Jason Parlour Photography

An excellent wedding photographer - Jasmine Star

2010-08-12T23:19:00.000+01:00

I've just been fortunate enough to discover the website of a really excellent wedding photographer, Jasmine Star.

I first discovered the wedding section of her blog www.jasminestarblog.com, and was just so impressed with the quality of her images, for each and every wedding collection she's displayed.

They have a real truth, beauty, naturalness, art, and technical skill that I so rarely see combined by a single person. She's clearly passionate about her work, and excellent at what she does. I'm sure she'll have a long term career ahead of her.

If you're a particularly observant type, something you may notice from her wedding blog, is that the large selection of around 100 images displayed, are all just from the last few weeks! (whereas many photographic websites will only make available a very small selection from each event).

Very impressive, very inspirational, and well worth a look.

If you're in the area, and/or can afford to fly her over for your wedding, it looks like money very well spent!

Thank you Jasmine.

Following up on copyright

2010-08-12T12:25:00.004+01:00

In follow up to my previous post:
The US 'director' who had included one of my photos, against my permission, hadn't just put them on YouTube, but iTunes, mySpace, blip.tv, vodpod.com, Facebook, and LiveLeak.com!

Every one of those websites has now thankfully removed the video in question (if you see it anywhere else, please do let me know). Thankfully the 'director' has now also realised he was in the wrong (at least with my image), and has re-edited the video to miss out my image and a few others images by the looks of things.

--

In relation to the magazine wrongfully using my images on their website, without my permission:

The court hearing was yesterday, and in summary; their counter-claim was dismissed, and my claim was upheld in full.

This was on the basis of restrictive use of each image was clearly outlined prior to use, that the charges for unauthorised use were clearly published and referenced in the supply communications prior to use, and the invoice for unauthorised use was therefore completely valid.

The defendant has now therefore been ordered to pay the original invoice, plus interest, plus compensation, plus costs incurred. (A total charge that is now nearly twice the price of what they could have paid, if paid promptly. Which of course is also significantly more than if they'd paid for permission in the first place!)

So if anyone reading this is thinking of using any images by Jason Parlour Photography without my written permission (and without paying the fee to do so), please do think again. I do take action, all the way to court.

Strange understandings of basic copyright, by 'professionals'

2010-03-01T12:53:00.002Z

I find it quite incredible some people's mis-understandings of basic copyright, especially by those who are in supposed to be in the business professionally!

We're currently taking further action against a UK magazine to whom we supplied a number of images under a very clearly restrictive usage licence for printed publication in a specific issue of the magazine. The magazine then went on to reproduce them on their website, without permission, and then seemed shocked when we sent an invoice for their unauthorised use.

Then over the weekend, I was notified of a self-titled 'producer/director' in the USA (with 15 years in the business apparently), who copied another of our images, digitally removed the company logos, added his own logos instead, and used it in a 'commercial parody' to help promote his own services (combining it with a bunch of other videos and stills from other people, with his own voice-over).

Upon requesting that he remove the image from the video due to the clar breach of copyright, his incredulous response was:

Unfortunately, permission is not required under the United States Copyright Law's doctrine labeled "Fair Use". In short, The "fair use" exemption to (U.S.) copyright law was created to allow things such as commentary, parody, news reporting, research and education about copyrighted works without the permission of the author. That's vital so that copyright law doesn't block your freedom to express your own works , I will not remove the image from my ###### parody commercial.

Thankfully YouTube have upheld my request, and the entire video has now been taken offline with a credit to Jason Parlour Photography in its place.

It amazes me the way some people try to work, especially when the fees to legally reproduce my work is so accessible!

Pole Divas Finals in Manchester

2009-11-30T17:06:00.002Z

It was great to be invited to take official photos at the Pole Divas event in Manchester last week. There were once again some superb performances by all the performers (especially as it was the finals), and once again, lots of images were taken throughout the evening, and around 750 photos from the event can be seen on Flickr.

Here are a few of my highlights though:

This was taken just before Tamar's performance, checking the pole for enough grip. I just really liked the naturalness of her smile in this photo (it was a great performance too!)

The 'Death Lay' is a move that only last year, was VERY rarely seen in competitions or performances, but was performed by Pantera after the Miss Pole Dance UK Finals in 2008. However, this year, at least 4 performers included the move (to varying levels of success) in their routines! Very impressive.

There were three levels within the competition, and this year the 'professional' section was one by the very lovely Annie Norris. Annie is someone I've been fortunate to work with on a large number of occasions through her support of the X-Pole. I love how really incredibly happy Annie was to have won this event, and how it fortunately showed in many of the photos from the evening.

If you'd like to check out the larger range of images, please see the collection on Flickr.

