Turner Portraits Blog

New Blog and Website

2010-06-24T11:43:00.003+01:00

The time has come to announce my new photo-training website and blog, which means that this blog is now closed. All new posts, and much more, will appear on the new blogsite at http://turnerphototraining.com See you there!

Goodbye old blog....almost.....

2010-06-18T11:01:00.003+01:00

It's almost time to say a fond farewell to this, my first blog, and to welcome in a brand new photo-training blog and photo-resource. The blog has served me well, but as I've already intimated there is frantic activity behind the scenes at Michael Turner Photography as we prepare for a brand new arm to our business for 2010 and beyond.

My next posting will be to announce the new blog early next week......watch this space!

A Little Boy and his Grandad

2010-05-25T07:00:00.007+01:00

During the course of a family lifestyle portrait shoot in Lancashire last week it became apparent that the little boy, Charles, has a very special relationship with his grandad. Charles lives in Canada with his mum and dad and baby brother Jack, so he doesn't get to see his grandad too often. So, when Charles comes over to visit, he just loves to copy everything that his grandad does...tidying the garden, setting up the barbecue....and, especially, fixing things in grandad's shed. Lump hammers and spanners are not the first props that may spring to mind for a portrait, but lifestyle photography is all about capturing relationships by telling a story. These photographs will mean the world to Charles when he's grown up and has a shed (and maybe even grandchildren) of his own.

Always looking up to his Grandad...

Lessons from the Berbers

2010-05-21T06:56:00.006+01:00

In these tough economic times we can all learn a business lesson from this Berber jewellery trader that Janet and I came across recently in the Lower Atlas Mountains near Marrakech. Every day he hikes up the mountain to set up his stall on this steep, rocky footpath that leads to spectacular waterfalls high above the small village of Setti Fadma. This guarantees him a steady flow of potential customers during the day. Now that's dedication!

Admittedly, his temporary shop is no doubt well away from the attentions of the tax authorities and health and safety (if it exists in Morocco!), but we were so impressed with his sheer hard work that it made him at least one sale that day. Anyone who knows Marrakech will know that the locals are always keen to sell you something (well, anything in fact), to the point where it can become tiresome after a long day sightseeing, but today we were happy to reward this Berber entrepreneur. Janet is now the proud owner of a locally made turquoise and silver necklace (bartered for in true Moroccan tradition of course).

May News Round-Up

2010-05-07T11:02:00.005+01:00

You will have heard the analogy of the duck swimming along, all calm on the surface but paddling like fury underneath. It's been a bit like that at Michael Turner Photography lately, with some major changes in the pipeline for 2011 that we're working on now. In the meantime, we've been busy with studio and outdoor portraits, three trips abroad and putting into action the plans for our new photography school. In March Janet and I visited some old friends in Holland and had a city break in Marrakech. What an amazing place! In April we sailed across the Aegean with our good friend Jonathon on Koralia3. Even though these were holidays of course, I've been taking the opportunity to build up material for the photography workshops and add to my portolio of travel images.

As for the rest of the year, I'll be announcing some workshop dates over the next few weeks and updating the web site. We've made a start on the re-structure of the website but there's a long way to go yet. In June we'll be exhibiting at the Cheshire County Show and then in July at the Signal FM Bumps Show. And next January I'll be speaking and judging once again at the SWPP International Convention. Never a dull moment eh!

The hustle and bustle of the souks in Marrakech....

And Spring flowers in Greece.... More travel and portrait images coming soon!

Outdoor Portraits in Cheshire

2010-04-05T23:06:00.011+01:00

It's been a great a start to the year for outdoor lifetstyle portraits. Even though we've had a cold winter, February and March have been mostly dry and bright. Perfect!

Here is a small selection of images from recent outdoor portrait shoots in Cheadle and Whaley Bridge.....

T-shirts....in February!

A Walk Around Mellor

2010-04-05T20:33:00.017+01:00

For the past twenty years or so I've been going on a monthly walk with a small group of friends. We take it in turns to organise the walk, which is usually somewhere in Wales, the Peak District, the Lakes or the Yorkshire Dales. For the March walk we decided to do something much closer to home, on the east side of Stockport, and were blessed with a fantastic day. Today was all about fresh air, beautiful colours, warm Spring sunshine and, especially, strong light and crisp shadows. The variety of shots I managed today (all on my Canon G9 compact) was amazing. Here's hoping for more kind weather and beautiful light for the photo-rambles I'll be organizing later in the year.

The striking simplicity of this majestic old tree against the March sky.....

Beautiful colours and shadows in Mellor churchyard....

Playing with shadows at Cobden Cross....

Totally unstaged, a couple of locals enjoying the Spring sunshine outside the pub....

One of the many railway tunnels on the route....

Probably my favourite image from the day. Beautifully subtle colours in this detail from an old wooden railway truck being used for storage on a farm near to Roman Lakes.... As the sun sinks slowly in the west.....

Glorious low evening sunlight on this farmyard....

A classic sunset image to finish....

An Easter Break

2010-04-05T18:45:00.009+01:00

Janet and I have had a very pleasant and relaxing Easter break. The weekend kicked off with a visit to our god-daughter Sarah. As you know, Sarah has more than her fair share of problems and a recent virus hasn't helped. She still manages to cheer everyone up with her gummy smile though, and is doing well. She has a major heart op coming soon - no one has told her yet!

Then followed a couple of days staying with our friends Jo and Martyn Pearson and their boys in St Annes on the Fylde. After a wet and windy day on Friday we were blessed with a beautiful morning on Saturday, perfect for a walk down the dunes towards Lytham. The combination of dunes and cloud was a photographer's dream, captured here on my trusty Canon G9.

Back at home for Sunday, an Easter day roast with friends and family was followed by a catch-up day on Monday, nicely rounding off a very 'chilled out' break.

KidsCan Campaign 2010

2010-03-12T17:32:00.003Z

We're thrilled to announce our charity fund-raising offer for 2010. This year we're supporting KidsCan, the children's cancer charity based at Salford University.

The offer works like this : for just a £25.00 donation to KidsCan you'll receive a gift invitation for a Michael Turner photoshoot plus £75.00 towards your order. Now that's an offer you can't refuse! You can download an application form from the KidsCan website www.kidscan.org.uk or contact the studio for more information. http://www.kidscan.org.uk/?pid=72

The Value of Family Photos

2010-02-18T22:55:00.007Z

I was talking to a lady the other day who had a very sad story to tell. Orphaned as a child, she had no photographs at all of her childhood. In later years her ex husband destroyed all of her photographs from her teenage and young adult years. As the son of a photographer, this really brought home to me the value of family photographs, whether taken professionally or just casual family snapshots. I'm lucky in that we have a wealth of family photographs to look back on, but that isn't always the case.

