Double award winners at the Colchester District Business Awards 2009! Rob Sambrook Photography scooped up two awards on the night, ‘New Company’ and highly commended for ‘Excellent Customer Service’. Rob and Wendy want to thank all their clients for their continued support. Rob Sambrook Photography cover all aspects of social photography including portraits, weddings and events, as well as commercial/pr photography. Rob Sambrook
Photography also provide fresh, fun and contemporary images to a large number of schools/nurseries in and around Essex. Feel free to visit their site at www.robsambrookphotography.com for more details.

To celebrate the new year Rob Sambrook Photography are offering Colchester Blog readers 10% off their PR full day rate for work carried out in either February or March 2010. To make a booking simply contact Wendy on 01206 766323 or email wendy@robsambrookphotography.com.

Make your business stand out this year!
rob sambrook photography

Did you know Essex County Council tweets, blogs and Facebooks?

Did you know Essex County Council webcasts many of its council meetings and scrutiny committees, as well as having a YouTube site?

All this online activity is now being fused in a single community portal which has you, the Essex Citizen, at its heart.  If you blog about Essex or have a facebook group which concerns local issues we would love for you to take part in this project.  Simply contact vth@essex.gov.uk and we can make the space your own.  EssexVoice is designed to be a community space, alive with local issues, events, photographs and discussions.

Essex County Council is launching an innovative new site and we want you all to be part of it.  The EssexVoice site is going live in January and this online community space is built by us for you.

If talking about Essex inspires you get involved in the formal decision making process simply follow the links to the Engage Essex webpage to take part in consultations going on in your area.

Online democracy could not be simpler.

In January 2010 I’m going to start a new club – a club for bloggers, called the “Blog Owners Club”.  The purpose of the club will be to help people create their own  successful blog(s).  Some people will want to use their blog to create an additional income stream, others will want to use their blog to make their business, club, charity etc. more successful.  I am creating this club for people who want to:

• create their own successful blogs
• learn how to get the most out of blogging technologies
• learn how to improve their copywriting skills
• collaborate with others actively creating their own successful blogs

Who can join? Well, anyone who wants to make their blog successful and are able to attend a monthly meeting.  The club is suitable for business owners, club owners and individuals.   You need to have the desire to create a successful blog, therefore you need to actually own a blog.  You do not need to be a technology expert or an internet marketing guru!  You also need to be over eighteen years of age and not in full time education.

What should your blog be about? Your blog can be about almost anything!  It can be for-profit or not-for-profit.  It can be used to promote your business, club, charity, hobby or it can be used to create a regular additional income stream.  The purpose of the club is to help you make your blog successful, but you define what “success” means.  Together, we will measure your success over time, so you will need a clear picture of what you are trying to achieve with your blog.

How much will it cost to join?  The club will be not-for-profit – the club running costs will be shared between the members, which are expected to be minimal.

How many people can join?– I am limiting the initial number of places to just 10.  Each member needs to commit themselves to a monthly meeting and agree to invest enough time into their blog to help make it successful.

What can you expect to get out of the club?  Well, for one thing,  you will meet up with other people who are also trying to create and manage a successful blog.  You will learn from the other members, collaborate, understand their techniques, successes and failures.  For those members promoting locally there will also be some additional marketing opportunities made available.

Will there be a structure to the meetings?   Each meeting/month will be themed on a key aspect of creating and managing a successful blog.  This gives something for members to concentrate on a month by month basis.  Also, various key bits of information will be recorded, helping show the process of the members blogs.

How much time will be involved?  The meetings will be approximately 2 hours each month.  There is no minimum or maximum amount of time you need to put into your blog, although the more time you spend will dramatically increase the likelihood of success.

Where will the meetings be held?  They will be  held in Colchester, Essex – so members must be able to travel to Colchester once a month.  People will only be accepted if they can regularly attend the meetings.

What makes me qualified to run such a club?  Well, I am a professional developer with 1000’s of hours invested in various blogging technologies.  So I understand how the technology works.  I also like to study various internet marketing techniques which help to make blogs, and websites in general, successful.  I want to create a club which has face to face meetings because I want to share and collaborate with other people in the local area who also want to create a successful blog / website.

How do you join?  To join, please send me an email (colchesterblog@gmail.com) and tell me about your blog, its purpose and what you want to achieve with it.  Membership will be on a first come first served basis. 

