Committed to explore Newcastle and Northumberland thoroughly John and I bought a lot of local interest coffee books and guides. The ruins of Tynemouth Castle and Priory looked interesting. As the weather was gorgeous today and there are gales and snowstorms coming in the next few days we nipped out for a couple of hours to Tynemouth which is only 8 miles away from us.

John was grumbling that I was impossible to go anywhere with because I kept stopping and taking photos. After a few attempts to speed me up along the pier he gave up.

Some images of what we saw today.

Tynemouth Castle:

A view onto Tynemouth harbour with its two piers:

Detail:

Entry gate to the North Pier:

Rocks beneath the North Pier:

A view on the lighthouse at the end of the pier. It was built in 1903 ans is still operational:

Lighthouse:

The ruins of the Tynemouth Priory:

While I was running around trying to get a better angle at the priory John got bored and went to explore the Collingwood Monument and see the cannons.

A sillouette of the Collingwood monument:

Wide view:

The statue of Collingwood:

The cannons John wanted to see:

The sun was setting quickly so the whole trip only lasted about 2 hours.

John and I were delighted with a thank you note Kelly emailed us yesterday:

“Hello Galina

Well what I can say, but Thank you so much, the photographs are truly amazing, they have turned out better than we could have ever imagined.

I can’t stop looking at them, they are so addictive!

We hope you had a good day on the 27th with us. Adam and I would like to thank you and John so much for taking the time to come all the way down to us. I know the drive must have been exhausting, but we are so glad you did. We had so much fun with you, you made our day very special and now we have memories that we can keep forever…

Thanks once again Galina, your photographs are very special indeed.

Kind Regards

A very happy Kelly & Adam x x x x x”

It was good fun, guys!!! You have a great supportive family! I wish you all the best in everything!

G

Kelly and Adam got married at the Stoke by Nayland golf club. I had never worked at this venue before so I was curious to check it out. Kelly and Adam were kind to arrange accommodation for me and John as our drive from Newcastle lasted nearly 7 hours.

When I came down to see Kelly in the morning I was greeted by a sight of Ian Stuart’s gown.

Bridal preparations were already in full swing:

Kelly is ready:

The back of the dress:

The girls:

Adam:

The boys:

The rings:

Guests arriving:

Kelly and Adam wrote their own wows and lots of people were really emotional during the ceremony:

The newly-weds are having a chat during the signing of the register:

After the ceremony - Adam’s dad with a bouquet:

We sneaked out to a location shoot on a golf course:

The couple drove a golf buggy and as the grounds were soaking wet Kelly wore welly boots:

The shoes:

At the lake:

A view onto the club:

Heading back for the reception:

Kids:

First dance and the evening party:

Just back from London - finished Katie and Doug’s album design for their 12″x12″ magazine-style album. Here are some layouts from this album:

I will be away in London for our annual photographers convention and trade fair between 16 and 21 January.

Katie and Doug’s album design is nearly ready, but I need to fine-tune accent colours and type; and Kelly and Adam’s wedding gallery upload is forthcming on 22-23 January.

Galina

I went for a walk to Jesmond Dene yesterday afternoon. We live on the edge of it, nor far from St James Bridge, but I didn’t have time to venture anywhere much so far.

I just wandered with my camera and took some photos for myself:

The old corn mill:

My niece Caitlin came for Xmas from Finland to visit her granma and grandad in Ponteland near Newcastle. Teri and James thought it will be a good idea to take a portrait of her wearing James’s Russian hat:

Caitlin didn’t think so:

Just finished designing Rachel and Andrew’s album. This is for a flush mount 10″x14″ album with a thin gutter in the middle. The accent colours are pale shades of pink to complement the pink wedding theme created by Rachel.

Here are some spreads from this book:

I photographed Sarah and Rob at Whitlingham Park the next day after Emma and Johny’s session at Venta Icenorum.

Unusually, Sarah and Rob drove to the park a week before the shoot to investigate their photo opps. As a result of their recce they produced a bag of props just in case. Our first stop was at the edge of the lake next to the visitor’s centre where we fed swans and ducks:

Then Sarah led me to some medieval ruins on the grounds of the park. You may not believe me but the ruins theme kept popping up by sheer coincidence! I have nothing to do with it!

These particular ruins are rich in history. Trowse Newton House used to be a retreat of Benedectine monks, and in 1385 king Edward III and his queen Philippa stayed here. The site was ransacked during food riots in the 18th century, and in Victorian times the walls were tidied up to form romantic “picturesque” ruins to be enjoyed during the leisurely walks by the local gentry.

Then we played with an aerobie ring at the edge of the lake:

Then welly boots and brollies came out for a hilarious battle in the water.

Rob putting on his welly boots:

In the lake:

I haven’t laughed this hard for a long time!