Lockdown 2020

We’re glad to be back!

It’s been a crazy few months. Our world feels very different to how things were in the New Year. So much has happened; it’s clear COVID-19 has impacted everyone and we hope you’ve all kept safe, and well, during this time.

We actually passed our 5 year anniversary during lockdown. It wasn’t quite the celebration we’d hoped for but we’re proud of the achievement. It’s been five years of creating memories, and capturing unique moments, that we know will be treasured forever.

The time we’ve spent away from the studio has helped us reflect on why we do this – and what’s really important with our work. A great photograph tells a story but it’s also a window to another place and time. We’ve spent time away from family, friends, and loved ones. And photographs have helped us look back and reflect on what matters most in our lives. We couldn’t have predicted how this year would turn out – our favourite images have been a reminder of what we’re missing, and how much we can look forward to sharing those moments again.

We’re certain that you’ve shared your favourite images with your loved ones recently. Looking at social media tells us as much – ‘I can’t wait to do this again’ – ‘Really missing this special person’ – ‘How amazing was this time last year?’

Our business is in marking those moments. So that you can look back, but also forward to better times. We may be experiencing a ‘new normal’ but that also means that life goes on. We still need to laugh, grow, and share the things that are special to us. We’re here to help you mark those moments now and for the years still yet to come.

Make sure to put some time aside to capture that milestone, to mark the occasion, and record your unique experiences. This year has proven that we can never predict the future and how important it is to reflect on what’s special to us. A photograph is the only way we know to freeze time! And we think it’s vital to hold on to what’s precious to us.

We’ve been back in the studio for just over a month now and working our magic. The studio is a safe and happy environment for everyone. This has involved some small adjustments to how we usually work – but we’ll do everything we can to bring joy to the moment.

We won’t ask you to wear a mask in front of the camera though!

We can’t wait to see you soon – Team CAM.

Corporate & Product

Are you, or do you know a small business holder? Chances are, the answer the that question is yes. Being a small business ourselves, we know a thing or two about what it takes to make it a success. Mostly, its a sh*t tonne of hard work - but a big part is brand awareness and showcasing your products and skills. In this department we picked the right trade, as photographers, as all the work we produce comes ready made as a promotional tool. Though, we know for others it can be more difficult to showcase what's special about your company. 

If any of that sounds familiar, we would love to help. Having a series of professional quality images to demonstrate you, your brand and products is essential for successful marketing and promotion. You are likely already familiar with the award-winning work we produce in our studio, but we have a huge amount of experience working with a variety of businesses. Perhaps you make a bespoke product and would like it documenting? We know how to do that to a brilliant standard.

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Perhaps its not a product but yourself and team that is your main selling point. Well, we are perfectly equipped to produce a series of corporate portraits. This is doubly helpful when the target is a dental practice and we can showcase everyones winning smile - like below. 

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Over the years, we've done everything from cakes to coffins! Maybe it’s not something you've considered previously, but it can only be to your benefit to have something professionally produced to show to prospective clients. For more information regarding pricing and outputs please call 01524 846 697 (Lancaster) and feel free to like and share. 

Fathers Day

18th June - The date for your diary. A big day for all the Fathers out there and the Fathers of Fathers, or Grandfathers as they are more commonly called. A day for sport, a day for BBQs and a great day for food and drink. However, behind all the outward masculinity is a Father and by the very definition of the word a Father has a child. Therefore, the elongated point we are trying to make is that any Father would love a gift of a photo session on their special day. Why? Because its the prefect opportunity, and excuse, to capture such a special relationship. 

If you made it through all the Fathers up there, well done; we'll keep it to a minimum from here onwards. Truth is, its a difficult thing to put into words, such a paternal bond. Its probably something to with overly masculine stereotypes (but that's a topic for another day) but its such an important thing, for the children, parent and family. The 'Day' is really just an excuse to celebrate that and to be thankful that relationship exists. The gift of a photo session at this time is the perfect one because it makes tangible what is so difficult to put into words.

