Kim Shaw - Photography by Kim - Wedding & Portrait Photography

It's all in the details!

2011-07-28T17:21:00.000-07:00

I love capturing all the details of a wedding, the little things that sometimes get overlooked, starting with all the things that go into making your wedding day special for you. (Is it a woman thing? I don't know, maybe it is).

The fab shoes you fell in love with and just had to have, your favourite perfume, the string of pearls which have been handed down mother to daughter through the generations, the flowers that each time you look at a photograph of them you can almost smell their beautiful scent.

Here are a few such details from the beautiful wedding of Natalie and Brent on 23rd July 2011 which was held at the lovely St Marks Church at Basford, Newcastle-under-Lyme with the reception at Slaters Country Inn.

Natalie's fab shoes.

Natalie's favourite perfume and grandmothers pearls.

Natalie's beautiful smelling flowers.

Baby Freddie

2011-06-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

I first met Holley and Matt when I was working for a small photography studio in Shrewsbury, Shropshire who was commissioned to photograph their wedding.

Their wedding day was held at the Albright Hussey Manor just outside of Shrewsbury in July 2008. The day started off a little showery but the sun soon came out so happily they could go along with their plans of an "Al Fresco" wedding.

All was well; everyone was in position in anticipation of the arrival of the beautiful bride who walked down the aisle in her stunning dress with Bob (her dad) who had tears in his eyes as he gave his "little girl" away to her sweetheart. As the ceremony commenced the dark clouds loomed, during Matt's vows the rain started, slow drops at first and the guests started to put their umbrellas up, still Matt carried on ... nothing was going to stop him marrying Holley, especially not a few drops of rain ... then the heavens opened and the whole congregation got up and made a run for it ... closely followed by the registrars, Matt and Holley with me holding the back of her dress up in one hand (so it wouldn't get wet and dirty) and trying to hold my camera under my jacket with the other so that it wouldn't get wet.

We eventually got inside and we all waited for a little while to see if the rain would stop so the ceremony could carry on outside, however there was no sign of any let up in the weather so the venue (who were excellent and prepared for any eventuality) had already set up the inside ceremony room ‘just in case’ so the guests were ushered in to the new location and the ceremony was started again and this time continued until the end.

Luckily Holley and Matt saw the funny side ... nothing was going to spoil their perfect day ... not even the rain! A short while later the rain clouds disappeared, the sun came out and we were able to get some lovely photographs in the grounds for their wedding album.

After that day Holley and I became firm friends seeing each other when she came to Shrewsbury and keeping in contact on Facebook, e-mail etc.

Fast forward 2 years and I heard the fabulous news that Holley was pregnant. I not only knew that Holley and Matt would make fabulous parents but that Holley's parents (the lovely Bob and Julie) would be doting grandparents (Holley and Matt would have no trouble with having to find baby sitters)! Holley mentioned in passing that it would be lovely to have some baby pictures taken when the little one arrived … well I don’t need asking twice!

Fast forward again to the end of May this year when I was invited down to Bob & Julie’s house in Hereford to take some family photographs. Julie had been busy in the kitchen and laid on lunch for us (including home-made cake) it was just so lovely to see them all again, we were made so welcome … and that’s when I fell in love with 7 week old Freddie! He was just so comical with his funny little expressions, so full of life and he suits his name down to the ground, he is definitely a Freddie and obviously the apple of not just his mummy and daddy’s eye but his nanny and granddad’s as well.

Here are a couple of images from the day, and I look forward to photographing Freddie and the family again in the future... and any little brothers or sisters he may have too ;)

Sleeping Freddie

Cute little feet

Freddie and his mummy

A tired Freddie with his daddy

2011 - Blog Resurrection

2011-04-02T14:29:00.000-07:00

Well, how rubbish am I? Previously I was so bad at updating my blog that I archived it for a year, however the busier I am getting the more interesting stuff I have to write about so for 2011 I have decided to resurrect it, (with my husband under strict instructions to pester me to update it regularly)!

