In this big catch up episode we celebrate Flash Masters' first Birthday and talk about everything we have been up to in both our wedding and personal lives over the past few weeks - and there is a lot to catch up on!
What's it like to photograph the moment a best man receives a life-changing phone call at a wedding? We grapple with the ethical considerations and emotions in such situations. Plus, we take you inside the high energy and meticulously planned world of Jewish weddings, share our experiences from a local wedding fair, and reminisce about the awe-inspiring performances at an Indian wedding.
There's no denying it, Flashmasters has been making waves. We've shot eight weddings, launched Collection 8, and are preparing for some major upcoming announcements. We're incredibly proud of what we've achieved, and even more excited about what's still to come. So, sit back, relax, and join us as we reflect on our journey so far and look ahead to what's next. Remember, keep flashing!
Join us in the Flash Masters community:
Website: https://flashmasters.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flashmasters/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flash-masters
Flash Masters is hosted by:
Helen Williams: https://www.instagram.com/helenwilliamsphotography/
Neil Redfern: https://www.instagram.com/neilredfern/
In this big catch up episode we celebrate Flash Masters' first Birthday and talk about everything we have been up to in both our wedding and personal lives over the past few weeks - and there is a lot to catch up on!
What's it like to photograph the moment a best man receives a life-changing phone call at a wedding? We grapple with the ethical considerations and emotions in such situations. Plus, we take you inside the high energy and meticulously planned world of Jewish weddings, share our experiences from a local wedding fair, and reminisce about the awe-inspiring performances at an Indian wedding.
There's no denying it, Flashmasters has been making waves. We've shot eight weddings, launched Collection 8, and are preparing for some major upcoming announcements. We're incredibly proud of what we've achieved, and even more excited about what's still to come. So, sit back, relax, and join us as we reflect on our journey so far and look ahead to what's next. Remember, keep flashing!
Join us in the Flash Masters community:
Website: https://flashmasters.co/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flashmasters/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flash-masters
Flash Masters is hosted by:
Helen Williams: https://www.instagram.com/helenwilliamsphotography/
Neil Redfern: https://www.instagram.com/neilredfern/
Welcome to the Flash masters podcast. Flash masters recognizes and celebrates the best flash photography in the world through education, awards and community. To find out more and to join the Flash masters community, visit flashmastersco. Here are your hosts, Helen Williams and Neil Redfern.
Helen Williams:Hey everyone and welcome to episode 52 of the Flashmasters podcast With me, Helen Williams and me, Neil Redfern and we're back baby.
Neil Redfern:We are. It's been a long time since we recorded a podcast.
Helen Williams:It really, really has. I'm hoping we remember how to do it.
Neil Redfern:I know, I'm just looking at the diary now. The last time we recorded a podcast was with Ben Connolly on the 17th of August, and we're now recording on the 12th of September. We've known we've only missed one week. We've actually had a three plus three, week plus gap, yes, which we've never done before.
Helen Williams:No, and I will admit, we've started this podcast at least seven times.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, that's on me, that's on me. I forgot what I'm doing.
Helen Williams:And we haven't got past 30 seconds. So I'm really hoping that this is now the introduction to the podcast and we don't have to start again.
Neil Redfern:I think we should let ourselves off, because this sounds cliche, but in the past three or four weeks we have done so much, it's ridiculous.
Helen Williams:It really is Writing down a quick sort of list of what's been going on over the last month or so has been wild.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, so do you want to read out your list there? Helen, I see you've got lots of notes. It looks like a full page.
Helen Williams:I do have a full page of notes. I've been very, very busy. Okay, go for it.
Neil Redfern:Enlighten the Flashmasters podcast listeners as to what has happened this past three weeks.
Helen Williams:So in the last three weeks I have shot eight weddings, so that's since our last catch-up including my first ever Hindu slash Chinese wedding One for an ex-student Amazing food yeah, one for an ex-student. I had three in a row, all of them in different counties. I started in Yorkshire, they went to Staffordshire, then back to Cheshire. I shot my first Jewish wedding with you and I have two in a row this weekend. I've done a wedding fair and then both of us have moved house.
Neil Redfern:I thought you would start with the moving house, because that's quite a big one.
Helen Williams:Oh no, that's just like the little bit on the side. As well as the eight weddings, the wedding fair and everything else has happened. We've also moved house.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, so as two working wedding photographers, we moved house at the end of August, the worst possible. Well, again, it's all good, but if you could put a pin in the calendar on the busiest time for us, particularly in the UK, it would be when we moved house. Add on top of that we've also had the collection eight of flash masters, the first birthday of flash masters and all the first renewals of flash masters members as well.
Helen Williams:Yes, and a live stream with Esteban Gill.
Neil Redfern:Yes, I've not known what day it was. It's crazy.
Helen Williams:I still don't know now if I'm honest.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, I'm just looking at my calendar. I know that there will be some crossover because we shot some weddings together, but in that time I've shot one, two, three, four, five weddings myself. Also had a YouTube day where I've made three or four YouTube videos.
Helen Williams:Oh yes, how did I forget about that?
Neil Redfern:Yeah, well, it doesn't matter, but yeah, I don't even know where we even start with this podcast.
Helen Williams:Neither do I, because that's just a whole load of just stuff that's been done.
Neil Redfern:Next week's podcast we'll be talking about the flashmasters first birthday stream. So, should we talk about what that is first for those listening?
Helen Williams:Yes, why not, neil? I think you should tell us all about it.
