Sean Bell Photography

Bright in my Northern Sky

2012-01-24T19:49:00.002Z

Ive always wanted to see the Aurora Borealis, in the past Ive thought about travelling to Norway or Iceland, as I hear they are quite regular visitors to those parts of the world, but as usual life and money gets in the way of these things and it's always something to put off for another year.So I was pretty excited when I heard that the Sun had recently got a wee bit overheated and was firing some super Solar energy juice our way, meaning the Lights would be heading to more Southerly parts than normal.
We have had some spectacularly clear nights of late up here and Ive been out during most of them, stargazing with a few beers in the back garden or taking shots into the wee small hours, so I was hoping for much of the same when the light show came to town... err, not so much! What we got was a classic cloudy night in Edinburgh along with some lovely light pollution to contend with. I was hoping I could drive away from the city, but family commitments meant that would'nt be possible, so for this show I was stuck in the garden, clinging on to what little green streaks in the sky I could and hoping that there would be a break in the clouds so I could glimpse the dancing green beauties doing their thing at full tilt.It wasnt to be, the blanket of cloud obscured the show until the dazzling green light died away, but at its most intense, I managed to capture this not very overwhelming image of the Northern Lights, above Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh castle and the City of Edinburgh.Not an amazing effort being that it looks like a big green cloud but hey, this is Aurora Borealis Scottish style!

But pleasures are like poppies spread,
You sieze the flower, its bloom is shed;
Or like the snow falls in the river,
A moment white--then melts for ever;
Or like the borealis race,
That flit ere you can point their place;

Robert Burns - Excerpt from Tam o' Shanter

Cheers for now

Sean

Climb Mag

2012-01-24T00:32:00.000Z

Hi

The recent edition of 'Climb' Magazine is the Photographic issue, featuring some of the worlds best known climbing photographers shooting in some of the most amazing locations. Still, I managed to sneak a wee shot in there from one of my forays into the County of Northumberland.Its a photo I took of my friend Tim Cross as he was high up on an exposed outcrop, padding his way into the sunlight at the end of another perfect day on the sandstone.

Im always keen to shoot willing climbing models, so if you have any route in mind you are thinking of trying and you think it would either A.Be a super photogenic line or B. be newsworthy to the climbing press, better still, both.Then please give me a call.

Cheers

Sean

Eve Arnold- RIP

2012-01-05T16:03:00.000Z

If a photographer cares about the people before the lens and is compassionate, much is given. It is the photographer, not the camera, that is the instrument.

http://www.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP=XSpecific_MAG.PhotographerDetail_VPage&l1=0&pid=2K7O3R14AZX1&nm=Eve%20Arnold

She was an inspiration to many and I had great admiration for her work.

A life well lived

Rest in peace Eve.

Rad Santa

2011-12-16T19:03:00.000Z

The big red and white dude took the afternoon off during his busy period to head down to Glentress in the Scottish Borders.Here he is pictured on his Specialized Sleigh, knocking out some big airtime in the Freeride park in front of an impressed looking mob of elves.

Merry Xmas dudes.

Winter Morning

2011-12-12T22:21:00.000Z

I worked until 3am this morning building wedding albums, editing, downloading and ordering prints. I was super tired as I slunk into bed but for the life of me I couldnt sleep a wink, my head far too buzzy with work stuff.
At 6am after around 1 hour drifting in and out of sleep I finally admitted defeat, I switched on the news, checked the weather and decided I needed some proper chill time by the sea.I have had this shot in my head for about a year but time and conditions have never seemed to allow for it to come to fruition, so with the weather saying clear and windy I headed down to St.Abbs head on the Berwickshire coast.I had checked the tide times and guessed I would be bang on by arriving there at 8ish but to my dismay, the tide was too far out and it became apparent that the initial image I had in my mind would have to wait yet another day, as time again was tight and I had to be back to work by 12pm.I wandered in the moonlight around the slipway area and came across a nice alcove which Id never been in before (quite tidal and secluded) I slipped and squirmed my way over a few seaweedy boulders (vibram soles + wet rock + Seaweed = Sketch fest) and got established on a rock at the entrance where numerous seabirds floated around, checking out the new arrival.I took a few long exposures of the headland and rocks leading out to the sea, trying to work out the geology but also feeling familiar with the shapes of the Greywacke rock which this part of the coast is famous for, on which I have had numerous days rock climbing, some very good, some absolutely terrifying, as is the order of the day with sea cliffs.After about an hour the sun was up and the quiet light of dawn had gone, so I packed up and retreated to the warmth of the car and for a well earned power nap.

A winter image of Loch Tulla and the hills of Argyll and Bute... on Twitpic

2011-12-06T09:38:00.000Z

A winter image of Loch Tulla and the hills of Argyll and Bute... on Twitpic

Recent Wedding Photography from the wedding of Charles & Doreen at Borthwick Castle.

2011-10-23T21:16:00.000+01:00

Some of my recent wedding photography from Charles and Doreen's wedding at Borthwick Castle, near Edinburgh.

New look Blog

2011-10-16T16:28:00.000+01:00

Hey

Ive tweaked the blog page a little.Any feedback would be good!

Head over to my business facebook page for a look at my up to date folio

Cheers

Sean

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sean-Bell-Photography/209755409128

FoodFotos

2011-07-11T23:12:00.001+01:00

Some images I shot for Mithas, a new restaurant in Edinburgh, serving high quality Indian cuisine by Michelin starred chefs.

