Wedding & Portrait Photographer. Essex, London, Suffolk,

Invitation to connect on LinkedIn

2011-11-25T11:33:00.001Z

From Jeff Turnbull

Owner & Director at 'Jeff Turnbull Photography' & 'Excel Photography Training'

United Kingdom

I'd like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.

- Jeff

Confirm that you know Jeff

You are receiving Invitation to Connect emails. Unsubscribe

We Have Moved

2010-11-05T13:20:00.008Z

We have moved to a new Blog site.
http://jeffturnbull.com/blog/

I would like to take this time to thank everyone who has followed my Blogspot Blog and I look forward to you visiting my new Blog Page at http://jeffturnbull.com/blog/

PR Photography and Commercial & Corporate Portraits - Vintage Baumanns Brasserie

2010-09-24T20:18:00.002+01:00

Commercial & Corporate Portrait Photography in Essex, Suffolk, London, Hertfordshire and Kent

Today I was over at Baumann's Brasserie in Coggeshall, Essex to photograph the restaurant for an upcoming marketing campaign. The opportunity was also taken to photograph [Baron] Mark Baumann, Sam his manageress and various members of kitchen team.

For the actual team shots I thought it would be fun to present them and the image as a very old photograph by both the way they were posing but also the way the photograph was finished.

The technique used was to first of all change the colour image by adjusting the hue and saturation to provide a dark sepia tone then following this to add texture to the photograph for it to look like that it had been lying around for years.

For information on my Corporate and Commercial Portraits please contact me on

01376 323 915 or e-mail Jeff@JeffTurnbull.com

Queensberry Albums - Made by Hand

2010-09-19T06:19:00.000+01:00

Queensberry Digital, Overlay, Pagemount and Duo Albums by Essex, Suffolk and London wedding photographer.

As another of my wedding couples received their Queensberry wedding album this week, again it was great to hear the words, "Wow! This is even better than we were expecting"

I first partnered with Queensberry at the beginning of 2010 while searching for a new wedding album supplier who would provide, not only an exceptional wedding album for my clients but also excellent customer service.

Queensberry, from New Zealand, are known throughout the wedding and portrait photography profession as one of, if not the, best album suppliers in the world and with good reason. To give you an insight into how these be-spoke, hand made albums are crafted Queensberry recently commissioned a short movie Queensberry - Made by Hand to show you just what goes into a Queesnsberry album.

If you would like further information about Queensberry albums or my wedding photography services please contact me directly on 01376 323 915 or e-mail Jeff@jeffTurnbull.com

Crash Taylor Wedding Photography Workshop in Essex.

2010-09-15T09:26:00.000+01:00

New Blog page: www.JeffTurnbull.com/blog Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com

I’m pleased to announce that I’m bringing Crash Taylor, one of the UK’s top Wedding photographers, to Essex to present one of his highly acclaimed workshops.

I will be hosting the workshop on Monday 1st November at the wonderful Baumann’s Brasserie in Coggeshall, Between Braintree & A12

Crash was earlier this year voted one of the Top Ten Winter Wedding Photographers in the UK and despite the huge demand for his services he only undertakes a limited number of exclusive weddings each year.

This year Crash launched his Workshop “The Art of Digital Wedding Photography” where he shares how he rose to the top of his profession in only 4 years with his unique style and individual approach.

The coming workshop is limited to only 15 delegates where he will be presenting various topics including

The use of natural light, speedlites, video lights and reflectors
How to achieve a 90% booking rate
The importance of creating those important moments
The use of Blogs
And much more
This is an excellent opportunity for photographers who have a desire to grow, develop their craft and deepen their knowledge and want to take their wedding photography business to the next level.

Venue: Baumanns Brasserie in Coggeshall, Essex is the chosen venue, which is situated only 10 minutes from the A12 and easy travel from the M25, M11 and London Stansted Airport

This workshop is guaranteed to sell out soon, so take this opportunity and book now.

For further information and to secure your place head over to http://crashtaylorphotoworkshops.com alternatively please contact me directly on Jeff@JeffTurnbull.com

Wedding Photography Stock Brook Manor & Country Club - Emma Coleman & Dan Ali

2010-09-08T19:23:00.002+01:00

Exceptional Wedding & Portrait Photography by Photographer Jeff Turnbull. Covering throughout all the UK and international wedding destinations

Website: www.JeffTurnbull.com Visit my New Blog @ www.JeffTurnbull.com/blog

On Saturday I had a great day photographing the wedding of Emma & Dan Ali. The day started with photographing the bride and bridesmaid's preparations at the home of Emma's parents.

The wedding itself took place at a really lovely church, St Mary's in Langdon Hills Essex. After the ceremony all the guests were invited to Stock Brook Golf & Country club which is a stunning Manor House.

Emma and Dan were fantastic to work with and their family and friends were so warm and friendly. Have a great Honeymoon in Florida and I'll see you when you get back.

For further details about my photography please call me directly on +44 (0)1376 323 915 or e-mail me Jeff@JeffTurnbull.com

Pre Wedding Photography - Halstead Gardens - Flo & Simon

2010-09-06T22:14:00.002+01:00

Pre Wedding photography & Engagement photography throughout Essex, Suffolk, Hertfordshire & London

Website: www.JeffTurnbull.com Visit my New Blog @ www.JeffTurnbull.com/blog

Next month Simon & Flo are getting married at Hedingham Castle and following the great time we had with the pre wedding photo session I just can’t wait to photography their special day.

Living in Guildford Surrey, Simon & Flo travelled up for the shoot and we decided to head over to the public gardens at Halstead. With Flo being a very talented photographer herself she seemed as equally comfortable the other side of the camera as well. Despite the threat of a shower coming down, again the weather held out in time for me to get get some great shots with a really fun couple.

Hindu Wedding - Leena Patel & Mark Ridout

2010-09-02T23:58:00.002+01:00

Hindu, Indian and Asian wedding photography in Essex, London, Hertfordshire, Kent & Suffolk

Website: www.JeffTurnbull.com Visit my New Blog @ www.JeffTurnbull.com/blog

On Sunday I had an amazing time photographing the Hindu wedding of Marc & Leena.

It was a Vedic Wedding Ceremony, which is amongst the most ancient of rituals with it's origins going back many thousands of years. It's about weaving two souls, two families and two communities into one harmonious existence and each step of the ceremony has a deep significance.

Along with the wonderful ceremony comes the vibrancy of all the fantastic colours and also the many charming characters of the families and their friends.

The ceremony finishes with the families being invited to bless the newly married couple. The couple meet their parents and their older family to request blessings from them.

Here are a few images from the day

For details on my photography services and wedding collections please call me on 07961 100 580 or e-mail at Jeff@JefTurnbull.com

Clacton Air Show Photography - 2010

2010-08-27T08:48:00.003+01:00

Commercial photography throughout Essex, Suffolk, Hertfordshire, London and Kent.

Website: www.JeffTurnbull.com Visit my New Blog @ www.JeffTurnbull.com/blog

Yesterday I went along to the Clacton Air show on the Essex coast for the afternoon. Despite the very low cloud due to the poor weather most of the displays were able to go ahead as planned with only a few set pieces being changed. The headline display came from the Red Arrows who were absolutely awesome.

Here are a few photographs from my afternoon.

