Weston-Super-Mare, a wonderful seaside weekend in South West England

Weston-Super-Mare is a seaside town in Somerset, South West England, except it's not really a seaside town because it's located on the banks of the Bristol Channel which means one thing, MUD!  Home to a tide that goes so far out you can't see it but don't be tempted to go and find it as it comes in much faster than you and you can't beat it!  You can plodge through some of the mud though and as Looby and I can attest, you end up with lovely soft feet!

After months of UK cityscapes, 24 in fact since the middle of April, it was finally time to have a proper holiday weekend and so that's what we did, 3 days of amusements, beach walks, a trip to Puxton Park, a trip to the Seaquarium and of course a ride on the Weston Wheel, it was the most relaxing 3 days I've had this year, we even managed to get to the cinema for the screening of Dr Who "Deep Breath" (We both loved it and think that Peter Capaldi is going to be an excellent Doctor, in fact he very much reminded me of Tom Baker, I think I'm going to enjoy this season). We stayed in nearby Worle which is one stop from Weston-Super-Mare, had I known we would have to take the train there each day I probably would have booked somewhere nearer but all in all our Airbnb experience was a good one although not quite as good as our stay in Betty, the retro 80's caravan in Hereford where we stayed earlier in the week.

If I could sum up Weston-Super-Mare I would say it's the perfect victorian seaside resort, a little brash, just the right amount of gaudy and above all in parts astonishingly beautiful, if you have never taken the time to visit this part of the country then get a weekend booked and enjoy all of the things which Weston-Super-Mare has to offer.

Looby chanced her luck on the smallest roller coaster in Great Britain, a giant robotic arm which swings you out into the roof of the Grand Pier, I wasn't so brave as her!

Even though it was freezing Looby still wanted to go in the water, you'd think she was sitting in the med!

What a lovely weekend we had and what a great end to our weeklong adventure, now i'm back home and this week I am fully booked for portrait sessions, if you would like to book a family portrait session during September please get in touch via my website or email

Caravans, Bell Tents and a bedroom in someones house, holidays Airbnb style

Being a travel writer and blogger of course you're never really on holiday but this week is quite an adventure for Looby and I.  We are currently in Hereford spending some time staying in Ugly Betty an 80's caravan which has been given a delicious makeover, click on the link to see her transformation.  I booked this last week on Airbnb (if you use that link to sign up and book a holiday you'll get £15 credit) and I recommend you come and stay here as soon as you can because the whole house and the caravans are delightful as are the wonderful children (one of whom is now Loobys new best friend and they've spent a lot of time jumping up and down on the giant trampoline) and the gorgeous animals, Pollys house is an artists house and as such if you are looking for clinical, minimalist and unmarked then it's probably not the experience for you but if you love people and animals and a beautifully quirky experience as well as some gorgeously delicious food then do come and stay, it's one of the most unique experiences I've had while travelling!  On Friday we'll check out and then we're off to Weston-Super-Mare to stay in someones spare bedroom, and we've already been informed they have a dog and five cats, I can't wait!

Although I am photographing any cities we go to for my book Postcards from the City, the UK Cityscapes project, I'm also looking forward to experiencing new places, visiting the zoo in Bristol or the aquarium and maybe going to Weston Super Mare for fish and chips on the prom.

Today we went to Abergavenny in Welsh Wales, a place I can remember visiting on a family holiday when I was a teenager (so, so long ago) and it's just as beautiful today as well as being a thriving market town with a market that spills out onto the streets, I think that's something quite unique in these times and actually the whole town was so busy today, busier than some of the cities we've visited.

If you want to keep up with our adventures I shall of course be active on Instagram at least and I'll tell you something, I am really missing my doggy, hubby, Abigail and Iain, luckily Paul, Abigail and Petunia are off to a husky retreat next weekend and Iain, well he's staying home to look after Pyracantha, Poppy and Cupcake the cats.

Caught this quick shot of Looby last night as we wandered around Hereford, oh my how she's growing up.

Yes I do live in a menagerie!

Happy Holidays everyone.

Durham Cathedral Wedding Photographer

Of course it was a huge thrill when lovely Alex and Marie got in touch about being their Durham Cathedral wedding photographer, when I started out in my business I said one day I wanted to shoot at wedding in there, just over 7 years later and the day had arrived.  Alex and Marie were having their second wedding, the UK leg of their love story together and choosing the backdrop of Durham Cathedral alongside the laid back feel of Hatfield College their day was really about contrasts.  A very relaxed low key blessing in the Galilee chapel of possibly one of the most important religious buildings we have the UK, the resting place of the venerable bede, the former parish of the now Archbishop of Canterbury, a place where feeling close to God is coupled with the magnificent splendour of the surroundings.  As you can probably tell I was honoured and I was delighted to be able to represent their day in images.  Alex and Marie are both PHD students in medieval literature so for them to be surrounded by so much of the history important to them was also of great importance, one of the highlights for me was being able to stage the family portraits within the Galilee chapel and being able to do some gorgeous off camera portraits in the cloisters.  Usually no photography is allowed at Durham Cathedral because of the religious importance and so I feel incredibly honoured that for just one day I could photograph Alex and Marie in surroundings which really are befitting of the description Awe inspiring.

Because Alex and Marie were having a blessing it meant that we shot portraits before the ceremony as well as after as we made our way to Hatfield College.  For this important day I chose my good friend and wonderful documentary wedding photographer Jamie Emerson you may have heard me mention him before, he's so very talented and one of my very best friends and I always enjoy when we can shoot weddings together.

Shall we see some of the images from Alex and Maries very special blessing at Durham Cathedral?

Oh the irony of the no photography signs, if you're wondering, yes that's why they were left in there!

Alex and Marie, thank you so much for sharing your wonderful blessing with me, may I wish you the best of times together and may every day be filled with just a little bit more love than the one before it.

I only shoot a maximum of 10 carefully chosen weddings each year and I really have some amazing dates and places coming up over the next few years, because I only shoot a very small amount of dates they tend to book far far far in advance, today I'm excited to have taken on a wonderful wedding for July 2016 so if you want to talk to me about shooting your 2015/2016 wedding anywhere in the UK please do get in touch, I am based in the North East but travel all over the UK for weddings, portrait commissions and travel photography.

You can either email me, contact me through my website or my flash website or contact me through Facebook