As luck would have it, I have a bit of time on my hands at athe moment, which is a great opportunity to get blogging again! This is the first of a few weddings you'll see from the RNP vaults, stuff I didnt have time to post at the time but REALLY wanted to. It's good to show off every now and then, right?
Big love x Venue: https://woodhallmanor.com Makeup Artist: https://stephaniealexandrabridal.com
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"I aaaaam the one and only.....!" (Yes, this is all about my one and only wedding of 2020).
Well what a bonkers year THAT was. Like a lot of people, I saw the business which I've built up over the last 25 years, drop off a cliff in 2020, nobody's fault, nobody saw it coming (or if they did, they didn't tell us!) and I ended up shooting one wedding, with 21 being cancelled or postponed. I'm going to stop here in terms of the negative aspect of 2020. There's no more to be said there. What DOES need to be discussed a little more, is the following. It's a fairly long Blog but this was no ordinary wedding and I felt that this would be really helpful for anybody who is going through the same turmoil whilst trying to arrange their wedding at the moment. These are crazy stressful times for anybody planning to get married at the moment so if this will help settle anybody's mind, then mission complete. I would urge anybody in that situation to get in contact with me, I'd be more than happy to discuss anything below so feel free to reach out if you think I can help. I knew Rebecca and Jake were absolutely my kind of client when we met up back in February 2019. We met for a consultation (chat) in a beautiful pub/restaurant and it was clear to me that these guys were full of excitement and anticipation for their upcoming wedding in 2020. We chatted for ages about options, ideas, likes, dislikes and the paperwork was signed. Everything was running to plan and then of course, we all know what happened then with COVID-19, these guys had to postponed their wedding 3 times in total whilst we all battled to guess at the start of 2020 what the next few weeks/months/years would bring, trying to plan things, changing dates and details as we went along. As I am with every one, I was 100% committed to this wedding, I could see that Rebecca and Jakes were NOT giving up and were determined to make this thing happen and I was with them all the way. Due to the current government restrictions, just 15 people were allowed on the day, close family and friends, the registrars and myself. For obvious reasons, Rebecca and Jake wanted slightly shorter coverage time to reflect how many guests were present but they still wanted me to tell the story of their amazing day. Social distancing measures were in place every step of the way and the day started off with the bridal preparations and ended at the first dance which was slightly earlier so everything which happened in-between was photographed. For me personally, this was literally a perfect little wedding. I don't mean "little" in a patronising way, I mean that with only there being 15 people present, I just felt like a guest (like I do at every wedding) but even more so here, it was great! I got to chat to all the guests, we had and laugh and a giggle together (albeit socially distanced, masks on and all!) but I got to know the guests individually, I was on first name terms with most of them, it had a great feeling to it, so relaxed, so personal and so intimate, I absolutely loved every moment of it. All this said, this is all from my perspective, my thoughts and how I personally felt on the day. Before I blogged this wedding, I wanted to speak with Rebecca and Jake to see how they felt about me doing this type of blog. I was really interested to see what their experiences were, before the day (and the chaos which ensued), how they felt on the day itself and then what their thoughts were looking back at the day, the feedback from guests etc., so I arranged a video chat with Rebecca, it was great to catch up again, to talk over their photos, the day, the whole thing. I wanted to get an idea of if looking back, they had the day they wanted, or otherwise. Did they love it, did they feel it was a disaster, too low-key, did they feel "weird" doing what they did, how they did it? Did it feel like a "proper" wedding where 2 people declare their everlasting love for each other? I wanted to include Rebecca's thoughts on here for anybody experiencing the same dilemma, so here goes...... They felt like the day was a complete success. They loved every moment of it and it felt every bit like a wedding, they 100% enjoyed the intimacy of it, they got to speak to all of their guests (which although it sounds bonkers, some clients actually struggle to do that) and those conversations were meaningful, i.e. not a quick "Hello, you look lovely!" kind of thing. Rebecca also said that it all felt very relaxed and chilled due to the number of guests and things were able to be done in their own time, rather than having to check watches every 5 minutes to check the schedule. In terms of the COVID-19 restrictions, every aspect of that was adhered to, they had previously worked out their bubbles and households so when it came to photographs being done, there was no reason why it couldn't be business as usual. Rebecca loved the fact that all of their close family and friends were there, but, of course missed those who were initially invited but couldn't be present. Like a lot of