Creative Video Troon

Gillian Tait & James Donn

2012-01-20T03:22:00.000-08:00

Gillian & James were married at Alloway Parish Church before moving accross the road to the Brig o'Doon for their reception. We were lucky for the first part of the day as it kept dry and we managed to get a few photographs taken outside. One of the highlights of the day was Billy Kenny the Piper doing the address to a haggis.

This is Brian & Valerie in a sort of roll reversal day for them, as it was 4 years ago at their own wedding that Gillian & James met for the first time.

Judith & Alasdair at St Brides West Kilbride & Brig o'Doon

2012-01-11T06:06:00.000-08:00

Judith and Alasdair got married on 30th December 2011which was one of those horrible non stop dark rainy days with lots of umbrellas and misted up car windows. The reception was at Brig o'Doon House Hotel which looked lovely with the Christmas decorations. It was a day when I would have preferred to have had the option to use more than the ambient light to film the photoshoot.

Very Bad Wedding Videos -- what to look for

2011-11-30T08:28:00.000-08:00

At this time of year I get time to look at wedding videos on the Internet. I am looking for ideas and sizing up the competition. I came across some footage which was so atrocious that it prompted me to write this article.

What can go wrong when filming a wedding video? --My first answer was to think well not too much if the cameraman is experienced, well prepared, understands the fundamentals, has the self discipline to employ them. It is also important to review the footage after every event and to be very self-critical about what can be improved upon.

Then I came across multiple video clips on the Internet that made me dispare. They showed shaky, jerky movements, even on wide angle and sometimes even when a tripod was being used, some out of focus shots, followed by over exposed shots (the people looked like albinos and the brides bouquet was so bright it looked as though she was holding a lit torch instead of flowers) The people in the background were corrrectly exposed instead of the subject. Skin tones had a strong light blue tinge to them and of course poor framing and jump cuts. There was a wide angle shot on screen for almost 5 minutes. so the viewer did not know what they were meant to look at as there was nothing of outstanding interest-- And all this and more was evident in the first 10 minutes. The lack of technique was so apparent as was the lack of knowledge as to what was possible and what was always going to look clumsy. The piper was filmed leading a procession of guests and it honestly looked as if an earthquake was happenning.

When it came to editing this cameraman was clueless –it was mind numbingly boring to watch and some really badly burned out shots, which could have been easily excluded, were not.

On a positive note the sound quality was all right.

The person responsible is doing very well.--- Beyond belief -- well it should be!!!!

Barbara Black & Kevin Kean at the Piersland House Hotel

2011-11-23T08:08:00.000-08:00

This is what I call the "look of love shot as their eyes meet at the bottom of the aisle. A great day in November for taking Photographs or Video. Barbara had a ready smile and an infectious laugh and everyone there was nice to be around. Suzanne Hodgson took the photographs and was on good form for a mainly relaxed and informal photoshoot, which seemed ideal for the time of year.

Leah-Ann & Alan Aitchison at the Gailes

2011-11-17T03:38:00.000-08:00

We are probably not going to get a better day in November to have a wedding and the low harsh light from the sun did help to warm up the pictures. It was a pleasure to work with Tom Gibson Photography again. We had a baloon release and a bubble machine. The bubbles were lit up by my video light as Leah-Ann and Alan did their first dance and they almost looked like tiny stars floating in front of the camera. Really nice people to spend the day with.

Vows Award Nominee 2011 -- for 2nd year running

2011-10-18T06:37:00.000-07:00

I am really pleased to announce that we made the top 4 in the Wedding Video category in Scotland for the second year in a row. A would like to thank all the customers that voted for us. Jane is looking forward to a posh dinner at the Glasgow Hilton in November when the winners receive their awards.

Melanie & Adrian at Burnhouse Manor

2011-09-22T03:57:00.000-07:00

We had a good day at Burnhouse Manor with Melanie & Adrian who chose to have their ceremony outside. Karen Grier took many georgous photographs but I have sneaked in a couple of images here that I set up myself when she wasn't about.

Colette & Brian at Dundonald Castle

2011-09-12T03:21:00.000-07:00

You just know that some days are going to be great before they even happen and you are going to get some magical results. We were at Dundonald Castle which is a fabulous place to get married at and which is likely to produce stunning photographs especially if you choose Tom Gibson to do the work.

Colette and Brian were a joy to work for and I felt very pleased to be involved in their day.

There were so many beautiful images that I decided to add a slideshow to Tom Gibsons page on my website -- just to show them off.