Tasted amazing!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150371510294129.430232.209755409128

Quick Look: Wedding of Ruth & Dylan

2011-05-29T11:18:00.001+01:00

A quick look at a few of the images I shot at the wedding of the lovely Ruth and Dylan, they were married at The Priory church in South Queensferry and then went onto Orocco Pier for their wedding reception.The ceremony was beautiful and the feeling of warmth in the church was testament to how much Ruth and Dylan's family and friends (and their gorgeous wee boy, Woody) care for them, lots of laughter was had and even the wee bit of rain we had didnt dampen the spirits.The speeches were fantastic and I can honestly say that Ive never seen a Groom dance so well during the first dance, that Boy can move! Congratulations to you both and I hope you are enjoying your honeymoon.All the very best for now and for the future.Sean.

Facebook update

2011-05-14T18:18:00.000+01:00

Hey

Ive added some more images to my wedding portfolio on Facebook..

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sean-Bell-Photography/209755409128

Please come and have a look, leave some feedback and click the 'like' button.

Cheers

Sean

Quick Look: Daniel & Louise at the Corn Exchange 7th May 2011

2011-05-11T10:38:00.000+01:00

A few quick look photographs from the wedding of Daniel and Louise at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange on the 7th May 2011.
Hope your enjoying your honeymoon in the Dominican guys! All the very best for now and for the future.Sean.

Quick Look: Nick and Debbie at Barony Castle 1st May 2011

2011-05-08T17:34:00.000+01:00

A couple of quick look images from the wedding of Nick and Debbie on 1st May at Barony Castle, near Peebles.Congratulations to you both and thanks for being so cool during the photoshoot!

Quick Look!

2011-05-01T11:35:00.000+01:00

OK, So I never got asked to be the photographer at the Royal Wedding between Prince William and Catherine Middleton, but I was lucky enough to cover a wedding the day before which was equally as important (all weddings are, no matter if your a Prince or not)
Being an edinburgh wedding photographer I am lucky enough to live very close to some stunning Scottish Castles which have been home to many Kings and Queens from the distant past, ao I guess some of the pomp and pageantry during the build up to the day must have rubbed off on me as I shot this image of the beautiful Heike, chilling on her throne before being married to her partner Olly during a small ceremony at Dalhousie Castle near Bonnyrigg.The couple are from Freiburg and had spent a fantastic week with family in the Scottish Highlands before returning to Midlothian to get married on a sunny April day. More pictures and words from the wedding will arrive soon.

The Wedding of Amanda and John at The VU

2011-04-14T13:39:00.000+01:00

Amanda recently posted a review of my work on Freeindex.co.uk with some very kind words, here they are:-

"When looking for a photographer for our wedding, we struggled to find someone who shared our desire for different, unique photos, that played with the light, colours or setting, rather than the very traditional, posed shots, often synonymous with wedding photography.

In short, we wanted photographs we could put on a wall and not cringe at!

That was before we met Sean - who ticked all the boxes.

Maybe it's his exposure to the commercial world, his background working for a major newspaper or his natural flair for photography, but I suspect it's all three that make him stand out from other wedding photographers.
On the day itself, he managed to capture some fantastic images, exceeding our expectations and most importantly, he executed this in a very subtle, unobtrusive fashion.
Sean encapsulated the vibe of our day through his photography, providing an excellent mix of photos, from the traditional group shots to the candid images and even a couple of funny ones too, so we couldn't asked for better.

A huge thank you from Mr. & Mrs. Surgenor."

Another bright and calm February day and I was off to do my first wedding at The VU. Its a very modern looking place, perched high above the town of Bathgate with views out to the distant hills and a beautiful lake, on top of which, sits one of the two restaurants and the room in which the wedding ceremony took place. Amanda and John decided to have a February wedding as they are both keen snowboarders which would allow them to book their honeymoon to include some foreign snowsport, in this case, the mighty Whistler in Canada! Cool.
The day went super quick, from running about and shooting fun pictures of the boys in their kilts, to one of the funniest ceremonies Ive ever been to, courtesy of the minister. He kept everything very lighthearted and pretty much had the whole room in stitches with his one liners, all great stuff and this set the mood for the rest of the day. After the cermony, I quickly set up some family shots, with some interesting moments involving boxer shorts and Ushers :-) and then shot some pix of John and Amanda on the Jetty on the lake and tried to use the bright sunlight as much as I could to create some moody images.We then went indoors and to a quaint little room set aside for the Bride and Groom and we shot a few more pix before Amanda and John were ready to cut the cake and get started with the partying...
All in all a fun day out with a nice couple.

The Wedding of Claire and Euan at Newbattle Abbey College

2011-04-13T21:09:00.000+01:00

My first wedding shoot of the year and it was a very relaxed day, a clear and calm winter afternoon taking in two superb venues from the stunning Newbattle Abbey College and then onto to the award winning Sun Inn.
Claire and Euan seemed so laid back as they began their day with a very intimate ceremony in the crypt in the Abbey and the small gathering of friends and family looked to be enjoying the character of the surroundings aswell as the occasion.We made full use of the very well lit great staircase for some family photos before we headed off into the grounds of the Abbey to take some images of the happy couple against the architecture and the surrounding countryside. We then went on to the Sun Inn (Being local, its a place I have been a few times and I can highly recommend it for a meal if you ever get the chance) for the wedding breakfast, I managed to catch a few shots of the expressions during the speeches and much laughter signalled that all was going well and the champagne was flowing, the kids also seemed to be entertained by the balloon modeller (great idea!) and time seemed to fly up until the cake cutting. Before this I took Claire and Euan outside (yes, onto the busy A7 road! :-)) to shoot some night time portraits as the cars flew by, tooting their horns, before Lee Live gave us the nod they took to the floor for their first dance.....

