David Ho Wedding Photographer Edinburgh Scotland & UK (BLOG)

NEW BLOG!!!!!! NEW BLOG!!!!!!

2010-04-22T23:14:00.003+01:00

Change your bookmarks everyone! My new blog is here:

www.davidho.co.uk

See you all at my new place!

So talented

2010-04-20T14:31:00.002+01:00

As cover versions go, this is pretty amazing! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2NEU6Xf7lM

Mhari at Dalhousie Castle

2010-04-12T18:12:00.012+01:00

This is the lovely Mhari, wedding planner at Dalhousie Castle, and her brothers Billy & Dave, all of whom I had the pleasure of photographing for their mum's 50th birthday present. I just know mum's going to love it, framed big and bold, for above her fireplace. Have a great party!! www.manhattanstudio.co.uk

Huckleberry

2010-04-08T01:09:00.008+01:00

Well, he was nearly a Huckleberry. But Lewis it is. My wee chubbs. Love him to bits.

my boy

2010-04-02T21:27:00.013+01:00

I had to include my favourite oldest son, having recently blogged Lewis and Mileah! This is Samuel Ho - the only 8 year old in the world who can beat me at poker Love him to pieces. To book your family photo session, click www.manhattanstudio.co.uk

The Dome, Edinburgh

2010-03-30T17:00:00.007+01:00

Had the pleasure of doing some more photography today for the Dome in Edinburgh. I never tire of photographing beautiful wedding venues! As well as the perfect place to have your reception, it's simply a great place to kick back and relax, after work, with any tipple you care to name. A super efficient team too led by the wonderful Kate Bell; you just know you're in good hands.

Lewis

2010-03-29T15:27:00.014+01:00

Lewis having a nap oblivious to the fact his older sister is upstairs, jumping up and down on her bed, singing at the top of her voice, music blaring out of her pink X-factor karoake machine...

Laura meanwhile is delighted that all his whites can be seen to be neatly ironed & folded and I get a few extra brownie points for getting them in the shot.

Mileah

2010-03-29T13:02:00.024+01:00

I thought it was overdue that I photographed my own family! So when I got my trusty Sigma 28-70mm f2.8 lens back today from getting repaired, it seemed a good a time as any to give it a test run :-) This is Mileah, the life & soul of any room she dances into!

Incredibly, I managed to hold her attention for all of 2 minutes. It's absolutely hilarious; she can't read yet but she's LOVES karaoke. Tonight it'll be 'Walking On Sunshine'. AGAIN. Or Hannah Montana. Or Cheryl Cole. Probably all of them. Love her to pieces. www.manhattanstudio.co.uk

Ailsa

2010-03-27T19:25:00.010Z

This is Ailsa, possibly the cutest, most energetic and bubbly little runaround toddler I've photographed in years! Just a couple of previews from a Lifestyle Photo-session I shot for mum Wendy this very afternoon. Thank you Wendy for coming back to me. The portraits I took of Ailsa's big sister Kirsten, a few years back, remain some of the best outdoor children's portraits I've ever taken. Until then, I never realised that rolling down a grassy slope alongside a giggling toddler could be so much fun. And I see how great the frame looks on your wall! Thank you again :-) Click here for my family photography website http://www.manhattanstudio.co.uk/

And here's the rolling down the hill shot of Kirsten!

Lewis

2010-03-19T20:36:00.007Z

We've gone for Lewis as the name! So here's Lewis Ho after a feed. Completely zonked. He's so cute I could eat him.

Caroline & Jonathan's Storybook

2010-03-11T16:25:00.005Z

Hi Caroline & Jonathan! Here's how your wonderful wedding day unfolded through my eyes...

Please click here... www.davidho.co.uk/caroline&jonathan

Best wishes & speak soon! David

Caroline & Jonathan's wedding day

2010-02-14T20:34:00.024Z

Phew! What an incredible Saturday I've just had. Weddings with a military connection always deliver. Colour, vibrancy, excitement. Team that with a glorious wedding venue and most importantly a gorgeous bride & groom who are as generous and as enthusiastic as the day is long and you have a recipe for THE perfect day. And it truly was an amazing mix of regal elegance and a whole lot of fun.

Thank you Caroline & Jonathan for giving me enough time - for making sure I had enough time at each and every part of the day! And for putting your heart and soul into the photography process. I'm so pleased and I feel so lucky that I get the opportunity to work with couples like the two of you. Couples who are not only huge fun, relaxed & good humoured but who also place photography right at the top of their list of priorities. And because of this, I cannot wait to show you what we've managed to create together. Speak soon!

A special mention for Gail for whom I know the day meant everything - you soldiered through such a special day and the smile on your face never waivered despite so much. And a big thank you to Rich the bestman who so kindly rounded up the troops for group photos with expert efficiency. And while I'm at it, a HUGE thank you to everyone connected with the armed forces full stop.

Blog comments welcome as always.

Joann Scott

2010-02-14T20:28:00.004Z

Attended an lovely and informal open evening the other night. Joann Scott, one of the best venue / wedding planners I've had the pleasure of working with over the past 10 yrs, has decided to go it alone! And I have no doubt that her personal wedding planning business will reach the stars. If you need help putting all the pieces of the jigsaw together for your own wedding, drop her an email and she'll work wonders. All the best Joann!! Click here for Joann's website: http://joannscottweddings.com/

Baby Ho

2010-02-05T12:42:00.030Z

Well, he's here! The latest and our final contribution to clan Ho. On the 4th Feb 2010, the tiniest Ho came out and said HELLO to the world! Rather loudly. Born by Caesarian section (elective, seeing as our other two were by emergency c-section, we had no choice with this little lad), all is well with baby and mum. 9lbs and 11ozs, he's a bit of a heavy lump! So cute though. I've already peppered his head with hundreds of kisses - I'm at it pretty much constantly, much to Laura's amusement. In the early morning dash, to the hospital, guess who forgot their camera. Luckily, Laura remembered hers. It'll be a while before she lets me forget that one. All the pictures taken when our wee one was literally minutes old...are from my wife's point & click compact camera! Wives, they're wonderful things. Always keeping you right. More images should follow in due course (shhh...but with a proper camera this time)! Oh and we need a boys name pretty quickly...

Nicola & Ian

2010-02-02T19:54:00.005Z

Hi Nicola & Ian, here's your wedding day storybook design. I can't think of many who would be as adventurous as the two of you were when it came to your wedding photography. In the middle of December and sub zero temperatures, you decided that my crazy idea of running down the middle Princes Street in full wedding attire, drawing gasps from the Xmas shoppers, and then waltzing into Princes St Gardens in the evening to sample the fairground atmosphere was a good one! I'm thrilled beyond belief with the pictures we managed to create together! And it was truly a team effort. I hope they bring you back as many smiles as they do for me everytime I look at them. Thank you both incredibly for trusting in my imagination and running with my ideas (literally). It was a pleasure and a privilege. Speak soon. David

Click here for the storybook: www.davidho.co.uk/nicola&ian

Nice shoes!

2010-01-28T14:24:00.007Z

I've photographed my fair share of glamourous heels over the years but Rachael, your Chanels were pretty extraordinary. I know you searched the 4 corners of the globe for them. But very simply WOW! Your wonderful wedding at the Tythe Barn in Oxfordshire fell right in the middle of my hectic period so I didn't get a chance to properly blog it (same with a handful of other weddings in Oct/Nov). But your and Peter's big day was an amazing affair - you both could not have been kinder to me or more accommodating. Thank you!! If you were to do it all again tomorrow, regardless of where in the UK, I'd be there in a shot :-) Really look forward to presenting you both with a storybook to treasure.