Neil Redfern:Well, yeah, so this is very, very exciting. So flashmasters is one year old. First of all, happy birthday, flashmasters, and thank you to all of you out there for your support in helping flashmasters become what it has become already in just 12 months. We have far exceeded our expectations in every aspect of it, really. So we're so proud and so should you be of what flashmasters is in such a short amount of time. We've got a really great community, friendships are forming.
Neil Redfern:The awards that we've given out are insanely amazing. We're so proud of the content that we've made in that time. We're all just like 20 plus live streams. Yeah, there's so much already. And oh and that's not forgetting 51 episodes of the podcast All in 12 months. So, yeah, it's been a crazy ride, and thank you for your part, whether you are a member, whether you submitted images to the awards, whether you just listened to the podcast, whatever you have done, thank you for your support. And to celebrate that on the 19th of September, which is actually going to be the, it's going to be before the next podcast. So this is our only warning to tell you about this. We're going to be having a celebration first birthday stream live on our YouTube channel at 8pm UK time, which is 3pm EDT time and midday PDT.
Neil Redfern:Very good, and what time was it being being? Q.
Helen Williams:Very UK centric.
Neil Redfern:And then on the. So that's going to be on the 19th Tuesday, the 19th of September, a celebration stream where not only we'll be having a drink and just having a great time, we have got some huge announcements.
Helen Williams:It's been so hard keeping these under wraps.
Neil Redfern:Well, we're not going to do any clickbait stuff, but we genuinely have some amazing updates to give you, which we're going to be giving live on that live stream. So please tune in on our YouTube channel on Tuesday, the 19th of September. So, John, to say a few little quick bits about what we'll be talking about on that live stream Helen.
Helen Williams:Yes, we're very excited We'll get to introduce our new team member and you I mean that you say that really quickly.
Neil Redfern:A new team member? Yes, somebody joining Flashmasters other than me, and Helen can't wait to announce that.
Helen Williams:Yeah, that's very, very exciting, Very exciting indeed. So, yes, we have a new team member. We have not one, but two incredible new sponsors.
Neil Redfern:Yes, yeah, I can't. Well, I would just say it repeats to ourselves, but these are two massive brands in the photography industry and I think it's going to be very exciting. I people won't be able to guess.
Helen Williams:No, certainly one of them.
Neil Redfern:They won't be able to guess.
Helen Williams:Yes, it's really exciting and the benefits that they will bring to our members and to the community, along with, you know, some cheeky competitions, et cetera is very exciting indeed.
Neil Redfern:I wonder whether, and again, we've not, we've not.
Helen Williams:Are we making this up on the spot? We are indeed.
Neil Redfern:Well, it's classic Flashmasters podcast. If you're a Flashmasters member, maybe guess in the community, in the Facebook group, who you think our new sponsors could be. If anybody gets two out of two, you'll win a prize.
Helen Williams:You'll win a prize. Should we go for a hoodie?
Neil Redfern:Yes, a free hoodie to whoever gets both. You can only guess, though two sponsors.
Helen Williams:Yes.
Neil Redfern:You can't say, you can't guess it like just say five companies, Just two. Whoever gets the home run first, you'll win a hoodie.
Helen Williams:Amazing, but we won't tell you who won until we're live on the stream.
Neil Redfern:Correct, yes.
Helen Williams:Okay, I love all this making it up on the spot.
Neil Redfern:That's the way it should be.
Helen Williams:Incredible. Yes, we're also going to be telling people about a brand new education program that will be coming to all our Flashmasters members at the start of 2024.
Neil Redfern:It seems annoying that we can't talk about these more now, but next. Next week's podcast. Next week's podcast.
Helen Williams:Finally, along with our new sponsors and everything that's going on, we've got an amazing competition for all of our members, which we will be obviously sharing more details about, and the prize is incredible.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, I can't wait. So again, that will all be taking place on our YouTube channel, which can I test you? Helen, do you what the URL is?
Helen Williams:I hate URLs YouTubecom at flash-masters.
Neil Redfern:Just Mr Slash, but that was good enough to put Flashmasses into YouTube Again. Tuesday, the 19th of September, at 8pm UK time, 3pm EDT time a midday PDT time. Excellent, so hopefully lots of you can join us there. Oh, we forgot to say what. What's happening after that live stream.
Helen Williams:Yeah.
Neil Redfern:So what we're going to do, that live stream will probably be an hour to an hour and a half. We imagine we might have some special guests on, so we don't know exactly how long it's going to be. But after that we're going to go live on Zoom, just for Flashmasses members in the Flashmasses Facebook group, where we can just have a more of a chilled out party. Basically, let's have a drink online, let's get the shots in Exactly yes, so the party stream will be taking place straight after the official birthday stream. I think that's it.
Helen Williams:Yeah, I think so Failed it. Perfect, yes, but we've got one other thing that's coming up as well. So for everyone who's listening to this podcast on the morning it's released, which is the 13th.
Neil Redfern:Oh, Alexa's not happy.
Helen Williams:Sorry about that what was she saying? I've no clue. Anyway, let's move on. So anyone who's listening on the 13th, when this is released, we have a very exciting live stream on that day, which is, of course, with Christian Cardona.
Neil Redfern:Christian Cardona, one of the apps genuinely one of the best off-camera flash photographers in the world Ever. I don't think we even need to say anything about Christian's work. If you're aware of Christian, you will already know. But his work is stunning, Absolutely incredible. I am jealous of his work. I always look at him thinking, oh, I wish I'd taken that. His use of colour, the vibrancy, the energy in his work it's incredible. I'm so excited for that stream.