Congratulations to you both!

That famous cloak

2011-02-19T11:14:00.000Z

I was commissioned on Thursday to shoot a selection of editorial images of The Scottish Widows cloak before it is to go on display at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
The current 'Scottish Widow' is model Hayley Hunt, she was a pleasure to work with and having been in the role for a few years she wears the famous cloak with such ease. I hardly had to direct at all as she has also mastered the art of the perfect 'swish'. :-)
Our main brief was to have Hayley and the cloak within an Edinburgh setting, so the first plan was to shoot from the roof terrace of the museum with Edinburgh Castle as our backdrop, it all sounded great on paper, but being Scotland in February the weather had other ideas, so on cue, the clouds rolled in and visibility was reduced to just a few hundred feet enveloping the Castle in a thick and very determined Scotch-mist!
We decided to shoot around and about the Museum of Scotland, using the sandstone walls as a backdrop and the white stairs in Hawthorden court before the weather lifted a little and we could make out some of the classic Edinburgh skyline of chimney pots and townhouses. I took a quick set of pictures against this moody backdrop before the clag rolled in again but everyone seemed pleased with the subtle tones of the shots against the city.
It will be a fantastic addition to the Changing Nation Gallery at the Museum of Scotland and it was nice to have the opportunity to work up close with the famous cloak and the famous widow.

The Scotsman published one of my shots on Page 2 on Friday 18th Feb and the NMS also have a page dedicated to the story with some pictures here

Cheers for now

Sean

Wet in the woods

2011-01-19T09:24:00.000Z

After the thaw the downhill mountain bike trails at the 7 stanes centre at Innerleithen were nice and muddy, but luckily for all those dirty steeds there was a big handy 'wash puddle' situated near the car park.
I shot these images of James Dunn whilst down there last week to add to my ongoing image bank of outdoor pursuits photography in Scotland.
It was nice to get out in the forest in amongst the stunning afternoon light that the Scottish Borders seems to do so well.

Cheers

Sean

A little bit of KT and a slice of Biffy.

2011-01-13T19:32:00.000Z

A couple of shots I took of KT Tunstall and Biffy Clyro whilst covering the New Year celebrations in Edinburgh for Unique Events and The Scotland on Sunday.

Happy 2011!

Highland Snow

2010-12-15T12:05:00.000Z

The Scotsman newspaper has used one of the images I took whilst out for a hill climb in the Southern Highlands of Scotland on Sunday 12th December.It was printed in the 14th December 2010 edition of the newspaper across page 34 and 35.
It was a glorious sunny morning, a true bluebird day and very Alpine in feel, it was a treat to be out in the mountain air, walking and climbing with a good friend.

Sean

Heineken Marketing Awards 2010

2010-12-05T16:03:00.000Z

Some images I shot whilst covering the Heineken Marketing Awards 2010 at the Edinburgh Caledonian Hotel on Thursday.It was a fast paced and fun awards ceremony all based around the Oscars and the stars of film.With some great speeches and entertainment from the Comedy act 'Late night gimp fight' laughter was never very far away.The room also looked superb, thanks to a fantastic set up provided by Glasshouse Events and Im sure the dancing went on until the wee small hours.

Let it snow let it snow let it snow......

2010-11-29T11:18:00.000Z

The late afternoon light over Edinburgh was awesome yesterday, so in between shovelling snow and snowball fights I took the chance of taking a couple of panoramas.
Luckily I didnt have to go far, this shot was taken from my street and shows Arthur's Seat, Edinburgh Castle and the city with some interesting clouds coming in off the Forth.Apparently in some parts of the East, locals heard 'thundersnow', I'd never come accross this term before but following Sean Batty the weatherman on Twitter does come in handy for a bit of knowledge.Heres a link which explains the rare phenomenon..
http://www.stv.tv/weather/212592-more-heavy-snow-to-come/

Happy sledgin'

The wedding of Jon and Ann

2010-11-22T22:17:00.000Z

Venue: Maften Hall

The sun had his big shiny hat on for the wedding of Jon and Ann Dagless, it was a crisp autumnal morning as we left Dalkeith and drove the A68 down through the beautiful Northumberland National Park and on to Matfen Hall.
It was our first time at this venue, I'd heard great things and we were not to be disappointed, Jon and Ann had been enthusiastic about the place when we met and did their pre wedding photoshoot and on entering the grounds I could see why.I was instantly psyched to get looking for locations for potential shots.They are a fun loving and spontaneous couple so I didnt want to plan too much, but after a few minutes I found a couple of definite areas which would work for photos.

The day started with a few candid photos of the groom and groomsmen having a wee jolly out the front of the halls in the glorious sunshine, jumping around, enjoying a nerve settling pint ('drinking in the morning sun... ' as the song goes ) and rehearsing the all important/always dreaded speeches.
The ceremony was a very personal affair, a little bit nervous and emotional but you could feel the warmth in the room, as family and friends looked on, all beaming as Jon and Ann said their vows.
Afterwards we shot the group shots as quickly as we could as it was pretty cold outside, we let the party go on inside in the warmth, with the ushers bringing round the groups as required so as not to have hypothermic/unhappy guests on our hands! We then ran around with Jon and Ann and took in the grounds and the halls on a whistle stop photo tour..
We stayed on through dinner, Jon's speech was a cracker, funny and heartwarming in equal parts and he had the room(and me) in stitches. Effort! :-)

After dinner I took the happy couple outside for some night time photography in front of the building, all the orangey glow from the tungsten lights inside looked so warm as we ran around in freezing temperatures, theres something about shooting weddings into the night, I love that extra quiet time with the bride and groom after dinner, all relaxed after the formalities and with the buzz of the evening just beginning and the lights going on, it can be a rewarding part of the day image wise if that wee bit of effort is put in.

