Tree Treasure

Help the environment and plant more trees

Photograph of Oona with her cláirseach at Dunham Massey a couple of sprintimes ago. Wanted to get the bluebells in, but the oak tree in the background was very beautiful too. Trees feature in a lot of my photographs.

Something new in 2020 for both Richard Linnett Photography and Oona Linnett, harpist! Like so many people we have become increasingly alarmed for our world,  concerned about the global climate emergency. So, for every confirmed booking made with either myself or Oona, we are going to plant a tree. How this works will be that any person booking with us will receive a tree to plant as gift from us, and you can do this without your hands dirty either.

These pines in Sequoia National Park were stunning on a frosty snowy day when we visited California a couple of years ago. image available to purchase at my Landscape, nature and fine art collection. We made it up into a stunning canvas for our home. We actually got lost in this forest it was so misty, but such a wonderfully awesome atmosphere, very primeval!

We have both joined Tree-Nation to support them in working to mitigate the effects of negative climate change. They have four large projects in Nicaragua, Colombia, Niger and Madagascar, and already have over 110 000 people and  and more than 1000 companies involved, and we believe this will get even bigger and will make a really meaningful impact on a local, regional and global scale.

I often find myself as a wedding photographer looking for a beautiful tree to photograph people beneath. In this case it was a beautiful beech tree in the grounds the Doubletree Hotel and Spa here in Chester. Defuse light and wonderful framing, not to mention bark and leaf texture, all help with the composition. it was also a bit rainy that day, so it also offered us some protection. Also included the image for the name of the hotel!

How will this work? After you have made a booking with myself or Oona, you will very shortly receive an email from Tree-Nation. The email will contain a link that will take you to our Tree-Nation page on their website where you can plant your tree. Once you've planted your tree, you can then reply to us with a message, you read about the species of tree you planted, its CO2 offset and what planting project you contributed to. You can also download your own tree certificate with all the information linked to your tree which is recognised as part of your CO2 off-setting. You will have officially contributed to a vital conservation project, as well as booking the music and/or photography for your event!

I like this 'little and large' picture a giant sequoia in the background and the smaller pine in the foreground. Not so many people visit in the winter but all very epic for us.

We should be seeing trees as a treasure for their beauty and for their importance in helping to create in such large measure the hospitable environment that we are so fortunate to have and enables us to thrive.

'Large-leaved lime is the rarest of our native limes and is only subtly different from small-leaved lime. The bark is darker than that of small-leaved lime, and smooth, developing flaky plates with age'. Woodland Trust

Are trees important in your work?

Let's plant more trees!

Party like Gatsby - Hencote's New Year's Eve 2020!

So we enter the new 'Roaring Twenties'! I hope this year and the next 10 are positive for you, optimists live longer apparently!

Party like Gatsby! New Year's Eve at Hencote's

I had a great New Year's Eve meeting people at Hencote's where the champagne flowed and people turned out in their flapper art deco dresses and black tie. Great group for a picture to record how they looked. I have toned all these pictures to blend them with the 1920s look. It is a while since I did a 1920s theme, two weddings one of which was on a New Year's Day, much fun too!

Pouring the bubbly at Hencote's The View holding a New Year's Eve Party

Vivienne the events planner booked me and I got myself a black tie and trilby just to fit in, the finishing touch to which was to add a press pass card secured by the hat band! Quite like dressing up myself, also indicated I was game to the people at the party and trying to add to the atmosphere.

Entertainment was provided with a caricaturist during the drinks reception, and then live music to celebrate late into the night.

I even managed to get some portrait shots at the piano making the link to the jazz music of the day. The piano was a great prop and allowed some separation from the rest of the restaurant busy enjoying the menu.

Portrait at the piano, we don't dress up often so a picture is important to capture that 1920s art deco and black tie look

The monkey with his Hencote wine bottle made it into most of the pictures which helped with the context and I am sure the venue will enjoys the extra advertising!

'Flapper' piano portrait! it is great dressing up and being different

It is always difficult to know when enough is enough and people want to do something other than pose for you. I could take such pictures all day!

Wonderful models happy to pose at the 'Party like Gatsby' New year's Eve celebrations at Hencote's 'The View'

Chris Ryder the caricaturist had a lot of fun with guests at the beginning of the evening as they settled into the swing of things. Chris Ryder produces outstanding and fun pictures.

Chris the caricaturist found many willing subjects to be drawn in her witty style

Everyone had fun with Chris Ryder's caricatures

By way of music there was entertaniment from 'Last Call' a popular band from Manchester. They covered a number of contemporary and classic popular music favourites. Enjoyed it, and would have joined in the dancing.

Really enjoyed listening to Last Call at the 'Party Like Gatsby' New Year's Part at Hencot's in Shrewsbury

They dressed for the occasion just like everyone else and were game fo photographs at the piano too.

Even managed to get the band to come up for a portriat at the piano. Called 'Last Call' they hail from Manchester and are available for parties and weddings

Many got up onto the dance floor to shake those beads and tassels after letting a Hencote's 'The View' meal go down.

'Last Call' made the evening with classic and contemporary popular music

Many had come because they were looking for a live music event for their New Year's celebration and 'Last Call' did not disappoint.

So if you are thinking of an event in the Shrewsbury area I can definitely recommend Hencote's as a venue, Vivienne will do you proud. if it is amusing entertainment then Sue Ryder can draw you and your friends into her funny caricature world. As for music then you would do well to book Last Call for you special event, a pleasure to listen and dance to. Links to all these fabulous people can be found in the text above.

Happy New Year to all readers.