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October 9, 2018 by Lizzie

Auction Fundraiser – A Day In The Life Family Photos

Time for a little auction fundraiser while doing something I love I bloody love taking pictures of families at home, you’re in your happy place with all your comforts and favourite things around you. It’s the place you can be most yourself and the easiest place to get relaxed and happy photos of you as a family… if you let me, I’d love to join you for a day. 

That said, going in to my friend Debbie’s house and taking photos of her and her girls was far from easy, but something I never would have passed up, knowing just how important it now is for them to make memories together.

I am reopening my family diary with this charity event in order to raise money for Debbie and the treatment she is currently undergoing, and will undergo for as long as she possibly can.  You see, late last year our beautiful and vibrant friend Debbie was diagnosed with a brain tumour. 

Debs is a hugely popular and loved lady, she is also the mother of two gorgeous girls aged 10 & 7. She is remaining incredably strong and positive with the most remarkable fighting spirit. She is determined to prolong the precious time with her daughters through whatever means available.  I WANT TO HELP WITH THAT. 

I would like to offer one family the chance of a ‘Day in the life’ photo shoot with me, which consists of my ugly mug at your breakfast table all the way through to bed time for the kids and wine for the adults. I am happy for this to happen anywhere in the country but understand that a date of convenience for myself has to be found if you are miles from where I live. You have to pay for it of course, but all proceeds will go to Debbie’s ongoing treatment in Germany, none of it is for me. 

The bidding is going to start at £500. I’m not willing to accept anything less and when you consider that I charge £250 for one hour and almost £2000 for 12 hour coverage of a wedding day, you’d already be getting your hands on a bargain. Plus I’m quite fun to have around, I’m not allergic to anything and I won’t have a tantrum when you won’t let me watch TV.

So, all I ask is that if you have taken the time to read this, please take the time to share it. If you think a particular family would be interested then please send it to them directly. If you would like a family shoot with me at any point in the next six months, you have to share this post in order to secure your booking AND if you want to be in with a chance of winning, please find the original post on my Facebook page and place your bid underneath. The highest bid at midnight on the closing day of bonfire night, 5th November, my birthday, will be the winner and the money will be added to Debbie’s fundraising account.

It’s been a hell of a time and despite immediate surgery successfully removing 95% of the tumour, she was told that the Glioblastoma was aggressive and currently incurable.

She has undergone a 9 month period of brutal treatment, a resection, a brain flap infection which turned in to meningitis and required part of her skull being removed, 30 sessions of radiotherapy with 30 day of temolozide (chemo). Then after a month treatment break, she has completed 5/6 rounds of chemotherapy. After getting shingles she’s decided her body can’t take anymore chemo, but has done 2 more than the average Glioblastoma patient, as well as an equally brutal immunotherapy treatment. 

During this period she’s been going to Germany 3 weekly for immunotherapy, where her amazing brother drives her 1300 miles round trip and has cost more than £200,000 funded by family and a huge fundraising effort by all her amazing friends.

Ongoing costs for this are huge, which is is why all donations are so important if we are to prolong this mothers life. Please help me contribute to funds in order to give her the means to fight this awful disease, while maintaining a stable quality of life for her and her girls. 

Thanks for your time xx

*TERMS & CONDITIONS
The prize is final and cannot be exchanged
Payment must be made in full to the charity fund before any photos are taken
Bidding must not be done on behalf of anyone else
Multiple bids are permitted
Each bid must be made in a new comment on the original post
The highest bid on the original Facebook post (found here: https://www.facebook.com/Shootitphotography) at midnight on 5th November 2018 will win 
A mutually agreeable date must be found and travel times taken in to consideration, no date is guaranteed
The date must be decided within one year of the end of bidding
The date cannot be rescheduled and must proceed regardless of weather conditions
Accommodation fees may be incurred if the photographer is travelling a great distance and is unable to stay on site
Photographs will be delivered digitally and delivery is final. No re touching, editing or alterations are included in the agreement
Bidders must be residents of the United Kingdom (excluding Northern Ireland) …but if you’re not, you need to pick up the travel costs! xx

 

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January 25, 2018 by Lizzie

2017 Wedding Highlights

I’m a little late to the party but I wanted to get my 2017 wedding highlights out to you lot by the end of January and I’ve managed it with a few days to spare so it’s not all bad! 