01376 323 915

www.JeffTurnbull.com

Indian Pre Wedding Photography Session - Leena Patel & Marc Ridout Great Hyde Hall

2010-08-15T08:10:00.008+01:00

Essex, London, Suffolk, Kent, Hertfordshire Indian wedding photography, Asian Wedding Photography, Sikh Wedding Photography, Hindu Wedding Photography, Muslim Wedding Photography

Website: www.JeffTurnbull.com Visit my New Blog @ www.JeffTurnbull.com/blog

Last week I photographed a great pre wedding shoot for Leena Patel and Marc Ridout at their home. And what a wonderful place it is, with the wonderful colours, textures and surroundings.

We chose to do the shoot late evening, approximately 1 hour before the sun sets, when the light would be better and what is known in photography and cinematography terms as the golden hour.

With a pre wedding shoot it's all about the couple getting used to being photographed, being taught some basic posing, having fun together and of course getting some great photographs.

Later this month Leena and Marc will be having a two day wedding with initially the civil ceremony at a venue called Valentines House and then the following week a full on Indian wedding where they will be having a huge marquee in the grounds of where they live. I can't wait.

Here are a few photographs from the shoot.

For further details of my wedding services or to see more of my portfolio please visit my main website www.JeffTurnbull.com

The Pros & Cons of Destination Weddings

2010-08-14T22:02:00.010+01:00

Destination weddings and overseas weddings photographer providing photography at venues and destinations including, Mexico, Florida, Florence, Mauritius, Rome, Venice, Ice hotel, Tuscany, Vienna, Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Turkey, Santorini, the Bahamas.

Website: www.JeffTurnbull.com Visit my New Blog @ www.JeffTurnbull.com/blog

Destination weddings, meaning weddings held in a vacation location away from your home country, have gained in popularity in recent years. Today, this alternative allows a couple to combine the best of an adventurous honeymoon with a more traditional ceremony, and sometimes save money in the process.

Some destination weddings just involve the eloping couple... others will include a few close friends and family... and still others are full blowout affairs with multiple parties over a long wedding weekend.

So is a destination wedding right for you? Well Nina Callaway, wedding expert on about.com gives this advice.

The pros and cons of Destination Weddings:

· Pro: A Complete Package
Resorts and tourism organisations have seen the £££ signs behind this trend and so work hard to keep a destination wedding stress-free and simpler. As part of a package deal, many offer the complimentary services of their on-site wedding consultant who will help you coordinate all of the ceremony essentials (marriage license, cake, efficient, etc.) All you have to do is show up!

· Con: Planning a Wedding Long Distance and Legal Red Tape
For those of you not getting married at a resort, you'll have to juggle all those details yourself long distance. If your destination wedding is in a foreign country, you might run into complications when trying to get a marriage license. Consider hiring a coordinator who specializes in destination weddings to help you over these hurdles. And, check with those tourist boards, which may have literature available to help you find local florists and venues.

· Pro: Avoiding Stressful Family Situations
With a smaller invitation list, you can avoid feeling "forced" to invite the cousin you can't stand, or the in-law that everyone fights with. Just invite your very closest friends and family to the intimate ceremony and celebration, or keep it romantic and don't invite anyone. You can always send them pictures!

· Con: Family Members and Friends You Love May Not Be There
Particularly for far-away locations, some guests may not be able to attend due to the expense, or the difficulty of getting time off of work. Older guests may not be able to travel so far away from home. Talk to those who are truly essential before you book tickets and send invitations. On the plus side, you'll have far more time to spend with the guests who come to a destination wedding than those who come to a more traditional wedding.

· Pro: You'll Save Money By Not Having 200 People at a Reception
Spending a luxurious wedding weekend in a dramatic location can often cost less than a seated dinner at a nice location. Destination Wedding Etiquette calls for the bride and groom to pay for the hotel rooms, food and most of the guests' expenses. Guests pay for their own airfare. If money is an issue, look to more local countries with a favourable exchange rate, and consider keeping the guest list small.

· Con: Some of your loved ones may not be able to afford to travel that far
Again, talk to those who are truly essential before you've made the final decision on your destination wedding location. Consider paying for some of your guests' airfare, and look into group discounts through travel agents.

· Pro: By Combining Wedding and Honeymoon, You Can Afford to Go to that Dream Honeymoon Locale
Instead of spending your honeymoon at a Bed and Breakfast close to home, you can have the trip of a lifetime in an glamorous location. Best of all, you'll have an excuse to return there for a 5-, 10-, or 25-year anniversary.

· Con: With Your Family Around, and a Wedding to Worry About, Will You Really Get a Honeymoon?
Of course, you'll be in a beautiful place, but will you have enough romantic alone time? To get around this, make sure you schedule it and insist on it. Arrive a few days before everyone else (you may need to do this anyway for marriage license requirements), or have a honeymoon nearby afterwards. If neither of these are possible, find interesting things your wedding party can do while you and your fiancé have couple time.

* * * * *

So are you considering a destination wedding? Well if you are, congratulations. Planned properly a destination wedding can be a fantastic and unique way to tie the knot and what better way of capturing all those wonderful moments and surroundings than taking a professional photographer with you.

For further details please visit my Destination Weddings page on my web site and you see the benefits of taking a professional photographer with you and also that it's actually more affordable than you may think.

01376 323 915 www.JeffTurnbull.com

Wedding Photography Maidens Barn - Kate Campbell & Darren Murphy

2010-08-14T05:21:00.003+01:00

International Wedding Photographer Jeff Turnbull. Locally providing high end wedding photography in Essex, London, Kent, Hertfordshire & Suffolk.

Website: www.JeffTurnbull.com Visit my New Blog @ www.JeffTurnbull.com/blog

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of photographing the wedding of Kate Campbell and Darren Murphy.

The started with the bridal preparations and when myself and Tony Sale, my assistant for the day, arrived there was a lot of excitement going with Kate and her four bridesmaids getting ready. It was another glorious day which allowed me to get photographs of them all looking gorgeous outside before everyone then headed off to the church for the wedding ceremony.

The ceremony was conducted by Farther Michael at the Church of the Assumption in, Mulbery Green, Old Harlow. It was a wonderful ceremony where the couple also had music by the London Community Gospel Choir.

Following the ceremony the couple and the guests made their way to Maidens Barn in High Easter where they had their wedding breakfast and then later on their evening reception. Kate and Darren are such a cool couple and it was such a pleasure to be photographing their wedding for them.

Here are a few of the photographs from the day.

For further details of my wedding or portrait photography services please visit www.JeffTurnbull.com or contact me directly on 01376 323 915. I look forward to hearing from you.

Wedding Photography Maidens Barn - Jenna Fage & Chris Given

2010-08-12T00:45:00.004+01:00

Essex, Hertfordshire & Suffolk Contemporary and Artistic Wedding Photography.

Website: www.JeffTurnbull.com Visit my New Blog @ www.JeffTurnbull.com/blog

Jenna & Chris' wedding day started at Channels Lodge near Chelmsford, Essex for both the bride and groom prep. There was a real hive of activity going on with all the girls in the main lodge while all the boys were elsewhere. But keeping everyone entertained throughout was Taylan, who was the page boy.

After the preparations I headed off to St Marys Church in High Easter to meet the rest of the wedding guests and also get ready for Jenna to arrive with her dad in a wonderful 1936 Rolls Royce.

