Christina Lauder's Portraits

My Favourite Photographs from 2011

2012-01-29T15:44:00.000Z

As I didn't get around to doing many blogs last year I thought I'd post some of my favourite images from the year instead. So here they are.

This image actually came about from my attempt at getting all the puppies in a row. Unfortunately they wouldn't co-operate. They just wanted to huddle up together. I took the picture more as a test of the lighting but when I viewed it on a larger screen it seemed to be in the shape of a heart. So I helped it along.

This is actually our own kitten, Tiger. Since I was a little girl I have wanted to own kittens so it was a dream come true. They have been so much fun. And the two we kept are amazing pets, so affectionate and loving. They're like our babies. I never realised cats could be such lovely pets.

This year I became very interested in colours and textures. I feel this will become part of my signature style. For me it gives the image so much more depth and really takes it away from the typical studio portrait. Unique portraits is really what I am after and this is a way I feel I can get that.

This image has a little of an Audrey Hepburn feel to it for me which is probably why I love it so much. Her eyes are so wide and her hair is so elegant.

With this one I just love the eye contact I've got with baby. Its difficult to get this which such young babies.

I've managed to get it here as well which is even more amazing considering I'm actually just holding the camera out in front of me.

I love this image. I love baby's pout, his hands, the textures and the tones of this image. I love it so much it because my new canvas sample this year.

Looking back on these images from this past year has made me even more inspired and determined to come up with unique ways of photographing my clients. This year I've even given myself the challenge of 12 shoots over the course of the year that are for me. These shoots will be ones that take me a little out of my comfort zone and force me to try the ideas I have bouncing around inside my head.

So watch this space, hopefully some beautiful portraiture will be coming this way soon.

New Year, New Look

2012-01-23T14:27:00.000Z

I know its been a while since I've blogged. I got out of the habit of writing and just couldn't get back into it. Well all that is going to change this year. Lots of things are going to change this year.

Thats one of the things I love about the new year. No matter what happened in the previous year you can sort of draw a line under it and start again. So that is what I am doing.

So far I've had a great start to the year. Spent a wonderful week in London at the SWPP Convention where I had my first opportunity to take part in the judging of the annual print competition. It was such an incredible experience to be a part of choosing this year's very worthy winners and I feel very honoured for having been invited.

Along with this I again had a couple of speaking engagements which also went very well. As always I panic before hand (and even say 'never again') and as always I come away on such a high that I immediately offer to do it all over again.

The best part about the whole week though is the incredible friendships I've developed over the years (6 years in total so far). Its like going home to a family reunion each year. I sincerely hope this carries on for many years to come. What a great way to get January out of the way too. There is no time for that lull after Christmas and before long it will be spring.

Now to mark one of my changes for the year ahead I've decided to give myself a little challenge. I've read of people doing a 365 challenge where they are meant to take a photo every day of the year. For me that is just madness. Then I read of someone doing a 52 challenge, taking a specific photo each week of the year. Well knowing myself and my ability to fail at such challenges I set myself the target of 12. That's one special photoshoot a month where I try to create something unique while at the same time stretching and perfecting my skills.

And here are the photos I created in my first special photoshoot of the year. I hope you like them as much as I do (although I am a little biased as this is my daughter).

Introducing Jacques Bakes Cakes!

2011-03-29T21:06:00.000+01:00

I recently had the pleasure of meeting a very interesting woman named Annaleise Jacques, of Jacques Bakes Cakes, a newly formed cake company. I've been intrigued with the whole cake industry of late. The artistic merit in many of the creations often catches my eye. It made me want to photograph them (in truth it made me a little hungry too - unfortunately the cakes I got to photograph were all cake dummies and therefore inedible).

Her cakes are gorgeous and I can see that with Annaleise's character and drive she will have a thriving business in no time. So as part of my new initiative of creating business links within the community I decided to join forces with Jacques Bakes Cakes to see if we could help each other out.