What concerns me in this digital age is that there are many more photographs taken than ever before, but most of them never see the light of day. They're stored on computer hard drives or even left on the camera or phone, but we all know how fast technology goes out of date, and how quickly computers can fail without warning. Pictures can so easily be lost forever.

My advice is to back your pictures up!! Better still, get them printed - a hard copy is so much more stable!! And take heed of the story that started this blog - get multiple copies and distribute them round the family. One last word of advice - if you're the family photographer, make sure that you get to be on some of the pictures too. They don't have to be masterpieces, but why not supplement your own family snapshots by booking a professional family photoshoot once in a while. Family photographs are one of the few things that increase in value as time goes by.

I just thought I'd take this opportunity to share a couple of family shots from my own childhood....

A rare photograph of me with my dad - he was usually the one behind the camera. This one was taken by mum (not a keen photographer!).

Me and mum....from my 'baby's first year' album put together by my dad. Priceless.

And finally, an action shot of me taken during the last really hard winter I remember.....1962/3.

SWPP Convention Report

2010-01-28T17:58:00.013Z

January has been an eventful month. The first challenge was one we all faced - coping with heavy snow that we're definitely not used to. Then it was one week spent preparing my lectures for the SWPP Convention in London, a fantastic week at the Convention itself followed by eight days (and counting) completely grounded by a flu virus, probably picked up on the way home. Hopefully things should get back to normal by February!

In the meantime here are a few shots from the Convention, starting with the the opening event, the Business School (overseen by Catherine Connor from Annabel Williams CPT). Two days of solid business advice from a variety of successful photographers and professional marketers, the Business School was a sell-out and rightly so. This is me in action on the first morning, talking about the benefits of Networking.....

Later in the week, after being part of the mid-week judging panel for awards and qualifications, it was on to portrait photography. Now what was that about never working with children and animals...?

After the Saturday Masterclass theory came the Sunday practical, with our young models ready and eager for the small-group 'Superclass'. The concrete and glass landscape of an urban hotel in mid January isn't the most sympathetic environment for capturing natural images of under 5s, but the delegates and I rose to the challenge. Capturing a winning shot of the two children together escaped me on this short photoshoot demonstration - the distraction of a nearby set of revolving doors proved too much to keep them both in the same place at the same time! There was plenty of scope for individual shots though, all taken in natural light. Everyone had fun in spite of the cold - in fact we were blessed with sunshine, the first of the whole week.

Having fun with shadows....

Here's to the SWPP Convention 2011. Hope to see you there.

SWPP Convention 2010

2010-01-04T22:42:00.002Z

Just got back from my weekly boxercise class (aimed to keep me fit for sailing would you believe)....the first one after my annual overdose of Christmas pud. Luckily BJ the trainer went easy on us for the first session of the New Year.

Unfortunately David Williams has had to postpone the Cheshire seminar at our studio later this month, but the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers International Convention starts next week and is definitely on. I'll be speaking on business and portrait photography topics over the week as well as being one of the judges for the Annual 20x16 Print Competition. There are over 150 seminars over the 6 days so there's something for every kind of photographer. You can check out the schedule at http://www.swpp.co.uk/convention/

See you there!

Light, Colour and People

2009-12-31T13:21:00.002Z

It's the last day of the decade already, and for my final post of 2009 I'd like to quote our friend and colleague Charles Mifsud, from Malta. Charles is an experienced traveller and very keen amateur photographer who likes to enter print competitions with his travel images. On the final day of our recent visit to Malta it was Charles that drove us around the island to see the sights, and on the journey (he likes to talk....) he was describing just why he loves photography....

"Even if you don't win the competitions [he often does], photography and photographs teach you an appreciation of light, of colour, and of people" he said.

This simple statement summed up in a nutshell why I also still get excited by photography after over twenty years in the profession, and will be the philosophy behind our new photo-training courses for 2010. So enjoy the New Year celebrations, and then celebrate light, colour, people and life with us through the inspiration of photography in the year ahead.

Happy Holiday

2009-12-24T13:12:00.006Z

After a few minor delays due to snow and ice I'm pleased to say that all of the framed portraits, canvases and multi-frames that were ordered by our clients for Christmas have now been collected and it's time to go home. These are just a small selection chosen from my favourites........

That just leaves me and Janet to say 'Thank You' to all of the clients, contacts, friends and family who have supported us over the year. We hope you have a peaceful Christmas and a fun-packed, healthy and propserous New Year.

A first birthday photoshoot in Cheadle

2009-12-09T19:35:00.010Z

My last posting was little bit wordy, so here are some recent images from a photoshoot commission to capture Rory at age one, shortly after his first birthday. As you can see, this was just before the autumn leaves disappeared for another year. Rory had great fun playing in the leaves while I used a long lense at a wide aperture to capture him in action. Even though I normally shoot mostly black and white, the colours of these Maple leaves are so fantastic every year that I always like to head to this spot for some autumnal colour shots.

Denis Thorpe : On Home Ground

2009-12-07T23:07:00.003Z

Late November and early December are always particularly busy for us at Michael Turner Photography, and last week was no exception - last minute Christmas portrait shoots and viewing sessions take up most of the time, as well as taking care of printing and liasing with our framers to ensure that our clients all get their portraits in time for Christmas. I'm not sure how I managed it, but I also managed to see three Manchester City home matches in eight days, which got better as the week progressed - a disappointing draw against Hull, an exciting 3-0 victory over Arsenal to progress to the last four of the Carling Cup and a sensational victory over Premiership leaders Chelsea that well and truly brought the house down.

Yesterday Janet and I went see our God-daughter Sarah who, in spite of a few scares and a couple of unscheduled extra operations, I'm happy to report is progressing well. She has been in and out of Alder Hey several times over the past few weeks, but is home now and ever so slowly putting on the weight she needs for her life-saving heart surgery to be properly effective (something to do with growing into a tiny band that was fitted to regulate the flow of blood between her heart and lungs apparently). Yesterday she gave us some beautiful big smiles so she must be feeling OK!

On Friday evening we went to see a slide show and talk by Denis Thorpe, one of the photographers who influenced my early career when I started out in magazine and newspaper photography. Denis spent most of his career as the staff photographer on The Guardian and his instinctive black and white photography from the past 50 years or so is quite simply stunning. Covering all subjects from landscapes and portraits to hard news, he was given the freedom to cover every story in his own quiet style. Sadly, as Denis himself will acknowledge, that simply doesn't happen in today's cut-throat world of newspaper photography that seems to be dominated by the paparazzi.