Following the ceremony the bride & groom and all their guests travelled to Maidens Barn for the rest of the day where they had their wedding breakfast and later on their fun-filled evening reception. The two best men were on top form with their speech which had everyone, except for maybe the groom :-), in fits of laughter.

Jenna & Chris are such a gorgeous couple to work with and such great fun and enthusiastic towards the their wedding photography which helped us getting some even more stunning photographs.

Here are a few photographs from the day

Do you know someone getting married? For further details about my wedding photography service please visit www.JeffTurnbull.com or call me directly on 01376 323 915

Wedding Photography at wonderful Leez Priory - Jacqui & Derek Holmes

2010-07-25T00:30:00.004+01:00

Essex, Suffolk, Hertfordshire and Kent wedding Photographer providing exceptional portrait and wedding photography for people in love.

Website: www.JeffTurnbull.com Visit my New Blog @ www.JeffTurnbull.com/blog

Earlier in the month I photographed the wedding of Jacqui & Derek Holmes at the wonderful wedding venue of Leez Priory, situated in Great Leighs near Chelmsford Essex.

The day started with my Assistant, David Tyrer, coming over to me. We then headed off in two cars over to Leez Priory. When you consider that you take along with you back-up cameras, lenses and other equipment It makes sense to take to cars just in case one breaks down on the way. Fortunately we had no problems and arrived their promptly.

The first photography of the day was the bridal prep where we caught up with Jacqui and her two bridesmaids, Catherine and Jessica where we spent a while getting some great shots of them getting ready along with photographing the required still shots of the wedding dress and other key items of the wedding.

Finishing that session we caught up up the groom, Derek, and his best man, Richard to get some required photographs of them together before the wedding ceremony started.

The wedding ceremony itself, which was held in the tower, was even more special as Jacqui's father, Ron, was conducting the ceremony. Following this Derek had a arranged a surprise for his bride - a horse drawn carriage - to wisk them away for a short tour of the local area.

The evening was really special as well as performing was 'The Dinosaurs' a four-piece band wich includes Derek's father and it wasn't long before Derek took to a guitar himself and went up there and performed with them.

All in all a fantastic wedding to photograph and be part of.

Here are a few images from the day

For further details of my wedding photography visit www.JeffTurnbull.com or please contact me on 01376 323 915 or e-mail me directly on Jeff@JeffTurnbull.com

Down Hall Hotel Photography. Chandeliers, Spas and Ladies in Hats

2010-07-13T13:09:00.004+01:00

Corporate and commercial photography by Jeff Turnbull. Covering Essex, Hertfordshire, London and Suffolk.

Website: www.JeffTurnbull.com Visit my New Blog @ www.JeffTurnbull.com/blog

Last week I was invited to Down Hall Country House Hotel, which is situated on the Essex, Hertfordshire boarders near Bishop's Stortford.

The purpose of the visit was to do a survey of the hotel and grounds, get some initial images and also to discuss with the marketing director the very best ways of photographing this splendid hotel inorder for them to use the images in all areas of their marketing and advertising.

The venue, not surprisingly, is very popular for conferences, weddings and other celebrations but also it's a lovely venue to visit if you just want to drop by and have lunch, dinner or even high trea. While I was there a couple of very fine ladies were noticed enjoying afternoon tea and I must say that they looked fabulous in their outfits and hats.

Here are some images from the visit.

For further information on my Commercial & Corporate photography please contact me on 01376 323 915 or e-mail Jeff@JeffTurnbull.com

Wedding Photography at Vaulty Manor with Elif Olfaz & Karl Gunn

2010-07-12T13:54:00.010+01:00

Essex, London & Suffolk Wedding Photographery at exclusive venues including Vaulty Manor, The Reid Rooms, Braxted Hall, Boreham House

Website: www.JeffTurnbull.com Visit my New Blog @ www.JeffTurnbull.com/blog

Last week I had the real pleasure of being invited to photograph the wedding of Elif and Karl Gunn at the wonderful Vaulty Manor which is in Heybridge, near Maldon in Essex. Vaulty Manor comprises a 16th century manor house along with a 17th century barn and is all set within it's own private grounds.

The weather was perfect and the day started when I went to meet and photograph Elif, along with her bridesmaids, who were getting ready in the Bridal cottage. There was a real buzz in the air as all the ladies got themselves ready.

I went and caught up with Karl, along with his ushers, to grab some casual and a few formal ( to keep there mums happy :-D ) photographs of them all before there went and took their places ready for Elif to arrive for the ceremony. Elif looked absolutely stunning and her father looked so proud as he walked her down the isle.

With the fusion of Elif's family, many of them being Turkish, and also of Karls family made for a really exciting wedding. In fact it would be fair to describe the wedding day as a huge celebration and everyone was there to PARTY!!!

The following day the Elif and Karl set off to the airport to fly off to their honeymoon, where they have gone on safari.

Elif & Karl. You guys were such fun to photograph. I hope you have a great time away and here's wishing you both a great life together.

Here are a few images from the day.

For further details on my wedding photography services please contact me on 01376 323 915 or e-mail Jeff@JeffTurnbull.com.

Wedding Photography - Catherine & Neil Roper - Farnhams Hall Hotel, Ware

2010-06-24T20:18:00.002+01:00

Website: www.JeffTurnbull.com Visit my New Blog @ www.JeffTurnbull.com/blog

Earlier in the month I had the real pleasure of photographing the wedding of a great couple, Catherine and Neil Roper at the magnificent Farnhams Hall Hotel in Ware.

I have known Catherine for 18 months, when she came along to one of my photography workshops, and so it's been really exciting following her journey from the time when I first heard that Neil had proposed to her and then throughout the time that all the wedding arrangements were being made.

Come the day there was a real buzz in the air and seeing Catherine looking absolutely gorgeous and also really excited during the bridal prep was a fantastic start to the very memorable day. While the girls continued to get ready I headed off and caught up with the very proud groom Neil, his best man and brother Ian and the other groomsmen.

The ceremony was such a fun occasion with plenty of laughter going on (all at the right moments ) but also you could tell that Catherine and Neil are very much in love with each other.

The grounds of Fanhams Hall hotel are wonderful and offer so much for capturing amazing wedding photographs, the colours, the textures and all the interesting features.

Before I left Catherine and Neil with their guests to enjoy their night ahead I showed them I video slide show that I had put together especially for them from the images from the day

Ok, this is for the guys... Somehow (and I don't know how he did this) Neil managed to pull off a real coup. Get ready for this...
Not only did he get to marry the girl of his dreams but he also managed to arrange it so they went on honeymoon to South Africa and catch one of the matches of the world cup!

Here are a selection of the photographs from the day.

For further details about my wedding or portrait photography please contact me on 01376 323 915, e-mail Jeff@JeffTurnbull.com or visit www.JeffTurnbull.com

I look forward to hearing from you.

100th Blog Post & First 'Business Mentoring Programme' Students Graduate

2010-06-21T18:38:00.008+01:00

Website: www.JeffTurnbull.com Visit my New Blog @ www.JeffTurnbull.com/blog

Hi.

How good is this? Not only is this my 100th Blog update but I'm also able to announce that the first group of students from my 6-Month 'Business Mentoring Programme' graduated last week?

