The blog of award winning scottish photographers, Archibald Photography. Real life wedding photography stories and recommended suppliers from weddings in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Scotland and destinations overseas.
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Our clients seem to produce very beautiful babies; they are very clever that way! Back in the summer of 2009, we were photographing Jenny and Jeremy’s lovely relaxed wedding day at Culcreuch Castle. Their adorable baby Jura (as gorgeous as her name) arrived this summer and Jenny brought her in to meet us on a trip up to Scotland from London. She smiled the whole time which we chatted and drank tea and Mark grabbed a few snaps.
We have had many occasions at weddings to work with the lovely Alexis Miller. Alexis has been a professional make-up and hair artist since 2001. Fifteen weeks ago, her gorgeous son Freddie entered this world and we were honoured last week to have the opportunity to capture some of his many lovely facial expressions. Freddie is quite choosy about who he displays his smiles for at this young age so they are even more special when they appear!
When families enquire about our portrait photography, we explain we offer two types. We have a studio and can offer more formal photography sessions but most of our clients opt for an environmental portrait. On this type of portrait booking, the personality, fun and laughter of kids can be completely captured. This is our favourite sort of photography. The McIntyre family were brilliantly gung ho – not scared of a little rain or mud and I think the photographs speak for themselves on how much fun was had.
The great thing about being a photographer is the diversity of the work and photography assignments that Mark gets to work on. This week saw him in Glasgow involved in a band promotional photoshoot for new up-and-coming band John Wean. Their first single, “Desperate Dan (she told me she was single)” has just been featured on John Gellatly’s New Music episode. John Wean are four Scottish lads, originally from Uddingston and the photoshoot was huge fun. Massive thanks to Replay for providing the guys’ wardrobe and to Ainsley M and Charlotte for makeup and hair.
Here are some images from the band promo photoshoot:
Jen and Graham met on a blind date, set up by a mutual friend who thought they were “too alike not to be together”. They’ve been together for 7 years now.
Jen and Graham love Whitelees Windfarm. Graham studied renewable energy engineering at Uni and Whitelees is biggest windfarm in Europe. The couple watched the windfarm being built and were glad they opened it to the public. Graham has such a massive turbine obsession, he wanted to get one as a tattoo. And Jen loves them because they look like “gentle giants”.
As Jen said “the day was absolutely soaking, and by the end we were drenched, but I loved it. Was so glad I wore the wellies! Graham’s converse were soaked through. Mark was running about all excited, lying on the ground. His enthusiasm is really infectious. The wind farm was so quiet since it was pouring, and everyone that was there was in full waterproof weather gear. We love that wind farm, but we were so glad we could introduce it to someone new.”
Lucy and Martyn get married next month; a lovely couple very much in love. Their wedding promises to be very cool with the stunning Dirleton Castle and some utterly gorgeous Papakata tents. Mark is struggling to wait for this wedding to come around.
He met up with Lucy and Martyn to discuss the wedding plans and take a few images of them on a beach which is very special to them both. Shortly after these photographs were taken, the heavens opened and they had to run to shelter in their cars. But not to worry, Mark had managed to get some great shots – here are some of our favourites:
Mark met up with Jan and Adam not so long ago for a portrait shoot at a location in East Lothian that has great sentimental value to Jan. As she told us ” I used to go here to be alone or run, or just wander around in peace.”
Mark photographed Jan and Adam’s wedding a few weeks later at the amazing Mansfield Traquair and Jan thought that a pre-wedding portrait shoot might help her relax in their actual wedding pics. Jan says “anyone with concerns about how they will photograph should definitely try this – we had a great time.” They told us they loved their images are here are some of our favourites from the shoot:
Mark recently met up with Lisa and Robert and took a few relaxed shots of the two of them in advance of their wedding in August at the Royal College of Physicians. The couple chose the location for their pre-wedding shoot as it was a place Rob went to a lot as a boy, but more importantly it was where he proposed!! Robert and Lisa are both from Edinburgh and loved having the stunning view across Edinburgh out as far as across to Fife while still feeling out in the countryside.
Lisa told us she thought the images were “gorgeous”. As added, “the light meant we couldn’t get too many shots across the view of Edinburgh but in amongst the trees was magical, I felt like the fairies that live at the end of the garden.”
It was great to meet up with Laura and James yesterday for a chat about their wedding plans and thoughts on their wedding photography. We caught up at Kelvingrove Art Gallery for a coffee and as the spring was in the air and the sun was shining, I took a few shots of them before I left them. Really looking forward to shooting their wedding in April at the University of Glasgow and 29 Royal Exchange Square. Here’s a few images of them.
The traditional idea of the baby portrait seems so tired to me. Put them on the furry rug. Snap. Sit them on your knee and force them to stare blindly towards the camera. Yawn. How boring and how uninspired. I like to think of the experience of portrait photography as a rewarding experience for parents and their baby. I believe it is so much more powerful and enduring to capture the relationship within the family. I love the interaction between a baby and mummy and daddy. Parents know all the little tricks to get their children to respond. And the emotion produced is far more real than if the stressed photographer is forcing a squeaky toy in front of them. I like my portrait sessions to be mellow and calm rather than frantic and loud. Above all I aim for images which will always have meaning no matter how much time passes.
Here are some of our favourites of the gorgeous Thomas. To book your own portrait session, please contact us on 01864 502161 or by clicking here
A lovely part of this job is when our wedding customers from years gone by return with new additions to the family to have a natural, contemporary portrait session taken of their little ones.
Mark photographed Sheilagh and Peter’s wedding in 2004 and they returned to see us recently with Peter jnr. Sheilagh emailled later to say “Peter was a wee monkey on the day but Mark managed to get some great shots!”
Here’s Peter having some fun:
We offer both portrait photoshoots in our studio and environmental portrait sessions at your home, local beach, park or place of interest. We also offer gift vouchers if you would like to give a friend or family member a gift of a photoshoot session with us. Please contact us for further information.
This year we became the official portrait photographers for Lanark Lanimer celebrations and phew, it has been hectic work. We photographed 32 members of the court individually and as groups plus the adult pricipals involved in the event at the start of April and hosted a preview evening for parents at the end of the month. Work is currently underway to have all the official framed portraits ready for shop windows at the end of May. We can’t post any images as they are unveiled in the Lanark Lanimer brochure at the start of June!
For those of you who have never hear of Lanark Lanimers, here’s a bit of history: Lanark was granted the status of a Royal Burgh in 1140 by David I. One of the conditions attached was that the Burgesses of the town were required to examine their March or boundary stones every year and report back that all was well or ill according to what they had found. Lanark is probably unique among the Royal Burghs in that it has carried out this duty every year since it was first imposed. This duty of the Land Marches soon became an annual celebration – “The Lanimers”.
What started as a simple duty soon turned into an annual festival including horse racing on Lanark Moor with music by the town drummer and minstrel. The Perambulation of the Marches dates back to 1752; until then riders did the whole circuit on horseback. The Monday evening marches now draw vast crowds, and involve much fun (and mud) for all. Although horses are involved throughout the week, the big event for them is the Wednesday evening ride out. Processions, with decorated vehicles started in the 19th Century, and gradually developed into the colourful affair that can be seen today.