Competition End ....

The end date for my Wedding Photography Competition has arrived... I'm going to choose a winner at random... well what I'm actually doing is writing all the names on a piece of paper, putting them in a hat and then pick one out. So Good Luck Everyone. The couples names will be announced on FaceBook on Sunday 2nd August.

https://www.facebook.com/pennydaviesweddings?ref=hl

Competition Entries ...

I'm so happy and very excited that entries to my Wedding Photography Competition are coming in.

Now that I know that I will definitely have wedding to photograph, my mind is full of planning and preparation. There is so much to do, but it's all good. I am excited that my new venture is beginning to take shape.

I'm making lists of the things I need, like Public Liability Insurance, extra batteries, SD cards etc...... I'm searching wedding photography images for inspiration and ideas ... I'm going to make a sketch/ideas book... I'm going to visit Venues that some of my competition entry couples have booked for their weddings ....

There is plenty to do ... happy... good times ... creative days ....

Sharing with Friends .....

I visited my friend Grace this afternoon. She had an operation last week; she had visited a Mammogram Bus and was informed that there was a lump in her breast. After investigation, it was found that it is cancer, but thankfully it has been found early and she has been told that after radiotherapy, her prospects of a full recovery are excellent. Of course there is always the danger of complications, and other stuff that I don't really understand. But I am holding on to the positive because I don't want to think any other way. She will be fine.

In 2012 I lost another of my closest friends to cancer. She was 52. The cancer was discovered too late to do anything about it. She died within three months of being diagnosed. It was horrendous. I still miss her.

It was lovely to see Grace today, her behaviour showed signs of extreme stress, not only about the cancer and all the things she is facing, but she is worried about everything else in her life, which made me sad to see. I want her to stop worrying about the things she can't do anything about at the moment, and also the things that I really wish she would let go of. I know from my own experience that everyone deals with problems and challenges in their lives at their own pace. I do know that I am a calm person and I do try to shine light on family, friends and situations that need light. I don't push it, I just listen and use reason and logic to try and make emotional problems seem less so.

I will see her again soon and hope that she grows stronger with time. She has some difficult times ahead and all I can do is be there for her.

Sand Angels Guinness World Record Attempt at Freshwater West Beach Pembr...

Grey Skies and Competition Entries....

I went to Amroth for a walk this afternoon. My calendar says its July, but today didn't feel much like Summer. Atmospheric as opposed to hot and sticky was just fine by me.

Photos from Amroth, Pembrokeshire today 

Surfer braving the rough sea ... I didn't see him getting on the board much though!

Me, Windswept 

Watching the Surfer!

My sunshine today came in the form of entries to my Wedding Photography Competition on FaceBook. I'm very excited to know that I will have at least one Wedding to photograph after the competition ends on July 31st. I will make a special offer to other couples who enter the competition; for me it will be a great experience, more images for my portfolio and hopefully making people very happy.

Link to Penny Davies Wedding Photography on FaceBook....

https://www.facebook.com/pennydaviesweddings?ref=hl

All The Little Pieces by Jilliane Hoffman

Released in June of this year 2015, this is the sixth novel by Jilliane Hoffman. It isn't the best of her thrillers in my opinion, but nonetheless definitely worth picking up and reading. The story is a good one.

The story is about a mother who witnesses a crime, but not being certain of what she has witnessed, afraid of her past, frightened because her child is with her and being an alcoholic, the story takes many twists and turns. Some of these can become very frustrating to the reader. It may be that I was not sympathetic enough with the main character, I wanted to be, but there was something I couldn't put my finger on, something that stopped me empathising with her as much as I would have liked too.

I also think that the story could have been condensed somewhat, it became laborious to read, I wanted it to move more quickly. The characters on the periphery of the novel, were not strong enough to feel anything for them. I wanted to know more about them. I wanted them to be more "human."

Image courtesy of http://www.jillianehoffman.com/

I don't want to be negative about this novel because it is a good book, and I do enjoy reading Jilliane Hoffman's stories. She has a great imagination for thrillers. I may not recommend it highly, but if you enjoy thrillers, it is worth reading.

The Things we Know Now by Catherine Dunne

the things we know now is a heartbreaking read. The story of family relationships and the tragic consequences of bullying. I couldn't put this down even though there are segments that I found really difficult to read.