It's been a fantastic 6 months working with some of the most committed and talented photographers that I've had the pleasure of meeting. It's so rewarding seeing how well they have done so far but also knowing that they are going to go from strength to strength continuing to do what it requires to become an in demand photographer and providing 100% customer satisfaction.

1st Class of 2010 - 'The Pioneers'

Back Row L-R Ross Dean, James Neale, David Tyrer, Gary Wilson
Front Row L-R Sam Carter, Me, Andrea Abbott

At a time when many people assume that anyone can be a photographer... (after all you only need an SLR camera right?.. Wrong!) you'll find that it takes much more than this to be a success in this wonderful profession.

You need skills to attract the client through effective marketing and branding.
You need quality products and imagery to showcase the clients wedding or other special occasion
You need drive to go the extra mile by providing the client with exceptional service
You need fantastic personal skills to ensure everyone enjoys being photographed.

If you're either considering a career in photography or you're currently a photographer but you now wish to reposition yourself in the marketplace in order to excel your career then this 6 Month Programme may just be for you.

But don't take my word for it. Listen to what some of the photographers on the last programme had to say and then decide.

Next month the second Business Mentoring Programme of 2010 starts and I'm really excited about the journey ahead of them.

For further information either visit www.Photo-Training.co.uk or e-mail me at Jeff@JeffTurnbull.com or call 01376 323 915

Jacqui & Derek - Pre Wedding Photography Session - Leez Priory, Essex.

2010-06-10T15:55:00.002+01:00

Essex & Suffolk Engagement and Pre Wedding Photography by Master Photographer Jeff Turnbull. Leez Priory, Fanhams Hall Hotel, Layer Marney Towers, Boreham House, Hylands House and all fine wedding venues throughout the UK.

Website: www.JeffTurnbull.com Visit my New Blog @ www.JeffTurnbull.com/blog

Jacqui Capes & Derek Holmes Pre Wedding / Engagement Portrait Session at Leez Priopry, Great Leighs, Essex

Earlier this week I photographed the pre wedding shoot for Jacqui and Derek at Leez Priory, a magnificent Tudor mansion near Chelmsford and Braintree in Essex. The venue, where they will having their wedding next month sits wonderfully in 40 acres of parkland which includes formal lawns and a lake.

I never arrive at a pre wedding shoot with a specific plan of what photographs I want to take as each session is completely different. Firstly because you have to take into account that each location is different but also each couple that I photograph have unique personalities to other couples and it's all about capturing this and also their love for each other.

Myself, Derek and Jacqui just took a gentle stroll around the grounds and now and again to take a few photographs while chatting away to each other. This is a great opportunity for the couple to get used to being photographed so come the wedding they are more likely to be relaxed which will result in even more amazing photographs.

From this shoot the couple will choose there favourite photograph which I will then have presented to them at their wedding as a dedication board for their friends and loved ones to sign on the day.

Here are just a few images from the session with Jacqui and Derek

For further information about my wedding or family portrait photography or any of my photography services then please contact m eon 01376 323 915 or visit www.JeffTurnbull.com

Wedding Photography – Orsett Hall - Gary Cohen and Cheryl Mason

2010-06-02T15:26:00.009+01:00

Essex and Suffolk Wedding Photography by photographer Jeff Turnbull. Orsett Hall, Ickworth House, Brockets Hall and all fine wedding venues.

Website: www.JeffTurnbull.com Visit my New Blog @ www.JeffTurnbull.com/blog

I had the real pleasure of photographing the wedding of Gary and Cheryl recently at the wonderful Orsett Hall in Essex.

Gary and Cheryl are such a cool couple and who originally met each other during a flight when travelling on holiday.

I first had the pleasure of meeting Gary a couple of years ago when he came along to one of my photography workshops.

The day started at Cheryl’s parent’s house where she was getting ready, along with her entourage of bridesmaids, which included her sister as chief bridesmaid. There was such excitement in the house with all the girls getting ready but it was really lovely to see just just how proud Cheryl's mum (Pat) and dad (Alan) were of her.

Cheryl looked absolutely stunning in her wedding gown and with the weather being so good we were able to spend time getting some special photographs with Cheryl and her family in their garden before her wedding car arrived.

Following the bridal prep I headed of to Orsett Hall to meet Gary and his even larger entourage of groomsmen.

The wedding ceremony was very emotional for everyone and Cheryl's sister also did a wonderful, heartfelt, reading during the service for them both.

The great weather continued after the ceremony allowing us the opportunity for some great family and friends photographs outside on the lawn before then having time alone with Gary and Cheryl to capture some special memories of the very much in love couple.

Orsett Hall is such a splendid venue. From the point of a wedding photographer it provided an array of opportunities to capture some very memorable wedding photographs for them both.

For their honeymoon Gary and Cheryl went to Lake Garder in Italy.

Congratulations to Gary & Cheryl and I wish you both a wonderful life together.

Here are a few images from the day.

For further details call 01376 323 915 or e-mail Jeff@JeffTurnbull.com

Essex and East Anglia Band Photography - The Red Hot Radiators

2010-05-31T13:21:00.005+01:00

Event, Band, Singer, Performer, Group, Music, Solo Artist photography in Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk, London and Kent.

Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com Main Blog page www.JeffTurnbull.Blogspot.com

On Friday I was asked to photograph a fantastic East Anglian band called the Red Hot Radiators at a local venue. The images are to be used for their website and other marketing material.

The band comprises of Lead singer Kerrie, Bass guitar and vocals Charles, Lead guitar and vocals Mat and Drummer and vocals Chris.

I had first met the drummer, Chris Rowe, when he attended one of my workshops and then we went on to work together on a couple of mini photography workshops that we did for the students at Notley 6^th Form

The band covered some great tracks from many great bands including; Green Day, Stereophonics, Muse, Madness, The Googoo Dolls , Pink Floyd, The killers and not surprisingly… The Red Hot Chilli Peppers. The sound was fantastic an dI have to say that the drum kit was the biggest I’ve seen away from stadium concerts

The main challenge when photographing bands is that the lighting is constantly changing, however we don’t always do things because they are easy J

The band is available for private bookings & parties as well as performing at local music venues and pubs. Further details, including samples of their music, is available at their website www.redhotradiators.com

Here are a few images from the 1^st set.

For further details about my photography services then please visit www.JeffTurnbull.com or call 01376 323 915. If you're on Facebook please check out my page there www.Facebook.com/JeffTurnbullPhotography

Wedding Photography Training Workshop - New Promotion Video

2010-05-30T09:55:00.008+01:00

Number 1 Digital, beginner, intermediate, advanced wedding, portrait, lighting, lifestyle, workshops, courses, and classes in Essex with easy travel from Hertfordshire, Suffolk, Kent, Cambridgeshire and London
Main training website www.Photo-Training.co.uk Main Blog page www.JeffTurnbull.Blogspot.com

I now have a new promotional video for my wedding photography workshop.

Many thanks to great friend of mine Ross Dean Photography who produced the promotional video for me. The video was originally filmed by Richard Stewart at one of my 2-day advanced wedding photography workshops which was held at Prested Hall, Essex back at the beginning of February.

Despite it being a chilly February day the weather was dry which really helped. Our 'bride' Nezda did a fantastic job and soldiered on through the afternoon despite her being very cold indeed.