Take this image for example, no flowery words of ours can do it justice. It just is. 

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If you know someone who would love an image like that, then keep us in your thoughts for your gift idea this Fathers Day. Our studio sessions are £35 with a 10x8 print and it’s sure to be appreciated. Please call use with any enquiries on 01524 846 697 

One day...

'One day all your children will have is pictures of you. Make sure you're in them. No matter what your hair looks like, your makeup, or your body, they won't care about any of that, they'll just want to see you.'

This is a quotation we've been mulling over for some time here at CAM. It’s clearly apt for us, as photographers, but it’s also very emotive and perhaps even melancholic. It serves as truthful reminder on the importance of images when it comes to memory. Photography takes many forms from records of milestones, which we've touched on before, to very personal moments. Spontaneity is also important, a photograph can elevate the mundane to something special, given the right circumstance. Each of these properties, however, falls back to memory and how we perceive our time with those we love. 

Recently, we've been doing lots of work with people who have had tremendous success with Slimming World. We love hearing their stories, and its amazing to see how willing and confident they are in front of the camera. These individuals have gone through a fantastic physical transformation, which is something to be commended, but the real transformation for us is a mental one. Confidence and joy perceptively brims from each of them in front of the camera, it’s fantastic. It’s a mentality we endeavour to instil in all our clients, a kind of self belief that removes all fear of the camera and helps create some amazing images. Children have this believe but somewhere along the way most of us lose it. 

Something that can help to instil this is knowing you look your best, which is why our Makeover sessions have always proven so popular. Its brilliant for us that we are able to offer such a professional makeover service, packaged with our photo session. Our team in Lancaster has its own in-house beauty studio and we are partnered with some amazing artists in Ashton. The image here is a perfect example of what such a great partnership can achieve, with an active and confident subject. The image making process in the studio is always a collaboration, its why we love to take portraits but the end result is always that you'll love it to. 

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Consider the message above, and consider your own mentality when it comes to images of yourself. Perhaps a Makeover session is the perfect way to overcome those barriers you may have in front of the camera. Perhaps it isn't - but something else will be. What's important, and the real message here, is to resolve to be more active in photography. Take more photos, be in more photos and have a positive role in the process - they will stand the test of time. 

As always, please contact us with any and all enquires via 01524 846 697 (Lancaster)

Mothers Day photoshoot - £35.00 inc 10x8 print

Today we want to talk about the value of pictures and the idea of memory within those. Maybe you saw the post we share on Facebook yesterday? We thought it said something really profound about taking the time to stop and record the present moment. It's and old cliché, particularly perpetuated by photographers, but things change before you know it. Photography is really the only tool we have to pause time and secure those memories for the future. This applies to everything of course, but especially to Mothers and your family. Its a sad truth but not everyone is with us forever. That's why we at CAM really believe in creating a family archive of captured moments, which can last through the generations. We're sure you have already started, everyone has a smartphone nowadays (make sure to keep those backed up by the way) but there's something really special about sitting down for a family portrait. This kind of photography is difficult to replicate during the rigours of everyday life, so every now and then we like to give you a nudge to get a plan in place.

It's something we often here - 'oh I've been meaning to get a family session done but never get round to it'. Well, what a perfect occasion Mothers day is for that! Time to round up the troops and get down to the studio (or location) with the family. It's just an excuse really, but there's nothing like an occasion to get everyone together. This time of year we really love to produce generational pictures, showing a family from grandparents down to a brand-new baby is always fantastic. Of course this is something we encourage all the time. However, if you can get everyone together for a really special shoot it will last for years before you really need to update it. Its also a brilliant opportunity to do something different as well. Our sessions only take an hour, but once you've all dressed up there's the rest of the day to get our and do something together, as a family. Just another excuse really - but a lovely one. 

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As an extra incentive, we'll be releasing our Mother’s Day promotion in the coming week (you may have seen it already). If not, make sure to keep your eyes on our Facebook page to take advantage of the opportunity. As always, feel free to like and share or to call us with any questions on or 01524 846 697 (Lancaster). Otherwise, we'll see you next time for another CAM tastic blog (that sounded better in our head sorry - bye!). 