Denis's ability to come back from any assignment with photographs that capture the essence of a story in one or two telling images made him popular with his editors and hugely respected by his fellow photographers. I had never met Denis before Friday. He certainly lived up to his reputation as one of the gentlemen of the press, and his passion for people and photography shone through even though he's been retired for a good number of years now. If you like black and white documentary and pictorial photography I can recommend his book 'On Home Ground', or if you get the opportunity to attend one of his talks, even better.

More from Malta

2009-12-01T17:24:00.002Z

Our Maltese photographer friend Jean Pierre Gatt has made a three minute film about the recent MIPP Convention we were part of. You can view it here :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI9E-WuTf5o

David Williams Seminar

2009-11-16T09:42:00.003Z

I'm pleased to confirm the dates for the 'Almost Alone with David Williams' seminar we're hosting at our studio in January. The seminar will run for three days from 26th-28th January 2010, with a select group of 12 maximum. David (from Down Under) specialises in weddings and portraits and is one of the world's leading teachers of photography. This seminar isn't about all the techinical stuff (though there will be a little), it's more about getting to the heart of what photographing people is all about.

The timing is perfect - after a busy wedding season or Christmas portrait rush, the seminar will help you to recharge the batteries and make an inspired, flying start 2010.

You can check out more details and find out first hand from David at www.davidwilliamsseminars.com. We'll hope to see you in January.

A whistlestop tour of Malta

2009-11-03T21:41:00.008Z

Yesterday, after three days of hard work at the MIPP conference, our Maltese hosts treated Janet and me and the rest of the UK party to a trip around the island and a taster of the delights of Malta. Our base for the weekend, the Corinthia in San Gorg, was a very comfortable hotel and made a superb location for a photographic convention, but it was relief to escape our modern surroundings and get out to see some of the real Malta on our final day. Our whistlestop tour included Mosta, Dingli Cliffs and the Blue Grotto, Valletta, Mdina and Marsaxlokk. Needless to say that with only a few hours to spare we didn't get a lot of time for serious photography, but we did enjoy the beautiful November weather and saw enought of the country to convince us that Malta is a photographer's paradise.

Golden light in the alleyways of the ancient city of Mdina...

The fishing village of Marsaxlokk is famous for it's colourful fishing boats, but looking inland this colourful doorway also caught my eye.Mediterranean cats always make appealing subjects.....

After our brief taster, one thing is sure - we'll be making a return visit......

As featured on Maltese TV....

2009-11-03T21:02:00.014Z

Janet and I have today returned from Malta where we've been working over the weekend as speakers for the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers and the Malta Institute of Professional Photographers http://www.mipp-malta.com/ at their combined International Convention. The Maltese photographers have been some of the friendliest photographers I've ever had the pleasure to meet (maybe it's something to do with the sunny Mediterranean weather) and their enthusiasm has been an inspiration. The speaker line up included myself and Damian McGillicuddy from the UK, fine art photographer Ayman Lotfy from Egypt and a selection of home grown Maltese photographers. I've been teaching children's portrait and lifestyle photography over three separate seminars, as well as judging qualifications and the MIPP photographic awards. A hectic but very enjoyable few days.

To our surprise the event made the National News (the MIPP's Kevin Casha has friends in high places it would appear). You can view the clip on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqE9u6E61vE

Here are a few of the portraits taken during the demonstration, all captured with natural light.

And finally.....

Dogs just wanna have fun!

2009-10-21T12:01:00.007+01:00

Dogs are such characters and can teach us a lot about looking on the bright side of life. They never think it's too early to go for walk, or too late. They're always eager to please, they're eternal optimists and no stick is ever too big - they love a challenge!

These are a couple of shots of our dog Tara, taken on a recent trip to the West Coast of Scotland......

Tara's never happier than on a forest walk with lots of mud and with the added bonus of a sandy beach, but it can be hard work keeping her still long enough to be photographed. No wonder they say you should never work with children and animals.

Master Photographer of the Year Awards

2009-10-19T17:32:00.004+01:00

Last weekend Janet and I were in our best bib and tucker at the MPA Awards at the Hilton Hotel in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. We had a great time meeting up with old friends and I can now officially claim to be a finalist in the awards and an Award of Excellence winner in the Under 5s! Winner of the Under 5s category though (and also the Portrait category), was last year's Master Photographer of the Year Lisa Visser from West Sussex, with two beautiful images from her successful 2009 fellowship panel.

Well done to Lisa and to all of the other category winners. You can view the winning images at http://www.thempa.com/

Hopefully we'll be there again next year....

A Very Special Baby

2009-09-16T17:45:00.005+01:00

All babies are special of course, but Janet and I would like to introduce you to our new God-daughter, Sarah. Sarah's mum is Janet's cousin Suzanne. During routine checks, Sarah was diagnosed with a complex hole in the heart problem well before she was born just three weeks ago. She made her grand entrance at the new St Mary's children's hospital in Manchester with a whole team of medics and machinery on hand to ensure that her problems were instantly dealt with. Without them she wouldn't have survived the first few hours, even though from the outside she looks like a normal, healthy, bouncing 8lb baby.

Sarah was then transferred to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool to prepare for major heart surgery. Since this photograph was taken she's had a SEVEN HOUR operation to partially correct the problem, and she'll need follow up operations in a few months time and just before she starts school. This is pioneering heart surgery at the forefront of technology, and only a few years ago none of this would have been possible for this particular form of hole in the heart. Even so, at the moment there is no long term cure for Sarah's particular condition, only temporary solutions. But who knows what medical progress will have been made in another few years?

The point of bringing this to light is really to thank all of the staff at St Mary's and Alder Hey for getting Sarah this far and for the fantastic support that Suzanne has received. It's only when something like this happens within your own family that you truly appreciate what amazing places our hospitals are. The NHS may not be perfect, but in this instance they could not have done any more for Sarah and Suzanne.

While husband Chris has been left at home to cope with Sarah's three siblings (with support from his mum and dad) , Suzanne has been staying at McDonald House, a charity supported unit for parents in the grounds of Alder Hey Hospital. Janet and I are in awe of the teamwork that has been devoted to giving one little girl the chance of life, and moved by the way that the mums of the other sick children rally round and support each other, when each one of them has their own fears and problems to contend with. Such is the strength of the human spirit.

In spite of her traumatic start to life Sarah has done fantastically well so far and she's making a good recovery from the first operation. We'll be supporting her all the way.

News Round-Up

2009-09-09T11:50:00.004+01:00

First of all some great news from the Master Photographer's Association - one of my prints has been shortlisted for the UK Master Photographer of the Year Awards in the Under 5s subject category. The Annual Awards are like the Oscars so to receive a nomination is really exciting. We're now looking forward to the awards black tie dinner in Newcastle next Month, and Janet has the perfect excuse to go shopping for a new dress. With matching shoes of course.