To start things off I invited Annaleise to the studio with some of her recent creations so that I could photograph them properly for her. Photographing products without the knowledge or equipment of a professional can result in incorrect colours along with dull and flat images that are less appealing. If selling products to a public who can't see for themselves the real thing it is well worth paying to have the images created professionally. It makes the business look more professional and it gives potential customers an accurate view of what they may be purchasing.

I really enjoyed photographing these cakes and would love to do this again sometime. Maybe next time I can get Annaleise to bring a cake we can actually eat next time.

Intruducing Baby Dolly!

2011-03-29T15:24:00.000+01:00

Recently I had the privillege of establising an affiliation with Baby Dolly, specialists in Antenatal Care. Baby Dolly, based in Hinckley and run by founder Lucy Dolly, carries out antenatel courses for both private and NHS clients. They also conduct baby massage classes. Their services include such things as TENS and birth pool hire and an online shop for a multitude of useful products for both during and after pregnancy. They even offer a cool Pick and Pack Labour bag. It almost makes me wish I could get pregnant again. Well actually I could get pregnant again but my husband would kill me.

I was lucky enough to find Lucy through the schools work I do and we just seemed a natural fit. We can both help each other out by passing on referrals and I can of course also help Lucy with her photographic needs. So the first task at hand was to provide some much needed team photos which I was all to happy to provide.

Estabilishing relationships such as this is the aim for us in 2011. The more relationships with local business that we can establish the better off we will be. This will help us not only to increase business but also by providing us with a new network of people we can call on to fulfil our needs as well. I'm really looking forward to creating more of these useful and hopefully fun, links in future.

If you have a business you feel could have a mutual benefit for us both please get in touch. We'd love to hear from you.

My New Column in the Burbage Advertiser

2011-03-09T18:17:00.001Z

This year I've joined up with The Advertiser and starting from last month I'll contributing with a regular column. Here I will be providing simple tips and tricks to help the average person improve their personal photography. Topics will include Understanding Apertures (f-stops), White Balance, Improving Your Exposures (when the camera can't quite get it right) and so much more.

Here is the first tip from the March issue on finding good light for taking portraits. And by portraits this doesn't need to mean anything formal. Looking out for good light is useful even if you just want to take a couple of quick snaps of your kids playing in the garden or out at the park. This can be useful when on holiday with family or friends. All too often I see photos on Facebook that could be improved if just a little thought was taken before taking the photo.

If there is something specific you'd like to learn about then please get in touch and let me know and I will do my best to cover it in an upcoming issue.

My Images Used at Focus at the NEC!

2011-03-07T18:47:00.000Z

I was very lucky this year at the SWPP convention. I met a number of suppliers and a few of which have turned out to be great contacts. Two of which have chosen to use my images for their samples for display at Focus at the NEC for this years event. And I must say it was an honour as well as great fun to see my images on display in such lovely products.

The first company is Artvue Canvas who chose to use one of my images as a cushion canvas, one of their new products. The image looked stunning if I do say so myself. I've been planning to use their services for my next canvas order as I've recently been looking at changing suppliers.

The second company is an album manufacturer called nphoto. I had already planned on using this company for the portrait albums I am adding to my offering when I received a phone call asking if they could use my images in two of their sample albums. In return they are giving me some samples for my studio. I can't wait to receive them.

I have been searching for the right album to fit in with my product range for years and it is so wonderful to finally find the perfect product. These are albums that look contemporary without looking like this weeks fashion statement. They have a timeless quality without looking boring. They have a feel of quality without looking like they need to be wrapped in tissue paper, never to be looked at. And finally, they look nothing like a typical wedding album which is very important to me since I won't be displaying wedding photos in them but portraits instead.

When I first started out, just 5 years ago, I attended many events such as the SWPP convention and Focus and only dreamed of being one of the photographers who had images on display with the various suppliers. Well now finally I am one of those photographers and it feels great. So thank you so much to Artvue Canvas and nphoto for the privillege of appearing on your stand this year.

Freddie Returns!

2011-02-22T20:08:00.000Z

I had another fantastic shoot this week. We spent an hour or two trying different looks with some different props I recently found at an antiques fair. I love antiques fairs by the way. Its a bit of a treasure hunt. You never know what you're going to find and each prop gives something different to my portraits. And with each prop is a little inspiration.

