I have recently returned from a fabulous holiday in Crete. We went quite early in the season as I wanted to go to a wedding we had organised over there. I'd not been in Crete in May since 1987 and I had forgotten how utterley beautiful the countryside it. The fields of Olive trees were carpeted with the most beautiful Spring flowers and everywhere looked so green. I am happy to say the wedding was lovely and everyone had a really great day. Many thanks to Alison and Chris for being such wonderful clients. I have updated my website to includes some of my favourite pictures. Many of the landscape photographers were taken with my little point and shoot G10 as I wanted to see how it performed. I think to really appreciate the grandeur of the mountains a wide angled lens is best, but I was happy with the quality of the photographs it took.

As the year goes on life just gets busier and busier. This is a good thing, but I would appreciate an eight-day week, but three of them would be at the week end!
A lot has been happening recently. I have a double-page feature in F2 Freelance Photographer Magazine, their April May edition. The feature includes a selection of images and discusses my experiences with a Clikpic Website.I have been asked to do quite a bit of portrait work in the next few months. I'm off to Crete shortly so it will be great to have a bit of Aegean sunshine. I have just returned home from a week on the Applecross Peninsular on the West Coast of Scotland. I have been inspired to visit this area after seeing the fantastic landscape pictures taken there by Seymore Rogansky. In the event, my week was spent in a photographers paradise, but I could have done with better weather. Still it's a chance you take in this country. I certainly had some 'interesting' skies, and it was great to do some landscape photography again. I have updated my website with some of my favourite images from the trip.

We've had some great weather this week end, as yesterday M and I headed off to the Welsh Coast. We had the roof down to make the most of the sunshine and took the scenic route to Barmouth. We went via Lake Vernwy and then stopped off on the top of the hills to admire the view of the estuary. It was so clear and I had the opportunity to do some landscape photography which I always find so theraputic.

Barmouth itself had some fabulous buildings and I'd like to say thank you to Julie for the lovely meal she cooked for us. Thanks to M as well for putting up with me all day. It was a long drive but I had a really great day.

It's been a glorious Easter this week end, and I was absolutely delighted to be asked my Staffordshire's premier wedding photographer, Steve Sutton, to go and work as second shooter at a wedding he had on Saturday. It was really good to work with Steve again, and I'd like to say a really big thank you. I learn so much by observing how Steve arranges his formal shots and I really admire his professional but friendly approach. He has the balance just right. These are a few of the pictures I took on the big day. You will see just what a true pro puts himself through to make sure he gets the best he possibly can out of the day. Yes, that's him up on the porch roof for the group picture!

I have recently acquired a very attractive Canon G10. I wanted to have something small enough to take anywhere for those 'I wish I had my camera with me' moments. I chose the Canon G10 because it came very highly recommended. It's really strange getting used to a point and shoot again, but with it's flexibility, features and the quality of the images it takes, I'm really pleased. These were two pictures I took the other day with it.

Another cold but pretty Spring day. As I walked down to the village I could hear the church bells heralding a wedding. It is Mother's Day tomorrow, possibly one of the busiest week ends of the year for any florist, and Sean Hirst Flowers etc was no exception. Sean's shop was brimming with brightly-coloured blooms. A fabulous display of tulips and spring bulbs was set up outside the shop too.

Despite freezing cold temperatures outside, Spring has sprung at Sean Hirst Flowers.

Yesterday, Sean had his Spring preview evening at his shop in Eccleshall. Packed full of wonderful delights and goodies with the four themes blending together prompted thoughts and day-dreams of the warmer weather to come. The shop was adorned with exotic tulips and hand-tied bouquets, sweet-smelling soaps and bathing indulgencies, coastal carvings and textured picture frames with a wonderful sense of nostalgia to remind everyone of their childhood holidays on the English coast. In the other window the pastel shades of Easter proved to be a charming and colourful display of pink and yellow. Beautiful, handmade baskets for little girls which really made me wish I was seven again. Pretty and pracitical garden ornaments and tools and finally the whole shop was lit with a stunning new selection of chandaliers. Little Sean Hirst Flowers etc was heaving with customers all evening, and having indulged, it seemed everyone retired to The Bell for a sit down and a chat. If you are passing Eccleshall, please call in and see Sean shop. It really is a treat. I took these pictures this afternoon, but when there is a bit more light I will pop back and take some interiors too.