Miss Pole Dance UK Finals 2009

2009-10-28T18:19:00.006Z

It was a pleasure to be invited back to Miss Pole Dance UK 2009 this year, as an official photographer of the event. Once again, it was held in the great venue of Scala, near Kings Cross.

- See the full collection of images on Flickr

Unfortunately, because of other commitments I was only able to make the final part of the event, however this was certainly very worthwhile attending, with some superb performances from some familiar faces, and some incredible new faces too.

I was very lucky with the lighting on this image of Faye Chatterley, especially with the uplighting on a member of the audience gazing at the performance.

In this image, the resulting winner Maxine (Maria Betts) was just completing the final part of a ball drop from the top of the pole. It was great to get the expression of the audience within this one too.

This was taken at the end of a great doubles entry by Deb Riley and Sasha Kavaleva.

After the end of the competition, last year's Miss Pole Dance winner, Alesia Vazmitsel gave another superb performance. This particular move shown above, isn't normally my preferred body angle for Pole photos, however the incredible strength and flexibility of this move makes it pretty special, and so well worth posting regardless.

If you'd like to see the rest of the images from the evening, a little over 600 images can be viewed through the full collection on Flickr. Or of course you can visit the events page on www.jasonparlour.com/events/

If you'd like to purchase any images, please do so via the normal payment page, accessible from the main homepage of www.jasonparlour.com

Pole Divas in Bristol

2009-09-18T13:14:00.002+01:00

I was very pleased to be taking photos at the recent Pole Divas Event in Bristol.

Here's one of my favourite images from the evening:

Please view the Flickr Gallery if you'd like to see some more images from the event,

Pole Masterclass with Suzie Q 2009-09-06

2009-09-08T23:29:00.004+01:00

I felt privileged to be invited to take photos at the Suzie Q Masterclass in Berkshire on Sunday (and am fortunate to be working with her again later this week).

She's certainly an amazing pole teacher (and of course a superb performer), whilst at the same time, being a really genuine, and lovely person. It was a pleasure to meet her, and a real bonus that she was so supportive in helping arrange for portraits at the end of the day. My thanks go out to her.

Around 170 photos from the day can now be found on Flikr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonparlour/sets/72157622162566329/
(although unfortunately lighting was a bit of an issue down in the club).

If you'd like to purchase any of these images, for personal use on places like Facebook, etc. I've arranged a deal at simple £5 for five images, sent digitally via email to you (without the central 'copyright' watermark).

Signed prints by Suzie Q

If you'd like an A4 high quality photographic print, personally signed by Suzie Q this Saturday 12th Sept and then posted out to you the following week (or collected on the night), please arrange for a payment of £10 per image, to me by Friday at 12pm (midday) at the latest, with details of the image numbers you'd like printed (ie 'IMG_8611').

If you'd like to pay by PayPal, there will be a slight admin charge because of the costs incurred. Similarly, postage will be at cost if you'd like delivery rather than collection. If you can let me know in advance which images you'd like printed though, you can bring cash to the UKAPP finals in Reading on Saturday.

Larger Prints / Commercial Use

If of course you'd like any of these images blown up to A3 photographic prints (on paper or canvass), or even A2 posters (although there won't be time to get the anything above A3 signed), please get in contact immediately.

Similarly, if you'd like to use them on your own professional website for publicity purposes, etc. then a reasonable arrangement can be made, so please do get in contact.

Glastonbury 2009

2009-06-29T16:39:00.002+01:00

I've just come back from another amazing time at the Glastonbury 2009 Festival.
A really superb time once again, and although I didn't get as carried away this time with the images, was fortunate to be able to capture a few moments that highlighted the key points for me during the weekend.

Just some of the crowds

This guy was calling out "I can't use my eyes, so I hope everyone's looking at me!"

Just one of the incredible efforts by 'The Black Eagles' in the circus tent.

Dancing away to Pendulum on the Saturday night.

A bunch more images can also be seen on my Flickr site:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonparlour/sets/72157620725532166/

Updates to Jason Parlour Photography

2009-05-13T11:07:00.002+01:00

Although my blogs have been pretty quiet on this site for the past few months, it's certainly not through lack of photography. Things have been very busy on lots of privately commissioned shoots, both at the new Purity Studio in Reading, and on location.

I have however just noticed that Windows Live Spaces has now removed it's feature of using the images from live spaces, to display a slideshow on this website. As a result, I've now pulled those slideshows offline, until a more suitable replacement can be found.

Sorry though, that as a result, you won't be able to see much in the way of a selection of my images though this site. This will be changed and sorted soon though.

If you have any queries in the meantime, please do let me know.

New Teachers' portraits, with Purity Pole Dancing

2009-02-12T20:01:00.000Z

It was a pleasure to assist PurityPoleDancing again last weekend, at the Purity Studio, in a series of photos for Jolene's new teachers. Due to the continued success of Purity, these new teachers will now be expanding classes across the south of England.

