Dorset Wedding Photography Featured Magazine Cover

Happy New Year!!

Always nice to start off a brand new year with some lovely news. One of our Dorset wedding Photography images has made it on to the cover of Dorset and Hampshires Dream Wedding Magazine!

We wish all our past, present and future wedding couples an amazing 2015!!

Much Love,. T&D Xx

Blogging Hiatus; Mind The Gap :)

Hi Faithful Readers and Web Surfers of All Persuasions,

Up to this point we have been duplicating entries on the blog and facebook, recently we are finding clients and potential clients love the facebook format (over 800 'likes' of Murakami Facebook Page at time of writing!). Initially we were unconvinced by facebook and indeed it's not perfect but it does allow a lot of interaction and client feedback which is so important to what we do. We've also been reviewed recently online at Murakami Photography Reviews :)

Reports of the blogs death are greatly exaggerated and we will be back! In the meantime browse some of the 50+ weddings and pre-wedding sessions on the blog, the drop down menu at the top of this page provides easy access to some of the most recent. Then head on over to public facebook albums (60+ albums and counting!) - we very much welcome your comments!

You don't need a facebook account to visit you are very welcome to view new images and our latest news via facebook :)

As always, if you're getting married and love photography we'd love to hear from you, we can be contacted by phone on 01202 519659 or email us (Teri and David!) at lovephoto@murakamiphotography.com

Much Love
T&D XXX

Teri Gets Her 'L'!

Teri is now a Qualified Master Photographer as recognised by the Master Photographers Association. This achievement recognises Teri's ability to photograph weddings to an established level of skill and competence.

The Licentiate (LMPA) Wedding category award is gained by submitting a panel of images from recent weddings. The panel is then judged by respected members of the MPA and if of sufficiently high quality the award is given.

The gestation period on Teri's wedding panel was longer than most applicants, Teri first joined the MPA in 2006 but held off submitting her qualifying panel until this years Focus on Imaging. This patient approach reflects more than anything Teri's overriding passion to present only the very best work of which she is capable. Kudos to her for taking the plunge and putting up her images to be judged. I don't think the verdict was ever in doubt but me believing her panel is award worthy and her gaining the award itself are worlds apart!

It's not often I get the chance to write about Teri's work so I will take this opportunity to say what it is I find special about her images. I count myself as good with people (I'd be in the wrong job if it was otherwise!) having said that I count Teri as amazing with people. She has a rare ability to instantly connect with wedding guests, family of the couple and the wedding couple themselves that is very special and I would say pretty unique, it always shows in her images and I am very lucky to work with her.

Sandwiched somewhere between the details of the day, the story telling of the getting ready, the wedding ceremony, the formal group images, the cool portraits of the newlyweds, the evening reception and first dance are the relaxed intimate portraits of the couples family and close friends. It's this last type of image that are often overlooked in a lot of the wedding coverage we have seen and it is those very images that become more and more special over time. Beautiful informal portraits of the people that really matter, not just because they were there on the day of the wedding, they are valued as images in their own right and become treasured pictures of loved ones.

A small selection of Teri's successful panel below :)

2008 Quicky Review

2008 been an amazing year and we'd like to thank all our couples, past, present and future for letting us be part of their wedding days and trusting us to record one of the most important days in their lives, it is special to us and a privilege, thank you :)

The first thing which springs to mind about the 2008 weddings is how much it rained in the summer months, mid-week would be fine and come the weekend it rained, luckily there was always a break in the weather when we could go outside for some shots. One of the outdoor ceremony weddings the heavens opened literally just as champagne was served after the ceremony, enough of the English pre-occupation with the weather though! We're both looking forward to a drier 2009 :)

Though Teri and I rarely enter our work for competitions I decided to enter the MPA (Master Photographers Association) Wessex region print competition, neither of us really expecting too much on the first time of entering. Truly in shock when I was awarded 3 of the top honours, MPA Wessex Wedding Photographer of the Year 2008, MPA Wessex Licentiate Photographer of the Year 2008 as well as a Highly Commended in the Fashion and Glamour section of the competition.

I really didn't expect to win anything and I was struck speechless when presented with the trophy for the Wedding Photographer of the Year and seeing the names of previous winners, all Fellows of the MPA, including photographers who have mentored Teri and I and who inspire us to create Art as well as improve our craft.

There is always more to learn of course, during November we attended a 3 day seminar with one of Australias most talented photographers David A. Williams (Master of Photography and Accolade of Lifetime Photographic Excellence WPPI). We have some cool things we are working on for 2009 ;)

Teri's Bridal Boudoir Photography has become even more popular and she continues to produce amazing work (the ones I'm allowed to see!). I hope she enters some of the images into next years print competition as she deserves recognition :)

Wedding venues, one of the questions occasionally asked by prospective clients is "have you photographed at our wedding venue?", very often the answer is yes and we can show images or a sample album. We have become preferred suppliers to two of our favourite Dorset venues, Kingston Maurward and Compton Acres Italian Villa. Not only are they both leading Dorset Wedding Venues but they are exceptionally well run and photographing at each is always a pleasure.