 

Fine Art (Pet edition)

So here it is - the first official blog post on our brand new website. It's something we have been working on for a while and will continue to curate and update the content. We are certainly happy with it, but we would love to hear your thoughts on how it looks/works for you? Don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any ideas or comments. 

Housekeeping done, down to the meat of this post, our Fine Art Dogs! This has been a pet-project (pun intended) of Cheryl's for a while and is something we are all excited about at CAM HQ. The idea originally stemmed from one of our lovely clients, who wanted an image of their beautiful dog, which included some of their hunting gear as well. This got the creative juices flowing and the example below exemplifies the image produced (notably it also won an award from the Guild of Photographers). 

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These sessions are unlike anything else we've produced (or seen) before. Cheryl spends time constructing each set with objects personal to you and the pay off is something truly unique. Differing from other sessions, its all about that single magical image that can be a real display piece on the wall. Each image is meticulously designed as a piece of art, then follows a significant amount of post-processing to really make it pop. Doesn't it just feel like something you could tangibly touch? Within all this construction, however, is the most important puzzle piece - your special animal companion, taking pride of place. 

So far, Cheryl's main focus has been dogs but this idea could easily be applied to any household animal. Perhaps you have a really house-proud cat, or a super mischievous kitten? We would love to do something like this with them - imagine them peeking out from over a box, whilst surrounded by all the things they shouldn't have but do anyway. This could even be applied on location with larger animals, like horses; we are thinking big bales of hay with the various riding gear all arranged. 

For us, this is really something special and we would love to produce more. Obviously, there is a cost associated with this work (as with anything). However, the images produced speak for themselves in terms of value and would make the perfect gift. As always, please contact us with any enquires using 01524 846 697, to reach Cheryl, and feel free to like and share!

2017 (New Year)

Its a New Year - and with it comes a new website for us, which we are really excited about. Make sure to come here for all future updates on the goings on at CAM HQ, and please bear with us whilst we populate the site with all our wonderful pictures. Happy (belated) New Year everyone!

P.S. We've also uploaded all our old blogs here as well, if you fancy a read, and we'll be back blogging again soon.

Christmas

It’s December next week – (where did that come from?!) – and our advent calendars are certainly ready to go for Thursday, maybe you’ve seen our Facebook countdown as well? We couldn’t resist starting it a little early. As with every year its all go over at CAM HQ, our favourite but busiest time of year. The thought of our images sitting wrapped under a tree somewhere this Christmas fills us all with genuine glee. Of course, what could be better than a really special image of a loved one, that can really be everlasting? Not much in our humble opinion, though we are partial to a good pair of socks.

Now you may have seen this a while back on Facebook, but we couldn’t help but share it again. Look at this beautiful baby! – Shot by Janine, we just love it. The santa hat just makes it perfect (in our eyes).

Of course, we’ve talked about our fabulous newborns many times on this blog. However, hopefully after reading, and seeing, this you are in festive spirits. Maybe you’re even thinking of getting a session booked in for Christmas? If so, try and book quickly our sessions (Saturdays especially) are filling up fast before the big day. We are also running a variety of Christmas packages! we have a number of different options available, from mini-sessions to digital packages. Best thing to do? call us on 01524 846 697 OR drop us a message on our Facebook page and we’ll get back to you faster than one of Santa’s elves. If nothing else, we would love your support with our Christmas countdown so feel free to like, comment and share!

 

 

Maternity

Did you know that most babies in the UK are born late-September/early-October – with most arriving on a Tuesday? Well, you can consider that your daily dose of useless knowledge – no need to thank us. As it happens, we find ourselves in mid-October with a stunning Maternity Session to share with you all. Imagine that!

