Naz and the Aztec Camera

It has been well over a year since I worked with Naz - in fact Naz was the first customer I shot with my 5D Mk2. Not sure if that means anything to anyone but I remember.

Naz expressed an interest in a new shoot using Indian dress - well 3 dresses. Instead of choosing which dress to use we decided to do 3 separate shoots - this was the first.

We has intended to do a rural shoot using a lot of greenery for her blue dress but we got lost while walking to the location.

However, we found something even better - the back of an industrial unit in the Aztec Centre, Bristol. This location offered us a number of colours and textures including this corrugated metal wall. Some of the best locations can be found in the most obscure and unexpected places.

We got a great collection of images for the Blue Dress shoot of the "trilogy" and have already planned the Burgundy Dress shoot for next week which will be a "town" shoot.

The third shoot is a Cream Dress - we're going to wait for the snow to complete the series.

Naz is always great fun to shoot - check out some of her images on the David Gow Photography website gallery - in the portraits section - to see why. A great looking girl who's happy to throw a roundhouse kick into the portrait shoot.

Bring on next week.

Tamika - The Wharf House, Gloucester

Tamika is no stranger in front of the camera with her work as a model at numerous wedding fairs - but this is the first time we've worked together in a portrait shoot just for her.

I started a competition last year which Tamika won. I uploaded a number of portrait images on Facebook and whoever got the most comments against their image within the month won the prize of the portrait shoot and a digital coffee table book for their images. Well done to Tamika for winning and thank you to everyone for taking the time to vote.

For Tamika's shoot we decided on the Wharf House as the venue as it's still a great favourite. It has a variety of interesting sections, including the canal, boats, a bridge, overpass, lots of greenery, a small building site and not forgetting the strange pond containing pea and ham soup.

The sun decided to challenge us by moving in and out of the clouds so we ended up roping Tamika's Granddad into the shoot, as my glamorous assistant, to hold the reflector. It was very reminiscent of the Dolly Birds holding the huge playing cards in Play Your Cards Right. 5 points for anyone who not only remembers the show but can also recall any of Bruce Forsythe's catchphrases.

As a late afternoon, cloudy shoot the light was nicely diffused and we got a great collection of images for Tamika's gallery.

After seeing a couple of rabbits midway through the shoot, I was a little disappointed that Tamika didn't race after them to use as a prop - but fair play as she did master her fear and get onto the riverboat for the "captain of the seas" shot. I don't think it helped that I "accidentally" rocked it while setting up in position.

Also, credit goes to Tamika and her Granddad for trudging through the swamp-like nettle-sludge to get to the "green door" at the underpass for the last few shots. After reviewing the edits I can say that it was definitely worth it. Surprisingly, neither took up my offer of a piggy-back.

Katharine & Simon - Burleigh Court Hotel, Oxfordshire

I knew from the moment I met Katharine and Simon for their pre-wedding shoot that we were going to have great fun shooting their wedding. I have never heard a couple laugh and enjoy themselves so much.

The wedding party was a small and perfectly formed group of guests, family and friends who were an absolute joy to photograph.

Part of the ceremony was conducted in Welsh and despite the lack of understanding sections of the vows it was plain to see the love shared between Katharine & Simon.

Confetti was replace by bubbles and I have to say how impressed I was with how long the bubbles lasted and how much puff everyone had. If I didn't know better I would suspect that someone brought their own bottle of Fairy Liquid.

The speeches were very emotional and after listening to Katharine's speech had great respect for her - she did an incredible job of not only learning Welsh but doing so in 10 months.

I wish all the very best to Katharine & Simon. A truly happy couple and great fun to photograph.