Owen Howells Photography: Blog

Summer cliff-top wedding photography at The Cliff Hotel, Ceredigion

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 12:57:38 GMT

Around 2 days before a wedding I sometimes get a message from Sally White of White Bride excitedly telling me I'm photographing one of her brides this weekend and how amazing she looks. It's always a good sign, because her clients are always impeccably dressed with perfectly styled weddings and this one was no exception. Combine this with a stunning location, metres from the cliffs in Cardigan Bay, and an atmospheric sea mist to diffuse the summer sun and you've got perfect conditions for an incredible set of wedding photos. Enjoy

The Cliff Hotel - Ceredigion

Winter Wedding Photography at Pencoed House, Cardiff - Geraint & Sarah

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 11:44:15 GMT

It's always a pleasure to see Pembroke School friends, so I was delighted when Sarah asked me to come to Cardiff to photograph her wedding with fiancé Geraint. I arrived in the morning to their impeccably decorated terraced house, which gave lots of opportunities for bridal prep photos. A vintage double decker bus transported Sarah, family & her bridesmaids to the ceremony at Ararat Baptist Church. After an intimate ceremony, with an rousing soundtrack from the Bridgend Male voice choir, Sarah & Geraint and the whole wedding party reboarded the bus to Pencoed House Estate. It was my first visit to Pencoed, and I was treated to an beautiful setting to do my work as well as a stunning 3 course meal during the wedding breakfast. Some heartfelt and emotional speeches were followed by a fireworks display and the first dance, kicked off by an enigmatic band. What a cracking day this was, the styling was spot on and an excellent example of how a winter wedding should be done!

Site update - Restaurant & Food photography in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 09:52:00 GMT

Pembrokeshire is seeing a huge resurgence in excellent quality dining, with new venues popping up as well as long term establishments getting a new injection of life. It has been fantastic over the past few years to work with some incredibly talented and enthusiastic restaurateurs in updating their imagery. The aim of our shoots has always been more than simply to display what's on offer, but instead create images that immerse the potential customers in the atmosphere of the establishment.

https://www.owenhowellsphotography.co.uk/food_restaurant_photographer_pembrokeshire_wales

A few of the fantastic establishments I've worked with this year:

Cellar Bar at Qube

Twelve Canteen & Wine Bar

Castlemead Hotel

New Gallery Added - Photography at glamping sites and unusual accommodation

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Mon, 08 Feb 2021 07:47:47 GMT

Since being introduced to the Canopy and Stars team back in 2017 I've been incredibly lucky to go on assignment in some of Britain's most spectacular rural escapes, as well as travelling abroad to some of their European locations.

My goal when working on glamping sites is not just to photograph what the place looks like, but to capture some of the atmosphere and experience of staying in these wonderful destinations, as well as the character of the space itself. All of these amazing spaces are available to stay, so I've included photograph links below should any take your interested, just hit the photo to be taken to their page on Canopy & Stars:

Dabinett Treehouse, Somerset

Castaway, Monmouthshire Wildwood - Somerset Ekopod, Cornwall The Rooks Nook, Herefordshire Dragons Cruck, Powys Cwtch Camping, Pembrokeshire Elsie May, Devon The Little Retreat, Pembrokeshire The Orchard at Fenny Castle, Somerset

New Gallery Added - Industrial Photography

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 10:28:29 GMT

Being based so close to one of Britains busiest industrial waterways means a great to deal of my work is based in industry. To demonstrate my vast experience working in these kind of environments I've created an new gallery dedicated to such work.

Aerial/Drone Photography Gallery Updated

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Fri, 05 Feb 2021 09:35:45 GMT

Just updated the gallery of aerial images with some of my latest work.

Below are a few examples of the drone in use on assignments in 2020.

Aerial image of Milford Haven marina. Part of a series of images to capture the new Christmas lights, as well as marketing the marina as a tourism destination during the festive season.

This capture was taken during a glamping photoshoot for one of Canopy & Stars' destinations. The elevated perspective not only creates a striking composition, but also illustrates the cabins location in the surrounding area.

Paraiso Escondido captured on another Canopy & Stars assignment, this time in Southern Portugal

This photo shows the proximity of the curved Bombora office buildings in relation to the industrial sites where their wave energy devices are manufactured.

