Oakley blog

Wedding Bookings on the up for Oakley Weddings

There is always a better indication than a governments "green shoots" to show that things are looking brighter for the future wedding market in the UK .

     When our future clients feel as  confident as they now do to book us for weddings two years down the line in 2011 It adds such reassurance to anyone else looking for quality wedding photography with added value .

Here's what one of my many recent 2011 wedding clients have said about me.

"We are getting married in July 2011. We first met David Doyle at the Milton Keynes wedding fair in October this year. He was the first photographer that caught our eye, and once we had looked through his beautiful books, he was the last we needed to look at! Family and friends suggested we look at other photographers websites, but none of them compared to the quality of David's work. We left our details with David at the wedding fair, and he soon sent us information on his work and prices. We then arranged to meet with him at his studio to look through more work.

 David was extremely helpful and really helped us identify what we want for our wedding, giving us many different options to meet our budget. He was very enthusiastic for our wedding, he made us feel very comfortable and treated us like individual customer, something with is hard to find when trying to organise a wedding! We were so impressed with David that we have booked him already! Apart from the church, David is the first service we have booked for our wedding, we knew we wanted him and didn't want to risk him not being available!

 To Ryan and I, the photography is so important and David really understands this. I work in catering and come across many photographers every week and i could see straight away that David will be perfect on the day, and he completely understands the importance of capturing the finer details. I would definitely recommend giving David a call, go and see his work - he is very professional, friendly and experienced... you will be impressed!"

 

Kind regards,

 

Maggie and Ryan

 Milton Keynes

Master Photographers Association.... The right choice for wedding clients

Our Chief Executive Colin Buck FMPA (HON) of The Master Photographers Association

has posted  a very valid and worthy article on the MPA website

please find a copy of it enclosed here on our blog

Comment from the Chief Executive of the Master Photographers Association:

I was appalled to read about the West Yorkshire newlyweds, Marc and Sylvia Day, who had to sue their wedding photographer for producing shoddy wedding photographs and video.

The photographer in question was not charging cheap prices either, so how can couples be assured that the photographer they choose is not going to make a mess of things?

The answer is simply to entrust this most important event to a Master Photographer. The Master Photographers Association is the only trade body in the UK to insist its members are full-time professionals and are qualified to a high minimum standard. They also follow a strict code of conduct and carry the appropriate insurance.

The bungling photographer, Gareth Bowers, was not an MPA member, but appears to have been a former member of the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers - a privately run society which does not enforce the strict entry criteria of the Master Photographers Association.

I'll be discussing the benefits of using a Master Photographer in a radio interview booked for next week.

Colin Buck
Chief Executive, MPA

Ends:-

Why run the risk of searching Google and taking "pot Luck" 

search the MPA site instead for photographers .

only then will clients and customers get the assurance the need .

To quote Ray Lowe FMPA

" You would not go to an unqualified Doctor for an examination, so why book an unqualified photographer for one of  the most important days of your life ?"

David Doyle

Oakley Studios

01582 491499

Relay for Life, Stockwood Park Athletics Centre, Luton update

Some events in life must not be missed. If you were at Stockwood Park Luton last weekend then you will appreciate what i am saying .

The total raised for Cancer Research UK so far is £69,000 . We raised £400 ourselves in family portrait voucher sales at this event . A big thank you to everyone who purchased a voucher from us.

Please join the Facebook group for more information.

our main website for Oakley Studios

01582 491499

Oakley Studios Supporting Macmillan Cancer

Face book event

Hi Everyone,

 

You may have heard of Macmillan Cancer Support's "World's Biggest Coffee Morning" which is being held on 25th September 2009.

 

We are delighted to say we are supporting this great event and are joining in on Friday 25th September 2009 at our Studio from 8.00 a.m. (so you can pop in before school or on your way to work).

 

Pop in for a free cup of coffee to set you up for the day.  Delicious home-made cakes will also be available (for a donation to Macmillian Cancer Support) for those with a sweet tooth!

