The English Toastmasters Association - THE Toastmasters for Essex and the UK

Yesterday in my Essex Wedding Photographer's role I was invited to join my colleagues within the English Toastmasters Association for a Trafalgar Day Celebration and Training Event at the County Hotel Wedding Venue Chelmsford.The event was co-ordinated by my good friend and Essex Toastmaster Richard Palmer

Sue Lees from Sue Lees Consultancy also attended to guide members in their web development and promotion strategies. Whilst I gave a short presentation on "My Mates in the Wedding Business".

As a Wedding Photographer in Essex the importance of a good Toastmaster cannot be understated.

Photograph at the County Hotel copyright Essex Wedding Photographers - CourtOnCamera

The British Professional Photography Awards - Newcastle Upon Tyne
This weekend I took a break from my role as a Herts and Essex Wedding Photographer and attended the British Professional Photography Awards in Newcastle upon Tyne. The Awards were run by the Master Photographers Association and the British Institute of Professional Photography , collectively representing the majority of professional photographers in the UK. Qualified MPA and BIPP members from around the world (including myself) submitted images for the annual competition which was fiercely contended.
Whilst not personally winning an award, (The top honour went to Lisa Visser) the whole event was inspiring, as also was the view from the south side of the Tyne - there is of course next year to look forward to.

In the meantime back to my role as a Herts and Essex Wedding Photographer

Lucy and Steve's Wedding Photographs Ivy Hill Essex

Last Sunday I had the great pleasure of delivering to Lucy and Steve their beautiful Album which had been printed and bound to order by Graphistudio in Italy.
CourtOnCamera Wedding Photographers Essex and Herts had the great pleasure to be asked to photograph their wedding in July at the Best Western Ivy Hill Wedding Venue Essex which is near Ingatestone. Their Toastmaster on this occasion was our good friend and Essex Toastmaster Richard Palmer.

They were both delighted with the memories captured forever in this beautiful book (as was I). The complete Album can now be seen for you to view on line at www.courtoncamera.co.uk

All images copyright Herts and Essex Wedding Photographer - CourtOnCamera

Art in the Car Park, Liverpool

Yesterday I put aside my role as a Wedding Photographer in Essex and Herts and visited Liverpool to view an exhibition at the CCP Car Park in Duke Street.

To quote "Art in the Car Park is a diverse group show in response to the CCP Car Park, Liverpool. The result is a body of new artwork that weaves into the social, economic, political, historical and geographical situation of the site and the city at large.

In the 80s, CCP Car Park, based in the heart of Liverpool, housed the offices of a car-sales business. After it was abandoned, it remained dormant in the portfolio of property developers until its rehabilitation by The Art Organisation (TAO) this year. TAO respond to the unique situation of a city in regeneration, negotiating the use of empty buildings for use as rich and compelling temporary space for artists and art.

Liverpool is an 801-year-old city with a unique story. The intractable relationship between Liverpool's maritime successes, heavy bombing in WWII, slave history, diverse religious demographics, extraordinary cultural diversity and long economic decline make for a city loaded with ambiguous social history. It provides fertile ground for creative commentary at the CCP Car Park.....

Curators Hannah Hull, Iavor Lubomirov and Jordan Dalladay-Simpson are dedicated to allowing artists freedom to create work in a range of challenging situations that are relevant to their practice. Working in partnership with TAO, they invited artists to match themselves to this opportunity via an open brief. This allowed an 'auto-curation' of site, producing work that could not happen anywhere else."

Amongst the exhibiting artists was my Daughter Rebecca Court -

"Rebecca Court - The post-industrial city of Liverpool, once known as one of the most deprived areas of the UK, is at present undergoing a 920 million transformation. Rebecca is producing a poignant site-specific installation consisting of photographs of the local area projected onto found building materials. She aims to represent the process of change the City is undergoing, preserving and documenting the memory and identity of what has or will be lost by this development."

Photograph copyright Rebecca Court - future Wedding Photographer Essex and Herts?

CourtOnCamera - Essex Wedding Photographer - Album Displays

I am in the process of updating my website - the following wedding venues in Essex and Herts are shown with completed album samples photographed by CourtOnCamera - more will be added as time permits.

