What an incredible six weeks!!!! Early March saw me Windsurfing in Fuertaventura. A 50th 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
12th April 2007