I really did have an epic year of weddings and would happily have made the slideshow about ten minutes long but come on, who has time for that?! I’m a big fan of smiles and laughter and movement in my photos and I’d like to think the pics I’ve chosen reflect that.

It has ended up about six minutes and two songs long and that’s more than enough to give you an idea of what I’ve been up to. And in case you’re wondering, the music is by an old band called ’99 Years’ who were, and some of them still are, friends of mine from a very young age…making it a pretty good soundtrack to reminisce to.

 

Going through pictures from 2017 was tough, I found myself saying “oh that one, and that one!” more than once or twice, and even after finishing it and posting it considered re rendering it so I could include a favourite I had forgotten, it’s so hard! There have been So. Many. Moments. And all of them wonderfully memorable. 

Including that one wedding that made the news. You know…the story of THE DRESS and the wonderful ladies at Courtyard Bridal Boutique coming in to save the day!

There was also the wedding of Kate and Austin which I totally bloody bypassed in the selection process and not because their wedding wasn’t amazing, it was brilliant, but because my brain malfunctioned and I skipped it. It should definitely be within my wedding highlights, without a doubt. So in ode to them, I’m including some pictures from their day too because they should be in there, along with a few others…and maybe some more. Do you see why this is so hard?!

Bride and groom running Funny bridesmaid bridesmaid fun Wedding highlights Swing Dancer Wedding

They’re swing dancers! SWING DANCERS! How on earth did I forget them?! 2017 was great from start to finish, I even ended it on a NYE wedding in my home town with a lovely couple and a fantastic party. You can’t ask for more than that.  All that is left for me to do is look forward to 2018, starting with a bang in less than two weeks at The George Hotel in Stamford and ending with another NYE extravaganza and the small matter of a little trip to Italy in the middle. I can’t bloody wait.

New Years Eve Wedding

 

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September 24, 2017 by Lizzie

The Story of The Dress

Yesterday was a wedding day, like a Saturday often is for me, and I was headed to Rushton Hall for the wedding of Nathalie and Mike, prepped, peppy and photo ready! 

I arrived at 10.30am all ready for an hour of bridal prep before the wedding at 11.30am, only to discover a slightly sombre mood in camp because of the fact that Nathalie had no wedding dress. It turns out she had been unable to pick it up and was sat in the bridal suite in a basic slip dress, calmly waiting to get married.


 At this point, I would like to stress I am not writing this blog to name and shame the dress maker who let her down, I am writing it to commend the ones who came to her rescue…because quite frankly, what happened next, and for the rest of the day is more noteworthy and deserving of your time.

What followed was a bit of a blur but I did what any photographer in the area would have done, I called Courtyard Bridal. Having worked with the lovely ladies who run the family owned business before, I figured they would be our best bet, and I’m sure you can guess by now, that they did not disappoint. 

“I HAVE A BRIDE WITH NO DRESS!”

“YOU HAVE A WHAT?!”

“A BRIDE WITH NO DRESS!!!”

“WHEN IS THE WEDDING?”

“…………..in an hour”

“WE ARE ON OUR WAY!”

They swooped in like literal caped crusaders and bundled everything they could in to the car, promising they would be with us as soon as they could. Tears followed, as did a party play list, an abundance of hugs and a much improved mood. Now it felt like a wedding!

Nathalie is petite in every way and finding a wedding dress that fits is no easy feat, let alone one that wouldn’t completely swamp her height. I had no idea what to expect but later realised that Rhiannon had asked me all the right questions on the phone about her size, height and shoes…they were on the job! 

They arrived in a flurry and full of smiles at exactly eleven o’clock with two dresses, veils, pins, hair pieces and a sewing machine. Yep, you read that correctly, they even bought their overlocker. Nathalie tried both dresses on, and both of them fitted her, both of them looked amazing, both of them could have been made entirely for her, it was absolutely unbelievable. What happened next even more so.