Shelley & Keith's Storybook

2010-01-20T16:56:00.012Z

There's Shelley. And there's Nicola. Two beautiful sisters and, along with their husbands Kenny and Keith, four of the most genuine, kind hearted and down to earth people you could ever meet. I had the pleasure and privilege of photographing Nic and Kenny's wedding earlier in the year. And more recently, it was Shelley's turn to tie the knot with her fiance Keith at Harburn House. And here's what I managed to create. Put very simply, it was an absolutely glorious day, the guys were full of laughter and so much fun, the girls were so elegant and just impossibly gorgeous. Give me a wedding like this every week. PLEASE!!! :-)

Click here for the storybook www.davidho.co.uk/shelley&keith

www.manhattanstudio.co.uk

2009-12-29T17:27:00.007Z

A favourite image of mine from a recent photo-session. Well done Cali, your entire set of images were great! And guaranteed, your friends will be so envious :-) To book a portraiture session with me in my studio, just click www.manhattanstudio.co.uk

The Dome

2009-12-23T13:35:00.013Z

Some Christmassy images of The Dome in Edinburgh which I was kindly commissioned to do last week. They've really gone all out with the festive look. Warm, inviting, glittery - it's the perfect place to have your Christmas night out. I love it there for an evening tipple!

White Christmas anyone?

2009-12-22T19:04:00.005Z

It's looking that way...and I can't wait! Samuel and Mileah in the back garden literally 5 minutes ago revelling in the white stuff and seemingly very pleased with their accomplishment :-) Oblivious to the fact that it's probably causing chaos on the roads up and down the country. But then again, why should they worry? Let us adults do all that. Santa's coming!!

Venice

2009-11-23T19:48:00.020Z

What an action packed month. I've just returned from a 3 day trip to Venice where I photographed Jonathan & Laura's special day. For believing in me, for giving me my first taste of Venice, I'll be forever grateful to Jonathan & Laura. What an beautiful, enchanting place. The tight alleyways and crowded canals, the small ornate bridges and classic gondolas, the breathtaking, romantic architecture whichever way you looked. I close my eyes and I still see grand palaces and marble archways. An amazing place for an amazing couple. I hope I did you both proud. Actually, I know I have :-) Some previews!

Helen & Jason

2009-11-01T10:48:00.005Z

Really wonderful to see Helen & Jason again. And also young Matthew, Phoebe and Oscar. Helen was the super helpful (and also incredibly glamourous) bridesmaid on the day of her sister Claire's wedding up at Dunrobin Castle. She took the bull by the horns and rallied the troops for family photographs when the time came and I'll be forever grateful for her persuasive powers! Here are some lovely family photographs by which to remember Jason's 40th year, taken at their gorgeous family home in north Perthshire.

What a busy month!

2009-10-27T21:20:00.004Z

Just an incredible month or two where I've barely had time to catch my breath never mind keep up to date with regular blogs. I'm so behind on blogging, it's unreal. Don't worry, I intend to catch up! I've a mountain of storybooks to design, a load of winter weddings still to shoot, new websites to design, next years advertising to plan. I love Christmas but please nobody mention the word just yet!

Here's one of the storybooks I've just finished designing from the clutch of wonderful weddings I've had the pleasure of photographing over the past month. www.davidho.co.uk/dolina&douglas Dolina & Douglas, thank you for asking me to photograph your wedding. Graceful, elegant, timeless, fun...fitting words to describe the storybook I've designed for you. And also words which perfectly sum up your wedding day. It'll be a day much talked about for a long time!

STUDIO EXPRESS

2009-09-15T23:03:00.012+01:00

My family photography studio up in Perth has just launched STUDIO EXPRESS and we want the whole world to know about it! So much so that Jodie and Dana decided to go on the marketing offensive and let the entire city of Perth know exactly what MANHATTAN KIDS is all about. Armed with flyers and balloons and THE loudest, most colourful outfits possible, our aim was to charm toddlers and mums and dads alike! And it worked amazingly well. They must have handed out 1000 leaflets between them. I mean who wouldn't take time out from their Saturday shopping to chat to these two?!? Great effort, great fun and hopefully a great number of studio portrait bookings. At only £20 per studio session (and just look at the quality of the photography you get) it's such an incredible deal. If you're interested in booking a studio session, please just drop Jodie an email via the website: www.manhattankids.co.uk

A big thank you to The Chicken Shop in Kirkcaldy, for supplying the wonderful fancy dress! Please do visit their website and pay them a visit if you have a special event coming up http://www.chickenshop.co.uk/

Linsey & Mark's storybook

2009-09-15T21:19:00.006+01:00

Hello Linsey & Mark, I have huge pleasure in presenting you with your 1st draft storybook design. It looks amazing! I could photograph a wedding like yours every week. The patience and the time you both invested into the photography process was a breath of fresh air. I'll be in touch soon and take you through how to choose which pages you'd like to have included in your final storybook. I have a feeling you'll be sorely tempted to take the vast majority! Thank you so much for trusting me with photography on such a wonderful occasion.

Please click here to see the 1st draft: www.davidho.co.uk/linsey&mark

Emma & Paul's Storybook

2009-09-02T18:42:00.002+01:00

Hi guys! It's been a long time coming. And I know a lot of people have been holding their breaths to see this. Most of all you two! Thank you so much for your patience and understanding. I've just been so behind now that busy season is in full swing. The great news is that your storybook is an absolute cracker! One of the best this year. I'm so over the moon with it. And it just goes to show that the time we set aside and spent together on your wedding day has been soooo worth while :-) I hope you'll agree that it's been worth the wait. Will be in touch very soon. David

Please click here: www.davidho.co.uk/emma&paul

2009-08-28T11:41:00.004+01:00

Some photographer colleagues of mine brought this to my attention via a forum of which I'm a member of. And I'm totally astonished! I love astronomy and all the theories to do with the creation of the universe and our understanding of the laws that govern it. But I'm not sure my brain can cope with the scale of some of these objects and how minscule we are!

Michelle & Derek's wedding

2009-08-25T16:49:00.010+01:00

Hello Michelle & Derek, today was a long time coming wasn't it? :-) And we could not have hoped for a more glorious day. It was a real pleasure to spend the day with you and meet your families who were just the most generous and considerate people. And your friends, well, they were all very obviously up for a great time! I'm so glad we had a pre-wedding shoot under our belts - you were both professional models when the time came :-) I'm delighted with the results so far. Michelle you were stunning. And your husband looked the part too!! You are so obviously made for each other. Have a great honeymoon and we'll speak when you get back!

Thank you!

2009-08-10T01:23:00.007+01:00

To all my recent bride & grooms who so obviously put the process of photography at the top of their list of priorities. For allowing me the freedom to do things my way, running with my creative and often outrageous suggestions when asked (trusting me implicitly) but most importantly giving me enough time. Working with me prior to the wedding to create a spaced out and practical timetable for the entire day which allows enough photography time. But most importantly on the wedding day itself, ensuring 110% that we don't sacrifice the agreed photography time regardless of any circumstance - late hair and make up, cars stuck in traffic, over-eager caterers, whatever! Thank you!

