Stylish Living.

Is the title of our latest published work in the April 2013 issue of Ireland’s Homes Interiors & Living magazine…

.. on pages 82 to 95 – featuring Jane McKenna’s penthouse appartment in south Belfast on the banks of the river Lagan.

“The owner of this penthouse apartment turned a day-dream into reality when Anne bought this beautiful water-fornt home in south Belfast. Working in Belfast she’d often spent lunch hours walking by the banks of the river Lagan nearby, an integral part of city life in this area.”

So way to go Anne, for not only making your dream come true here…

.. but for also making it into this beautifully printed magazine as well.

Because that now makes it three – as the 1st was in the August 2007 issue of BBC Good Homes magazine…

.. on pages 64 to 69 – and the 2nd was in the November 2007 issue of Northern Ireland Homes & Lifestyle magazine…

.. on pages 58 to 66.

So Stylish Living indeed, from Marie, Mandi & me @ ampimage.com

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All kinds of everything…

.. is what day 4 was about…

.. as we shoot the last of the smaller items and a few banner type images too…

..in two different areas of the house.

So it was a mixed bag of single item close-up shots, like this Glass cake dome…

.. or this Flower box…

or this Farmers Market bucket..

.. all of which needed to be shot square – and then overall group shots, which will be cropped like so…

.. to fit a 2×1 landscape format – with not one single cushion in sight !!

But don’t panic, we will be shooting up in the bedrooms next, so no doubt there will be a load more cushions to shoot… before we are done 🙂

Anyway, loads of good stuff – and as the setting for these sort of items was perfect, it meant we were, therefore, able to produce a lot of images today – to stay well within our time frame.

More to follow…

From Marie & me.
ampimage.

Cushions, Cushions, Cushions.

Yes, day 3 was like a cushion extravaganza…



.. so needles to say Marie was in 2nd heaven, as she does love her cushions.

It’s a female thing for sure – so while us blokes will be talking about B&W speakers or the latest super High-definition Sony TV, they will be talking about their cushions 🙂

Anyway, it was cushions…

.. cushions…

.. cushions…

.. for the most part on day three; however, we did manage to shoot a few other items too, like these great cases…

.. plus all the items on this display table…

.. plus… oh I think there may also have been a few more cushions that we missed 🙂

Roll on day 4 – because I’m cushioned out – but needless to say, Marie’s in heaven and loving every minute of it.

All sorts of stuff.

Well, Marie was up bright & early…

.. to create another banner type image, which included some of the items we where going to be shooting today…

.. against two lovely windows – which we both felt worked very well as a backdrop.

So lots of single item shots produced here, as well as some more of Stuart’s paintings, like this one…

.. which made us both smile or this one…

.. of the wee white rabbit, which I reckon Marie will not want to part with 🙂

Anyway, it was a day for shooting all sorts of stuff, which included things like these flowers…

.. to things like this colourful table lamp…

.. as Marie does occasionally like to add a wee splash of colour – which we had a laugh about, as I would often say: “But it’s Grey Marie” or “But it’s Brown Marie” – and then she’d give me that look: ‘like do you want thumped’ 🙂

Still, my favorite piece – which isn’t for sale by the way but we shot it anyway – was this wee Hen painting…

.. which Stuart very kindly presented me with, to hang in my studio, which is, in fact, an old converted hen house.

Perfect – so thank you, Stuart, for that.

Anyway, that was day two of this 4-day shoot – so needless to say, lots more to follow.

A work of Art.

Well, we kicked off this week shooting a number of different products, for this new business which we are planning on launching, sometime over the next few months.

So we started with 4 banner type images like this…

.. to show how a range of similar coloured products could work as a display – which in itself, is a work of art to get right.

Then it was into the other room to shoot things like this beautiful handmade footstool…

.. and this unit…

.. which again is very much like a work of art – which Marie created to let others see what could be done.

However, for me, there is nothing quite like the real McCoy – so we finished of by shooting a few of Stuart’s latest masterpieces…

.. which we both just love.