Please feel free to email me with any questions, or add your questions in the comments box below.

I was hoping to find a single website that listed just about every event – but there doesn’t appear to be one.  So, here are my top ten websites that list different events in the Colchester / Essex area. 

1. Colchester Arts Centre
2. Visit Colchester
3. Colchester Stadium
4. Swinburne Hall (Colchester Institute)
5. Colchester Gazette Events
6. Charter Hall
7. The Twist
8. Colchester Zoo
9. Enjoy England
10. Gumtree

Feel free to add to this list in the Comments section below.

Essex Wedding Photographers – Andy Roshay has been working in the photographic and film field for over 20 years. He started his career as an assistant to American Fashion Photographer Evan Herd in the early 1980’s and worked on assignments for Tattler, The Sunday Times, Clothes Show Magazine and Vogue.

After this Andy studied photography and multimedia at the University of Westminster where he gained a Honors Degree in Photography. During this time Andy became increasingly interested in social documentary and travelled widely in America, Russia and Central America photographing people’s lives during the Gulf War, the Guatemalan Guerrilla uprising and the break up of the Soviet Union.

On returning to the UK Andy taught photography for six years before returning to University to study for an MA in Arts Management, on completing this course Andy was appointed as Photography Manager at Norwich Arts Centre. This was a great opportunity for me to work with a large number of photographers in curating exhibitions and developing educational projects.

In 2007 Andy established Roshay Photography a company who provide unique and creative wedding photography. Roshay photography combines Andy’s skills as a Fashion and Reportage photographer to produce images which have a timeless feel.

My main aim in documenting a wedding day is to enable the Bride and Groom to concentrate on having a great time while I discreetly document the enjoyment and emotions as it unfolds. I do of course take the Bride and Groom away for a while to capture some portraits during the day.

Being a wedding photographer today is far removed from the wedding photographers role of the past. With digital technology we can now work much faster and discreetly and the final results look fantastic. Modern albums enable me to produce a story of the day rather than those staged shots of yesteryear.

I love my job: it is a real privilege to be invited to document somebody’s wedding day and when the honeymoon is over and things return to normal there is no better feeling than seeing my clients faces as they look through their wedding book for the first time.

If you are planning your wedding and would like to view my work and discuss your requirements please do get in touch and as a special promotion in association with ColchesterBlog.co.uk we are offering an additional £100 discount voucher towards the cost of your package.

Roshay Photography is based in Colchester and covers weddings throughout the UK.

Please e-mail me or give me a call for a full information pack on your wedding photography

Hamilton Studio
32 Hamilton Road
Colchester
Essex
CO3 3DZ

Website: http://www.roshayphotography.co.uk
Tel: 01206501400
Mobile: 07807 555570

Rob Sambrook Photography is simply myself and my partner Wendy. I have been a photographer for over 20 years and our aim is to provide a personal, creative and professional service to all our clients. We are delighted to say that we have been nominated as finalists in this years Colchester District Business Awards in not one but two categories namely ‘New Company’ and ‘Excellent Customer Service’. If you haven’t heard of rob sambrook photography before now we are based in Colchester Essex and cover all aspects of social photography including portraits, weddings and events. We also cover commercial/pr photography and are proud to continue working as Colchester United football team’s official photographer at a very exciting time for the club. Finally we provide fresh, fun and contemporary images to a large number of schools/nurseries in and around Essex.

Portraits

Whether it be a fantastic lifestyle portrait session or a studio style sitting in the comfort of your own home, rest assured rob sambrook photography will capture some beautiful and natural images of you and your loved ones.

For those that may be unfamiliar with lifestyle photography, it simply means you are taken out of the confines of a studio and back into your familiar surroundings. No backdrops or studio lights are used, just natural light and the great outdoors. A typical shoot would last a morning or afternoon and would start at your home and then move onto a nearby location to continue shooting, it really is quite an experience! By working outdoors the service is very flexible, in that a shoot can take place in a variety of locations depending on the style you wish to capture. Examples of venues could be a nearby country park, a beach, an urban/modern setting or somewhere you visit regularly as a family. There are no restrictions on who the shoot is for, it can be for a whole family, just the kids, or perhaps a mum who fancies treating herself to her very own photo shoot.

