With a strong background in creative and performing arts, Kathy is the ideal partner for Andy. In fact, the pair cemented their partnership when they got married at Gracelands, Memphis, in October 2008.
Kathy, who hails from Enfield, Middlesex, comes from a family of highly creative people. Her eldest brother is an accomplished musician; her other brother is a qualified architect and portrait artist; and her sister is a talented commercial artist. Her parents were both keen performers in amateur dramatics and her mother was a fine writer.
Kathy’s varied career has covered cartography, commercial art and design, writing, reporting and sub-editing. Her creative flair has led her to join Andy full-time as assistant photographer and Photoshop ‘master’.
Kathy insisted: “I love working with images and Andy’s enthusiasm is addictive. I particularly love it when we are working together at weddings and special occasions. We strive to capture the true atmosphere of the event and also reflect individuals’ personalities.”
Fun-loving Kathy has been known to perform in local amateur pantos and musicals, but she is probably best known locally for her dancing. For the last 19 years she has taught and performed Middle Eastern dance, promoting well-being and keep fit for ladies of all ages. Throughout the year Kathy and her ‘ladies’ often give local demonstrations for charity.
Kathy’s love of dance has also led her to establish a weekly specialist column in the local newspaper devoted to all forms of dance in the South West. Needless to say, Kathy and Andy can be found at many a dance event capturing aspiring and top dancers in action. In fact, the couple are regularly asked to photograph stars of the popular BBC TV series Strictly Come Dancing including Anton du Beke and Erin Boag; Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace; Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova; and Ian Waite and Camilla Dallerup.
Although Kathy and Andy have travelled extensively, it is Kathy’s dream to travel to India to capture on camera the real atmosphere of this rich country.
FREELANCE photographer Glyn Wills has had a long association with Pyramid Torbay and has worked alongside Andy and Kathy at a number of photography shoots and wedding assignments. Although his work has largely stemmed around sports photography, working with the local press and local sports clubs, he is rapidly making a name for himself as a respected wedding and studio photographer.
Born and raised in Torquay, Glyn grew up within the local sporting community, playing for numerous football teams and a keen player for Barton and Babbacombe Cricket Clubs. In fact, he continues to maintain strong links with Barton CC as a qualified ECBCA cricket coach. Therefore, it is no surprise that Glyn’s first venture into professional photography really stemmed from the sports fields and pitches in and around the Torbay area. Over the years his work has been featured in a number of publications including the Herald Express, Torbay Council’s The Lighthouse Magazine and The Wisden Cricketer Magazine, among others.
Glyn recalls his first glimpse through the lens while still in “short trousers”. He said: “My love of photography developed from pen and ink drawings when I was a small boy. We used to picnic in fields adjacent to Exeter Airport and I would sketch anything that flew or moved.
“The turning point was one Sunday afternoon when dad lent me his treasured Kodak Brownie twin 20 and from that moment I was hooked.
“Waiting for the chemist to develop the film was so exciting, but also sometimes disappointing too! I expected to see the pilot fill the frame, waving to me, not planes the sizes of dust spots! But I was only eight years old after all.
“To this day, that thought remains prominent and my dad’s wise words ‘fill the frame’ still stay fresh in my mind.”
In more recent years, Glyn has developed a strong interest in what he fondly describes as “people photography” – capturing those treasured moments whether it’s a wedding couple’s celebration kiss or a child’s first steps. Recent assignments have seen Glyn photograph the thrill of the stars of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in action at Goodrington, record the fun of Children’s Week on Paignton’s Green and the excitement of Olympic Gold Medalist Kriss Akabusi’s recent visit to Torquay.
Glyn said: “I am constantly searching for the perfect picture and striving to record that precious ‘snapshot of life’ that will take the breath away.”
Torquay-born photographer Andrew Uglow opened his studio, Pyramid Torbay, in July 2007 and has established himself as one of the leaders in his field in the South West.
