Photographer for Weddings, Websites, Family Portraits and Landscape Photography in Forest of Dean

Lovely Hot hot hot summer.. Ok a bit too hot perhaps. At least the weather kept for the weddings and parties all summer long. Please see a few pics below.

More from Summer 2021 and a bit of a release from all the restrictions but I'm still being ultra careful. It seems that alot of photography has centred around interiors - from the beautiful busy rhododendron bushes at Lydney Park to recently refurbished houses. Heres a selection of photos below. I'm also producing photos in much larger sizes and heres a couple from UPS in Gloucester now on their dining room wall. These large sizes are all priced individually, depending on customers requirements so please do get in touch via the Contact Box if you'd like a quote to fill a specific space with natural colours!

Oh dear... This Covid is dragging on for everybody isnt it? Hoping and praying the vaccines will cut the death rates and sooner or later everything can get back to normal, tho' I feel that these restrictions are the only thing thats helping keep this virus down.

Business has changed here quite alot in the last 15 months. The teaching based at John Kyrle School in Ross has had to stop for obvious reasons, as I can no longer use the school for evening classes until the situation abates.
Private Photography Tuition which is not based within the school but rather out in the Forest on location is still very much in the offing however. I teach individuals, pairs or groups of up to 6 people outside with good social distancing. All levels of knowledge and experience- just let me know the type of thing you'd like to learn.

Prints also on sale with market stalls in Ross and hopefully soon - Ledbury, Chipping Sodbury and Gloucester or from this Website. Also Family Shoots are available to book. The Forest of Dean is lovely for a holiday far from the maddening crowds. Weve all been so distanced from our friends and family this year and its an excellent opportunity to make some real memories... and yes I can include your pets in action too and adjust shhot times to fit in with the weather and your holiday plans!





I know also that [b]Weddings[/b] have had to stop and start and stop again this year and many brides to be have been terribly disappointed having to rearrange events to cope with each new change to the rules, As now the numbers who can attend are sill restricted this ongoing situation has affected many businesses badly. I do have dates still available and please do contact me if you have a wedding coming up that needs a smaller guest list than you'd previously planned, or you have been let down due to covid situation etc.... I am happy to quote alternative prices for those smaller weddings and celebrations so please do CONTACT me and I'll be happy to help. All covid precautions in place.

Here we go into yet another lockdown and my booked Markets for November are all cancelled/postponed but I do hope to be able to pick up during December assuming the lockdown restrictions are lifted. I suppose its worth it if it helps the Covid situation which is affecting everyone so badly. I feel really lucky tho to at least continue to take photos around the forest in one of the most beautiful and lingering autumn to date. Ive added a couple of misty photo to the homepage which you may have viewed already but please dont hesitate to get in touch if you see anything anywhere on this website that you'd like to see as a framed/mounted print or canvas in your home.

I'm also selling assorted packs of Christmas cards from the Winter Wonderland that is the Forest of Dean. They are available in packs of any size with envelopes and I can either post or deliver (full social distancing) to your doorstep if you are local. All the cards can be ordered via this Link
Framed and Mounted Forest prints for sale. Match the huge kaledoscope of natural colours from the Forest of Dean & Wye Valley to your room and bring the outside indoors. Orders now being taken for Christmas from this site. I do have some ready framed prints 'off the shelf' at this link

Well lockdown almost over I hope (For the time being at least), though like most I'm being ultra careful not to spread the deaded lurgy. (Did you know that the expression 'lurgy' originated from the Lurgi coal tar plant in Fife, Scotland that produced around 20% of Scotlands coal tar gas up until about 1974... but thats not going to help the Covid pandemic I know)....

I'm starting up the photography tuition again as 1:1 and 2:1 private sessions with full 1 1/2 - 2 metres social distancing, gloves & masks as required etc. Please do contact me on the CONTACTS page on this website, and for more details please check out my TUTORIALS PAGE on this site. All sessions are bookable and will take place outdoors at a location in or near the Forest of Dean though I can travel further if needs be. I'm also quite flexible with the weather so please dont worry if it rains - we can rearrange at no extra cost should it decide to rain.

