Islam Expo 2008

While on the subject of things Islamic, I ought to mention Islam Expo 2008 at Olympia, which I covered a little while back.

This was a very friendly, colourful and well supported event, with a variety of stands in one hall and conferences during the day with rock concerts in the evening in the other hall. Yusuf Islam was even there for the opening.

The conference part was painfully dull, although if you are interested in speakers such as Tony Benn, George Galloway, Ken Livingstone and Norman Kimber, perhaps it would have you trembling with excitement - each to their own. The rest of it and the evening entertainment were actually very good and informative though.

Some of the music in the evenings was fantastic (although there were also a couple of rap acts as well - sorry, but I really don't get it) and it was great fun shooting from the stage.

  

I would certainly recommend that people go and see the next one, it is well worth a few hours of your time to see something a bit different and not once did anyone try to convert me.

www.mickhouse.com
01323 639404
London Event Photography

Amira and Adam's Wedding at The Regent, London

I had a strange experience last night. I was quite happily watching a programme about the origins of the solar system and nodded off some time before the end. I awoke at 3 in the morning with the television still on and was confronted by Conway Twitty gazing into my eyes and singing about how much he loved me. It really was quite surreal for a few seconds.

More interestingly it did remind me to finish off the Christmas season, with Amira and Adam's Wedding at The Regent, London.

Amira and Adam are friends of Asmaa, Yusuf Islam's (formerly Cat Stevens) daughter. My wife Nina planned Asmaa and Francesco's wedding last year and I did the photography , so a very nice referral, thank you. Hopefully you now understand why Conway Twitty reminded me to mention Adam and Amira's wedding - a sort of bizarre musical connection!

  

Although the Regent Banqueting Suite is incredibly ornate, the storage room that Amira was given to get ready in was pretty difficult to work with, still, it forces you to get creative. I have this photo up in the hall at home:

  

This was the first time that I'd seen henna tatoo's up close, they are incredibly intricate and must take hours to do.

  

Adam does the funniest impersonations of Tony Blair and George Bush you could imagine. He was persuaded to take the stage for a while and had me laughing so much that it was almost impossible to shoot properly. 

I hope that one day I wake at 3am and there will be Adam with his own comedy show. Far preferable to Conway Twitty promising me undying love!

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Mr Twitty, you can learn more about him and his music here.

I have always been a fan of Yusuf Islam and his excellent website is well worth a visit.

Finally don't forget to visit Nina's website to learn about her celebrity wedding planning services.

www.mickhouse.com

01323 639404

London Wedding Photographer

Simons Birthday Party

Last month saw Simon Bell's 40th birthday party at Westbeach Restaurant, Bournemouth.
   

I covered Simon and Neal's civil partnership a couple of years ago, so it was great to be invited back to do the party as well. It was even nicer to be remembered by so many people!

As always, the food and service at Westbeach were outstanding.

Musical entertainment for the first half of the evening was provided by the Stromenti String Quartet.

The high-point was Simon joining them on the piano for Shubert's Trout Quintet. If I'd known about this beforehand I'd have brought my didgeridoo along.

Just when we thought that the evening had reached the peak of elegance, events were taken over (pretty much literally) by Cassidy Kane, who has the most amazing voice and is one of the funniest acts I've seen.

Eventually Simon grabbed the microphone and and said it was 12.30 and time to move on to a club. I thought it was about 9.30, so I haven't a clue where the time went.

You can find out more about Westbeach Restaurant on their website and for further information on the Stromenti String Quartet please visit their website.

www.mickhouse.com
01323 639404
Bournemouth Photographers

Airbourne 2008 Fireworks

Something a bit more recent this time, the fireworks at the Airbourne 2008 airshow in Eastbourne last month. The fireworks are set off from the end of Eastbourne pier and it is always well worth an evening out as the display is spectacular. Sadly there is a good chance that this will be the last airshow at Eastbourne due to issues with the local council charging £5 for entry to what has always been a free event and running up a rather impressive loss. Anyway, here a few shots.

www.mickhouse.com
01323 639404
Commercial Photography in Sussex

Jenny and Dave's Wedding In Hellingly and Birling Manor

Sticking with the winter theme was Jenny and Dave's Wedding in Hellingly and Birling Manor, Bartolphs Hall, East Dean.

Another cold day, but at least it started sunny and stayed that way all day. Jenny got ready at home and when we arrived Donna from Crowning Glory hairdressing based in Eastbourne had just got started.

So it was straight into shooting anything I could find hanging around.

Jenny takes a few quiet moments to reflect alone... or so she thinks! Little did she know that I was hiding in the wardrobe, awaiting just such a moment.

Then the finishing touches are put in place before heading off to the wedding.

The wedding ceremony took place at St Peter and St Paul Church in Hellingly, which dates back to about 1200AD and is apparently built on an old Saxon mound. It was quite a shock to see that Richard Attenborough was planning on conducting the service. I didn't realise he did vicaring on the side. I was tempted to tell him my favourite joke - "What do you call a one-eyed dinosaur... a doyouthinkhesaurus", but he's probably had enough of that whole Jurassic park thing by now.

OK, I was kidding (you had guessed hadn't you?), he is a very nice and enormously helpful chap named Charlie Hill.

We actually wondered whether it was going to snow or not, which would have looked pretty cool, but in the end the only thing that fell was confetti. It's just as well really as it would have made the drive to Birling Manor a bit too interesting.

So without snow we arrived at Birling Manor in the late afternoon. Having done the group shots at the church there was just enough time to get Jenny and Dave on their own before losing the light completely.

This photo give an idea of how cold it was, the bridesmaid's reflection in ice on the swimming pool. Yes, I know it's upside down, but I like it that way.

And here is a shot of Birling Manor at sunset.

St Peter and St Paul Church is lovely at any time of year, a great place if you are looking for a traditional village wedding and you can find out more information here.

Receptions at Birling Manor take place in a large (and very warm) stone barn called Bartolphs Hall rather than in the house itself (don't get the wrong idea, it's a great barn) and it is ideally placed for photographs around Beachy Head and the Seven Sisters, if you have the weather. More information can be found on their website here

www.mickhouse.com
01323 639404
Wedding Photographer in Sussex