Wednesday 16 February 2011

Upcoming Wedding Fayre - Newcastle Civic Centre 27th February

I will be at the The North East Spring Spectacular Bridal Show on Sunday 27th February 2011 at Newcastle Civic Centre. Event runs from 11am-4pm and is free admission. For more details and a map click here.
 
There will also be fabulous fashion shows by Tyne Tees Models. I will be in the Pandon Room, which is just above the main room. Would be delighted to meet you and have a chat about your wedding/civil partnership photography. 

There will also be a chance for you to win an engagement shoot with me when you visit my stand. 

Look forward to seeing you there.


(Items in above image are available to hire from The Fine and Funky Events Company)

Monday 14 February 2011

Family, Couple & Child Photoshoots

You don't have to wait for a special occasion to have a professional photographs taken, my photography sessions make an ordinary day a memorable one. 

I love to photograph outside, at a place such as the park or the beach, and get some great photographs of you having a fun time with your family or other half. The images achieved are natural and fun, and people are very surprised at how relaxed they feel in front of the camera. I like to chat and have a giggle with you and capture your family happy and relaxed. 



Alternatively, I can photograph you in your home, an option which suits those with very young children or elderly relatives that they would love a family photograph with. 

For couples I have a selection of beautiful & quirky props you can choose to use in your shoots at no extra charge, photos and details are in my blog entry here. 

 The cost of the session is just £75.00 and include a 1-2 hour shoot, all images retouched, a 10x8 framed photograph, and an online gallery where you can view and order additional photographs, or other products such as high quality stretched canvases.



It makes an ideal gift for a birthday, anniversary, mother/fathers day, engagement, or for no reason at all! I can provide you with a gift voucher if it is for a special occasion.

I currently have some available slots in March and beyond for family/couple/child photo sessions, drop me a line via my website or email: katie@photographybykatie.co.uk to book your session.


Friday 11 February 2011

Newborn Photography Session

On Wednesday I had the pleasure of meeting baby Harrison who is only two weeks old, for a newborn photography session. It was actually my first ever, besides one I did for a project a few years ago at university. 

I aimed for soft & gentle images with natural light, as well as some with a more 'studio' feel to them with a softbox and flash lighting. Harri was mesmerised by the lights and my camera noises. So adorable!



Bless him, he was a little bit confused when we popped him on his tummy for these shots. Mum quickly picked him up for a snuggle to cheer him up! 





All images copyright of Katie Byram Photography and must not be used without permission.

Friday 4 February 2011

Gorgeous new props for weddings & engagement shoots

So i've got some lovely eye candy for you! Managed to find these little beauties in independent gift shops in the Newcastle area, really pleased with them and can't wait to try out the possibilities for weddings and engagement shoots, think they are going to really add to the photographs well. 

Just wanted to share them with you lovely blog followers. These little hearts are wooden, and are similar to Christmas tree decorations, with a little ribbon hook to hang them up. They would be ideal to have hung on wishing trees, but I guess the possibilities are endless for those with a creative imagination.  For me, I'm going to make some photographs with them in with some of my lovely couples and I have a few different ideas for them.



I especially love this quote, (above) it reminds me of this scene from my favourite movie, Love Actually. 





 Carrying on with the 'Love Actually' theme, I couldn't resist the 'All You Need Is Love' sign above. I'm a big fan of the Beatles music anyway but love the version of the song in the wedding scene in Love Actually (see here) so this wooden sign really reminded me of that. 

Also just on the wooden log beneath the sign in the image above, you can see some lovely little love heart shaped chalk board on sticks. I will be able to work with couples to write something suitable on with chalk and it can be wiped off and reused, to make it personal.

Can't wait to try the props out!

All images copyright to Katie Byram Photography and must not be used without permission.

Thursday 3 February 2011

Win your wedding jewellery with Katie Byram Photography & Bridal Designs!

I'm delighted to announce a fantastic competition for all you brides to be, in association with Bridal Designs Wedding Jewellery.  Anyone who books their wedding photography with me between February 14th and July 14th 2011, for a wedding date anytime after July 14th 2011, can be entered into a draw to win their wedding jewellery up to the value of £100, courtesy of Bridal Designs Wedding Jewellery.  



Images courtesy of Bridal Designs

"Bridal Designs Wedding Jewellery is hand crafted using only the finest materials: beautiful Swarovski crystals, lustrous Swarovski pearls and stunning Sterling silver which when combined give the pieces a contemporary yet sophisticated look." 

All pieces can are custom made to your own specifications, ensuring each piece is unique to you. 

Please go to my website Katie Byram Photography for more information on my wedding photography packages.