Really though, it is stunning. If you asked us to pick one session that we think is an absolute must to be captured, the Maternity Session would be right up there; though, we aren’t sure anything could truly topple a Newborn session – think of the two as the perfect couple. What could be more special than capturing these truly unique moments in time? You will always have memories of that first little kick, with the excitement and sheer unconditional love you felt for that special person growing inside you. When they arrive – your phone will undoubtedly fill with thousands of pictures, as they grow and develop – each stage of their life there to remember. But the very beginnings, with that big bump, their home for nine months, often gets neglected. Why? We couldn’t tell you.

All we can do is show you how beautiful the body is as it grows during this special time.

If this blog doesn’t convince you, of what a special and important memory this can be, no more of our words will. All that is left is to remind you of the practicalities. Our Maternity Sessions are priced at £35, including a 10×8 print as that all-important memory; you will feel comfortable and confident during the session, and we are sure you will adore the resulting images.

As always, feel free to call us on 01524846697 (Lancaster) with any questions and enquires.

We will be back soon with another blog. Until then, feel free to like and share this one!

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Boudoir

Anyone who has been avidly awaiting the next instalment of our fantastic blog may have been somewhat disappointed of late – ‘Where are the blogs!?’ you may have thought to yourself, ‘ I need my CAM blog fix!!’. Well, first and foremost, we are sorry to disappoint. However, it has not been through sheer idleness the blog has been neglected. We are just emerging from the sublime-storm that is wedding season (so expect to see some beautiful brides on our Facebook soon). Although we love weddings, our feat have barely touched the ground for the last month or so. Now, with the moment of respite between weddings and Christmas (Yes, Christmas! We’ve seen the wrapping paper emerging already) we are back to blogging.

Somewhere in the torrent of weddings, our glorious leader Cheryl managed to pick up another two awards – bringing her total to almost thirty! One of these two, however, was particularly significant because it was our first boudoir image to win. Coincidentally, we have yet to introduce our boudoir sessions on the blog so it was the perfect marriage.

This is the beautiful image in question, which was highly commended by a panel of professional judges. Although we think its a great image, we certainly can’t take all the credit; look at how amazing she looks! Our boudoir sessions are all about making you feel fantastic and confident in your own skin, everything else follows naturally. A boudoir session is a unique experience; its one we wholeheartedly encourage every woman to experience at least once in their lifetime. Glamorous or natural? Its up to you. The fantastic feedback we always get, and love, is how fun the session is. You will come away full of confidence with some amazing images to show for it. Each session is £35, which includes a 10×8 print. We can also arrange for a professional makeover prior to the session (please enquire for further details). The key thing to take away, however, is how much we know you will enjoy the experience!

As always, feel free to contact us on 01942396228 (Ashton) or 01524 846 697 (Lancaster) with any and all enquires – and check our website for some more amazing pictures. We’ll be back again with another blog soon.

 

Meet the Team

Cheryl opened the Ashton branch just nearly 12 years ago! That’s now under a new Owner the lovely Victoria ! Cheryl originally got into photography after beginning to take pictures of her beautiful daughter Olivia. She took lots of pictures, then she started taking pictures of her friend’s children and before you know it she had her own studio called ‘CAM Photography’. Twelve years and 50+ awards later, we are here today. It’s rather a long story short; of course, there were many trials and tribulations along the way, with much laughter and learning to. A particular lover of newborns and pets, she approaches every task with the same dedication and enthusiasm as she did when first starting out. In early 2015, she opened our second studio in Lancaster but continues to steer the ship in Ashton as well.

Headshots

Today we thought to highlight one of our services tailored specifically for professional and corporate needs. We recognise the importance of professional presentation and enhancing visibility for the corporate persona. Having a quality portrait for services such as ‘LinkedIn’ is a vital communicative tool, it helps to promote yourself as an individual and certainly looks the part.

Our vast experience working with families and children means we know how to get the best out of everyone; we concentrate on making people feel at ease, which allows the great images to flow. We’ve had great success with this package and have photographed people with a wide spectrum of requirements. Our ‘Headshots’ have been used for: modelling/actors portfolios, social media/website profiles and even the successful campaign of a local counsellor.

