Summary

Well Hello and thanks awfully for visiting my interweb site. I have purposely not made the writing side too ostentatious and verbose.... oops just did! That aside my aim here is to give you the screen peeker a brief understanding of what SJP is all about?... I have simply made bullet points where i can but have gone into more depth where i feel you would benefit.

My plan like all good plans is too update my images regularly and show videos from time to time, so please visit periodically throughout the year for updates and promotions.

If you have been one of my regular clients for sometime i would like to thank you for all your past and future business, i am flattered by your loyalty and friendship.... Ta !!

Now go on... explore why don’t you!...

Ok sorry about the pun, but that is exactly what a good photographer is. Just like the portrait painters from centuries gone by we create heirlooms for yours and future generations enjoyment. I am proud to say this is my profession but like you cherish images i have made of my family over years gone by. Interesting to note that although a photograph never changes the way we perceive it does. In short great images can be part of your interior design, a statement about your individuality and taste, but more importantly they become your most treasured possessions as time goes by......

Good portraiture is not cheap (its priceless) seriously, so please make sure even if you do not commission me that you do use a qualified professional photographer. It is a sad situation that in the UK there is no legislation governing true professionals. The news has reported over this last few years wedding nightmares where couples have hired cowboys in disguise as photographers. This is an issue very dear to my heart as i do not want to see our profession harmed by unqualified individuals who perhaps have good marketing knowledge and taken a few nice holiday snaps !

My advise especially when hiring a wedding photographer is check the photographer has indemnity insurance, is qualified with either or both of the following two organisations. These are our professional bodies in the UK and a benchmark of quality and assurance to anyone hiring a photographer. The organisations are abbreviated to BIPP or MPA just like solicitors and doctors etc have pre fix letters of L (Licenciateship) A (Associateship) or the highest qualification attainable in the UK, F (Fellow).........

BRITISH INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY (BIPP)

MASTER PHOTOGRAPHER ASSOCIATION (MPA)

It is also perhaps worth mentioning here that it is not how many mega pixels, lenses, computers etc. That determines how good a photographer is. Although i only use the best kit available in the world (fruit based computers, and "explosive cameras") I often joke that I hate cameras and computers... in truth I am just excited about what I can do with them..... All that matters to me is that I make people happy, and create beautiful art... the final image is all important...

Lastly do not make the mistake i have heard so many times by using a friend to photograph your wedding... They may not be such a close friend when you see the pictures, and they in turn may experience a mild to extreme breakdown as a result !

. Fareham, Hampshire, Wedding Photographer.
. Modern fully equipped studio with parking in Fareham Hampshire.
. Twenty six years professional photographer.
. Modern fully equipped studio with parking in Fareham Hampshire.
. Fellow of both BIPP and MPA
. Winner of Wessex area titles for wedding photography (somewhere in the 90's)
. UK wedding photographer of the year 2004, finalist 2005, 2008, 2010
. Winner of ten Kodak Gold awards for excellence, and creativity in portraiture.
. Winner of the millennium Portrait photographer for the UK (Face 2000) received a rather swish gold plated hassleblad !!
. International awards judge and chairman in 2009
. Served on qualifications panel for the past fourteen years ...
. Cover of Tatler magazine 2009
. Numerous photography magazines articles, covers etc...
. First appeared in Debbretts people of today in 2001

But still no OBE ;0( .... I love the queen and England !

. I have two wonderful children, live with my beautiful Dutch girlfriend and have a boxer dog called Margo ....
. I enjoy Family time, good ale, countryside, keeping fit, cooking, food and red wine, ofcourse anything arty, music with a wide taste but always soulful..
. Political and religious views... I have none, but respect everyone else's ...
. Favourite places, English countryside rain or shine. Amsterdam, Rome, Brighton,

To be honest for those who know me will tell you i do not have the patience time or will to have a Twitter blog etc... and they are right. However I will paste something here when i feel its news worthy.

. My new assistant and girlfriend Yvon.... Well Holland is a long way to come for just a job eh?

. I have recently returned from portrait commissions onboard Crystal Symphony.An amazing experience leaving and returning to San Francisco and stopping in various ports of Alaska.The scenery was truly incredible and I saw whales, sea lions, moose, and Bald Eagles.The portrait shoots were great and i used the amazing blue Glacier bay as a backdrop for one of the portraits, so cool.... sorry!

I have been teaching photography to professional photographers of various levels for the past twenty years through workshops and group Master classes. In recent years i have offered personal one to one tuition to meet individual needs... If perhaps you are one such individual that has a real desire to learn the secrets of lighting, composition, psychology and the business of social photography please contact me. A brief history/ CV would be useful. All applicants will be considered and replied to.

As you can imagine over 26 years I have amassed quite a storage of negatives and files which i simply do not have the space for anymore. To save on storage costs i am selling off all data pre and up to the end of 2009.Please contact us and we will delve into our archives. Prices vary depending on age and accessibility.....

My new assistant and girlfriend Yvon.... Well Holland is a long way to come for just a job eh?

I have recently returned from portrait commissions onboard Crystal Symphony.An amazing experience leaving and returning to San Francisco and stopping in various ports of Alaska.The scenery was truly incredible and i saw whales, sea lions, moose, and Bald Eagles.The portrait shoots were great and i used the amazing blue Glacier bay as a backdrop for one of the portraits, so cool.... sorry !

It was a great pleasure once again to be asked to judge the Master Photography Awards for the Wessex region back in December..... Funny i myself won the wedding title somewhere around circa 1986 Ha !!

What a great time we had at the Upwaltham Barns open day..We want to thank Nicky and Tim for all the great work they did , to make us and all the guests feels so welcome .

We are pleased to say that our caption competition was a great success and it was hard to choose a winner...But after a long debate we've made our decision..

And the winner of our Upwaltham Barns caption competition is .......ratatatatatataaaaa........long pause.....another pause........TOM RIDER !!!

You're one-liner "how on earth will I get my cat down" mades us laugh out loud! Congratulations Tom , you've won a portrait session with Simon John and a 10 inch framed portrait of you're own choice. Please contact the studio to arrange a date, we look forward to see you soon.