I was invited to the Jubilee Celerbrations at St Marys Community Centre in Leyland.
All images shot with the Fuji Film X100F using Classic Chrome
manchester photographer
The Darwell Wedding.
31st October 2021 was the day we finally got to celebrate the wedding of Abbie and Matt.
And what a day! I do not think I have ever been to a wedding that was such an emotional rollercoaster as this one. There were tears of joy and tears of relief that we finally got here to see the new Mr and Mrs Darwell tie knot.
Over the last 12 – 15 months, there have been ups and downs and questions of whether will it happen or will it be cancelled. But just over 12 months on from the original date, it was all systems go. And what a celebration it was.
Admittedly I have a connection with Abbie and Matt as they are both good friends of mine who I love dearly but to be caught up in this flowing tide of emotion was something I have never experienced before.
Seeing Abbies Mum and Dad in tears when they finally got to see their daughter in the wedding dress was something I will never forget.
The one that got everyone was the wonderful poem read out by Harriet, the eldest daughter of Abbie & Matt. In the end, there was not a dry eye in the house. As a photographer, you try to detach yourself from the day's emotions, but even I had a lump in my throat.
Hopefully, I did them proud with the photography as I tried my best to capture the day's emotion.
It is a wedding that stay with me for a long time, and I have no doubt it will stay with everyone who was there to finally see the new Mr and Mrs Darwell.
Good luck for the future, you beautiful people.
Keep the Faith
KV
Wedding Photography.
I have never sold myself as a wedding photographer, but from time to time I do get asked if I can photograph someone’s wedding and 9 times out of 10, I always say yes.
The one thing that I always say is that I’m not a professional wedding photographer, but I will shoot it in my style.
And the question then is, what is your style?
For me, and this is just my own opinion I think photographing a wedding should be about telling the story of your day. From the Bridal preparation to the late-night dancing.
I always try and blend in and act as a guest and the perfect camera for that is my Fujifilm X100F my other camera of choice is the Xpro2 with the 35mm 1.4. I like to keep it simple.
The one thing I’m not a big fan of is spending hours doing group shot after group shot zzzzzz.
I like to look for the emotion of the day and let’s not forgot the little moments of magic that are gone in the blink of an eye.
My shooting style is not for everyone, but I see it as it is, and that is honest, candid photography.
Street Photography has taught me a lot over the years but the one thing I always do is go in there with a blank canvas and see what I come back with. There is no point in thinking I might get this or that because the eye will not see the real story.
Head over to my wedding portfolio and see if my style suits your style and if it does, then feel free to get in touch.
Keep the Faith
KV
Time for Change.
If anything, these past 12 months have taught me to appreciate the small things. And that would include my photography.
Instead of looking for the things that I do not have, I have been grateful for the things I have now.
I have continued to look for photographic opportunities and used this time as a growth phase. It has slowed me down and made me look for new perspectives and try and see things in a different light.
Street Photography will always have its place, but I now understand it is not the be-all and end-all of my photographic journey.
Very soon I will be moving house. The area we are moving to will be closer to the countryside than the streets of Manchester. Plus, it will be a 30-minute journey to the coast. So as you can see, my progression is already there, and all I have to do is embrace the change. Change is good. It is the thinking that is overrated.
Keep the Faith
KV
Father in Law
Happy retirement to my Father in Law.
It was a good opportunity to get the camera out and take a couple of portraits.
I think he will miss the working day, but I have no doubt he will soon get into the swing of having a seven day weekend.
Enjoy your retirement.
Images were taken with the FujiFilm XPRO2.
Winter Walk
The first snowfall of the winter provided me with an opportunity to get out with the X100F.
All images shot using the B&W + R JPEG Setting with the added grain effect.
Goodbye 2020
Goodbye, 2020.
Here are my photographic highlights from the past 12 months.
Keep the Faith people as nothing lasts forever.
Street Photography is Weird.
I wouldn’t say I like street photography – Not my words but the words from a friend.
At first, I was a little bit confused by this statement because I am a street photographer, and this is my thing, but then I realised it is not the like, but maybe its the understanding of street photography that he doesn’t understand.
Street photography from an outsider looking in can seem a little bit strange. We walk around open spaces and take pictures of strangers. Sounds weird.
Some use street photography for documentary purposes, and some use it to express their creative mind.
To get a real understanding of street photography, we need to delve into the back catalogue of those that have gone before us. I have made it my business to study Gary Winogrand, Joel Meyerowitz, Cartier-Bresson, Saul Leiter, Harry Gruyaert, Alex Webb, and Tony Ray-Jones, Ernst Haas and many more. It is not about emulating them. It is about seeing the possibilities.
What I love about street photography is not knowing what you will see. You cannot go out there and think I will get this or that because it does not work like that. You must go with the flow, and if it happens, then it happens.
I go out there with a blank canvas, and sometimes I will return with what I think is a masterpiece and then there are the days that I can come back with a bag of shit.
Slow down, take your time and get some decent footwear.
Keep the Faith
KV
FUJIFILM X100T CLASSIC CHROME -MANCHESTER
The Moment
My style of photography is all about the moment.
This image of my Mum and Niece captures the true essence of my approach to photography.
There is nothing staged. It is just a natural interaction between the two of them, and luckily, I was there with the camera. They will both age, but this image will always be locked into that moment, which becomes timeless.
Keep the Faith.
KV
Mental Mental Mental
in creative
Keeping your mind fit is just as important as keeping your body fit.
Being creative is a great way of turning off the noise that rumbles around in your head.
Photography saved me from me. Street Photography is like meditation as it allows my mind to switch off from the mundane bullshit that we all have in our lives. Every now again, I can become lost in the moment. It is as though I am connected to something else, and that is me getting out of me.
Practising mindfulness is also a great way to get that connection. Tune in to your surroundings by listening to the sounds, and slowly you will get that connection. Try it for yourself.
The art of photography is not for everyone, but I honestly believe that we all have some form of creativity waiting to be discovered.
It is the little things that start big things.
Being creative will not cure mental health, but it will help you find some purpose in your life, and who knows, it may be the calling you have been searching for.
Keep the Faith.
KV
FUJI FILM X100F - MANCHESTER