Ideal Photography

Christmas Mini Sessions

2011-11-07T04:32:00.001-08:00

Our ever popular christmas mini sessions are back again this year! We have 2 session dates for you to keep in mind -

26th & 27th November
3rd & 4th December

Mini sessions last just 20 minutes each with 1 digital file of your choice included in the price. Sessions will be taking place in Hillsborough Forest Park this year!

We we also be offering special "mini packages" and "mini products" just for those of you taking advantage of the mini session. Items include mini canvas, mini brag books, mini acrylics and mini dvd slideshows which make great stocking fillers coming up to christmas!!

Places are limited. To book call the office on 02892 668536, or email us at idealphotography@live.co.uk.

Planning Ahead....

2011-11-01T14:02:00.000-07:00

Well it really is that time of year again, the nights are longer, the heating is on more than it's off and no doubt soon enough we will have to get up an extra 10 minutes earlier just to scrape the ice off the car! At Ideal Photography though we are focusing on all the positives this year! There's the christmas continental market in Belfast, the smell of hot chocolate as you work your way around the various stalls, the feeling of lying in bed snuggled up for an extra hour on a Sunday and of course, kids getting excited about santa and having fun in the snow. That's how this time of year should be remembered.

What better way to capture those precious smiles from the kids, the loving looks between you and your partner,than with a walk down the park or a trip to the studio! Capture those feelings, and hang them on the wall for all to see!

Better still while you book your very own family portrait why not allow us to take the hassle out of christmas shopping for you too! With a variety of options and packages this winter it will be hard not to find something to fit! Better still buy 2 gift vouchers and get the 3rd half price!!

Just call the studio on 02892 668536, drop us a text on 07849961962 or send us a quick email to idealphotography@live.co.uk

Model School - September

2011-10-22T02:36:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago we had the pleasure of working alongside Ann Connor and Anthony Miller as well as a dozen amazing young women at the Northern Ireland School of Modelling. Here's just a few images from the evening, and we look forward to working alongside this fab school in the future!

If you want any information on the school of modelling please get in touch.

Ryan

2011-10-18T11:39:00.001-07:00

Here's just a few of our favourites from a recent session with Ryan, who came into the studio with his mum!

Alana & Lee

2011-09-30T10:34:00.000-07:00

Here's just a few images from Alana and Lees engagement session at Newcastle! What better way to spend the day than with a walk along the beach, some fun in the amusements and of course sweets! What we captured here was a young couple very much in love, truly enjoying eachothers company. What more could you ask for?

Let us know what you think, comments always welcome below and remember to "follow" our blog to keep up to date with what's happening in the world of Ideal Photography!

A long time coming....

2011-08-07T13:18:00.000-07:00

The title says it all really - It HAS been a long time coming - both for the return of our blog and the much awaited summer holiday - the first in 2 years!

Getting a chance to relax is harder than it seems - I'm not one of those who can just sit by a pool all day, always very active - but this holiday was completely different, relaxation was all I was interested in!

We spent 2 glorious weeks in Tenerife at the beginning of July and whilst there had the opportunity to speak to a local company to become one of the recommended photographers for destination weddings in Tenerife!

As always the camera was on hand and was lovely to explore one of my favourite past times - travel photography! I took a total of 1879 photos while we were there so below really is just a "small" sample!

www.idealphotographyni.co.uk

07849961962

idealphotography@live.co.uk

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ideal-Photography/127944943948640

Back to Black

2010-10-10T17:34:00.000-07:00

Welcome to "Back to Black" our next event day is 6th November 2010.

What is back to Black?

Back to black is just one of Ideal Photographys portrait event days. Book your family portrait session and receive a special price with a choice of wall art - frames & acrylics, and a choice of sizes!

Your session is slighly different to a normal family portrait with us, every photo will be black and white - including matching frames etc.

Have the choice between outdoors or studio sitting.

We are also offering the first 5 people to book a second sitting for a friend or family member half price!

Book soon as we have limited spaces available!!

October Promotions

2010-10-06T08:58:00.000-07:00

We've decided to start listing our monthly promotions so everyone knows exactly what's happening with Ideal Photography and so you don't miss out on anything!