Later in October Janet and I are going to Malta to present three seminars for the SWPP (Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers) at the annual Maltese Photographer's Convention. We're looking forward to meeting the Maltese photographers and finding out how they run their businesses. It should be a really enjoyable break, with some hard work thrown in for good measure!

Our recently launched Baby's First Year folio scheme is gathering momentum and proving to be very popular. For families and children we are soon to launch a brand new promotion that will raise funds and awareness for one of our favourite local charities, KidsCan, based at Salford University http://www.kidscan.org.uk/. Watch this space.

We expect to be busy with portraits in the run up to Christmas, then in January we'll be speaking again for the SWPP, this time in London for the Annual Convention. With three workshops to present and two days of print judging it will be a hectic week.

And as if that's not enough, the following week we are hosting a three day workshop at our studio for our good friend David Williams from Australia. David will be running his popular 'Almost Alone' workshop that gives wedding and portrait photographers the chance to think about 'real' photography for three days with one of the world masters of the art and enjoy the company of a small group of like minded group of photographers. More details will be announced soon.

As you can see, Janet and I never stand still for long. We'll keep you informed on progress through the blog, or don't hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any questions in the meantime.

Autumn Photoshoots

2009-09-08T15:54:00.008+01:00

The kids are back at school, Father Christmas has arrived at Botany Bay (so the advert says) and we're all still waiting for the barbecue summer to arrive. That means it's time to start thinking about an autumn photoshoot. Autumn is one of my favourite times of year for outdoor portraits - the weather is usually settled (unlike summer), the colours are fantastic and children love to play in the autumn leaves. With the evenings drawing in and weekend appointments at a premium you'll need to book ahead. Please call the studio to discuss the options.

Postcard from Lytham

2009-09-02T17:35:00.002+01:00

Brooding skies, almost empty beach, imminent downpours....yes, it's the British seaside Bank Holiday! Janet and I were visiting our photographer friends Jo and Martyn last Monday. Having aborted our planned beach barbecue (I wonder why?) we did manage a mid-afternoon walk down the sea front before the heavens opened. Still, it made for an interesting shot across the sands, captured on my Canon G9 compact.

The Digital Dilemma

2009-08-30T17:19:00.003+01:00

"For some time, my loathing of cameras has been bubbling away on a low heat. The other day it finally boiled over". So said Nigel Farndale in his column in last week's Sunday Telegraph.

You can read the article on the Telegraph website, but, in a nutshell, Mr Farndale was relating the tale of being plagued by a snap-happy tourist on the Barcelona cable car. Apparently the tourist managed to rattle off over a hundrd shots in next to no time, never stopping once to admire the view first hand. In other words, his only recollection of the magnificent aerial views over the spires of Barcelona will be second-hand, some time later, if he indeed bothers to look at the pictures at all. Mr Farndale did refrain from pushing the tourist out of the cable car but you can imagine his irritation.

Over the past week the various comments added to the article (on the Telegraph website) have ranged from 'get a life and leave people to do whatever they want' to messages of support and further tirades against video cameras and people using mobile phones in public places.

My take on this is that the issue lies not with photography as such (I am rather biased of course), but with the invention of digital photography (of which I am also a fan). Suddenly photography is perceived to be easy. "You can take hundreds of photos at no cost only keep the good ones". And if they don't turn out as well as you'd hoped, "you can improve them later on the computer". There is an element of truth in both of these statements about digital, but the art of photography, and the thought processes that go into making a good photograph are the same as they ever were. Mr. Farndale bemoans the fact that photography is no longer a 'noble art'. But in my view it still can be. Photography has not changed, only the tools.

My advice is to treat your digital camera as if it were a film camera (if you remember film of course), with a cost attached to every frame. Consider your image before pressing the shutter and resist the urge to machine-gun your subject in the hope that you'll get one great image. But most importantly, put your camera down for a while. Take in the view. Soak up the atmosphere. Enjoy the moment. In the present, and not 'sometime later'.

Postcard from Greece

2009-08-21T14:18:00.019+01:00

Janet and I have just returned from a holiday sailing around the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece. Normal service at Michael Turner Photography is slowly being resumed, though after two weeks of hot and sunny weather we're not impressed that it's still cool and showery here in the UK. It's OK, we don't expect sympathy!
We were sailing with our good friend Jonathan Chandler, his partner Conny, their summertime skipper Lex and an American couple from Connecticut, Conrad and Amy. This was a busman's holiday for Jonathan, he spends the rest of the summer running skippered charters around the Greek Islands. Jonathan was born in Greece, educated at Dartmouth Naval College and employed firstly in the Hong Kong Police and then in the world of corporate sailing in the USA (America's Cup, Whitbread Round the World Race). A colourful background to say the least. Now he has settled back in his home country and his local knowledge and understanding of Greek culture (and especially the food) gives an extra dimension to a sailing trip that can't be matched by the big charter companies. You can check out his website at http://www.sailcharter-greece.com/.

Jonathan's pride and joy, and our home for the past two weeks, Koralia3...

This was an active sailing holiday for us, rather than a photographic trip, but we did manage to take 'one or two' pictures along the way. This is a tiny selection :

A typical street scene on Poros, our first port of call after sailing out of Alimos Marina in Athens...

A sunrise walk around the harbour on Elafonisos island at the southern tip of the Peloponnese rewarded me with a portrait of this amazing looking character preparing his fishing boat. I don't speak fluent Greek (only a few words in fact) but a gesture to the camera and 'en-dak-zee?' (that's Greek for OK) and he was happy to pose.

Two more pictorial shots from my early morning walk...

Random images from the most southerly island on our voyage - Kythira...

If you think that Greece is completely dry in August you may be surprised to see this shot of an ethereal waterfall we found at Mylopotamos on Kythira island...

And finally...for our friends who think that our sailing in the Aegean is the same as going on a cruise, in other words lounging on board a luxury yacht drinking ouzo all day, think again....this is Janet in action raising the mizzen, nonchalantly assisted by Lex!

The Joy of Photography

2009-07-26T16:21:00.006+01:00

My friend John Robinson, a keen amateur photographer, has reminded me (if I ever needed reminding) of the simple joy of picture taking. A couple of years ago he bought his wife, Al, a new camera, tried it out.....and was hooked. Now he lets her borrow it now and again when he's not out looking for subjects to photograph!

Even though I love my chosen career, as a professional photographer it's all too easy for me to get distracted with the day to day 'stuff ' involved in running a business and temporarily forget why I became a photographer in the first place. A fantastic photoshoot with fun-loving kids or a day out shooting personal projects usually reminds me why I love what I do; John's refreshing approach to photography for the sheer pleasure of creating beautiful pictures also helps to make the point.