Alongside the lifestyle service rob sambrook photography also offer a studio style session for the more budget conscious client. I will come to your home with my mobile studio and spend approximately an hour photographing you and your family. The result will be a great collection of modern, fresh studio style images.

On offer as well is a more urban/magazine style photo shoot, which appeals equally to the guys as well as the girls. Any Mums and Dads out there not sure what to buy their teenagers? If you are looking for an original birthday or graduation gift why not consider commissioning rob sambrook photography for a teenage photo shoot.

Weddings

Our style is unobtrusive and observational. Most of our clients look for a candid/reportage style of photography, basically meaning the finished images look natural, unposed and relaxed. Key group shots will be covered but kept to a minimum. By keeping formal groups to a minimum I can focus my attention on shooting events as they unfold throughout the day resulting in a fantastic collection of images.

In our experience every wedding client is unique and each have their own particular vision of their perfect day. This is the main reason we enjoy covering weddings, allowing us to work closely with the bride and groom from the initial consultation, on to the pre wedding shoot and through to the wedding day itself.

The informal pre wedding shoot takes place probably a couple of months before your wedding at a location here in Colchester. It usually takes no more than an hour and it gives you the chance to work with Rob and get to know him a bit better before your big day. These images will then be uploaded to your private online gallery until your wedding day. You will also receive with our compliments a beautiful sign board to display at your wedding reception.

New for 2009 – Cherish the dress!

Ever wished you had a good reason to wear your wedding dress again? Well here it is! We are now offering our brides for the first time a ‘Cherish the Dress’ photo shoot. This fabulous photo shoot can be taken up to six months after the wedding. Why not book it for soon after your honeymoon as a special treat to yourself and keep that wedding feeling truly alive! It is a 2 hour shoot out on location where you and your dress are the main attraction. The package includes a complimentary print of your choice with the option to purchase further prints. A copyright free disc of all the images is also available to purchase.

To summarise, we do cover a wide range of photography so for example if you are a nursery or primary school wanting to embrace a fresh, fun and contemporary new style of photography then why not give us a call today. This style is proving incredibly popular as an alternative to the more traditional school photos from years gone by.

Where our social photography is concerned if you are getting married, or you are a family looking to have a portrait session, or a charity organising an event, we have everything covered.

Finally for commercial work, it could be studio style business portraits, a school needing fresh images for their prospectus, or a company wanting photos for marketing or press purposes. Give us your brief and we will deliver!

All that is left to say is please feel free to visit our site at www.robsambrookphotography.com for more of an insight into our style and the services on offer. Be sure to visit our blog which features selected images from our latest shoots

We love what we do and hope you enjoy our work.

Call us today for more information or to make a booking. We look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Rob and Wendy

www.robsambrookphotography.com
rob@robsambrookphotography.com
office: 01206 766323
mob: 07810 352888

We are Craig and Kate Williams international wedding and lifestyle photographers based in Colchester, Essex. We love summer days, good wine, long naps, cool couples, dancing and warm light.

What we do

Kate and Craig’s main aim is to capture a moment or a story perfectly, resulting in images, which will become treasures for years to come.

Getting to know each other is vital, providing a relaxed and friendly environment in which to work together, making it easy for individuals to be themselves and comfortable.

The style is fresh, funky, colourful, intimate and relaxed. The aim is simple. Striving to ensure that your images reflect a time in your lives that could be missed in the blink of an eye.

Weddings

Essex wedding photographers Kate and Craig completely appreciate that your wedding is one of the most special days of your life and it is important that every detail and each wonderful moment is captured ensuring that the memories of your magical day will last a lifetime.

Priding themselves on delivering a high quality product Craig Williams photography also work closely with New Zealand album company Queensberry.

Kate and Craig are with you on your wedding day for as long as you need them, they would hate for you to be worrying about when they are going and if your time is running out. Kate and Craig want to be there so they can capture every detail every moment as it unfolds so their couples can relax and enjoy their day.

Craig Williams Photography offer a pre wed shoot which contributes to you being more at ease with Kate and Craig in front of the camera on your wedding day. By having a pre- wed shoot you understand how Kate and Craig work, they also get an insight to what you like and don’t like when having your picture taken.