Emma & Paul

2009-08-10T00:53:00.008+01:00

It's been a while since I photographed a wedding at the very ancient but very beautiful Linlithgow Palace. Such an historic Scottish venue for the union of 2 wonderful people. Emma & Paul, thank you for asking me to photograph your wedding and share the day with 40 of your nearest and dearest. All the way from Oman in the Middle East, it was always going to be something a little bit special to entice you both to exchange your vows in Scotland. Thank you dearly for taking my photography direction so willingly. You ran with my creative and sometimes wacky :-) suggestions with such enthusiasm & good humour!! Thank you also for taking my advice and setting aside enough 'playtime' for photography before and after the wedding meal. All this means that it is now impossible not to create a beautiful storybook. It's people like you, Emma & Paul, that help me make beautiful photographs possible. And the reason why I enjoy what I do, as much as I do.

Our new 'STUDIO EXPRESS' service

2009-08-09T22:50:00.008+01:00

We've just launched our new 'studio express' family photography service! A professional family photography session in our studio is now only £10. It's superquick, it's fuss-free and a whole lot of fun! Simply contact Jodie my studio manager, make an appointment, come to our Perth studio and let us create some family photographs for you which are just out of this world. Please click here for the website www.manhattankids.co.uk and then just drop us an email!

James & Gabriela

2009-08-08T12:34:00.005+01:00

Totally my kind of people :-) Kind, patient and willing to give anything a go! Which then pushes my imagination to come up with more and more extravagant and outrageous ideas. The photography process was such a fun time. That's always my aim. And the end result is still work-in-progress but is looking amazing. Sounds a little odd but, next to saying 'I do', jumping into a field of corn can be the most memorable thing you'll do on your wedding day :-) And I guarantee you James & Gabriela, many years from now, looking back on your beautiful album, you'll be incredibly glad you jumped over the fence with me! Thank you for giving me enough time to give you my best.

Linsey & Mark's wedding

2009-07-28T00:26:00.007+01:00

Hello Linsey & Mark! Thank you for asking me to photograph your wedding at Balbirnie House. You both were so accommodating on the day, down to earth and patient when it came to photography. Linsey, you were so considerate and just a joy to be around. And Mark is as gracious and as kindhearted as they come! Thank you both for being so enthusiastic! I'm delighted for you that I have so many fantastic pictures which I'm working my way through and perfecting as we speak. It was just a great day spent with great company at a great venue. And a real pleasure to photograph 2 people so obviously into each other. It really shows. I'm up to my eyeballs just now and it's taking me a bit longer to BLOG let alone design storybooks but here are a just few lovely previews...

Heather & Adam's storybook

2009-07-25T22:32:00.006+01:00

I know you've been holding your breath for this Heather & Adam. Thank you so much for your patience! I hope you agree with me that it's completely worth the wait! I'm so pleased with your storybook. It really does fully capture a special day at a such a beautiful setting. Thank you again for inviting me down to Peckforton Castle. Like so many couples this year, you gave me so much of your time and so much of your energy on your wedding day. And the results are just amazing because of that. You both completely deserve it. Thank you for trusting me. Click here to relive some fantastic memories. Will be in touch soon! www.davidho.co.uk/heather&adam Comments welcome as always!

Beautiful Family Photography

2009-07-22T22:54:00.004+01:00

Some very recent images from Jodie my studio manager for MANHATTAN KIDS. Really beautiful stuff. I'm so pleased for our lovely clients that they'll have such stunning images to treasure as their kids grow up. Click here to visit the MANHATTAN KIDS website and to book Jodie for a Home Photography Session www.manhattankids.co.uk

Mentoring Sessions with ME!

2009-07-21T23:20:00.002+01:00

Want to see how I do it and learn the nuts & bolts?

1-2-1 Photography Tutorials by ME!

2009-07-21T23:07:00.005+01:00

Kickstart a new hobby or if you simply want to take a giant leap forward...

Martina & Darren's storybook

2009-07-21T15:35:00.003+01:00

Hi Martina & Darren

Here it is! I hope this brings back some wonderful memories of a lovely wedding day surrounded by family and friends who so obviously care about you deeply. I'm so happy with how the story unfolds!! Enjoy & speak soon! David

Please click here for the music slideshow www.davidho.co.uk/martina&darren All comments welcome, as always!

Rachel & Mark's wedding!

2009-07-05T15:13:00.023+01:00

Here are a few previews from a marvellous wedding celebration at St Mary's church in Haddington and then onto historic Lennoxlove House, East Lothian which I had the pleasure of photographing yesterday. A really fun crowd of 120 family and friends assembled to witness and share in Rachel & Mark's big day. Plus a few Aussie gatecrashers too :-)) Thank you Rachel for being so willing and so 'up for' beautiful, dramatic photography and for accepting so graciously my constant barrage of wacky ideas! :-) It was worth it. Your time & enthusiasm, especially pre-ceremony, has resulted in some breathtaking bridal portraits. And thank you also Mark for your kind patience and good humour throughout the entire day. I don't think laughter will EVER be in short supply when you're around! A lovely thing to observe.

The end result represents EXACTLY how I love to photograph weddings; a lot of fun & a lot of glamour. From that point of view, I couldn't be happier and more excited to show you. We'll speak soon on your return from honeymoon! :-) Comments welcome as always!!

Nicola & Kenny's storybook!

2009-07-02T21:40:00.010+01:00

Hi Nic & Kenny! Here it is! And it's just as spectacular as I knew it would be. I'm so pleased for you both because you deserve the best. And I'm pretty sure I've given you just that. Thank you for letting me be part of such a wonderful & fun wedding. Some of the shots of the two of you together just make me smile so much - it's cos you fit so perfectly and look great together! Enjoy the memories and we'll speak soon. Please just click here www.davidho.co.uk/nicola&kenny

Comments welcome as always!!

Heather & Adam's wedding

2009-06-30T22:50:00.018+01:00

Yesterday I was mostly...photographing a wedding at Peckforton Castle. Down in sunny Cheshire! The lovely and new Mr & Mrs Berry invited me down to Englandshire to photograph their special day at the historic venue. A grand, old (beautiful) castle but with only 25 of their close family and friends! I love close knit weddings like that. It was a wonderful experience for me personally too. Andrew and I stayed-over the night before, at the same luxurious MacDonald Spa hotel as the wedding party, which itself was only 5mins from the castle - the logistics were so stress free.

The whole build up to the wedding day itself was just very relaxed and easy going. And also knowing that after the wedding was over, we were going to stay the night-of (as opposed to enduring a 4 hour trek back to Scotland) well, that put our minds at ease too! So we were fresh, relaxed and completely on-the-ball. Thank you Heather & Adam. I hope you have an amazing time in Crete. And thank you especially for giving me the time that I needed before the ceremony, after the ceremony AND after the meal! And because of that time, without a doubt, I gave you my absolute best effort.

Last reminder to enter our JUNE competition!!