New website for Motorcycle Photography & Video

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Mon, 01 Feb 2021 10:19:37 GMT

Those of you who follow my work will probably have noticed a motorcycles appearing a great deal, and with an indepth knowledge of the subject I consider it to be somewhat of a speciality. To help attract the right kind of clients for this work I've created a separate business entity, MotoStudio.net.

MotoStudio will provide photography by myself, but also call upon the talents of other creatives to expand our capabilities. Most recently I worked alongside visionary film-maker Ben Walton of Walton Films, with the results available to in the video section of the new website.

While motorcycle photography takes up a small percentage of my work, I'm still passionate about photographing all kinds of subjects and will continue to enjoy working in the commercial & wedding sectors, as I have done for the past 14 years.

Launching the new dedicated photography studio in Pembroke

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 10:00:00 GMT

I'm proud to announce the completion of this dedicated photography studio in Pembroke. The space has be specially setup to tailor it to the requirements of a studio photographer. Armed with a huge array of different lights & modifiers, as well as a variety of backdrops, the list of possibilities is endless.

To see some examples of previous studio images, take a look at the studio photography gallery

Tom & Ffion - Wedding Photography at Lawrenny Church & The Old Castle Site

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 09:19:00 GMT

Tom & Ffion's unique DIY wedding in the small rural village of Lawrenny was the first to take place on the The Old Castle Site. Better known as the venue for The Big Retreat Festival, this stunning spot made the perfect setting for Tom & Ffion's special day. With Ffion's bridal preparations, the church and reception all taking place within 500 metres there was no need for wedding transport, just a short stroll in the sunshine (and briefly in the rain). There was such a happy, relaxed atmosphere throughout the day, all the while surrounded by the stunning surroundings and some of the lovely details and touches that Tom & Ffion had created. Gorgeous greens dominated the colour scheme and featured on the individually fitted bridesmaid dresses (and jumpsuit) as well as the groomsmen's ties and throughout the marquee. Ffion's figure hugging silk gown by Suzanne Neville was complimented with a huge bouquet of wild flowers, natural makeup, braided hair with gypsophila and a full length veil.

Will & Kate - Wedding Photography at Florin, Llanarth, Ceredigion

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 09:19:00 GMT

Kate & Will, along with many of their guests, travelled all the way from Sydney to celebrate their marriage in the idyllic grounds of Florin House in Llanarth. While the weather wasn't quite up to Australian standards, the rain held off just enough for everyone make the most of a stunning outdoor ceremony and reception.

In the morning Kate’s wedding preparations were made in the luxurious surroundings of the master bedroom, twinned with one of the most spectacular bathrooms I’ve ever seen! Kate's show stopping dress was by the amazing Ukrainian designer Oksana Mukha, which she complemented with a cathedral length veil, beautiful bouquet of flowers and gypsophila in her hair. As a photographer I was spoilt for choice, as next door there was another huge bedroom with large windows, plus the grand stair case on the way to the ceremony.

Meanwhile Will, the groom, had been suiting up in the stylish grass fronted garden house, which made for a relaxing environment as he and his best man put the final touches to their clothing and wrote a few extra lines in their speeches.
Despite a light rain shower, the intimate outdoor ceremony went ahead as planned, with a few tears and a lot laughs at Will & Kate’s personal vows to each other.

After the ceremony it was time for a few formal(ish) pictures with the beautiful and varied backdrops at Florin before guests could begin to let their hair down and enjoy the party atmosphere at Ceredigion’s most exclusive wedding venue.

Take a look at the pics below to watch this absolute beauty of a wedding day unfold...

Dan & Jen - Wedding Photography at Rhosygilwen

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Sat, 21 Sep 2019 14:03:00 GMT

Dan and Jen’s intimate wedding took place all within the rural grounds of Rhosygilwen in North Pembrokeshire. With the mansion to themselves, Jen and her bridesmaids did their morning preparations in one of the main rooms, with a huge window overlooking the gardens. Jen wore a stunning figure hugging silk gown, complemented with a long flowing veil. Dan wore a dusty pink tie to match the theme, on a three piece suit with olive tweed waistcoat. The ceremony room at Rhosygilwen is glass in 4 dimensions which means the service is bright and surrounded by green, perfect for photos. Dan and Jen are just the most easy going and fun couple, which led to a very relaxed photoshoot on the tree lined road leading into the venue. There were further smiles all round as I captured them enjoying canapés and drinks on the terrace, followed by the formal family photos. Speeches, and the wedding breakfast, preceded a romantic first dance, set to the backdrop of Rhosygilwen's grand main hall. The photos from the day really reflect what a beautiful, relaxed and joyous occasion this was and how much I enjoyed photographing it!