They will find a nearby location for your pre – wed shoot, taking time to capture a series of relaxed and informal images of you together as a couple and individually. The images will be really fun and funky, Kate and Craig will make you feel really relaxed and you will actually like having your picture taken by the end of the shoot!

Approximately 1 week later you can view the pre wedding images as a slide show. You will also have the chance to buy a ’sign board’ – something very popular with a lot of our clients – an image taken on your pre wed shoot mounted with space for your family and friends to leave their own personal message on the day. This is a great alternative to a guest book, you can also hang it on your wall so you will always have your beautiful image and loving comments for you to see.

Lifestyle

Craig Williams lifestyle Photography is purely based on capturing the true essence of a person.

Essex photographers Kate and Craig want the portrait to give an insight to the soul and personality of an individual. Lifestyle sessions are designed to be fun, creative and shot with a sense of freedom for example the best shots are taken when children can be themselves allowing their individuality to shine through.

Web: www.craigwilliamsphotography.com
Office: 01206 520396
Info: info@craigwilliamsphotography.com
Blog: www.williamsphotographyblog.com

Colchester Leisure World is one of East Anglia’s largest sports, leisure and entertainment venues. With lots of water based fun, great holiday programmes, a health and fitness centre, a spa and so much more – there really is something for everyone!

With its iconic 13 metre flumes, the Leisure Pool provides 176,000 gallons of water based fun that all the family will love. Enjoy tipping buckets, the outside rapids ride, water fountains and cannons, a seahorse squirter, plus waves, waterfalls and much more.

For fitness swimmers, the newly refurbished Fitness Pool is a must! The 25 metre competition standard Fitness Pool is the perfect way to keep fit, and for absolute beginners and children there is a special Teaching Pool. If you want to learn to swim or improve your skills why not enrol in Colchester Leisure World’s swim school? Lessons are available for customers of all abilities, so why not give them a try? Lessons take place at various times throughout the day and are taught by fully qualified ASA teachers. Don’t delay, learn today!

Colchester Leisure World is also equipped with squash courts, outdoor football pitches and sports halls where you can enjoy badminton and table tennis. Why not consider joining the running club or take part in a trampolining or archery course too?

The Activa health and fitness centre at Colchester Leisure World offers you up-to-the minute fitness equipment combined with a pleasant environment, as well as support and encouragement from a team of friendly fitness professionals. Activa is open 7 days a week, so fits into your life perfectly, offering you an effective approach to exercise. In addition to the well equipped gym there are also a variety of Activa aerobics classes that can be enjoyed throughout the week. From yoga and Pilates, to line dancing and spinning, there is plenty on offer for you to choose from.

Why not soothe, relax and revitalise yourself in Aqua Springs – a unique Mediterranean themed day spa? Making time for yourself can be a challenge but at Aqua Springs a team of dedicated staff can help provide you with a complete environment of rest and relaxation. By paying a visit to Aqua Springs you can enjoy a spa pool, hydrotherapy spas, a steam room, saunas, a cool pool and ice cold plunge – as well as a host of therapy treatments.

Throughout the year Colchester Leisure World also offers a bumper programme of activities for children and teenagers in the school holidays, which is guaranteed to alleviate those cries of boredom! Every school holiday there really is plenty on offer from sports and craft and art based activities, to archery, circus skills and trampolining. The holiday programme varies throughout the year so there is always something different and interesting to enjoy each time.

Every school holiday there is also Kids Camp, for children aged 5-11, and Base Camp for young people aged 12-15. These special camps offer a full day of varied activities and lunch – making them ideal for working parents. Kids Camp participants can enjoy swimming, arts and crafts, a bouncy castle and much more. Those enjoying Base Camp can take part in swimming, day trips out and exciting activities such as archery and karate.

If you want to make the most of all the facilities at Colchester Leisure World, then why not consider joining as a Lifestyles Member? The Lifestyles membership options have been designed to offer you flexibility and value for money. Whatever your preferences for activities, reasons for exercising, age, ability, availability or budget there is an option to fit your lifestyle.

To find out more about the facilities, activities and memberships at Colchester Leisure World call 01206 282000, visit www.colchesterleisureworld.co.uk or drop in for yourself at Colchester Leisure World, Cowdray Avenue, Colchester, CO1 1YH.

Colchester Leisure World is operated by Colchester Borough Council’s Sport and Leisure Service.