Helen Williams:Yeah, it's been a huge sort of compliment, I think, to ourselves that Christian trusts the Flashmasters brand and the community to represent us as an ambassador. That was a huge thing. So to have him not only as an ambassador but to give his time up as well, to come into the Flashmasters members group and show how he created some of his images, is fantastic, and it's not just wedding images as well.
Helen Williams:No, we've got some fantastic sort of environmental studio portraits as well, so a really nice variety of images we'll be going through with Christian live on the stream. One thing I will say to remind everyone, though, that this stream is later than our usual time for them.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, so our usual time is eight o'clock UK time, as we just discussed.
Helen Williams:Yes, those of you in the UK and Europe might need to have an evening caffeine boost. Get yourself a red bull or some coffee, because we're not starting until 11 30 pm British time. So, yes, bst 11 30 pm, which should be 6 30 Eastern time, and then 3 30 on the West Coast and following on from that as well. We've been that busy, I've missed it. We have to say thank you to Esteban.
Neil Redfern:Oh wow, yes.
Helen Williams:His live stream, which we did only a couple of weeks ago now, was absolutely incredible, yeah.
Neil Redfern:Esteban Gill. Again, I look at his. Oh, it's like these people are the absolute goats as we say, yes, the greatest. For some people who don't know, that's the greatest of all time.
Helen Williams:I only found that out a couple of weeks ago.
Neil Redfern:I must be quite cool, then, because I've known it for a long time.
Helen Williams:You're welcome.
Neil Redfern:But, yeah, these are the absolute best photographers in the industry and they are coming on to flashmasses and sharing all they know and how they created some of their favorite images. So, yeah, we've been so privileged to have the names that we have. It's, it's been amazing. You were just honored, aren't we?
Helen Williams:Yes, so anyone who would like to watch back Esteban's stream, if you are a member and you did miss it, it's still live in the Facebook group as well as being in the member zone on the website, and that member zone now is up to over 40 hours of content. So for those who haven't joined yet and like maybe I'd like to see what Esteban has done, along with our other ambassadors, if you sign up to flashmasses, you have now over 40 hours of flash photography education ready and waiting for you as soon as you join.
Neil Redfern:Yes, exactly so. Is that the flashmasses news for now? Oh, we've also released collection eight.
Helen Williams:I don't oh my goodness, yes, sorry everyone.
Neil Redfern:This is just a big mishmash catch up episode where there's almost so much to say, we don't know where to start. So, collection eight was released.
Helen Williams:Yes, collection eight was released and it was absolutely sensational Our biggest hall of awards ever, I know we almost wish that we could give even more. The standard was insane and I always have to do a shout out to sort of those who really bossed it in the last round, and the top three award winners for the last round was Jeff Tisman, Michelle Huntington and new member Andres Casales. So congratulations, guys.
Neil Redfern:Yeah well done to everybody who won an award. Also well done if you entered, because we know it's not easy to enter competition. So huge well done. And thank you to everybody who took part, and I'd also I mean Michelle and Jeff. We've known their work for quite a while now through flashmasses. They're amazing, yes. But I'd also like to say, just like you just said there, a really like big shout out to Andreas, who I wasn't aware of his work, I must confess, up until he joined flashmasses, I think only two or three months ago. Yes, but wow, his studio work in particular, I am in awe of.
Helen Williams:Yeah, it's absolutely stunning. So many creative portraits that has been entered. Yeah, he's definitely one to watch, and I will say as well, our lead board right now it is getting tense, jeff and Tim and. Andreas, then no, no, jeff and Tim, at the moment for this year, are at the top with only 10 points. So that's one silver award separating them with two rounds to go.
Neil Redfern:It's literally exciting. I know that, like you know, in some ways having the leaderboard it, we are sort of promoting our encouraging competitiveness, I guess, but it's also very fascinating to watch, isn't it?
Neil Redfern:Oh it is, and I think it's when everyone, especially Jeff and Tim, they take it in the spirit that it is. It's like a really fun competition and they and I know that they both get on really well and leave really nice comments each other's work, which is always lovely to see, but it's also fascinating as an outsider to see. Oh, it might even be one of those two, but the moment, like the, they are sort of neck and neck.
Helen Williams:Yeah, they really are, so it'll be interesting to see. I would love to know if Jeff or Tim are, like you know, for the rest of this year, going come on every wedding every shoes. I need a goal.
Neil Redfern:Well, that's what we're hoping that, yeah, flash masses will do. It will really. When you're at the wedding. If it is weddings, obviously it's for for Jeff and Tim Andreas studio. Remember, we're not just weddings, there's studio and is environmental. But when you're at the shoot, thinking do you know what, rather than putting the camera away, I'm going to try something else just to give me that last image which could end up making the difference on the leaderboard.
Helen Williams:Yeah, it's really nice to hear as well from flashmasters, members who will just reach out and say hi, and I love that about our community. We're certainly not two people sort of who run it all and just aren't contactable, so so many members will just with me a message or send me over images and they're like I was going to go home or I took this with flashmasters and it's really nice.
Helen Williams:Yeah, we've always said that we wanted to celebrate, educate and inspire and in terms of that inspiration, I think that the awards are really doing that, and it's fantastic to see our members pushing the boundaries and doing all that they can to sort of strive and achieve the best that they can as well. So, yes, very proud of our award winners, congratulations to everyone who won and I cannot wait for the last two rounds. It's going to be nail bite.