 

Plus Plus Plus.......bring a friend or relative who has not been to us before and if they book for either (in no particular order!!!!!) wedding photography, family portrait, join "Cherubs" or Expectations & Arrivals, then will will donate £5 from their sitting/registration fee/booking fee  to Macmillan Cancer Support.

 

So Please pop in if you can, it would be great to see you for a cup of coffee and a chat and  support this great Charity. 

 

For more info visit www.macmillan.org.uk/coffee

 

Look forward to seeing you

David , Sue & Audrey

01582 491499

 

Relay for Life, Stockwood Park Athletics Centre, Luton

We will be supporting Relay For Life at Stockwood Park Luton on the 19th-20th September 2009

Our Wedding/Portrait exhibition will be on show and we will be selling portrait vouchers( ideal Christmas presents) .

Please help us to support Cancer Research UK .

Oakley Studios

01582 491499

Oakley Weddings

Busman's Holiday at Goodwood Festival of Speed 2009

I suppose the great advantage of being a professional photographer, is the experience to capture just the right image at exactly the right time , timing is everything in this profession.

We had a fantastic day out at Goodwood this year, the weather was just glorious.

Our sons Chris & Thomas had fun collecting autographs from Jenson Button  (Brawn) & Timo Glock (Toyota) and the day was topped of by Peter Fonda on a Chopper recreating the classic Easy Rider film he stared in 40 years ago.

Thomas looked like "a chip off the old block" getting shots from the top of Robert's (nephew) shoulders .

We just cant wait to go back again next year.....

Regards

David & Sue

Oakley Studios

01582 491499

Prom Season Has Arrived At Oakley Studios

The Prom Season has well and truly arrived.  Christina came along to Oakley Studios in her stunning Prom Gown, complete with beautiful hair and make up. We had a great time and took some fantastic images, helped, of course, by such a gorgeous subject!!! 

Christina's School, Barnfield West Academy is keeping the venue for the Prom a closely guarded secret with the Students only finding  where they are going as they are climbing in their limousines.

Have a wonderful evening Christina and friends, we know you have all earned this celebration.

Thank you so much for coming in to see us we hope you will treasure the images for ever.

01582 491499

Oakley Studios

Allan & Cheryl 27.6.09 Shendish Manor

On a day when the weather decided to be the most peculiar of all with hailstones the size of marbles.

We missed this event by just a couple of hours at Shendish Manor A beautiful ceremony held outdoors.

followed by a Vegas style evening and fireworks to finish off the day.

Allan & Cheryl and their guests  were fantastic to work with  .

Oakley Weddings

01582 491499

Professional Family Portraits create a fantastic historic record and capture a moment in time

Having a family portrait commissioned is more important than you think.
How are people going to know what we look like in 100 years time.
This lovely image was taken before The Great War in 1911.
None of these people are alive now.......
this photograph is very precious to me.
At the time this was taken, portrait photography
was a very expensive luxury for working class families .
But to them it was a very important event...
A moment in time....
Captured forever.....
When did you do this last?
The little boy in the front row is my Granddad Joseph at the age of four, 
Don’t forget to visit our main website
www.oakleystudios.net

Andy & Debs Wedding 9th May 2009

Andy & Debs were married in Newport Pagnel, Buckinghamshire on the  9th May 2009.

I would like to thank you for letting me  share your wedding day , we had such a fantastic day

and the images are absolutely stunning,

Here are a selection below

www.oakleyweddings.com

Wedding budgets pros & Cons, Mail on Sunday article 16th May 2009

Wedding Budget..!!!???

Re:- your article on photography. We agree times are hard, people do need to budget. Wedding photography is such an important part of the day it should not be left to a "friend" unless, of course that friend is a fully qualified (MPA ) professional experienced wedding photographer. Weddings are momentous historical family events, and should always be regarded as such. A good professional wedding photographer will ensure the day is accurately recorded. Newspapers use professional photographers for a reason because they know what they are doing. There are many ways of budgeting, sensibly, i.e. have chicken instead of roast beef, invite less long lost relatives and/or business colleagues to the wedding breakfast. Couples should ask themselves if their "friend" would have public liability insurance, (probably not). How would they stand from an insurance point if something went wrong with their "friends" photos. Are they covered?

