20th October - Mazda car launch

Got to borrow a new Mazda 2 which was being launched at Ackergill Tower all week. I took it out to a few recognisable Caithness locations to photograph it. Nice car - felt like I was driving a tractor when I went back to my own car!

6th October Tulloch castle

Back to my favourite venue today for the wedding of Louise Murray and Willie Mainland, both from Balgate Drive, Kiltarlity. Another Humanist wedding, which is just great fun! Lovely fun ceremony.

29th September Drumossie Hotel

Today's wedding was Helen Rankin, Culduthel Mains Avenue, Inverness and Jon Chambless, Paris. Married at the lovely Drumossie Hotel, Inverness.

Video Viewpoint

Huge congratulations to Colin Sinclair of Video Viewpoint who has been nominated for the prestigious VOWS awards this year. The way these particular awards work, make it very difficult for someone up here to be successful, so it is a great achievement. Having worked with Colin on so many occasions, I know how much effort and professionalism goes into his work and this award is testimony to that. I am absolutely delighted to see him get this recognition and hope it brings loads of business to him!!
Congratulations Colin!!

Slanderous Comments on a public forum.

Update - thread was removed from the caithness.org site for legal reasons.
Scares me that there are such sad people in this area who can make up such ridiculous stories then post them anonymously on a public forum.

FHM High Street Honey

Had a shoot with the lovely Heather Weir from Ayrshire this week at Tulloch Castle. Heather has made it to the final of FHM's High Street Honey's competition. Get voting for this girl now!

Either text FHM 46 to 86145 or go here --->FHM Webpage to vote.

Great girl - deserves to be successful!

Front Cover!

Managed to get another front cover on the new edition of The Highland Wedding Directory.

Spain 2008

I have been invited to go to Spain to take part in a course run by Martin Grahame Dunn next February. Three of us have been invited to take part in the "Aspiring To Fellowship" course, which is the top course at MGD's International Academy of Photography, Illuminatus Now. the other photographers invited are Julia Boggio and Milad Hussein, both from London.

21st September Ardersier

Travelled to Ardersier today for the wedding of Miho Oka and Stevie Macleod, who stay in the village. They were married at Ardersier Church.

The reception was at the Newton Hotel, Nairn.

16th SECC Wedding Show

Paid a visit to the impressive wedding show at the SECC today before heading back North. Jim at Elske Bridal was displaying at it and had some of my recent bridal work on display which was good to see.
Was supposed to be shooting with Heather Weir today in Troon but the bad weather put paid to that.

15th Sept. Gean House, Alloa

Travelled to Alloa this weekend for the wedding of JoAnne Dowell and Adam Pagram. The couple are from Cambridgeshire, but travelled North of the border for their big day. It was a stunning venue - inside and out. It was raining all morning, but htye must have had a word with someone important because it turned out nice just at the right time!

I stayed for the reception and had a great day, a lovely bunch of people! Made to feel very welcome!

8th September Edinburgh

Todays wedding was at The Scotsman Hotel in Edinburgh, a very nice location. The couple today were Julie-Ann Williams and Mike Randell, both from Coventry. This wedding was from a recommendation from a wedding I did last year (thanks Beth and Toby!) so that was nice to get. After the ceremony the guests left on a ghost tour while bride, groom and myself wandered around shooting in the hotel and on the Royal Mile. Great fun!! Reception was then in a really cool underground vault - Marlins Wynd.

7th Sept Glasgow

Did a second shoot with model Ashley - just trying out some experimental shots at night, which went okay. Poor girl was frozen though :-)

2nd September Ashley shoot

Had a shoot with new model, Ashley today. Her first shoot, but it was hard to tell. She was very good in front of the camera and we got some very nice images.

1st September - Tulloch castle again!

Two days in a row at Tulloch Castle, testing my imagination now!

Sarah Tough and Gary Stuart were todays couple, both from Stratton Road, Inverness. It was a humanist ceremony, my first one. I loved it! It was fun and very romantic at the same time.

31st August Tulloch Castle

Back to one of my favourite venues today for the wedding of Alan Moar and Liliya Bardukova. The couple are from Thurso, Alan is originally from Castletown, Liliya from St Petersburg, Russia. They got married in the Castle Dungeon, which was really cool, lit only by candles, it made a very romantic setting. Having said that the low lighting was tricky for photographing the ceremony and also tricky for locating rings dropped by the best man (Sorry Robert!).

Monday 27th August Bunchrew House

Another trip to Inverness today for the wedding of Kelly Turner and Michael Hopwood, both of Severn Drive in Somerset. It rained all morning, forcing the wedding indoors, but it brightened up later and we got outside for a while to take some shots in the grounds of this lovely venue.

One Day Workshop Next Month

I am running a photography workshop next month - Saturday October 13th - which will feature on photographing people. Hopefully the first of many of such workshops, this one is aimed at a good amateur level and will give advice on getting the best from portraits. Participants are expected to have at least some basic photographic knowledge and bring their own cameras as there will be an opportunity to shoot at times during the day.

For more information or to book a place please send an e-mail to john@captiv8.uk.com

Website

Apologies to all the people who tried to view the Captiv8 website over the last few days. I changed my hosting package over and had a few small problems. It's back up and running now. Anyone who has sent any e-mails over the last few days and haven't had a reply, may have to re-send it because I think the mail was down as well.

Sorry for the inconvenience, but hopefully it will be fine from now on.

26th August Edinburgh

Had a great shoot today with Angie, an amazing model in Edinburgh. We found a great location and shot some great images for her portfolio.