I hadn't read any of Catherine Dunne's books before this one, but I will be searching my local libraries for more of her work.

Book cover image courtesy of 

http://www.catherinedunneauthor.com/new/?page_id=16

The intricacies of family relationships are familiar, the love, the patience, the animosity, the blame, the guilt, the sibling rivalries .... all aspects of family life are contained in this one book. There is no happy ending, and I hope I'm not telling you anything that you wouldn't be able to work out for yourself as a reader right from the start. But there is hope and I think that is something that is familiar to us all in life.

A Few Steps Back

I didn't have a particularly good weekend. My spirit spiralled downhill. Sometimes my mind obsesses about the things that I can not change. I feel guilty and sad about situations and events of the past, and beat myself up about them. I have less of these feelings now than I once did, but they still have a habit of penetrating my mind that lead me to that dreadful dark place where I think "what's the point of  it all." I know that it's part of my depression and I know how to deal with it, but there are times when I think that I want it to engulf me so that I don't have to do anything, to see anyone, or go anywhere. I just want to hide where I don't have to have any kind of interaction with anyone or anything.

On Saturday I filled my day with reading ... I read a whole book from beginning to end. At least, I say to myself, it wasn't a completely wasted day. On Sunday I needed some comfort. I picked some flowers from the garden and drove to the Chapel where my parents, grandparents, brother, great auntie and other family are buried. It comforts me to be near them and after sharing out the flowers and thinking of them, I drove to my childhood village to walk some of the same paths that I had walked as a child.

A Few Steps Back

The River Taf

Newer Bridge than there was....

Overgrown River Banks

Nettles, grass, bushes, hopefully no grass snakes....

Honeysuckle Happiness ...

Narberth Town and Castle, Pembrokeshire

I had never visited the Castle in Narberth, even though I visit Narberth at least once a week! I was quite amazed that it had been such a huge castle. Its a lovely spot to sit and have a picnic.

Narberth has a thriving town, there are lots of quirky shops to visit, vintage clothes and wares, bride shops, lingerie, gifts, jewellery, clothes, outdoor, home ware... almost everything you can think of.. a place to spend the day, have coffee and cake, lunch, a beer..whatever you fancy!

 

 

 

This lovely shop sells everything you would need to make cakes and more ... Siwgr Eisin translates to Icing Sugar

The Museum is hidden in one of the back streets... just follow the signs and you'll find it easily enough. Well worth a visit... as well as the museum it sells books and gifts and has all the information you need to find out about your visit to Pembrokeshire.

St Andrews Church ....

As I sat and had a coffee watching the world to by, a single leaf fell on to my table....

A Leaf with my Coffee

Getting Started in Wedding Photography

I'm starting out on a new venture as a Wedding Photographer.

I'm thinking about how to get my first clients. I've set up my website; a friend has given me a few tips to improve it, so I did this last night. I wanted a very simple website giving the information in a clear, non fussy way. I used my own experience in searching for and looking/reading websites. I don't stay long if there is too much to read or if there's too much information or I cant find my way around the site. So mine is simple and clean.

However I have looked at some Wedding Photography Websites, and some have loads of information (do people read all that stuff?), some have really pretty websites which are very appealing to the eye,  but of course what they all have in common, and which I don't have as yet, are lots of really good images. I don't have many images to share on my website yet, so I am in a bit of a Catch 22 situation. Everyone has to start somewhere though don't they...

I've ordered Business Cards, when they arrive I'll be handing them out to friends and family, I've spoken to a few shops that I go to regularly; they've all said that they would be happy to have them. I'm wondering now if I've ordered enough ...

I've shared my Website on line, created a Face Book page and set up a small competition for a couple to win their wedding photography.

Before I go to Sleep... Film Review

There isn't much choice at my local library in the way of DVDs. This one wasn't a particularly good choice. I am a fan of Colin Firth, but not a great fan of Nicole Kidman. Every film I see her in, she always seems to play the same role. Her best film for me was The Others. Before I go to Sleep is not one of her better films. It's meant to be a thriller and there are some tantalising moments in it but not enough to give you a thrill, no scene has that exciting element of surprise. Colin Firth plays a dark, moody character, but there isn't much substance to the script so the Mr Firth's character lacks depth. Nicole Kidman puts on a childish voice for her role as the victim,which I think contributes to the audiences lack of empathy with her character.