All in all, a great day spent with a very handsome and lovely natured couple, great family and friends and it was a privelidge to be a small part of it.

All the very best

Sean

All smiles and laughter on the grand staircase..

Ann during Jon's speech

The Scrabble anecdote went down well!

Sultry

In the evening light

First dance..

Spontaneous wedding party madness

I do

Thumbs up

Guys doing what they do best

With dad, before the ceremony

Ann in make up

Beautiful dress

The Wedding of Lawrence and Sam at Melville Castle

2010-11-02T13:54:00.000Z

Venue: Melville Castle - Flowers: Simply Flowers by Clare - Cars: Ecosse Cars

A fine autumn day and the wedding of Lawrence and Sam at Melville Castle.It was a great day to shoot, with both guests and wedding party really up for having fun and making the most of celebrating with the happy couple, everyone was a pleasure to work with and Lawrence and Sam looked so happy together.All the very best to you both!

Take Care

Sean

Clocks go back...

2010-10-31T13:35:00.000Z

As I reset my clock this morning I got to thinking about winter, and last years winter in particular, it was one of the wildest on record with weeks of snowfall and record beating lows on the thermometer so over the course of a few weeks
I took the chance to head North to climb and to do some landscape photography.
The day I shot this the temp was so low I couldnt take my gloves of for more than a minute without it becoming very painful, Ive never experienced cold like it, at one point my bare hand stuck to the metal legs of the tripod as the air was so dry.
The Buachaille Etive Mor in Glencoe is probably one of the most photographed (some would say overly photographed) mountains in Scotland, but having never shot it in winter and with it being fairly roadside, I thought it would be rude not to do my own version.I have stood on the summit on a number of occasions via different routes and have developed quite a fondness for this big lump of rock, it appears quite flat and triangular in shape from this angle, but as you make your way up that East face you find out its quite a complex set of ridges, buttresses and impressively steep gullies, all this adds up to it being a great winter climbers playground.
Im looking forward to this years cold snap already.

Cheers

Sean

New Website

2010-10-27T09:41:00.000+01:00

Hi

Its been a while! Due to phoneline faults and wireless router mayhem over the past few weeks I have had a bit of an internet deficit, working mostly via the iphone and carrier pigeon has meant that I havent managed to update the blog with new images, however, along with my friends at kenkai I have been working on a new website and although still a little work in progress it has gone live and ready to view, so please have a wee look around and if you have any feedback I would appreciate it (keep it clean though :-) ) http://www.seanbellphotography.com

We have had some amazing wedding over the past few months and now the nights are drawing in it has given me the chance to get all creative with the flash and shooting at night, I will post some pictures over the next few days..

Happy autumn to you all.

Sean

Picture above is of my wife Karen, all dressed up for halloween and pictured against the night sky, it was used for a feature spread in the Scotland on Sunday newspaper.

Stuart and Yvonne at Barony Castle

2010-08-31T12:29:00.000+01:00

A few images from the wedding of Stuart and Yvonne at Barony Castle. A new venue for us and we were blown away with the photography potential within the grounds of this Castle, Yvonne had chosen it for this reason and she must have a good eye, as we found so many locations to use. My job was made easy aswell though as they are such a fun couple, always laughing, joking and really up for any of the ideas I had, they trusted my judgement and relaxed, which really is the ideal scenario.From the classical long row of trees, stunning whitewash gazebo with subtle ambient light to monkeying around on an assault course, I thought the mix worked really well.All in all, a great day and a pleasure to spend time with such a nice family.Congratulations!

A few images from the wedding of Stuart and Yvonne at Barony Castle. A new venue for us and we were blown away with the photography potential within the grounds of this Castle, Yvonne had chosen it for this reason and she must have a good eye, as we found so many locations to use. My job was made easy aswell though as they are such a fun couple, always laughing, joking and really up for any of the ideas I had, they trusted my judgement and relaxed, which really is the ideal scenario.From the classical long row of trees, stunning whitewash gazebo with subtle ambient light to monkeying around on an assault course, I thought the mix worked really well.All in all, a great day and a pleasure to spend time with such a nice family.Congratulations!

Wedding Singers

2010-08-31T11:45:00.000+01:00

Hi folks

Looking for classy classical wedding singers to add some magic to your big day?

http://www.serenitysingers.co.uk/

Cheers for now

Sean

Heavy Metal: Day One

2010-08-25T23:09:00.000+01:00

I was commissioned recently to produce marketing and promotional images for an international engineering firm.