families, theirs are spread far and wide and it's a familiar situation that it's only on occasions such as this that they all get together. She also said that one of the aspects they missed was of course the party, the dancing, the singing, those "tie around the head with a knee slide" on the dance floor moments but as she rightly said, there's always time for that when we get back to normal which is 100% correct, it's just going to be great excuse to have the party of all parties a little further down the line. Are they glad they did it? Yes, absolutely! The feedback from their guests was fantastic too, they thoroughly enjoyed everything for the same reasons (hey, some of them even said "how nice the photographer was and that he made the day all the more enjoyable"). Joking aside, I guess if the Bride's Mum sends you a friend request on Facebook after the wedding, you know you've done something right! So, hopefully all of the above will be of some reassurance to those in a similar situation, having to deal with the whole shall we, shan't we dilemma. Your wedding CAN still go ahead and you can love every moment of it. Will it be the day you always dreamed of, possibly not but will it still mean the world to you looking back, yes I'm sure it will. A wedding does not have to be a massive show, it's all about you two, exchanging rings and it's about saying those words to each other. Huge thanks to Rebecca and Jake for allowing me to photograph and document their beautiful wedding and for spending the time afterwards, allowing me to put this Blog together. Yes, it's a chance for myself, Rebecca and Jake to show off our lovely photographs but I very much hope that it of some help to those who are considering their options right now. Big Love x Venue: www.scarboroughhill.co.uk Flowers: www.groovyruby.co.uk Hair: Cassie Weller Makeup: (Own) Dress: www.wed2b.com Bride's Shoes: www.rubyshoo.com I personally think that the word "Epic" is overused. This wedding was however......... EPIC!
Those of you who have been to Norwich Cathedral will appreciate what I'm saying. Those who haven't, please go and have a look around (when we're allowed to of course!), it's stunning, I promise. Mine and Louise's photography adventure started out in 2017 when I did some equestrian photography with her (feel free to look through the Blogs to find the pics), I knew I must have made a good impression when she then asked me to photograph her wedding a few years later. Louise got ready with the girls at her parents home, a great start to the day and the perfect opportunity for Mum and Dad to catch the first glance of their beautiful daughter in her dress. As you'll see form the photos, I think Dad must have got something in his eye when he first saw Louise.... ahem... When it was time to leave the girls, I met Karl and the guys at Norwich Cathedral, Karl pulling up in a Porsche, as you do! Just walking into the Cathedral stops you in your tracks, it's just stunning, a photographers dream! We waited for Louise's arrival at the Cathedral, she looked a million dollars, as did the Bridesmaids and you can just see how proud Dad was to be in the middle of them all, walking through the cloisters to the cathedral where he would be shortly giving her away. Rules concerning photography are quite strict at the Cathedral, in terms of where I was allowed to shoot from but I was still able to get some stunning images from the sides and rear. Being allowed to shoot from far back allowed me to capture some amazing wide angle photos during the ceremony and I was given permission to go upstairs to capture some shots from above, a rare opportunity which I just could not miss. After the ceremony we were able to do the group shots within the grounds, as well as some shots with the new Mr. and Mrs. I would like to personally thank Karl's Best Man Ross for "helping" with the photo of them walking through the cloisters, haha! Their reception was held at the amazing Brasted's in Framingham Pigot, as soon as we arrived it was straight into the confetti photos, you'll notice some were guests got quite excited during the throwing, haha! Speeches were done outside, which was a fantastic idea, so relaxed and some great jokes in there too (plenty at Karl's expense too)! In between Louise and Karl mingling with their family and friends, I was able to convince them to come over to the (rather convenient) corn field adjacent to Brasteds, we got gorgeous shots and the guys were able to have some time alone (with me of course!) before dancing the night away with the fabulous Lee Vasey Band. Nick and his team at Brasteds are fantastic and I'm honestly not sure if the food can be beaten, anywhere by anyone. Thank you for your hospitality as per usual guys! Louise and Karl, thank you for letting me be a part of your day guys, I truly loved every minute, I hope you did too! Big love x Supplier List: Ceremony Venue: www.cathedral.org Reception Venue: www.brasteds.co.uk/weddings Florist: www.brackenandtwine.co.uk Hair Stylist: flamingoamy.co.uk MUA: www.facebook.com/hollieloulibeauty/ Dress: primadonnabridal.co.uk Suits: www.moss.co.uk Flower Wall and Accessories: www.fezzaanddel.com My apologies that its been SOOOOO long since I last blogged. The dreaded Coronavirus has now put a stop to the majority of my 2020 weddings so, like a lot of people, I have a bit of time on my hands to be able to Blog and shout about some of the amazing weddings that I was part of in 2019. Here goes with the first....