She chose the more classic and elegant of the two and Anne immediately set about making alterations. SHE MADE IMMEDIATE ALTERATIONS! Anne cut off the bottom of the dress in the bathroom while Nathalie stood on a box of breakfast bits from the hotel. She then overlocked the bottom hem so it was finished as well as taking a few buttons off the back, sewing a few on AND SEWING BRA CUPS IN TO THE FRONT. She was not about to have nipples on show at Rushton Hall, oh no no.

Time check: At this point we’re at about 11.30am. I continued to stay in touch with reception, the registrars have three other weddings to get to today but they’ll wait, if needs be they’ll cut a reading from the ceremony. The bridesmaids all arrive, Anne is still doing the finishing touches and the veil is going in. The master of ceremonies delivers Dad and we exit the bridal suite in a flourish at 11.45am with Anne and Rhiannon in tow to watch Nathalie down the aisle. THE WEDDING IS ON!

Despite Nathalie and Mike’s young boys being a little unruly throughout the ceremony the pair were married, Nathalie looked nothing short of AMAZING and the party was waiting. Everyone could return to business as usual. Which was why I was a little surprised to see Anne and Rhiannon outside when we exited, knowing they had a full day of appointments at the shop.  Turns out, in all the excitement of leaving the room, no one had thought to bring a key…and all available keys to the bridal suite were, yep, you guessed it…in the bridal suite. Invited to stay for a drink, the dynamic duo enjoyed some champagne while the hotel tried in vain to get in the room. They had no phones, no keys and no sewing machine and were now going to have to wait for a locksmith. 

Rhiannon arranged for her husband to pick her up but Anne and I formed an alliance and not only did she help me organise my group shots, she became best friends with the bridesmaids, was centre of attention for all those wanting to hear about the dress and sat next to me for a delicious three course meal accompanied with some wine and cheese!

I literally can’t stress how diligently they worked to make sure Nathalie looked her absolute best and how wonderfully they managed the situation. They didn’t once falter or even consider not coming to help and they were there as fast as they could carry themselves.  Anne’s only complaint is that she wasn’t dressed for the occasion but in the end it didn’t matter and having Mike thank us all in his speech so earnestly for pulling the whole thing together just goes to show how much it meant to everyone involved.

The room was finally opened around 5.30pm and Anne could get all their stuff and go, although (and this is my favourite little detail) she’d had just a tad too much wine with dinner to drive so had to be picked up herself!

Before all this happened, I would recommend Courtyard Bridal as a great place to go to all the brides who asked, but now, I will be telling them that they’d be stupid to go anywhere else.

Nathalie would have looked beautiful regardless, I would have taken photos of her in her jeans, but the fact of the matter is she FELT amazing and it’s all down to a wonderful team of people who were willing to go that extra mile to help her out.

Nb. Her original dress turned up two hours after the ceremony and it was suggested she put it on. She declined.

The dress worn by Nathalie is Pronovias and is called ‘Niagara’

 

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July 31, 2017 by Lizzie

The Stotts – Family Photos At Home

My family photography has come a long way since I started out, but I still completely adore being invited to do family photos at home, especially when people ask me to travel all the way to London to do it! The Stott family recently had a new little arrival who has turned their world upside down and that too of Gary…the cat. If you know me, you know I would never oppose having the cat in on the pictures which made it even sweeter that Gary curled up on his dads lap and let him hold him like a baby long enough to get the four of them together, and on film too!

I’ve started carrying a film camera around with me a lot more recently and intend to make it a permanent fixture in the not too distant future. The photos I captured of these guys really reminded me how much I love the look of genuine, bonafide film loveliness and I’d like to share that around.

I spent two hours at home with them, just enough time for me to settle in and get my slippers by the door! I hate to rush photographing newborn babies, they don’t like to be pushed around and moved here, there and everywhere at any speed and more often than not they need a feed, a sleep and some serious chill time, aka, daddy doing squats while being held next to a window. You parents out there know the drill.