Premier Hytemp produce, stock and supply products for the Oil and Gas industry, heavy industry, ship building, aerospace, nuclear and water processing industries and
my brief is to capture the processes, the workforce, the specialist machinery and the products within the factory and in the stock areas.
I ended up with around 75 final images, shot over the course of one day at the plant, with a further day to be shot within the next few weeks.
The main challenge with working on the factory floor is lighting, with only overhead fluorescent tubes and limited ambient daylight in most areas, the overall mood can be quite flat, so I used some creative off camera flash to add some atmosphere and colour and to show off the very shiny (and super expensive) metals and machinery.The shapes and texture of the machined metals make for some quite abstract imagery and since I shot these, Premier Hytemp have also asked to have 12 large prints framed, to decorate the walls of their new offices.It was a good challenge working quickly, lighting and setting up shots on the move and already Im looking forward to the second day of shooting.

Cheers for now

Sean

Wedding Images August

2010-08-12T14:38:00.000+01:00

Recent work from weddings far and wide, from sunny backlit castles to rainy windswept beaches.

More photos to follow, along with a new look blog. :-)

Take care

Cheers

Sean

Mining Museum Wedding Fayre

2010-05-17T09:20:00.000+01:00

Thanks to everyone who stopped off to say hello at the Scottish Mining Museum Wedding Fayre in Newtongrange yesterday, it was nice to meet you all.

It was a real success with lots of enquiries and some great feedback on my wedding photography and new album range.I would like to thank Gill and Robin for putting on a great event, the room looked superb and it really does lend itself to being a modern wedding venue, Im sure it will become a popular choice with brides to be.

Also big thanks to Clare, Jo and Louise from Simply Flowers by Clare, who looked after me all day, keeping me refuelled with Coffee, cakes and Irn Bru!

Lots of dates being booked for 2011 now so please make enquiries soon....

Cheers

Sean

Freerunning Edinburgh

2010-04-17T10:29:00.000+01:00

I was commisioned recently by The Big Partnership PR agency to shoot an image of a freerunner in Edinburgh.This was part of the Know the Score Campaign, which is aimed at informing young people about the dangers of using cocaine, young people aged 16-25 from Scotland were given the chance to have a go at 'Freerunning' (Parkour) during a series of events across the country.

I took these images on the rooftops in the Grassmarket area of Edinburgh, with Edinburgh Castle in sunlight as the backdrop I couldnt go wrong, we found a good spot and Chris Grant (one of Scotlands top freerunners) used a wall to get airborne so I could shoot him 'flying' over the Castle.It was all pretty impressive and the guys were all really easy to work with.I fancy a go myself now....

Scotsman Feature

2010-03-07T14:08:00.000Z

Portraits of former Fame Academy star Ainslie Henderson.I shot these for a feature which appeared in the Scotsman Magazine, March 6th 2010.

Sport

2010-02-25T22:36:00.000Z

Working for The Scotsman newspaper recently I was given a job to go and photograph the Scottish Junior Cup final at Murrayfield. Here are some pix from the day.Its been a while since I shot sports and getting slick with the big lens switching again took a wee while, I enjoyed being back in the action though. The Edinburgh side Currie won one of the games and I even got a pie at half time.Happy Days!

Winter Wedderburn Wedding

2010-02-03T21:57:00.000Z

Some photographs from the wedding of Gavin and Jenny, who were married during a beautiful snowstorm on 19th December 2009 at the fantastic Wedderburn Castle, Duns, Scottish Borders.A gloriously sunny morning turned into a very snowy afternoon and evening, giving the Bride, Groom and all the guests, a recipe for fun and romance!!

Silver Award in SWPP monthly competition

2010-02-03T11:04:00.001Z

The Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers run a monthly competition for all of their members, these include some of the top wedding photographers working in the UK and abroad.I made it my New Years resolution to enter this every month in 2010 as I think it will be good to push myself and to learn from some very talented imagemakers.
Anyway, I entered this image into the Bridal portraiture category and won a silver award, so not a bad start to the year at all.

This was taken at Oran Mor, August 2009 after Sarah and Terry's wedding in Glasgow University.

Cheers

Sean

A drive with an MP

2010-02-03T00:25:00.000Z

Last week I was commissioned to shoot some publicity photography for David Hamilton MP. He wanted to be photographed in his local area, so we braved the cold and took a day driving around Midlothian. I took this image on a flyover which crosses the A7 near Bonnyrigg and Eskbank. This bridge used to be part of the old railway and a place I used to spend a lot of time as a kid( usually crashing my bike, experimenting with cigarettes etc), so it was weird to go back there and see how it had all changed.It was a good day out and I even learned a wee bit about politics!! :-)

Advice and tips on choosing your wedding snapper!

2010-01-22T11:38:00.000Z

Articles on choosing your photographer from the Scottish Wedding Directory

Tips from past Brides

Bring in the professionals

Snap Happy

Wise words!

All the best

Sean

Wedding Of Ronnie & Clare, Airth Castle, 14th November 2009

2010-01-19T23:40:00.001Z

Some images from Ronnie & Clare's wedding at the stunning Airth Castle, November 2009

Happy New Year

2010-01-06T12:26:00.000Z

After the mad rush building albums and ordering prints for xmas I took the chance to go up to Glencoe for the night at the end of December, after working 24/7 in front of the computer for a good few weeks I felt I needed a bit of mountain therapy, even if it was just for a night.With the snow lying on the hills, the forecast for a clear night and the moon only 48hrs away from being full I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to take more images for my Scottish winter night's project. I packed the car at 9pm with camera kit, tripod, bivvy bag, sleeping bag, maps, GPS and lots of food.