Neil Redfern:A job before we move on Big. Thank you, as always, to our two judges, arnold and Brown, and Moira Laplante, for that last round. They did a great, great job.
Helen Williams:Yeah, they really really did. Yeah, one more time, the standard from everyone was insane, so it was a very, very tough job indeed, so we've not really got a theme of such for this podcast, have we?
Neil Redfern:It's also going to be a catch up, but I think we both should be feeling quite proud that we've got to this stage. But I don't know how much we spoke about on previous podcasts, about the situation that we created flashmasters in. We were living, weren't we? In a two bedroom flat, very small flat, both together living there, working there 24, seven shooting, wedding, creating flashmasters, and it was stressful, I think it's fair to say. So how are you feeling now being in a house with a bit more space?
Helen Williams:I'm loving it, Although I'm still feeling quite frustrated that I haven't really I don't feel like I've had time to embrace or enjoy having the space and to really sort of take it in yet.
Neil Redfern:No, well, that's part of the course, isn't it? When you're a wedding photographer and you move house in August, there are still lots of boxes everywhere and we still need to do a lot of work, don't we? But? But it is nice to have that bit more space, isn't it? And a lot of this space will help us within FlashMatter as well, because there are some grand plans which we won't say, just in case they don't come off too soon. But yeah, we want to improve the podcast. We'll just say that, and I think the situation we're now in is gonna make it easier for us to produce content rather than having to when we're doing live streams. For example, in the past, it would take us an hour to set up for that live stream because we were doing so at the dining room table, which needs to move. We had to move a sofa and it was. You know, it was all fun, not complaining but it was also time consuming and tiring.
Neil Redfern:Whereas now we have more dedicated spaces to do these things, which will just make it easier for us to produce the content, so I'm really looking forward to that.
Helen Williams:Yeah, I think there's far less chance of us killing each other as well.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, that's why I think we should be quite proud that we didn't we actually got through it, because it's funny, isn't it? It's like with many things in life it's only when you leave a particular situation and then you look back on it that you think how did we do that?
Helen Williams:I really don't know. I think at some point I would probably even go as far as to share just a couple of images of the space, because I know that we had a few of our podcast guests come round and, although everyone's, of course, very polite and I was going to go, you live here. Yeah, it really was tight living quarters two bedrooms, one of which was an office. Our chairs were practically touching each other's backs.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, if you moved the chair it would hit the other chair.
Helen Williams:Yeah, so between that, my constant need to be chatting and changing subjects, every five seconds.
Neil Redfern:Well, that's it. We are very different characters, aren't we?
Helen Williams:Yes.
Neil Redfern:You're very extroverted and like a lot of communication. Yes, you always say that I'm someone who likes to get lost in their own mind and will just zone in on one thing and then just lose myself in that what. This is a key thing in that one thing, whereas you're spinning plates like a juggler, like five things on the go.
Helen Williams:Yeah, easy, up to 20. Yeah, I'm someone with multiple like, if you look at sort of, when you open Google and you've got all your different tabs open, I've got like seven or eight tabs running at all times and I will admit that I can interrupt you at any moment with a conversation or a question about any of those tabs that you haven't even had a chance to think about yet and I just bombard you with a question and yeah, yeah, I must admit you say we shared an office and we did, but I would say a lot of that time I wasn't in that office, I was just sat on the sofa in the living room.
Helen Williams:He's just from a night.
Neil Redfern:Basically, yeah, but now we've not only got our own office, but our own floor.
Helen Williams:Yes.
Neil Redfern:Which was very exciting for me actually. Yeah, there was no no way there's a staircase between us.
Helen Williams:Yeah, there was an opportunity for us to have offices next to each other.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, that's like rubbing. No, it's in it. I've learnt my lesson.
Helen Williams:It feels like a whole staircase in between us now. So before I come to interrupting with a random thought that pops into my brain, I have to leave my office, walk up the stairs and then to his, and I've found a few times his door closed, so sometimes I just go, oh how do you?
Helen Williams:really need to? Yeah, it makes me think. Do I really have to, like, interrupt Neil right now for this one piece of news that he knows nothing about and turn around and run back down the stairs? But yeah, I think this is a much more healthy way for us to work.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, to, joking aside, it is. It's all about balance and it's got. It is a much, much healthier environment for us. So, yeah, I'm really looking forward to us getting more and more settled here. So you mentioned you shot a lot of weddings there, helen. Yeah, is it anything that jumps? Because by the time that we actually get round to covering some of these weddings, we'll be two, three podcasts in time. So anything that jumps out of any of those recent weddings? As a general overview, have you weddings been?
Helen Williams:Really fun, really fun. I've been exhausted and there's been moments having questioning my life choices, particularly after doing or the weekend before we picked up the keys. I had a wedding on the Saturday.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, this is crazy, oh no wait a minute.
Helen Williams:Did I have a wedding with you on the Saturday? I might have done three in a row.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, we did the podcast. We've been on the Thursday. We then went away on the Friday to shoot one of my weddings. It was a bit of distance away, so stayed over on the Friday, shot the wedding on the Saturday. We left there, got back about one, two in the morning. Then you had another full day wedding, an Indian wedding, on the Sunday.
Helen Williams:Yes, and I started that. I started shooting at 7 AM.
Neil Redfern:I felt awful.