The package itself is tailored for those who need digital images as a priority. Thus, it has been created differently from many of our other options. As usual, the session may last up to an hour in our studio; however, instead of a print you will TWO digital images suitable for digital use. This means the freedom to copy and distribute the images as you feel necessary (sending to prospective clients etc). We think this is a really fantastic prospect and the session is available for just £95, which includes the cost of the photo-session. This is really fantastic value considering the inclusion of digital images! Professional hair and makeup services can be added to your session at our in house salon - The Hair Boutique!

Take a look at this image of Councillor Jenny Bullen (mentioned above). This was used as part of a successful local election campaign by Jenny and acts as a good representation of the quality and professional results offered by this service. As previously eluded, this is also a great option for anyone looking for modelling/actors portfolios – because of the focus on digital images. We know what the agencies are looking for and how to get the best out of each session. Of course, the visual appearance of the image carries less of a corporate air, which is appropriate for the intended use of the images. As always, we work to individual needs and strive to deliver and maintain the highest possible standards and customer service. Please feel free to call us on 01524 846 697 (Lancaster) with any enquiries. we’ll be back with another blog again next week, thank you for reading and your feedback is always appreciated.

Milestones

‘Milestone’ is one of those words will multiple meanings or uses. Traditionally, a milestone functioned as a physical marker, along a path or road, to signify the passing of a mile. In more recent times, it has come to be associated with an important event or point in time, such as a significant birthday or anniversary. Both meanings signify the importance of change and, to some extent, growth. For us, the word milestone is synonymous with the photograph, even to the point of becoming interchangeable. For what is a photograph if not a mile-marker to our lives? In its simplest form, the photograph functions as a record of a moment in time. Even the most fleeting of moments, those that seem ordinary and banal, can be elevated by a photograph.

The photographic milestone allows us to reflect on specific points in our lives, which in turn helps us to appreciate our growth both individuals and family groups. Each new image can be a milestone, we just don’t necessarily know it yet. Cast your mind to that box in the loft or cupboard that contains the old family album (maybe its even on a computer somewhere). There will be likely be images of the family on the beach, a wedding or at Christmas… ‘What was your mum wearing? What were YOU wearing? How on earth could you let yourself be seen in public like that! Aww look at how cute they were, if only they could have stayed that way’. Fashion changes and so do people; in part, thats why we assign such importance to these memories.

Eventually, the pictures in the box will be usurped by their digital brethren and there is a certain sadness to that. However, the function of the images remains the same. The photos from your iPhone will likely make up the bulk of the digital box (and so they should) but there is a place for other things as well. You could say that we at CAM are milestone specialists, of a kind. A family portrait from us will certainly find a special place now and in the future. Take this image as an example. Its a beautiful image now, but imagine how significant it will feel 2 or 5 years into the future? the little ones will have shot up, and the bigger ones will have grown out of the frame! ‘I already have loads on my phone’ you might say – True: but are they all together? is everyone smiling? Do they all look, happy, smart, and content? If so, then perhaps you don’t need us (unless you want to be on the picture as well).

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We love images like this. However, what really fills us with joy is when the same group comes back the next year and we can see and capture the changes for ourselves. Hopefully one day, someone here will have kids of their own and we will get to capture those as well. These images are milestones, just like every birthday is a milestone. You could say that some birthdays are more significant than others. It can be like that with images to; be sure there are no gaps in your mile-markers.

Speaking of milestones, this is our 10th blog! Please feel free to like and share, or let us know how we are doing (for good and bad). Feedback is always appreciated.

Awards

Inspired by Cheryl’s recent win from ‘The Guild Of Photographers’, we thought would we do a post to highlight some of our favourite award-winning images. We are proud to say Cheryl & Janine has notched up over 70 individual awards, from both The Guild and ‘The National Photography Society’ (NPS). As a team, we value these accolades because it recognises that our work is of a consistently high standard and has a place in the wider world of art and photography. Not every image can be award-winning but we strive with every session to learn and improve, which enables us to equal or better our already high standards. However, our first priority is always our clients and their individual needs – some of the best images we’ve produced have been created from pure spontaneity. Although, the images we have chosen to highlight today are perhaps better described as purposefully crafted.