This session was with an existing client so I took the time to do a little experimentation. I have an old backdrop that I kept meaning to use although never found a way to use it effectively. But the antique props got me thinking that maybe this traditional backdrop would be the perfect match. If this didn't work it was being put away for the foreseeable future.

In this session I used both natural light and studio light. Our studio has some lovely light coming in through our tri-fold doors. I always get great results using this light which works very well for young children.

And then came the processing. I don't want to produce just snaps. I want my work to develop into a unique style that is my own so much of the results here comes also from within the computer. For some of these images the background was heavily worked on to give it more of a feeling of art and less of a photograph. This idea of producing art has always been our aim. Anyone can snap a photo and cameras are a plenty amongst almost everyone. So we put so much more into our portraiture which helps differentiate us from others.

At the moment the jury is still out on the backdrop. So I would love to get some feedback from anyone reading this. If you have an opinion you'd like to share either leave a comment below or click through to my Facebook page (link on the right) and view the images individually where you can comment on specific photos. I'd love to hear what you think of the Photoshop treatment and overall style as well. Thanks.

School Photos Don't Have to Look Like School Photos

2011-02-09T20:27:00.010Z

About 6 years ago I decided to pursue a career as a portrait photographer. And one of the avenues I took involved school photography. I did so because I saw a need for a change. We have been accepting school photos as they have been for as long as I could remember. My children's photos were looking no different from mine, which were taken nearly 30 years prior. It just didn't feel right, nor did I have any desire to put them on display. They were merely a record of a child's development and growth.

So I set out to change that. At the time a rather large, nationwide chain of studios was doing well with the ever popular white background photography. I couldn't help but think how well that would work with school portraits.

To me the photo still needs to remain a record of a child's growth and development but it should also have an element of fun and freedom. The white background leaves the image free from distractions, and the space in my compositions gives the child space to be free and just be. It does exactly what I want it to do. Its relaxed and fun, as children should be.

Our school portraits are continueing to be successful and we are growing this aspect of our business each year. We don't wish to be solely school photographers so it is not an aspect of our business we are pushing at full speed. Variety is the spice in my life which is why we are maintaining this side to our business even though our our new studio is really taking off.

Anyway, I am very proud of our school portraits. It is important to me that quality be the common thread amongst all my work, regardless of whether or not the portraits are taken in my studio or in a school or nursery. So I thought I would share some examples of my school portraits so those who don't have children at one of my schools can see that they aren't the typical or average school portrait. I hope you can see that they are so much more than that.

If your children attend a school with photos you are not happy with and would like to see photos like the ones displayed here please get in touch and we can provide a sample pack for taking into your school to show the staff. I can't gaurantee it will make any difference but it doesn't hurt to try.

More Workshops for 2011!!

2011-02-07T13:30:00.000Z

This year we've decided to launch a schedule of 5 training events. Our training is designed as an introduction to lighting and workflow or a confidence builder for those who feel they've lost their way or never really got it straight in the first place.

The day is split in two with the first half looking at lighting. We cover high key, mid key and low key set ups explaining each light required in detail with time allowed for each attendee to have a play with the studio lights themselves.

After lunch we then look at workflow. We take your through importing and sorting images in Lightroom, making adjustments and enhancements in Lightroom followed by exporting to Photoshop. We then take a closer look at the imges in Photoshop, going over the ways in which we treat all our images. This includes the use of Kubota Actions.

These workshops are running on the following dates:

Wednesday February 16th

Tuesday March 8th

Wednesday April 13th

Wednesday May 18th

Wednesday June 15th

If these days do not suit but you are still interested please get in touch as we may be running extra sessions depending on demand. We can also arrange one to one sessions tailored to your needs at a date and time to suit your schedule.

The session fee is £125 which includes lunch and refreshments (sessions are limited to 6 delegates).

For more information please phone 01455 611069 or send me an email at christina_lauder@btconnect.com.