Gaynes Park Barns - Epping Essex

Friern Manor - Dunton near Brentwood

Spains Hall - Finchingfield Essex

Layer Marney Tower - Essex

Furze Hill and Ivy Hill - Margaretting Essex

Ponsbourne Park - Hertford

Ickworth House - Suffolk

The Marriot Hotel - Waltham Abbey

Hanbury Manor - Ware Hertfordshire

Quendon Hall (Parklands) - Quendon Essex

Fanhams Hall - Ware Hertfordshire

Gilwell Park - Chingford in Essex

All albums were photographed and designed by Essex Wedding Photographers - CourtOnCamera
Enjoy!

The English Toastmasters Association - The Whitehall Hotel - and Essex Wedding Photographers!

On Thursday I had the great pleasure in joining my good friend Richard Palmer of the English Toastmasters Association and fellow Toastmaster Garry Smith for an impromptu lunch at the Whitehall Hotel Broxted.

Having photographed two weddings there over the last few weeks, it felt like a home from home and can be highly recommended.

Richard would refer to such activities as forming Strategic Alliances - I refer to it as making mates in the Wedding Industry - My MBA has come in useful after all!

Jennifer and Francis's Wedding Photographs Royal Chase Hotel Enfield

Last Saturday CourtOnCamera Essex Wedding Photographers, became Hertfordshire Wedding Photographers at the Royal Chase Hotel Enfield for the wedding of Jennifer and Francis. The threat of heavy rain hung over most of the afternoon, but held off until the speeches were well underway.Friends and family travelled from Ireland and the United States to join Jennifer and Francis on their special day.
Captured of course by Herts Wedding Photographers (for the day) CourtOnCamera.All photographs copyright CourtOnCamera - Wedding Photographers Essex

Steve and Sarah's Wedding - Gaynes Park Barns Wedding Venue

Last Friday CourtOnCamera Wedding Photographers Essex had the great pleasure of photographing Steve and Sarah's Wedding at the Gaynes Park Barns Wedding Venue near Epping.Steve was of course on time - not a day to be late!
The ceremony was held in the Orangery.In the evening a full group shot was taken outside the covered barn - in the Dark! My good friend Richard Palmer of the Classic Nomad Disco (who provided the sounds for the evening) held my ladder.For the first dance - an elegant display of Ballroom dancing was provided by the happy couple.

All wedding photographs Gaynes Park Barns are copyright Essex Wedding Photographers - CourtOnCamera

Ashley and Helen's Wedding Album - Wedding Photographs Gaynes Park Barns

Last week I had the delight to personally deliver Ashley and Helen's Wedding Album, this was the first time I had seen them since their honeymoon.
CourtOnCamera - Wedding Photographers Essex, were invited to photograph their special day in July this year. The reception was held at the Gaynes Park Barns Wedding Venue - Epping.

Ashley and Helen were delighted with the album, which can be seen in its entirety using the following link - Ashley and Helen's Wedding Album.

All Wedding Photographs Gaynes Park Barns above are copyright Essex Wedding Photographers - CourtOnCamera

An Essex Wedding Photographer, Gary Fong Lightsphere - and that thing on top of my flash gun

You have all seen it on top of my flashgun when I am photographing weddings in Essex. This is the guy responsible - Gary Fong. One of the worlds top wedding photographers (his current fee is in excess of $120,000) he paid a flying visit to the UK having lectured at Photokina

Also with Gary was his new wife Melissa "Missy"

Just in case you were wondering who took their wedding photos - well it wasn't Joe Buissink (photographer to the stars - inc JoLo) - he was the officiant, nor was it Denis Reggie (another great) - he was the best man. Other photographers there were were Bob Davis (who just shot Eva Longoria's wedding ), Mike Colon, Kristen Alexander, David Beckstead, Brian Kramer, Dane Sanders, Nathan Holritz, Robbie Gantt and Lauren Chapman, and Pictage's CEO Jason Kiefer - no they didn't shoot it.

The answer was the phenomenal Jessica Claire and Jen Bebb. (American Photo named Jen as one of the top ten wedding photographers in the world).

Now next time you see me with the Gary Fong lightsphere you will know it is not an ice cream cone, milk bottle or specimen jar.

Gary Fong was photographed above by CourtOnCamera - Essex Wedding Photographers