The drive up was spectacular, the moon illuminating the mountains, frozen rivers and trees along the way, I also watched a train on the west highland line all lit up, snaking its way along the side of Ben Dorain, it was pretty special.The deer were down from the tops, hunting around for food by the side of the road near Loch Tulla, I got one big fright when a burly stag appeared out of nowhere, glowing eyes in the headlights and frosty antlers pointing my way, it reminded me of a music video Id seen a few days earlier (Queens of the Stoneage). I arrived in Glencoe with the car thermometer reading -12c (it had been -17c as I drove through Tyndrum), my idea was to take a shot of the Buachaille Etive Mor but as it came into view I realised I was about an hour too late, as the moon had swung around too much leaving the East face in shadow, all was not lost though, the glen was still magical and all the other North facing hills seemed to glow against the night sky. The constellation of Orion was sitting nicely over the Mountain called Creise, I shot a few timed exposures of this, 1, 2, 4 and 8 minute exposures which left me with pretty cold hands.The place was so silent and still and with all the sane people tucked up in bed, I had this arctic wonderland to myself! good times! I shot images from around the glen until around 4am before setting up bivvy near the river Coupall, I managed 3 hours sleep before my alarm went off at 730am, I wanted to catch the sunrise and shoot some more images from down in Glen Etive but the thin veil of high cloud scunnered that idea.I wandereed around looking for potential locations for future shots and then went for lunch at the Clachaig Inn in Glencoe, by coincidence I met up with a couple of climbing mates at the Inn who were up there snowboarding/hillwalking, so it was good to have lunch with a bit of company and to enjoy some friendly banter before heading down the road.

Picture: Creise, Meal a' Bhuiridh, Stob a' Ghlais and Beinn Mhic Chasgaig under moonlight and the constellation of Orion. Glencoe, Scottish Highlands. 1am 29th Decmber 2009.

All the best for 2010..

Sean

The Wedding of Mark & Jane at Borthwick Castle

2009-12-14T23:54:00.000Z

October 31st, Halloween 2009 and the wedding is in a haunted castle! ( Borthwick Castle is reputedly home to a few ghosties) Im not sure if anything went bump in the night though... ;-)

Mark & Jane's big day was a lovely twist on the wedding theme, with carved out pumpkins lining the stairs up to the castle, trick or treat sweets as a buffet in the State room and a caricaturist drawing guests as they sipped champagne, this really was a wedding day to remember.

Here are a few shots from the day, I particularly like the one of Jane getting ready, she has a stylist fixing her hair, mum fixing the back of her dress and her friend pouring her a glass of Moet, All at the same time! Touch of class that!

Magazine feature

2009-12-12T13:59:00.000Z

When Im not working I enjoy a bit of rock and ice climbing in the highlands of Scotland, I can rarely detach myself from my camera so it goes with me on these wee jaunts up North, it can be a bit of a faff lugging a heavyweight SLR camera up a winter route as you already have so much weight on your back from all the protection/ropes/crampons and axes you are carrying, not to mention the extra food, bivvy bag and wooly jumpers, proper granny knits are essential! :-) Anyway, taking the camera seems to have paid off.. As part of a feature on Scottish Winter climbing, one of the top UK climbing magazines 'Climber' has used one of these photos as the main picture for the article in the January 2010 issue. I took the shot whilst out with my friend Ryan last February on a route called Dorsal Arete, which is high on the Bidean nam Bian massif, Stob Coire Nan Lochan in Glencoe, after leading the pitch up and over the 'fin' I got to the belay ledge, parked myslef in a 'comfy' position with legs either side of the arete, locked the rope off so I could get hands free, fumbled around with the settings on the camera with icy cold hands and took the shot of him steeping out around face.It was one of Ryan's first winter routes and I thought he sailed up it without any problem, he seems to be a bit of a natural with the ice axes..

My work takes me to some amazing places, Im never happier though than when Im up high in the mountains of Scotland catching the light on the land or the climbers at play.

Cheers for now

Sean

10 for 2010!

2009-12-07T12:14:00.000Z

As a wee treat for 2010, aswell as our normal winter deals we are now offering an extra 10% of all packages for weddings taking place during January, February and March 2010! Please call or mail for availability.

Pictured is Emma and Iain, a lovely couple whose wedding I photographed in August this year (Iain is a Naval officer, hence the military dress code) We had some fun when out and about in St.Andrews shooting pictures on the dodgems, on the pier and at the candyfloss stands, this was a little funny 'paparazzi' moment we had at the car....

Cheers

Sean

Big print

2009-12-06T09:30:00.000Z

Its always nice to see your work in print, especially when it is a front page of a newspaper or a magazine and the photo is used at a decent size.So it was cool when I went through to the Museum of Rural Life and spotted that my shots were being used on two roadside welcome signs.I had taken my wee boy Elliot through with me for a visit and after some bribery to get him away from the tractors, he happily posed for a shot before we left.