The 2-day workshop is aimed at photographers with previous wedding photography experience who are wanting to reposition themselves in the market to a more deserning wedding client. However it's also a fantastic launchpad to the photographer who is just starting out in wedding photography. If you're currently a photographer, be it an amateur or a professional then why not check out my training website for details of the various workshops available www.Photo-Training.co.uk.

In the meantime please find below my latest video.

Pre Wedding Portrait Session - Maidens Barn, High Easter - Chris Given and Jenna Fage

2010-05-28T13:06:00.008+01:00

Engagement and pre wedding portraits by master photographer Jeff Turnbull who undertakes weddings at the best wedding venues in Essex, including, Gossfield Hall, Layer Marney Towers, Le Maisin Tollbooth, Braxted Park and Maidens Barn.

Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com Main Blog page www.JeffTurnbull.blogspot.com

Last week I had the pleasure of photographing the Pre-Wedding shoot for Jenna and Chris who are getting married in July. The chosen venue was Maidens Barn, in High Easter, near Chelmsford in Essex, which is where they will be having their wedding breakfast and reception.

It was a glorious day with one of the top temperatures of the year so far and so Jenna and Chris made sure they dressed accordingly for the session. Maidens Barn is a great place to photograph because there are many interesting parts to use as backdrops, including the gardens but also the traditional beams inside the barn.

Regular readers of my blog will know that I am a great believer in using natural and available light of the location. Using an on camera flash not only takes away the natural colours of the surrounding but also takes away the atmosphere of the place as well.

So armed with a gold and silver reflector, Canon 5D Mk 2 and a couple of lenses; Canon 17-40 f4.0L and the Canon 70-200 f2.8L we simply wandered around the venue, taking some fun shots while enjoying the weather too. From the session, they will choose their favorite image from all the photographs, which will be made into a dedication board for their guests to sign at their wedding

Jenna, Chris, you were such great fun to work with and I can’t wait to photograph your big day.

Here are a few photos from the session

Digital Wedding Photography Course & Workshop. Maidens Barn, High Easter Essex

2010-05-24T09:19:00.007+01:00

Wedding, Portrait & Digital Photography Training Workshops for the Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced and Professional. All courses held in Braintree essex, with easy travel from Colchester, Chelmsford, Brentwood, and all over Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk, Kent and Cambridgeshire.

Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com Main Blog page www.JeffTurnbull.blogspot.com

I have been running a 2 day advanced wedding photography workshop for a great group of photographers who had traveled from Wiltshire, Bedfordshire, Suffolk, Hertfordshire and Essex. The course is tailored to the photographer striving to produce greater wedding imagery and in doing so also attract the more discerning wedding client.

On day 1 the entire afternoon is spent at a wedding venue with our bride and groom model where I introduce different ways in which to capture a wedding but more importantly the time at a wedding when it's just the photographer and the bride & groom.

For this photography session Maidens Barn in High Easter, Essex was Chosen as the venue as they had prepared the area where they undertake outdoor weddings. Maidens Barn is a beautifully restored barn which also has lovely gardens as well. The weather was absolutely glorious and emphasised why being a photographer is such a fantastic profession to be in.

During this session it allows everyone to develop their creativity and personal wedding photography style ready ready for their own weddings in order to produces wonderful wedding photographs for their clients.

On day 2 of the workshop part of the morning is spent reviewing everyone's images from the previous day and providing a critique so that they can improve their photography even further. We then move onto power marketing, developing your brand, shooting to sell as well as other specialist techniques to appeal to the ideal client

So, here are a few of my images from day 1 ready for you to critique :-)

Everyone from the workshop.
Back Row: L-R Emma Kelly, Laura Barker, Alex Lindsay (Bride), Rees Warren (Groom), Bert Ophoff, Steve Jones
Front Row: L-R Raymonde Newman, David Tyrer, Roger Kelly,

If you either an aspiring wedding photographer or you're already a wedding photographer and you're now looking to move up to the next level then this course could just be what you need. For further information please contcat me directly on 01376 323 915 or vist me at www.Photo-Training.co.uk

Wedding Photography at Prested Hall, Colchester - Nathan & Jo Roulson

2010-05-17T21:56:00.006+01:00

Artistic and contemporary wedding photography by Essex photographer jeff Turnbull. Covering Essex, Suffolk, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire, London, Surrey and Kent.

Main Website www.JeffTurnbull.com Main Blog Page www.JeffTurnbull.Blogspot.com

On Saturday I had the pleasure in photographing the wedding of Jo & Nathan Roulson at the wonderful Prested Hall in Feering near Colchester, Essex.

I had originally met Nathan through his involvement with Essex Air Ambulance who I was doing some photography for. Nathan is a very active person indeed and recently completed the London marathon, without any training after he was given the opportunity to compete in the marathon just the night before the big race. Nathan went on to complete it in only 3.5 hours!

Jo was such a lovely bride to work with and a beautiful bride to photograph. Prior to the wedding ceremony there were a couple of occasions where Jo would have bumped into her groom had it not been for the bright shirt he was wearing underneath his suit.

The wedding ceremony itself was held outside with about 80 family members and friends in attendance.

Because of the fine weather we were able to make most of the grounds after the ceremony to capture some beautiful wedding photographs.

Prested Hall, which dates back to the 1800’s, is a beautiful country house situated in lovely grounds and is a fantastic venue for weddings. The current owners took the property in 1994 and have gone to transform, what was a very run down property to the splendid place it is now.

Please find below a selection of photographs from the day.

For further information on my wedding, portrait or commercial photography services please either call me on 01376 323 915 or e-mail me at Jeff@JeffTurnbull.com.

Essex Wedding Photography. Bocking Windmill, St Mary's Church & Essex Golf &and Country Club Steve and Mel Rees

2010-05-05T16:27:00.009+01:00

Wedding and Lifestyle Portrait Photographer Jeff Turnbull. Photography areas include Essex, Suffolk, Hertfordshire, London and Kent.Bocking Windmill, St Mary’s Church Bocking with the wedding reception at Essex Golf & Country Club in Earls Colne.

Main Blog page www.JeffTurnbull.blogspot.com Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com

Recently I had the great pleasure of photographing the wedding of Steve and Mel Rees.

The glorious day started with the bridal prep session. Mel was getting ready at her parents house which is very close to Bocking Windmill. I had often seen the windmill, which dates from 1721 from afar while I've been driving but I've never actually had the opportunity to visit. Anyway, not wanting to miss this opportunity a quick photo session with Mel was quickly arranged before Mel would be heading off to St Mary’s church for the ceremony.

Over at St Mary's church I met up with Steve and his ushers (at the pub accross the road). St Mary’s is a wonderful church to get married, not only because of the great architecture but also because the people involved with the ceremony are so nice and ensure that each wedding is so personal to the couple

Following the ceremony everyone was invited to the wedding breakfast and and then to the evening reception, which were both held at Essex Golf and Country club in Earls Colne. Steve is an avid golfer and has many a time played a round of golf and managed to avoid any temptation.

Steve and Mel were such fun to work with and it’s fair to say that their great personality is really contagious.

Steve and Mel, it was a real pleasure to photograph your wedding and I wish you guys many, many years of happiness together.

Below are a few photographs from the day.

STOP PRESS!

“Jeff, thank you so much for the photos...and all I can say is, wow! They are fantastic.
For someone who doesn’t like their photo being taken, I spent most of the time looking at them saying "I like that one, and that one, oh and that one"...
They are really special so once again thank you.... You have captured the day brilliantly and we have been recommending you to everyone we meet."