One of Cheryl’s most recent awards are the images of the dogs above! Describing them as an ‘images of a dogs’ is perhaps underselling it somewhat. This image is a real tableau and is overflowing with clear narratives. It is also technically a bit of an accomplishment, taking real skill to create and finalise. This image represents the realisation of a creative vision and hours of preparation, presentation and post-production. Again, this was awarded a bronze bar by The Guild and is Cheryl’s 19th individual award. Barring all the technical and creative achievements for this image, you have to admit everyone loves a good picture of a dog.

A slight departure from the previous images (which fall squarely within the ‘Fine Art’ category), Janine’s trademark newborns are also award-winners. We’ve previously devoted an entire post to the sculptural endeavours it takes to produce an image such as the one below. You can find it here if you missed it. Although, there is definitely a cuteness overload with this particular image. The image was awarded as ‘Highly Commended’ from the NPS and is one of Janine’s six individual awards.

If you’ve been reading this post and have been thinking: ‘Bronze? Highly Commended? Pfft. Where are the Golds?’ you have a point. The competition is very tough and we have a long way to go before hitting those elusive gold and silver bars. However, we are proud of our achievements so far and continue to consistently improve our work (Life would be dull with nothing to strive for).

Awards certainly represent a positive thing for us, showing that we are moving our photography in the right direction. The thing we are most proud of, however, is our service to our clients, which isn’t so easily measured but is always our top priority.

Why choose professional photography?

Why choose professional photography? Truth is, you don’t have to. Almost without exception, everyone in our corner of the world has access to high quality digital cameras. Photography has never been easier. Smartphones have been a great equaliser; with each passing day it get easier to take better images faster. On average, 80 million images per day are uploaded to Instagram – an almost inconceivable amount. Granted, Instagram is a mobile platform and is therefore not necessarily indicative of peoples everyday usage of professional services. The point, however, is that in the ‘digital-age’ photography is clearly oversaturated. Every parent, has dozens if not hundreds (or thousands) of pictures of their children available at the press of a button. So why pay for a few drops of water in a veritable river of images?

There was a time (skip this if you care not for history) when photography was solely available for the gentry. The primary reason for this was the cost, both of production and equipment. Alongside this, people of import have always desired have their likeness recorded and preserved. First it was with painting, then photography became the new vogue and the eventual accepted standard. Photographers in those days were often scientists, or people with money to burn. To create a single image was incredibly time consuming and required an awful lot of chemistry to produce. Technical skill was of the upmost importance. Eventually, as the equipment was more widely produced and the process refined, photography studios (as we know them today) started to appear in town centres. It still wasn’t cheap but gradually it became more widely available. It wasn’t until the early 1900’s that photography really became portable, the Box Brownie camera is often cited as the ‘game changer’ in this regard (perhaps your parents had one). It took another 70 years for colour photography to really develop (pun intended) – and then another thirty for the digital revolution to begin for the true democratisation of photography.

Photography has a rich but admittedly brief history. However, there have always been those who recognise its value to society; from those early scientists to the professionals today. Like any other creative profession, photography takes years to hone the craft and it is arguably beyond mastery.

If the goal of this blog is to persuade you to choose a professional, its fair to say that so far its been a mediocre performance. This is a topic close to our hearts, which makes it difficult to tangiblise (let alone persuade). However, it will perhaps help the case somewhat if we correct a few misconceptions surrounding professional photography – and the seemingly biggest barrier, the costs involved:

False: Your phone or compact can’t (yet) match the quality of our cameras. On a small screen, like a phone, the difference is imperceptible; however, on a large 24×20 canvas or print the difference is huge. With quality comes cost, ‘you get what you pay for’ (we say in our best Grandad voice)

True: Uncle Andrew may have an equal or better camera than us. So why not get him to do a few pictures? There’s no harm in it. Unfortunately, Uncle Andrew hasn’t spent years training and developing both his interpersonal and technical skill to create the images you seek. With portraits especially, the key skill is communication and making people feel at ease (everyone knows Andrew is a bit of an odd ball). Jokes aside, it isn’t just about the equipment its the intangible skills, which can’t be quantified that makes the biggest impact on the end product.