ABOUT PROM PHOTOS, FAMILY SHOOTS & HOLIDAY PHOTOS: A lot of young people missed their leaving proms this year and although the lockdown was tough on everyone, at least us 'oldies' are probably more able to accept the huge changes thrust upon us. I'm not sure how I would've coped if a pandemic had hit in the 70's - probably really badly - and I really feel for these young people - my own daughter amongst them.

If you live locally and would like to create a Celebratory Outdoor 'Event' with a few friends under the new social rules, I'd be delighted to photograph 'prom' portraits for you. The price is £55 for a DVD of 25 edited photos to use as you wish. Each shoot will be done outdoors and come dressed in your prom clothes or anything you wish, and we can arrange to meet up in a beautiful forest setting. As before full social distancing will be maintained and I can use a longer lens to achieve this. I do have full DBS checks. Please CONTACT ME at this page on this website. Also now that Family Shoots and Single Outdoor Portraits can also be arranged - if you are finally meeting up with small groups of family/friends out in the Forest. I can quote separately for groups up to (currently) 5 people. Please do give me a shout and I can meet you at either a location outdoors or in the grounds of your accomodation - Whichever you prefer.

On a more positive note - the lockdown has been beautifully warm and sunny and everything is blooming ultra early, and Im getting worried that it might all be over by August with no flowers left to see... Heres a few pics from recent shoots. Please Enjoy!

Like everybody around the world we're all feeling that normal life has been ripped away from under us. This lockdown is so necessary and the weather is great - but its not easy is it? We're very lucky to live in such a beautiful area and a place where the pain of social distancing is slightly easier to manage but I must admit its taken a few weeks to get over the initial shock of what it means to have vastly reduced freedoms and an inability to just dash out on the spur of the moment. Watching so much suffering on the news is taking its toll on everyone. Sending blessings to anyone who reads this...Wishing you all stay safe and well. Currently its not possible to take part in Street markets nor put up exhibitions etc.
Heres some recent photos to cheer you all up and please do continue to scroll down this page for more info on Tutorials and classes.



...and photos of a favorite pub down by the river at Redbrook! Please just use the CONTACT BOX on this site to get in touch.

Monmouth and The River Monnow in the floods.



CARDS, MOUNTED & FRAMED PRINTS
I'm still selling cards online and have introduced packs of assorted cards by mail order which can be ordered from the SHOP PAGE on this website.
ALSO I have a great selection of both large and A4 ready-framed prints at THIS LINK as well as larger mounted photos ready to go as there is stock which now cant be sold elsewhere. Please see photo below to give you some idea of whats available:


All the cards are 6x4" 'real' photographic prints mounted onto a fluted 5x7" card with envelope and individually packaged, They are left blank for your own message inside. The card packs for 5 cards cost £12 inc. P&P. However if you wish to place a bulk order or have a care home you would like to cater for please do contact me for bulk discount and I'll get straight back to you to arrange.



TUTORIALS & PHOTOGRAPHY CLASSES . What a year this is turning out to be! Im so sorry, but obviously due to the Coronavirus outbreak I'm having to postpone further classes and 1:1 photography sessions until its all clear. Wishing you all well and hoping to set up online soon to teach. In the meantime a huge thanks to all the students whove come along to classes in last few years. Wishing you all well .... As far as the future goes as soon as the main lockdown is lifted - Hopefully it'll be during this summer then I intend to resume the outdoor photography courses. As it probably will not be advisable to gather indoors the courses will be:

Once Lockdown is over...
1. Restricted numbers up to 4 people only meeting at various outdoor sites around Forest and Ross. 8 week course. Hopefully during evening periods between 6.30-8.30pm. If the weather is poor, a session will be postponed til the following week. No extra charge. but It will not be possible to use the school buildings on wet days at JKLS in Ross during this period. Please dont worry, its very rare that the weather is so bad we cant meet outside.
2. Full social distancing will be maintained throughout sessions with everyone ... As were outside it'll be ok to do. I will suppy paper handouts to help with technical techniques and will bring whiteboard etc to illustrate. The practical side of photography and landscape is not affected by social distancing.

if you are interested in taking up a course or 1:1 photography session/s once lockdown is relaxed enough please do Contact me at this link with your phone number and I'll add you to the email list to be notified as soon as its possible to go ahead with a course. I do hope you can make it although obviously its impossible to specify exact dates for courseto start. Many thanks and best wishes.