So, what has happened in the last year? This time last year I was working full time in a little photography studio in Shrewsbury booking in clients, processing wedding and portrait images as well as providing a second shooter role at weddings at such wonderful venues around the Shrewsbury area such as the beautiful Rowton Castle, The Albright Hussey Manor, Albrighton Hall and The Mytton Mermaid and mid Wales venues such as Mellington Hall and Lake Vyrnwy to name a few. With the studio owners blessing I then went from full time down to three days a week and then down to two days a week and increased the time that I was spending building my own photography business. Earlier this year I finished working at the studio and am now a full time photographer in my own right!

I have lots of new ideas and upgrades planned for this year, including a subtle re-vamp of my logo (which I have just completed), a facebook page - which I have yet to even start(yet another thing to add to my ever-growing to do list) and a face lift of my website which is happening at the moment. It is still live whilst the changes are being made and you will see them as they happen rather than a "big unveiling" of a new site, so keep visiting the site and you will notice the changes (I hope you like them).

My Re-vamped Logo

More Snow!

2010-01-31T13:18:00.000-08:00

I awoke this morning and looked out of my window to find that the "possible" light dusting of snow forecast had in fact been somewhat of an understatement and approximately 4 inches of snow had fallen overnight. So I got up, dressed myself in warm clothes and boots, grabbed my camera (and my husband) and ventured out into the winter wonderland.

Our first stop was a field of sheep opposite our home, there are some real cute lambs there and one little fellow was quite intrigued by my husband and just stood there staring at him, so I couldn't resist the photo opportunity!

We then walked about a mile or so along a beautiful country lane down to Mucklestone Church, then it was back home to thaw out!

Here are a couple of my favourite shots.

Anthony's new friend!

A snowy Rock Lane

Mucklestone Church

I wonder what next weekends weather will bring?

Happy New Year !!

2010-01-01T01:02:00.000-08:00

Well it's goodbye to 2009 and a BIG HELLO to 2010 and to a new decade .. how exciting!!

I love the new year as it is a new start, you can take all the memories of the good things and leave all the horrible things that happened in the previous year behind you and start a fresh, and for that reason my husband and I chose New Years Day as our wedding day! Today is our 5th wedding anniversary (happy anniversary hubby)!! This year we are celebrating with a big family lunch at Anthony's parents' home.

New year is the time for resolutions too, and I thought what can I do this year? Previous years it has always been the traditional, to go on a diet (that lasts a couple of weeks and you don't seem to lose any weight so you fall off the diet waggon as hey... if you are not losing any weight what is the point of being on a diet, you may as well eat what you like)!

Also another traditional one for me is to exercise more (with the help of the multiple exercise DVD's bought in the first couple of weeks in January that get a couple of watches and are then relegated to the bookshelf never to be seen again because they are too complicated to learn, too hard or take too long to do)! However, I did manage to fulfil one resolution this year and that was to stop biting my nails (horrible habit I know), and after many years of trying I finally managed to do it in 2009! They are not exactly talons but they will do for me!

So... for this years resolutions ... I have decided on two different ones to the norm. I know I have been ABSOLUTE RUBBISH at posting on my blog in 2009, so that it is the first of my new years resolutions, to post more in 2010.

The second is not only to read more, but to actually read a whole book before I start reading another! I must have 20 part read books on the go at the moment and I think the last one I actually managed to read all the way through was the last Harry Potter book how ever long ago that was out!

All that remains is for me to wish all my family, friends and clients, (past, present and future) a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year!!

Where Does The Time Go?

2009-11-30T14:09:00.000-08:00

Wow ! Where does time go! Tomorrow finds us in December and so much closer to Christmas. It really is just around the corner, right? But fear not, there is still time to sort that last minute special gift.

This year I ran a Christmas special ... I dropped my usual session fee ... it has been very successful and I am currently busy framing up and packaging my orders !

There is still time, however, to get yourself in on the excitement ... why not call me for a personalised gift certificate so that your special person can arrange a portrait session with me in the new year ... there are loads of products to choose from and certificates start from just £25!!!

Looking forward to hearing from you and to helping you give a special gift to those special people in your life.

Ethan & Henry

2009-08-14T03:52:00.000-07:00

This week I paid a fleeting visit to Plymouth to see my family. I always go armed with my camera as my visits are so few and far between and my two little nephews grow so fast it's nice to grab a couple of shots each time I see them.

Here are my favourites from this visit......

Ethan

Henry