Remains for me to thank again all our 2008 couples and their families and wedding guests for letting Teri and I share in their special days. We're really looking forward to 2009 (already we are way ahead on bookings!) and look forward to taking more great images of amazing people :)

Wish all a happy and healthy 2009!

Return of the Teri (Jedi)

It's not often we take images of each other at weddings (most of the time we don't appear in any of the wedding images!) but as we were setting up the lighting to take a couple of Darrell with the light sabre Teri volunteered to be a stand-in.

Claire and Darrel's wedding images are also on the blog: Lillibrooke Manor Wedding Berkshire

It's currently her facebook avatar :)

Change can be a good thing :)

Hey all!

David and I wanted to give a huge thanks to those you have sent us email comments about the new look for the blog.

The feedback had been incredible, it's great to hear others as excited about the changes as we are :) There is more to come!

Changes have been in the works for a while, but as the summer and early autumn was so crazy busy, we are only just
finding the time to work on the list of improvements and updates to the blog, and websites. :)

There will be a plethora of entries made during November, as David and I catch everyone up on all of the happenings from the past summer, so put on your running shoes and be prepared to keep up!

Teri

David Gets His 'L'!

David is now a qualified member of the Master Photographers Association having submitted his qualifying panel at Focus On Imaging 2008 Europe's biggest annual imaging show for members of the photographic community.

The Licentiate (LMPA) award represents an established level of skill and competence and was gained by submitting a panel of images from recent weddings. The panel is then judged by respected members of the MPA and the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP).

David's panel was of sufficiently high quality to be featured in the Master Photographers Association magazine as a two page spread showing all David's images and a page of text about how we work. His panel is also 'on tour' and will be shown all around the UK in talks given by the MPA to photographers who wish to become qualified.

Well done David! He worked really hard throughout 2007 and the recognition for his work is very well deserved :)

*Special mention to mutli award winning Dorset photographer Kevin Wilson, his experiance and skill mentoring both David and I over the last few years is something that has helped us grow as photographers, thank you Kevin!

A small selection of David's LMPA qualifying panel images below :)

Petition regarding Civil Ceremonies and Photography

To all my clients, please take a moment to read the purpose of this petition, and add your signature to it. I want to thank my friend Duncan Kerridge for taking this on as a personal mission. It's always frustrating for my couples when I am unable to cover the ceremony, when a registrar has banned photography from the ceremony. So hopefully this will bring to their attention that not only is there no actual law banning photography during a civil ceremony, there is no just reason for an individual registrar to take that away from the couple.

Quote from petition:

Coverage of civil wedding ceremonies by professional wedding photographers is currently not allowed in many parts of UK.

Where photography is allowed, it is often restricted to a few photos of the exchange of rings, and a setup photo of the signing of the marriage register.

Many couples opt to use a documentary photographer for their wedding, who takes photographs throughout the day, with little or no posing of the couple, aiming to record a story of the day.

The ban on photography during Civil Ceremonies leaves a gap in the coverage of the wedding, usually one of the most emotional and important parts of the day for the couple.

There is no law in the UK banning photography during these events, but instead it is left to the whim of the district or registrar presiding.

This petition is for the government to issue guidelines instructing all registrars offices to allow professional photography throughout ceremonies.

To view and sign the petition:
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/ceremonyphotos/?signed=ae66072.2e8b1a

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Teri Murakami

The 'Secret' is out!

Shhh...

Secrets!

It's been a trend recently for Brides to have a boudoir type photoshoot in secret and create an album to present to their new husbands when they jet off to their honeymoon. This has been written about in countless newspapers and magazines across the US. But it's really taken off here in the UK!

I have to mention the Regeti's, as being the Godfather and Godmother of the current trend. Their Marathons in the US have taken Boudoir to a whole new level of gorgeousness. I have always loved vintage pin-up style art, so combined with the current 'Boudoir' trend, I felt inspired to create this service for my own brides and their friends. So the 'Secret' started to hatch.

I mentioned the idea to two of my lovely brides, and they were excited to be the first to be treated to a Secret Shoot. The idea is to use a romantic setting, in a beautiful boutique hotel, and create editorial style images, using natural light. It was great fun for all of us, and the results were absolutely stunning!

Here is one of the slideshows from the first 'Secrets' shoot :)

http://slideshow.murakamisecrets.co.uk/lisa_june_2007/

The lovely Lisa was so excited about it, she posted it on Hitched, and as a result, I am scheduling more Secret Shoots for the summer and autumn. Dates to be announced, and I will be giving first choice to those who's names I already have.

We also are launching the Secrets site, which David has worked really hard on for me :)

http://www.murakamisecrets.co.uk/

I will add a few single images later, and some of the other gorgeous bride, but at the moment, her images need to remain 'Secret' ;)

Teri

Murakami Photography is blogging!

It's taken a while to get around to it, but we have finally set up a blog. So now everyone that has been bugging us to find out what we are up to, can check here first :)

So keep an eye out for new work, old work that we just want to revisit, and ideas for the future of Murakami Photography!

David and Teri