2009-06-25T23:26:00.010+01:00

Click here to visit my family & children's photography website and book a home photo-session now! www.manhattankids.co.uk

Martina & Darren

2009-06-22T19:02:00.008+01:00

My 3rd wedding of the week and it's fair to say I'm just a bit exhausted! It feels like I've travelled the length and breadth of Scotland recently but I couldn't have chosen a more perfect wedding to end the week with. And if I were to photograph a million weddings, I would not come across a more genuine and kind hearted family than the Rodie's. I had the immense pleasure of photographing Vanessa's (and her husband Andy's) wedding a couple of years back at Glasgow Uni and then onto the Brig O'Doon. And today it was the turn of her equally beautiful sister Martina and her fiance Darren who tied the knot at St Gabriel's and then onto the Lochgreen House. Thank you so much Martina for trusting me with your wedding photography. And thank you too Darren for going along with my outlandish ideas! If ever proof was needed that you'd do absolutely anything to make Martina happy...I just want you both to know that I'm over the moon with the results. It was fantastic fun. You both absolutely deserve each and every beautiful image after the time & energy you gave to me. Have a great honeymoon and we'll speak soon!

Clare & Tim's wedding day

2009-06-22T18:09:00.009+01:00

Having had the pleasure of meeting Clare in person prior to the wedding day, I was left in no doubt that this would be an extremely well organised event with the maximum emphasis on fun & informality for the gathered family and friends. And having not met Tim prior to the big day, it was just so heartwarming to observe just what a good match he and Clare were. From the moment they set eyes on each other at St Bride's church, throughout the ceremony and for the rest of the day at Balbirnie House, it was plain to see how some things were just meant to be. Thank you Clare & Tim for following my lead on the day when it came to photography. I can't wait to show you the results! Best wishes.

Suzie & Jet

2009-06-18T21:21:00.007+01:00

Thank you Suzie & Jet for asking me to photograph your big day. Not many would sacrifice glitz and glamour of sunny Los Angeles to get hitched in blustery old Edinburgh. But the pull of Suzie's family links to Scotland and the romance of getting married at an ancient Scottish castle was just too much. And I'm glad you both did. What an incredibly emotional ceremony that was in the Auld Keep. The atmosphere was electric. I'm so delighted with the images taken - and you even brought some of that Californian sunshine with you especially for the family groupshots! I can't wait to get cracking on the storybook layout asap. Stay in touch & best wishes for now. All comments welcome!

Timings for your wedding day

2009-06-16T20:21:00.020+01:00

Alongside a couple's willingness & enthusiasm, TIMINGS for photography is such a crucial thing to get right. For me to give you the best of my ability, my recommendation for minimum photography timings is as follows...

(i) The bride to be fully ready 1 hour before the cars come to whisk you away / or 1 hour before exiting the castle's bridal chamber. The bridemaids & parents preferably to be ready well before the bride.
(ii) The boys to be fully ready at the church/ceremony location a full 2 hours before the ceremony starts.
(iii) A full 2 hour gap between the end of the ceremony and the start of the receiving line (if the ceremony and reception are to happen at the same venue). Build in travel time if the ceremony and the reception are at different venues so that the vital 2 hour gap at the reception venue is maintained. Don't allow your venue to chop this down!
(iv) A 1 hour gap between the end of the meal and the start of the dancing

With these guidelines as a bare minimum, the sky's the limit in terms of what I can give you. Anything less and it will have the opposite effect on the quantity/variety of photography. My main objective is to give my couples absolutely everything I possibly can and not let their value for money be constrained by something which can so easily be planned for, before the wedding i.e. by simply setting aside enough time.

Here it is :-)

2009-06-15T22:09:00.006+01:00

Michelle & Derek's pre-wedding shoot

2009-06-14T21:25:00.020+01:00

Hi Michelle & Derek! Great to see you both today! August 22nd will be on you before you know it! I'm really glad we got the chance to do our pre-wedding shoot this afternoon, to go through a few set pieces and just generally get to know each other so much better. You now know how my imagination works :-) And just how cool do you both look together?!

What a brilliant experience today was. And such a useful one too; when the wedding day comes round, posing will be like second nature and you will both just fall into place :-) The result? Stunning wedding pictures of course! We spent a fun-filled hour today. We chatted loads and did so much. And as we chatted I remember saying that there are basically 2 main ingredients to beautiful images (1) time (2) co-operation. You gave me both those 2 things so willingly today! Thank you. Well, the proofs in the pudding and I can't wait to show you the rest :-) See you soon.

The highlight of my day...

2009-06-09T15:45:00.033+01:00

I took 5 minutes out of my working day to simply watch my wee girl dance & play! It's moments like these that makes me wish time could stand still. I just had to turn it into a forever moment with my camera. Seeing her smile makes everything worthwhile. Mileah has just turned 4 and I love her to bits!! I hope she loves this as much as I do when she grows up :-) Comments welcome (as always with anything I post)!

Family Photography Competition JUNE 2009

2009-06-08T09:19:00.004+01:00

My studio is holding a fantastic competition this month where you could win yourself and your family a FREE home photo-session (or a FREE photo-session out on location) plus stunning Wall Art products to adorn the walls of your home. All you have to do is to visit the website www.manhattankids.co.uk and email us with the answer to one simple question! So if it's about time you, the kids or the entire family are due some beautiful professional photographs, you've got nothing to lose. And rather a lot to win!! Give it a go :-)

Nicola & Kenny's wedding at The Balmoral, Edinburgh

2009-06-07T22:08:00.019+01:00

What can I say about yesterday?! I'd been looking forward to your wedding for ages, Nic & Kenny. I'd say we've gotten to know each other fairly well! You were both so much fun on your wedding day and so up for being directed by me that you deserve a storybook that's out of this world. Just as well because that's how it's looking so far! I have to say that it's something so special to me when I photograph a bride & groom who are as kind, as genuine, as enthusiastic (and as funny!) as the two of you are. Beautiful wedding photography is a team effort and your wedding is a prime example of what can be achieved.

You made the effort before the wedding day to do a pre-wedding shoot with me PLUS you made damn sure that I had as much time as I needed throughout the wedding day itself so that I could give you everything I possibly could. So thank you for investing so much of your time, patience and energy in me. And for putting photography right at the top of your list of priorities. I'm absolutely over the moon with all the wonderful images WE created together!

Liz & Nik's wedding

2009-06-07T13:18:00.011+01:00

Some quick previews of a stunning castle wedding which I had the pleasure of photographing recently. A very small intimate affair (only 9 family & friends) but that made it all the more special. You are both such gentle, giving and considerate people, Liz & Nik. A perfect match for each other in every way. With the help of LITU, wedding planners extraordinaire, I was privileged enough to spend a beautiful day with you at Dalhousie Castle. Seems like only yesterday! Thank you Liz and Nik for trusting in my imagination and I look forward very much to showing you your storybook design.

Wedding at Dunrobin Castle

2009-06-04T11:31:00.008+01:00

Thank you to Claire & Simon for inviting me up to Dunrobin Castle, way up north, to photograph their special day. What an amazing, fairytale setting! Honestly, you want to google it. The actual ceremony took place in the sleepy town of Dornoch, in the cathedral, which has seen it's fair share of famous people tying the knot there. And with pure blue sky & a blazing sun, you really couldn't ask for more. Anyways, here are a few previews from an extravagant, breathtaking day.

Children's Photography

2009-05-28T14:03:00.005+01:00

A lovely image of lovely kids from a lovely family! From a recent Home Photo-Session. Drop Jodie an email or call to chat about family photography or to make an appointment. www.manhattankids.co.uk

Thanks Kirsten!

2009-05-25T15:39:00.012+01:00

What a brilliant gal! Kirsten volunteered herself for a photo-shoot on Sunday so that Jodie and I could try out some different ideas on lighting, posing & equipment. Many thanks Kirsten for your afternoon spent with us. Even though both you and your dad were a bit hungover from his 40th birthday party, the day before, you did really great! So patient too. Kirsten, I hope you'll love the images we'll give you in return. I'm pretty sure none of your friends will have anything like them :-) See you soon & best wishes for now. Comments welcome as always.