Sir Jackie Stewart

2009-12-02T14:39:00.000Z

As with all the work I do for the National Museums Scotland it varies greatly, from shooting stuffed polar bears being transported on pallet trucks to photographing the great and the good of Scottish culture.I can honestly say that shooting for the museum over the past few years has been amazing fun, the challenges that are brought to the table by the superb marketing team are always interesting and I really like being pushed to come up with images which fit their requirements. Sometimes tricky, but never boring! Anyway, Im going to update this blog with recent museum images aswell as wedding shots as its also a big part of my business, so first up is the cover shot for the recent NMS magazine 'Explorer'. I was called in to do a shot of Sir Jackie Stewart, racing driver, as his famous Grand Prix winning car was unveiled in the National Museum Scotland, it was a nice relaxed day, he was very pleasant and was happy to pose beside his pride and joy in his tartan trews. I think the design team have used the image well on the cover and he is after all, a Scottish legend.It was good to meet him and he came across as a gentleman, albeit a very PR savvy and wealthy gentleman :-)

Cheers for now

Sean

Being a wedding photographer in Edinburgh

2009-11-26T10:49:00.000Z

Being a wedding photographer in Edinburgh is a weird and wonderful thing, It is without doubt one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with modern cosmopolitan living buzzing along right beside some of the most amazing historical buildings, all of them steeped in stories from a dark past. So here I feel lucky I have some great locations to shoot in, from Edinburgh Castle to Arthur's Seat, the modern Leith area to the back streets of the old town, all with their own character and visual impact. On occasion, photographing weddings here can be interesting/challenging/fun due to the fickle nature of the Scottish weather, as I reckon its one of the only countries in the world where you can suffer from heatstroke and hypothermia in the same day!! I've shot weddings in August that were colder and wetter than weddings in November, had snowy weddings in May, wind of up to 80mph during one wedding in the borders and horizontal rain recently at a wedding at Borthwick Castle ! But, this is all good for the character, Im comfortable with it and I think it adds to the excitement of being a Scottish photographer. I often see all these super saturated wedding images from photographers working in Cyprus and Bermuda and I think, nah! Same old sun! I'd rather be shooting on a dreich and windy day in a dark Scottish Castle than on a sunsoaked beach in the Bahamas.. Maybe thats a bit mad, but for some reason Im drawn to the romance of it, and the challenge of coming up with great images from tough conditions. As it goes, it always works out and the weather becomes part of the day, whether the element is wind, rain, snow or Sun, it becomes the fun element and I use it to my advantage to try to create great images which will be both creative and a lasting memory of your wedding in Scotland.

All that said though, Ive think I've only had a few rainy weddings this year, so Im feeling a bit shortchanged somehow! Roll on the winter then.... :-)

Take care

Sean

Sean Bell Photography on Facebook!

2009-11-22T23:54:00.000Z

Hiya

I have now set up a Sean Bell Photography Facebook page and will be updating it regularly with photos and news about offers and services, this will also be a good place to keep in touch with clients and hopefully get some direct feedback on my work. :-)

Please become a fan and drop in to say hello from time to time!

Heres the link

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sean-Bell-Photography/209755409128?ref=ts

Slainte

Sean

Photographer Of The Year

2009-03-05T10:38:00.000Z

Hello

Just a quick post..

At the CIB awards ceremony on Friday 27th Feb 2009 I was named Photographer Of The Year.

This is for my work on branding, marketing and promotional material with the National Museums Scotland throughout 2008.

The museum also won Best use of photography for their Annual Review, Best external publication and best external magazine!

Its great to be awarded the title after all the work throughout the year, but my job is made a lot easier by the excellent marketing and comms team at the museum so Well done to all!

Full results here:-

http://www.cib.uk.com/content/latest-news/1452-cib-scotland-awards-2008-winners-announced.html

Cheers for now

Sean

Wedding update

2009-02-16T10:24:00.001Z

The new website will be here soon and I will be updating this regularly with images from every wedding throughout the year..
Meantime I will add wedding photographs to this blog along with any special offers..

First up is the wedding of Bruce and Samantha Hadden on the 3rd January 2009 at Newtongrange mining museum..

It was a cold but clear winters day, a little bit different to the Bermudan beaches that Bruce and Sam are used to, but they managed a few poses in the cool Scottish wind and they looked every bit the happy handsome couple.

More soon.

Cheers

Sean

Life Long Learning

2009-02-03T11:32:00.000Z

Hi

After a winter full of new equipment purchases, web site designing and admin duties, Ive been going a bit stir crazy, Im now just desperate to get out there making images again! I never thought that as a professional photographer, only 50% of my time would involve actually taking photographs! Running a modern photography business involves many different tasks, each of varying degrees of interest, from the mind numbing admin accounts and invoicing, through to marketing, order building and the other good stuff , Taking pictures!!!
As part of the winter season I like to get involved with and get familiar with new technology, products and techniques.Its an area where we photographers have keep up frequently, or get left behind.
So yesterday myself and my lovely (but not very blonde) assistant Mark, went off through the snow and wind to deepest darkest Grangemouth, to join a seminar by ace photographer Mark Cleghorn.
The seminar was called Monkey Business and Mark enthused his way through a day packed with workshops on advanced lighting techniques, post shoot workflow advice, album creation and software demos.The pace was quick and I enjoyed his delivery, very matter of fact but still very inspiring.
Im always surprised at these events and especially yesterday, I feel quite experienced and in tune with my lighting techniques, after 8 years of doing it daily and especially in a live news situation, using flash creatively has become second nature to me, but still I picked up some great tips from Mark, opening my eyes to new possibilities and styles and I will be using them to light up Brides, Grooms and their guests even more beautifully throughout 2009.
I think it goes to show that we can always learn, no matter how well you think know your job, there is always something you can learn to make it easier/more efficient/more creative....etc etc
Since I left college in 2001 I have continued to learn about photography, for me it will be life long, its exciting as I love the process of gaining knowledge, I feel lucky to have a job in which Im passionate about, can develop (no pun intended, honest guv) week to week, month to month, year to year, and see instant results.
Producing quality work for clients and receiving praise and compliment for that work is the most satisfying thing in the world and I believe its all the product of listening, looking and learning, With a wee bit of talent thrown in :-)

Mark and I came away inspired yesterday, full of ideas for our upcoming weddings.Roll on 2009.....