Helen Williams:But of course it was just a mash-up of different experiences and for me it was really nice as well to have a bride who didn't quite understand what was happening most of the time, Because, to be honest, I'm never really sure what's happening at any point anyway, I've been fortunate to shoot a lot of certainly Indian weddings, and I never know really what's happening.
Neil Redfern:I just shoot everything, yes, and oftentimes a couple don't either.
Helen Williams:Yeah, exactly that was interesting. I will even say, actually the groom didn't have a huge amount of idea. I was just very lucky that one of the family friends was there and she was also then trying to explain to the bride's family what was happening at different points of the ceremony and at the same time she was telling me so that was really good. So I did have someone go. Oh no, this bit's important.
Intro:And at the time.
Helen Williams:she was like Helen, just come sit down. They're going to be there for a while or they're going to do that like another five times. But I will say the one thing that made me chuckle. I don't know whether I should say this, but I'm going to. Well, she said oh, at this point we're praying for rain. And I was like, do we really need to do that? In the UK we get plenty of rain.
Neil Redfern:It was a nice look Because I came to help you the last little bit of that wedding, didn't I For the portraits, because you were taking a lot of off-camera flash so I could hold your flash and things like that. But I remember the weather they had a gorgeous sunset actually.
Helen Williams:Yeah, it was. It was a really beautiful day. But just as part of the ceremony, when she said we're praying for rain, I was like I don't think we need to do that. In the UK we get plenty.
Neil Redfern:We do, although the past week has been crazy hot.
Helen Williams:It has, although I'm very pleased that today it's not and I'm back in a jumper and feeling more autumnal. But yeah, we had to survive some very hot weddings over the last week or so, haven't we?
Neil Redfern:Yeah, it's been very, very warm. I'm just looking back at my weddings as well, since the last podcast. The one that we shot in Chesapeakel was lovely Really. That was good weather as well, actually. Yeah, it was Don't mind saying Sarah and Chris' might as well say the couple's name, not giving anything away. Yeah, that was a beautiful day as well, and also I think it's quite nice. There's a nice thing there as well, wasn't it?
Neil Redfern:You kindly second shot that wedding for me, and the thing that I'll always remember that wedding for was what we witnessed on the morning of that wedding. So I'm sure they won't mind us talk about this because it's a really beautiful thing, really. The best man at that wedding unfortunately was quite ill and needed a liver transplant and we didn't know any of this before the day.
Neil Redfern:We just knew the name of the best man At one point and I take my heart off to you, helen, because we got some very powerful images on the morning of this wedding and I wouldn't have got them had it not been for your spidey senses kicking in. So I remember what happened. Of this, my recollection is we were shooting the bridal prep together, shooting Sarah together, and then we were going to try and find the groom. Now I was gonna then leave you with the groom. I've met him the night before because I shot a pre-wedding party the night before, so I'd met them both. So I was gonna try and find the groom to introduce you to him and then leave you with him. And we were told the room number that the groom was in. So we both went and knocked on the door. At that point we saw a person who was in, obviously a wedding suit.
Helen Williams:No, he didn't even have a suit on at that point.
Neil Redfern:No, he didn't no, no, he wasn't dressed, we just thought so.
Helen Williams:His partner had a nice dress on, though that suggested that she was attending the wedding.
Neil Redfern:And they were walking just past the corridor past us, weren't we? So there was no answer when we knocked on the groom's door. So we were then going to go to the bar area or I was anyway to try and find the groom, and as we were doing that, these two people walked past us with with like on a bit of a mission.
Helen Williams:Yeah, I would just say yeah, that's how I'd describe him At the time of my spidey senses going, just something looked a little bit off, or they were walking with urgency and they were walking straight towards the bridal suite. So, if I'm being honest, you were kind of walking away towards the bar. They walked past me and I thought something's going on and I just turned around and sprinted sort of behind them and followed them, at which point I think you noticed that I was running in the opposite direction and you followed me.
Neil Redfern:Well, yeah, very shortly after that, we were only like talking a few feet, weren't we? They were knocking on the bride's door.
Helen Williams:Yes, and I said just by the sense of something is up, something is happening. I'm just going to follow them because we have plenty of time to see the groom. Yeah, just something seemed off to me, so I thought I'm going to just see what's going on here.
Neil Redfern:And then, unbeknownst to us, we then followed them into the room. They both start chatting to the bride and then it's. We don't know what had happened at this point, but there were tears.
Helen Williams:Everyone started crying.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, there was hugs, but not like happy, there's not. No one was smiling as such. It was just like really emotional. So as photographers, we're left in a bit of a funny dilemma. There I'm with like a moral question what do you do? Because I must admit, at that stage what was going through my mind is that somebody close to the couple the bride and groomers maybe has passed away. It seemed like that. But at the same time there's moments happening. So both of us instinctively did take photographs, and this is where I will say that having silent cameras is invaluable, because that room went silent. Other people in the room did not know what was going to be, and I don't know four or five people in the room who also.
Neil Redfern:I don't think knew what was happening. So we just instinctively started shooting, but silently, and that's a key thing to remember. We weren't like oh yeah, that would have felt really wrong and I think actually I will say that if I was on my old DSLRs, I wouldn't have taken any photos at that point because I was thinking that somebody had passed away, which would have been awful, obviously. So, in fact, I remember someone like laughing is we wish we both were actually just pushed me out of the way.
Neil Redfern:I think you maybe knocked into me. No, you definitely would never have done that I think you just knocked into me because I was sitting in front of you.