Suzanne & Scott McMillan

2011-09-01T03:42:00.000-07:00

We started off at St.Marys in Irvine before going down to the Brig o'Doon House Hotel in Ayr for the reception. The 3 cars were from Gayles Cars and they looked great in the pictures. The weather was kind and we got some beautiful pictures under the big tree at the Hotel.

Muriel MacPherson & Charles Taylor

2011-08-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

A terrific day with lots of fun. Maxwell the Best Man was quite a character. At the start, he had me convinced that he was the one getting married, hence the biting the nails expression. One of the best cake cutting ceremonies ever - not so much a cutting as an assassination.

Roisin and Sean McNeill at Troon Chapel & Enterkine House

2011-08-23T05:34:00.000-07:00

We were at my favourite chapel for this wedding -- Our Lady of the Assumption & St. Meddans Troon where Canon Archie Brown performed a beautiful service before travelling on to Enterkine House for the reception. Some very pleasing images were created by Brendan Byrne the photographer who had travelled over from Northern Ireland.

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Fiona & Phillip Ingram

2011-08-18T09:03:00.000-07:00

We were down at Girvan at the South Parish Church which was beautiful inside. We were able to use it as a backdrop as there were heavy showers when it was time for the Bride and Groom to make their exit. This was followed by a short trip to Penkill Castle before going on to The Carlton Hotel in Prestwick. We had a bit of fun with the Boys at the start and we also got our share of laughs with the girls. Fiona's Uncle Gerard took the photos and was very nice to work with.

Jill & Calum at Western House Hotel Ayr

2011-08-15T04:03:00.000-07:00

We had a mixed bag of weather at Western House but managed to get some work done outside with John McDill doing the photographs. We had a bit of fun with the boys before the service and Jill was so exuberant, it was a delight to see the pleasure in her face.

Seyhan & Rauf at Blairquhan Castle

2011-08-11T06:54:00.000-07:00

This couple travelled over from Turkey for a Scottish Wedding at the stunning Blairquhan Castle . The hospitality shown there is second to none, and Jim who was in charge of the event even took time to give lessons in Scottish dancing which the guests tried out with enthusiasm. The photographs were done by Karen Grier We were also treated to a surprise short exhibition of Scottish Country Dances by 3 local girls. A truly enjoyable day.

I took it as a tribute to Karen and myself to learn that Raul is a Professor lecturing in "Analysis of consumer characteristics which influence the determinants of buying decisions by the logistic regression model" Smart people make smart choices

Jane & Aaron at Sanquhar and Friars Carse

2011-08-09T07:20:00.000-07:00

It was nice to return to Sanquhar and meet a few old friends before heading down to the beautiful Friars Carse for the reception.

Lisa & Barry at the Gailes

2011-08-04T06:18:00.000-07:00

A great day at the Gailes in Irvine with John Keachie putting a lovely photoshoot together. Barry and Lisa were great fun and we had lots of laughs and many pleasing images.

Lisa & Kenny Fitzpatrick at Brisbane House Largs

2011-07-28T07:38:00.000-07:00

We were at the Brisbane House Hotel in Largs again. It has been one of our most popular venues this year. The wedding co-ordinator Liz ensures that things run smoothly and makes it look effortless. A smashing couple to work with. Their 2 children, Erin & Niamh were a delight, very photogenic and enjoyed getting their pictures taken. It was good to be working with John & Linda Keachie again and they put together an interesting and varied photoshoot both before and after the service, making my job so much easier.

Kirsty & Brian at Enterkine House 23rd July 2011

2011-07-25T10:20:00.000-07:00

Another sunny day with not a cloud in the sky at Enterkine House where the service took place outside with Douglas Cattanach doing the photos. One of the good things that can happen when the Bride gets ready within the hotel is that we get to capture some of the preparations and have a bit of fun.

Siobhann & Stuart at the Gailes

2011-07-22T09:18:00.000-07:00

A lovely warm day at the Gailes in Irvine with Craig and Eva Sanders doing the photography. Lots of clouds but they never seemed to be in the right place giving a very harsh light for filming in. David Cameron from the Laigh Kirk in Kilmarnock conducted the service and the vows were very emotional. Both families were very friendly. It turned out that I had filmed Siobhann's brothers wedding a few years back but but I did not recognise him at all.