The Bridal prep, the ceremony and the reception all took place at the newly refurbished Caistor Hall in Norwich. The venue was always been nice but really looks amazing now, the perfect setting for a perfect wedding. The ceremony room is so bright and airy, the sun shone outside, just great! The drinks flowed and so did the cigars (in fact, the bar sold out of them), they made great props for the pics of the guys a little later on though! Emily and Robert opted for the printing on the day, where I disappeared off during their wedding breakfast to print a selection of their images taken, ready to be handed out during the speeches. That went down a storm, as seen in the pics below! By the way, in case you were wondering, Emily DID manage to get that ring on in the end, haha! Thank you for allowing me to be part of your amazing day guys, an honour and a privilege. Big Love x Supplier List: Venue: www.caistorhall.com Dress: www.dreamsbridalwear.co.uk Hair: www.facebook.com/joannegordonhairandbeaty/ Make-Up: www.facebook.com/serenaabbottbeauty/ Flowers: www.prettybloomsflorist.co.uk The second I met Yvana during the wedding consultation, it was apparent that photography was one of the top priorities for their wedding day, there were photos everywhere in their lounge, she gushed about how important it was to create memories which would last a lifetime and indeed beyond. This is EXACTLY what any photographer wants to hear, a client who puts value into how the day is captured and by whom. Aaron wasn't available during the consultation due to work commitments but when I met him on the day of the wedding, it was like we'd known each other for years. A genuine "what you see is what you get" couple, LOVE LOVE LOVE clients like that!
The Bridal prep took place at 48 St Giles Street, a beautiful Grade II Listed building in Norwich, which was within 10 minutes walking distance to where the ceremony took place, Norwich Castle. If you want a wedding venue steeped in history, why wouldn't you want to get married in a 900 (or so) year old castle?!? Awesome venue guys, great choice. When I'm shooting at Norwich Castle, time isn't always on my side due to the Castle's wedding commitments but we managed to get some fantastic shots in and around the amazing grounds and gardens nearby and we certainly had a giggle along the way - this was helped by me nearly falling into the hedge as I was walking backwards to get some Bride and Groom walking shots, always happy to suffer for my art (ouch!), haha! Thank you SO much for allowing me to spend the day with you and your guests, this was definitely one where I just felt like a mate of the Bride and Groom's, who happened to have a camera with them. Big Love x Yvana and Aaron's Review: "Being absolutely clueless with how to describe the feel I wanted for our photos, Ryan helped and guided me through the process, with recommendations to timings, I didn't want our wedding to be so staged and to be free flowing and to go with flow, he absolutely smashed this!! I worried so much with my picture being taken, I usually end up pulling weird faces when the camera is pointed at me, but he helped me feel so at ease, half the time I didn't even know he was there, he blended in so well with all our family and friends, having a good laugh along the way! Warm and approachable personality he definitely helps add the sparkle after the hustle and bustle and how quick the days goes, his final shots were awesome, he captured every little detail! Thank you so much Ryan! It was an absolute pleasure having you as part of our day". Bridal Prep: https://38stgiles.co.uk/number-48 Norwich Castle: https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/births-ceremonies-and-deaths/marriages-and-civil-partnerships/approved-venues/norwich-castle Norfolk Wedding Photography - The Assembly House, Norwich - Claire and Andrew - 28th December 2018.25/2/2019 After the Bridal preparations had taken place at Mum's, Claire and Andrew's actual wedding took place at the parish church in the sleepy Norfolk village of Aylsham, it was a church that I had seen many times from a distance but never had the pleasure of going inside. It's an amazing space and well worth a visit if you're in the area. Andy was there with the guys, posing for the odd one or two photos in between greeting guests and getting the minute preperations done inside. Claire arrived in style with Dad and the bridesmaids. A long walk down the aisle, Andrew was met with a truly stunning sight, Claire looked fantastic in her dress, it was just perfect for her. Claire and Andrew are involved with a choir, who sang their hearts out at the church, as did Claire (I guess it helps if you are a singing coach! Check out Claire's page below)
