Gingerbread House Pre-School Photographs

On 16th November Zoe Photography went into Gingerbread House in Crosby to photograph the children. Proofs were delivered on Tuesday 22nd November but we have heard that these have not been handed out to parents. We are unclear about why this is, as there are lots of gorgeous photographs of your children - if any parents would like to contact us directly on info@zoephotography.co.uk or 0151 708 5838 we would be happy to arrange for you to view proofs on line.

Vicky, Jon, Ava, Will and Finn Get Married at The Vincent, Southport

I love photographing family weddings where the children are as much part of the wedding as the couple, and Vicky and Jon's wedding was certainly like that with both of them having to comfort a child each throughout the ceremony!  The ceremony room looked gorgeous (as I'd expect from David Beckham Doyle who dressed the room), the bride was beautiful, as were the bridesmaids, and most particularly Ava who stole the show as flowergirl, and the groom and his little pageboys was very handsome. We even had time to go for a drive (the weather was another gorgeous day this autumn) with Kevin in his Beaufort from Grace Wedding Cars, with a short stop at the carousel at the end of the Pier in Southport. So here is a sneak peak to keep you going - can't wait to show them all of their pictures!

Cheryl and Paul's Wedding at St Michael's Church in Aughton and Formby Hall

I love my job - I know I am really lucky to be able to do what I love. But some weddings remind me of the fact that I'm lucky more than any others. Cheryl and Paul's wedding was one of those days - partly because of how lovely they are (and Cheryl looked like a Spanish princess!), partly their friends and family, and partly the venue (huge thanks to Tony and his team at Formby Hall for looking after us so well). And then when you get the weather too - well, that's the cherry on the top of the cake! The weather this autumn has been so good that it's been a really unusual to get time outside and capture gorgeous photographs like we managed for Cheryl and Paul. Here is just a teeny sneak peak of some of the lovely photographs we captured for them.

A Plea to Wedding Vendors

A polite plea to wedding vendors -  a plea for a teensy bit of understanding.

We photographers have a product we work hard to create - we compose an image, make sure the lighting and surroundings are right, take the picture, download the images, cull those that are not worthy of the final cut, process the proofs, and come up for air a couple of weeks or so after the wedding to show the couple their beautiful pictures. And it's so heartening to hear the ooos and ahhhhs from the couple, and nice too to get lovely remarks from the other vendors who were part of the day.

Now, there are some vendors I know well, I work with regularly, and I happily share photographs with them. They don't need to ask, it's my little thank you for recommendations or for how well I've been looked after by them - sharing my photographs of their work, their contribution to the wedding day is the least I can do. So I'm happy to offer before I'm even asked.

And then there's the vendors I don't know and I hear from with The Request ... "I love your work, your photographs are gorgeous. I'd love some photographs from Mr and Mrs YYY's wedding. My flowers / makeup / cake / cars / venue / table decorations look gorgeous in your pictures and I could do with some good photographs for my blog. I'll give you a credit on my site."

It's very kind of people to offer a credit. Thank you for asking for the pictures too - it's so nice to come across people who ask rather than just take the photographs off the blog or facebook page. But - and this is where I ask for the teensy bit of understanding - The Request is asking for our craft, our product for free. And you know, if you offered to pay, offered us wedding photographers a proper contradeal, a true exchange, well, chances are we'd say "Nooo, don't worry about it, I'll happily send you some pictures". But I'm starting to feel as though there is no value for the work that we wedding photographers do amongst some wedding vendors - oh, don't get me wrong, I don't think it's on purpose, I genuinely believe that some wedding vendors don't think about it or just don't get it, so I know it's not meant as an insult.

So my plea is this - if you are a wedding vendor, and you like the photographs of a wedding photographer who worked on a wedding you worked on, a photographer you don't currently have a working relationship with, please offer to purchase the images, or offer a fair exchange. It will go a long way to creating strong relationships that work. Next time, why not make The Request something that shows you truly value the wedding photographer who has showcased your work so beautifully.

Otherwise please don't be insulted if you find yourself receiving the kind of response that I've started to send to wedding vendors who I barely know who ask for photographs in exchange for credit on their website or blog - "Sure, it's £50 per image for full usage rights which you can pay in cash or as an exchange for your services."

A gift from you... from Zoe Photography

 As Christmas is getting nearer and nearer, I have been getting more and more phone calls and emails from people who are looking to arrange a photo shoot to give as a Christmas gift. 

Husbands booking their wives in for a shoot to make them feel special. Parents booking their young children in as a gift for the grandparents. Grown up children arranging a shoot for their mum to remind her that although they are no longer in the nest they are hers forever. New additions, generations, sisters, couples even a shoot of a woman for her man's eyes only!

This year why not give that gift, frame those moments and spread some joy. A Zoe Photography gift card in a stocking on Christmas morning is something so special and really tells the recipient how much you care.     

         

As our own Christmas gift to you we would like to share with you our Christmas offer.

A gift card has a value of £125, it gives you a Zoe Photography shoot, a viewing session to see all of the photographs taken and a 8x6 mounted photograph of your favourite image from the shoot. But this Christmas as well as this you can also take advantage of our Christmas Gift Card offer, buy as many gift cards as you want for just £25 each! This gives you a shoot and a 6x4 photograph chosen for you from your shoot and sent out to you. (And the gift card still says £125.)

   

If you want to get something special for your loved ones this Christmas buying a Zoe Photography Gift Card couldn't be simpler. On the right hand side of the screen is two buy it now buttons, just click on the one that you would like to purchase and follow the link, either the standard one or the Christmas Offer, it is up to you. We will then post out to you your Zoe Photography Gift Cards for you to give out on Christmas Morning!

Derek and Janine's Wedding (and Katie's too!) Knowsley Hall

I had a special treat on Saturday, I got to go to a wedding with Zoe and Rob, and wow, what a wedding! Knowsley Hall was the perfect setting for Derek and Janine's special day, it just suited the two of them. Janine looked so elegant in her dress and Derek, handsome in Black tie, which was just so right for Knowsley Hall. The day was all the more special as it wasn't just about them as a couple but was about the three of them, Derek, Janine and their beautiful daughter Katie. It was such a privilege to watch them together as a family,  I was moved to tears more than once on Saturday because of it I have to say. 

My role at the wedding was supposed to be holding the reflector to help catch the light because November days are ordinarily quite dull but actually it turned out nothing like a November day at all and instead found myself with a camera. The weather was perfect and the way the light cascaded through the windows of the hall just added to the warmth that was felt at the wedding.

It was an exquisite day and I felt truly honored to be a part of it. (And two of my photographs have made the blog!)

City Shoot Makeover & Photo Shoot for Birthday Girls in Liverpool

Bethany and Daisy enjoyed a bit of pampering and a CityShoot makeover photo shoot today at our studio on Hope Street in Liverpool today.  These beautiful cousins were celebrating their birthday - they started with a limo picking them up, and then came to the studio for hair and makeup before we got into taking the photographs. The session was finished off with refreshments at The London Carriage Works at Hope Street Hotel.  At the viewing session it was pretty clear that the photographs were a huge success, with lots of ooos and ahhhs, and tears from Gran, mum and Bethany! Thankfully tears of happiness!

Here is a sneak peek at just a teeny selection of the photographs we captured.