Neil Phillips Photography is now shooting editorial video !

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of filming the Cadbury Heath heritage group talking about the local areas history, particularly their experiences with apple orchards around Cadbury Heath and Kingswood. The area was covered in orchards right up till the 1950s and they told some lovely stories about their scrumping days.
Below is the link to the video that I made with South Glos Council. I love shooting film/video and I’m now offering the service to editorial Clients.
I hope you enjoy it, let me know what you think.

Once upon an Autumn’s Day

Spent the afternoon working on the South Glos commissioned short film “Once upon an Autumn day” so here is a poem that I’ve found of the same name.

It’s very apt during these grey windy autumn days, enjoy.

It’s written by, Joseph T. Renaldi

Once Upon An Autumn Day

Once Upon an autumn day,
Colorful leaves began to fade
In the midst of a chilly, frosty air
As multitude of trees grew steadily bare.

Once upon an autumn day,
The whispering breeze was here to stay
Moving aimlessly through the countless trees
Scattering leaves with the greatest of ease.

Once upon an autumn day,
The leaves whirled freely in every way,
Until at last they came to rest
Finding a haven in which to nest.

Once upon an autumn day,
The trees were dormant, and the leaves lay
Waiting for the winter snow to fall
To quickly obscure them one and all.

Joseph T. Renaldi

Somerset orchard in autumn light

Spent the morning in the pub (working for Thatchers Cider) photographing one of my favourite drinks, then spent the afternoon stuck in a manure ditch in the orchard and had to be towed out. I didn’t touch a drop honest ! Good time to buy a 4×4 though !

Stuck in a manure ditch in Somerset

Thatchers Cider gold pump

Thatchers Cider Open Day Today

I’m Snapping today at Thatchers Open Day in Sandford, North Somerset. Always a great day, tours around Bottling plant, Orchards, lots of cider to choose from. Hope the rain holds off !!

Thatchers Cider Open day, never a shortage of Apples !!!

In the Dragons Den in Somerset !!!

In the Dragons Den in Somerset !!!
If you watched the latest episode of Dragons Den on Monday night you would have seen Cheddar based entrepreneur Simon Booth and his lovely daughter Ruby talk two on the dragons in to giving is £75K to invest in his Kiddimoto bike business.

I was lucky enough to be asked to photograph Simon to help promote successful appearance at the Den, so with local Pr consultant Marrianne Swinkles we decided to snap (geddit?) Simon in the entrance of a cave in the famous Cheddar Gorge, ie emerging from the dragons Liar !!

We next zoomed down to the local skate park where Ruby’s play group buddies test drove (with lots of energy) the bikes. great fun was had, the children loved the bikes and I’ve no doubt Simon will make a great success of his business !!

Roll on Kiddimoto !!

Dragons Den Kiddimotto shoot

Just another manic Thursday !.

I had a rather manic and fun Thursday a very busy and interesting day.

Fun shoots for Debenhams and Sainburys

The day started with a quick shoot a Airbus Filton in Bristol. I was there to photograph the opening of their new break out area in the massive N07 Building. Admittedly it wasn’t the most exciting shoot but I still always get a buzz when crossing the guarded gates of Airbus Uk, driving past the gigantic hangers and mile long runway where on any given day you can see boeing 747′s, spitfires or the new A380 gearing up for take off. I presume it takes me back to making airfix model aeroplanes and hanging them from cotton from my bedroom ceiling. I guess we never grow up.

Second shoot was for Debenhams in Bath whose creative PR company Eros SCG came up with the idea of putting on a Bra fitting in the store window !!!
Me and the photographer from the Bath Chronicle happily snapped away while the lovely Rhona posed for shoppers and passers by as leaflets were handed out for free Bra Fittings. The shoot was great fun and I think I’ve gained a new model for my bridal shoots if I can tempt Rhona down from London.

From there I went on to Redwood Lodge where Sainsbury’s where hosting the Great British Beer Hunt. It was an opportunity for the South west finest real ale producers to promote their product with experts and beer lovers judging there brand. It was great fun to photograph, I met some interesting people absorbed in their passion and at the end of the shoot taste a few fine beers including nutty titles such as ‘Pheasant Plucker’ Dorothy’s Goodbody’ and ‘Cornwall Smuggler’ .

Anyway, while scanning through the images that evening I was reminded why I love my my job so much, I know I’ve had a good day when the images make me smile, a day of big engines, beautiful women and beer, rather perfect !

Now where is that half finished airfix kit

Neil

Thatchers Cider Wedding trip…

Hi everbody

I had an unusual and fun shoot on saturday combining both my commercial and wedding work. A really sweet bride, Tracey from Somerset, decided to treat her groom to a “rather special” journey to the wedding service, a ride on at Thatchers cider Lorry !!!

Jason is a cider fan and his favourite tipple is Thatchers Gold and they can be seen here, enjoying a glass.

Jason described it as a truly wonderful day for him and is now 110% convined that he has married the right woman !!!

The very happy couple !

Up to my neck in Champagne

I had the great pleasure of photographing the Piper-Heidsieck Sommelier of the year (west country heat) at the Hotel Du Vin Bristol yesterday. As I’ve spent most of my time photographing hairy men in fields with barrels of cider recently this made an interesting change. Both are equally enjoyable and rewarding though and the product is made with the same love and passion !

Sommelier of the Year Award 2011

I am Spartacus….

Spent the afternoon on an ever so slightly ‘camp’ photo shoot with my friend,neighbour and part time model Paul. He wanted a Gladiator/Sparta look so I took him up onto the Cotswold Way near Bath where I knew there was a lovely traditional old stone wall with a dark conifer forest sitting on a hill in the background (reminiscent of the start of the Gladiator Film) . It was a great fun but above all a great opportunity to try out location lighting in trying conditions ie wet, very windy, uneven ground. The Quantum Q Flash heads performed brilliantly and when the sun peaked through the clouds Paul became beautifully back lit.

I was a really rewarding experience so my advice to any budding photographers out there is even when it’s quiet, go out there and shoot, experiment and above all enjoy some carefree photography.

I am Spartacus...

I am Spartacus...

Thatchers Cider in the Daily Telegraph

I’m delighted to say that I had a set of images published in last fridays business section of the Daily Telegraph. It was a piece on Thatchers cider, who I have the great pleasure of shooting for from time to time. Most of the work that I do with cider makers is purely for pleasure, a chance to escape to the countryside, crunch my way through apple orchards during the autumn and meet some great people. I’m involved in a community cider making group in South Gloucestershire called ‘ the scrumpnig project’ and we currently have forty gallons of cider bubbling away in my garage. We also make fresh apple juice for local schools in the area. If you want to find more about my cider making adventures and my orchard photography please check out the links below.

http://theorchardgroup.wordpress.com/

http://orchardeye.com

Thatchers Cider in The Daily Telegraph