Jodie Chapman Photography

Wedding | Liz & David ~ Afternoon Tea by the Thames

admin — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 06:52:55 +0000

Liz & David’s relaxed and intimate wedding took place by the river in Putney. After making their vows in front of a very select group of family, they enjoyed afternoon tea outside before lots more guests arrived for the evening meal. Liz had told me they wanted the day relaxed and laidback, and this style flowed beautifully. Liz looked stunning in her Temperley gown, and I think her sister Victoria takes the prize for my most favourite bridesmaid dress ever. It was a true privilege to be invited to share in this wedding and I hope the pictures give just a taste of how lovely it was.

Venue | Winchester House, Putney

Liz’s dress | Temperley London

Groom’s suit | Ozwald Boateng

Bridesmaid’s dress | Hoss Intropia

Jazz Band | Don Steele Quartet

{ JODIE CHAPMAN ~ WEDDING & PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY LONDON SOUTH-EAST INTERNATIONAL }

Engagement Shoot | Laura & Mark ~ Sunday Stroll Through Tunbridge Wells

admin — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 07:08:30 +0000

Laura and Mark are getting married this month in the beautiful Kentish town of Tunbridge Wells. In preparation for their wedding, we decided to use the location of The Pantiles for their shoot ~ think sweet little shops, traditional cobbles and lots of people having their Sunday coffee. It also gave us the opportunity to have a good chat about their wedding next month, and as Laura hails from a very creative family, it sounds like it’s going to be a gorgeous one to photograph. Not only did we discuss the wedding, but also our mutual desire to have a dog and Mark’s dislike of cats.

I’d heard in the news that Lisa Marie Presley {Yes, that’s right, the daughter of The King} had just moved into Tunbridge Wells to escape the intrusion of the press. Fortunately for her, my camera and I didn’t spot her about that Sunday morning.

{ JODIE CHAPMAN ~ WEDDING & PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY LONDON SOUTH-EAST INTERNATIONAL }

Film Friday | A taste of my summer

admin — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:05:13 +0000

I seem to inherit an awful lot of old film cameras. I’m the go-to person when you’re clearing out your attic and find old cameras in their beautifully smelly cases. With the immediacy of digital, people generally are no longer interested in these cameras and they are left to gather dust. One of the cameras that was passed to me was an old Fujica SLR from the 1970s. Having no idea if it would still be working, I loaded it with Tri-X film and took it away for a little weekend with friends. The results are in.

First up, this is my definitive taste of summer…

Record-shopping. We do this a lot.

Blurry and backlit is my favourite combination.

Wedding | Daf & Alexa ~ Love Hearts, Routemasters & Button Bouquets

admin — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:11:04 +0000

Last month I had the absolute pleasure of photographing the wedding of Daf and Alexa, who have organised their wedding within just six months of their engagement. They decided to have the ceremony at Islington Town Hall with a reception afterwards at The Star near Tufnell Park. In between the two venues, Daf and Alexa and their guests took a tour through rainy London on two red Routemaster buses, momentarily stopping off near the London Eye during a dry spell…only for the heavens to suddenly open. The weather didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits however, and it was quite fun watching pedestrians struggling with their umbrellas from the warmth and stylish comfort of a red Routemaster bus.

At the reception, Daf and Alexa’s fabulous attention to detail was wonderful to photograph. As this blog post shows, so much thought had gone into all the little details, from the sweets table through to the family tree of wedding photographs pinned to the blackboard. Their invitations were designed by Daf’s brother’s very talented girlfriend, and Alexa’s beautiful bouquet included sweet little flowers made from buttons collected from parents and grandparents. Alexa is a primary school teacher, and her pupils had contributed to the day by customising the bunting. The whole day had such a sense of fun and happiness. When it came to the evening party, everyone just pushed the tables aside a little and started to dance. I really didn’t want to leave at the end of the night.

To Daf & Alexa ~ Thank you so much for choosing me as your photographer and being so lovely to me on the day. Every moment of your wedding was an absolute pleasure and it’s so fantastic to see a couple so in love as you guys are. I hope you love the pictures as much as I do.

Venues | Islington Town Hall & The Star

Alexa’s dress | Ian Stuart customised by Mirror Mirror

Alexa’s headpiece | Fur Coat No Knickers

Alexa’s shoes | Kurt Geiger

Daf’s suit | Reiss

Invitations | Rooftop Illustrations

Florist | Hayford & Rhodes for the bouquet & buttonholes {Alexa made the buttons}

Routemaster buses | Dave’s Buses

Evening band | Speakeasy

{ JODIE CHAPMAN ~ WEDDING & PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY LONDON SOUTH-EAST INTERNATIONAL }

Wedding | Steph & Andy ~ Polaroids, hydrangeas and a touch of lace

admin — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 06:27:40 +0000

Last month I travelled up to Cheshire for the wedding of Steph and Andy. I knew what a couple of naturals they were in front of the camera after their engagement shoot along the South Bank, and they didn’t disappoint when it came to capturing some portraits. Steph is a fabulous photographer and had put her creative eye to excellent use in organising some beautiful details…including place settings that were Polaroid-style baby pictures of each guest. Such a brilliant idea and it certainly proved a talking point for guests. Steph’s dad had also secretly organised a gospel choir to sing during the ceremony ~ It was something Steph had always wanted, but she had no idea it had been planned. They entertained the guests during the signing of the register and I don’t think there was a non-smiling face in the house.

I loved being a part of this wedding. Not only was it gorgeous to photograph, but Steph and Andy are two lovely individuals and they & their families really made me feel so welcome.

Doesn’t Steph make a beautiful bride?