Billy & Siân - Wedding Photography at Manorbier Castle

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 23:00:00 GMT

Billy & Siân doing it in style in one of Pembrokeshire's most stunning wedding venues, Manorbier Castle. With everything taking place on the site, Siân & her bridesmaids made their morning preparations in the cosy cottage nestled in the castle walls. Siân wore a dazzling Essence of Australia gown, complemented with a cathedral length veil & a bouquet of flowers by By The Sea florists. We were soon joined by Billy & his groomsmen, who turned up in time for a few last minute clothing tweaks, a shot of whiskey and some formal photos before heading to the ceremony room. The ceremony room itself is one of the most unique places to tie the knot in Wales with bare castle walls, a big window and a huge open fireplace. After a very intimate ceremony, the Billy, Siân & their guests headed onto the castle lawn to enjoy drinks, canapes & photos in the beautiful September sunshine...it's a real treat to be working in Pembs when the weather is this good!

Nathan & Luci - Wedding Photography at Penally Abbey & Trefloyne Manor

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 15:31:00 GMT

Nathan & Luci doing it just as it should be done - if I called it a selection of highlights then it would just be every image from the day. With the intimate ceremony at Penally Abbey & wild celebrations at Trefloyne Manor, this wedding had the luxury two of the best wedding venues in South Pembrokeshire. I love this set of photos as they really sum up how I like to do wedding photography - a few informal & fun portraits with lots of reportage capturing the awesome atmosphere of the day.

Alun & Hannah - Wedding Photography at St Mary's Church & St Tewdrics House

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Thu, 30 May 2019 07:47:03 GMT

A great little trip up the M4 to join Hannah & Alun for their wedding celebrations in south-east Wales

Hannah & her bridesmaids did their preparations for the big day at their home in Cardiff, where Hannah dressed in a unique David Fielden gown from Carina Baverstock Couture. It was just a short trip in the beautiful little VW Beetle to St Mary's Church, St Fagans, where her sharply dressed groom, Alun, was waiting for her.

After a relaxed ceremony, complete with singing from Only Men Aloud, the guests headed to the beautiful grounds of St Tewdrics House, a new wedding venue which is already establishing itself to be very popular thanks to its immaculate grounds and stunning interior. A champagne reception and group photographs were followed by some very entertaining speeches, after which we took advantage of some glorious golden sunlight to take some additional photos of this very cool couple in St Tewdrics' grounds.

Take a look at the pics below to watch this beautiful day unfold.

Motorcycle photography gallery updated

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 10:30:00 GMT

Anyone who's met me will have soon worked out I've got a keen interest in motorcycles, so it's always a pleasure to be able to combine this passion with photography. Over the past few years I've been lucky enough to take on both commercial and personal assignments in this field, and some of the results are now featured in the updated gallery:

https://www.owenhowellsphotography.co.uk/motorcycle_photography

Moto Guzzi 1000 GT

Thomas & Nia - Wedding Photography at Llys Meddyg, Newport

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Wed, 27 Feb 2019 08:53:39 GMT

It's hard to sum up just how perfect this gorgeous & intimate wedding at Llys Meddyg was. Nia looked stunning in her White Bride gown standing opposite her husband looking dashing in his army uniform. The cosy outside/inside ceremony, for legal requirements, took place just under the back doors of Llys Meddyg with the guests enjoying view in the summer warmth outside. After an emotional ceremony its was decided the speeches should take place outside, taking advantage of the perfect conditions we were blessed with. The next treat was the amazing BBQ food served at the informal wedding breakfast. As the afternoon sun dropped to an evening glow, a surprise trip in a VW Beetle took Thomas & Nia away for a bit of alone time away from the guests, before returning for a golden hour photoshoot on Newport bridge. My final job was to capture the relaxed evening atmosphere with the first dance, more food, drinks, fire pits, lanterns and sparklers.

