Showsley Estate Shoot 15th December

Last Saturday I attended a fabulous shoot at the Showsley Estate, near Towcester with some pretty keen shots! We started the day with a brilliant duck drive, followed by five more mixed drives (mainly pheasant) throughout the day stopping for roast lamb in the shooting lodge at lunch time.  A great day for all concerned with a final bag of 373 finished off with homemade cake and tea in the lodge.

I am currently working on an album for each of the guns that the host is giving them as a momento of the day. Here is a selection of my shots from the day…..

Duck Shooting Photography 1

Pheasant Shooting Photography Oxfordshire 2

Informal shoot Photography 2a

Pheasant Shooting Showsley Estate 3

Pheasant Shooting Oxfordshire 4

What’s with the toilet roll you say? I can’t tell you that……

 

#ShotgunandChelseaBunClub #LadiesShooting Event at #EJChurchill

This morning I was at EJ Churchill photographing a ladies shooting event called The Shotgun and Chelsea Bun Club, a club set up by Ladies Shooting  to promote affordable, safe and inclusive ladies shooting days in a fun and female only environment. Find out more about this great club by clicking on the links above.
In the meantime here are a few pictures from today. I will be posting more later this week so sign up and keep an eye out!

#EJChurchill Mini Shooting Fair 20th/21st July

Well, here are a few more pictures from today’s mini shooting fair at E J Churchill. I spent much of my time talking to people and enjoying myself so did not take as many pictures as one would have hoped.  However here are some that made the edit! Mickey Rouse stole the spotlight today with his amazing shooting skills, although I don’t fancy going around to his place for a fruit cocktail! I met many great suppliers today including gun dog trainers Ian and Jill Clinton of Working Dog Company, Bridie Hicks of Hicks Hides whom makes beautiful handcrafted leather belts, The Foxdenton Estate Company with their delicious fruit gins as well as many other great suppliers. Check out the EJ Churchill website and Twitter feed to find out who the other great suppliers were. The staff ar E J Churchill have done a fabulous job at pulling out the stops and organising a mini fair for us punters in such short notice. Sounds like it going to be a nice sunny day tomorrow so I’d recommend unlocking that shotgun and getting down there for a round or two of clays! Just don’t take any tomatoes along! 😉

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#EJChurchill Mini Shooting Fair – Check out Mickey Rouse!

I had a fabulous afternoon at EJ Churchill shooting ground this afternoon at their Mini Shooting Fair. Its on tomorrow so head along – entry is free so its well worth the trip. Lots to see and some great clay shooting available.  Check out their website for more information here or follow them on Twitter @ejchurchill

In the meantime I was amazed by the talent of a top clay shot called Mickey Rouse who amazed with the crowds with his incredible shooting skills. Wow that man can shoot!

I’m busy working on images now to post before I hit the hay but to tide you over check this one out.

Don’t move or the tomato gets it!

#Country Life Readers Offers

Have you seen my advert in Country Life and wondering what it’s all about?

Based in rural Oxfordshire,   I am available to photograph your shoot days, your dogs and even your family! With 15 years experience of photographing people I will put you at ease and capture you at your best.  Please scroll down to see my different offers.

Shoot days are available at just £150 for attendance – during the day I will photograph in a photo-journalistic style, capturing the day as it unfolds. From the beaters to the guns I will tell the story of your shoot. I will spend time on peg with each of your guests as they shoot away capturing the great shots and misses!

After the event I can provide a CD of high resolution digital images for you to print. All of these images are digitally enhanced to remove blemishes etc and finished to the highest standard for your own use. Alternatively I will provide you with an album of the images expertly designed showing the images at their best in a beautifully bound coffee table book. Prices from £150 for the first book, additional books for your friends or guests are available on request at a discounted rate.

Here are a few page layouts from last season’s shoots…

Special thanks to West Wycombe Estate, EJ Churchill and National Association of Beaters and Pickers Up.

If you would like me to attend your shoot and photograph your day please email me at thesportingpicture@gmail.com or call me on 07971 093423 to check my availability and to discuss the options.

I am also available for portrait photography, at your home or nearby location. With portrait sessions from just £25 why not get the family together at the country estate, family home or your favourite place for a family portrait shoot? During the shoot I will capture a variety of poses of the whole family, each smaller family group, the children together; any combination you like. These images will be beautifully composed, natural and relaxed, pictures you will be proud to display around your home. Framed wall pictures, canvases and albums available from £100. Follow my social photography blog at ww.marklordphotography.me or email me ar marklordphotography@gmail.com for more information.

I am also available for most types of photography involving people, domestic animals and livestock from Editorial, Corporate, Business Portraits, Events and Wedding. Here is a selection of some of my favourite images.


So whether it is a shoot day, some pictures of the children or some head shots for the business, please contact me to have a chat about your requirements which I hope to be able to help with.

Quote Country Life and claim 10% off the total cost of you photography bill!

Thank you,

Mark

 

Some of my favourite images from 2011/ 2012

Here are a few of my favourite images from the last 12 months from various shoots and trips away. I have some new business cards on the way featuring some of these images so if you see me at an event please tap me on the shoulder and I will be happy to give you a card!

I hope you enjoy them….

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Prince’s Countryside Fund Charity Shoot – The Pictures

Earlier this week I photographed a charity clay pigeon shoot for The Prince’s Countryside Fund hosted by Sir Edward Dashwood at his West Wycombe home. E J Churchill put on a superb display of targets for the guests to shoot in the grounds of West Wycombe Estate. After a breakfast served in the hall the 9 teams had an eventful morning shooting in their teams of 4 guns over the various stands. England rugby star Phil Vickery, the new ambassador of The Prince’s Countryside Fund was there demonstrating his sharp shooting eye and support to the other guests and the PCF.

With teams from various industries that support the PCF competing the final winners were Samworth Brothers and runners up Dovecote Park who had their awards presented to them by Sir Edward Dashwood, Phil Vickery and Managing Director of Waitrose, Mark Price. With other notable figures in the teams it really was a great fund raising event for the PCF and raising awareness to help rural communities across the UK.

To find out more about the Prince’s Countryside Fund and to support the Great British countryside and it’s people please click here.

If you wish to purchase prints or high resolution digital files from this event please email me at the thesportingpicture@gmail.com Thank you, Mark

A happy gun takes his bag to the picker up…

Not a bad drive for this chap considering its the end of the season. A great partridge drive on the West Wycombe Estate for one of the staff from E J Churchill shooting ground.

John Dickson and Son hammer gun

This fine gun from the late 1800’s was used at the E J Churchill Shoot at West Wycombe Estate by a young man who is very keen on hammer shotguns. Beautiful in every way with its Damascus barrels and sidelock design, made by Scottish gunmaker John Dickson and Son, its a fine example of a hammer gun. I believe it was a 16 bore and could shoot pretty straight too!

John Dickson & Son was established in 1820 in Edinburgh. The company gained its popularity through its round action shotgun, for which a patent was taken out in 1882. Its distinguished customers included Lord Byron, who bought his duelling pistols from them. To find out more about this Scottish gunmaker please click here to be directed to their website.

Waiting for the birds…

I was very happy with this image of one of the guns and his dogs (whom I met on the E J Churchills shoot) waiting for the birds to fly. I particularly like the composition of the image, the two spaniels on the left looking at me whilst the other dog is more interested in seeing a pheasant fly out of the wood. Just a lovely image of a contented man with his dogs!