All About Me!!
Now is your chance to shine! All about Me portrait session is just that.....all about you! (Well your kids really!) A fun filled session uniquely designed for each person - bring along whatever you want, whether your a football fanatic, love dressing up or have great fun baking!! These sessions are designed for 8-16 years old.

Boudoir!
Make his heart race with a boudoir session! Our luxurious private session allows you the chance to be pampered, to have fun and to evoke your inner goddess! Whether you want something a little more glam or something a little more racy your sure to give your fella a real treat this christmas!

Christmas Cards
It's never too early to get ready for christmas, and what better way to celebrate the start of winter with your own custom christmas cards! We have special portrait days just for christmas - bring along your santa hats to the studio, or take a walk with the family down at the local park - either way make your cards unique this year! Receive 25% off your card orders with any wall portrait bought! Expires 6th December 2010.

Wedding Referral Programme!
Say "I do" to our wedding referral programme - if you have recently got married with Ideal Photography, or are planning your wedding with us, contact us to see how you could earn some valuble credits!!

Bump 2 Baby
Look out for our special "Bump2Baby" offers!! Being pregnant is a very exciting time for any family, why not document it? Book your maternity session before 31st December 2010 and receive 25% off our Watch Me Grow package!!

To book any of of our special sessions listed above, or for more information please call me on 02892 668536 or email me at idealphotography@live.co.uk

Save the date.....16th October 2010

2010-09-30T04:29:00.001-07:00

Save the date..........16th October 2010!!

This is our first EVER mini portrait session day!

Whats involved?
We will be heading down to Lady Dixons Park on Saturday 16th October 2010 for mini portrait sessions. The sessions will last just 15 minutes each, but your welcome to buy as many sessions as you want - for example you might want a family session, and then a session just for the kids?

After your session day we will edit all the photos and give each family an appointment to view your photos. If you decide to take up the christmas card design we will have 2 template designs ready for you - then all you have to do is choose how many personalised christmas cards you want to send to friends and family this year.

All our christmas cards are produced by a professional lab for professional photographers and so quality is guaranteed!!

Christmas Cards?
This year we are introducing personalised christmas cards! Taking your best photos from the session we will design 2 card templates - you can choose to get a bundle of each or just stick with one design - the choice is yours!!

Booking Your Mini Session
Spaces are very limited so book now to avoid disappointment. £15 per session, payable on booking. To book call us on 02892 668536 or email idealphotography@live.co.uk

You can just turn up on the day for a session by calling 07849961962 to ensure there's a space still available - all late bookings on the day will be £25 per session, so better to book in advance!!

See you all there!!

Frenzy Friday

2010-09-25T08:58:00.001-07:00

As you all know by now Ideal Photography has been going through some serious face lifts over the last few months and we are just about finished with our rebranding - and when I say serious facelift I really do mean it!

From a new logo, website, uniform, very stylish new viewing room, new suppliers, new albums, frames, acrylics you name it, we've changed it!

To celebrate the changes and to help get rid of some old stock to make room for the new stock we are introducing Frenzy Friday! Whats Frenzy Friday?

Well on a Friday - until the stock room is emptied we will be offering EVERYONE a seriously reduced price of £2.00 per 6x4 print!! This will only happen on a Friday and only while stocks last! Whether you've already had your portrait session with us or your wedding, whether it was your friends wedding and you wouldn't mind some photos - Friday is the time to do it! Or whether you are a new client, wanting a session booked - anyone can avail of this offer!

So see you all Friday!! Spread the Word!!

Destination Wedding Photography - and what it really means....

2010-09-24T02:35:00.000-07:00

Your wedding day is set to be one of the most important days of your life, so it's understandable why some couples choose to jump on a plane and celebrate with friends and family in a sun-soaked paradise. The thought of waking up on your wedding day with guaranteed sun is not something we can ever guarantee over here!

The first process for any destination wedding is choosing where to go and based on that research local venues offering destination weddings - some of these packages include everything, venue, cake, room decor, musicians, food and of course their own photographer. Now at first glance many couples are over the moon to have found the perfect location for their wedding and then to find that everything is covered under one bill - of course that's the whole idea of paradise! So with very little else to choose or buy the couple set to work on inviting selected friends and family to join them, then they choose a dress and suit, there's none of this panicking yet, or rushing to get everything done last minute!