Do check out their website for further photos!

New photographers of great interest

2009-01-06T15:49:00.000Z

In efforts to gain access to a greater number of models, I've now signed up to a number of online agencies such as net-model and net-portfolio.

I've also found details of a photographer I very much admire: Mike Taylor Photography. He's been in the business full time for quite a few years, and it shows!

Miss Pole Dance 2008 - Official Photographer

2008-10-17T12:05:00.000+01:00

Yesterday was certainly an interesting day.

My partner, Jolene, was one of the finalists of Miss Pole Dance UK 2008 and I was the only official photographer. This gave full access to all areas: backstage, VIP area, changing rooms, make-up areas, anywhere on stage (within reason), and of course I was there throughout the day.

As it was, I knew in advance around half the finalists from previous 'Pole Jams' and other pole events (as you'll see from some of my collections on Flickr). Despite the usual late organisational challenges in getting everyone together where they should have been, by the times required, the evening did prove to be a big success, with around 900 people in the audience, and around 19 performers on stage.

I'll be working through the 2,000 images taken during the evening in the next few days, and they'll soon be available to buy through this website.

Of course any press/media enquiries to purchase any of the images, do get in contact.

I look forward to getting a few select images uploaded soon.

In the meantime though, here's a shot taken the day before, with the world famous Pantera running an intensive workshop at the Purity Studio in Reading

2008-09-29T19:09:00.000+01:00

Thankfully I've had a little more time today to add the slideshows of some of my portfolio, similarly add some more to the styling and design, so I hope you like it!

In case you were wondering: By using the slideshows from the free 'JasonParlour live spaces' account, means we can update the slideshows directly from our desktop with Windows Live Photogallery, to appear immediately on the website!

Any thoughts or ideas, of course please do let me know.

New photography website!

2008-09-27T16:51:00.000+01:00

I've now been able to tweak around a little, and develop this new website, as part of Parlour Design's Portfolio.

It still needs a fair amount of work, but at least the main content coding for the layout is now there.

Thankfully, because it's also all been designed to plain html for the content, and CSS for the styling, I'll be able to make rapid changes to the design in the future very quickly and easily.

Pole Dancing Photos

2008-09-07T18:20:00.000+01:00

I've been getting out and seeing some great friends at a couple of new Fitness Studio launch events recently.

Although the large number of photos haven't found their way directly onto this website as such, they are currently available on my flickr account here for the Purity Studio, and here for the Vertical Studio

A small selection from the Vertical Studio launch were quickly published here:
http://www.theverticalstudio.com/photo_gallery.htm (just click on the selection to choose the 'launch party', although you'll see the Gladiators photos were also by myself).

Some of my recent photos are now also appearing on these websites:
www.puritypoledancing.com
and
www.puritystudio.co.uk

re-publishing the photo links to facebook

2008-08-07T11:54:00.000+01:00

Having just removed the links to the Imagine Cup 2008 collections on the main home page of JasonParlour.com, I felt it appropriate to put them all somewhere accessible too for easier reference for those remaining in the photos to be named, such as here:

Imagine Cup 2008 - Day 1

Imagine Cup 2008 - Day 2

Imagine Cup 2008 - Day 3

Imagine Cup 2008 - Day 4

Imagine Cup 2008 - Day 4 - Boat Party

Imagine Cup 2008 - Day 4 - Boat Party - part 2

Imagine Cup 2008 - Day 5 - Woman in IT Forum

Imagine Cup 2008 - Day 5 - Team Presentations

Imagine Cup 2008 - Day 6 - Exhibition

Imagine Cup 2008 - Day 6 - Awards Ceremony - part 1

Imagine Cup 2008 - Day 6 - Awards Ceremony - part 2

Imagine Cup 2008 - Day 6 - Part 1

Imagine Cup 2008 - Day 6 - Part 2

My new location on Flickr

2008-07-30T01:35:00.000+01:00

Due to the number of photos being uploaded for various people at the moment, it's seemed more appropriate to hold some space on 'Flickr' for easier accessibility of those photos, for those keen to see each collection from particular trips I'm heading away on:
http://flickr.com/photos/jasonparlour/
Please do check it out, and you can leave any feedback there too.

Of course, I'll still keep a few of my really favourite images through my portfolio here on www.jasonparlour.com

Similarly, I expect I'll still be uploading group photos to my facebook account too (when it's likely those in the photos will also find them). However, for the various people I meet whilst out and about, who are keen on seeing copies of the images taken, putting them on Flickr may be more suitable. I'll see how I get on!