After the ceremony, we stopped for some group photos outside the church before heading off to The Assembly House in Norwich. We managed to squeeze a few more photos in before the amazing food was served, it was then onto the speeches. As I recall, in 25 years of wedding photography, this was the first time that dancing took place during the speeches (Groom and Best Man!) and certainly a first where it involved tea towels as dancing props..... Yes really! Claire and Andrew went out of their way to accommodate my suggestions with photo ideas, thank you so much guys, hopefully those few moments away from your guests were worth it? The Christmas lights and decorations were just TOO good to pass off, it was cold but the they were totally up for some Christmassy pics! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for allowing me to cover your AMAZING day guys. What fantastic friends and family you have too, it was an honour to have spent the day with you all. Thank you also to the amazing team at The Assembly House in Norwich, the service is second to none and nothing is a problem for them. Hats off to you all, you did an amazing job to ensure that Claire and Andrew's day was as they wanted it to be. Big Love xx https://www.assemblyhousenorwich.co.uk https://www.clairelawrencemusic.com Wow! Just bloomin' wow! Chaucer Barn in Norfolk came 6th in the 50th Best Wedding Venues in the UK, as voted for by the readers of the Independent! So eeeeerm yes, I was a little excited when I was asked to cover Serena and Leigh's wedding, make no mistake.
We were all slightly worried about the rain but luckily it held off during the ceremony, which made for some beautiful soft lighting outside, perfect! Serena, Leigh and their guests went inside to do official paperwork and then it was outside to walk through a tunnel of confetti! Groups photos were completed and then the 3 of us were off to explore the AMAZING grounds of Chaucer Barn! Literally everywhere you look, there are photo opportunities, it's a fantastic "problem" to have as a photographer, haha! We got inside ready for the reception food and speeches before the rain came down, by that time it didn't matter the images were in the bag, boom! That said though, we did brave the elements a little later as darkness fell to get some lovely off-camera flash images done in the grounds, the rain just helped create a superb visual effect as the flash caught the raindrops. A huge thank you to Jenna and her amazing team at Chaucer Barn. Big love and thanks to my awesome clients, Serena and Leigh and of course their family and friends, it was an absolute pleasure from start to finish. Sorry it's taken a little while to post guys, it's this time of year when I catch up with blogging and generally showing off with my snaps, haha! Big Love x Here's Chaucer's website if you want to check it out. It's outstanding, go see for yourself! https://www.chaucerbarn.com LOVE Hunter's Hall in Swanton Morley! It's had a recent upgrade too, certainly where Bridal Prep takes place, looking good guys, looking good!
Its clear to see that Jamie-Lee and her girls rocked the revamped prep room, loving your work! You can see from the pics that Craig was cool as a cucumber, chilling with his men and the guests as they arrived. As I was photographing guest arrivals, I heard one shout out "Ah it's ok, it's Ryan! He photographed our wedding 7 years ago!" haha! Great to have a brief catch up with them. After the beautiful ceremony took place in the main Hall, we did the group shots and then Jamie-Lee, Craig and I disappeared for some romantic shot, it was lovely for them to have 10 mins "on their own" whilst myself and the videographer Wayne captured what we needed. The guys were SO comfortable in front of the camera, so many beautiful natural shots out in the beautiful grounds of amazing Hunters Hall. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for having me guys, a big thank you to Matthew and the team at Hunters Hall too. If you are considering Hunters Hall for your wedding, take a look at: www.huntershall.co.uk Big Love x Awesome clients, awesome venue and team, awesome skies, sometimes it's just handed on a plate......