PHOTO RESTORATION
I'm currently looking to change so of the services I offer because of this terrible virus. I can also offer photo restoration services from old film photographs. Please do contact me using the Contact box and I'll do my best to help with a quote.

Do you have a DSLR Camera and would love to get away from the Auto Settings?
Evening Classes in DSLR Photography begin again on Tuesday 11th Febuary at John Kyrle Learning centre. If you've always wanted to learn more about the theory of Photography, move away from the auto settings and get outdoor experience with low light photography in a friendly group please do come along. Cost is £80 for the 8 week course with a 1 week school half term holiday and resuming afterwards. For more details and info for Booking via PayPal please visit myTutorials Page and for Booking payments via Pay Pal at the Shop Page. Look forward to seeing you or if you'd like a chat about the course please phone 01594 860062.

I spose every Autumn is the 'best yet' in terms of colour, but before the rains came this one certainly took some beating. These a selection uploaded into the Autumn Gallery but if you see anything else you would like a print or canvas of on this blog page then please just get in touch from the 'Contact' page on this site. Also any enquiries for tutorials, Weddings and Family/Individual Portrait Sessions.





Photography Evening Classes at John Kyrle Learing Centre in Ross On Wye begin again on TUESDAY 7th NOvember for 8 weeks. If have a DSLR camera and would like to get away from the auto settings and learn about low light photography then please do come along. Payment is by PayPal at my SHOP page, and there are more details on the TUTORIALS Page if you'd like to book

Beautiful Autumn trees this year and I've put up some photos.. but then comes the floods... The River Wye rose to (almost) record levels the other day, and the bottom of our village was inundated. Please see some pics below...

EVENING CLASSES START 5th November 2019 at John Kyrle Learning Centre, Ross on Wye. Please scroll on down!


My Evening Class Photography Courses will also be starting again on Tuesday 17th Sept 2019 at John Kyrle High School in Ross-On-Wye. These are for 8 weeks meeting every Tuesday evening from 6.30pm - 8.30pm. Please do email me on tinadornerphotography@gmail.com or use the CONTACT BOX on this website if you are interested in coming along and wish to book. There are more details about the course itself on my Tutorials page. I've been holding regular Photography Workshops at John Kyrle for 3 years, and its a fun and friendly series of group sessions where you'll get the chance to explore Light painting Photography, Nighttime Streets as well as portraiture and general tuition to help you 'get away' from the automatic settings. Beginners welcome who have a DSLR camera and would like help to really get going. Payments for all bookings need to be made in advance of the course starting via this website and are by PAYPAL for your safety. Alternatively I can accept cheques by post but please contact me first to arrange using this link

FOR BOOKING PAYMENTS BY PAYPAL PLEASE USE THIS LINK TO MY SHOP PAGE
FOR ENQUIRIESPLEASE USE THIS LINK TO CONTACT BOX

Please check out these evening classes out as they are a highly affordable and fun way to pick up or expand on your own DSLR photography skills and also get out and about with your camera of an evening, and have some fun taking pics outdoors with a friendly group. The link for more information can be found at this link. I look forward to seeing you if you can make it to these courses.



Here's a few photos from a lovely Birthday Party I photographed last weekend!


We've actually had a couple of thunderstorms recently.. at last! Its been several years since the last good belter tho' I do remember a spate of storms around 2005 but they stopped and didnt return. I love them at night when the lightning is strong and wild and I can stand at the window and take photos down our valley in Lydbrook. We're so lucky to get this view, and it certainly saves some risks of being out on the hilltops in a storm with a tripod and a brolly! Stupidly I missed getting a photo of the only direct hit in the centre of my view but these will have to do... please enjoy.. I can print from any of these 4 photos so if you'd like to buy a copy and its not in the general Summer Gallery then please just use the Contact box and let me know which one you need.