Pre-wedding shoots

2009-05-20T18:52:00.009+01:00

Just thought I'd blog this image for no reason other than...I really like it :-) From a recent pre-wedding shoot I did with Nic and Kenny whose wedding in June I'm so looking forward to. Personally I think pre-wedding shoots are a great idea! It's a win/win situation all round. First of all, pre-wedding shoots give you the opportunity to get to know me much better. You can experience firsthand how I direct, how I tweak, how I work, so that on the wedding day itself, everything I do will be familiar to you and everything will fall into place much more naturally. You will be far, far more confident in front of the camera because of the pre-wedding shoot experience. Secondly, in the absence of any wedding day pressures, you're going to be 100 times more relaxed and much more willing to let your hair down. And that is going to come through loud and clear in the images I create for you. Fun, natural, very cool looking images that you can both treasure forever.

Wedding of Elizabeth & Graham

2009-05-17T23:40:00.010+01:00

Hi Elizabeth & Graham! Well, wasn't that was some day? Everything went perfectly to plan. It could not have gone any smoother. And it was no surprise that you, Elizabeth, did the majority of the planning! Well done to you both for pulling together such a brilliant wedding celebration for your family and friends.

Thank you for trusting me with capturing the entire day and for being so giving with your time & energy. It was wonderful how you outshone even my own wacky imagination with your suggestion, Elizabeth, that we involve the castle's llamas in your wedding photographs. I love it! Well didn't we do just that! Best wishes for now and we'll speak soon. Comments always welcome.

Speechless!

2009-05-17T11:11:00.008+01:00

OMG. I think I may have misspent my youth! He's 12 years old, his name is Sungha Jung and he's only been playing guitar for a few years. But he's rather good at it...

He's a bit clever isn't he?

2009-05-15T22:12:00.010+01:00

Just ossum :-) Nothing is more inspiring than seeing someone reach the top of their game. Practice, practice, practice. There's positively no substitute. Right! I'm going to play my guitar daily...

Jennie & Gerry's Storybook

2009-05-14T18:51:00.009+01:00

Here it is Jennie & Gerry - how your amazing wedding day unfolded from my point of view! I hope you have a brilliant time looking back on what was a wonderful day spent in the company of wonderful people. I'll be in touch asap as to what to do next. And please let all your family and friends know that the storybook is now online - they've been emailing me regularly for days now! Thank you all for your patience btw - it's worth the wait! Best wishes for now. http://www.davidho.co.uk/jennie&gerry/ Comments welcome as always.

Introducing our new IMAGE BOX

2009-05-12T14:55:00.011+01:00

Something really very classy has just landed in our photography studio! Designed especially for family & children's photography (see www.manhattankids.co.uk) this new Image Box is designed to hold 15 of your most favourite pictures from your family or kids photo-session with us. Your chosen images are professionally printed (size 7inx5in) and then properly mounted in rigid white mountboard. The Image Box itself is a sturdy thing and you can have any image you like printed actually on the lid itself. You also get a lovely wooden table-top easel, so that you can handsomely show off one mount at a time on your mantel piece. For me, quality of construction is everything. And the Image Box is beautifully made. Now you have a real alternative to having frames and enlargements on your wall. Drop Jodie an email to book your family photo-session now! www.manhattankids.co.uk

Thank you Vicki & Chris!

2009-05-10T09:50:00.011+01:00

Look what the postman brought! Thank you Vicki & Chris so much for a truly unique and HUGELY appreciated box of beautiful biscuits. Normally you wouldn't describe biscuits as 'beautiful' but these were ornate, intricate works of art as opposed to digestives you dunk in your tea. My whole family gathered round intrigued as to what could be inside this wonderfully decorated silver tin! When we took the lid off, we saw all these tiny little tasties shaped in the form of wedding day items; the wedding dress, the cake, the shoes, the accessories. Very brilliantly done! Thank you again for the gift but it was completely my privilege to photograph your special day! Keep in touch.

Pre wedding shoot of Nicola & Kenny

2009-05-03T20:51:00.013+01:00

Not long til your wedding now, Nicola & Kenny! Roll on the 6th June at the Balmoral Hotel. I had a brilliant time photographing your engagement session today. You were absolute stars. Fun, patient and just so willing to trust & be directed by me. Thank you for putting yourselves completely in my hands. It worked a dream. And today will stand us in good stead for your big day when it comes round. 'Cos you now know exactly what to expect; a heck of a lot of fun! Best wishes for now. Here are some previews and I'll be in touch soon with the rest. All comments welcomed!

Take stunning pictures...NOW!

2009-04-30T01:43:00.017+01:00

I'm thrilled at the response so far for my 1-2-1 tutorials and mentoring sessions. I had to do something to help slow down the requests for help & photography advice by email and phone! It's such a pleasure now since the one common denominator of the people I meet is their enormous enthusiam. Simply being around them reinvigorates ME! I've even had enquiries from as far away as Brazil! Grace, I look forward to meeting you. Thank you all. I'll keep doing my best.

Family & children's photography

2009-04-28T16:01:00.010+01:00

A couple of recent examples of why Manhattan Kids is the best family & children's photography studio in the world. Probably :-) Family time is so precious, childhoods are priceless. Don't put it off! Let us capture your whole family, just as they are now. Please visit the website, drop Jodie an email and book your home photography session now! www.manhattankids.co.uk

Football

2009-04-27T22:22:00.009+01:00

For better or worse, I'm a huge football fan! And have been for as long as I can remember. I just love my Sunday afternoons, rehydrating myself, after a full days wedding, with cool beers in front of Sky Sports. The excitement, the intensity, the twists and turns of the English Premiership really takes some beating. I stumbled upon this Sky Sports promo again recently starring Sean Bean. And it still gives me goosebumps! Maybe it's just a guy thing :-)

Paddy & Grant's wedding at Dundas Castle

2009-04-27T13:19:00.018+01:00

Thank you Paddy & Grant for asking me to be your wedding photographer on your special day at Dundas Castle. It was precisely the fun packed, excitement filled celebration that I was expecting, given the healthy Irish influence! The sun shone non stop; just another sure sign that some things were meant to be. Thank you both for investing so much of your time and yourselves into the wedding photography process. Grant, you are as patient & kindhearted as Paddy is beautiful. Both your families were as gracious as the two of you; a complete joy to photograph and to work with. Fingers crossed you'll both come back in one piece from swimming with Great Whites in South Africa!! I'm positive you will absolutely love the images and the storybook I've created for you. All comments welcome!

New toys!

2009-04-27T09:22:00.007+01:00

I love new toys. I'm like a 6 year old boy on Christmas morning. Or so my wife keeps reminding me, her eyeballs rolling skyward. "Merely tools for the job" I reply, with a huge smile, as I excitedly rip open the warehouse packaging.

