Perfect Christmas Gift Supporting Beating Bowel Cancer

It's not too late to book a portrait photo session, and be able to give the perfect Christmas gift. Last weekend I photographed Sam in Reading, so someone will be in for a nice surprise on Christmas Day. All proceeds raised from the photos will be donated to Beating Bowel Cancer. It's a charity I have been supporting since my Mum was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2012. Sadly she passed away last August. Every session bought will help make a difference, and be a unique Christmas gift. There are standard and deluxe packages available, so please contact me for more details.

Horace Panter at Work

Horace Panter at Work

I had the amazing experience of photographing Horace Panter for my Lives & Times charity book. Horace combines his career as an artist with his bass playing duties for The Specials. In his studio I got to photograph him at work, and also with his collection of bass guitars. A bit of editing in this photo worked really well, as for me it makes both Horace and his work stand out really well.

The portrait photo sessions that I am offering to raise funds for Beating Bowel Cancer could be a family photo session showing the family at leisure, but also, as in this case, it could be at work or for a hobby perhaps? The choice is your.

The photo sessions can be booked on my website, or contact me for more details. There are standard or deluxe packages available. All proceeds raised will be donated to Beating Bowel Cancer in memory of my Mum who passed away from bowel cancer in August 2016. 16,000 people lose their lives to this awful disease each year, but with early diagnosis it can be successfully treated in over 90% of cases, so much more needs to be done to help raise awareness.

Have Camera Will Travel

Laura Boyd at Kelvingrove Park

For my bowel cancer fundraising I am clocking up some miles. Earlier this year, for my forthcoming charity book, I travelled to Leeds to meet their former player Eddie Gray, and then up to Glasgow to meet Laura Boyd form STV. So I am willing to travel to do portrait photo sessions to raise funds for Beating Bowel Cancer. Laura has been living with leukemia since she was diagnosed in 2009. She epitomizes positivity and living life to the full that I have seen in so many people with cancer. 

We met at Kelvingrove Park in the centre of Glasgow, which was a fantastic location, and somewhere where I could safely park with my dogs. Our midday meeting also allowed me to make a brief visit to Balloch Castle on Loch Lomond in the morning, which was a great location suggested by Laura. She was lovely to talk to and was very relaxed for the photos, which made for a fun and enjoyable experience.

I am offering a standard photo session for £25 or a deluxe photo session for £35. Please contact me for more details or make a booking through my website www.bowelcancerfundraising.co.uk. All funds raised will be donated to the Beating Bowel Cancer.

My Mum passed away in August 2016, four years, and five major operations, after being diagnosed with bowel cancer. Bowel cancer is the 2nd highest cancer killer in the UK. Yet if detected early it is very treatable in 90% of cases.

Rachael Parker-Prickett

Rachael Parker-Prickett

I did a portrait photo session today with Rachael, who was absolutely lovely, and great fun to photograph. She was a friend of Deborah James, who recently passed away from bowel cancer, so she was especially keen to support this fundraising venture. I was greeted by her dog Martha, who I initially thought wanted to have my hand off, but soon became apparent was going to be my new best friend! 😊 In fact we were able to do the photography in the fields behind Rachael's house where she walks Martha, and the rain thankfully stayed off too.

All proceeds raised from these portrait photo sessions are donated to Beating Bowel Cancer. My Mum passed away in 2016 after being diagnosed with this awful disease in 2012. I am offering two types of session - the standard session for £25 and a deluxe session for £35. Please contact me for further details and bookings, or look on my www.bowelcancerfundraising.co.uk website. 

Portrait Photo of Mum & Shimara

Mum & Shimara

I used the uncropped version of this family portrait of Mum with her beloved Shimara in the Lives & Times bowel cancer fundraising book that I published in 2015. It was actually easier to work with Shimara than Mum! The end result was one of my favourite portrait photos, and a photo that I have framed at work. Mum, and sadly Shimara too, passed away in 2016, so the aim of doing these portrait photo sessions is to raise funds for Beating Bowel Cancer, and also to raise awareness about bowel cancer, which is the second highest cancer killer in the UK, claiming 16,000 lives each year.

I am offering standard family photo sessions for £25 and a deluxe version for £35. Every penny raised will be donated to the charity. With Christmas not too far away these would make an ideal present for someone. Please contact me for more information or buy a session from my website.

Ben Richards : Actor

Ben Richards

I met Ben Richards in London, whilst he was rehearsing for Rock Of Ages. I was fortunate enough to be invited to see a full rehearsal after we had finished the photography. In terms of portrait photos Ben was the perfect subject. The setting in Holborn worked really well by using the aperture setting on the camera and using Ben and the bricks in the foreground. It shows that there is usually something to work with at most locations. He was obviously used to being photographed, and the session with him was quite short, but pretty much every photo I took could have been used in the Lives & Times book that Ben had kindly supported. He is in remission from bowel cancer, having been diagnosed in 2012, and was very enthusiastic to get involved.