We had good evening at Mitchelden Carnival last week. Weather was just amazing and a large gazebo full of great people... Heres Some picks of the band 'Monkey Run'


And some red flowers to go in a hot July


Looking back...The exhibition aboard Sabrina went really well and I really enjoyed being back on a boat in Gloucester Docks. (I used to live on a boat on the Sharpness Canal).

I've got an exhibition back aboard the boats! (I used to live on one and miss them terribly)! and I'm really excited. It starts at 10am on Saturday 24th May 19 and runs everyday until 5pm on 31st May aboard the barge 'Sabrina' at Gloucesters National Waterways Museum during the Tall Ships Festival and then on through the week. The Tall Ships Fest runs over the Bank Holiday weekend and theres loads to see there ... During this Tall Ships weekend the Waterways museum will be throwing open its doors, and then afterr the bank holday normal admission prices for museum apply. Please do come and take a look - We'd love to see you...

A bit about the exhibition itself - Ive always had an interest in the watery environments and I'm hoping that families visiting the Tall Ships Festival will like the selection of photos from both Gloucester Docks alongside images from the array of landscapes produced by streams and rivers around the Forest of Dean. Its a bit of a mixture on show. I'll be there throughout and look forward to seeing you if you can make it.



Quick update.. Its ready to roll tomorrow. The Tall Ships are all in, weather looking - well not too bad I s'pose - and plenty of music aboard courtesy of the lovely 'Way Out West' band with thir shanties and shin diggin! Oh and I'm on Radio Gloucestershire tomorrow morning but I was very nervous as never done this before so please forgive ... :)

Quick update. I was honoured to take photos at Andys Celebration of Life Party last week in Gloucester. Andy has been diagnosed with terminal cancer, and his wish to have a party was embraced by his many friends... and - to cut a long story short between Andy & them - they all created a huge bash at the Irish Club whereupon the England v. Wales rugby match (England lost btw) became a great excuse for a fundraising auction. Loads of people turned up, had a great time and donated with the main bids being for signed shirts from both international rugby teams. I believe around £3,000 was raised for the scanner appeal at Cheltenham and Gloucester Hospitals. These generous donations will make a huge contribution to peoples lives in this area. Quite apart from the fundraising it was literally the best natured party I've ever been to. Thank you so much Andy for giving us all this. Oh and if anyone reading this would be able to donate then Andys JustGiving page is at this link: JUSTGIVING Thanks so much in advance if you are able to.

Loads of photos taken... Heres just a handful. Blessings!





And of course all the best for the new year everyone! Its been pretty busy so far.... Photography-wise the comparative lack of snow this winter and often sunshine too has been a bit annoying.... I just love the bright sunny snow but so far theres not been alot here.

If you'd like to have your business photographed for your advertising or marketing needs I'd be happy to provide a comprehensive range of photography of your property or business to include outdoor 'landscapey' shots. Images are available on DVD with prices from £150.Please just contact me for a chat about your requirements and a quotation via the contacts box or alternatively Tel: 01594 860062

A recent shoot with a lovely family. Please juist use the contact box if you'd like to book a photo session outdoors. Theres more information at my Prints and Portraits page.

Yay! What lovely summer weather to be had though! Though I'm really sorry for the farms and gardens suffering with the drought.The garden flowers were lovely tho and heres a few pics from a friends local garden that I love to visit. Her planning and planting of this garden is overwhelming and these pics don't do it justice.



Sadly my beloved camera took a dip one hot day in a local forest pond. Its been replaced now but what a blow! I couldnt believe my eyes as the camera toppled (Slowly) into the water... Trying to be a bit grown up about it, I stuck it straight under the car heater and dashed home, buying tons of rice to seal with the drowned camera in a plastic box - too late!

I have added more card sets to my little shop page on this website. Please visit by pressing this Link. There are 20 different sets to choose from and the cards are left blank for your own message. Heres just a few of them below.

Please see below our upcoming Market stalls. More dates to be added but please do pay us a visit if you can. We'd love to see you.



I'm now offering Giclee Prints to order - these are very high quality prints on heavy watercolour type paper with beautiful colour reproduction and of long archival quality. Also Wall canvasses and Acrylic wall photos, or any bespoke item you'd like. Please just ask at the stall or alternatively email me through the CONTACT BOX on this website. Please leave a phone number/email I'll get straight back to you to discuss sizes, prices and mounting options further. For more complicated sizing or if you already have a frame you'd like to fill, I can also visit you to ensure the prints exactly right.