Although I had visited The Pheasant Hotel in Kelling before, it was my fist time shooting a wedding there and my word, what a joy it was! Weddings vary a lot, just in terms of what my clients want from their wedding photography and Holly and Brian got the mix just right. It wasn't ALL about the photos, i was there to cover the day and tell the story as it unfolded and I did just that but my more creative ideas and suggestions were met big smiles every time so off we went..... Into the nearby field, into the woods and all around the venue, even when it got dark after the 1st dance they were completely up for standing in the middle of the road outside to take advantage of the INCREDIBLE sunset we had! I literally can't thank you enough guys for making me so welcome and of course for the lovely thank you card I received in the post, which read: "Hi Ryan, Thank you so much for being such a GREAT photographer! We are so pleased with our images, me and Brian felt so comfortable on the day shooting with you and all our guests said how fantastic you were! Thank you for getting our pictures done so quickly too! Best Wishes, Holly and Brian x" Its stuff like this that makes the job worth it. Regularly during wedding season I'm up until 1.30am trying to catch up with work, I miss out on family days out on Sundays, staying in to edit so that I don't keep my clients waiting too long and sometimes I must admit, its a little overwhelming but then something like that drops through the door and it warms the soul. Thank you guys, from the bottom of my heart. A big thank you to Becki and the awesome team at The Pheasant, it was a pleasure to work with you, see you very soon hopefully! Big love x Here's the Pheasant's website, take a look: https://www.pheasanthotelnorfolk.co.uk It's always nice to do a local wedding, when the Bridal prep takes takes place 4 miles away from Ryan Newton HQ, then it's on to the Church 5 mins away, then on to the hall, 3 mins away......Perfect! It allows plenty of time to be taking photographs instead of travelling from one venue to another, happy client, happy photographer!
Jessica and Kirk were nothing short of awesome on the day and as per usual with very single one of my clients, they made me so welcome and like I was part of the wedding guest list, not just hired for the day. I delivered their images on Tuesday evening and got this bloomin' awesome review on my Ryan Newton Photography Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ryannewtonphotography) a couple of days later: "Oh my! What a wonderfully talented chap! Ryan was our photographer for our wedding on the 30th of June and he is AMAZING!!! He is like a photogenius ninja, he is everywhere but also you dont really see him. He mingles in with the guests to get all the missed moments for the Bride and Groom and he is just so lovely that he gets on with everyone. He managed to capture every single wonderful moment, every laugh, every cheeky smooch, every unplanned embrace, just every special moment of our day. Our pictures have turned out to be more than we could have ever hoped for and we will be able to look back on these with pure joy for the rest of our lives. Ryan, thank you so so much. We are truly blessed to have had you in our day. All our love Mr & Mrs Davis" In 25 years of wedding photography, this is DEFINITELY the first time I've been called a PHOTOGENIUS NINJA! I'll take that though! Haha! Thank you once again for your hospitality on the day (and not just the Hog Roast either which was absolutely spot on!) Thank you, thank you, thank you. Big love x I guess when you choose to get married in February, you definitley take your chances with the weather (is that any different to August though thinking about it......?) but hats off to Penny and James, they were 110% up for it and the wind and rain certainly did not put a damper on proceedings, they just got on with it. We had to think on our feet for sure but nothing we couldn't get round!
I was able to attend the groom and groomsmen getting ready and then it was on to the bridal preparations at Southwood Hall where the ceremony and reception took place too. A giggle was had by all when Penny walked down the aisle with her beloved dog, certainly a first for me in 25 years of wedding photography, haha! It was truly beautiful ceremony after which, the group photos commenced. The guys wanted full coverage through to 1st dance, we then popped outside for a few photos using off-camera flash, it's a great effect and my clients LOVE them. As the weather was against us throughout the day, we went over to the lodge at Southwood and got some great Bride and Groom shots there towards the end of the night, it was a lovely time to spend alone with Penny and James, a bit of time-out for them both whilst having some pictures taken too. Thanks you both very very much for choosing me as your wedding photography guys, and thank you for making me cry (only a tiny bit, honest....) during those heartfelt speeches! And just to confirm, as seen in the photos below, yes Penny did run over from the Lodge to the Ceremony in her slippers, hahaha! Love your work Penny, you absolutely rocked them! Big love x P.s. this is the email I received a few days later...... "Hi Ryan, Just want to drop you a little note to say thank you so much for everything. Everyone commented on how wonderful you were. It really made our day even more special having you there with us. And thank you for your patience and total commitment to capturing our special day. Cant wait to see all the pics, we are so pleased with the ones we have already. We couldn't possibly have wished for a better photographer 📷 👰 🤵 👌 Kindest regards and thank you once again. Penny and James xx" Mission complete methinks...... Love winter!