Personally speaking, my favourite subjects often feature people whereas John likes to photograph nature and rural landscapes without people in them. The beauty of photography is that there is endless variety and scope for anyone to express themselves through their images, whether as a professional or simply for fun. For some people photography is a hobby, for others it's a living, but the resulting images can be enjoyed by everyone.

A graphic artist and web designer by profession, John has put together his own website to showcase his favourite photographs. You can visit at http://www.jrobinsonphotography.co.uk/

An Outdoor Photoshoot

2009-07-24T18:50:00.012+01:00

Last weekend I had a commission to capture some natural portraits of a delightful little girl for her fourth birthday. With heavy showers a possibility we started off in the studio for a few minutes, which gave the opportunity for some beautiful close-up portraits before she started to get too restless and fidgety!

Then it was everyone outside for a walk to the park......fortunately by now the clouds were clearing and it stayed fine for the rest of the shoot.

Outdoor photoshoots are unpredictable, which is all part of the fun. Today we found some ladybirds - catching them and counting the spots is good fun for children and a great opportunity for some close up portraits. 'No ladybirds were harmed in the making of these photographs...'

Still raring to go and having fun at the end of the photoshoot. Studio portraits have their place but you can't beat the great outdoors for a fantastic photoshoot experience.

Bump Baby Show Report

2009-07-08T15:03:00.007+01:00

Sunday's 'Bump' Mother and Baby show organised by Imagine FM was a huge success, with a fantastic turnout in spite of clashing with the men's final at Wimbledon. Thanks to everyone who visited our stand, it was great to have so much interest in our baby photography and well worth the early start! Good luck to all the expectant mums that we met - we hope you enjoyed the show.

Janet discussing the Baby's First Year Folio scheme that was the main focus of attention on our stand... We'll see you again next year....

Baby Show Images

2009-07-03T18:05:00.006+01:00

Today I took delivery of a set of large format exhibition prints for our stand at the Bumps Mother and Baby Show this coming Sunday. The 50" x 40" prints look very impressive and should hopefully turn a few heads. Thanks to Alf at Manchester Colour Lab for doing such a great job with the printing and mounting.

Look out for the pictures at the show!

New Website

2009-07-03T14:33:00.002+01:00

...or a re-worked version of the previous one to be precise. After what seems like months (actually, it IS months) of preparation the new look turnerportraits website is now live. The site is structured to provide much more information than before and we aim to be adding more as we go along. There'll be lots more pictures too - we hope you enjoy browsing.

The address stays the same : www.turnerportraits.co.uk

Science World

2009-06-24T21:14:00.015+01:00

The day after our soggy walk I was in the warm and dry surroundings of Haydock Park photographing the Science World 2009 Exhibition for Thermo Fisher Scientific http://www.fisher.co.uk/

One of the highlights for me was chatting with the original enthusiatic but slightly mad scientist Professor Heinz Wolff. A regular on TV when I was in my teens, the Professor was the popular presenter of programmes such as Young Scientist of the Year and The Great Egg Race.

He told me that he did three different looks when he was being photographed - normal, academic....and this one...the mad Professor!

Judith Haan, the long time presenter of Tomorrow's World , is now an award winning journalist and key note speaker. I caught her in contemplative mood as she showed a clip of herself presenting the original TV programme........

The most entertaining part of the day had to Dr Hal Sosabowski's elemental spectacle 'the Bigger Bang' ('as seen on TV'). This took me back to my school and University days, the last time I encountered test tubes and bunsen burners. This was schoolboy chemistry at it's funniest - loud bangs, lots of smoke and flames and exploding ostrich eggs! I can't remember any of the chemicals involved (though I'm sure there was some phosphorous in there somewhere) but I do know that the last shot shows a 'flame in a test tube reaction' that sounded like a barking dog and lasted a fraction of a second. I had my D200 set on on fast motordrive and managed to capture it at it's peak.

Nice Weather for Waterfalls

2009-06-24T20:41:00.007+01:00

...and ducks! Last Wednesday I had my monthly outing with my walking friends. We successfully managed to arrange it for the wettest day of the month, if not the year! The walk was on the borders of the Yorkshire Dales and the Lakes, east of Sedbergh - normally very scenic but today, very wet! My camera stayed nice and dry in my rucksack for most of the day, but fortunately the rain eased when we arrived at Uldale Force on the River Rawthey.

This was my favourite image, hand held at a 1/15th second. I converted it to black and white to emphasise the graphic effect of the rushing water. Here's hoping for a drier walk next month!

Smile for St. Ann's

2009-06-11T19:12:00.011+01:00

A huge THANK YOU to the families that contributed to our Smile for St Ann's campaign over the past eighteen months. Together we raised well over two and a half thousand pounds for the Heald Green based hospice. Like many worthy causes the hospice relies totally on charitable donations and their running costs are colossal. Every little helps! St Ann's do a fantastic job for the community and most people know someone who has been touched by the amazing care and support they provide. Their web site is http://www.sah.org.uk/

Each participating family received a family lifestyle photoshoot that they'd "been meaning to get around to for ages"!. A tiny selection of the images :

And finally....pull the other one!

BUMP - Mother and Baby Show

2009-06-10T19:13:00.004+01:00

Today we've confirmed that we'll be exhibiting our baby photography at the BUMP - Mother and Baby Show. It's taking place at the Hallmark Hotel (formerly the Belfry) in Handforth, near Wilmslow, on Sunday 5th July.

If you're coming along then please do call at our stand and say hello. If you haven't registered yet you can register at http://imaginefm.net/bump/ The good news is it's free! There's lots of interest for new mums and mums-to-be. Hope to see you there.

Misty morning in the Forest of Dean

2009-06-03T18:49:00.008+01:00

I was pleased to find out today that I've picked up a Gold Award in the May judging of the SWPP monthly on-line print competition. I captured this shot early one autumn morning in the Wye Valley, between Monmouth and Symond's Yat (one of our favourite areas for short breaks).

Travelling light, I shot this on my Canon G9 compact, an ideal camera for slipping in my pocket on an early morning dog walk. Misty effects like this don't last long - between the sun peeping over the edge of the valley and the mist vanishing was literally a matter of minutes. Proof, as if it was needed, that it's worth getting up early if you want to capture landscape photographs with a difference. Just don't forget the camera!

Circus with a Purpose

2009-05-28T15:35:00.014+01:00

I was privileged recently to photograph the touring charity Circus Starr. The organisers gave me freedom to roam which was a great for candids during the warm-up and informal portraits. That said, the lighting backstage consisted of one glaring spotlight, which was challenging to say the least. I didn't want to destroy the atmosphere with flash, so I shot at 800 iso on my Nikon D200s with Nikkor 105 VR and Sigma 30mm f1.4 lenses.