Kevin & Stacey's wedding 15th July 2011

2011-07-19T07:32:00.000-07:00

We travelled up to Clydebank to St. Mary's Chapel in Duntocher then on to the Beardmore Hotel. Both venues were lovely and I would certainly hope to go back if I were given the opportunity. Father Joe Mills was a delight. We had met Stacey's family before at various weddings and when we filmed her Brothers wedding some 3 years back, they were a pleasure to be around.

Lynsey & James McIlwraith at Brisbane House Hotel Largs

2011-07-12T07:46:00.000-07:00

Wow - we got some spectacular shots on the seafront at Largs thanks to Craig and Eva Sanders Photography and I was spoiled for choice as to what to show here. When it came to the first dance the couple were upstaged by their 2 year old son Ashton and 3 year old flower girl Darcie who took to the floor unannounced to dance together.

Gemma & David Brodie at Urr Valley Hotel Castle Douglas

2011-07-07T05:18:00.000-07:00

Gemma and David got married outside in the grounds of the Urr Valley Hotel on a sweltering hot day. I lived down in Sanquhar for a few years and it was since to hear that Dumfrieshire accent again. David is a keen Golfer and spent some time in the United States improving his game. Two of the friends that he made over there travelled over to assist with the Ushering.

Lynsey & Shawn Dean at the Piersland House Hotel

2011-07-01T02:18:00.000-07:00

I wish every wedding could be like this one. A warm overcast day with only a couple of light showers made the process of taking pictures very easy. A great photographer in Karen Grier,(we have a package deal in conjunction with Karen) one of the best Ministers in David Ness and the Piersland itself has never looked better, inside and out. The most important factor though was the people themselves. We had 3 previous wedding couples there and I felt very much at home. At one point the Bridesmaids were jumping off tables ( i never found out what they were drinking!!??) We made a short journey to the beach and the wind surfing kites added to the vista.

Elaine and Neil McKay

2011-06-28T02:16:00.000-07:00

Elaine and Neil got married at the Burns Monument Centre in Kay Park Kilmarnock in the beautiful marriage suite. With 10 minutes to go before the due time only 4 guests and the Piper had arrived, then came the Bridesmaids and of course the Bus full of guests at the same time. It had been held up with roadworks on the byepass. The Bride was next to arrive and she looked stunning. What about the Groom you ask - well more transport woes--- the wedding cars could not find his house but a neighbour saved the day by bringing his group to the venue.

from then on the day got better and better. Neil had chosen the Royal Stewart Tartan and it looked great in the photographs. We did a lot of work in the grounds at Kay Park and then off to Dean Castle with the Bridal Party where we had a few light showers. Both families were lovely and a delight to work for.

I almost forgot to say that the photography was done by John McDill of Ayr

Karly & Frazer Sharpe at the Savoy Park Hotel Ayr

2011-06-23T02:07:00.000-07:00

Karly and her Bridesmaids arrived 10 minutes early which gave us the luxury of spending the time gathering all the arrival shots that we wanted without holding things up. Karen Grier did the photography and as always took great care with the positioning of the beautiful dress ,so as to protect it from the wet ground. The Savoy Park managed the event with seemingly effortless efficiency and we managed to get most of the photoshoot done in the Hotel's own grounds in between the showers.

Fiona & Gareth at St. Peter's in Chains and Moorpark House Kilbirnie

2011-06-16T06:49:00.000-07:00

We had a really mixed day with bright sunshine , overcast skies then a downpour that left us working inside at Moorpark House. There were lots of kids at the wedding and Fiona & Gareth had laid on jars of sweets and lollypops for them. A really nice couple and you could see the love in their eyes as they made their vows. The transport was provided by Classic Scottish Wedding Cars.

Jaclyn and Joe at Brisbane House Hotel Largs

2011-06-07T06:23:00.000-07:00

The Brisbane House Hotel in Largs is proving to be very popular this year for us. It was a blustery day and John McDill Photography arranged for us to go to Douglas Park for part of the photoshoot.

Kirsty and Ryan at Moorpark House Kilbirnie

2011-06-03T03:30:00.000-07:00

There was a bit of a panic over the Bride's shoes and Royal Mail arrived in the nick of time with a replacement pair. Karl Double did the stills photography and I must give him credit for coming up with many original ideas. It was one of those Scottish summer days when only the smokers ventured outside but we did get some fun shots. Moorpark are carring out some improvements at the side of the hotel which when finished will create a whole new area for photo opportunities.

Women with moustaches !!!!!!

