seen!

Their ceremony was conducted by a close family friend and afterwards the couple and their guest journeyed to the Roman Camp hotel for their reception. It was a fantastic day and the sun was splitting the sky - which was great for the couple (and a bit more of a challenge for me).

I took the couple down to the river for some of their shots while their families made the most of the great day with a drinks reception on the lawn.

Catriona and Euan, Duntreath Castle, Saturday 19th July

2008-08-21T02:57:00.000-07:00

This was a spectacular wedding, which took place at Bearsden Parish Church and followed by a reception at Duntreath Castle.

Catriona arrived in an unusual, and very stylish car - a vintage Bean (we had to google it to make sure we got that right!)which set the tone for the whole day.

After the ceremony the couple took their guests to Duntreath Castle, which is a real hidden treasure and, from the moment you set eyes on it as you approach, you can tell why the couple new this had to be their venue.

The grounds were immaculate and this stunning backdrop, with a beatiful pond, bridges and endless opportunities is a photographer's dream.

I made sure that I got the shots of Catriona and Euan from across the pond as these are the images she had in her mind and were one of her reasons for choosing the venue.

The couple hosted their meal and evening entertainment in a marquee set in the castle grounds.

By the time I'm getting round to publishing this post Catriona and Euan have returned from their honeymoon and I can say that Catriona was delighted with the results when she came to view her proofs.

As we photograph so many weddings with couples who live at a distance, its always great to see first hand the reactions of our clients when we show them their photographs in person.

Rod and Gayle - Western House Hotel, Ayr - Saturday 12th July

2008-07-14T16:14:00.000-07:00

It was a gorgeous, sunny day for Rod and Gayle's wedding which took place at a Portland Parish Church in Troon.

Rod's family had travelled from down south for the occassion, and both families were great to be around. There was a real party atmosphere at the hotel with the Gaelic folk group, The Whistlebinkies, playing in the open-air bandstand. This was a bit of a scoop for the couple as the band (who I believe also played at Stella McCartney's wedding) don't normally play at weddings.

I had loads of great opportunities to photograph the couple around the hotel grounds and I managed to capture the natural and relaxed images they were after, with a great mix of reportage and more stylised shots.

Gary and Michelle - Caledonian Hilton, Edinburgh - Friday 11th July

2008-07-14T16:13:00.000-07:00

Off to Edinburgh today for the wedding of Gary and Michelle which was taking place at the Caledonian Hilton.

The hotel is right in the heart of Edinburgh, amidst all the hustle and bustle and inside the atmosphere was great. The couple and their guests enjoyed aspects of the castle from the windows of the ceremony and reception rooms.

Although Michelle was a little nervous, she was absolutley radiant and they both seemed to relax and enjoy the ceremony.

Raj's Graduation - Strathclyde University - Wednesday 9th July

2008-07-14T15:59:00.000-07:00

Raj's family have had a lot of reason's to celebrate over the last year and I've been privileged to capture all these special occasion's for them. Today I was off to Strathclyde University for Raj's graduation. The grounds around the Business school are a like a well kept secret in the heart of the City Centre and gave us all an interesting background to capture Raj with his family and friends.

Callum and Pauline - Saturday 5th July

2008-07-14T15:41:00.000-07:00

If you've been following the blog, then you may remember Callum and Pauline's pre- wedding shoot from a few weeks ago. The couple held their service in Neilston Parish Church and took themselves and their guests off to Melville Castle, Edinburgh for their reception.

The couple had a great time at their wedding (which for Pauline was only one highlight of her week -having completed her Queen's Guide award on the Monday, married on Saturday and graduating on Wednesday) Having endured such an exhausting week, Callum and Pauline have now set of on a ten month world tour. We can't wait to see your travel blog, guys - and we'll try not to get too jealous!

They put their faith in David to come up with some great shots and, when they came over for a sneaky peek at some of their shots before they jetted off, I think they might even have exceeded their expectations.

We have been promised a viewing of their own holiday snaps when they return!!!

Jamie and Lisa - Friday 4th July

2008-07-14T15:20:00.000-07:00

Up to Pitlochry today for the wedding of Jamie and Lisa at the Atholl Palace. Everyone's fingers were crossed that the rain would stay away and, against the odds, the outdoor ceremony went ahead. Lisa's arrival was marked by the sound of pipes and she was led by the piper all the way down to the gardens - making a really spectacular entrance!

The couple were very enthusiastic about getting their photographs taken and were happy to move around all the great locations in the hotel grounds - with some amazing results.

Chris and Verona - Saturday 28th June

2008-07-14T14:58:00.000-07:00

David was off to one of his favourite parts of the country to shoot the wedding of Chris and Verona. The couple were getting married at Kilchrenan Church and were off to the Ardanaseig Hotel afterwards for their reception. It was an idyllic setting (one of the reason we like to escape up there ourselves)and David reports that they day itself was very tranquil. This must have had an effect on Chris and Verona as David felt they were quite relaxed and relishing in everything that was happening. The grounds were beautiful and it was a real pleasure to spend time with them in all the little nooks and crannies around this fabulous backdrop.

Hanretty's family portrait

2008-07-14T14:45:00.000-07:00

This shoot was done on the quiet as the family were wanting to surprise their parent's with a gift for their silver wedding anniversary. They wanted to keep the photo-shoot quite relaxed and informal and their parent's were really pleased with the results. Having the photographs taken outside (environmental portaits) brings another dimensions to an image - it tends to lose all the stuffines and formality you associate with a portrait and captures a bit more personality.