Dennis “takes 5” in Las Vegas!!

What an incredible six weeks!!!!  Early March saw me Windsurfing in Fuertaventura. A 50^th Birthday present from my wife Julia (she’s trying to kill me, I’m sure!). And yes, true to form I ended up being rescued, one mile offshore by my instructor. I have to remember I’m not 21 anymore.

Back to the studio for a week. Time spent designing and assembling albums from last year’s weddings. Always love it when an album comes together and I can at last see my ideas laid out. Put a great one together for Kelly & Chris.

Then on to San Francisco for what has become my annual “Road Trip” with my best mate and “second” greatest wedding photographer in the world, Steve Tarling. (Bet you can’t guess who’s first?!). Steve and I share new Ideas for the coming wedding season on this trip as well as Skiing, shooting landscapes, getting caught speeding, (Ooops sorry I distracted you mate)  & many many laughs.

Ended up in Death Valley at dawn and by chance met up with Annika Metsla, a very talented Estonian Wedding Photographer. She was eying up some dune landscapes as well. I offered to shoot some images of her at work. The dawn light & dunes made for a dramatic setting.

Then on to Vegas, which has become an annual pilgrimage for me, to attend the largest photographic convention on the planet – WPPI  www.wppionline.com. I treat it as an “ideas supermarket”. Around ten thousand photographers attend, with over 100 speakers, and I always wonder as I walk thru the door of the casino, who will influence my style most, this year? Photography is all about learning. I love to introduce new styles to my clients.

I was honoured to be chosen, for the forth consecutive year, as one of the 3 UK judges for the International Print Competition. Print judging is a sure way to improve your visual awareness. You have around 30 seconds to assess a print in front of you for it’s quality, composition, and to me, most important of all, it’s emotional impact. This pays dividends when I return to shoot my own wedding work, as I am continually assessing what I see in my viewfinder. I feel my photography is much stronger now for having had this discipline of assessment.

My own prints did well, (I don’t get to judge those myself!!) and I ended up with 5 Gold Awards of Excellence. My favourite, Jenny’s Father, is a study of the relationship between a father, once tall, and his daughter, now grown to adulthood. The look in his eyes as he sees her for the first time in her dress and the way it caused him to have to sit down in astonishment at how beautiful she looks. These are the moments I wish to photograph!  

Special praise must go this year to Simone Sutton a UK photographer & friend. She led the Brit’s by achieving 8 Gold’s and got a third placing in the Premiere category. Well-done Simone. Fly the Flag!!

Annika Metsla www.annikametsla.com also had her best year ever, scoring 15 Gold’s and 2 third placings for Estonia. But I bet we beat them at football this year!   

Top Awards went to a Canadian Photographer Jesh de Rox. Wonderfully, haunting images and very strongly art based. www.jeshderox.com . My main influence became a Californian photographer by the name of Jose Villa. Very clean, simple, big blue sky images. www.josevilla.com At the end of his talk he announced he would be shooting a wedding in Scotland next week and being the kind of person I am I had no hesitation in offering to help him cover it wherever it was. To this he agreed.

Back on the Virgin red eye and straight to work on Friday with a wedding at The Compleat Angler Marlow with a wonderful, bright, couple, Lynda And Richard.

Sooo very much in love with life and each other and it came thru in the pictures. Then next day down to Bovey Castle, Exeter to photography Diane & Martin. Gorgeous Diane & CuddlyDudley  Martin. They had a very stylish & intimate wedding. Around 30 guests and Black Tie. Diane looked stunning and Martin kept his promise not to talk about photography (His Passion).

I was able to use my new found influences to good effect and will let you know their reactions next time I write.

Monday was rest day then Tuesday up to Inverness followed by a two hour drive across Scotland thru some gigantic “Jurassic Park” scenery (Who needs New Zealand) to Loch Torridon where I met up with Jose. The wedding was as perfect as the weather and I got on so well with Jose that we will be sharing a workshop together this December in Mexico. Anyone want to sign up??

I had one day before returning home so I took the opportunity to rediscover landscape photography. And what Landscape!!!

Finally back home with Julia & the kids for Easter and more glorious sunshine.

Kelly & Chris finally picked up their album and loved it to bits.