2011-06-03T03:05:00.000-07:00

We had a bit of fun at a wedding in Moorpark House Kilbirnie when the Bride arranged a dress up photoshoot for the guests. Is it just me or do some of these girls look strangely attractive?

Alanna & Andrew 28th May 2011

2011-05-31T05:34:00.000-07:00

Probably the best day of the week weatherwise for a wedding at The Savoy Park in Ayr.
Alanna had 6 Bridesmaids and 5 Ushers and being from Newcastle and Yorkshire they were out to have fun and enjoy themselves. I had a great time filming the day. These few video stills will give you an idea but you really need to see the moving footage to appreciate the mood.

Linda Buchan & Alan Grant at the Carlton Hotel Prestwick

2011-05-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

To say it was wet is an understatement, but it did not prevent everyone from enjoying themselves. It was also a pleasure to be working wth Karen Grier Photography again, and I was delighted to be able to capture the bedroom shots that she set up before the wedding. The Carlton is one of the better locations to be at when the weather is unkind. I think I must have been a bit of a pest at one stage as my wife Jane threatened to put the umbrella somewhere where it is not supposed to go! This did put a smile on the couples faces and after taking a quick sidestep ,I took advantage of their expressions. Linda, Alan and family were great to work with.

Claire Wilson & Peter Birrell 6th May at Lochside House Hotel

2011-05-13T11:55:00.000-07:00

Everyone seemed to be up for a good time and out to enjoy themselves at Lochside House Hotel. Both families were very welcoming and a joy to work with. John McDill provided the photographic expertise. The arrival of the Bridesmaids and Bride always seems to me to be one of the highlights of the day, and a section that everyone wants to watch on the DVD. The great thing with John McDill is that he treats it as important and I get time to capture all the shots that I would want in order to tell the story properly. As usual the weather was windy and this made it feel colder than it really was. We cut the photoshoot short and went inside to the fireplace to finish the job.

Police seek John Boyd of Creative Video Troon

2011-05-07T02:47:00.000-07:00

3 out of 4 of our last weddings have been for Police Officers seeking excellent pictures at value for money prices. How did they find us, was it their detective skills or was it our reputation that got us grassed up by previous customers. A spokeswoman for Mr Boyd said they certainly got the man they were looking for and the evidence was clear - John is addicted to producing high quality wedding DVD's.
You don't need to be a detective to be able to identify the best videographer, just put us in your line up and compare us against the rest.

Kirsty & Lee 30th April 2011 St Columba Ayr & Western House

2011-05-05T05:25:00.000-07:00

This is Kirsty the niece of the Rev. Fraser Aitken. It was the brightest day of the year, not a cloud in the sky, but with very dark shadows to contend with it meant that the best shots were taken inside. The bus managed to hold things up as it could not find the church and arrived after the Bride. No one had warned it not to go up the driveway at Western House and it got stuck twice trying to navigate the very sharp corners. The people were warm and friendly and all the speeches were very good as was the lively dancing.

Claire & Richard 24th April 2011 at Brisbane House Largs

2011-04-26T07:56:00.000-07:00

A nice mainly overcast day gave us excellent conditions for taking picturesat Brisbane House Hotel Largs. It was my first time working with Alan Williams photography and when we got away from the very busy front door at the Hotel, we got some nice work done. Claire and Richard were very good to work with as were the friends and family. I managed to get out of Largs without buying ice cream or chips (what self control)

Denise & David at Laigh Kirk then Lochside 15th April 2011

2011-04-19T06:06:00.000-07:00

It was a dry but bitterly cold day by the time we got to the Lochside House Hotel. We got many beautiful pictures and a lot of fun thanks to Dream Day Photography. The renovations at the Hotel had no impact on the day and the couple and their families were a joy to work with. The Day finished for us after the fireworks display. Click on the images if you want to view at a larger size.

I will be putting some more images from this wedding onto the featured weddings 2 page on my website

Karen Grier Photography & Creative Video Troon new package

2011-04-14T03:43:00.000-07:00

I am delighted to announce that Karen Grier has joined us in offering a combined Photographic/DVD package. It costs £1500 and consists of Karen's supreme package and a variant of my "Romance" service.This should provide you with all the quality and quantity of imaging that you would wish to have and compares very favourably with the packages offered by those "all in one suppliers"
By now most of you will already have made arrangements for your summer weddings so to get this offer up and running we have an even better deal -- if you are getting married between 1st October 2011 and 31st March 2012 then the price falls to £1350.

This is Professional Quality imaging at a price too good to let pass.