False: Prints from your phone at from a machine in Boots won’t be as good as a product you may receive from us. We don’t print in-house (that’s another craft in and of itself) but we do work with numerous skilled professionals to produce something of real quality. The same goes for our frames, canvases and wall-art. We don’t just press a button, there is whole boring and laborious process that goes on behind the scenes. It takes time to produce anything of quality, the same goes for prints.

True: Our services can seem expensive. Fifty pounds for a print? Extortionate! Fifty pounds for a haircut? Very reasonable. This isn’t us disparaging the good work of hairdressers, but there seems to be a stigma associated with photography and the costs involved. To continue the analogy, a good haircut lasts for weeks? Months? A good print from us lasts for years without fading and can be something you truly cherish in the meantime. We price our services fairly and each session includes a print to ensure there is something to take away.

False: Your skin softening app on your phone can’t make you look as good as we can with a pair of lights. Aside from the camera, there is a lot of other equipment involved to create your images. Lights, props, and software to name a few. We often find less is more, however, the use of professional software is a tangible and vital skill for quality work. It takes time, practice, patience and is best used delicately. The best work isn’t visible in the final product, which is often everyone is continually shocked to see the ‘before and afters’ leaked from popular magazines. We don’t work like that but it is still time intensive, often taking up to an hour to edit a single image to a professional standard.

False: All we do is take pictures. We wish! At our best guess, roughly 10% of our time is spent actually taking pictures. The rest is of course spent making daisy chains or some-such frivolous activity. Forgive the tone but this is perhaps the point that causes us most frustration. The rest of our time is spent on: consultations, editing, viewing, more editing, wrapping and presenting products and all the other boring stuff associated with running a business, admin, cleaning etc. It is both to our credit and detriment that things can often seem so quick and easy.

Misconceptions aside, we truly care about our clients and our craft and dedicate ourselves each day to improving both our work and our service. The truth is you don’t have to choose professional photography. Its the same truth for hairdressers, builders, designers, and any other service. You choose it because you care about the quality of the product and the service provided. We hope, at least, that we’ve managed to waylay some of the scepticism’s surrounding our work and those of our peers with this blog. If you made it to the end and took something from this post please let us know, and feel free to like and share.

Pet Portraits

Today’s blog will be particularly bitesized as we avoid chewing the fat on one of our favourite topics, pets. We love pets like a dog loves a ball, like a cat loves a box and like a horse loves a… ride? Nothing gets us more excited than a cute critter in the studio, whether it be a cat, dog, rabbit, tortoise, lizard or the infamous horse – we love them all. Granted, a horse isn’t ideally proportioned to the studio. However, animals are often in their element outdoors and we’ll take any excuse to get out from behind the screen.

Loving these images below ! (not that we have favourites of course).

To highlight the necessary practicalities, all our standard pet sessions run at the same price as our previously posted studio sessions (£35). This, of course, includes a 10×8 print of your choice. Although, we really don’t know how people manage to choose when there’s so much to love. Unfortunately, that’s all we have time for today; look out for our next post when we’ll be turning our eyes to something a little more serious but just as close to our hearts.

However, you can definitely expect more pet posts in the future.

Pamper & Pose

This week, we want to introduce a session that we love but perhaps wouldn’t be expected from a photography studio. This session is something exciting, fun and can be a really special experience for everyone involved. To avoid further building the suspense we’ll just come out with it; we are of course talking about our ‘Pamper & Pose’ photo-parties, which true detectives will have surmised from the title of the post.

As our hyphenated word may suggest, this session isn’t too easily categorised. In simple terms, it is a party (almost like any other) combined with a fun-filled photo session. Another key portion of the title is the ‘Pamper’ section. Each attendee of the party is also treated to professional hair and makeup ready for their group and individual photos.