Thanks to the Stott Family for having me, pretty stoked I was able to document all this for  you.

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July 30, 2017 by Lizzie

Laura & Jon’s Family Fun Wedding At Shearsby Bath

So I’ve set myself a new challenge, and that is to blog more, and to keep it brief! The summer is such a mental time for me that I barely get the chance to do it but I really want to and to that end I’ve set myself an image limit of 50 to sum up each and every wedding I blog…starting with Laura & Jon’s wedding at Shearsby Bath, an idyllic little venue in the heart of Leicestershire’s countryside.

These two are the proud parents to crazy, energetic, cheeky little twin boys…yet they still managed to plan a wedding. I’m not really sure how people manage to do stuff with multiple kids if I’m honest, I mean I’m struggling to blog with one kid in tow let alone two! But plan it they did and they did a bloody good job.

Can we please just take a minute to appreciate the Irn Bru wedding favours? Just when you thought you’d be left without a hangover cure, Laura & Jon come through with the goods. There were also kilts and a rendition of The Flower of Scotland which brought a tear to more than one eye but so did the moment when the bridesmaids thought they’d lost the brides wedding ring…the less said about that the better.

I love this venue, tucked away from prying eyes and rushing traffic, it’s the perfect spot to go a little bit nuts on your wedding day…

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July 28, 2017 by Lizzie

She & I – Self Portraiture – Roll One

Ever since I was at university, I’ve wanted to point the camera towards myself, in a non narcissistic way, and delve a little deeper in to the art of self portraiture. I wrote my dissertation on female photographers who photograph themselves and their motivations to do so. Some being cathartic, others for showmanship and some who photographed their children as an extension of who they are. Now that I’m a mom, it’s the latter that strikes a chord with me, and as aware as I am that everyone loves their children, I resolutely cherish the fact that I can document so coherantly, the time I spend with mine. 

Throughout the summer, when weddings are all too consuming, it becomes even more important to take time for personal endeavours and inspirations, and so with that in mind, I have set out to photograph Elsie and I on film, entirely through the power of self timers and a few well placed, long armed selfies. I still take digital photos of her on a daily basis, but this is to be different, this to me, will be ours. A rough and happy project that she already feels a part of.

I got my first film back today and I wanted to cry. I tried out some new black and white stock, I was ambitious with the settings, probably giving the little old camera I bought a bit too much credit. So many were dark, blurry, out of focus and not quite what I’d pictured that I couldn’t help but be disappointed. Then a friend pointed out that the feel of the images was so much more important than the focus. And they were right…I’d already forgotten why I was doing this and got too caught up in technicalities that are hard to control at the best of times, let alone with a toddler in tow. 

So I’m going to share our first roll of film. Here we are, blurry, dark…and completely us. There will be more xx

 

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July 25, 2017 by Lizzie

Rap Your Way to Snap…Or Not? Snap Photography Festival Entry

So…this is a bit of an odd one and I’m going to start out by saying that if you don’t know what Snap Photography Festival is then you should read up on it. Because I have and I really want to go! I didn’t get the chance last year because I bought a house instead, which was mandatory and non negotiable apparently. Pfffft. This year though, Snap is shrinking and they’re making it a little more difficult to get in, hence this ridiculous Snap Photography Festival entry. It comes with the disclaimer that if you want to be able to look me in the eye again you should only watch it once, I am actually a very good swimmer, and no, that jacket is not mine. I’m also 36 years old and should know better but if you aren’t as old as me, hearing the original HERE may help…

Huge thanks to Chris Pavey of Toast Films for keeping a straight face long enough to put this little gem together. I owe him a ridiculous amount of beer. 

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May 25, 2017 by Lizzie

France on Film

I went to France last week and took my film camera. With mild trepidation I set about capturing my holiday in France on film. My old Olympus has a faulty light meter so I had to use one on my phone, then my own knowledge of lenses and light to estimate my settings and quite frankly, I came home thinking I would get a whole load of nothing from nine rolls of film. It’s been a long time since I used a manual film camera regularly and despite learning this way right from my A-Levels I didn’t have all that much confidence in myself. I told a friend that I’d be happy with just one killer shot…so I’m pretty bloody delighted to be happy with a hell of a lot more than that. There are 66 images in this blog post. Sixty six! And you may not like them all, but I do and it was my holiday so I’ll show off if I want to. These are my highlights.