Helen Williams:No, no, I was in front of you and you pushed me out of the way because you wanted to get the shot.
Neil Redfern:Either way, we both started shooting. This A gentle nudge.
Helen Williams:Yeah, let's go to that.
Neil Redfern:It was a gentle nudge then we both started shooting the bride and the at this point, the two people that we've seen hugging and embracing, and they were crying in hindsight I don't know how you remember, but I feel that it was probably a good 30 seconds until we actually knew what was happening.
Neil Redfern:I did get the sense. It's funny when you, when we start talking about it's really like coming clear into a mind. I did get the sense that they didn't mind just taking photos, so we did carry on. But yeah, he transpired that the gentleman who was within that three, who would seem walking towards the room, was the best man and he did require a liver transplant and he just got the call that morning to say come in now. Basically, we can do it today.
Helen Williams:Yeah, they had a liver for him and they were sending an ambulance to the hotel and basically to immediately be ready to get in the ambulance to go and have his transplant that day.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, which is, you know, it's all sorts of emotion go through your mind because obviously, inherently that's amazing news, but it's also then, from a photography point of view, a huge, huge part of that day. That then becomes almost like the story of the day. So then you just concentrate on trying to capture that story. It was a beautiful thing to witness in many ways, but obviously also comes with risk, yes, and that's a whole different situation like that. So you do think that, god, what we're doing now, this job, it's always important and we are creating heirlooms and family history and we take the photographs that we do, but it's just seemed to really come into laser sharp focus, that that's what we were doing on that day.
Helen Williams:Yeah, it really did, and I remember the bride and this is when I first like sort of almost breathed out. I think I was even scared to breathe during this whole everyone's crying. I want to shoot it. What do you do which? Well, we did it and, after having all it, and thank God we did as well.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, because those photographs are beautiful now. Oh, they are, and we should just say at this point that I messaged the bridegroom a few days after and thankfully he's doing really well.
Helen Williams:So well done, well done. Hospital, isn't it?
Neil Redfern:Yeah, well done, tom. We were both. We were thinking of you all the time after that wedding. We didn't like to ask how your things are going too soon, but, yeah, it's so good that the news has been so positive. So congratulations, and we're so so pleased for you and good on you. It was an amazing thing to witness.
Helen Williams:Yeah, it really was, Because I do remember that they said the bride saying but that's good news. Because I think they were also very apologetic that you know the best man is leaving the wedding. He actually got picked up. Oh, that's another bit of the story there. He got picked up by the ambulance and as he was going to the ambulance ambulance, as he was going to the ambulance, ambulance, ambulance ambulance.
Helen Williams:He passed the bride in the corridor who was walking to the ceremony. Thankfully, by some Spidey senses too, I saw him sneak out of the room.
Neil Redfern:We both ran we both chased him out Because I must admit at that point, even though we should be, like, really concerned on the bridegroom obviously we know what's going on. We know that he's because this is the thing. He was in the ceremony room at the front with Chris the groom, in his wedding suit, so he'd even managed to put his suit on, which is so I mean, what a mate that is to do that. So, even when he knows he's only going to be there for the half an hour, he's got fully dressed, looking the part and everything at the front of the room. But we know he's not even going to stay for the ceremony.
Helen Williams:Oh, we didn't know he might have done. It was touch and go. But literally I saw him and the bride is about to walk down the aisle and he had to leave. But both of us chased him out of the room and managed to get our final interaction that he had and the hug that he took from the bride, whilst she then was walking to get married and literally he was walking to hopefully the opportunity of a new life.
Helen Williams:And I do remember him saying to her at that particular time in the room it's like I've one another life.
Neil Redfern:Oh, that's so nice.
Helen Williams:Yeah, and when I did look at him he did look very, very poorly as well he did. It really was. That was a life saving operation and procedure that happened that day.
Neil Redfern:So the odds of it happening when you're the best man on the morning of the wedding, literally and you're having to leave seconds before the ceremony is about to start is crazy. It's a really beautiful story for them to all to look back on now.
Helen Williams:And you did capture also. Later on they FaceTimed him just before he went down for surgery too. Yeah.
Neil Redfern:So that was look almost. I saw them in the corner of the room FaceTiming, so I just went to shoot their reactions to it. I didn't know who the FaceTiming at that point, but yeah, shot the bride and groom in front of Tom with the phone behind in front of me Either way. Shot the bride and groom's faces, then span round, shot through them at the phone screen and it was Tom wearing his scrubs about to go into the theater. Yeah, I mean, what a story.
Helen Williams:It really was, and that again.
Neil Redfern:It just makes us realize and understand what a special job it is that we have, and sometimes we can take everything for granted, can't we? And we go to so many weddings, it's almost like they converge into one and we forget or I think I do sometimes that you forget that what you're creating is lasting memories and is very, very powerful. You don't know what's going to happen in people's lives and oftentimes when bad things happen and the first thing that people then do is look back on wedding photographs, and we need to remember that. But it's just, it was really brought into sharp focus on that day and that was really nice.
Helen Williams:Yeah, it was certainly interesting for me as well. Who then was taking over groom prep? That actually most of the photos I took were of Tom, but during that time his wife was there, his children were there, his parents were actually there too.
Helen Williams:So yeah, they were like can we have photos, can we have photos? And it just felt so special. I felt very privileged that I was there that day, that there was two shooters and that I was able to use that time to capture portraits with his children and with his parents, because it was a dangerous surgery that he went in for. So yeah, that was. I think that wedding will stick with me for a very long time.
