It is almost Valentine’s Day and the pressure is on to find the perfect gift. Something romantic but original (and not flowers / chocolate); something fun but ideally something that lives beyond the moment. In fact, something very much like one of our champagne portrait sessions! We shoot in the best hotels in Bristol, Bath & the Cotswolds and can offer a great experience, even for the most camera-shy. We offer vouchers so you are very welcome to book a date now for when the weather warms up (although winter portraits are beautiful; it is all to do with the gorgeous light at this time of year) or simply buy a gift-wrapped voucher for when you are ready. Contact us today for more details.

“You don’t need to justify your love, you don’t need to explain your love, you just need to practice your love. Practice creates the master.” (Miguel Ruiz). Obviously my passion is photography and when not shooting for clients I’m always keen to grab the camera and shoot some urban / fashion inspired portraits. We’re always on the look out for models and whilst we won’t even pretend to offer a life spent travelling between London, Paris & Milan, we can offer free camera time for aspiring models and for people who just like being photographed. You don’t have to be a size zero but you do have to enjoy the process of being photographed! Please contact us for more information.

One of the joys of being a wedding photographer is spending time in some fabulous venues and this year, I thought I would blog some of my favourites as the year progresses. Starting with the Manor House at Castle Combe, this stunning hotel is located in the picture postcard village of Castle Combe. The church is within walking distance of the hotel (and makes for great images when the bride walks up past the cottages en route to church) and so for guests staying the weekend it really is a delightful experience. For wedding photography, The Manor House offers a great many possibilities, so even though we’ve been capturing weddings there for years, we never end up with the same set of pictures. Whatever the season & whatever the weather, it offers the perfect backdrop. I often work with my colleague Julian James when commissioned for weddings there and together we’ve captured many lovely shots. Working together, our style is very relaxed, which just seems to suit the style of the place. If you are planning your big day at The Manor House, do please contact us via the website – we’d love to talk through your day with you.

Back on commercial duty again this week, this time without the hard hat, hi-vis vest or safety boots (see previous post with the crane lift…) - which, if I’m honest, I kind of missed – it might have to be my new look for weddings! This new brief was to capture images to illustrate Orton’s new website (coming soon…). For those of you unfamiliar with Orton’s Jewellery in Bradford-on-Avon, they create the most amazing bespoke pieces of jewellery – highly recommended if you are looking for a truly stunning engagement ring. Whilst the designs can be very contemporary and modern, we wanted a shot that showed the ‘artist at work’ and reflected traditional values – the craftsmanship and personal service that Orton’s invest with every piece. So we switched to black & white and kept the shot wide to keep in some of the tools of the trade – I think it works really well.

To visit Orton’s website, go to www.ortondesign.com. To book Andrew Jackson Photography for weddings, portraits or commercial photography please contact us via the website – we look forward to hearing from you!

Cue fanfare / drum roll (or at least have combs and tissue paper at the ready…), we’re pleased to announce our new commercial & editorial photography service. Aimed at those looking for creative imagery, we’ll be working with clients to capture activities such as community engagement projects, corporate golf days, PR, product shots & portraits – anything that will promote your brand values. And just as with our weddings, Andrew is available for commissions across the UK.  If you would like to receive details of this new service please complete the contact form and we’ll send you all the information you need. The picture above? A crane lift at first light, taken at the weekend… there is something very therapeutic about photographing other people working! And I get to dress up in safety boots, hard hat and hi-vis vest – I’m loving my new look…

When it comes to weddings, we’re very happy to accept commissions from around the UK; its always adds to the creative process when discovering a new venue for the first time. But having said that, we are also so lucky to have some stunning venues on our doorstep, including quite a few Cotswolds Barn conversations (Phipps Barn, Great Tythe Barn and – our favourite – Kingscote, to name a few). This post is all about flowers and dressing big open spaces, because I think this can be quite a challenge: too few flowers and they become lost in the space, too many and the space can look like a glass house at Kew. These pictures are from a wedding where – I think – the florist got it absolutely spot on. Perfect colours in matching the dress and just the right scale & look for the space – what do you think?

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then black & white must be worth twice as much – we love black & white! It’s timeless, elegant and so, so flattering. So I’ve picked out just a very few of my favorite images from Giles & Charlotte’s big day last year  to share with you (their wonderful wedding was at Kingscote Barn in the Cotswolds). I met up again with Charlotte & Giles yesterday and enjoyed a fab afternoon reliving their celebration. Looking through, it was great to see so many smiles and to remember just what a fab day it was…

We’ve thought long & hard about this and we think we have THE perfect gift for Valentines Day this year. If you’ve just exhausted your present-giving creativity at Christmas and you are looking for something new and original to give to your partner, then our “Champagne Couples” portrait offer could be just what you need to score maximum brownie points. After all, what says “I love you” better than a portrait shoot (well, diamonds or a rolex obviously, but besides these…). We shoot at the most beautiful hotels and can promise you a wonderful experience. Vouchers are gift-wrapped and ready to present to your loved one. For more information complete the contact form and we’ll send you the options available.

This makes a great gift for those with children in tow and can easily be adapted to a fun family shoot; do ask for details.

Its always interesting to hear how couples approach the planning of their big day; we’ve met all sorts over the years I’ve been capturing weddings, from those who have planned every last detail to such an extent that we wonder if their skills would have been better placed planning the invasion of a small European country to those who refuse point blank to let the day take over their lives and as a result never quite pin down the day they would like! Every couple is different and that is what makes my job so enjoyable. For those of you planning your wedding, it really doesn’t have to be too difficult; true, there are lots of exciting decisions to make and some of them require a significant investment, but overall there is so much expertise available that there is no need to worry. A good starting point is to request a copy of our “Guide to Stress Free Weddings”; its free and it all draws on ten years plus of experience. And of course if you book us to look after your day, we will be able to answer questions every step of the way. Contact us today to start the conversation…