The wedding is a success, everyone enjoyed their time and the couple are sent home only to receive their images from the wedding a few weeks later (if your lucky). I can only imagine the excitement as the newly weds sit down to view their images of their day - only to be disappointed by snappy shots, out of focus and missing family members. (I should point out now that this information has been given to me by actual bride and grooms). Now not all cases are like this and in fact many couples come away very happy with what they have received.

I was talking to a bride a few weeks ago and we were discussing the pros and cons of destination weddings, and should they have got married abroad what would they do differently. It was immediately pointed out that they would hire a local photographer from Northern Ireland to travel with them, if this was possible - that way when they returned home from the wedding they still had control over what photos went in the album, what album they wanted and if anything went wrong they had a direct person they could contact.

It makes sense though doesn't it? Photographs will be one of the lasting memories you will have of your day, you go to all the trouble of finding an idyllic location, inviting selected friends to join you but some of these details get left out?!

With Ideal Photography we now offer Destination Photography - the service is still exactly the same, we still want as much input together before and after the big day just as we would with a Northern Ireland wedding - we still want couples to contribute to their album and more importantly you'd be shocked to see that its not as expensive as you think!!

So if you or someone you know is planning a destination wedding and wants a local photographer to travel and capture the day then please contact me on 02892 668536 better still we have a fab giveaway!!

The next destination booking at Ideal Photography will receive £150 to spend at their viewing - this is limited to only one lucky couple!

so get booking!!

Sharon & Roberts Pre wedding shoot

2010-09-19T11:41:00.000-07:00

Last week I finally got to meet Robert, the groom of last weeks wedding, just 2 days before the ceremony!! Although Sharon & Robert had booked with Ideal Photography last year it was unfortunate that I wasn't able to meet Robert between times. Robert lives in South of Ireland, whilst Sharon lives just minutes away from where I am based.

Robert travelled up last week in preparation for his wedding, and within less than an hour of arriving decided to meet up in Hillsborough Forest Park for a catch up, and whilst the opportunity was there to take a few photos. Unfortunately though, as typical of Northern Ireland the weather hadn't been great this week and so we literally had 10 minutes before the heavens opened up!

Robert and Sharon got married 2 days later, firstly at The Baptist Church in Ballymacash and then on to Killyhevlin Hotel in Enniskillen - The wedding blog will follow shortly!!

Here comes Santa!

2010-09-12T03:57:00.000-07:00

Well I'm sure you all noticed it this week when you did your food shop - supermarkets have already started selling selection boxes, santa mallows and the big tins of quality street - that for me means only one thing......christmas is just around the corner!

If you are anything like me I find this time of year completely stressful, trying to find presents for every member of my family, trying to remember what they already have and want they really want (within budget of course) so this year I want to make your christmas list just that little bit easier - gift vouchers!

I've custom designed our first ever christmas gift certificates this week and we have a range to choose from depending on budget and who its for!

We have just a portrait sitting voucher ideal for anyone! Then we have our bundles, so a portrait sitting plus albums / frames / acrylics / dvds. Lastly we have a real special package for your loved one - a portrait sitting, storybook album, acrylic frame, and a dvd!

So whoever its for and whatever age we have something to suit everyone this Christmas!

With the build up of christmas we are also offering customised christmas card service - so make your cards a little bit special this christmas - with a portrait sitting for you and the family, a bundle of personalised christmas cards to send to friends and family (and you might find a little something extra added to your bundle!!)

Happy shopping everyone!

Claire and Rorys Pre Wedding Shoot

2010-09-01T12:53:00.000-07:00

Well what a very busy few months I've had!! Thankfully though last weekend was a chance to unwind a bit, starting on Saturday when I joined Claire, Rory, their son Niall and Claires parents down at Hillsborough Forest Park, just outside Lisburn.

Luckily for us the sun had been shining all morning and so as we watched Niall feed the swans, play football and take a walk around the park there was always an opportunity for that perfect family photo!

Claire and Rory have put a tremendous amount of effort into their upcoming wedding, and one I am really looking forward to with some great places picked out for our private session in the afternoon (I won't give anything away just yet though!)

I've included a few of my favourite photos from Claire and Rorys pre wedding shoot and look forward to completing the couples wedding story in October!!