Photos from Glastonbury 2008

2008-07-18T00:39:00.000+01:00

I'm pleased to say a selection of my photos from the Glastonbury 2008 Festival are now online, here:

http://jasonparlour.spaces.live.com/photos/cns!4602D6FA12E66A27!1305/

and here:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=132366&l=a4a16&id=618445396

One of my personal favourites however is this one:

More updates from the Imagine Cup Worldwide Finals

2008-07-07T21:19:00.000+01:00

Well the photography entries are in, and the judges will now have made their decisions (although we won't be finding out the results until tomorrow evening).

It's been a real pleasure to be here, and I'm very grateful to have met some really amazing people throughout my time in Paris, and experience some of that uniquely French & Parisian culture. It's even been great to try and recall my GCSE French from 16 years ago!

I'll be publishing a big stock of images on my livespaces account very soon after I return to the UK, which will be accessible through this link

I've also been lucky enough to be included twice on the official ImagineCup blog!
Imagine Cup - photography & Imagine Cup - Interface Design

From Glastonbury to Paris

2008-07-03T21:57:00.000+01:00

The Glastonbury Festival was superb. Such amazing people and a great chance to find out much more from the 'Green Fields' (photos to follow). Of course wonderful to spend some more quality time with my partner, and enjoy the time outdoors.

I've also just helped Jolene redesign her website for Purity, as she's moving into a new studio in August 2008 (the photo in her logo was one of mine from some dancing she was doing at an Art Gallery last year).
Thankfully, with her new studio, I'll also get the chance to use part of the studio on occassion as a photography studio, which has both some nice indoor, and outdoor locations.
It's being refitted and replastered at the moment so it's all crisp and new looking. Can't wait!

However, I'm now currently sat in the Novetel hotel in Paris however, as part of the Imagine Cup worldwide finals. As you may see I was lucky enough to win the UK finals, and as a result, also now have the opportunity to compete against 5 other teams for the additional prizes.
The city looks pretty amazing, very classic architecture, and some very mad drivers.
Apparently if you take a look at the Imagine Cup website while we're here, you should be able to get some feedback on what everyone's up to.

I've just come back from the 'opening ceremony' with Paris's Mayor, meeting some really interesting people from Microsoft in the process too, some developers, evangalists, previous imagine cup winners, ex interens, full time employees, etc. There's even a bunch of guys who converted a car to run on chip fat oil, who've just arrived from driving to Paris from Dublin!

Appearing in the press

2008-06-24T21:28:00.000+01:00

Having just spotted these couple of articles on the web today, I thought this would be a good place to share it:
http://www.getreading.co.uk/...top_photography_prize
Unfortunately, there is a bit of a typo, in that I'm not actually going to get work experience out in Seattle as a result of this round of the competition... but it's not the end of the competition yet!

I've also found myself here:
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/...-tech-world-cup.html
and here:
http://www.birminghampost.net/...-imagine-cup-final-.../

I'm also off to the Glastonbury Festival this weekend, and will be using this as a further test run for the finals. It should also be an amazing time away, especially as the weather doesn't actually look too bad!

Clearing out the old to make space for the new

2008-06-14T11:08:00.000+01:00

It was with pleasure today I was able to have a great clear out of the number of photos posted on this site, to help bring greater focus to those remaining.

My thanks go to Jo of www.joannahobden.com for her insight on this.. (She's done some pretty amazing artwork by the way.. :) )

Of course should you wish to see a greater number of any of my photo sets, please do feel free to get in contact.

"Award Winning Images"

2008-06-12T08:59:00.000+01:00

So what's all this about 'award winning images'?

I've been passionate about finding excellent photographers after being introduced to some photos taken by a press photographer David Fleming, for the Sunday Telegraph, back in 2003... there was just 'that something' about them that really captured the moment, the emotion, and the feeling of the day.I'd say this was this photographer who inspired me to really try and have great images for the commercial photos I needed at various times. (Unfortunately his original website no longer exists)

Although I was keen on taking photos whilst out in New Zealand back in 1996, whilst working for a Mount Aspiring College, (an amazing secondary school based in the middle of the Southern Alps in the wonderful village of Wanaka). After my compaxt zoom 35mm camera stopped working in around 1999, it took me until December 2007 to finally make a choice on which digital SLR to buy! It just seemed that everytime I waited a few months, the price would come down, and the quality would go up!

I finally settled on the Cannon EOS 40D, with a really lovely EF series 24-105mm lens. It was a tough choice between that and the Canon EOS 5D, but I'm glad I made the choice. The 6.5 frames per second have been brilliant for capturing action shots of our dog, Mr Bones (as seen in the pets section). And the resolution and aparture settings have just been superb.

So subsequently, whilst chatting to someone over lunch one day a few weeks later, I heard about the Microsoft student competition of the 'imagine cup'.
The challenge was to take a series of up to 10 photos, which enlightened the theme 'Imagine a world where technology enables a greener future'. Thankfully, on the 23rd May 2008, I discovered I'd actually won the UK competition, and am now one of 6 finalists from around the world now competing in the finals in Paris this July! :)