Mel Rees, May 2010

Are you, or do you know someone who is, getting married and have yet to chose your wedding photographer? Then contact me for further information on my services or visit my main website.

01376 323 915 www.JeffTurnbull.com

Planning Your Wedding - Guest Blog by Wedding & Event Planner Aegean Thompson

2010-05-01T08:47:00.001+01:00

Wedding, Engagement, Anniversary & Corporate Event Planning, Planners & Photography in London, Essex, Hertfordshire, Suffolk, Cambridgeshire and throughout the UK

Main Blog page www.JeffTurnbull.blogspot.com - Main Website www.JeffTurnbull.com

Hi. Well, I'm back after two week of constant IT and internet problems. I have now switched to using Macs so hopefully things should now from now on. Well that's what everyone tells me :-)

For this Blog I would like to introduce and hand you over to Aegean Thompson who is the Managing Director of Event Wishes www.EventWishes.com. Aegean specialises in event planning and especially weddings where her skills will ensure of 'capturing your spirit to make your wishes a reality'.

Planning your wedding? Here’s some tips and advice for your special day!

So you’ve announced your engagement and now the real fun begins!! You have the task of planning one of the biggest days of your life – your wedding day!

When organising your wedding there are many elements to consider such as invitations, the venue, flowers, photographer, cake, as well as all the other details like favours, gifts for the bridal party, guest accommodation, lingerie and make up . . . to name a few.

With statistics quoting 250+ hours to organise a wedding (that’s 7 weeks working full time!) it can seem a somewhat overwhelming and daunting task, so it’s hardly surprising that you’ll probably need some help to pull it all together.

There are many areas to consider, here are a few . . . understanding and appreciating the etiquette of a traditional or modern wedding can be a learning curve in itself. Obviously traditions need to be updated with today’s modern families but there are two key points to remember right up to your wedding day – the first is that your guests will make your wedding day so make sure you include people who are important to you; and the second is clear communication – keep them informed of what’s happening and don’t overlook them (especially while you’re having photographs taken after the service) so ensure they are entertained and have something to do.

When it comes to selecting your venue, it’s important to choose somewhere that reflects your theme or experience, for example a barn wedding will have a very different feel about it to a hotel based wedding. Given that your venue and catering will be one of the biggest expenses on the day (usually c.50% of your overall budget) you need to choose carefully. Traditionally the vast majority of weddings have between 100-250 guests, although in recent times it has become more popular to reduce the number of guests to between 60-80 and to maintain the quality of the occasion rather than to spread the budget too thinly. These smaller, more intimate weddings are becoming a trend with couples who keep the number of guests to their immediate family and friends, rather than inviting relations they haven’t seen in years. Another idea is to have a mid-week or out of season wedding (Jan, Feb, Nov or Dec – excluding Christmas) to keep the costs down.

Capturing those important memories of your special day will be your photographer so choose wisely. This is one area where a friend or family member can suggest that they will help you out and take the photos – please remember that when you look back on your wedding day in years to come, you’ll want more than a few snaps. Broadly speaking there are three levels of professional photographer:

- . level 1 – will give you a reasonable representation of your day

- . level 2 – will provide a good standard of photographs, engagement with the couple and guests

- . level 3 – will give you exceptional photographs and will have the X Factor. They will capture the passion of the day, will have lots of confidence and personality and will deliver quality and amazing photographs

In order to achieve these fantastic photographs, it’s becoming the norm to have a pre-wedding shoot, so that you as a couple get used to the photographer’s style and can plan the types of shots you’d like on the day. This planning and experience will make a difference on the wedding day, so do take advantage of this approach.

Another key feature on the day will be flowers. Think about how you want to feel on the day and collect images of floral displays and bouquets you like to show the florist as a good starting point. Your bouquet must enhance what you’ll be wearing and should remain within the line of the dress to show off your waist. It should also reflect the texture of your dress, so you need to have finalised your dress before speaking to the florist. As budget is important, use flowers that will work for the ceremony and the reception afterwards to give you additional value. Using one or two dramatic pieces which can be re-used within the reception is a great idea and make sure that your flowers work with all the elements – ie table linen, chairs etc as this will create a greater effect. Lastly, always choose flowers that are in season – eg. Peonies for a December wedding are 5 times more expensive than in summer and won’t last the duration of the day!

If you’re in the process of planning your own wedding, you will appreciate that there are many other elements to think about, plan and decide upon. Therefore, if you would like some guidance and support in your planning process we would be delighted to hear from you. Event Wishes offers a free consultation to discuss your wedding plans and how we can help you. So whether you need help getting started, you need inspiration, you’re looking for a particular supplier or you’ve got so far with the plans but the stress is getting too much, we have a host of experience and advice to help you.

Some of the benefits you will receive when working with a wedding planner are:

- 1. Reduced stress and anxiety throughout the planning of your big day

- 2. Saving valuable time - we have a “little white book” full of elite professionals who we work with regularly and are therefore proven and trusted

- 3. On the day itself, having a wedding planner present will mean that you can enjoy the day as the bride and groom with nothing else to worry about

- 4. Providing meticulous attention to detail, flair and style

- 5. Working on your behalf, representing you rather than a venue or supplier

- 6. You have a single point of contact for everything

- 7. Co-ordination of all aspects of your wedding day and not just those at the venue, for example invitation management and guest transportation

I hope you’ve found this article helpful and I welcome your comments, thoughts and suggestions.

Kind regards,

Aegean Thompson – Managing Director of Event Wishes

www.eventwishes.com

If you're getting married and still haven't decided on your photographer then please do give me a call or visit my main website for more details. www.JeffTurnbull.com 07961 100 580

Jeff

Good Friday in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and at the Dead Sea - Jeff Turnbull Photography

2010-04-08T14:23:00.015+01:00

Worldwide Travel and commercial photography by Jeff Turnbull.

Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com Main Blog www.JeffTurnbull.Blogspot.com

Hi. For this blog entry I thought I would get away from work stuff and instead tell you all about a recent trip of mine. I hope you find it interesting.

I’ve just come back from a 9 day break to Egypt. While away we took the opportunity to travel up to Israel and spend Good Friday by visiting Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

We set off from our hotel at 7pm and crossed the Egypt/Israel boarder around 1am in the morning on a coach with 48 Russians, which seemed to surprise the border guards and we were asked a number of times why, considering we don’t speak a single word of Russian, were we travelling with them. Anyway, once through the border we continued our journey and later stopped off at the Dead Sea at early dawn for a quick break before continuing towards Jerusalem.

Dawn at the Dead Sea

Our first stop in Jerusalem was to the Western Wall, sometimes referred to as the Wailing Wall or Simply the Kotel, which is the remains of the great Jewish Temple, built by Herod the Great, and is thought to be the most sacred of places for the Jews.

Ariving in Jerusalem City

The Western Wall

Just behind the wall you can see the golden roof of the Dome of the Rock which is the third holiest site in the world to Islam

The Dome of the Rock - Also known as"The Jewel of Jerusalem architecture"

From here we went onto Bethlehem, a Palestine city in the Central West Bank and headed straight to the Church of the Nativity.

The church is one of the oldest (built in the 4th century) continuously operating churches in the world. It is built over the cave that tradition marks as the birthplace of Jesus and is considered sacred by both Christianity and Islam.

