Yn ffotograffydd masnachol proffesiynol, dwi wrth fy modd yn gweithio ar amrywiaeth o wahanol gomisiynau. Dwi newydd orffen prosiect ffotograffiaeth clawr llyfr gyda Non Parry, sy’n enwog am fod yn draean o’r grŵp, Eden. ’Nôl yn y 90au pan oedden nhw yn eu hanterth, nhw oedd un o’r bandie merched mwya’ poblogaidd yng Nghymru. Yn y blynyddoedd diwetha’, mae Eden wedi dod ’nôl ar y sîn a chanu mewn sawl cyngerdd ar hyd y lled Cymru, ac mae’r tair yn wynebau cyfarwydd ar S4C ac yn y diwydiant cyfryngau Cymraeg. Mae Emma ’nawr yn gyflwynydd radio a theledu, roedd Rachel yn gyflwynydd teledu plant am flynyddoedd ac mae bellach yn gynhyrchydd, ac mae Non yn awdur ac yn berfformwraig.

As a professional commercial photographer, I love working on a wide variety of commissions. I’ve recently completed a book cover photography project with Non Parry, who is famous for being one-third of a group called Eden. Back in their heyday, in the 1990s, they were one of the most popular girl bands in Wales. In recent years, Eden has performed a series of come-back concerts all over Wales, and all three members are very familiar faces on S4C and within the Welsh media industry. Emma is now a radio and TV presenter, Rachel was a children’s TV presenter for many years and now is a producer, and Non is a writer and performer. 

Ymgyrch ymwybyddiaeth Iechyd Meddwl gyda meddwl.org

Yn 2019, penderfynodd Non siarad am ei phrofiad o iselder a gorbryder, gan helpu i godi ymwybyddiaeth o gyflyrau iechyd meddwl. 

Cydweithiodd Non ac aelodau eraill y band gyda’r elusen iechyd meddwl, meddwl.org. 

Gyda’i gilydd, crëwyd Crysau-T gan ddangos teitl un o’u caneuon enwocaf, ‘Paid â Bod Ofn’. Cafodd y Crysau-T eu creu a’u gwerthu i godi arian hollbwysig i’r elusen.

Bryd hynny, nes i roi fy amser a fy ngwasanaeth fel ffotograffydd drwy drefnu sesiwn tynnu lluniau ohonyn nhw’n gwisgo’r Crysau T i godi ymwybyddiaeth o’r ymgyrch. Yna, cafodd y lluniau hyrwyddo hyn eu defnyddio gan yr elusen a’u dangos mewn deunyddiau hyrwyddo. 

Mental health awareness campaign with Meddwl.org

In 2019, Non decided to speak out about her experience of depression and anxiety and to help raise awareness of mental health conditions. She and the other band members collaborated with the mental health charity, Meddwl.org. Together, they created T-Shirts featuring the Otle of one of their most famous songs, ‘Paid a Bod Ofn’ (‘Don’t be afraid'). These were created and sold to raise vital funds for the charity. At that time, I donated my photography services by organising a photo shoot with them wearing the T-Shirts to raise awareness of the campaign. These promotional images were then used by the charity and were featured in promotional materials. 

Eisteddfod Genedlaethol 

Yn ystod yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol, nethon nhw drefnu Gig y Pafiliwn lle mae’r bandie Cymraeg mwya’ poblogaidd yn perfformio ar lwyfan mwya’ Cymru gyda Cherddorfa Genedlaethol y BBC. Mae’n ddigwyddiad reit bwysig ar y sîn Gymraeg.

Roedd y noson arbennig hon yn 2019 bach yn fwy sbesial nag arfer o achos yr ymgyrch Crysau-T i meddwl.org. Roedd pob tocyn wedi’i werthu, a’r Pafiliwn yn fôr o Grysau-T ‘Paid a Bod Ofn’! Aled Llywelyn a fi oedd ffotograffwyr swyddogol y noson, a gethon ni gymaint o wefr! Odd hi’n noson ffantastig!

Mae’n anhygoel shwt nath y digwyddiad godi ymwybyddiaeth o meddwl.org. Hefyd, mae’n sbesial gweld cymaint o bobl nawr yn siarad ac yn rhannu eu straeon iechyd meddwl eu hunain. Heb os, mae hyn yn helpu rhai sy’n mynd drwy amser caled. Maen nhw’n cael cryfder o wybod nad y’n nhw ar eu pen eu hunain. 

National Eisteddfod of Wales

During the National Eisteddfod of Wales, each year they organise Gig y Pafiliwn (The Pavillion Gig) where the most popular Welsh-language speaking bands perform on the biggest stage in Wales with the BBC National Orchestra. It is quite a big event in the Welsh language scene. This particular evening in 2019 was a bit more special than usual because of the T-shirt campaign for meddwl.org. The pavilion was sold out and all you could see was a sea of ‘Paid a Bod Ofn’ T-shirts! Aled Llywelyn and I were the official photographers of that evening’s event, and we were both buzzing! It was an incredible night! It’s amazing how much the event raised awareness for the Meddwl.org Plus, it’s great to see that so many more people are now talking and sharing their own mental health stories. Undoubtedly, this helps those going through tough times. They can take strength from knowing that they are not alone. 