And a huge thanks to Mark Cleghorn for a superb seminar, well worth it!!

Cheers

Sean

Awards Shortlist

2009-01-20T10:24:00.000Z

Good Morning All

I have just received an email informing me that I have been shortlisted for Photographer Of The Year at the Communicators In Business Awards for my work with the National Museums Scotland.
The team at NMS have been nominated for 'Best Use of Photography' and the Annual Review 2008 has also been shortlisted for 'Best One-off External Publication'..
The awards dinner is to be held on 27th February so fingers crossed.The marketing team at the NMS work tirelessley and really pull out the stops to put together great looking publications and design, which make my photos look nice :-)
I have worked with the NMS since 2006 and have shot everything from web content to brochures to billboards to banners and beyond, the work is so varied and people based I have really got to keep on my toes creatively whilst shooting to design requirements, Ive learned a lot and had some very memorable shoots.The Moose on the forklift being a particular favourite :-)

Cheers

Sean

Happy New Year

2009-01-13T22:58:00.000Z

Hello and Happy 2009!!

The year was barely underway and I was off to my first wedding, the date was January the 3rd and I was covering the big day for a friend.
Bruce and Sam both now live in Bermuda and after having spent xmas day together sipping champagne on a warm beach, they then flew over to Scotland to get married on a cold and Icy (but beautiful) day in January! (mad?)
It was good to be back behind the camera again in wedding mode after a couple of weeks holiday though, time to run off those extra festive pringles, pints and pies!
The venue was the Scottish Mining Museum in Newtongrange, and I must say, it really is a cracking venue, especially at this time of year, it has some interesting features and the building is light up really well at night, its quite atmospheric and gave us lots of options for some more unusual shots.The whole place as you can imagine, has an industrial feel to it and I just loved all the wee alcoves and brickwork and arched windows.I could have shot for hours and found different features to use.All in all, a great day was had, although some of the late night dancing left a lot to be desired....

Im currently building a wedding only website which will link from my main site and this should be up and running very very soon, I felt I needed to update the images on my site more often and with this new site this is all possible, I can access it easily and change the images as the year goes on, I will also have sections with hints and tips for choosing and using your photographer and all other manner of information and special offers..

Cheers for now

Sean

Xmas Prints!

2008-12-08T13:15:00.001Z

Hi

Just a quick note to say to anyone who wants to order prints from their online gallery and have them for xmas-time, if you could place your order before 12th December that would be great, the lab have informed us that this is their cut off time for turnaround as it is the busy season..

I will post a wee reflective account of the year near the end of December, with some news about new services and special offers.

Cheers!

Sean

Summer Sun...... and rain,thunder,snow etc

2008-08-01T12:52:00.001+01:00

Its been a fairly hectic couple of months since I last posted way back in February, 17 weddings and more than a few spots of rain later and still going strong, we have had some great days this year, some really cool weddings and we've had some great fun trying to create some striking, beautiful and sometimes just plain daft images, through sunshine, showers, thunder, lightning, tears and of course, lots of laughter....
Thanks to all the couples we have met so far, you've all been so chilled and easy to work with!! Hope you are enjoying the pictures.

The reason for my lack of posts is really just down to plain working hours, aswell as the wedding shoots and the many editing hours afterwards Mark and I have been revamping the Online Ordering facility, looking into web site redesign, building our lighting equipment armoury, and I have been researching new album suppliers and building samples. Im now pleased to say though that we are now offering Bellissimo albums as part of our packages. These albums (photobooks, whatever you want to call them) are just stunning, I was gobsmacked by the quality and thought I really must offer these to my clients, if ever there was a way to show off your wedding photographs then this is it, with a really contemporary feel to them they would look the part on any coffee table..
I will have some of my own sample albums online very very soon but meantime, if you want a look, please mail me for a brochure.

On another note, check out Clare's new website if you are after some stunning wedding flowers. Highly recommended!!!

http://www.simplyflowersbyclare.com/

Take care

Sean

Thinking of Wedding rings? or lovely things?

2008-02-07T22:17:00.000Z

This wee picture is of the lovely Danielle..

We photographed her and Roland's wedding on the 15th December 07.

Danielle designs jewellery and runs a shop in Edinburgh, she has a stunning collection of wedding bands aswell as other fabulous creations as I found out on a recent visit.

Its well worth a look at the website, or a visit if you are in Edinburgh.

Cheers

www.rockcandygallery.com

First Foot

2008-02-07T20:31:00.000Z

Dear blog
Well, Its February now so I guess I'd better make the first post.....

So welcome to you all, wherever you are.

This blog will be used to report back on the goings on in the world of Sean Bell Photography, I will post pictures and links and scandalous wedding gossip as and when I have the time....

First up, I just want to say cheers, thanks, slainte mhath, rock on and big congratulations to all the couples (27 of them) that Mark and I had the pleasure of photographing during 2007, it was a great year with some spectacular days and although quite a wet summer, we still managed to create some cracking photographs and had a great laugh with a lot of fun people.

roll on 2008....

As a memeber of the SWPP I occasionally enter into their competitions, recently one of my images was deemed good enough to share joint place in the Sport section, it was a shot I took whilst on a climbing holiday in Greece, I have posted it up on here just so I can figure out how this blog thing works and also, it might serve to brighten the place up a bit!

I will add to the links page and keep you up to date with new services and ideas for your big day.

Happy planning

Cheers

Sean