Many more fabulous weddings to cover this year. Keep you posted.

Life’s a Beach & then you get to take Pictures!!

Dennis

12^th April 2007   

Comments

[Amy Lazarus]

Hi Dennis,

It's always nice to see a friendly face in Vegas! Congratulations on your winning prints:) We really enjoyed sitting in on your judging panel and listening to your comments; it's amazing how much you can learn listening to other people's take on images - an experience that I would highly recommend. Cheers, Amy & Andy (fellow UK photographers)

[steve tarling]

Hi Den

Your landscape photos are exeptional .
Exceptional photos come from a having a good eye , accomplished wedding photogaphers combine the eyes with a king size heart but what sets you apart is your masterly ability to comunicate what you see , so evident in your judging.

Never a dull moment on our journey's , memories and photos to last a lifetime.

If i am the second best photogapher this means the top title goes to Estonian photogapher extrodinaire Annika Metsla.

You really do love that 85mm 1.2

Nice one mate

Steve Tarling

[jose villa]

Hey Dennis,

Those shots of the landscape are amazing!! wowowow... and I love the shots of linda and joe.. I can't wait to see mine.. yeah I know film takes forever, but it's worth the wait..

Mexico workshop in works as I type.. Thank you again for coming up to Inverness to help shoot the awesome wedding! Linda and Joe Loved you..

jose villa

[Linda Chaja]

Hello Dennis! My very favorite Mate!!!!
Well, first off your blog is awsome! Jose and I rubbed off on you! Hey you need to add the "Shiny Stats" conunter so we will know how many clicks you get. Together we will blow Jose Villa out off the water. I love what you did with the Scotland images. They are so pretty, I love how you addes your personal style to them. Jose and I are off to Singapore on May 30th for a week. You should come!!!!! We sure miss you! I will keep checking your blog. I haven't addes any new images since Scotland but I will add some new stuff soon! Lots of Love, Linda:)

[Hal Orchard]

oh my god it dennis orchard two n in dennis
he won pet photograher of the year wedding photographer of the year hes famous

told u ill do it dad thanks for the shorts which ill neva pay u back
from ur loving sonxx

[Simone Sutton]

love the blog, told you Jose was amazing and you would love his lecture, If steve is number two, then Jose is number one!!!!!!

I love the blog, and the scottish pics are fantastic. I cant wait to see the rest of them! Thanks for the mention, You know i owe 98% of it all to you, 1% to jeff and the other 1% to john maggs who introduced me to you!!!! (and you know you'll always be my number one!!!!!!!)

love Simone

[Jodi Shepherd]

Hey there, you clever boy you!!! It's your blond Aussie mate here. love reading all your adventures... do also Love having adventures with you. studio 54 was one to name a few. Oh how you can dance up a storm.
One improvement in your future adventures could be a trip to Australia..... to.... Just visit ME!
talk soon
Love ya
Jodes

[Steve Gemmell]

Hi Dennis
You may remember me - I was the sad old git that sat through nearly all the judging at the last SWPP conference! It really was a great learning experience for me though and I think (hope) I gained a lot from doing it. I was amazed and very impressed with how quickly everything gets judged and I thought David Williams did a great job managing the whole thing.
This is a great blog and congratulations on your success in Vegas! I also had the pleasure of assisting your best mate Steve Tarling at a wedding last year and that was a terrific learning experience for me too.
Great to see this....
Steve

[Red 13]

Hmm, yes. From your somment on our website you deserve one too.

Mabey a little bit more Austrailian photography than English Photography.

[Brennie]

Hiya Dennis!

Finally.. I've got time to leave u a msg! :)

Firstly, congrats on winning all those awards & of course we remember Simone fondly here in Singapore. :)

Secondly, all your travels reminds me of Kelv & I travelling..this year particularly b4 Junior comes along in Feb. 08.

Us: Feb 07-Maldives, Aug. 07-Phuket, Sep 07-Kuala Lumpur, Oct. 07-Istanbul. You-almost everywhere on earth! (hahahah...)

Looks like we aren't gonna be in London this year..pity,miss you guys! Think we'll see u come our way soon? :)

- Hugs, Bren. :)

[Devan Whitson]

It was great to meet you in Vegas, Dennis!