Just look at the nice soft light, complete with frost and snowy bits too! Polly was an absolute joy to work with, both cheeky and polite in equal measures, she was my perfect client, haha! As with all of my children portrait shoots, Mum and Dad always say "no, it's just the children, none of us" but as per usual, they end up joining in once they see that the photographer is actually a pretty cool and laid back kinda chap, we have fun and a giggle is had by all. Big love and respect to little Polly, and of course Mum and Dad! x It's not what you know is it, it's who......
Lauren is one of my beautiful nieces and she needed some professional photos taken of her so that she can make a start in her modelling career, she is entering Miss Teen Great Britain soon and as luck would have it, her Uncle Ryan just happens to be a pro photographer, yay! Haha! Hopefully these images will help her in her journey. As a first "proper" photo shoot, she did AMAZINGLY well, took direction easily and was a complete joy to work with, well done Lauren and the very best of luck with the competition. Big love, Uncle Ryan x It's always to be invited back into the family for shoot another weddings and that's exactly what happened here!
I had the privilege of shooting Becky's sister Abby's wedding a few years back (and some newborn photos a couple of years later!) and I bumped into Becky at a wedding fair which I was exhibiting at. She was browsing around the various stands before she saw my display banner behind mine and shouted "that's ME!" at one of Abby's pics I'd used on it, she was Abby's bridesmaid and was in the pic, she then made eye contact with me and flung her arms around me! "I've been meaning to ask Abby who her photographer was, I was going to get in contact with you, it's my turn now, and here you are, perfect!" We met for a consultation and caught up about Abby's wedding and about what an amazing day we had back then, we discussed the options and I was booked! The wedding took place at the AMAZING Bruisyard Hall in Suffolk. It really is a beautiful venue and steeped in history. During the bridal prep, Becky's Dad walked in and greeted me, shook my hand with a slightly puzzled look on his face and said "hang on you're the photographer from my other Daughter Abby's wedding aren't you?!?" I confirmed his suspicions to which the response was "Oh good, I'm glad Becky picked you, you made me look great last time!" Hahaha! Love a compliment! The day was nothing short of awesome as I knew it would be and it was really great to see some familiar faces again. Becky and James were a dream to work with, as were her family and friends. As I was leaving that night, Becky's Mum gave me a hug, thanked me and said "It's ok Ryan, we'll see you again soon enough, (pointing to across the room) we've got another Daughter over there, it'll be her next so we'll be in touch!" Hahaha! Thank you so much once again guys and yes........I guess I'll see you all soon! Big Love x Sorry for the lack of blogs recently, it's that time of year where weddings need to be shot and edited so the blogging takes a back seat but here's a quick one to keep it fresh!
It was when I sat down at the consultation with Molly and she said "you photographed Junior's Sister's wedding (7 years ago!) and we were really impressed so we haven't looked at anyone else for our photography", I knew things were going to go well, haha! Funnily enough, they booked me there and then and it was all systems go. The wedding took place at the totally AMAZING Bressingham Hall in Diss, Norfolk, I hadn't worked there before but I was completely blown away by it, a photographers dream! Sam Clifford is the Venue and Events Manager there and she and her team were nothing short of awesome too! The Hall is situated right next to the Bressingham Steam and Gardens so immediately after the meal, Molly, Junior and their guests were treated to a ride on "The Gallopers" which dates back to 1897 - this was a true vintage wedding! Rather pleasing was the fact that everybody managed to keep their lunch down whilst they went round and round on it. And round....... And round...... and round! It was a truly awesome day and one which I will remember, for the venue, the bride and groom, the heartfelt speeches (and yes, I welled up....again!) and for the fact that I was able to to spend the day doing what I love to do, in the company of yet another awesome couple and their guests. It was great to see some familiar faces too! I think Dad liked the photos which I printed out during the meal! Thank you from the bottom of my heart guys. Big Love x Please check out Bressingham's website: bressinghamhall.co.uk In a bit of a chance meeting, I met Helen and Tom when they came to see myself and my band rehearse, they were looking for a band to play at their wedding. In between songs, I asked if they had a photographer to shoot their wedding yet....... The rest is history. So yes, just to clarify, I had the pleasure of photographing their wedding during the day and then to play as part of my band, Ignite, all the way into the early hours. A looooong day but what better way to spend it than with these two fantabulous people and their guests!