Circus Starr tour the country every summer doing charity big top circus events to raise money for local charities. They do a fantastic job and the circus is brilliant fun. You can visit their web site at http://www.circus-starr.co.uk/ On this occasion they were raising money for St Ann's Hospice in Heald Green, a charity that we at Michael Turner Photography have worked closely with over the past couple of years.

Argentinian gaucho Gabriel...

Bring on the clowns....Duo Delbosque

Duo Delbosque entertained with this comedy western...Ouch!

Well the audience ceratinly enjoyed it.....who said the circus was only for kids!

Be Happy!

2009-05-18T22:55:00.003+01:00

At a business meeting recently I attended a seminar by Debra Stevens from Sold Out Trainers in Milton Keynes. Entitled Red Dirt, in recognition of the fact that once the red soil of Africa gets under your finger nails you are hooked for life, the seminar wasn't about business as such, but about what she has learned from setting up a children's charity in Gambia, http://www.schools4schools.co.uk/ Debra's theme was simply that in the UK we live life at such a fast pace that we lose sight of the simple things that make us happy - friends and family, appreciation of the beauty in the things around us and time for relaxation and contemplation. We're always planning ahead and rushing on to the next thing. What Debra soon realised on her trips to Gambia was that the African people live for the present, and even though they don't have the material things that we in the Western world have, they really apreciate and enjoy what they do have. Amusingly she pointed out that children under 3 live that way too, it's only as we get older that we learn to worry about everything. Dogs live in the here and now too.....and if our dog Tara is anything to go by they never grow up!
Debra's best suggestion was to stop watching the news and reading the papers - it's always too depressing and they only tell us the bad news. Instead you can try http://www.positivenews.com/ where bad news is banned.
Keep smiling!

Summer is on it's way

2009-05-08T17:58:00.002+01:00

Despite the cool showery weather we're having at the moment the weathermen have been studying their pine cones and are promising us a warm dry summer. Here's hoping! Now is the time to be thinking about a family lifestyle photoshoot over the school holidays. This could be at home, in the park or woods, on a beach or at your holiday home. Anywhere special that you and your children like to go to in fact.

The children will love it!

Paris in the Spring

2009-05-07T22:40:00.016+01:00

Last week Janet and I spent a few days in Paris with friends. We took the opportunity to be inspired in some of the major art galleries, notably the Louvre, L'Orangerie and my favourite (for the huge collection of Impressionist paintings), the Musee D'Orsay. Needless to say we had our cameras with us! Avoiding the obvious touristy views, these are some of my favourite shots from the week. Shopping and Paris go hand in hand. This fashion store window made an interesting backdrop, and a busy passer by on her mobile phone completed the scene.... People taking photographs of each other make great subject for candid photography...... here we're in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. In the Louvre. The tourist paparazzi ?

And who was the celebrity they were desperate to capture? Yes, that famous lady, the Mona Lisa. I'm fascinated to know what all these people are going to do with their own snap of Leonardo da Vinci's painting...hang a print of it on the wall? Or is it simply a case of proving to family back home that they've seen the real thing? Another tourist 'must-do' ticked off the list. Quite amusing really...I wonder whether Leonardo could have ever imagined these scenes when he set out to paint his iconic portrait way back in 1504....

Scenes reminiscent of Lowry paintings, shot through the upstairs windows of the Louvre. I avoided reflections from the windows by pressing my lens close up to the glass.....

Back outside, and a heavy shower on it's way helped to create this moody lighting in the Jardin des Tuileries and on the roof of L'Orangerie in the background.....

The view from the Arc de Triomphe, looking back towards La Defense and the commercial district on another showery evening.

Looking upwards in the spiral staircase that takes you to the top of the Arc. It reminds me of a snail shell.

Nervous drivers should look away now.......this isn't a picture of a car park, but the circular road that surrounds the Arc de Triomphe. Traffic comes in from all directions and each vehicle has to battle across the roundabout to exit by one of the twelve avenues that converge on this point. An amazing sight for the spectator, and every motor insurance company's worst nightmare!

And finally.......I couldn't resist this candid shot of a headless man reading one of the descriptive labels in the Louvre........

A Successful Night

2009-04-26T11:41:00.006+01:00

Janet and I had a great night at the North West Professional Photography Awards dinner last night. As well as catching up with lots of our photography friends I was thrillled to pick up awards in three different catogories, including a Gold......

No apologies for posting this image of Keirin racing at the Manchester Velodrome again - it gained me the Gold Award and the title North West Professional Press and Events Photographer of the Year (try saying that after a celebratory glass of champagne!) :

Pipped at the post - the Silver Award in the Environmental Portrait Category for this shot entitled 'Lost In Thought'. I captured this moment during a family photoshoot on a blustery Formby beach : And finally, a merit award in the Under 5s Portrait category :

Highlight of the evening was a moving presentation by our good friend David Williams from Melbourne, Down Under, on the importance of family photographs and why we often don't appreciate the significance of them until many years later. More on this subject and my own thoughts at a later date.

Over and Underground in the Dales

2009-04-23T21:35:00.016+01:00

I regularly go walking with a group of friends, often in one of the spectacularly beautiful National Parks that we have within a couple of hours drive from our homes in Greater Manchester. As well as fresh air and exercise it gives me the opportunity to shoot a few landscapes and detail pictures just for fun.

April's walk was around (and up) Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales. No sooner had we set off from Clapham village when this disused tunnel presented the first 'Close Encounters' photo-opportunity of the day. There is no posing and my friends didn't even know I was taking the shot - I had to quickly get my camera ready before they disappeared into the distance.

It was windy today! These dry grasses caught in a fence reminded of photographs I've seen of Tibetan Prayer Flags (mostly in Himalayan mountaineering books by Chris Bonington, Doug Scott and Co.). I believe it can be a bit breezy in the Himalayas too!. Although the day was bright and dry, the effect of shooting into the Spring sun (trying it's best to peep through the clouds) created some brooding black and white Yorkshire Dales landscapes.

On the slopes of Ingleborough, close to Alum Pot, we came across the entrance to Long Churn Caves...and ventured in. We hadn't expected this cave system to be so accessible, but even though it was pitch black and had a stream running through it (half a metre deep in places), we manged to navigate quite a way down the caves with just one small torch between us.

It's worth mentioning that people have died in these caves in wet weather as recently as 2007 -these tunnels are prone to flash floods. The weather today, and for the previous few days, had been bone dry and with no prospect of rain for the rest of the day we were perfectly safe. We wouldn't have gone down if it had been raining and I would recommend extreme caution when exploring any of the pots and caves in the Dales.