I am offering portrait photographic sessions to raise funds for Beating Bowel Cancer, and in addition to help raise awareness about bowel cancer. I will travel to you, and you can either purchase the standard or deluxe package costing £25 and £35 respectively. All proceeds raised are donated to the charity. For more information please use the contact form, or you can buy a session from my bowel cancer fundraising website.

Taking Photos at Abbey Road

Jules Peters at Abbey Road

On this day three years ago, I took park in the world's longest song put together by Mike Peters of The Alarm. This session for The Scriptures took place in Studio 2 at Abbey Road, so it was a once in a lifetime opportunity for me and other fans to be part of something very special. I contributed lyrics to a verse and also played some rather dodgy rhythm guitar on anther verse, which is well hidden in the mix 😊It also gave me the chance to photograph Mike for the Lives & Times bowel cancer charity book I was doing. In this instance the location for the photography was everything. Just about every photo that I took that day, in such a special place, has some meaning for me. In this photo is Mike's wife Jules Peters. She had just finished playing an impromptu piano piece to the delight of everyone, and was beaming to the spontaneous round of applause echoing around the room. When I come to take people's portraits for this charity venture the location is an important element, but of course it doesn't have to be in a world famous recording studio. If I can take portrait photos that people will take pleasure out of looking at then I will be very happy.

Sometimes a photo can tell many stories. Jules was diagnosed with breast cancer towards the end of 2016, and her story has been documented in a television documentary. She is back on stage with The Alarm these days, and has been a great inspiration for many cancer patients, and fans of the band. The background of this photo is quite interesting. Jillian Mclaren-Odgers and her son Harry Marsden who I met on the day are now good friends, as is Andrew Dawes, who is a very accomplished singer songwriter in his own right. In the denim jacket there is Patrick Dennis a musician over from America. Tucked away is Dave Spragg, who sadly passed away from bowel cancer in 2016. I didn't know Dave that well, but I did get the chance to speak to him at Abbey Road about his and my Mum's cancers. Thereafter whenever we were in contact on Facebook he would always ask how my Mum was regardless of his own condition. He is very much missed by many people associated with The Alarm. At the time my Mum was in remission from bowel cancer, but after 18 months, and about 6 weeks after Abbey Road, the cancer returned to her left lung in November 2014. She passed away on August 29th 2016. The portrait photos I am offering will be raising funds for the Beating Bowel Cancer charity.

For more information please use the contact form, or you can buy a session from my bowel cancer fundraising website.

Portrait Photos Raising Funds For Beating Beating Bowel Cancer

Deborah Louise James

The idea behind offering portrait photograph sessions is to raise money for the Beating Bowel Cancer charity. My Mum was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2012, and this very soon became stage 4 when it spread to her left lung. Over the course of four and half years she had five major operations, and also CyberKnife treatment when the cancer spread to her brain. She passed away on August 29th 2016. In May this year I met and photographed Deborah James for my forthcoming fundraising book. She was a truly inspirational woman, who had a very aggressive form of bowel cancer, and yet was so positive and full of laughter. Sadly Debs passed away on July 27th.

Much more needs to be done, both in terms of fundraising and raising awareness, to try and bring down the numbers of people that bowel cancer is taking. 41,000 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer in the UK, and 16,000 people are lost to bowel cancer each year. It is the second highest cancer killer, and yet if detected early it can be successfully treated in over 90% of cases. Only 10% of patients detected at an advanced stage (stage 4) survive for more than five years.

For the photo sessions I am offering two options. The standard portrait session will cost £25. I will travel to you, and take your family photos (pets included) in an outdoor setting. Included in the cost will be a link to the photos, which you will then be able to download, edit and print off to your own requirements.

The deluxe family photography session will cost £35. I will travel to you, and take your family photos (pets included) in an outdoor setting. I will edit the photos to your satisfaction. You will be able to choose two photos 8"x10" (or smaller if you wish) which will then be printed off and sent to you. Also included in the cost will be a link to the photos, which you will then be able to download, edit and print off to your own requirements.

I live in Berkshire, so any local setting is good. However I am happy to travel pretty much anywhere to take the photos, although long distance trips will have to be arranged at a mutually convenient time and location to make them viable. All proceeds raised will be donated to the Beating Bowel Cancer charity.

For more information please use the contact form, or you can buy a session from my bowel cancer fundraising website.