The wedding took place at the (amazing) Southwood Hall in Norfolk, for a photographer this place absolutely rocks, photo opportunities are handed to me on a plate and so along with some technical knowhow and a bag of creativity and camera gear, I was able to produce these images for them. Initially Helen and Tom were hesitant to have the full day coverage option but I couldn't help but guide them with my hand on my heart and advised that it would be crying shame to attend such an awesome wedding venue such as Southward Hall and not have the time to utilise it's amazing grounds. Further thought was given by Helen and Tom and in the end they opted for the full monty package, and had me from bridal prep through to first dance. I'm SOOOOOO glad they did, they are too. This is the message I got on my Ryan Newton Photography Facebook page yesterday...... "OMG 😃😃😃 We have sat down this evening reliving our wedding day through your photos Ryan and we are completely blown away! The whole day has been captured just how we remember it and every photo is amazing. So glad we listened to your advice 😃 We could not be more pleased, thank you so much" Nuff said right? Thank you, thank you, thank you for choosing me (and of course my band) to play such a massive part of your wedding. As per usual, big thank you goes to Sothwood Hall and the amazing team there, great to see Lee Vann on guitar, he really is annoyingly talented, some fine tunes coming from him before and after the ceremony. Big thanks also to Ignite band and for being really quite awesome too, especially the keyboard player...... Ahem! Haha! www.southwoodhall.com www.igniteband.co.uk www.leevann.com Big love, Ryan xxx This was one of those very rare occasions where I didn't get to meet the Bride and Groom before the big day, this was due to the logistics of them not being local to Norfolk. We chatted on the phone of course but I always like to meet my clients before the wedding for a consultation, it helps to put everyone at ease and we all know what to expect on the day but this just wasn't practical. All that said, Sarah and Richard were nothing short of bloomin' awesome on the day, they went along with our ideas and just let us do our thing - I worked with Matt, the videographer and they were only too happy to try out his ideas too, thank you guys!
This is a sneaky preview of the pics they are about to receive in the post tomorrow, I've gone for the black and white option again for the purposes of this blog, no reason, I just love the simplicity of them. Sarah and Richard will of course receive them in colour too though. Once again, a massive thank you to Sarah, Richard and all their guests for their kindness and hospitality towards Matt and I, a big thank you to the team at Southwood Hall too, it's always a pleasure to work in such amazing and professional surroundings. Big Love x It's great to have the time to try something new, just because you want to and that's exactly what made these images possible............
I've always had a fascination with horses, such grand and majestic animals, they excite me and frighten me at the same time. As an experienced rider, a friend of mine Louise offered to work with me on this new project, she showed me the do's and dont's with horses and was able to tell me about the psychology side of things too. Henley (the horse) was nothing short of awesome on the day too, he was very chilled and relaxed, even when it came to my off-camera flash lighting. My confidence grew hugely during the photo shoot, this is definitely something which I will do again. I can feel a new business venture coming on....... Big thanks to Louise, Henley and also the stable owner for allowing me to "test the waters" for this project. Big Love x I think as an artist/photographer, it's easy to be self critical of everything you do and the things you create. The more people in the industry I speak to, the more that's apparent, good to know it's not just me. I think it's a good thing and it gives you the drive to push forward and strive for something more but it's just a bit of a pain sometimes, that's all.
Occasionally though, something comes along or something happens, and all that self doubt COMPLETELY disappears. Today is one of those days..... I've just taken delivery of my latest sample album from those fantastic guys at Graphistudio in Italy. They are my sole supplier of wedding albums, they are the best in the world at what they do. Their products are not about cheap and cheerful, they are about absolute perfection and quality. Today has proven why I chose Graphistudio to display my work in their beautiful creations. My mind it truly blown at the craftmanship and quality of it all, the presentation box, the album itself with its woven spine and all the little touches which make the whole thing totally bespoke and unique. Take a look, what do you think? Big Love x These guys were lucky enough to take advantage of the portrait sessions I held just before Christmas.