Full terms and conditions of the competition:

Competition Terms And Conditions
1. This competition is open to anyone older than 18 who is resident in the UK.
2. By submitting your entry you indicate your full acceptance of these terms and conditions.
3. Entry is via the participating photographers
4. Entry will be available from February 14th – July 14th 2011
5. The winner will be chosen at random after the competition closes.
6. The judge’s decision will be final.
7. If the winner has  purchased their wedding jewellery from Bridal Designs Wedding Jewellery before  the competition ends then they will receive a refund to the value of £100
9. We will notify the winners by email as soon as we can after the draw has taken place.
10. The winners accept that they may be featured in any related publicity by Bridal Designs Wedding Jewellery and the participating photographers.
11. By entering this give-away you agree that we will use your personal details to administer and run this promotion and to also send you other promotional material .
12. Your details will be shared with our partners in these promotions for future promotional activities by both parties, but will NOT be shared with any other parties. If you do not agree to such use of your details, please do not enter this competition.
13. We will endeavour to make sure that this competition runs smoothly however we reserve the right to cancel this competition at any time if relevant circumstances arise outside our control.  We shall not be held liable should you suffer any loss or damage by entering this promotion, provided that nothing in these rules shall exclude or limit our liability in respect of personal injury or death caused by our negligence, or for fraud.
14. These rules are governed by English law.

Tuesday 1 February 2011

Keeping the little ones happy at your wedding: Some handy tips!

When I was three, I was a bridesmaid for my Auntie Donna & Uncle Stephen. I can remember the day well actually. In the car on the way to the wedding, I saw a huge funfair outside the window, colourful and exciting, and I wanted to go to that....instead I was taken to the wedding. I loved my dress which was flowery and handmade by someone in the family, and I had a fake flowery tiara, very fashionable at the time. I can't really remember the ceremony or the meal, but oh dear lord I can remember the photography. I was bored, i'd been awake for a long time and the last thing I wanted to do is be bossed around by a strange man to smile for an hour. I kicked and screamed my head off, refused to be in any photographs, ran under a table and fell asleep....I don't think my Auntie has quite forgiven me yet.

The thing is, nowadays it's more and more common for children to be at weddings, and also more common for the bride and groom to have their own children there. So how to keep them occupied and happy all day?

A wedding can be a very exciting day for a child, they will look forward to it and it's a chance to dress up nicely, possibly formally for the first time, have their hair done, pose for photographs and meet other children and see a beautiful bride in a stunning dress. It can also be stressful, tiring and boring at times (especially during the speeches or waiting for the wedding breakfast)

I wanted to compile some ideas for entertaining the children and making it a memorable and fun day for everyone regardless of their age:

1)If they are your own children or nieces and nephews, (or other children close to your family) involve them in planning of the day, let them choose their hair style, teach them to tie up their bow tie, or polish their shoes, help them prepare favours if you are making them yourself. Explain to them how special the day is and what it means to your family and to them.


2) Giving children a role in the ceremony can make them understand how special it is, and give them a sense of pride and responsibility. There's no denying, it also looks really cute for the photographs! Obviously this does all depend on the age of the child, and what they are able to do. I photographed a traditional Chinese wedding where the guests gathered outside first and performed a wedding procession with gongs, clapping and dancing. The small children had a role in helping bang the gongs something they really seemed to enjoy!


3) On your big day, have something especially for the children to do, make it fun and just for them.  A great idea is a 'kids corner'. The Fine and Funky Events Company have a perfect solution for this available to hire – large board games such as Connect Four and Jenga, a box of games suitable for 6 months-12 years, and to round it all off, an  'Adults Keep Out' sign.
 Another example could be a bouncy castle, if you want to go all out. It doesn't suit the tastes of all brides & grooms, but i'm speaking from experience,  my mother hired one for her wedding when I was a teenager- it was a huge hit and the adults all had a go later and it made some fantastic photographs.

4) Ensure you discuss with your venue on options for children for the wedding meal(s) Some children do like to have a half sized portion of what everyone else is having, but going with sure firm favourites from a children's menu such as pizza, chicken nuggets, fish fingers etc is what many brides opt for. Discuss with your venue as well ensuring they have cups available for the little ones, it's no use them having a crystal champagne glass!

4)The wedding breakfast can take over two hours and then there's the speeches. It's a great idea to have some small activities for the children to do whilst at the table in between courses. Something simple like a pot of crayons and some colouring sheets is a fantastic idea to keep them occupied. You could also have a small goodie bag including those items for each child, and include some non-messy snacks such as raisins etc to be given at a suitable time.

Usborne Books do some amazing books including a weddings colouring book (with stickers) (£3.99) and 'sticker dolly dressing up' (£5.99) in both Bridesmaid edition and general wedding addition, they can use the stickers to dress the dolls! (You can even see inside the books on that website) Perfect for keeping the little girls occupied, and they definitely won't break the bank.


5)If you have children as part of your main wedding party, discuss with your photographer if they have much experience of photographing children, a good photographer will be able to capture some fantastic candid images of the children, but also keep them interested in any posed shots. They will also appreciate that many young children's attention span is lower and they want to enjoy the wedding not stand posing for so long, perhaps they can take the photographs including the children first and then release them with their parents to go and play with the other children. Having a warm and friendly photographer is crucial in achieving these natural and fun shots of the children.

Overall, including children in your wedding makes it a real family event, and is something they will look forward to and remember forever. Including them in the planning and tailoring some parts of your wedding for the children ensures that they will have a great day and that their parents can relax, making it an enjoyable day for all.

I finish with a snapshot of my brother from my mother's wedding. He was 6 at the time and he'd had a whale of a time! This was taken during the reception, the music was blaring out, and when we found him, he was laid completely fast asleep, with grass stains all over his smart shirt, and a wonky bow tie. Bless!

Wishing you and your children a wonderful wedding day.

All photographs and text by Katie Byram Photography please do not use without permission.