So that was day one – more to follow.

Room with a view.

Is the title of the other feature we have in the March 2013 issue of Period Ideas magazine…

.. pages 26 to 32 – featuring Amanda and Keith McGuile’s Victorian terrace overlooking Bangor Marina in County Down.

“Amanda and Keith McGuile’s hard work paid off in their gorgeous seaside home.”

Which I missed the first time around; however, I did talk about this shoot here: Oooh La La.

So that makes it two and this one issue – and yes it did have an amazing view…

.. as it over looked Bangor Marina here.

Anyway, thanks to everyone involved once again, especially to Amanda here…

.. and to Steve at Chilli Media for making this one happen as well.

From Marie Mandi & me @ ampimage.com

Happy Endings.

Is the title of our latest published work in the March 2013 issue of Period Ideas magazine…

.. on pages 54 to 60 – featuring Patricia and Christopher Abbott’s detached cottage in the County Down town of Bangor.

“Patricia and Christopher Abbott’s home is bursting with colour and character.”

Which I talked about shooting here: How beautiful images – back in January 2011.

So happy endings indeed and thanks to everyone involved – especially to Steve at Chilli Media for making this one happen.

From Marie Mandi & me @ ampimage.com

A Hidden Treasure.

Is the title of our latest published work in the March 2013 issue of Ireland’s Homes Interiors & Living magazine…

.. on pages 82 to 92 – featuring Andrew Brennan and Simon Croal’s Grade II-listed Georgian townhouse in Belfast.

“Andrew was just killing time the afternoon he wandered into the estate agents. ‘I wasn’t even thinking of moving house at that stage but because I’m interested in design I always like to keep an eye on what’s going on in the property market too,’ says Andrew. But as he thumbed through the latest listings it was the lovely old terrace which caught his eye.”

So way to go Andrew here…

.. for not only finding this hidden treasure but for also making it one too…

.. as well as making it into this beautifully printed magazine too.

So that makes it two, as you know, because it was also featured in the May 2010 issue of 25 Beautiful Homes magazine…

.. on 134 to 138.

So way to go you two, from Marie, Mandi & me @ ampimage.com

Natural Calico

Well, we’re looking into launching a new business – which will be called ‘Natural Calico’.

I’m probably as amazed as anyone else at this development, but to cut a long story short – Marie and I have decided to launch a new online shop, selling interior goods & homeware – coupled with a Blog, which will cover all sorts of advice & tips on interior styling, etc.

When Marie first suggested it, I confess it seemed a long way out of my comfort zone – but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that between us, we have a heck of a lot of experience in the field of interiors!

And let face it, a new venture is always exciting 🙂

So… what will ‘Natural Calico’ be all about?

Well, needless to say, Marie is the visionary in terms of style – but it is essentially about creating a home that is the opposite of pretentious – fabrics are simple and natural. Accessories will be either vintage or vintage-inspired – timeless, understated and easy to live with!!

Anyway, here are just a few of our initial images…

.. as our aim will be to create the feel of browsing around one’s favorite boutique – or even dipping into one’s favorite magazine. And through the Natural Calico blog, Marie will share tips and ideas to translate to the readers own homes.

So needs to say, watch this space, as there will be more to follow on all of this over the next few months.

From Marie & me.
ampimage.

Gothic Cottage.

We don’t always have the variety of period homes here in Ireland that you might see elsewhere – but our recent shoot was of an exceptional cottage built circa 1830.

With its turrets and gothic windows…

.. it’s like something from a fairy tale.

Inside, it was beautifully restored to suit modern day living…

.. by Rachel & Philip, as seen here in the kitchen dining area with their little Westie dog.

So it was a complete gut job…

.. massive renovation and kitchen extension – all of which had to comply with listed building regulations.

Great house and a great story too – which is why we reckon it should make for a very interesting feature.

Watch this space, as they say – from Marie, Mandi & me @ ampimage.com