Surprise outdoor Wedding at Fforest – Snap photography festival

Last week was terrific in many ways. I attended the SNAP Photography Festival at Fforest Farm near Cardigan in Wales. Over one hundred photographers took time out to stay on a farm and enjoy an excellent line up of speakers, get business advice, mingle and party with their fellow photographer friends around camp fires.  Many I knew, some who I have worked with and lots of photographers I know online, but hell it was fab to meet and hang out in person. There was such a friendly happy vibe, that it immediately felt like a much smaller group. Everyone could pick and choose, or max it out and try and attend *everything* including wild swimming, a 6am photoshoot, and lunch and learn sessions.  There were more than ten speakers, from a range of excellent photographers who opened up and shared their work and approach, there was business advice too…every single person who stood up and showed their work and shared so much of themselves was inspiring in a different way.

The schedule mentioned a ‘surprise’ for the Wednesday afternoon. At  the end of our morning talk we were handed an envelope, which we all had to open at the exact same time, and there were gasps, as inside was an invitation to a surprise Fforest wedding That Very Afternoon – and not just any wedding, but the wedding of two of the attendees (Snapsters), Ro Chan and Xeco, who had got engaged at SNAP 2015!  Laura Babb, is the brains behind this epic photography festival, everything ran like clockwork, with loads of fun touches, like excellent goodie bags and generosity from others in the wedding industry.  I have already looked at my bookings for next year and hope that I’m free SNAP 2017!

These are the photos I took, they are a reminder of the adventure, but I took away much more than just these frames.

Ahhh did I mention there is even a little pub on site! Excellent.

My lovely friends Alexa Loy and Jeni Smith enjoying a chat at a break up at the learning barn.

The super super lovely Alex James What an amazing story and talk he gave, oh and shots for everyone to start with!

Polish Dorota and Michal of Whitesmoke Studio  shared their amazing approach and got us to do a little hands on fun too! You have to check out their work.

Lots of QT album samples to drool over and some great sample prints for us too! Thank you.

THESE two prepared all our food, and it was delicious, MASSIVE THANKS to Sian and Michelle!

Petar Jurica, Croatian cinematic photographer genius and such a lovely lovely man!

Jacob Loafman from Saint Louis (and Lukas Piatek from Germany) lovely guys who I went on a 6am shoot with, I found Jacob a super funny guy, needs a bigger slot next time.

I knew Sassy’s session would be fantastic, sat in the front row like an uber fan, and there was lots of hands on stuff, the awesome Assassynation was amazing!

Rocking some group shots in the hands on bit with Sassy!

‘The Fins’ who I grabbed a couple of frames with, just because they are so loveable!

Sassy invited her ‘real couple’ along who we got to chat with and pose with.

A fresh and breezy trip to the beach with my buddy Jeni Smith and new friends Amanda, Katie and James.

(me on the beach in my Tweety and Sylvester legs – photo by Louise Miller of Foxtail Photography)

Happy Birthday Charis! Here comes Colin The Caterpiller!

The talented Sam Kwan from Cinematic Tide who made a terrific video of the day!

The whole week was scattered with lots of smiles, hugs, great food and drinking.

THE MOMENT OF GREAT EXCITEMENT….Spanish couple Ro Chan and Xeco from Click and Pum will marry – there will be a wedding!

THE WEDDING of Ro Chan and Xeco in the Quarry

 

(image by Kat Forsyth)

(Image by Kat Forsyth)

See you next year SNAP! I cannot wait.