A change is as good as a holiday

2010-08-19T03:13:00.000-07:00

Well most of you now know that "Ideal Photography" has been going through a bit of a face lift this year, and everything is in full swing at the moment with the new branding, logo and website almost complete! We thought we would give you a taste of what exactly has been happening and what exactly you can expect from us!

Lets start from the very beginning (a very good place to start?) at the start of 2010 myself and Niki headed over to London where we spent a week amongst the countrys greatest photographers and joining seminars with the worlds greatest photographers! What we learnt inside these few days would prove to be the starting point for change, it was ironic that changes had already begun in Lisburn to regenerate ourselves before flying out to London, and so this tied in nicely!

Photography is a very personal thing to everyone, people perceive different images in different ways and that's whats great about the industry - I could take one image and 10 people would have 10 completely different views and ideas as to what the image is about and what it represents. That's always how we have and will in the future treat photography, something that is personal to our clients who have booked us, and we always strive to offer exactly what they are looking for. What we also now offer alongside these very personal and loved images is a chance to have fun, play with the camera and be someone else for an hour or two. How can we do that? Well with a variety of training and coaching courses we have been on this year we can now add an extra dimenson with our sittings!

So let's talk about the look and feel of Ideal Photography - well everything in that respect has changed for the better, we now have a very vibrant logo which hopefully matches are new vibrant approach to our weddings, and portrait sittings and reflects a bit of the companies personality. Then we have the website which has changed completely - although not open for the public to view just yet we have spent weeks and months perfecting what we hope is an informative site, giving you absolutely everything you need to know about us, our products and our services. One major change is the end of online proofing - and that's for one very good reason, why sit at a computer screen and view low res images when you can arrange your own personal viewing with us! Of course for those of our clients who still want to view images online a seperate service has been added just for them!

It's been an extremely exciting time for us as a company, with work now flying through the doors, with a whole host of new ideas, services and products to be added over the next few months and most importantly hope all our past, existing and future clients find the "new" us twice as beneficial as before!!

Are you our next top model?

2010-07-27T10:52:00.000-07:00

Family is at the very heart of Ideal Photography. I have a gorgeous neice and 2 handsome nephews - and I love photographing them when I can, they look great infront of the camera, but then again I'm biased!

Of course everyone believes their child, neice, nephew, grandchildren etc are the best - but now we are giving you and the general public the chance to decide!

In our first ever portrait competition we welcome you to " Are you our next top model? " a competition aimed at anyone from newborn to 18 years old!

Whats involved?

Well just book your child or children in for a portrait session, at a special rate of £20, then once we edit your images you get to choose your favourite one. From there your favourite image will be uploaded to our online facebook fan page - where our fans will choose their favourite from each group! (Always an advantage to get as many friends and family members to be "fans" of ideal photography on faceboook!)

The prize!

Each winner from each group will win a photographic gift box worth £200 including a custom design album, an acrylic frame and a dvd of the images from their session! Plus as an added extra the winners will also win a free family portrait session for them and their family to enjoy 2 hours with us!

To book your childs session please call Lynsey on 02892 668536 or 07849961962, or email at idealphotography@live.co.uk

Getting ready for a wedding

2010-07-20T13:33:00.000-07:00

I've been asked on a number of occasions just exactly what happens behind the scenes - the bits that clients never get to see and so over the next few weeks I am going to write down a brief over view of a day in the life of Ideal Photography.

As we get ready for tomorrows wedding it seemed fitting that this would form the basis of our first topic....

Getting ready for a wedding!

Firstly the amount of preparation for each wedding really varies depending on what the couple wanted from us on the day. The most important thing at the beginning is that we know exactly what the couple want and build our preparation around that!

Tomorrows wedding is an intimate affair, local and finishing at cutting of the cake.

For each and every wedding I empty my camera bag and repack it making sure I have absolutely everything. By everything I really do mean everything, even down to eye drops, plasters and pins! Surprisingly its all come in handy!

Then we set all the camera batteries on charge and make sure we have new batteries packed and ready for the flashes. While they are charging we clean out all the lenses and cameras themselves. Then time to sit down and go over the bride and grooms requirements. It's always good to go over this a few times in the week leading up to a wedding just to be sure everything is covered, we even sit and chat about possible new ideas of shots and poses - this way we have a clear idea as to what each person is required to do and when - it also helps eachother bouncing new ideas around!