The Curch of the Nativity

This silver star, beneath the altar in the Grotto of the Nativity, marks the spot believed to be the Birthplace of Jesus

Following lunch we headed back to Old City Jerusalem and to the streets where the markets are held. The narrow streets led us to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where huge crowds of people were present to celebrate Good Friday and for us to follow the same walk that Jesus took before being crucified.

The Old City of Jerusalem

Outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

The local crowd control

Once all accounted for on the coach it was time to start heading back south to the Egyptian border, but not before making a final one hour stop en-route at the Dead Sea, this time to have some fun.

As you may know, the Dead Sea is the lowest accessible point on the earth. At 1,385 feet (approx 422 meters) below sea level this unique sea has around seven times the minerals of other seas and is ten times saltier than the Med.

The fun part is that due to it’s salinity you simply bob about in the water and can’t sink, which as first feels quite weird to be honest but you soon get used to it. The sea apparantly is also great for your skin too.

The calm of the Dead Sea

The kids having some fun.

This could have been such a cool photo had I not been reading my daughter's teen mag at the time!

All refreshed and relaxed

By the time we got back to our hotel in Sharm el-Sheikh late that night it had been in total a 29 hour coach journey and we were well and truely ready for bed.

If you enjoy my Blog then please check out my Photography Page on Facebook www.Facebook.com/JeffTurnbullPhotography and consider becoming a fan.

Please feel free to leave any comments. Thanks Jeff

Lifestyle Photography & Off Camera Flash Training Workshop - Essex - Jeff Turnbull

2010-03-22T19:45:00.001Z

Essex & Suffolk Digital Photography Training covering Portraits, Weddings, Studio Lighting and Lifestyle for Beginners, Intermediates, Advanced and Professional Photographers.

Main Website www.JeffTurnbull.com Main Blog Page www.JeffTurnbull.blogspot.com

On Saturday I was running my new training workshop covering the subjects of 'Lifestyle Portraits & Off Camera Flash' techniques.

Ok, so just what is Lifestyle Portraits? Well actually there is no definitive explanation to what Lifestyle Photography is. So to different photographers, and clients, it could well mean different things.

To me however it’s all about capturing fun, vibrant portraits which are achieved in a variety of locations, from urban settings to more scenic environments, regardless of the weather conditions. Which, let’s face it, is just as well considering some of the weather conditions that we are faced with here.

Saturday’s workshop was run with six great photographers, all of whom I had met before on some of my previous courses. It’s great when people come back again as firstly, getting to see how their photography has developed is really exciting but also there is a different atmosphere resulting in greater banter on the day, even if it does mean I’m on the receiving end of it all :-)

Armed with our cameras we visited two locations with our models Katie and Rob, a real couple and both from West Mersea near Colchester. The first location was to show how even in an urban and a slightly dilapidated area you can get some great photographs when you look beyond the location and start noticing the colours and textures of the surroundings. For the location in the afternoon we headed off to a country park where, although it was raining by now, allowed us to capture a different style of location portraits.

The final part of the day covers how to simply tweak the images in Photoshop on order to bring out further the colours and textures.

If you’re interested in portrait photography and you’d like to spend a day with other keen photographers developing your skills, with the region’s number one photography trainer, then why not check out my main training website www.Photo-Training.co.uk and take a good look around at the various courses and workshops available.

Here are some images from the day.

The 'Crew' from the course

For details on any of my Photography Workshops the please vistit www.Photo-Training.co.uk or feel free to call me on 01376 323 915

1 Day Professional Wedding Photography Workshop in Essex by Jeff Turnbull

2010-03-18T11:05:00.014Z

Digital photography workshops, courses and classes by Essex & Suffolk professional photographer Jeff Turnbull. Covering Weddings, Portraits, Studio Lighting and Lifestyle photographs for amateurs, enthusiasts, intermediates and professionals

Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com Main Blog www.JeffTurnbull.blogspot.com

On Saturday I ran my hugely popular ‘Introduction to Wedding Photography’ workshop for a great group of eight up and coming wedding photographers. This one day’s training is an excellent course for anyone either considering getting into wedding photography or for those who may have done a few weddings already and now want to fine tune the areas of using natural & available light as well as essential posing for weddings.

The first few hours were spent at All Saints Church where the group were initially put into two groups allowing them more individual time with the Bride and the Groom models (Amy & Ben) we had with us. Albeit a bright day it was fairy cold to say the least and applause has to be given to the models, especially Amy, for their extreme professionalism. Moving into the Church (where it was even colder!) gave everyone the opportunity to learn about low level light and how to still capture stunning images.
After lunch we go onto Bridal Prep and Groom Prep photography, which when doing a real wedding really contributes to capturing the spirit of the day resulting in fantastic wedding photographs.

The final part of the day included the business side of being a wedding photographer including marketing, sale and suppliers.

All in all it was a great day with a really fun and professional group of fellow photographers. Many thanks to everyone who came along.

Please find below just a selection of the many great photographs that were taken by some of those who attended.

Are you considering moving into wedding photography? Or mayber you're currently a wedding photographer and would like some further professional training with a group of other photographers. Then this one day workshop workshop is definately for you.

For further details, or to answer any questions that you have please call me on 01376 323 915 or visit www.JeffTurnbull.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Mother's Day & Mothering Sunday. Portrait Photography by Jeff Turnbull

2010-03-03T12:09:00.006Z

Essex and Suffolk Lifestyle Portrait, Wedding & Commercial Photography by Jeff Turnbull

Main website. http://www.jeffturnbull.com/ Main Blog http://www.jeffturnbull.blogspot.com/

Ok folks, as we all probably know Mother's Day will soon be with us, in fact it's less than 2 weeks away now but do you know the origins?

Despite what many may think; that it's a creation by the greetings card companies to sell more cards there is an actual history to it.

• The correct name for Mothers Day here in the UK is Mothering Sunday.

• Mothering Sunday is always the fourth Sunday of Lent; however as the dates vary as to when Easter and Lent fall the actual Sunday chosen to celebrate it may vary.

• It is more often referred to as "Mother's Day" and it origin is distinctly different to Mothers Day in America, although the sentiments are similar.

• In Victorian times, it was a day when children, mainly daughters, who had gone to work as domestic servants were given a day off to visit their mother and family.

• Today it is a day when children give presents, flowers, and cards to their mothers. But also add the opportunity to present your mum with a Portrait session with yours truly that all the family can be involved in... Come on, I had to slip that in somewhere :-)

History of Mothering Sunday

• Most Sundays in the year, churchgoers would worship at their nearest parish or "daughter church".

• In olden times it was considered important for people to return to their home or "mother" church at least once a year. So each year in the middle of Lent, everyone would visit their "mother" church

• As the return to the "mother" church became an occasion for family reunions when children who were working away from home returned. (It was quite common in those days for children to leave home to work in service from ten years of age.) And to think my children feel hard done when it’s their turn to empty the dishwasher ;-)

• The majority of historians think that it was this return to the "Mother" church which led to the tradition of children, particularly those working as domestic servants, or as apprentices, being given the day off to visit their mother and family.

• This special day has now become a time when people give thanks to their mothers and offers an opportunity to express both love and thanks for the work that they do.

So there you have it, the origins and history of Mother’s Day in the UK.