What seemed like a good idea in saving costs , by not commissioning a qualified photographer, would end up as a very expensive mistake

Pride in Luton Images for Oakley Studios

Here are some images  and video link for the Pride in Luton Awards

video link from Luton Today Herald & Post website

Also on You Tube

Pride in Luton , Oakley Studios.. WINNERS..!!!!

Well .. what a fantastic evening we have just had at The Pride In Luton Awards 2009

A big thank you to our customers who voted for us in the Service with a smile category 

here are a few Quotes from our customers about us 

Oakley Studios
The photographers received their nomination from a number of readers who all praised the friendliness of the staff and they way that they make having photos taken a fun experience for the kids.
Rebecca Bumfrey praised the company for the service her and her husband received at their wedding in June of last year.
She said: "The service we received from the beginning was first class and nothing was too much trouble. Our wedding album was beautiful and totally unique to our wedding."

The evening was hosted by Ricky Groves from Eastenders

In attendance was the Mayor of Luton , Cllr Lakhbir Singh, 

and Luton north MP Kelvin Hopkins , 

More photographs to follow please subscribe to this page for updates.

regards

David Sue & Audrey

Pride in Luton (service with a smile) Award 2009

Oakley Studios

Oakley Studios, Pride in Luton Award

Only 36 hours to go before we find out the results in the Pride in Luton Awards,lets keep everything crossed (well not everything !!) and wish us the best of luck

Ray Lowe Hon FMPA ... Marathon Man (Genius at work)

Just returned from Coventry for the Cherubs 

Annual conference organized by the Master Photographers Association 

This was indeed the best seminar i have ever attended in my career as a photographer

The main speaker was Ray Lowe HON FMPA

Ray's fantastic enthusiasm in a Marathon 5 hour seminar, was awe inspiring and we have taken so much info and Knowledge away from this seminar,

we will probably need a week of brainstorming to work out our next master plan to boost our business 

For those Cherub partners who were unable to attend , you really missed a fantastic seminar.

Thank you again Ray and Colin Buck HON FMPA and staff at MPA HQ,

 for all your hard work and dedication to this industry.

As Ray  has always said "Its Great being a Photographer"

MPA Cherubs Roadshow

Sue , Audrey and I will be joining 150 other photographers at the annual Cherubs (Baby Portraiture) roadshow seminar on Tuesday 21st April in Coventry U.K.

Ray Lowe will be the main speaker here.

Full report to follow

Hexton Manor Walled Garden.... Grand Opening Event

Spring has arrived ... we are today & tomorrow exhibiting  at Hexton Manor Walled Garden A beautiful Venue for Weddings...

Based in the stunning grounds of Hexton Manor Country Estate on the Hertfordshire Bedfordshire borders, The Walled Garden - Exclusive Marquee Wedding Venue is the perfect place to stage your special day.

Hexton Manor is licensed for civil ceremonies in the grand hall within the manor house. Your reception is then catered for within the Walled Garden in the marquee venue.

Tweet my wedding

Tweet my Wedding a new Social Networking site , we have joined today

Pride In Luton ...Vote for Oakley Studios

Many Thanks if you voted for us in the Pride in Luton Awards

We have made the Shortlist for the final Four

now if you would please vote for us again at the following email address

voting will close on Monday 27th April 2009

please click link below

editorial@heraldpost.co.uk

regards 

David Doyle AMPA  ABIPP

SERVICE WITH A SMILE

"Oakley Studios

The photographers received their nomination from a number of readers who all praised the friendliness of the staff and they way that they make having photos taken a fun experience for the kids.
Rebecca Bumfrey praised the company for the service her and her husband received at their wedding in June of last year.
She said: "The service we received from the beginning was first class and nothing was too much trouble. Our wedding album was beautiful and totally unique to our wedding."

Will & Rachel's wedding 21.3.09