Once the batteries are ready and the bag is packed we get all our cards formatted and packed away!

Now time to deal with ourselves, making sure all our clothes are ready, all information has been printed off and fill the car with petrol as well as giving the car a quick wash (yes I really do go down to the last detail!) So once the equipment is all packed, information is printed, clothes are out, shoes are polished, car is taken care of its just a case of an early night ready for the big day ahead of us!

Deirdre and Stephens wedding

2010-07-14T04:03:00.000-07:00

June saw Ideal Photography photography Deirdre and Stephens wedding, and from chats in the build up to the wedding we were really looking forward to it!

We arrived at Deirdres home in the morning and our first reaction was how welcoming the family was! Getting all the details photographed as well as the bride and bridemaids getting ready was a good giggle, and laughter filled the house! Before we knew it, it was time to rush to the church where we met a nervous groom, but no time for nerves as the bride was on her way!

After the service we headed outside the church for a few shots of the bridal party whilst other guest where making their way outside - but we had a visitor! A calf from a neighbouring field decided to pop his head over the wall, maybe he wanted his photo too!!

Guests headed off to the Wild Duck Inn, Portglenone where the reception was to be held whilst we headed off with the bridal party to Portglenone Forest to get some formal group photos. Deirdre and Stephen must be one of the most organised bride and groom we've worked with, when we arrived at the forest they had platters of sandwiches, cakes, tea and coffee for those waiting around inbetween photos! Once all the big groups were taken care of we headed down to a small lake in the forest with Deirdre and Stephen to complete their formal photos, before heading back to join the party at the Wild Duck Inn.

When we arrived there the room was filled with people laughing and joking, and I made my way over to the corner where Deirdre and Stephen had hired a caricature artist to create drawings for their guests while they were waiting - and it was only fitting that the newly weds got theirs done too

Before the guests where invited into the reception room we went off with Deirdre and Stephen for a sneaky peak and a chance to get some details shots, and what a stunning venue! This was the first time we had worked in the Wild Duck Inn and we were more than impressed. From what looked like a village pub from the outside, who knew this room existed at the back!

Once the meal was over and the party was starting up we headed outside where Deirdre and Stephen had planned to light and release chinese lanterns - we had a few attempts at getting the lanterns to take off , but they had a great laugh doing it!

It was clear from the way Deirdre and Stephen kept sharing glances all day that they were both extremely happy and they make a lovely couple! We hope you both enjoyed your honeymoon and look forward to seeing you both very soon!

Laura and Gerard

2010-07-04T10:41:00.000-07:00

The end of May 2010 saw Laura and Gerards wedding, and a very exciting day for us too!

From the moment we met Laura we just knew this was going to be an unforgetable wedding, both her and Gerard had some unique ideas and an absolutely stunning venue for photos!

Laura and Gerard live just minutes away and really wanted to put a focus point on their stunning home for their pre wedding shoot - a house which they have done a fantastic job on, spending years completing their house!

We spent a day with Laura and Gerard, getting to know them and having a good giggle, as well as getting the all important pre wedding photos done, which made things so much easier and more relaxed for the happy couple on their wedding day.

Our day started with visiting Laura who at the time was getting her make up done - as I set up my equipment I jumped out of my skin "woohooooooo" shouts Laura, as it echoes through the house - it really set the tone for the day! A very excited bride who oozed excitment! After getting all our crucial shots with Laura it was a quick drive up the road to meet with Gerard, who had arranged at last minute to get a ferrari to take him to the church, a photo opportunity not to be missed!

So we've been to see the groom, and quickly back to Lauras to capture her stunning dress and Laura leaving home, ready for the church. Laura and Gerard got married at St. Agnes' Parish Church in Belfast. After the service Laura and Gerard arranged for 2 hummers to pick up guests and take them to the reception at AMPM restuarant in Belfast whilst the wedding cars took Laura, Gerard and their bridal party to The Malmaison in Belfast city centre for their own photo shoot.

The happy couple had arranged to stay in the penthouse suite in this stunning chic city centre hotel for a few days and so wanted the opportunity to get some photos in their room - and who could blame them! Time was against us so we dashed around the room ensuring we got the all important photo of the pool table (as seen below) a few general group shots of the boys, some of the ladies and a few funny ones thrown in too!

