Welcome to Beth Roach Photography. Beth is a freelance portrait photographer based in the South West of England.
Bicester Village is one of the coolest places to roam around and (if you’re normal unlike me) shop, Lilly and I thought we would explore, resist the urge to shop and do a mini photo-shoot. Lilly is a blogger full of brilliant ideas and definitely loves the camera – which makes my job easier.
Take a look at the images from our venture round Bicester Village.
On Friday 16th September last year, Jade and Tom tied the knot, and I was the lucky one allowed to capture their special day! This post marks their one year anniversary, congratulations to you both.
Childhood sweethearts, these two have been together since Secondary School. What an achievement in itself! As well as this, all their friends, from their childhood that have seen them grow up together, helped create such a special day for them both.
Mary Berry eat your heart out!
Situated in the heart of Wiltshire. Wellington Barn provided the perfect backdrop, with acres of fields, beautiful views and a stunning venue to work with.
Make-up by Freya Pixie Makeup Artist
Hair Styling by Sian Hadden Hair Stylist
On my twitter this week you would have seen various tweets from me losing it over Polaroids very exciting, and cryptic, return. Impossible project, who I have been an avid investor of in the last three years, went dark and on 13th September became Polaroid originals.
After the purchase of Polaroid by the family of the Impossible Project, back in may, the long process of re-branding and getting the iconic Polaroid’s name back on the film began.
For those of you who don’t know, back in 2004 Polaroid stopped producing instant film, believing that they had enough to supply, however demand exceeded expectations and by 2008 the film was almost gone. Due to the digital movement Polaroid shifted it’s business plan and would shut it’s factories. With the resources from Polaroid sold off and destroyed, Impossible had to start again, hence the long developing time, quirks in the film, expense and the “Impossible” name. They all believed it to be impossible!
Impossible bought an old Polaroid factory and begun, from scratch, to produce instant film for classic 600 and sx-70 Polaroids again. With the knowledge there was a market out there, just look at vinyl! Starting from scratch their film wasn’t perfect, especially wasn’t instant, but this was part of my love for it. They brought back the Polaroid we all remember, it was expensive but, it was just amazing to see the passion again.
The first instant camera was imagined by Edwin Land’s daughter, at the age of 3, who wanted to see the photo her father had taken of her on holiday straight away. And with that Polaroid as we know it was born. Now 80 years later, Polaroid’s name is back on the instant film products, with a new kid on the block. The new i-Type camera is bringing Polaroid into the 21st century with the one step 2, it looks like a Polaroid camera but it has rechargeable batteries (WITH A USB!), a self timer and powerful flash. A Polaroid for Millennials
This is why I own two Polaroid cameras instead of a Fuji Instax, the Instax can be fun, but the Polaroid has blood, sweat and tears – maybe I’m a bit bitter.
Let’s bring back the Polaroid generation!
A couple of weeks ago, Lilly nominated me to post for the #ILiveItIBlogIt series where the subject of your blog post is a personal story that means something to you, or shaped you in some way. I spent quite a while racking my brain for something to tell you, thinking nothing has really happened to me that has shaped me, and then something came to me and it’s more of a chain of events really.
So here is my personal post – with Beth Roach Photography, I always try to give a personal experience so you can get to know the woman behind the lens (Wow bit cringey) but this is something I’ve never really written about.
When I left college I was a determined/stubborn girl who was going to follow her dream no matter what. I decided against the idea of uni, which many of my friends and peers had prepared for, sure that if I was to do any degree it would be photography and to me, it was a waste of money and time when I could go out into the real world and develop my skills on my own.
Soon after the summer was over and people went away, I fell into my “dream” job. A studio where I was actually getting paid to do what I always wanted. I met lovely people, used a camera every day and began to grow as an adult – everything I ever wanted.
As time went by, the job began to be a chore, I wasn’t getting paid on time/in full, I was getting stale in my work and it just started to feel like a sales pitch each day. For someone so young it became a massive burden on me and I just believed that I had to do it because it was my dream.
A year of these feelings took a hold on me, I hated getting up for work, people would think I was taking things for granted – how “easy” it was to get into this industry. For a while I believed them, thinking I was ungrateful and this was just the “real world”.
On a day off, I had gone to the beach with a friend and was due to see an old work friend that evening. I got talking with my friend’s parents about how much I didn’t want to go to work the next day, how my love for photography had gone and how I had failed at my dream. I was a wreck, I had never shown myself so vulnerable to almost strangers before and it was like I’d finally admitted something I’d hidden from myself and others for so long.
Over the next few days, I went back to work, nothing got better and I quit and went back to the job I had at college. Feeling like a complete failure. I was completely taken advantage of for my age, talent and enthusiasm and I was never going to touch my camera again.
It took me a year to fall back into photography, friends and family would nag me and say it’s such a waste that I don’t do it anymore and I always promised I would one day just give me time. And here I am.
As I look back on it now all I can think of is that you are not prepared for this at school or college, you are prepared to get grades and go to uni, but what do you do when you completely lose your way.
Don’t let anyone take your passion, dreams, confidence or enthusiasm away.
It’s crazy to think it’s been a year since Andrew and Pia got married, a lovely celebration and a big day everyone had been waiting for. To mark their anniversary I wanted to look back on their happy day and see how their first year as man and wife has treated them.
What was your favourite part of your big day?
Andrew: “When Pia walked through the door.”
Pia: “When I was standing there with Andrew, it was like I didn’t need to think about a thing. He also gave me a massive bear hug when they pronounced us as husband and wife which made me feel so safe.”
Do you have any advice you would give your past selves or anyone else about to embark on their own wedding?
Pia: “Don’t stress, at the end of the day everything will happen, and because you are marrying the right person you will have a lovely day whatever happens.”
Andrew: “Plan and make several lists in time order, also buy plenty of alcohol. Remember: you’re not marrying a cake!”
How has the first year gone by for you?
Andrew: “It’s been fantastic!”
Pia: “Nothing has really changed, just a sense of calming and a feeling of security and safeness.”
What have you learnt from each other in the last year?
Andrew: “Pia farts!”
Pia: “She can’t post that! What I have learnt is that it is possible to feel complete.”
What has changed since you’ve been married?
Andrew: “Nothing has changed, just a continuation of how it was before we were married, you just feel more complete. It’s the natural progression of a good relationship.”
Pia: “The ceiling needs painting Love.”
You did buy a cat, Eva, as a wedding present to yourself…
Andrew: [Chuckles]”Big mistake…”
Pia: “She is both of ours then – she’s crazy, lovable and fits in our home perfectly. We’ve been through some troubles since we’ve been married and if it was possible it brought us closer together, things have happened and we’ve been a huge support to each other.”
What advice would you give people about to celebrate their first anniversary?
Pia: “Don’t overthink everything, nothing needs to be perfect, keep things simple.”
Andrew: “Everyday is an anniversary.”
What were your favourite images from the big day?
Pia: “I have two; the one of George and I, even though he did drag me down the aisle, and Andrew and me hugging – we didn’t realise you were taking that and it just captured the feeling that in that moment all that mattered was Andrew and me.”
Andrew: “This one was mine”
Photographing their special day was a pleasure and I wish them many more happy years together.
Beth Roach Photography