This December wedding in Orleans House, Twickenham, was my third in the year.  The first two in bright sunshine, this third one in that kind of brittle, wintery light that ebbs and flows beneath the clouds.  A far cry then from Dubai, where Simone and Dave live these days (and will be currently, as they go through these photos).  In fact, the wedding took place in a small window that they could both fly over for — and Dave almost didn’t make it.  Luckily he did though, because weddings do tend to be a little one-sided without one of the bride or groom.

It was a lovely, intimate wedding, as they always are in Orleans House.  Take a look.

NB.  Click to enlarge the photos as you move through…

I’m not entirely sure how to look back on 2011.  The dust still hasn’t quite settled on it yet, and to be honest, it was quite an amazing, bewildering year.  In my second full year as a professional photographer, I photographed weddings in five different countries (UK, Spain, Croatia, France and China), had a six-page cover feature in The Photographer on my work, and, I think, improved right out the wazoo.  On a personal note, I also got engaged, which has made me very happy and giving me an insight into how daunting it is to organise every one of these weddings that I shoot.  On top of that, I tripled the number of weddings from the previous year and shot everything from family walks in the woods to pin-ups to a great day photographing the revellers in Hyde Park for the Royal Wedding (which was like a patriotic Glastonbury).  I love the diversity being a photographer allows you.  The loose, umbrella term for what I do is Environmental Portraiture — which basically means if it’s people, and not in a studio, I’ll photograph it.  So I get to be a fly on the wall for so many varying situations.  It’s almost impossible to pick out a highlight from the whole year (beyond getting engaged), but I suppose one moment does stand out, and that was walking around the giddy party crowds in Hyde Park, loving the access my camera gave me and realising my job is also my hobby.  That’s a pretty incredible position to be in, and I do realise how lucky I am.

Here are the photos…

Hot on the heels of yesterday’s stag-do, but with a few desiccated brainpans and the odd absentee, comes the more sedate second day of Claire and Sheilen’s wedding weekender, with a walk over the Dragon’s Back (longer and windier than almost any of the party expected), finishing with a BBQ on the beach at Shek O for sunset.  I wasn’t asked to photograph this day, but if I’ve got a camera on me it kindof feels wrong not to, really.

So here a few low key shots of another lovely day.  The wedding itself will be posted on Sunday..