For the photographers amongst you, I'm going to give this lens a shot. After much deliberation. To fund it's purchase, I'm selling my Nikon 85mm f1.8 (sniff - love that portrait lens) and replacing it with this: the Tamron 90mm f2.8 macro. My reasoning is 3 fold; firstly, it's a supersharp piece of glass at the perfect focal length for portraits (so it's more or less a direct replacement for the 85mm, save the max aperture). Secondly, it gives me that bit more reach (during the speeches, for example). Thirdly, it's a sunning macro lens for shooting all those lovely little details. Makes sense :-)

Jen & Gerry's Scottish Castle Wedding

2009-04-19T16:24:00.027+01:00

Talk about an eventful Scottish wedding! It says so much about the new Mr & Mrs Skelton, when you see the determination & good humour with which they overcame hurdle after hurdle in order to make this day a resounding success for their family & friends, who had travelled so far. From lost luggage to missing marriage certificates(!) the day very nearly didn't happen. But everyone, family from both sides, pulled together to make sure that wasn't the case. I was delighted to be their chosen wedding photographer. And in the end, what a fantastic, joyous, action packed celebration it turned out to be!

Thank you Jen & Gerry for your generosity, kindness and patience shown to me throughout your wedding day. Your time investment and enthusiasm for wedding photography will be justly rewarded. Here are just a few previews from what turned out to be a beautiful and most memorable day at Dalhousie Castle. Have fun and take care on those ski slopes. Maybe give him a head start Jen! :-) As always, everyone, feel free to leave your comments!

Back from honeymoon!

2009-04-13T17:02:00.028+01:00

That's Laura & I home from the Maldives!! We had a beautiful time together. What an amazing place. Paradise. Just like in Bounty adverts. You have got to try an island in the Maldives. Do what we did, save like mad and just do it! There's so much to tell. And so much to look back on and enjoy. After 10 blissful days, I've come back to a mountain of messages & emails to reply to so pleeeease give me a few days on that. And when the workload clears, I'll elaborate more on our adventure in the sun. And of course there'll be lots of holiday photos to share.

For the photographers amongst you, I took with me an old Nikon D70 (must have cost me £150 from ebay) plus a 35mm f2.0 fixed lens. And that was it. Cheap as chips but a totally reliable set up and beautiful results, sharp as a tack. I call it my 'don't-care-if-I-drop-it-in-the-ocean' camera. No flash, no superzooms, no tripod, no billion pixel SLR. The point being, as I keep banging on, fancy equipment ranks pretty low in the grand scheme of things when it comes to taking great pictures. Top of the list is hard earned experience gained through many years of exercising your mind's eye and through simple trial and error. Just get out and take lots of pictures. As often as you can. It really is the only way to get better. Eventually you'll see & just 'know' what works. As always, please feel free to write a comment :-)

Photography Playtime with Rachel & Ian!

2009-03-29T20:38:00.036+01:00

One of my favourite bride & grooms of all time - Rachel & Ian! I cannot believe I managed to talk them into yet another crazy 'Trash the Dress' session! You'd think they'd have learned their lesson by now. Seriously though, they are such good sports and so much fun. And Rachel deserved every bit of the standing ovation she drew from the gathered crowd after her frolick in the freezing river Forth. Full marks for her pink wellies too!

The focus of this particular outing was to give my team (Andrew T, Andrew W, Jodie) a chance to stretch their wings & imagination to the max. I personally love to shoot in a way that's very glamourous, very bold and really fun. And it's satisfying seeing my influences coming through in the images they take - it proves I'm not talking to myself :-) But it's even more fulfilling for me to see them take all that they've learned and give it their own individual twist.

I deliberately left my camera bag at home but (typical me) I just could not resist taking a few shots by hijacking Jodie's camera. Here are just a couple of previews from me & Jodie. The boy's images will follow. It just shows what you can do given an enthusiastic bride & groom and a lot of play time. Everyone should build in as much play time into their wedding day as possible! Oh and some water thrown in too. Please feel free to leave a comment :-)

Do you want to shoot weddings & portraits?

2009-03-27T16:01:00.015Z

So many people have asked me over the years about how I got into photography, how I create the images I do, what it takes to survive and prosper in the hugely competitive field that is wedding & portrait photography. Generally they ask this with a view to perhaps taking the plunge themselves. Well, I've been going for over 10 years and still going strong (touch wood) so I must be doing something right. And one thing I can say is that it definitely ain't easy! And to jump into the social photography market, particularly in this climate, and make a good go of it...yes it is possible but it's risky. You need skill, you need experience and above all else, you need to be fully informed. Certainly before you even dream about leaving the day job.

So I've devised a Mentoring Session, whereby I can give you a little taster and perhaps open your eyes just that little bit wider. I will offer my insight into the wedding photography industry (as I see it), share my experience, my picture taking know-how, tricks of the trade and inform you as far as possible about the leap you're about to make. It never ceases to amaze me when I interview potential new team members, particularly recent photography graduates, how overconfident, underprepared and misinformed they are about the realities of running and sustaining a profitable social photography business. My mentoring sessions will go a long way to address that. Feel free to comment :-)

Photography of The Dome, Edinburgh

2009-03-25T18:24:00.011Z

I had the pleasure of doing some interior photography for one of my favourite venues in Edinburgh; The Dome in George Street. Absolutely stunning decor and a very classy place to hang out & de-stress on a Friday evening. Part I involved 2 private function rooms and some corporate areas. Can't wait to go back to shoot the main bar in part II.

Samuel the kickboxing champ

2009-03-22T19:16:00.012Z

I'm so proud of my wee boy. He's 7 years old and full of dedication to a sport he really enjoys. He just loves going kickboxing training with his friend Robbie, every Wednesday, after school. His club "Raptors" entered him into his first ever kickboxing tournament today and although he was paired with taller boys and girls of 10 and 11, he still came back clutching a silver and a bronze. He's such a wee gem. Always delighted for you to comment :-) Samuel too!

Time for tea

2009-03-16T14:06:00.009Z

Really looking forward to dinner tonight. Laura's just prepared a steak pie from scratch. That kind of hearty, cosy, rustic meal is right up my alley! Especially when it's howling a gale outside. Some carrots and peas, lots of gravy.

And a huge portion of wedges. Can't wait!

PS It was eye wateringly good!

Jennifer & Richard's Storybook

2009-03-04T09:48:00.005Z

Hello you two! I know you've been holding your breath for this. I'm pretty sure you'll see that it's been worth the wait. I'm absolutely delighted with how it looks! Thank you both for letting me capture your beautiful wedding at Dalhousie Castle. You were both a dream to photograph. Patient, enthusiastic, willing to spend the time and be directed by me into some crazy (but always fun) positions! I'd work with you every week if I could. I'll be in touch very soon!

Please just click hear to see the draft layout: www.davidho.co.uk/jennifer&richard Comments welcome.

Another year wiser

2009-03-02T14:25:00.004Z

Happy Birthday to me,
Happy Birthday to me,
I've just turned 36,
But I feel 63!

Samuel & Mileah, the original Manhattan Kids

2009-02-21T15:22:00.008Z

Here are a couple of recent images of my wee ones I took the other day. A simple 50mm lens, some nice window light and some willing (well trained) subjects :-) It just goes to show that fancy equipment comes a very distant 3rd. Please drop Jodie, my studio manager, an email if you'd love similarly beautiful images of your kids. She's a fine children's photographer. And probably one of the best family photographers in Scotland just now, especially when it comes to making the most of on-location shoots i.e. photo-sessions in your own home and garden. Simply email her via my children's photography website and have a good old chat. www.manhattankids.co.uk

Anne & Anhtuan

2009-02-20T13:03:00.012Z

As much as I thrive on the chaos, variety and unpredictability of large weddings, I do appreciate the intimacy and the relaxed pace of smaller celebrations. Only 10 guests accompanied Anne & Anhtuan all the way from Houston, Texas to witness their marriage ceremony at Dalhousie Castle in Scotland. In the quiet & serene ambience of a half empty castle, the significance of what they were doing seemed all the greater. And with time & space & a very willing couple on my side, I really got to stretch my wings! Thank you both for inviting me to be there.