Venues | St Mary’s Church & Adlington Hall

Steph’s dress | Cymbeline

Florist | Prestbury Flowers

Hair accessory | Halo & Co.

{ JODIE CHAPMAN ~ WEDDING & PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY LONDON SOUTH-EAST INTERNATIONAL }

Film Friday | Polaroid ~ Roma….una bella città

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 22:05:30 +0000

This week’s Film Friday is a little Polaroid homage to another of my favourite cities…does it really need any introduction?

Memories of a Roman holiday… Too hot to do anything but drink pricey Peroni at street cafes ~ the sound of the Trevi fountain ~ buying vintage film posters from street vendors ~ the Pantheon ~ free crisps with every beer ~ feeling sick at the sight of the gold in the Sistine Chapel ~ the “wedding cake” building ~ flea market shopping at the Porta Portese ~ sniffing at tourists eating McDonalds opposite the Pantheon ~ pizza and pasta ~ randomly bumping into people from home ~ beautiful Italian men ~ looking for Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn on the Spanish Steps ~ getting up at 5am for a tourist-free wander through the city ~ Italian buskers singing Springsteen

One day I will go back.

Liz & David | Engagement Shoot ~ A Walk in Wimbledon

admin — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:01:23 +0000

This weekend I am photographing what will be Liz & David’s beautiful riverside wedding in Putney. When I met Liz earlier in the year, she had mentioned how much she loves natural photography and thought this would be a perfect style for them both. Engagement shoots are a fantastic addition to the modern wedding package, as they allow couples to experience what it’s like being in front of the camera so that they can relax on the actual wedding day. Gone are the days of only photographing speeches and the cutting of the cake. Today, weddings are occasions that provide beautiful moments to capture all day long, and so it helps if you feel comfortable with having a camera around in the background. I consider engagement shoots so valuable that I include them as complimentary in all my wedding packages.

I’m so looking forward to photographing their wedding tomorrow. It’s going to be a very relaxed affair which will allow for lots of beautiful shots to capture.

{ JODIE CHAPMAN ~ WEDDING & PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY LONDON SOUTH-EAST INTERNATIONAL }

Film Friday | New York, New York ~ so good they named it twice

admin — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 08:46:16 +0000

Next month I am off to NYC for a portrait shoot, so I thought I’d make this week’s Film Friday a little love letter to my favourite city. I’m pretty lucky in that I have family living in and near the city, so I try to head out as often as I can to see them. This has allowed me to visit lots of gorgeous little places that wouldn’t make it into the Timeout guide book ~ a true privilege. New York actually feels more like home to me than London. I spent the summer months there when I was 19, and would often spend days just wandering through the little villages and seeing what was happening. I wasn’t a photography nut back then, which is a shame as I would have photographed the city to death. I’ve tried to make up for that in my trips since, and these Polaroids are just a little glimpse into my city adventures.

There is something about the energy of New York that is impossible to describe. As a cinephile, here is where I refer to one of my favourite films, and who better to reference than Mr New York himself, Woody Allen. The intro to Manhattan (set to the sounds of George Gershwin) captures just a fragment of this crazy and incredible place.

{left to right, top to bottom}

1) The journey into Manhattan from New Jersey.

2) My sister’s beautiful Brownstone apartment in Brooklyn, photographed from her spiral staircase. She’s now moved to a gorgeous capsule apartment in the Cobble Hill district ~ a beautiful part of Brooklyn.

3) A vintage dress that I found really difficult to leave behind without buying. At $800 though, it was a little out of my budget.

4) Hotdogs at Coney Island. I recommend this to anyone visiting in the warm months. Only a $2 trip on the subway and the most perfect place to spend a day eating mint choc chip ice-cream.

5) Hanging out by the barbecue at my brother’s place in New Jersey. Hoping we’re going to get the chance to sample some of his good home cooking next month.

6) Vintage shopping on East Houston.

Engagement Shoot | Alexa & Daf ~ London at Sunset

admin — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 09:53:23 +0000

Alexa and Daf are getting married…this weekend! After a ceremony at Islington Town Hall, they will be setting off for some relaxing in the park with some friends before having an informal dinner at The Star (where we popped into for some interior shots). When originally booking her photography, Alexa mentioned to me that they both wanted their wedding to be “very low-key and friendly”, but with quirky touches that reflect their personalities. Sounds pretty damn gorgeous to me. I’m really looking forward to photographing their wedding (organised in just six months from the date they got engaged), and really hoping we get some gorgeous sun to play with like we did on this shoot.

Third image down….I want that car.

{ JODIE CHAPMAN ~ WEDDING & PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY LONDON SOUTH-EAST INTERNATIONAL }

Lulu | Portrait Session ~ Tea in Richmond

admin — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 22:48:07 +0000

Last month I had the absolute pleasure of photographing a lovely lady named Lulu. Being a follower of my Facebook page for quite some time, Lulu decided that she deserved her very own photo shoot to celebrate the end of her twenties. So she booked up an afternoon of tea at The Tea Box as well as a wander through Richmond along the river ~ one of my favourite places. I lent Lulu my Orla Kiely umbrella to twirl in a few of the shots, and it just so happened to suit her outfit perfectly. I had a brilliant time meeting and chatting with Lulu, who is also an avid photographer and even has her own rather fabulous blog. I love one-to-one photo shoots, as it gives me the perfect opportunity to get to know my “subject” over a coffee prior to the shoot, or in this case, a pot of tea and some scones. Perfick.

{ JODIE CHAPMAN ~ WEDDING & PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY LONDON SOUTH-EAST INTERNATIONAL }