I have a desire to get back to basics for a while. Back to some classic portraits.

Although my ideas of ‘basic’ and ‘classic’ may well be different from the accepted ones.

Cover star is Beki, in an example of the kind of thing I mean.

Hair by Lyndy Ewings, Make-up by Rebecca Searle, Modelled by Debbie Grayson

Earlier this month I made my first foray into bridal photography.

I’m not alone among photographers in thinking that wedding and bridal photography could do with re-invigorating. I know of some fashion photographers that are moving into this field and producing stunning results.

So, with the amazing talents of Lyndy Ewings styling the hair and Rebecca Searle providing make-up, we enlisted the help of Debbie Grayson and got started…

The dress was very kindly provided by the lovely people at The Ivory Tower.

Kate, Somewhere, 2009

Nearly time for shorts and flip flops!

Although I haven’t actually had or worn any flip flops since I was a small child.

Abby, Plymouth, 2010

I’m very happy with these images. For what might seem to be quite simple portraits, there’s a lot of elements that I really like.

The styling, the hair, the lighting, the post-production — all came together really well and in a coherent way. And of course, Abby looks great and did brilliantly in working with the theme of the shoot.

Laura H., Plymouth, 2010

* B L E N G  *

Abby, Plymouth, 2010

72%, with caramel.

I’m actually partial to Lindt Chilli Chocolate, but that’s for special occasions.

Abby, Plymouth, 2010

More than OK in fact.

A quick (but likely to be final) edit of a shot from last night’s shoot with Abby. I do curse my 3-year-old camera’s rather limited ability to focus ‘correctly’ in low light, but after seeing this image I think I should be thinking of it as a ‘feature’.

The focus ‘should’ be on the eye… as any portrait photographer will tell you. But to me, the most interesting thing here are the layers and texture of the hair, and I love the way they pop out in this shot, due to it being the shallow focal point.

Yeah, it’s a portrait, but the eyes aren’t always the subject.

I’ll just have to try and remember this when I get a better camera…

Ria, cropped. Plymouth, 2009

… and then crop. Lovely.

This makes me see the point in having a bazzilion megapixels… so I can zoom in, find lovely crops like this one and still be able to print them with plenty of detail.

Kate, somewhere, 2009

… we’re slowly starting to get more of it – Hoorah!

We’ve just been through a record-breaking period of deep-freeze in the UK. I know I’m overly sensitive to the seasons and the environment, but it really felt like a deathly air descended upon the country and made time stand still for a week or so. Horrible.

Anyway, looking forward to warmer times now.

I don’t know why I haven’t posted these two pictures from my shoot with Kate — typical of me to hold back the best.

Ria, Plymouth, 2009

New Year’s resolutions are so last year. Everyone knows that the sure-fire way to be unhappy is to set unrealistic goals for oneself.

Much better to enjoy what we’ve got and accept it.

Well, that’s the theory anyway…