If you’re still considering what to buy your mum for Mothering Sunday then do consider a Portrait Session. This is a great opportunity for all the family to get together and have a fun photo shoot but also you’ll receive some amazing photographs that you and your mum will cherish for many years to come.

For details please visit www.JeffTurnbull.com or call me on 01376 323 915.

New Courses & Workshops - Essex & Suffolk Photography Training by Jeff Turnbull

2010-02-22T17:44:00.001Z

Essex, Suffolk and Cambridge Digital Photography training for Beginners, Advanced and Professional Photographers covering Introduction, Weddings, Portrait and flash photography.

Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com Training Website www.Photo-Training.co.uk

The new Photography Training schedule has been released for all courses up to the end of April.

One of the new workshops that I'm really excited about is the Lifestyle Portraits and Off Camera Flash workshop. This is going to be a great one day course that covers the exciting world of Lifestyle (location) Portraits but also adding getting to know all about off camera flash. At the time of writing this there were two places left.

The other, ever popular, one day courses are still there of course. Introduction to Digital Photography, Introduction to Portrait & Lighting and the one day Introduction to Wedding Photography. For further information on all the courses please visit www.Photo-Training.co.uk

Also the second 6-Month Business Mentoring Programme is starting in April. This is a must for those photographers who want a springboard to improve their photograph business or for you if you're considering a career in photography. This needs to be booked quickly as the first programmes sold out within 72 hours. Book early and get 25% discount. Visit www.Photo-Training.co.uk for further details.

On Saturday I was running my Introduction to Digital Photography workshop with a real, fun group of photographers. This one-day training is ideal for anyone who has either recently become the proud owner of a digital SLR camera or for those who have had one a while but now want to know how to use it fully.

Here are the guys from Saturday's course.

Facebook Fan Page set up - Jeff Turnbull Photography

2010-02-18T14:40:00.014Z

Essex, London, Suffolk and East Anglia Wedding, Portrait and Commercial photographer.

Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com Training Website www.Photo-Training.co.uk

This morning I launched my Photography 'Fan Page' on Facebook (profile picture to the left). To be honest I find the title of fan page a little bit awkward really as when I'm then asking someone to become a Fan it could be seem as a little arrogant. So instead, I want you to see it as a member's page where I will be sharing information and imagery with you.

Please do go and check out the fan page and if your like what you see then please do become a member by adding yourself, but also why not suggest the page to your other Facebook friends as well.

On the page I will be keeping everyone up to date with what's happening with myself, including details of all new training programmes coming out, photography assignments that I've been on but also if you're new to modelling or you're considering becoming a model then there will be some great stuff for you too.

The story behind the Profile Image.

The image on the left was taken at a wedding I did with my daughter, Holly, last year at Gosfield Hall. We had been waiting to do the Bridal Prep session but the girls were running behind. After waiting outside the room for over 45 minutes we were then given only 10 minutes (before it was time to go to the ceremony) to capture some photographs when ideally I would have loved to have had an hour to photograph this beautiful bride.

On entering the room, I saw a reflection in the mirror of the bridesmaids still busy to the bride. There was something special about the moment, so before even introducing myself to anyone, I grabbed the camera and took my first shot of the bride that day.

OK, You've Got a New DSLR Now What? - Digital Photography Training by Jeff Turnbull

2010-02-15T10:26:00.012Z

Braintree based Introduction, Portrait and Wedding Photography training classes, courses & workshops. Easy travel from Essex, Suffolk, Kent, Hertfordshire and Cambridegeshire. Suitable for all DSLR owners inc, Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Pentax, Olumpus, Sony.

Training Website www.Photo-Training.co.uk Photography Website www.JeffTurnbull.com Blog www.JeffTurnbull.blogspot.com

When I first started out in photography in my teens the idea was you got yourself a SLR (Single Lens Reflex) camera (mine was an Olympus OM10) and that model would be around for many years. Fast forward to a few years ago and things are now completely different.

With the competition being so fierce between the makers of digital cameras it seems that they are bringing out a new and improved version of that model every year and sometimes even shorter periods than that. And with each upgraded camera comes new features to entice the consumer to buy that model. This in itself is not a bad thing of course because what you can now buy and an entry level DSLR (D of course standing for digital) is absolutely amazing. A camera with the same capabilities a few years ago would have run into thousands of pounds.

The real problem is that you buy the camera, complete with all the bells & whistles, you get it home, you excitedly take out the camera from its box, take out the owner’s manual have a read of it and get ready to start taking amazing photographs. But hang on... who has the owner’s manual be actually written for? Manuals can be confusing things and although they may tell you what the camera can do, but it does not necessarily tell you when, where and why you would use the; all singing, all dancing features that it has.

But don't worry; all is ok, as you've just found that feature that is going to save the day. Yes, it's the square Green Auto Setting so you will be able to use the camera after all and now justify to yourself why you bought it in the first place. Phew!!! That was close!

I say all of this because this is exactly how I found things when I originally moved from film and bought my first digital SLR Canon camera!

But I'm sure that you don't really want to be treating your DSLR as a large and expensive point & shoot camera do you? So what can you do?

Well, having many hundreds of pounds on your camera way not spend a lot less than that coming on a 1 day Introduction to Digital Photography workshop where you will have a great time, with like minded people getting to know how to use the camera is a simple, but effective way. You'll go home excited, inspired and ready to start taking your own amazing photographs. I guarantee it.

On Saturday I was running such a course with a really great group of people, who although had different areas of photography that they were interested in all had one thing in common. They simply want to improve their photography knowledge & skills so they can take even better photographs. They were a fun group to work with and despite the cold weather they really got into their photography and what they were learning.

If you fancy coming onto the Introduction to Digital Photography Workshop then please visit my main training website www.Photo-Training.co.uk , take a look around and book yourself onto the next available workshop. Please note that this workshop is extremely popular so to avoid dissapointment please boom quickly.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Here are the group from Saturday (who were happening to be taking a photograph of me at the same time).

Engagement / Pre Wedding Photography at Prested Hall. Nathan Roulson & Joanne White

2010-02-12T22:26:00.005Z

Engagement & Pre Wedding Photography at Prested Hall by Essex & Suffolk Professional Photographer Jeff Turnbull.

Main website www.JeffTurnbull.com Blog www.JeffTurnbull.Blogspot.com

Recently I photographed an Engagement / Pre wedding photo session for a really great couple Nathan & Joanne whose wedding I am photographing in May this year at Prested Hall. I had first met Nathan & Joanne a year or so ago through their support of the Essex Air Ambulance who I do the photography for.

The location of the portrait session was at Prested Hall in Feering near Colchester. It was a cool afternoon, however neither Nathan nor Joanne was fazed by this and they were more than happy to start the session outside. The grounds of Prested are really nice and make a wonderful backdrop for any type of shoot.

Following this we moved indoors to get some more photographs. All the outdoor plus some of the indoor photographs were lit using natural available only and later on we tried a few shots using a single off camera flash with diffuser which creates a different type of light but also worked really well.

After the photo session both Joanne & Nathen were heading of home to then go and do a ten mile run! Since the session they have both run a half marathon where they both achieved Personal Best times. Fantastic. They are a fantastic couple to work with and I can't wait to photograph their wedding.

If you're considering getting married and have yet to secure a wedding photographer then why not check out my main website www.JeffTurnbull.com have a look around and then contact me for further information. It would be great to hear from you.