Llyndaf & Alice - Wedding Photography in Pembrokeshire with marquee reception

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 10:55:35 GMT

I've done some big weddings in my time, but this one might just take the prize for the biggest - a huge marque catering for over 260 guests! Despite the scale of the wedding, Llyndaf and Alice made the day a very personal one, with some beautiful details and a marquee on their private land set next to the idyllic Gelli bridge in Pembrokeshire. Alice wore an elegant open backed silk gown from White Bride, finished off a bespoke waist band, Llyndaf wore a three piece Navy suit from Moss brothers with a floral bow tie. Not only a great spot for a party, Gelli Bridge was the perfect spot for photos and we took advantage of it in the day and the night. By the evening even more guests were arriving, and legend has it the party continued on past sunrise the next morning....epic!

Joe & Nia - Winter Wedding Photography at Nevern Church & Gellifawr Woodland Retreat

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 10:29:41 GMT

Joe, Nia and their guests definitely dressed to impress for this gorgeous church ceremony at Nevern Church. Nia wore a stunning figure hugging silk gown from Emma Phillips Bridal Studio, and Joe looked sharp in his dinner suit with suede jacket from Dyfed Menswear. After some mince pies & mulled wine to warm up the party moved on to Gellifawr Woodland Retreat for some spirited (understatement!) celebrations at the reception, kicked off by the singing waiters and not relenting for the rest of the night. What an awesome way to wrap up my 2018 wedding photography season!

Rhys & Ffion - Wedding Photography at Mansion House Llansteffan, Carmarthenshire

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Sun, 17 Feb 2019 09:30:00 GMT

Rhys & Ffion's glorious wedding in the sunshine at Mansion House Llansteffan was without a doubt as beautiful as the royal wedding taking place on the same day. The intimate ceremony in the main hall was followed by Rhys, Ffion and their guests enjoying drinks and canapes in the sunshine in front of the stunning Carmarthen bay vista. With a couple looking every bit like royalty, and immaculately dressed smiling guests, this one was a feast for the camera, and I didn't feel like I was missing out just because I didn't get the call up for the Windsor castle job!

William & Katie - Winter wedding photography at St Brides Hotel, Saundersfoot

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Sat, 16 Feb 2019 09:30:00 GMT

Will & Katie's wonderful winter wedding started near home at Uzmaston Church near Haverfordwest. Dodging showers, Katie and her bridesmaids brightened up the winters day arriving in all white with sparkly shawls. During the ceremony there were some lovely moments, most notably their 6 year old son Freddie delivering a beautiful speech, and that wouldn't be the last we saw of him as he was certainly one of the stars of the day! Following the ceremony we took a trip to Will & Katie's private land where we took an ATV ride to their favourite spot in front of the Cleddau river. The reception took place in front of stunning views at St Bride's Hotel in Saundersfoot, where The Function Band led the party with their awesome ability to entertain at any time during the night!

Danny & Jessica - Wedding Photography at Coed-y-Mwstwr Hotel

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Wed, 02 May 2018 11:13:35 GMT

What a great way to kick start the 2018 wedding photography season. A trip up the M4 to photograph Danny & Jessica's beautiful wedding at Coed-y-Mwstwr Hotel. The day started with photographing Jessica's bridal prep at the wonderfully eclectic Olivia House in Porthcawl. Jessica wore a exquisite Ronald Joyce gown, bringing Danny to tears as she entered the ceremony room.

Coed-y-Mwstwr itself was a perfect setting for photographs, with its mix of red brick buildings and a sea of yellow daffodils. Danny & Jess looking the part along with being head over heels in love made for a set of photographs I'm very proud to share on this blog!

Oliver & Rachel - Wedding Photography at Mwnt Chapel & Beach in Cardiganshire

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 10:00:00 GMT

What a fantastic mid season treat this wedding was. Oliver & Rachel set up a perfect wedding which took place within hopping distance of the Cardiganshire coastline. Their marquee overlooked the idyllic beachside Mwnt Chapel which was the also setting for the ceremony. After the ceremony the bridal party made their way down to the beach for a wander and some photos, before making their way to a lively reception back on family land at the top of the hill. As if the day hadn't been perfect enough Oliver & Rachel were blessed with a golden sunset, which they took advantage of with a walk to the top of the hill to admire the views. Oliver wore a country-style all tweed 3 piece suit, while Rachel chose a show stopping Jenny Packham gown.

Enjoy!