AMPM was our final venue for the day where Laura and Gerard enjoyed spending the evening with friends and family, dancing the night away!

Janine and Sam

2010-05-29T07:01:00.000-07:00

When Janine first came to meet with us we really wanted to help both Janine and Sam get the photos they deserved after an unfortunate mishap with another photographer, little did we know what was ahead of us!

Janine and Sam got married on Friday 21st May with their service being held in St. Bernards Church, Glengormley. What a church! Without a doubt an absolutely stunning place to get married! From there the couple invited friends and family to The Hilton Hotel Templepatrick where temperatures where hitting an amazing 33 degrees!!

Regardless of the heat everyone was in great spirits, happy to join in group photos and quickly to the bar to cool off ready for their meal. Later in the evening Janine, Sam, family and friends all had a great laugh using our guest photobooth and really enjoyed the true spirit in which guest photobooth was created for!

We hope Janine and Sam enjoyed their special day just as much as we did!!

Alan and Karen

2010-04-01T09:16:00.000-07:00

Every time I meet this wonderful couple I'm amazed by the amount of detail and effort they've put into their big day. Nothing had been forgotten about, every detail just as important as the last.

At the end of last year we took a trip out to Dunluce Castle together, a cold windy day (well when isn't it in Northern Ireland!) but both Alan and Karen were in great form as we moved around the ruins catching as much as we could.

It was great to meet up with them again last week with only a week until their Easter wedding, this time bringing along bridesmaids and bestmen for a great day out! Not only was it a great opportunity to capture Alan and Karen with their friends but a real opportunity to meet with some important people involved in the day and a great ice breaker all round!

Alan and Karen chose a fantastic park in Omagh to spend their day and we got some great results which I hope they are just as pleased with! Here's some of our favourites from the day below, can't wait for their wedding now!

Valentines Day Promotion

2010-01-26T09:47:00.000-08:00

It's that time of year again when couples are reminded why they are together and when singles are reminded of why they need to find someone!

Is it me though or has Valentines Day just recently become too commercial? How many of you stop to think what Valentines Day is all about in the midst of buying gifts and cards?

As a photographer it's all about the connection a couple shares, the memories you make together and the future plans to create together.

So this year why not show someone how much you love them by capturing a memory. Ideal Photography are offering a very special Valentines treat for all the couples out there.

A free portrait session to the value of £60. What does it cost you? Well nothing but your time! Enjoy an hours session at a location of your choice, maybe a favourite spot in Northern Ireland, or somewhere that holds special memories?

To finish the promotion off we will even enter everyone who purchases from our new acrylic range into a draw to win a bottle of champagne!

So how do you book your free session? It's simple, call the office on 02892 668536 before the 7th February 2010!

The winners of the champagne draw will be announced at the end of February.

Remember to let all your friends know as well!

Europa Hotel Wedding Show

2010-01-24T13:59:00.000-08:00

You spend weeks getting albums updated, forms printed, new business cards, brochures and learning packages off by heart yet within hours it's all over.

That's half the fun of wedding shows, and I certainly learnt that last year. Difference with now and last year? I actually have the knowledge to know what works and what doesn't for me, and it was pretty obvious from last year that working with White Wedding Pages works for me. I definately wasn't disappointed this time either.

Today saw Ideal Photographys first wedding fayre of 2010 and we promised ourselves to make this year count. Did we achieve all we wanted to? Well on first glance I certainly think so! Me and Niki have spent this month re-branding ourselves, something we admittedly didn't get right the first time, and so now we have literature, logos, systems and workflow that matches in with our clients. A clean, fresh, new company offering a clean, fresh approach to wedding photography!

So we take our new image, complete with new exhibiting format, and headed down to the Europa hotel in Belfast, and I must admit it's a venue I would love to shoot a wedding at, it has the right atmosphere for chic city wedding, and as a photographer my eyes dart around the hotel imaging how to capture various areas of the hotel with great excitment. We set up our stand and it's clear from the offset that we were in for a great day. With 3 other photographers in the room we knew it would be tough, but then photography always is!

Couples and families happily chatted with me and Niki all day and it was a real pleasure to speak to each and every one. It was really interesting to hear everyones plans for their wedding and each couple putting their own unique twist to the occassion. Some new ideas cropping up this year and some exciting weddings, it would be a pleasure to photograph any of the couples we have spoken to and hope this is the case.