Storm Photography of Marks Tey, Colchester, Essex.

Photographers, Mandy & Tony Bramley ABIPP run one of the most successful and instantly recognised wedding photography businesses in Essex. Specialising in modern wedding photography as well as high quality classically posed wedding photography.

With so many poor photographers around how do you go about choosing a person you can trust?

Is the photographer professionally qualified? Look for the letters LBIPP, ABIPP or FBIPP after the photographer’s name. These are indications of BIPP qualifications.   Each level reflects an increasing level of experience, skill and achievement.

What style of photographs are you looking for? There are many different styles of photograph so it is important to work out what type of photographs you would like.  For example, would you prefer a more relaxed reportage style or a more formal approach or a mixture?  Colour or black and white?  Modern or classic?   Take along some examples of photograph styles you like.

Do you like the photographer’s portfolios? Have a look at a selection of the photographer’s work.

Do you like the photographer? It is important to feel comfortable around your photographer as he or she will be sharing one of the most important days of your life and you naturally respond better to someone you like.

Does the photographer have Professional Indemnity insurance cover?

Check the photographer has taken out insurance to protect against problems.

Once you have chosen your photographer, it makes sense to follow the steps below:

• Take time to discuss your requirements in detail so that you both know exactly what you want.  Ensure you receive written terms and conditions of business before parting with any money as a booking fee.   Ask the photographer if any cancellation charges apply
• Check that the photographer you meet will be the same one who does the work on the day

Storm Photographys gallery can be seen via the following website www.stormphotography.co.uk

Our first November charity article is for St Helena Hospice:

St Helena Hospice is open 24 hours a day 365 days a year and provides specialist palliative care to those in need throughout our region.

St Helena Hospice is here:

• to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of people with a life limiting-illness, no matter what their diagnosis
• to support families, including children, before and after bereavement
• to serve the adult population of North East Essex and parts of Mid Essex
• to support people from every background and faith who need our services
• to work closely with other agencies and individuals involved in the care and support of patients and families, such as GPs, District Nurses and hospital teams.

Hospices believe that good care and support can make all the difference to the quality of life of people with a life-limiting illness. We may be able to help at any stage of the illness and many of our patients dip in and out of our services as they feel they need us.

Who is the Hospice for?

It is for anyone who has been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness and all services are free to patients and their families.

St Helena Hospice is available to anyone aged 18+ who needs specialist palliative services for care and support.

We also support children and families pre- and post bereavement.

What services are available?

We provide physical, emotional, social and spiritual support and advice through our team of specialists. These include nurses, social workers, counsellors, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, complementary therapists, art and music therapists, bereavement visitors, doctors and specialist palliative care nurses.

The Hospice team can support you in your home, through our two day centres at Colchester and Clacton or through a stay in our inpatient unit in Colchester. Our team will work with you, your family and other carers to ensure you have the best quality of life possible.

We have hospice at home services operating within the Colchester and Tendring areas which can support a patient up to 24 hours a day at the end of life by providing care in the home, enabling people to have more choice over where they die.

How do I get referred to the Hospice?

Most of our referrals come through the GPs, district nurses or the hospital, however, patients can refer themselves through phoning, writing or emailing St Helena Hospice. Family, friends or relatives can also make a referral with the permission of the patient. All referrals are considered daily and, if appropriate, an assessment will be offered.

When should I make contact?

The earlier the better after a diagnosis. So many patients and families say to us “If only I’d known about this sooner!” Traditionally, hospices have been thought of as a ‘place to die’, but our focus is on helping people live as active and as normal a life as possible. We have a patient information pack which is written by our User Group or you might like to visit our website at www.sthelenahospice.org.uk to explore what we can offer.

How is the Hospice funded?

All our services are free to patients and their families. As a registered charity, we have to rely on the generosity of our community to provide financial support for the work to continue.
Funding comes from a range of sources including; legacies, funds raised by Hospice shops, events, the St Helena Hospice Lottery, donations from individuals as well as local businesses and support provided by grant making bodies. The Hospice is not part of the NHS but does receive a grant from the local primary care trust (PCT), which contributes towards some of the services provided to the community.

Additional Information

To learn more about the work of St Helena Hospice including opportunities to volunteer or donate to support their work, please visit the website at www.sthelenahospice.org.uk or telephone 01206 791740.