Malcolm & Louise - Winter wedding photography at Grove of Narberth, Pembrokeshire

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 09:48:02 GMT

Great memories from back in December when I photographed this beautiful wedding at Grove of Narberth. I photographed Louise's bridal preparations at their family home in Pembrokeshire, where Louise dressed into her amazing Pronovias gown. Their ceremony then took place at The Grove's main room, during which Malcolm & Louise couldn't stop smiling at each other.

The Grove's intimate & cosy environment lends itself perfectly to a winter wedding, with roaring fires to keep the guests warm during the day. With the sun occasionally peaking through the clouds we were able to brave the cold for outdoor formal photos, before a lively reception in the marquee. Malcolm and Louise's highly entertaining first dance routine kicked off celebrations until the early hours of the morning.

Cai & Sara - Wedding Photography at Florin, Ceredigion

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Mon, 15 Jan 2018 09:00:00 GMT

Sharing a few images from this spectacular wedding of Cai & Sara in Llanarth, Ceredigion. I photographed the bridal prep in the sumptuous rooms of Florin manor, before making our way to Llanarth Church for the ceremony. Cai & Sara's day couldn't have been more perfect...with photos by the seaside before moving back to Florin where they and their guests sipped champagne in the sunshine. Sara looked dazzling in her custom designed wedding gown, with Cai looking the perfect match in his sharp, modern navy suit.

Commercial Aerial Drone Photography in Pembrokeshire, West Wales, Carmarthenshire, Swansea

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 08:00:00 GMT

Early in 2017 Owen Howells Photography undertook training and gained the necessary qualifications to be able to fly a drone for commercial purposes. Since then the drone has been updated to the industry standard Inspire with Zenmuse camera, along with a range of lenses, allowing for stunningly detailed images. Since then we've been undertaking a wide range of assigments for our clients, showing some of the creative possibilities of the technology.

Take a look at some of the results below

FBM Holidays were looking for an image to show the proximity of their holiday lets to the beach in Freshwater East. When standing in the holiday park the beach isn't visible at all, but by flying the drone 50metres in the air it was possible to get an angle which tells the full story.

The above three images are part of an assignment to document the transport of huge boulders from GD Harries' quarry in Bolton Hill, and onto a vessel heading for Hinkley point Nuclear Power Station.

Image showing work in progress on the velodrome at Carmarthenshire rugby ground.

Cafe Mor sand art photographed at Freshwater West beach.

Castle School - Drone photograph to supplement the range of images taken for the new website

Pembroke Port with impressive combilift vessel docked

Trefloyne Manor in all its summer glory

Architectural Photography in Pembroke Dock

Slebech Park photographed during a wedding

Lamphey Court Hotel photographed with Lamphey palace in the foreground

Not all drone photography is about getting high in the sky. In this instance the house was on a steep slope meaning the only available images were looking directly up at the building. The drone was used to fly just 30ft in the air to acheive an otherwise unobtainable angle.

Images of the Maidenwells bypass in construction

Owen Howells Photography is fully licensed, trained and insured to take on commercial & industrial assignments in Pembrokeshire and throughout the rest of the UK. Send us an e-mail or give Owen a call to discuss any projects you might have in mind.

mail@owenhowells.com

07778536516

01646680351

David & Emma - Wedding Photography at Gellifawr, Newport & Nantwen

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Wed, 14 Jun 2017 09:44:37 GMT

David & Emma and their handsome little boys had a dream day in rural North Pembrokeshire...the morning clouds brought intermittent rain only to clear away for a beautiful afternoon ceremony at Nantwen and a stroll on Newport Beach. The evening celebrations took place at the cosy Gellifawr tucked away in the Preseli landscape. With so much happiness, beautiful scenery and a perfect couple it really was a great day to be a wedding photographer!

Tim & Tara - Wedding Photography at Woodhouse Barn, Rosemarket

owen_howells@hotmail.com (Owen Howells Photography) — Fri, 19 May 2017 10:38:00 GMT

A great way to start the spring season of 2017, a sunny day at the relatively new Pembrokeshire wedding venue - Woodhouse Barn. Tim & Tara's day started with a ceremony at Jeffreyston Church and was followed by fun & happy reception at The Barn. The main hall looked spectacular, especially after Tim & Tara had put their personal touches on it to make it their own. In the evening we were spoiled with beautiful light which we took advantage of with a photoshoot in a nearby field. In case you were wondering Tara's stunning dress is by Justin Alexander (fitted by Emma Phillips Bridal Studio, Carmarthen) and her super cool and comfy shoes were by Toms!