I must also comment on the staff at the Europa who made myself and Niki very welcomed today, with a fast friendly service. During their busy period we even had a very kind bar tender offer complimentary refreshments with our lunch.

So after a long day, whilst I may be tired and my feet might ache it's all been worth it and I very much look forward to our next wedding show at the Slieve Donard Hotel next Sunday.

Welcome to 2010

2010-01-20T11:29:00.000-08:00

Well what a way to start the new year, I just don't know where to begin!

Already we have almost double the amount of bookings from last year so let me start by thanking all our clients who have booked us, we promise that this year will be a good year, let me explain why......

As many of you know myself and Niki headed over to London last week for the SWPP convention where thousands of photographers from all over the world gather for a week of seminars, talks and networking with some of the best photographers in the industry. I found myself lucky to be mixed with the best, and to chat with photographers also at the beginning of their career.

From Monday until Sunday it was non stop most seminars starting at 8am and not crawling back to our hotel until the small hours, and yet through these long days invaluble lessons were learnt, how I wish I had a few more days!

From business school to photography techniques there's very little we didn't learn or improve on and already action has been taken to improve our image, our techniques and our approach to clients.

The start of the year saw the re-branding of the company and we now have a new logo, updated brochures, business cards, flyers and much much more.

So how does this effect you the client? Well on top of changing our image we've changed our wedding services offering a new style and I can't wait to reveal our new albums over the coming weeks.

So thanks to the clients for all the feedback throughout the year and a special thanks to the small group of photographers who took us under their wing in London, now let's go see what 2010 has in store for us!

To check out the website please visit http://www.i-dealphotography.com/ this is currently going an upgrade too

Winter Sun

2009-11-28T15:31:00.000-08:00

There's one thing I love the most about Northern Ireland, the sun. Yes I spot the irony here, but when we do get the sun its great! I've dedicated the last few years chasing sunsets, and I've travelled miles at a time in the car just trying to grab the perfect scene.

My fasination took sunrises / sunsets to a whole new level only 3 years ago. One morning, 7.30am aged 17 I spotted one of the best sunrises as I got ready for college, there was just no way I could miss it. I quickly grabbed my camera, jumped on the bed and snapped away. I was so pleased! I turn round to jump off my bed ready to catch the train to college and I break my knee! Only I could do this on the morning of 2 exams, and with only 2 weeks until a trip to London!

The incident never stopped my determination, and infact I bounced striaght back up, got in the car, went to the train station and only when I went to board the train did the inspector mention my knee heavily swollen! So after insisting on getting me a taxi to A&E, I sit in the train station and yet again spot another opportunity to catch the sun shining between some nearby trees!

The love of sunsets and sunrises doesn't end there, and this week has been no exception! Me and Niki decided one evening to head to Newcastle, famously known for the Mountains of Mourne, and on our way I caught a glimpse of the first frosty sunset of the season.

Although I always have pictures to look back on, nothing can ever replace the peaceful calm found with every sunset. There's nothing better than just sitting surrounded by your own thoughts watching the sun disappear for the evening, a small time in the day to truly reflect on everything and enjoy the nature that surrounds our everyday life, and something I am guilty of taking for granted far too often.

I made it a mission years ago to make a collection of sunsets and sunrises from around the world, documenting just one of natures free gifts, a goal I lost sight of, but now got firmly back on track. Below I've selected just a sneak peak of Newcastle, and perhaps in time I will post some more.

The next time you're bored, or fancy a drive, why not go chasing sunsets?

2009-11-01T18:37:00.001-08:00

Bride & Groom of the Year Lisburn 2009

2009-11-01T18:10:00.000-08:00

Well after all the months of planning, preparation and build up we finally have our very first Bride and Groom of the year winners.

The lucky couple have won a host of prizes worth thousands of pounds towards their wedding, including their venue, photography by Ideal Photography, wedding dress, suit hire, honeymoon, rings, flowers, and just about everything else that comes with a wedding!

I would like to personally thank everyone who entered the competition but were unfortunate not to win, and wish you all ever success in your future marriage!

Here's a sneaky peak of the announcement ceremony held last week at Lisburn Island Centre in assocation with Ideal Photography and the Ulster Star.