From a photographic point of view I'd been expecting an overground walk today, not an underground one, so I was totally unprepared for photgraphing such a difficult subject. Once inside the caves it was totally dark so I had to manually set the focus by the light of a pencil torch and had no option but to use the pop-up flash on my Nikon D200. The results are a good record of the experience but I doubt I'll be entering them for any awards!

This area of the Yorkshire Dales is famous for it's limestone pavement scenery. I spotted this formation that looked almost as though it could have been carved out by ancient civilisations in times past.

The general views around Ingleborough in the afternoon were very hazy, but later in the day as we descended back towards Clapham we were treated to beautiful evening light catching the tops of these limestone cliffs.

And finally.....a wide angle lens isn't the most flattering for portraits but this little pony was very inquisitive and I couldn't resist capturing this whimsical viewpoint.

Baby Folios Relaunch

2009-04-16T11:28:00.003+01:00

This week we're pleased to announce the relaunch of our amazingly popular baby photography folio scheme. In a series of photoshoots over your baby's first year we capture the changes as baby grows and develops, presenting you with a complimentary triple folio at the end of the year. All for a one-off registration fee of just £25.00 (which makes it makes a brilliant gift to give to new parents......). More details are available on the Master Photographers Association Cherubs website at http://www.cherubs.uk.com/

It's a few years now since we ran the Cherubs scheme in the studio. After winning the UK Millenium Baby Photographer of the Year Award we were overwhelmed with demand and I had to call a halt for a while to give my back and knees time to recover! Things have moved on since then and I now shoot a great deal of family and children's photography outdoors and on location, including recently (and here's a scary thought) teenagers that I photographed in the studio when they were tiny babies. Photographing babies is great fun though (well, most of the time), so I'm looking forward to the challenge once again. I might need to investigate some knee pads....

More pictures from Spain

2009-04-11T23:03:00.010+01:00

Olive trees everywhere...typical landscape scenery from Andalucia.... Our accommodation for the second part of out trip was a country bed and breakfast , Casa de Sueno, miles from anywhere. We awoke every morning to the sound of hoopoes 'hooping' on the cables outside the apartment window...

The nearest town was Priego de Cordoba in the heart of olive country. I particularly liked these two evening shots on the Balcon de Aldarve...

The amazing Moorish architecture of the Mezquita in Cordoba. Highly recommended...

More typical Andalucian scenery, this time from the 'Spanish Lake District' just outside Malaga...

The Alhambra

2009-04-11T22:20:00.012+01:00

First of all I'd like to wish everyone a peaceful and happy Easter holiday.

Just before Easter Janet and I spent a few days in Southern Spain - the Easter break has given me the chance to catch up with the blog and to post some of my favourite images from the trip.

Our first couple of days were spent in Granada. The Spring weather was very pleasant and we found a great Tapas bar just down the hill from the Alhambra for when the temperatures dipped in the evening.

The first shot though is of the classic daytime view of the Alhambra from the Albacin, with the snowy slopes of the Sierra Nevada just visible in the background. Our hotel (Hotel America) was situated in the grounds of the Alhambra, so we spent the early part of each evening wandering the grounds. Palacio del Portal, Alhambra...

An evening view from the Alhambra across to the Albacin..... The archways of the Palacio Carlos V (I usually try to include people in photographs for interest and scale)....

I love to photograph tourists, especially when they are busy taking photographs.......... And finally....tourism can be very tiring - I couldn't resist photographing this sleeping couple in the Casa Reales. I can't blame them....the stonework radiates so much heat from the daytime sun that anyone would fall asleep on that bench.

Tea with the Bedouin

2009-03-22T22:22:00.014Z

Towards the end of my recent trip to Sinai I took the opportunity to visit some of the local Bedouin people with Jane and Helen, photographer friends and colleagues from the Photo Training Overseas group. The nearest town to our hotel in Taba was actually about 45km down the Red Sea coast, but dotted along the roadside were various Bedouin encampments. Not, as you might imagine, the romantic notion of luxurious tented villages in the desert, but makeshift shacks made of old scraps of wood and metal. We parked the car nearby and approached a small group of shacks, not quite knowing what we were letting ourselves in for and how we would be received. We needn't have been concerned. In traditional Bedouin fashion we were welcomed as friends, once they had established that we simply wanted to meet them and to take a few photographs.

The welcome party of curious little boys that came out to greet our arrival. A proud father poses unprompted with his son. I love the charm of this spontaneous moment.

The traditional Bedouin welcome of tea and talk.

An amusing diversion as Saleh attempts to call Janet, back home in England, on his mobile (he got the studio off my business card, but managed to connect to a very puzzled man somewhere in Egypt). Traditional lifestyle meets modern technology A camel demonstration..... This little girl was wary of us at first, shy above anything else, but gradually we gained her confidence and even coaxed her into the shade where the light was better for portraits! A beautiful, pensive portrait...

And finally, a gorgeous smile.

This small group of Bedouin, living in extremely basic but hopefully only temporary conditions, made us incredibly welcome and were disappointed that we couldn't stay for the whole day. The short time we spent with them is an experience I will never forget, not only for the amazing photographic opportunity but especially for the warmth of the hospitality and genuine hand of friendship extended to us.

This was my first ever visit to the Middle East. I don't pretend to understand the politics of the situation, but my simple understanding is that the Bedouin people used to travel freely thoughout the whole region but no longer have that freedom. Security issues and tight border controls have separated and isolated the various tribes, stifling their traditional nomadic lifestyle. In Sinai, recent droughts have made the desert areas even more inhospitable than normal, but development for tourism has forced them out of their only bolt hole when the desert is barren - the lands along the coast. The Bedouin way of life is disappearing fast. Some have welcomed the opportunities that change can bring, but others have not. Some of the local Bedouin have found work in the building and running of tourist hotels, but in general most of the jobs go to men from the major cities, mainly Cairo. The March 2009 issue of National Geographic magazine covers the issues affecting the Bedouin of Sinai and makes fascinating reading.

Family Portrait Week

2009-03-20T10:10:00.003Z

I'm delighted to be taking part in the National Family Portrait Week (which actually runs all summer), organised by the Master Photographers Association in support of The Variety Club of Great Britain. The official launch by HRH Princess Michael of Kent took place in London last week, with the backing of several celebrities including Vanessa Feltz and DLT (Radio 1 DJ from the olden days, for you youngsters!).

Details will be in the Sunday Mail magazine on Mother's Day (or Mothering Sunday to give it it's correct name) and at http://www.familyportraitweek.com/. This is a fantastic opportunity to have the family portrait you've been meaning to get around to for ages whilst helping to raise money for disadvantaged children at the same time. I hope you'll participate.