Neil Redfern:Totally agree. So, yeah, congratulations, sarah and Chris, and also Katie and Tristan. Looking at my weddings they were, they were really good they were. Then we then shot the Jewish wedding together.
Helen Williams:Bonkers. I loved it.
Neil Redfern:Your first experience of a Jewish wedding.
Helen Williams:Oh, muscle Toff love it. I hope I said that right.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, I mean, they are crazy, aren't they?
Helen Williams:Yeah, they really are, and I think there were so many different factors on that day that took what usually is, or always is, a bit of a bonkers wedding day to extra heights of bonkers as well, unfortunately.
Neil Redfern:My experience of Jewish weddings has always been the first thing I was thinking is Israeli dancing. That's the first thing that I think of the dancing. For anybody who's not experienced a Jewish wedding, just put it to YouTube Israeli dancing and watch how crazy it is. You know I've been very lucky to photograph lots of different cultures Chinese weddings, greek weddings, indian weddings Obviously like more Western weddings, muslim weddings but if I could pinch one or choose one part of a wedding that is my absolute favorite, it's Israeli dancing at a Jewish wedding. So I could not wait for that. But the other thing about Jewish weddings which does make them very hard work is that they are, in my experience anyway, managed by a planner, which is good, but to the minute, so like. There is no like downtime, especially at this wedding, because they had everything they had singing waiting in between, in between the courses, they had speeches in between courses and it's all good. It's never any boring part. It's all good stuff. But with this particular wedding, paisley the bride, who was so, so lovely.
Helen Williams:Oh, I loved these guys. You got on with them like a house on fire for the moment. Oh yeah, she was brilliant. Both of them were brilliant. Yeah, a really lovely couple. Yeah, I know.
Neil Redfern:We always say this about our couple genuinely, though, that they are two beautiful people. And it's not a surprise. It's actually a surprise that it wouldn't happen more at weddings. After the ceremony I hope Paley don't mind me saying she felt a little bit ill, which is again not a surprise. Do you think of the anticipation, the excitement, the adrenaline that goes into the bill for wedding day? It's sort of like dumps out of you, I guess, once the ceremony is done.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, and so she needed a bit of half an hour, I think just just to herself. But on a jewish wedding there is no half an hour window. No so it just meant that everything was really like Squashed. But again, incredible day and the dancing was amazing and some of my photographs that I took, and you actually as well, have got some amazing shots, in particular of Paley's mum. Oh on the dance floor being thrown literally into the air.
Helen Williams:Yes on an Israeli flag.
Neil Redfern:Is brilliant.
Helen Williams:Her face was fantastic and I've got to say we obviously we had. Well, I must say it was very stressful for you because of that time that was taking out.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, it was like a day that is already busy and full on were squeezed even more because, unfortunately, paley feeling ill for that little bit of time. But she was what a trooper though, because I remember thinking, oh, we won't be able to go out for portraits because she wasn't feeling great, we still did, and I'm so pleased with what we got then as well.
Helen Williams:Yeah, and we could see when we had that. Little moment, yeah, that little moment of downtime with them both, and it was a lovely sunny day in Manchester as well, and we probably had no more than like five, ten minutes together, did we? But that little time of just us and John, the videographer, who was really fun to work with as well, that little downtime we really got to see that she really wasn't feeling very well at all and was feeling quite nauseous, and literally after walking back in from doing the portraits they went straight.
Helen Williams:Oh, I know, yeah, she had like 25 minutes of jumping around the dance floor with. Australia dancing, and she did so well because I know she was genuinely feeling so sick and yet she absolutely threw herself into that.
Neil Redfern:Yeah, I didn't think of that, but it's a thing that you don't want to do. When you feel a bit groggy, maybe a bit nauseous, a bit sick is being thrown around literally On the dance floor, like you say, for 20 odd minutes.
Helen Williams:Yeah, she was brilliant. She got through it all and I will say, the last shot of the night that we did with them. She said she was still actually feeling a bit sick.
Intro:Yeah, so she was absolutely.
Helen Williams:Absolutely hardcore to get through all of that day. Um, and I think she still really enjoyed it. Yeah, I've got. She was hardcore. Total respect. That was uh, bride goals right there.
Neil Redfern:Definitely. My other wedding, which we will talk about in a future podcast I think they don't want to monopolize it because I want to ask you about something else Was the indian wedding that we both shot on saturday. But I say we'll part that one, I think, because you've got a lot to talk about with that, oh yes craziness like Hashtag fire breathers, hashtag acrobats.
Neil Redfern:Yes, I mean, what anyway we'll? We'll save that for now, but after that, so again, like you, very kindly, help me at that indian wedding. And then, after about three hours sleep, it was a wedding fair for you. So how did that go? I mean that this is two days ago now, so we're more, we're bringing you up to date.
Helen Williams:Yes, so we're getting to almost up to where we are today. So, yes, after shooting another bonkers, bonkers day and after three hours sleep again, it was time to just put on my happy, energetic, smiley face and to go to a wedding fair, and this one was at a place where you know. Thank you so much for helping. Don't mention the name because I understand that for neil and his football alliances To enter the the stadium and the building that we did was almost sacrilege.
Neil Redfern:The funny thing is it was busier on the wedding fair. That is, on a match day. Oh, oh, I said you don't even own that ground. It's technically. It's leased from the council. Oh, is it right? A council house A council.