Blyth Bridge

2009-02-19T20:02:00.007Z

This is my home studio space in Blyth Bridge where all my pre-wedding chats happen. Look forward to seeing you here!

Lea & Duncan's storybook

2009-02-12T18:18:00.003Z

Hello! Here it is Lea & Duncan. Sit back, relax and enjoy the music slideshow of how your wedding day unfolded as seen through my camera lens. Thank you for asking me to document such a wonderful time in your lives. You both invested so much of yourselves into the photography process that I'm just over the moon now to be presenting you with one of my very best.

Please click here: http://www.davidho.co.uk/lea&duncan/

Isla & James

2009-01-23T15:44:00.008Z

Hi guys,

Here it is! And I hope you love it as much as I do! Have a wonderful time looking back on what was a stunning day. I'm just so over the moon about how the images have turned out! I'll be in touch v soon. Best wishes for now. David

To see it, please click this link: www.davidho.co.uk/isla&james

Sharing one umbrella

We have to hold each other

Round the waist to keep together.

You ask me why I'm smiling -

It's because I'm thinking

I want it to rain forever.

Vicky Feaver (1943 - )

Looking forward to a dram...

2009-01-12T16:05:00.004Z

When the working day done, I think we all look forward to a wee refreshment or two!

Lea & Duncan

2009-01-04T14:14:00.011Z

Here are some previews of the fantastic wedding which happened at Balbirnie House yesterday and which I had the pleasure of photographing. Thank you Lea & Duncan for asking me to be your photographer and for wholeheartedly and unreservedly putting yourself in my creative hands. Despite the sharp frost in the air, you patiently braved the cold with good humour and went out of your way to give me the time I needed to do my thing. There's an inner confidence, calmness & sense of fun about the two of you which really shines through. Possibly because you're both so well travelled - I don't know anyone who has been to half the places you have!! It was a privelige to capture your cosmopolitan wedding with guests flying in from the four corners of the globe. I can't wait to show you more!

Xmas morn...

2008-12-30T14:54:00.010Z

A triumphant Mileah Ho. Ever so slightly smug knowing that even Santa does as he's told.

Isla & James

2008-12-23T20:19:00.007Z

Stirling Castle was the backdrop for this magnificent occasion. Isla & Jame's big day was my final wedding of the 2008. A full day as always, back to back with the previous one at Dundas, it's left me needing a couple of days off to recharge my batteries. The Xmas holidays have come just in time! And I couldn't have hoped for a more wonderful bride & groom to sign off the year with. Isla, you were as bubbly as the champagne that flowed on the day! Brilliant fun to photograph. And both your families were as kind, as patient and as gracious as they come. Thank you to you both for asking me to photograph your 180 guest celebration at one of Scotland's finest and most ancient castles. Here are a couple of previews, with much more to come in the new year!

Lucy & Eamonn

2008-12-23T18:08:00.007Z

An extravagant bash at Dundas Castle, undiminished by the gale force winds and sideways rain! Thank you Lucy & Eamonn for asking me to photograph your special day amongst family & friends. Such an elegant black tie & evening gown affair in a historic castle decked out in all its Christmas finery. Lucy, you were stunning in your red wedding dress. Eamonn too cut a very sharp image in black and white formals with matching red rose. But, I tell ya, people from across the water know how to let their hair down and enjoy a party!

Kielder Water

2008-12-18T16:20:00.011Z

I want to go back right now! Just a beautiful part of the world. It ranks up there with Lochearnhead & the Trossachs. Only it's southwards. It's a kind of twilight zone that straddles Hadrian's Wall, just over the Scottish border. I spent a very easy, very peaceful and a very relaxing family weekend there recently. We were staying in one of a cluster of quaint wooden cabins overlooking the water and surrounded by trees. The forest walks are great (and easy), there's calm water all around, the nearby towns quaint and handy. But the quality family time - priceless!! (except that my wee numpty of a son forgot the power cable for the playstation). Just a beautiful part of the world and a lovely weekend of my life spent with my wife and kids. Something I hope to do again really soon. And next time, we're definitely going to do much more exploring of the well trodden forest footpaths. There was a sign that read 'Elves Viewpoint'. Now I've got to check that out! (images taken with my wee Fuji F60) http://www.visitkielder.com/

Stacey & Kenny's storybook

2008-12-08T18:47:00.009Z

Hello Stacey & Kenny! Here's how your beautiful wedding day looked through the lens of my camera. I'm not going to say too much just now except that it was certainly one of the most fun packed & emotional weddings of 2008. The storybook should make that quite clear! Thank you so much for inviting me to be part of such a wonderful occasion. Speak soon! David. Please click here: www.davidho.co.uk/stacey&kenny

Happy Birthday to Jodie

2008-11-25T16:55:00.011Z

It's Jodie's birthday! Yippee! She's come a long way since becoming my Manhattan Kids studio manager over a year ago. And she has the grey hairs to prove it! She's transformed from an aspiring family & children's photographer to a hugely talented one. Here's some pics to remember her 26th birthday. But of course, whenever there's a camera about, Milly Moo has to be centre of attention! Drop Jodie an email if you'd like some beautiful family pictures taken by a rapidly greying but exceedingly good family & children's photographer www.manhattankids.co.uk

Stacey & Kenny

2008-11-23T16:39:00.013Z

'Baltic' as they say around here. Or 'rather chilly'. Mr Frost tried his best but couldn't affect the amazing party atmosphere surrounding Stacey & Kenny's big day at Dalhousie Castle. Everybody just had the best time from start to finish. Police men and woman really know how to unwind and party! Table names like Poirot, Cagney & Lacey, Taggart, Starsky & Hutch set the tone for a fun-filled evening reception. Thank you Mr & Mrs Campbell for giving me free rein to do my thing! You encouraged me, from the moment I arrived, to really stretch the wings of my imagination. Thank you for the time you set aside for photography, for your genuine willingess and for having faith in me. Here are just a few previews. I'm thrilled and I cannot wait to show you the rest! Have a great time in St Lucia.

Vicki & Chris

2008-11-21T16:18:00.008Z

Just a beautiful day in the company of wonderful, kind hearted folks. There's something very special and personal about smaller, more intimate weddings. And that's just how Vicki & Chris chose to spend their big day - with only a handful of their dearest family & friends. Prestonfield House and Edinburgh Castle provided the impressive backdrops which will only enhance their memories of a loving family celebration.

et voila!

2008-10-30T13:03:00.036Z

Hello! Here are the final images. And here's my thought process going into this (& most other) photo-shoots.

(i) My mind is generally blank on arrival. I don't like to overthink things beforehand. I generally wait until the very last second before commiting myself to an image. Up until that critical moment, I'm open to all possiblities. But I'm definite on one thing; to create fun, upbeat, glamourous images using as many 'city' type locations as we can cram into 2 hours.