My Associate Panel

2011-01-31T09:55:00.000Z

As I mentioned in my last blog, I achieved my Associateship in Portraiture with the SWPP (Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers). I just thought I would share with you the panel I submitted. Having sat through the assessment I see that there are a couple of images that I wish I hadn't chosen, more so due to not having enough variety rather than the lack of quality. but overall I am pleased with my submission.

I always thought that once I achieved my Associateship I would be done with qualifications. Working towards a Fellowship just seems so unattainable. I don't think I can just sit here not striving towards a goal though. Besides, my husband has already set 5 year plan. So I guess I've not seen the end of qualifications just yet. But don't be expecting any news on this front for quite some time though. A fellowship is on an entirely new level and its going to take a lot of work.

The Convention: A Near Winner, a New Letter Beside My Name and a Really Great Time!

2011-01-29T11:51:00.000Z

Once again I attended a fantastic event run by the Societies for photographers from around the world. The Societies Convention is held in the Hammersmith area of London each year at the start of year. For me its like Christmas and New Year all over again.

This year my husband and I were apart of the event from the very beginning to the very end. We saw the set up, he saw the taking down (thankfully I was resting at that point). For the first time I was able to attend the business school, see some of the print judging and sit in on some of the Qualification Panel judging. More specifically, I got to see my own panel being judged. It has been some time since I applied for my Licentiateship with the SWPP and though I had been meaning to take the qualifications further one thing lead to another which meant this took a back seat. Until this year when something told me to just go for it. What do I have to lose? At worst I get some good feedback which would help me to improve my skills. At best I'd get the all alusive A I'd been striving towards for years and the reasurance that my work is heading in the right direction.

Well this year I reached my goal as I was awarded my Associateship in portraiture. I am among a select few (statisically around 10% of all photographers) who have taken the time to get this recognition and been successful in achieving it. I consider it to be a huge honour, particular when sitting there watching the high caliber of judges in the room that day who decided that I deserved this qualification.

This gave me great confidence when approaching my talks which took place on Friday and Sunday morning. In hindsight, 8am Sunday was a bit of a misktake. I wouldn't have woken up that early on Sunday to see me so how could I expect anyone else to. Needless to say turnout was less on Sunday than it was on Friday. We went from a full house to a slighly less than half house. Lesson learned, if I get the chance to speak again that is.

We finished off with the Awards ceremony. Each year, throughout the year thousands of entries are made in a monthly competition that culminates in the annual awards. All entries that were awarded a gold in the monthlies make it to the annual competition where it is narrowed down further still to a small selection for each category. This year one of my baby images made it to the top three amongst entries from all over the world.

Unfortunately though, it did not win, but as some would say, 'It is an honour just to be nominated'. And the truth is, I do feel quite honoured to have made it this far. Of course it would be better to be announcing an award but I may only be a couple of marks away from the winning entry and to me that means my image is still a very high quality image. And that says a lot about the quality of work I strive for on a day to day basis. The image was taken as part of a standard client shoot. This was not done in my spare time when I could take the time to be more creative. I take the same time for all my shoots. In every shoot I do I have the hope that I will be greating an award winning image. It is certainly what I am working towards.

There is one thing I took away from the convention that I really wish I hadn't and that is the flu. I've been so under the weather these past two weeks which is why this post has taken so long to be written. My New Year's resolution of keeping on top of my blog has already fallen by the wayside. But not for long. I'm back and this year is going to be a great year. I'm going to make sure of that. A quote from a speaker this year that has really hit home with me is 'Its not what you know but what you do' is going to be my motto this year. And this year I am going to do loads.

Another Union Jack Portrait

2010-12-09T19:39:00.000Z

A couple of weeks ago I had the perfect client, although I didn't know it until they arrived for their second sitting. The first sitting didn't quite go to plan, for various reasons, resulting in two children who pretty much had enough. Unfortunately though, the perfect shots I had planned went out the window when we lost their attention after about 5 minutes. We perservered, hoping to get a few we could work with until we finally thought there was no point.

So I rescheduled for 2 days later. I wasn't going to give up. It wasn't there fault they got bored. We just needed to tackle the session better the second time ensuring we were all fully prepared.

But I still had a look through what we got because I remembered seeing one image that might be worth something. I prepared it to show the family when they came back for their second sitting.

