Capture Moments

I have been taking professional photographs for almost 19 years, mainly for Media and Travel companies, but it has been a passion of mine since I was old enough to hold a camera. In 2008, that passion was realised when I started Capture Moments Photography. 2008 was also the year that a horrific car accident left me with severe nerve & neurological damage and unable to work. However, through adversity builds strength, character and a will to succeed. Along with the support from my wife, Gill, Capture Moments continued to buck the trend of the credit crunch. While some firms closed their doors, we found ourselves taking more and more bookings and becoming one of the fastest growing companies in the UK.

2009 was coming to an end and with our first full year of trading, over 50 weddings had been covered, 2 modelling shows including the Miss Intercontinental Great Britain Finals, a charity calendar(Help the Heroes) and I was finally published by a major Newspaper, The Daily Star. We were shown on Unseen TV and became a supplier for Living TV's 'Four Weddings'. While as a company we continued to focus on weddings and portraits, I also went solo and started to perfect my modelling career(behind the camera of course!). With major contacts made with agencies, models, make-up artists and magazines, I began to look closer to home at North Wales. An untapped area for home grown talent and I made it my priority to bring North Wales into the modelling industry, working with local aspiring models.

2010 brought even more success with arrangements for OK magazine and Women's Weekly. Our video service was picked up by S4C and the BBC - All for our work with the modelling industry. I was named as an academy photographer for the highly prestigious Kerri Parker Model Academy. I continue to recommend new and upcoming models to the academy as well as Sinclair Models, who together we support and encourage the 'Models of Diversity'. Combatting the prejudices of the industry towards age, colour & size. In June 2010 I became the first photographer in Wales to sit on the board of directors for the Institute of Modelling. A governing body set up to regulate and train the industry to provide a safe environment for models and to protect girls as young as 14 from the perils of modelling scams. I am very proud to have been asked to join the IOM in this worthwhile cause. Later in 2010 I became Co-Director of Stepping Stones Modelling Agency, a new agency designed specifically for new models with zero fees and full training and development program. To avoid conflict of interest and remain impartial, I resigned my position at the Institute of Modelling. 2010 is turning into a fantastic year with the first Beach group Shoot with ImagesXposed, another example of my work in print, this time in Vogue and with local nightspot Broadway Boulevard working with me on 'Face of Broadway' competition. Wales's first model tutorial day is scheduled for 2nd October and we are also working closely with Miss Grenada Commonwealth on her solo projects. Stepping Stones has started employing officers across the UK and has since started assigning photographers, MUA's and entertainers(singers/bands) across the country.

The ability to have 2 people in 2 different places at the same time allows for some unusual angles and photos you would not normally catch. Having been recently married ourselves, we understand how important details are and our approach to your special day makes us truly a unique pairing.

FreshPics, KattDandy, AzureImages, Jaded Images & Lee Howard

We have had the luxury of working with some excellent people over the last few years, some of which have trained with us, some are still training with us and some we look forward to working with in the future.

Justin Van Marle of Freshpics in Colwyn Bay - Justin and I have known each other for years and despite us both being in the same industry, remain good friends. Justin started out his wedding experience as an extra photographer with Capture Moments in our first year and since then his photography has become a fantastic standard. I am always amazed at the quality of his work and we find ourselves talking the craft for hours on end.

Katt Dandy of Katt Dandy Photography & Azure Images, now based in Manchester - Katt has become a good friend over the last few years and a very competant photographer. Having worked as an extra photographer for Capture Moments on several weddings, Katt decided it was time to go solo. With our full backing, Katt Dandy Photography started taking our overflow bookings as well as her own clients and we regularly recommend each other if we are unavailable to meet the client's requested date. Katt has joined forces with another photographer she met in college to create Azure Images. Now Based in Manchester and covering the area upto Chester, they focus more on the high value wedding client, however it is nice to see some of our training remains with her to this day.

Mark Coxon of Jaded Images in Llandudno - Mark and I have known each other for years and while Jaded Images specialises in music photography, Mark is expanding his style to cover modelling photography. Mark is currently training and developing his skill with ourselves and I am sure he will become as good a fashion photographer.

Lee Howard of Howard Portraits in Prestatyn - Lee and I have recently started working together on modelling events and regularly discuss the industry and how we can improve North Wales's position. I look forward to working with him more in the near future.