(ii) The technical side of things is second nature. I don't need to think about it. But what I do need to ignite is the creative side. And this is where the couple come in. They're my main spark. Their energy, time investment & patience is crucial. It's essential that the couples I work with are on my wavelength. There are loads of pure PJ photographers out there who specialise in keeping silent & being invisible throughout the whole of your wedding day. But I'm not one of those. I want to ENSURE that you look stunning in every single one of your shots. Not leave it to chance. I'm vocal, I direct and I run & I laugh a heck of a lot! And I need that same enthusiasm reflected by my bride & grooms.

No time + No Input = No Fun.

(iii) As I lead the group, in my head I'm constantly looking for cool locations with great lighting. (the thing is I could always recce the location beforehand but on returning to it later, it would be old news. And I'd lose that initial buzz & freshness & sudden inspiration, crucial to how I shoot). So given the bright, overcast day - I see opportunities jumping out at me, every 10 paces. So I'm doing a hundred comparisons in my head, ranking the most immediate locations & still in my mind, directing Rachel into a striking pose to best fit those those locations. This is serious brain acrobatics! Because not only am I sussing out a whole range of ever changing location/lighting/pose scenarios, I'm also considering what is the best camera angle & composition PLUS deciding on the best combination of aperture, shutter speed, ISO & focal length to get precisely the shot I want. I don't shoot in the cameras 'P' mode I'm afraid. 'P' for Professional ;-)

(iv) So I'm walking along, looking this way and that, and I see a striking location. The light's perfect. Bang, we're off. And after 20 seconds of whirlwind activity, a lot of direction and a lot of laughter, the first cool shot is in the bag! Within a minute, we're off in search of the next location. I work TOO quickly. My mind is jumping all over the place, juggling all the different permutations that each scenario throws up and with each turn of the head, there's a completely new scenario to evaluate! There are a million ways to shoot each scenario...and it's my job to try and create something brilliant. In 1 minute. Sometimes less.

(v) And that's how quickly each of these shots were taken. Spur of the moment intuition plays such a huge part for me. Inspiration is sparked by everywhere I look and also by who I'm photographing. It's a hard thing to put into words and a harder thing to teach. I do not really know what I'm going to do until I'm doing it. Every photographer works differently. Some are precise, pre-planned and very deliberate. I'm not :-)

Click here for the slideshow of the final images... www.davidho.co.uk/rach&ian

wee witch

2008-10-29T15:05:00.011Z

I LOVE HALLOWEEN! I love the scary excitement which runs through my kids, the magic ghost stories and the witchy traditions, the smell of Mrs Ho's carved pumpkins being heated from the inside by twinkly tealights, which we'll put on our window sills. Or maybe just sit next to the fire. So when you switch all the room lights off, it looks magical! I love the smell of a crackingly log fire too. Oh yes, apple & cinnamon candles - top of my shopping list tomorrow.

Could not resist a quick picture of Milly Moo before she scampers off to her Playgroup Halloween party. I cannot believe anything in this world can be this cute! She's at that wonderful care free age when everything is so much fun. Love her to bits. For lovely pictures of your wee ones to give as presents (before Xmas rush) just drop Jodie an email jodie@manhattankids.co.uk

I now have a D700. Pick a star. Any star...

2008-10-28T22:32:00.009Z

I've only just gone and done it. Got me a lean, mean, FULL FRAME Nikon machine. NOW we're talkin'. NOW we're heading for Mars! And we're travelling light. The only items I'm keeping from my old bag are my 50mm & 35mm prime lenses. And that's it. Keeping it simple; for me, it's never been about how MUCH gear you have. It's about the quality of the individual pieces & what you do with it that counts. I'm pretty sure the lure of the fisheye will eventually catch up with me. As will something with a bit more reach. Maybe a 70-200mm. But from now on, IT'S FULL FRAME ALL THE WAY BABY :-) Buckle up <clack> and enjoy the ride...

oh what a night...sha-la-la

2008-10-28T21:24:00.013Z

It all started so civilised too at Britannia Spice down in Leith with a stonkingly good curry and cracking banter, then onto the Dome, Le Monde...and about 14 Amaretos and a handful of Buds later, I'm pretty sure I was the last one standing. Although the Andrew's ran me close ;-) Jodie 'lightweight' Rattray was away with the birds after her first popadom. Ah well, at least she talks a good game. But big thanks to the Jod for bringing her wee point'n'shoot camera otherwise there would have been no fun memories for us to cherish. In fact there would have been no memories whatsoever. Thank goodness Mrs Ho came to the rescue and dragged us all home.

Susan & Michael's storybook

2008-10-26T14:15:00.005Z

Big, bold and beautiful! The 3 words which jump into my head when I think of Susan & Michael's extravagant & glamorous wedding day at Hopetoun House. Susan & Michael, what an incredible milestone in both your lives! Thank you both so much for inviting me to document such a special occasion for you and your families and friends. Please click on the following link to see how your wonderful day unfolded as seen through my eyes...

www.davidho.co.uk/susan&michael

A peek at what happened...

2008-10-16T09:30:00.008+01:00

...at Rachel & Ian's Fun-In-The-City-Trash-The-Dress-Post-Wedding-Day-Photo-Shoot (I'm seriously going to have to shorten that title)!!! Anyways, just click here: /www.designscotlandvideo.com/comingsoon/ttdpart01.html
(You need to have the latest version of Quicktime installed by the way - easy peesy to do)

Courtesy of Design Scotland Video (if you haven't already booked Steve to film your wedding...why not?!!!!) http://www.designscotlandvideo.com/dsvlive/

Rach & Ian's Samba-In-The-City

2008-10-12T18:16:00.049+01:00

After the wedding day is over, what's to stop you putting on your dress again and REALLY letting your hair down?! Rachel & Ian did just that. Some call it Trash-The-Dress. This one was much more Samba-In-The-City. We danced our way through the streets of Edinburgh. I honestly could not ask for a more 'up for it' couple. Amazing. I keep saying it guys; 99% of the reason why my best shots happen is because of the person/people in front of my lens. You gave me patience, enthusiasm & TIME! These beautiful shots exist because of your input and the time you spent. (For my future bride & grooms, please be sure we get a chance to talk about your wedding day timings, over a coffee - I need enough time to give you my best). More images to follow...including a 2nd session with Rach & Ian, possibly out in the wilderness. Just need to find me the perfect waterfall and maybe a herd of highland cows :-))

Photographers, these images were taken with just a simple 50mm f1.8AF standard lens. Lighting was 'available light' only on a bright overcast day; no flash or reflectors. It's not about the gear! Keep it simple :-) ...mind you, if anyone has a 70-200mm f2.8 up for grabs :-)

Jamie

2008-10-06T16:10:00.013+01:00

It's been a wee while since I had the pleasure of doing some kids photography on behalf of a client; not only have I been so busy designing wedding storybooks but Jodie is doing a brilliant job of looking after the kids side of things for me and doing amazingly well. Please check out our kids website: www.manhattankids.co.uk But I managed to squeeze in a sunny Sunday afternoon's photo-shoot with Jamie, the absolutely adorable son of Sarah & Tom. Wee Jamie was amazingly well behaved, constantly curious, always active and a real bundle of inquisitive energy. Incredible fun to follow around - my jeans have no knees left! I hope the few previews here show you exactly how we like to photograph kids - just letting them be themselves and having fun!! Why not drop Jodie an email via the website www.manhattankids.co.uk and we'll arrange a time for you to come by the studio or else we'd happily come to you for the photo-shoot (we cover just about all of Scotland - let us know where you are and we can chat about it). Either way, it'll be well worth it!