Prices are likely to rise a little next year but if you book now then your price will be as quoted above.

Morven McKinnon & John Paul O'Kane

2011-04-14T03:21:00.000-07:00

This is from the 9th April 2011 , the hottest day of the year so far. The couple got married in the very beautiful church at Alloway then onto the Brig o'Doon for the reception.

New - Photography & DVD packages

2011-04-11T02:22:00.000-07:00

Unlike most of the all in one suppliers that started out as videographers and then decided that they could take wedding photographs to professional standards. I have chosen the quality option by linking up with hand picked qualified, talented an experienced wedding photographers that work to very high standards. We have devised programs that should give you the content that you would wish to have and at a value for money price you can afford. The photographers that have already signed up are John Keachie and John McDill and we will hopefully also be taking Karen Grier on board.

Are Photographers waking up

2011-04-04T01:41:00.000-07:00

I see that Martin Mclachlan has teamed up with Danny Hart to create a combined package for Photos and DVD. This is an initiative that we started over 3 years ago and which to a large extent fell on deaf ears.

I am pleased to see that a Photographer has become so irritated at losing work to all in one suppliers, that they have realised that they can offer a combined Professional service that raises the bar in terms of quality imaging. Lets hope that it is not another 3 years before customers twig the obvious.

I wonder if I will get any phone calls from Photographers this week?

Footballers Jamie Smith & Chris Kirkland

2011-03-28T01:42:00.000-07:00

I found Jamie & Chris to be Gentlemen,very down to earth, polite and well mannered

Ayrshire Wedding Directory

2011-03-18T04:48:00.000-07:00

These video still images will be appearing against our listing in the Ayrshire Wedding Directory. They can be viewed in high definition. The Wedding was at House for an Art Lover. All the shots were set up by myself as the official photographer was busy taking candid shots

Kathryn & Kenneth 12th February 2011

2011-02-15T07:47:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed a beautiful winters day at Kirkoswald Church then onto the Brig o'Doon House Hotel for the reception. Robert Clark took the photographs and here are a few of my favourities from the video stills. Both families were very nice to work with and we also met some old friends from previous weddings. The low sun gave a warm glow to many of the images.

Winter Wedding Discount - November to February

2011-02-08T03:20:00.000-08:00

I am usually run off my feet for a large part of the year especially between April and October and the only way to increase business is to either put prices up or film more weddings in the winter months. It's the same great picture quality but with a discount.

Menzies Hotel Irvine wedding fair 20th February 2011

2011-02-04T03:03:00.000-08:00

We are at the Menzies Hotel - Its on the same day as Gailes have their event. If you are looking at the video exhibitors at Gailes and you think to yourself do I really want to pay a £1000 or more for my DVD then please nip along the road and see the quality and standards that we work to. I guarantee the picture quality will be at least as good if not better and at a substantially more attractive price. We are VOWS awards finalists (Voted Outstanding Wedding Supplier) and that means happy customers and lots of them

Commercial Job

2011-02-04T02:43:00.000-08:00

I had a really interesting experience this week filming some product launches and training sessions. We have some world beating companies producing cutting edge products that are environmentally friendly. The best story was about a company that made so much money that they paid a Million pounds a month in pollution fines for 5 years before legislation forced them to change and find a solution that was available for all of that time-- incredible. The next time you read about an MRSA outbreak -- be aware that there are cost effective solutions to clear it up or prevent it from happening in the first place. It does not involve an army of cleaners and it is just intransigence about changing systems in the NHS that prevents new innovative solutions being used.

The "Dream Team" at work

2011-01-10T07:43:00.000-08:00

The "Dream Team" is the way that Grant McKelvie of Dreamday Photography describes it when working with us.. This was Mairi Timmons and Steven Kirklands wedding from 30th December 2010. It was one of the best December days weather wise and we even managed down onto the beach for some shots. Mairi was well prepared having brought a pair of colourful wellingtons. As usual with Grant and Elaine there was lots of fun and laughter to brighten the day. I was spoiled for choice as to what images to show here. The Reception was at Gailes.

Julie and Martyn 28th December 2010

2011-01-07T05:25:00.000-08:00

Julie & Martyn got married at Castlehill Church in Ayr then onto the Brig o'Doon Hotel for the reception. The river still had some ice on it to make a nice backdrop for the few shots that we got outside before the rain came on. Karen Grier did the photography. I have chosen to show some images that show the strength of video in capturing natural looking close ups but I could not pass up the opportunity to show one of Karen's group shots.