Poppies
Town
River
Aperitif
Tools
Roses
Pegs
Mom
Pete
Elsie
Tunnel
Men
Bottom
Baguette
Framed
Posters
Trees
Market
Cars
Elsie
Sculpture
River
Trees
Sunshine
Feet
Ivy
Elsie
Cat
Legs
Honey beer
Blue shutters
Elsie
Artichoke
Dinner
Legs
Books
Light
Silhouette
Sunlight
Water
Shop
Shopping
Tunnel
Pit stop
Door
Train
Anduze
Town
Golden hour
Window
House
Jump
Swim
Unicorn
Toes
Drawing
Breakfast
Park
Shirt
Market
Market
Giggles
Roses
Elsie
Night
Elsie

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May 22, 2017 by Lizzie

Jillie & John’s Oakham Castle Wedding

The first wedding I ever photographed was my brother’s and it just so happened to be at Oakham Castle, a well known local landmark. To my surprise I haven’t actually been back, until earlier this year when I photographed Jillie and John’s Oakham Castle Wedding on a sunny spring day full of happy smiles and beautiful light. I’ll be back there on New Years Eve too to photograph the wedding of Laura & Adam which is nice, I like a little love close to home and I’m always thankful when people ask me to capture it. As always, this is just a little look at what went on that day…

Pre wedding hugs
Guests
Cheers
Bow Ties
Groomsmen
No Parking
Gin
Flower
The Nelson
Laughter
Oakham Castle
Here come the boys
Dog in bow tie
Blue sky
Kids
Guests
Skype
Here they come
First look
Together
The look
All smiles
Together
Tears
A reading
All smiles
The rings
Reading
Laughter
Laughter
A moment
Puppet
Champagne or juice?
Jokes
Champagne
Groom
Fun times
Hugs and smiles
Laughter
Pants down
Dancing
Bride & Groom
Bride & Groom
Bride & Groom
Bride & Groom
Bride & Groom
Bride & Groom
Bride & Groom

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May 21, 2017 by Lizzie

Zoe & Jon’s Bassmead Manor Barns Wedding

Zoe is the sister of my husband’s best man’s wife. Which makes us practically related right?! Well OK, not really, but we’ve met a couple of times which made it lovely to be asked to be their wedding photographer because they’d actually met me and still wanted me to do it! They had (what didn’t look for one iota of a second) a very handmade Bassmead Manor Barns wedding that had me excited from the off. I say that it didn’t look handmade because these two are so freaking skilled at fabric and wood and decor and stuff that quite honestly, it looked to me to be a professional and expensive job. I was mightily impressed. I was also mightily impressed with how bloody lovely they were and how amazing their day was. Here it is in brief…

Cake at Bassmead Manor
Table decor
Handmade table decor
Dresses
The dress
Shoes
Handmade bouquet
Earrings
Buttonholes
The frog prince
The bride
Balloons
A steady hand
A steady hand
Bridesmaids prep
The veil
Bridal makeup
Makeup artist
The groom
Groom tying his tie
Shoes
Fancy bear
Time for buttonholes
Gifts for the groom
Pageboy
The wedding dress
The bride
Order of service
The groom is ready
Selfie
Here she comes…
The groom waits
Here comes the bride
Giggles
Vows
The look
The first kiss
Selfie Time!
Smiles
Tears
Confetti
Laughter
Guests
Giggles
Bridal Party
Garter
Jokes
Don’t drop him!
Together
Bride and groom
Bride and groom
Under the veil
Sharing a joke
Bride and groom
Just married
Father of the bride speech
Speeches
Funny
Laughter
Groom’s speech
The speeches
Speeches
Speeches
Cutting the cake
Love
First dance
A kiss on the dance floor
Throwing some shapes
Night
Final photo of the night
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