The shoot took place just down the road from me at Bawdeswell Heath, there's loads of great backdrops there and places to hide to keep the photographer on his feet! We had a giggle along the way and with the help of Mum and Dad (Poppy and James, who actually both became my lighting technicians too, hahaha!) we were able to get some cracking pics of the little'uns, ready for using as Christmas presents to give to Nanny and Grandad! Images were supplied on CD, Mum and Dad then printed the images off themselves and then framed them. Thanks for being nothing short of awesome on the day guys, big love x Pardon the pun, but you know how you just click with someone?
That's exactly what happened when I first met Glenn and Jo at a wedding fair. We chatted and chatted when we first met. Then met up for their consultation (at the venue), where we chatted some more. We then met up again months later and chatted some more. Such a lovely couple and so easy to work with, they gave me free reign and just let me do my thing. As the wedding was later in the year, we were against the elements a little bit but as per usual with my clients, they up for working in with me to allow me to get those killer shots, especially the ones in the dark (and rain!). Big thank you to Glenn & Jo, and of course all their guests, nice to have chatted to several of them, great to hear about Jo when she was young and a bit of background on how the couple got to where they were on the day. You know, as a wedding photographer, the "job" allows you to get into the very fabric of people's lives and their history, you learn a lot about who they are, all in a relatively short amount of time, you get to know what makes then tick and how far you can take your ideas. This was yet another occasion where this was the case, I truly love my job, people fascinate me and hopefully I fascinate them too. By the way, there's no reason why all of these images are in black & white, rather than colour, other than the fact that I just bloomin' LOVE black & white! Big thanks to the team at The Oaklands as usual (especially for the unexpected profiteroles during the break!) P.s. there are a couple of pics in here of guests looking at the images which I printed out for the happy couple on the day during the wedding breakfast. Have a look at the YOUR INVESTMENT tab at the top for more details. Big Love Ryan x If ever there was a venue with instant curb appeal, this has to be it.......
Froyle Park is situated on the Surrey/Hampshire border, and is a Jacobean Manor dating back to 1620. The venue and the day itself was nothing short of amazing and Ollie and Nicola were an absolute pleasure to work with. They both looked superb although Ollie was clearly going to be upstaged by his beautiful bride. Nicola looked nothing short of stunning in her dress, it was just perfect for her, so so elegant. It was so apparent that lots of thought and effort went into the day, Ollie used to be a wedding coordinator in a previous job so I kinda knew it would all run like clockwork, and it did. Well, just about! Ollie's Grandfather very kindly lent him his Rolls Royce for the day and although he was unable to make it on the day himself due to health reasons, it was a sight to behold and definitely a talking point among the guests. We used the car for quite a few of the photos, hopefully his Grandfather will see some of the beautiful images we were able to get, all thanks to him. My photography actually started the day before the wedding, mainly during the loading of the huge van which was hired to ferry the alcohol from their home in Middlesex to Froyle Park. Looking back, I think there was enough booze to go round guys, haha! I photographed the wedding day as it unfolded which is what they wanted but they were totally up for doing some posed stuff too, even out in the pouring rain as night fell! I convinced them that it would be worth it and hopefully they won't be disappointed when they see these sneaky preview pics! And yes, I know, once again I welled up (just a little bit) during the speeches, they were extremely well thought out and delivered, I'm such a sentimental old fool, haha! A heartfelt thank you to Nicola and Ollie for allowing me to cover their wedding, it was nothing short of an honour and a privilege. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Big Love x Ian and Donna already had what can only be described as an awesome wedding out in sunny Bulgaria a few weeks back, this was a party back in the UK for those family and friends who couldn't be there.
They donned their wedding attire once again so although I was initially booked to do guest photos on the white backdrop, we took advantage of the beautiful grounds of Wensum Valley Hotel and did some photography outside too. Ian, Donna and their family and friends were an absolute pleasure to work with, it was great to see them again - I first photographed Donna's children 10 years ago and we've stayed in contact ever since for various photography sessions through the years. As you will see, there's a mixture of photographic styles there, thank you for a bonkers evening, haha! Glad to be of service once again! Big Love xx |