The film does hold some surprises, and I didn't guess who was who. But its the kind of film I can take or leave. I don't have any inclination to ever watch it again. I would give it maybe a 3 out of 5.

Eva Besnyo and other Photographers....

Black and White Photography ...
http://www.faciepopuli.com/tagged/Eva-Besny%C3%B6

Love the images on this tumblr site ...lots of great inspiration

"The Little House" by Philippa Gregory

I've read some of Philippa Gregory's historical novels, The Other Boleyn Girl, The Boleyn Inheritance and The Queen's Fool , all of which, much to my surprise, I enjoyed reading. I don't usually read historical novels, they tend to be too slushy, sentimental and saccharine for my taste, But they were none of these things, the characterisations were interesting, they've thoughts insightful and although these are fictitious stories based on fact, they were plausible.

I find the when I've read a few of one particular authors' books, they do become a little predictable. This isn't true of all authors, just some. You become accustomed to the way they write, the stories tend to take on a similar path, the characters have similarities; when this happens I usually move on to another author. But Philippa Gregory has written other novels, apart from the historical genre and before I gave up on her I decided to read one of her more modern novels.

I picked up The Little House, the story of a married couple, both journalists, one in Radio, the other in TV. Its a story of a wife and her spoilt husband, her upper class, domineering in laws and her struggles with her past and the intricacies of their relationships. It has a unexpected twist at the end which made me laugh out loud. The book is worth reading just for the ending! But don't cheat and read the end first, that would spoil the whole thing completely!

Image Couresy of philippagregory.com

I have to add that the book cover does not in any way give any indication of the story it tells. I don't like it! There must have been a more appropriate image that could have been used!

Wedding Blogs

Intimate Weddings is a real gem, information and ideas discovered from all over the web. Advice for small weddings, alternative dresses, gifts to make the day even more special and some absolutely fabulous images.

http://www.intimateweddings.com/blog/rethinking-wedding-dress-2015/

The Lomography site is one of my favourites, one of my passions is analogue photography and there is a lot of inspiration on here. I searched through the Tags and I've found lots of wonderful stuff.

http://www.lomography.com/magazine/82260-analogue-weddings

Amy Lou Photography is the first website I came across the other day when I was starting to build my website. Its really well written, gorgeous images and a real friendly style.

http://amylouphotography.co.uk/

Vintage Wedding Photographer Jessica O'Shaughnessy ... I like her style of photography, a bit kooky, very professional and very creative. Reading her clients Kind Words its clear that she makes people happy!

http://www.jessicaoshaughnessy.co.uk/kind-words/

Happy Days...Wedding Days...

I have made the decision to photograph weddings, they are such happy events, full of love and hope and celebrations. I feel that I could use my talents to create those special photographs that last a lifetime. I call them Forever Photos.

I had thought that because of the stress of shooting a wedding that I would shy away from them ... but in the past, the weddings that I have had the pleasure of shooing, although yes they were stressful, and yes I didn't sleep for a week beforehand, and yes there is always that terrible dread that none of the photos will turn out right. The stuff of nightmares. But ... I am being silly. I am trained as a photographer. I can photograph weddings, and photograph them well. I am creative, I have a sunny disposition, I like being happy and I like going to happy occassisons. So I have decided to be confident in my abilities and I feel that Wedding Photography is the right way to go.

Reminding myself of my Degree days at University, I am going to make a Sketch Book, do some research on Weddings on-line and other sources, take inspiration for other wedding photographers, look at artsits and light and colour, discover new things, stretch my imagination, find ways to improve my skills in wedding photography, learn as much as possible ....

Here is a link to my Website ... http://pennydaviesweddings.weebly.com/about.html

In the Middle of Nowhere..

A day out with my two sisters, a little retail therapy, and then a walk in the middle of nowhere. A hidden woodland where you discover a lily pond, lots of wildlife and a beautiful spot to have a picnic.

It rained, but it didn't matter, the trees made good cover, though I must admit it was a little cold for July.

 

Mr Turner DVD

I was fascinated to watch this film about the Genius  J.M.W. Turner. He was nothing as I had imagined him, but his many works in light are inspiring and completely delightful, in my opinion anyway.