Studio Update

2009-03-19T23:20:00.002Z

As I write this I'm still a gibbering wreck after watching Manchester City almost throw away their place in the quarter finals of the Uefa Cup, only to save themselves in the penalty shoot out against the Danish side Aalborg. City never like to do things the easy way - Istanbul is still a possibility! Meanwhile....as this isn't a football blog I'd better update you on the photography side of things....

You may think that things have been quiet around here lately, but that couldn't be further from the truth. In between a handful of recent portrait shoots we've been taking time out to make some alterations to the studio, replace and update our displays and introduce some beautiful new products. We're also completely re-working the turnerportraits website and promotional literature. It's been confirmed this week that I'm to give a three part children's portrait seminar, including live photoshoot, for the SWPP in Malta in October, and speaking again at the International Convention in London next January. And next week Janet and I are off on a photographic trip to southern Spain. Now that Spring is in the air we're really looking forward to the lifestyle portrait photography 'season' getting into full swing. It's going to be an exciting year!

2009-03-06T11:40:00.007Z

Yesterday I took the day off to go walking in South Cumbria with some friends (we go every month). After a few minutes in Photoshop this morning these are a few of my favourite images from the walk. Most of the day was fairly overcast with flat light, but these sheep turned out for a family portrait and arranged their own composition!

Even on dull days there is always something to photograph. Some beautiful shapes and subtle colour in this waterworn tree stump...

Late in the day the light got a little more interesting as we walked back along the estuary towards Grange....

And finally from this walk, a lttle abstract treatment of some lichens on a stone wall...

City in Europe

2009-02-27T08:48:00.003Z

It's been a long time since Manchester City had anything to shout about as far as European competition goes, so it was fantastic to be at Eastlands last night to see them beat Copenhagen and go through to the last 16 of the UEFA Cup. The final in Istanbul still seems a long way off....but with City you never know!

Some random pictures from PTO

2009-02-25T17:20:00.012Z

A typical Masterclass scene from Photo Training Overseas. Dutch portrait photographer Lies Davidse in action, ably assisted with the reflector by Irish wedding photographer and PTO speaker Paul Callaghan. Like Paul, I had finished my Masterclasses by this time and was able to relax and enjoy watching some of the other speakers. As you can tell from the yellow trousers, Lies is a colourful character and her portraits are equally vivid. You can view her work and see some of her PTO images at http://www.liesdavidse.nl/

Dennis Hyland from the Irish and International group grabs a close up portrait of wedding photography tutor Kelly Hearn from the Simon John Studio. The Irish photographed anything that moved - and most things that didn't!

This was Kelly's first experience as a lecturer. It won't be her last - after overcoming her nerves she really got into her stride and was a natural and confident presenter, not to mention a brilliant wedding photographer.

The Sofitel Taba Heights, our base for the week, is part of the Taba Heights complex on the northern end of Sinai's Red Sea coast. Even though the hotel is modern it's full of interesting features and the the light is fantastic. A photographer's dream!

Nathan doing his Spiderman impression during one of my Masterclasses.

Mia was a natural catwalk model.

Mia and Georgina dip their toes in the warm waters. I must thank Jane Conner-Ziser from Florida http://www.janesdigitalart.com/ for her artistry in retouching this image to bring out the delicate tones.

The crystal clear waters of the Red Sea are a mecca for divers and for snorkelling. Sadly I didn't get the chance to snorkel, but I definitely fancy it for next time.

And finally.....it's that way!

More images from PTO

2009-02-17T18:35:00.005Z

We had some great fun during the my workshops on photographing children at Photo Training Overseas, but these are some of the quieter moments :

Photo Training Overseas

2009-02-06T19:06:00.004Z

It's been a hectic couple of weeks on the training front. Firstly a trip to London for the fantastic SWPP Convention where over twelve thousand delegates crammed into the Novotel London West over a six day period. Over a hundred speakers from around the world gave talks and practical demonstrations on a massive array of photographic topics, and the Trade Show covered two floors. Thanks to everyone who came to my seminar on Photographing Children, we had over 100 in attendance and some very positive feedback.

Between then and now I've been to Egypt as a speaker on Photo Training Overseas, the annual week-long event organised by George and Glenys Dawber. Over the next couple of weeks I'll be posting a selection of my my images from the trip, including shots from the training sessions, a few shots around the hotel in Taba and images from a remarkable trip I made with two friends to a Bedouin settlement.

In the meantime, a taster of the images taken during my training sessions on photographing children outdoors :

From London to Egypt

2009-01-13T15:15:00.003Z

January has turned out to be a busy old month for photo-training.

Later this week I'm lecturing at the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers (SWPP) Convention in London. The following week I leave for Egypt, where I'll be training a group of photographers from the UK and Ireland at PTO (Photo Training Overseas). My subject will be Outdoor Photography of Children.

I'm looking forward to the opportunity to capture some great images. Watch this space!

A client testimonial

2009-01-09T14:53:00.016Z

A beautiful card dropped through the letterbox this morning. It was a testimonial from a long standing client for a photoshoot we did late last summer. I have photographed this particular family regularly since the girls were tiny babies. This time mum and dad opted for an outdoor photoshoot, with a few studio shots to start off the session. This is what they had to say :

"Dear Michael and Janet, Just a short note to say how pleased we are with the album and framed photographs. Grandma loved her present (a framed photograph of the two girls together) and everyone who visited over Christmas was amazed at how you had captured the girls.

Thank you so much".

Mark and Carol

A nice way to start the day. Here are a few of the images :

2009-01-07T12:13:00.004Z

In my teenage years I was a fanatical racing cyclist - not quite as fast as Chris Hoy though! Janet and I still follow cycle racing and are regular spectators at the Manchester Velodrome. We've followed the career of Chris Hoy and are thrilled at the success he's had this year. Chris is an exemplary sportsman, showing true vision, grit and determination to achieve his goals. A role model for us all. The knighthood is the icing on the cake, and it 'couldn't happen to a nicer guy' as the saying goes.
I've taken the opportunity to publish a solo shot of Chris I took at an earlier World Cup meeting at the velodrome, as well as one of my favourite shots of my favourite event - the Keirin.
I'm not normally a sports photographer as such, but it's great practice for when I'm photographing fast-moving kids on an outdoor photoshoot !

New Year, New Blog

2009-01-06T17:38:00.000Z

With a sudden rush of blood to the head I've done it at last and started my first Blog. Welcome.

You'll be seeing lots of photographs on my blog as we go along (I am a professional photographer after all) - some from real life client shoots, some from my travels and some of my favourite random images. I'll also be sharing some tips and techniques along the way. I hope you enjoy it.

Michael