Back in February I worked with Fred and Natasha on their pre-wedding shoot. They knew that one of the resulting images was going to be used on their invites which have just been sent out to their wedding guests.

This is no ordinary invite though. Both music lovers, and of rock ‘n’ roll in particular, Fred and Natasha selected their favourite tracks as a couple and pressed CD’s to form part of the invite. The CD packaging became the invite itself with travel and accommodation information included on insert cards. The CD has even been made to look like a vintage vinyl record bearing the title ‘Fred Rosin & Natasha - Love, Blues & Rock and Roll’.

I love the idea and am so pleased they chose one of my images for the album cover. The nice part about this invite is that the music sets the tone for the wedding and the guests can enjoy a taste of the big day in the lead up to the wedding with lovely keepsake.

Here’s one for the photo geeks out there. I created an iPhone wallpaper that looks like a contact sheet. Feel free to share or download it for yourself. The first image is the one you wan’t with the second being how it will look on your iPhone.

Click on the left hand image so that it enlarges, then right click ‘save image as’ to your computer. To get it on your phone you can either email it to yourself and save it out of the email or sync through iTunes.

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to shoot at a rehearsal of UK Garage icon Mark Hill, one half of the Artful Dodger and co-writer/producer of Craig David’s multi platinum album, Born To Do It. Since he began releasing music in 1997, Mark has achieved four Ivor Novello awards, a number one album, two number one singles and over 10 million records sales worldwide. 

After a long hiatus since acclaimed album ‘It’s All About The Stragglers’ Mark is back working on a brand new album. The first single ‘Could Just Be The Bassline’, was co-written with Ed Sheeran and features Kal Lavelle on vocals.

The rehearsal was for Mark’s seven date headline live tour which kicks off on the 19th of April at The Cellars at Eastney in Southsea. The show will feature new music from Artful backed up by a stellar live band with Elle A, Donaeo, Terri Walker on vocals and James Birt playing drums, Chris Wood on bass and Chris Swan on guitar.

At the rehearsal I documented the players doing their thing to get the live show sounding huge and Mark also kindly sat for a couple of portraits.

Check out the Artful Tour promo video here and you can buy tickets here. 

Yesterday evening Was spent in the company of songwriter, Chris Perrin’s latest project ‘Race Car Hearts’. Previously, Chris enjoyed critical acclaim fronting British rock band THIRST with Kerrang! awarding their debut album KKKK, and Radio 1’s Steve Lamacq play listing the band’s single ‘Collapse’. 

I knew that I wanted to make a portrait of the RCH frontman and had the idea of using his trademark Bedford Rascal Van as the backdrop for my shot. It is Chris’s gigging vehicle and seemed fitting as it features prominently in the bands EPK which you can see here.

The shot has the look that I wanted but feels slightly contrived perhaps. I don’t know, maybe it was down to having being our first proper meeting save for a fleeting moment at a gig about a year ago. The last shot I am much more pleased with, a moment of introspection over dinner before the show. All of the elements came together in the moment for me. It feels much more real.

You can check out Race Car Hearts online and I thoroughly recommend catching a live performance for considered, honest songwriting and melodies delivered with gusto. Debut single ‘Mother Midnight’ and ‘Lights’ are standout tracks. With his debut album imminent - produced by Greg Haver (Manic Street Preachers, Super Furry Animals) - Chris is taking the music to stages around the country sometimes with a full band and other times alone with an acoustic guitar. You can see them tonight at Southsea’s ‘Edge of the Wedge’ in Portsmouth.

On a side-note, check out the bands Youtube channel for a recording of ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’ in honour of the 20 year anniversary of “Nevermind. Haunting.

http://racecarhearts.com  

http://racecarhearts.tumblr.com

http://www.facebook.com/racecarhearts

http://twitter.com/racecarhearts

This weekend saw the start of British Summer Time and it is fair to say that noticeable it was. Dramatically lighter evenings already AND we have been treated to bright warm days over the weekend and ‘the golden hour’ as the sun goes down. Last night I made these captures at Stokes Bay, Alverstoke to mark the clocks going forward.

Looking at these pictures you could be forgiven for thinking that this was an LA boardwalk minus the rollerbladers and street artists. There were a few people out and about for an evening stroll, walking the dogs and cruising on bikes. I also caught an interesting angle on the children’s paddling pool that is dried and cracked from the winter. The light falling across the surface created a desert like landscape. 

The bay is a lovely stretch on the south coast opposite the Isle of Wight. It boasts a Golf Club, Sailing Club, The Pebbles Fish & Wine Bar and The Bayside Cabin as well as the paddling pool, crazy golf and tennis courts. If you were looking to stay in the area head for The Alverbank Hotel, The Anglesey Hotel or The Kingfisher Caravan Park.

Last week I had the pleasure of working with Anja McCloskey and her band again. This time I was documenting the filming of her new music video for forthcoming single ‘Italian Song’. The band, film crew and I congregated on the chilly Southbourne beach in Dorset and spent the afternoon making pictures to the sound of the sea. Here are a few sample shots featuring portraits of the band members.

Anja’s last single ‘A Kiss’ was featured as Q Magazines Track of the day back in January and they described her accordion led music as ‘sultry folk, like a Romany gypsy cabaret show’. You can read more about Anja and her music here on the SoTones music Co-Op website or visit her website here.