Good times

Good times.  Back from a week de-stressing in Portugal.  Signing lease on Courtyard Studio tomorrow at 4pm.  Landlord has confirmed that the partitioning has been done for the studio..:) can't wait to see it in the morning....

Courtyard Studio

Well it's been an eventful week for us.  On Monday the landlord of our new 900 sq ft studio unit emailed to say that we could pick the keys up and start moving stuff in.  This is a really exciting time for us as the unit is on a farm (Dovers Farm Reigate) and most of the outbuildings have been converted into business units which are well known in the local area.  This units get snapped up fast and we feel extremely lucky to have secured one.

We went up there straight away and picked them up, then hired a van to start moving all the stuff.

There is going to be two businesses running out of the unit.  Graham Jackson Photography https://www.facebook.com/grahamjacksonphotography  www.gjacksonphotography.com and my other half Zoe and her business Tread The Boards Surrey Costume Hire https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tread-the-Boards/272468249520989

Took some shots immediately before we start moving stuff in.

View from entrance door.

This will be Zoe's workroom

View towards entrance

Left hand door Ladies toilet, centre is small kitchenette and righthand is Gents toilet

Partition will be built here hopefully Monday which will create a 5m x 3.3m studio and a storage area for Zoe's costumes.

 

 

Tuesday we started in ernest moving in hundreds of costumes and boxes and studio equipment. Had to make sure we left enough space for the workmen who are installing the partition can work unhindered.

We finally managed to finish the moving by Friday and as we are going away to Portugal for a week on Sunday we are hopeful that when we return next Sunday we will be refreshed and de-stressed and ready to knuckle down and the partitioning will be complete.

Zoe made use of the unit today for a fitting with some actors who a doing a play soon.

As the day was lovely yesterday I managed to get some shots of the outside area. 

The tree lined drive up to the Business Centre.

Lovely farmland for location shoots.

The main and visitors carpark.

Our unit with the black car outside.

Wider view of the Courtyard.

Here are a couple of shots of the inside with most of the stuff in.  We are unable to do much with it as we need the partition and storage area done so we can then sort out where it's going.  But at least it's now in there.

Studio area will be where the large octabox is. The sofa and coffee table will be moved to outside the workroom and there will be a reception desk in it's place.

What will be the reception area.

Most of Tread the Boards costumes.  These will move into the storage area and the sofa and coffee table will then go here.

Zoe's workroom crammed full.

Once we are back from Portugal we will be getting ready to fully open and will be having an open day and some exciting new services and packages.  Keep an eye out as they will be posted.

For information the address is:

Courtyard Studios
Unit E
The Courtyard Business Centre
Dovers Farm
Lonesome Lane
Reigate
Surrey
RH2 7QT
  

Weekend in Jersey.

Spent last weekend going back to the fabulous Jersey for a weekend of fun and Photography on a workshop by the fabulous John Denton of http://www.johndentontraining.com/ and the fabulously gorgeous Jennifer Dickinson https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.dickinson.359?group_id=0

It was a weekend of Fashion and Art Nude and Jennifer worked tirelessly in the cold wind that was blowing on the Saturday.

On the Sunday we spent most of the day within the hotel and this was a day of Art Nude.

Development Training

Well today I have taken a trip North to Beverley in Yorkshire to continue my Studio Development training with my good friends and Mentors John & Liz Denton of Denton Photography.

I will be here until Tuesday evening and will spend some time with John taking me through various lighting techniques and posing with the fabulous Nikki Hafter one of Johns regular models.

Then I will spend some time with Liz who will run through various business and marketing techniques.

As Photographers it's important that we continue to update our skills and like most professions the words practise practise and practise some more ring true.

Can't wait to get some really good shots which I will share once I'm back home.

Still loving these shots from Jersey 2012.  Looking forward to this years in April....

Lets see what we can come up with this year.....:)

Amy at Tilgate Park

Amy at Tilgate Park

Had a cold but great day on Friday with Amy.  Tilgate park is a large area and full of different gardens and woodland.

There was a biting wind but the sun was shining and it stayed dry, well until lunchtime when we had an hail shower for about 30 minutes.  Luckily we were in the cafe at the time.

After the shower past we went out again for a couple of hours.

All shots were taken either with natural light with reflector and one speedlite on the D700 with 70-200mm F/2.8 lens.

Amy at Camber Sands and Rye

Well what a day we had down in the beautiful Camber Sands and Rye.  These were taken last Friday in lovely sunshine...

If you have'nt been to Camber Sands it is recommended that you do..the dunes are brill.

I would like to thank Amy for being a star..she worked tirelessly and we got some great shots.  I'd also like to thank her boyfriend Tyler for coming a long and becoming my assistant for the day, he was a great help.

Well here's some pictures from the day...enjoy....