Helen Williams:So we went to a nice council house that a really rubbish team play football at.
Neil Redfern:Sadly they're not rubbish.
Helen Williams:Yeah.
Neil Redfern:That's what I'd say 115. Those that know will know.
Helen Williams:Everyone else is like I've got no clue Um what is this football?
Neil Redfern:Google Manchester City 115?. Oh, there we go anyway. Anyway, sorry, helen.
Helen Williams:That's all right. So, yeah, we went to a wedding fair then on Sunday a very well attended wedding fair as well and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's always funny how it doesn't matter how little sleep you had or how exhausted you feel. The moment is time to sort of turn it on and be the Hyperactive, energetic, enthusiastic person you know. You find the energy from somewhere and go to town. Um, but yeah, it's been very successful so far, had some really strong leads that, to be fair, I only sent out emails to them last night, so we're less than 24 hours since I sent those out. Um, but yeah, I've already had a booking from that brilliant.
Neil Redfern:It was also just good to see you in your what I think is like your natural environment, using your your strong tactic again of the naked groom.
Helen Williams:Yes, all about the bums baby.
Neil Redfern:I remember hearing you like when you were talking to one of the couples, because my job at this fair I don't think I'm very good at wedding fairs, but my job is basically, if Helen is already speaking to a couple and then another couple approach, I always think if they, if they're spending more than 30 seconds like at your stand, look at your albums, then I'll I'll go up to them. So my only line is I'm not Helen, but then I. When I hear when you're speaking, I remember hearing you actually saying to a couple I'm like a bad fart and thinking, god, this is like. I bet you're the only supplier at that wedding fair who's going to use that phrase. You must have asked, I don't know, 20 to 25 gentlemen If they're going to take the clothes off for you and then you told a few of these that you're like a bad fart.
Helen Williams:Yeah, yeah it's very good yeah. I do always say to them as well you know, I do take photos of people with their clothes on, not just their clothes off, and that that tends to go down well as well.
Helen Williams:But I will say there was a few of them who I said you're going to get your kit off for me? You went yeah, well, I think after a few pints that could. That could be, you know, something that will happen. And the cutest thing, there was one particular couple and the groom looks a little bit scared, or not.
Intro:That's a price.
Helen Williams:But what I found really sweet was he turned around to his bride and said well, if you want me to do it, I will. And I was like yes marry this man right now. He is a keeper and I was like you know what? That is, strangely, one of the most romantic things I've ever hear. Yes, my love, if you want me to get naked to have some photos, I will. I thought that that is a man who is dedicated and loves his fiance yes.
Neil Redfern:Oh, but no, it was really good. Uh, I must admit I was shattered, absolutely shattered, by the end of it, because that the indian way of the day before, when you say till half 11 I think I didn't get back till half one or something, yeah, and then we're up very, very early for the wedding fair. But yeah, it was.
Helen Williams:It was really good to see you getting on with so many couples and I'm hopeful you're going to get quite a lot of bookings out of that, because we seem to be quite few that were very keen yes, um, although there was a couple that were keen who haven't got their Venue yet, but they seemed like a genuinely so keen that I was like right, so when are we going to lock down a venue? Let me be like I was like pretty much their extra bridesmaid going yes, let's go see this venue together.
Neil Redfern:There we go. I think we've just been a really good to have a catch-up episode, just maybe something that we didn't mention. What one of the weddings that I shot. We well, we both worked at. We work with A wedding content creator. Well, maybe talk about this in a future episode. There's your clickbaits about that one. A real life wedding. Content creator.
Helen Williams:Question is did we all survive?
Neil Redfern:We'll find out how that went down in a future episode.
Helen Williams:Will be really, or will we just forget We'll?
Neil Redfern:forget. Yeah, she was lovely. It's not you, it's not that excited. She was really really nice. She was in fact, on a future podcast We'll give her a proper shout out because she has been lovely and we saw at the wedding fair yesterday.
Helen Williams:We did two days ago. Yes, yes, so she was very, very lovely. So, uh, yeah, I don't think our did. We tell her. Does she know that?
Intro:we basically no, we we kept that podcast hidden from it.
Helen Williams:Maybe I'll just send it to our instagram. Just jits and giggles.
Neil Redfern:No, she was really nice. So, yeah, thank you so much for listening and we hope you've enjoyed the podcast. If you'd like to join us in the flashmaster community, you can do so at flashmastersco. And just to say again, we will be having our big first birthday celebration stream on our youtube channel, which is youtubecom slash, at flash hyphen masters. You remember that on tuesday, the 19th of september.
Helen Williams:Yeah, so that's not just for members. Anyone can join that stream, can't they?
Neil Redfern:Yes, anyone can join the youtube stream and then the after party, where we're having a few drinks and announcing we can't really talk about competitions on youtube, which is annoying just for their teas and seas. So we're going to be talking about the competition elements of the celebrations on the member live stream, which will be much more relaxed and informal. That would be taking place straight after the youtube version.
Helen Williams:Yes, I'm very, very excited for all of those. Yeah, there's just a lot coming up for flashmasters, isn't there?
Neil Redfern:There is, but it is all good. So thank you again for listening. We hope you've enjoyed the podcast and we will see you next time.
Helen Williams:And don't forget to keep flashing.
Neil Redfern:Boom, I couldn't think of anything else to say.
Helen Williams:I think it's a shame. Shall we just keep this bit in. Yeah.