...And its going to be a late one this year by the looks of... Still, mustn't grumble as theres been tons of the stuff at last, much to the deeply profound satisfaction of virtually every fellow photographer in the Forest. Trouble was one is well stuck until one can dig the car out and what with beasts from the East and pests from the West that took a coupla days...The feel of untouched virgin snow in the woods is incredible.
The grit bin down the lane has been empty since January, but it was all ok in the end because they soon filled it again with this weird white stuff that looked like salt - but wasnt, so we shovelled buckets of that on top of the lying snow on the road instead to try and help out.... and then watched as it all melted away (Eventually)! Seriously tho' the gritting men did a fantastic job of the roads - Heres some pics from around Lydbrook.

Happy New Year! ...and we got the snow before Chriustmas this year. Yay!! It was lovely to see it after such a long time without and a great chance to 'Catch up' on winter scenes at last. Await next years Christmas cards! Once the snow was cleared from lane on the hill where we live, fallen branches cleared, -and they really came down badly this year with the weight of the wet snow. The forest floor now looks incredibly bare as the undergrowth has practically disappeared too. I did eventually manage to get the car out and get further afield, but surprisingly there was no snow in the lower Wye valley itself. Still, the Forest of Dean looked lovely... heres a few pics below...


Ive been some jewellery photos too, in amongst my regular photo 1:1 tutorals and selling prints at the markets over the Christmas period. Below are a few pics from Emma Lewis's beautiful work which uses the darker stones, hematite,amazonite and dalmation jasper using fine silver.. There's more details and pictures on her new website at Story and Silver

We've had really happy times at local markets recently, Great atmosphere and friendly fellow traders in Tewkesbury, Gloucester, Chepstow, Newent and Ross. Many thanks to to all the organizers, - Apart from the chilly mornings that is! I'll post Decembers market dates very soon on here ...(Just working on them now)... and hope to see you if you can make it down to these wonderful local markets.



I dont know what it is about Bluebells but, despite the lovely autumn colours here at the moment, people are tending to seek out bluebell prints from my stall recently - so I've just uploaded a few more and different photos into the Spring and Summer Portfolio - (they start on page 3). It might be that people like to send them abroard nearer Christmas time. I'm still not sure if bluebells exist in the USA? - (I cant see why they shouldn't, but I honestly dont know)... Here it seems quite furtive and slightly underhand to trade in Bluebell photos out of season, it feels a little like dealing drugs or contraband! "'Ere d'ya wanna buy a bluebell?" ...

Having said that, please enjoy the pics, and if you would like prints made please order them ready for Christmas gifts. All Prints are ready to go into easily obtainable framesas 'off the shelf' frame sizes make displaying prints a little less of a headache. I also produce canvasses and acrylic prints or other products that can be easily arranged using any photo on this website. Please just let me know your requirements via the CONTACT BOX and I'll be very happy to help.

As the weather gets colder please see below a quick compilation of 'Shiny Sky' photos - all of which are available as prints.



The rain held off and tree climbing photos for the brave(I feel old)! were de rigour this session, I stayed safely on the ground! Heres a few pics from a recent Family shoot...



Ive been catching up with some of the animals around here recently... daffy ducks, silly squirrels (Squirrel - what a wonderful word!) and funny pheasants... These are all availaible as prints, canvasses or any product you'd like to mention. were off to the Forest Showcase at Speech house for the first time on Sunday 1st October - Please come along take a look at the vast array of Forest photos if you can, I'd love to see you. Just hoping the weather keeps, tho' somehow I get the feeling we'll all be in for the remains of hurricane Maria Thoughts go out to the islanders of Dominica and Barbuda especially - theyve had it real bad.

Here's some photos from Bank Holiday Weekend which, for a change, weve had the nicest weather for weeks. It made running a stall seem all easy peasy wonderful again - instead of chasing flying photo prints across car parks and rushing to cover the stall as it pelted with rain. Still its been a lovely time locally with small music fests galore. Here's a few from 'Cindyfest' and Blind River scare at 'Woodystock' in the Woodmans Arms, Parkend. Thanks guys - Its been good!





