So long, and thanks for all the smiles !

Hi all ...

Well, I can't believe it has been so long since I posted. Doesn't time fly when you are busy busy !

So, what's been happening here at Gill Taylor Photography - lots of enquiries coming through so people must definitely be thinking of romance and marriage - even in the middle of all this stormy weather !!! Then of course I had my leaving do from my previous employment (photos to follow) and launching a new range of wedding and portrait albums !

Phew !

So - a post about my leaving do seems appropriate ...

We met up in Wolverhampton mid week, so it wasn't a particularly late one - late enough, mind !!!

This was our meeting point ...

John and I arrived early - we went through that phase you do when you think "is anyone else coming? did they not like me???" LOL - so I treated myself to a bottle of pink champagne and settled in for the long haul ... Here's a closeup of that champagne, just in case you like that sort of thing ...I soon cheared up when my ex-colleagues started to arrive ... john isn't getting too bad at this old photography lark - ha ha ha ...

Speaking of which - here he is - Hubby Johnny !!! :)I think I took Ian by surprise :)

These are our good friends, Adam and Marie - I think I have mentioned them before, but sans Marie - it was great to see them out - their little boy just turned 2 and hard to leave as he is such a munchkin and so I felt very privileged they used up some baby-sitting points for little old me !!! :)

Marie decided to make the most of the situation and ordered a pitcher of "sex on the beach" !! Yowser !

Still, she and my friend Linda seemed to enjoy it !!!

This is our good friend Andy, enjoying a joke and a pint - I love the laughter in his eyes in this one !!!I love this one of Brett - it looks like a great headshot until you notice that it looks like the guy behind looks like he's going to punch him ... talk about bad positioning and timing !!!
I've introduced you to Ross and Jacqui before ... but here they are again :) We all walked over to the hotel some of the guys were staying at and on route we discovered a building with clothes on !! What's that all about :)

Well, that's another chapter of my life over ... on to the next ...

I look forward to catching up with my old colleagues soon :)

Gill x

Steph & Lee's Wedding

I first met with Lee and Stephanie last year - we soon discovered we were all cat crazy and, after many discussions about our beloved kittens, we finally got around to discussing their wedding photography !

Steph decided to get ready at the Hilton in Bromsgrove - the morning started with a nightmare visit to the hairdressers for Steph and all her girls, including her Mum - when I arrived Steph was on her own - but glad of the peace and my calming presence for a while :)

We then headed off to the church - a beautiful old catcolic church in Birmingham - for the service, before finally heading to Steph's father's home where a marquee had been merged with the back of the house - very beautiful !

Here is a small selection of the images from the day ...

Gill x

Memories and moving on ...

Hi friends ... Well, I recently made a decision to move on from my day job - I think this was probably one of the most difficult decisions I have ever had to make ... but now that the news is out officially I thought I would blog about it.

I worked for my company for 10 years and so you can imagine how much of a shock to the system it all is, for me, for my colleagues and for my cats who now have me at home all day LOL
So, in true photographer fashion, I rummaged through my many files and came up with a few favourites - there are so many more that I could have chosen - 10 years worth !

In no particular order ... just to indulge my memories ...

I can't remember which project kickoff this one was, but it was definitely in the Novotel in Wolverhampton ...

Eric being attacked by a massive head of hair !! I first worked with Eric when I was a rep in Scotland so he is definitely one of the Old Skool !

Andy (I think a few drinks in LOL). The first time I met Andy he was telling me off for changing data as the project team were trying to test the new systems - he soon forgave me and we worked together for around 9 years.
Alasdair in his usual stance - find a nice chair, grab a bottle of beer, and ... relax !
This is Sarah ... she was my number 2 in the office and she cried when I told her I was leaving - that was really sweet !
Whilst Maggie technically doesn't work for the company (she is a consultant) she seemed to be part of the furniture for a while and so needed a mention. We have had many nights out (and in) over the past year or so ...

This is one of my favourite office images - Simon has obviously received a very interesting e-mail :)
This is Ginge Mange a l'orange !!! Or Stevie, to anyone else. I worked for Stevie in Scotland when I first made the move from sales to IT - fun times !
Rob has left the company too (earlier this year) but he needed a mention as he has been a close friend for around 7 years (and still is) - we don't get to see each other much these days as he lives so far away now, but we still try to keep in touch - he's sitting at my desk here, more than likely fixing something I broke - ha ha !
Pete next ... no idea what on earth he is doing here but I think beer had a lot to do with it ! Pete was actually my husband's best man - 4 years ago almost ! - and he and his wife are regular visitors to our house - with lots of nights out thrown in for good measure !
Another deserter ... Max made good his escape last year and now works closer to home and his family in the North East ! This was taken in a London hotel - we were all working on yet another project at the time ...
Same project, same hotel, this is Helen (wow, these are really bringing back the memories ! We all headed out to covent garden for a beautiful italian meal, then after the umpteenth bottle of wine we all decided it would be a wonderful idea to go on the London Eye - sheesh - thank goodness it was closed - I'm terrified of heights !!!!This motley crew is our helpdesk - as at November 2005 ! It has changed somewhat (hasn't everything LOL) but I wanted to post a reminder ...
I was messing around with Mike CC's Nikon in the office one day and managed to catch a candid of Ian in mid-speech ...
I was actually surrounded by people who are camera mad - which is really cool cos you can talk photography while in the office - this is Nick playing around with his new Canon !
The view from my desk - and Jason heading out ...
Another photography geek (the one facing me) is Tim - he usually works up in Derbyshire but was down with us for a meeting ...

Adam ... one of our web guys - he has also become a good friend over the last couple of years - in fact, he and his wife are popping over this weekend to see us. Adam's wife has started her own business (quick plug for her) - go visit http://www.simplysensual.co.uk/ - beautiful lingerie awaits !
Donald eating his own hand ... actually, we were talking cameras again - Donald is a Pentax user !
Another of our web designers taking a peek from behind his screen :)
I hope, if any of you guys see these, that they bring back as many memories for you as they did for me ... I had 10 wonderful years with you lot scattered along the way ...

Keep in touch now !!!

Gill x