The film showed a man who was cantankerous, moody, and spoke in a guttural fashion and didn't really seem to have much to say. But of course he didn't really need to say much as his paintings speak volumes for him. He was a generous man, we know that because he Bequeathed all his works of art to the British Public, he wanted everyone to be able to view, not only his art, but art in general. He did not succumb to greed by accepting hundreds of thousands of pounds, as he could have done. This makes him a good man in my eyes.

Timothy Spall is one of my favourite actors and he plays Turner magnificently. I always look forward to seeing Mr Spall on the screen or on TV, because I know if he is in it, then it more that likely will be worth watching.

 Image Courtesy of www.guardian.com/film/2015

Timothy Spall as W Turner

DianaF

The DianaF is a simple little camera, but far from easy to use. It has taken several films and lots of practise for me to hone my Diana skills. Even now after using one for a couple of years, its still a bit hit and miss as to whether I've been able to successfully shoot an image that works, and that I'm happy with. But one of the joys of Lomography cameras is that the accidental image or the unusual is its selling point. The nature of the camera means that it will create an image that is misty, abstract, soft, out of focus .... or "creative." The developed pictures are not really meant to be clear and sharp ...where's the fun in that!

Taking the Diana in hand, there seems nothing easier than loading a film, turning the film on until you reach No 1 and then just shooting away. Loading the film into the camera isn't difficult, its once the film is in the camera that the challenges begin.

These two images are from the first film I shot with my DianaF.... a bit of a disaster is an understatement, but from this first film I had something to work with. I knew it wasn't going to be easy and that it would be a very steep learning curve.

After the results from the first film I thought about how I was going to achieve the best results, as it is such a simple camera, no technology involved, there really is only your intuition. Feel the image so to speak. Work on your experience of how long you think you should hold down the shutter. And also think of what kind of atmosphere you are trying to create. A part of my University Degree that I really enjoyed, was to research my subject and create a sketch book. There is no doubt about it that by looking at other artists and their styles, looking at other people's images created with the DianaF and doing any research that you think is relevant to helping you shoot images to create your own style of photography and your own story, is extremely beneficial. Also adding your own images to your sketch book help you to see how you improve ... that is always very satisfying!

The hole at the back of the camera where you look for the number is small, it can be quite frustrating. Turning the dial to move the film forward, you do need to watch the arrows, don't do this too quickly because the number 1 will appear before you know it. I have lost many negatives where I have gone past the next number or have shot an image in the middle of the frame. My solution to this is to hold the camera up so that the sun shines into the hole, or on a dull day find the brightest light source. Then I can see the arrows leading the film onwards and finally I get to the number.

The pinhead size hole inside the lens is tricky. It is probably a good idea to use a tripod because I find using a three second rule will ensure that I get light into the lens. However, having said that, I hardly ever use a tripod when I go out, because I find it cumbersome and a pain to carry around with me. The weight of too much camera equipment slows me down and makes me tired! I like to keep things simple. If I'm out walking on the coast or in the woods, I like to feel free and this helps me to be "in the zone" and use my intuition. I do carry a Shutter Release Cable with me which I use sometimes.

In sunny weather I count to three when taking a shot, in cloudy weather I may count to four, in shady areas I count to five. If I'm in the woods where the trees obscure the light, then I have to use my experience to make an educated guess as too how long I will hold the shutter down for. What I'm trying to say is that if you want a lot of light in your photograph then you do need to hold the shutter down for a count of at least five. If its around mid-day and there is lots of light then you may just want to count to 2/3. Its all about experimentation really. I quite like dark images but sometimes I will lose the detail in the darker areas and the shot doesn't work. 

After I had studied the images from the first film and began to think about ways to achieve better results.... my pictures did improve... not immediately but during the months that I shot more and more film, I did get some that I was happy with. I don't believe that any photographer is happy with all his/her images .... there is a little luck involved too!

So here are some DianaF images post first film!

And here are some more recent DianaF Images.

 

I hope this has helped anyone using the DianaF who has maybe lost their enthusiasm for it, anyone who has shot a couple of films and is thinking of giving up ... don't... you will achieve great images.. or anyone who is thinking of giving it a try.