Two beautiful June weddings and the weather's been just perfect... Heres just a few photos from Louise and Jasons lovely day ...





and Mike and Lorraines wonderful wedding in Cinderford...Huge congratulations to you both! X





And a week or so before I had the honour to photograph a beautiful young lady on what was almost the hottest day of the year. Well done Bernyce for wearing that lovely but very warm dress in such baking heat.

Survived another winter! OK so still no snow and left wishing next years Christmas cards would contain at least a drop, I'm trying hard to hide my dissappointment here, but onwards into the warmer weather and things are looking up!

I went out stalking baby lambs yesterday (with the wrong lens) then, as the ewes moved on, I went back to the car to review photos, and realised that the nosey little lambs had followed me. They are so cute - couldnt resist posting a few here.


April is upon us and heres a selection with some of the littler things to be found in the woods.


My photography courses will be starting again on Tues 2nd May and Thurs 4th May at John Kyrle High School in Ross.

Please check them out as they are a highly affordable and fun way to pick up or expand on your own photography skills, get away from those annoying automatic settings on your DSLR (that often fail to produce the best photos), and also get out and about with your camera of an evening and have some fun taking pics outdoors with a friendly group. The link for more information and how to book can be found at this link. I look forward to seeing you if you can make it to these courses.

Happy New Year ! and heres hoping 2017 is a good one for everybody. Heard so much from others about their 2016 experiences that for many it was a right 'ol downer of a year. We've lost so many great great musicians too... Its a year today since David Bowie passed and I'm regretting that I'd not taken chances to see them all live ... heres a great bit of advice from The man who fell to Earth that I happened upon this morning... On 'Why you should never play to the gallery'

Im looking forward to doing more family shoots in 2017. More details are on the prints and shoots page at this link.

If you are visiting or living in the Forest of Dean and getting family members together for a holiday or fun day out. A photo shoot is a great way to preserve those memories. It will take between 1-2 hours depending on how many people you have with you. Your finished DVD disc will contain a huge variety of portraits for any combinations of family members you would like me to photograph in a range of different areas of your prefered location. If you would like to book a session, please just send me a quick message via the CONTACT BOXand I'll get straight back to you to discuss your plans and help arrange your shoot. Inclement weather can always be worked around, so please dont worry if we need to change timings to suit outdoor conditions.


...And heres a few images from a recent Family shoot.


Kicking off on a bright note, its been frosty and we had a few days of white hoar frost, I'm hoping we'll get some snow however. Its been years now - wheres it all gone? Italy has 7 feet of the stuff at the moment! (although since the recent awful earthquakes and avalanches there, perhaps this is just as well). Fingers crossed that we'll get at least a sprinking before the week is out, but in meantime heres some recent winter frosts. If theres any photos you see on this blog page that you would like to obtain prints or canvasses of then please do use the Contact Box and we can arrange.




Ahh yere 'tiz at long last! ... All 2mm of snow, A sprinkling to be sure - but it makes for a very pretty scene in Lydbrook Village.



...And a visit to Bristol docks over New Year.... We were running to reclaim the car before the parking ticket ran out ... I could've lingered on this bridge over the docks and watched for ages...

Heres a list of Christmas markets for this season. Looking forward to seeing you there if you can make it. Ive got fingers crossed theres no strong winds as A4 prints flying across the street are a devil to catch!



...What a lovely start to December, blisteringly cold for a few days and the beautiful Hoar Frost made a brief return to this world after a couple of years absense. I really pleased that the forcast is (supposedly) for a 'Colder than average' winter this year ... Its been a disappointing couple of winters on the photography front but here goes!

Autumn is great! The leaves still havent been blown away and the colours are wonderful this year....what more can I say?



A beautiful wedding at Homme House near Much Marcle last Saturday. I was spoiled for choice when it came to photographing the celebration in such incredible surroundings. Huge congratulations to Hannah and Rob and also thanks for making us feel so welcome. It was a delightful day... Heres a few of the pics....