Ffotograffiaeth Clawr Llyfr

Yn 2020, nath Non ryddhau ei chyfres gynta’ o bodlediadau, ‘Digon’, lle mae wedi bod yn siarad gyda lot o selebs Cymru am eu heriau iechyd meddwl a’u profiadau. Nath y prosiect arwain at Non yn sgwennu llyfr, sydd ar fin cael ei lansio’r mis hwn (Hydref 2021).

Cyn lansio’r llyfr, nath Non fy nghomisiynu i dynnu llun portread ohoni ar gyfer clawr y llyfr a lluniau i hyrwyddo’r llyfr. Dywedodd y byddai ond yn teimlo’n gyfforddus o flan y camera os mai fi oedd yn tynnu’r lluniau, ac roedd hyn yn gymaint o fraint!

Nethon ni benderfynu tynnu’r lluniau yn ei thŷ yng Ngorllewin Cymru. Ro’n i ishe gwneud yn siŵr bo’ Non yn teimlo’n hollol gyfforddus, gan fod angen i’r lluniau fod yn rhai naturiol a hamddenol. Mae ei thŷ yn anhygoel, a nes i feddwl yn syth y byddai hyn yn lle grêt i dynnu ei llun. Nes i dynnu casgliad o lunie ohoni’n ishte ar ei gwely, cyn i ni symud i’r gegin/stafell fwyta agored.  

Book cover photography 

In 2020 Non released her first podcast series, ‘Digon’ (‘Enough’) on which she’s been talking to many Welsh celebrities about their mental health challenges and experiences. This project has then led to Non working on a book, which is to be launched this month (October 2021). Ahead of the book launch, Non commissioned me to take her portrait for the cover of the book and promotional shots. I was honoured when she said she’d only feel comfortable in front of the camera when I’m taking the photos! We decided to do the shoot at her house in West Wales I wanted to make sure that Non felt totally comfortable as the shoot required the photos to be natural and relaxed. Her house is amazing and instantly I thought, yes, this is a great place to take her photograph. I took a collection of her sittng on her bed, and then we moved to the open-plan kitchen/diner. 

Ffotograffiaeth Llyfr: portreadau hamddenol, gartref

Yn y diwedd, ar gyfer clawr y llyfr, dewisodd Non a’i chyhoeddwr, Lolfa, y llun ohoni’n ishte ar gadair yn y stafell fwyta, gyda chwpwrdd coch, llachar yn y cefndir. Mae’n edrych mor hamddenol a phrydferth.  Bydd y llyfr ar werth ym mis Hydref 2021, a dwi wir yn edrych ’mlan at gal copi. Mae fy lluniau ar y clawr, ond mae rhai lluniau o’r sesiwn tynnu lluniau Crysau-T a lluniau o’r gig ynddo hefyd - mae casgliad ohonyn nhw yma. Ro’n i wrth fy modd â chegin Non yn ystod y sesiwn tynnu lluniau, a gofynnes i iddi ishte ar y wyrctop sy’ rhwng y gegin a’r ’stafell fwyta. Nethon ni ddim tynnu’r lluniau ar gyfer prosiect clawr y llyfr, ond nes i feddwl y bydden nhw’n bach o sbort eu tynnu, a dwi wir yn falch o’r canlyniad.  Dwi’n credu y dylai Non sgwennu llyfr coginio ’nawr i ddangos y lluniau ’ma i bawb! 

Book photography: Relaxed, at-home portraits 

Ultimately, for the book cover, she and her publisher, Lofla, choose the portrait of her sitting on a chair in the dining room, with a bright red cupboard in the background. She looks totally relaxed and beautiful. The book is out in October 2021, and I can’t wait to get a copy. Not only are my images on the cover there are a few of the T-shirt shoot and a few of the gig as well – some of which you can see above. During the shoot, I loved Non’s kitchen and asked her to sit on the worktop that separates the kitchen and her dining area. These shots were not taken for the book promotion project, but I thought it would be a good laugh to do and I’m really pleased with how they also turned out. I think that Non should now write a cookbook in order to show off these images!

Adborth am ffotograffiaeth clawr y llyfr

Ges i adborth anhygoel gan Non am y lluniau nes i'u tynnu ohoni, ac maen nhw’n rhai o’r geiriau mwya’ caredig dwi erioed wedi’u cael fel ffotograffydd!

Felly, dwi am ddiolch yn fawr iawn i Non am ymddiried yndda i dynnu ei llun ar gyfer clawr ei llyfr. Dwi’n dymuno’n dda iawn iddi â’i llyfr. 

Beth am brynu copi eich hun? 

Book cover photography testimonial 

Non gave me some incredible feedback on the images I captured for her, and they are among the greatest compliments I’ve ever received as a photographer! So, I’d love to say a big thanks to Non for trusting in me to be her book cover photographer. I wish her the very best with her book. Why not go out and buy a copy yourself? 

Angen ffotograffydd masnachol Cymraeg?

Byddwn wrth fy modd yn clywed wrthoch os oes gennych brosiect ffotograffiaeth masnachol cyn hir. Sdim jobyn yn rhy fawr na’n rhy fach!

 Gallwch gysylltu â fi a gweld mwy o fy lluniau masnachol yma ar y wefan ac yn y blog. 

Need a Welsh commercial photographer? 

I would love to hear from you if you have a commercial photography project in the pipeline. No job is too big or too small! You can get in touch with me, and view more of my commercial photography here on the website and featured in the blog.