Paul Wilkinson Photography Ltd

I can’t believe it is September already! How did that happen? It is always lovely to look back and see some of the gorgeous moments from August. Here are just a few of the special times we captured, from beautiful weddings, gorgeous joyous families, photography workshops, The Christmas Lectures announcements and Le Manoir’s calendar of 40th celebrations.

As I always say I have the best job in the world!!! So excited to see what September will bring especially as the colours are just starting to change. I love the Autumn x

Catch up with our latest article in Professional Photo all about how we captured this stunning image of Calli (and an equally striking ice hockey themed, image of Kai).

Anatomy of a Shoot - Growing with the Family Every good portrait photographer knows how important it is to build relationships with clients, and if you can evolve and adapt your approach then it’s possible to keep a growing family well served and eager to book future sessions for years after the initial shoot.

Loving every second of International Dog Day!! As if we ever needed an excuse to post pictures of the amazing furry friends we photograph 🐾🖤🐾

We had the most amazing day with Zoe and Aan Son capturing their gorgeous wedding at The Royal Berkshire and sharing their beautiful pictures with them today at the studio. A perfect way to finish the week ready for the bank holiday weekend ❤🥂❤

The secret is out!! Over the summer we spent a very entertaining day photographing the amazing Dr Chris van Tulleken at Institution. It is unusual for the props to be cornflakes, a baguette, peppers and a watermelon but what could be more fitting for the year’s which are all about food and our body’s relationship to it - can't wait! This really is one of my favourite jobs of the year!!

To celebrate I thought I would share the story of Pauline. Of all the images I have taken, this has to be the one I am most proud of and the one we receive the most comments about. In our studio, we have Pauline as a big 60” acrylic print and we are all captivated by Pauline’s sparkly eyes!

The shoot has a funnier tale and not the one you would expect…. When Pauline arrived with her daughter, Francis, I opened the door, she walked in, she looked at me, she looked at the stairs and then she stated flatly, “I don’t know why I’m here.” Ah. Now the thing about portrait photography, for me, is that it’s all about the experience – I’m not a fashion or fine-art studio, each image I sell is a memory. So, I resorted to what I do best. I made a pot of tea.

Pauline sat down, I poured the tea, and we talked. Or rather, Pauline talked, and I listened. She was fascinating. She had grown up in rural west Ireland (county Cork to be precise), had moved to London and married a doctor. We drank tea; she told stories; we drank more tea. After about thirty minutes or so, there was a noticeable change in her body language. Her eyes gleamed; she leant forward, she began to smile as she recalled her life in Ireland and later in blitz-torn London.

She was lovely and utterly fascinating. Whatever doubts she had on entering the building, they had dissipated. And that was the point: it was me who was hooked and she knew it. Her eyes sparkled and her face lit up. I saw then
precisely what the image would be.

Pauline’s image went on to win UK Portrait Photographer of the Year in 2013 and since then I regularly recall in talks and articles, the story of Pauline’s memorable visit to the studio.

A few weeks ago, we had the huge pleasure of capturing Sonya and Colin at , celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary. They were such a joyous and wonderful couple and I think it was my first shoot to include a fish tank.... only at Le Manoir!xx

This is my favourite image of Abi, taken during a recent 1:1 photography workshop. We have been at the studio for over ten years and I have only recently discovered this shot! Abi walked up the stairs and we immediately spotted the reflection in a frame on the wall. Just beautiful x

A few weeks ago we had two brilliant work placement students with us for a few days and one of the highlights was when the magician, Sam Strange came to the studio for some new promotional shots. With their help, we filled the studio with smoke and lined up the lights perfectly to give Sam a superhero feel - great fun!!

A lot has changed in 7 years!! Back in 2017 Amy, Blaise, Kai & Calli came to help us film our video on what it is like to come from a shoot and 7 years later it was so lovely to see them again. This time as teenagers but still super models!! x

I love looking back at the end of the month and seeing some of the beautiful moments we have captured. July was a fabulous month filled with joyous moments from end to end!

We had two fantastic photography workshops, lots of gorgeous family shoots, Le Manoir’s amazing Bastille Day and a big celebration for us personally, as we saw our son graduate from Loughborough University. What a perfect month!

Now that it feels like summer has arrived, I am so excited for an awesome August!! x

📸 Calling All Young Photographers ..... 📸

Are you looking for a fun activity over the summer? The Rotary Club Young Photographer of the Year competition is back and I am a judge again (must be nearly 15 years now!)

This year’s theme is ‘ Reflections ’, and let’s face it, that can mean many things: the glimmer on a lake, a moment in the mirror, a state of mind, or even something that reflects your personality or character. With such a wide canvas for creativity, I can’t wait to see what you’ll capture this year!