This session makes an ideal birthday alternative for any pre-teen princesses and a group of up to seven friends. The session can be up to two hours (including hair and makeup) and is full of music, laughter and plenty of posing. Each party includes a complimentary print to ensure the special day is remembered.

Although, we advise minimal parental presence during the party; we will of course welcome any parents who would like to see the images after the party itself. Each ‘Pamper & Pose’ session starts from £50. As always, we tailour each session to specific individual needs, so if you have any questions or enquires don’t hesitate to give us a call.

Next week, the plan is to look at everyones favourite kind of images, Pets. We love animals of all shapes and sizes and have certainly photographed our fair share of pampered pooches. We won’t spoil it for next week, when we’ll show off some of our favourites.

 

Fine Art

Photography has always taken cues from classical painting. It is difficult to think about today but at one point photography wasn’t at everyones fingertips; it was a totally new way of making images. Early photographers had to take influence from somewhere, and the logical source was from paintings. Some even went as far as adding colours, hue and texture over the original images. Its almost ironic that something that is now associated with truth initially shied away from its innate qualities.

Painting has a far richer history than photography and is still inspiring photographers today (including us), which is why we’ve decided to introduce our ‘Fine Art’ sessions. Its completely something new for us, and therefore something to be excited about. We designed these sessions with the goal of creating portraits that are truly timeless.

Take this image for example – A really beautiful portrait in a classical style. This new session is perfect for slightly older children (8+) who are ready for this more sophisticated style. The sessions are focussed on the individual as we tease out different elements of their growing personality. We spend a lot of time working with different poses and making slight adjustments, whilst we search for the perfect picture. This is were our classical influences come into play. By concentrating on simple and natural lighting we create portraits with a relaxed but distinct atmosphere.

Perfect for girls and boys, . After the initial session, we spend a significant amount of time working with the images to ensure their timeless appearance. We may even introduce some subtle texture as a contemporary reference to the pictorialists of old! It’s a great alternative to anyone looking for something different from their images, and we look forward to working with you soon.

Newborn

Imagine a sculptor who works with stone, marble or similar material – This sculptor is initially presented with something in its rawest from; the task is then to create a piece of refined and considered artwork. Of course, this takes time, patience and skill. To even begin to sculpt, the artist needs knowledge and a vision to create a preconceived idea. Beginning with minute adjustments as the artist slowly chips away to create the desired form; a slow but rewarding process. The initial vision undoubtably shifts and changes as the sculptor responds and works with their chosen material. However, with the required time and patience something special can be produced.

Why, as photographers, are we discussing and romanticising the sculptors process? Don’t worry, you haven’t stumbled onto the wrong blog (or maybe you have if you were looking for sculptors), but our specialist newborn process shares a lot of similarities with the above description. Hopefully the metaphor wasn’t too laborious, but it takes the same time patience and skill to produce a high standard of newborn images. Granted, we have it slightly easier that the sculptor because babies arrive ready to melt the heart, unlike a big piece of stone. However, it requires significant time to sculpt and shape them to best covey their innate beauty.

It may look completely natural, but this is absolutely by design. Significant time has been spent positioning little hands and toes to create this pose. To emphasise again, this is the culmination of dozens of hours of training and practice. The simplicity is deceiving, it can be incredibly difficult but equally rewarding. Each baby is different and we endeavour to respond in kind, which makes each session different. Practically, this is why we often need two hours or more to create these images. We also recommend that each session be planned and booked prior to birth; this is because the first two weeks after birth represent the critical window to create these poses.

The session is £89 for (1-3 hours studio time ) & includes one 10x8 print ( March 22 ) This ensures to optimal time in our studio to create these valuable images. More of our work is available on our website and Facebook pages. Please don’t hesitate to call with any enquiries or questions you might have on 01524 846 697 Next week we’ll talk about something completely new and exciting, our Fine Art Collection.