Ready to join the fun – there are some great prizes!!! Follow the the link to see how to enter and competition rules - good luck 🙌

https://www.paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk/rotary-young-photographer-of-the-year/

As a new Olympic extravaganza begins (I'll be glued to the telly 24x7!) it takes us back to the fun and games we had photographing the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics as part of the Cadbury's team. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience being in the heart of the games right here in the UK, surrounded by - slightly ironically - more chocolate than I could eat! From Cadbury torchbearers (involving a complication composite and the additional help of Peter Rowan in Dublin for a shot I couldn't get over the Irish Sea to do!), the Spots vs Stripes campaign and the incredible events that Cadbury ran to celebrate everyone involved in the 2012 celebrations. Now, pass me the chocolate and let's settle in for the excitement of Paris 2024...

What a gorgeous album for Rusty🐾 & Dexter 🐾 ❤ x

On Sunday we had the huge pleasure of capturing the joyous Bastille Day celebrations at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, A Belmond Hotel in the glorious sunshine. The guests were treated to amazing food and drinks together with a whole host of entertainment from mime artists to a hot air balloon! I honestly can't think of a more wonderful way to spend an afternoon!! 🥂

Albert & Oscar ❤x

Already excited to be a part of this in January! The convention is the best possible start to the year and it’s an honour to be a tiny (but probably quite loud) part of it. See you there!? 🥳

🎉 Exciting News! 🎉 We are thrilled to unveil the incredible lineup of speakers for The Society of Photographers 2025 London Photo Convention! 📸✨

Join us from Wednesday 15th – Saturday 18th January 2025 at the Novotel London West in Hammersmith for an unforgettable experience with top industry leaders.

Secure your spot and get inspired by the best in photography. Tickets are now on sale!

https://thesocieties.net/convention/speakers/

Be part of this extraordinary event and elevate your skills. We can't wait to see you there! ❤️📷

Theo ❤ complete and utter joy on a Friday!!! xx

Great to see our article in Digital Photographer this month. Thank you for asking us to be involved dphotographermag

Thank you to the lovely group of photographers who came to our Mastering Advanced Studio Lighting workshop a few weeks ago and the lovely feedback too 🙂

"Attending the "Mastering Advanced Studio Lighting" workshop on Monday, June 3rd, 2024, was a fantastic experience. The session was expertly led, providing deep insights into different lighting techniques that truly elevate portrait photography. The hands-on practice sessions and feedback were invaluable. Highly recommended."

This workshop is all about letting your creativity loose and we played, created and invented techniques to push our limits! Lydia A & Lydia C were fabulous models and here are a few of our finished images.

Can't wait for the next one in November!

So much joy in June, especially as it really felt like summer had at last arrived!! A brilliant month with so many lovely clients, two fantastic photography workshops and I made it on stage, hosting the ClickMaster photography awards at Click Live Expo !! Can't wait to see what July has in stall!! x

Mastering Portrait Photography Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saison Hearing Dogs for Deaf People

We're honoured to celebrate Pride Day by sharing Dan and Alexander's beautiful moments of love and togetherness with you. This month, and every month, we stand proudly with the LGBTQ+ community, celebrating the diversity that makes us all unique.

We're committed to providing a welcoming space for everyone to celebrate their beautiful journeys and stories. Whether you're planning a wedding, or just wanting to share a special moment, we're here to capture every moment with authenticity and joy.

Love knows no bounds, and our lens captures the essence of it ❤ Happy Pride Day🙌

📷
Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, A Belmond Hotel

We love Daisy's beautiful multiframe - too cute ❤x

We’re lucky enough to be able to bring our Rufus to work almost every day and over the years he’s become such a huge part of the studio team. On , what else to do but ask our beautiful studio hound, to have his picture taken. Rufus is hilarious to photograph as you only get about five shots and then his is off! But over the years and through a whole mixture of hairstyles, he has taken some lovely pictures (but we are a bit biased!) ❤🐾❤

Tyler & Mila ❤❤❤

Thank you to the lovely group of photographers who came to our Mastering Off-Camera Lighting workshop a few weeks ago. Millie & Loretta were fabulous models and here are a few of our finished pictures. Can't wait for the next workshop on Monday!!!

Catch up with all the latest news from the studio in our summer newsletter x

https://mailchi.mp/paulwilkinsonphotography/a-very-special-offer-for-the-summer?e=7350b9ea85

⭐️❤️⭐️*SUMMER SPECIAL OFFER⭐️❤️⭐️
Celebrate your dad this summer and create some extra special memories with our special offer. We have a limited number of gift vouchers offering a family portrait shoot with award-winning photographer, Paul Wilkinson and a 7" gift frame for ONLY £50.

All of the details can be found here - https://www.paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk/store/gift-products/summer-voucher-offer-family-portrait-session-gift-frame-only-50/

Well, we only went and won one! I think we’re winners every day – you only have to look at the job I get to do, to understand why – but when I had the opportunity to play with some new kit - well, that is always going to be unique.

PMI-Gear (who make smoke and fog machines for big-budget movies and TV series) asked me to help promote their competition; little did I know we would go on to win the Best Solo Portrait Award!

But that’s not the only reason I am so pleased as Jess, who features in the winning image, is one of our regular visitors to the studio: we’ve been working with her for a few years as a dancer and gymnast, and so we continue our track record of creating magic for our lovely clients! 🥳🏆🥳