It turns out that this image is all I needed. They got what they wanted without the second sitting afterall. They ordered an extra large print which I was thrilled to prepare for them. It is exactly the size that something like this should be. Actually, having just previewed this blog, the tiny image you see below really doesn't do it justice.

So in the end I learned a valuable lesson. Sometimes less is more. Too much choice just makes the decision process take longer. This was the quickest viewing I've ever had. I think I need to remember this lesson for future.

2 More Golds and a Nomination

2010-12-08T18:48:00.001Z

Well it looks like I am having a pretty good week. Not only did I find out that I received another 2 golds for images submitted in the monthly competition but I was also informed that I have been shortlisted for Baby Portrait Photographer of the Year with the image below. I have to wait until January though to find out if I've won.

Still it feels pretty good to know I've made it to the top 3 in my category. Fingers crossed I come home with a trophy. It has been my dream since I began nearly 5 years ago. This is my third time in this position so here's hoping for third time lucky.

And the following 2 images are my other golds.

Amanda and Carl's Bump

2010-11-25T10:38:00.003Z

I am just loving doing bumps and babies. It is so rewarding. Between having wonderful subjects and such happy and friendly clients I really couldn't ask for more out of my job.

The only down side is the slight envy I feel wishing I could have another baby myself. Then I see my 7 year old again and I'm reminded of why I am done having babies. Babies are great, but then they grow up.

It always amazes me how comfortable clients are during these shoots. Very thankful too actually as the more comfortable they are the more I am, which is rather important during one of these sessions.

I'm looking forward to baby arriving now as they have plans to come back for some newborn photos as well. This will give me a chance to use some of my new props from a recent trip to an antiques fair. I can't wait.

Another Client Returns

2010-11-17T17:53:00.001Z

I first met this family nearly 4 years ago. I photographed their boys after having met them at playgroup. We've been friends ever since. In fact it amazes me how many of my friends I first met as clients.

Its a good feeling knowing that these people who come into my life through my portrait business have remained in my life as friends. I wouldn't have expected that when I started out but I am glad its worked out that way. I've met some wonderful people.

Including this family, with their angelic looking children. And I say 'angelic looking' childen for a reason. Their parents would be the first to admitt that they are not always angels. They have the most amusing stories to tell which I am sure will go down well at an 18th birthday or other special occasion in future.

Anyway, as usual, these boys photograph well. Their smiles and their eyes are absolutely gorgeous. I could photograph them all day, not that they would let me.

The older one did his best so he could be done quickly and then proceeded to tell off the younger one for messing about and making it take too long when I had to photograph them both together.

In the end though, I got exactly what I wanted. I loved the portraits so much I now even have one as a sample for the studio. Though narrowing it down to which one to choose was the hard part.

Baby Freddie

2010-10-14T17:52:00.001+01:00

Here are some images from another one of my new baby sessions. I've been so looking forward to posting these too since I bought a new prop especially for this session but unfortunately have had to wait because this was done as a surprise for Freddie's daddy's 30th birthday.

I am so loving taking photos of really young babies. Overall it is proving to be the easiest, although most time consuming, of all my sessions. By easiest I should probably say the least stressful because we really take it easy during the session. There is never a rush and for the really young ones there's no point trying to make them smile. Basically, they do what they want when they want and we just take what we're given, which works just fine with me seeing as they are basically perfect little angels at this age anyway.

The first image (Made in Britain) is one of my favourites. I couldn't resist this prop when I saw it as the colours, vibrancy and the currentness of the look just appealed so much to me. And it has extra significance with Freddie's daddy as he is from New Zealand and I thought he'd get a kick out of it. They're planning on moving to New Zealand one day and I thought it is something he can take back with him as a reminder of his time here (and where his boy originated from).

I loved the Made in Britain image so much I had it framed as a sample for my studio. I was lucky enough to be invited to display a piece in the new Creative Building in Hinckley for their open week and it was this piece I chose. While there it managed to generate some enquiries for specifically that image which I was thrilled to hear.

Well Happy Birthday Nick! I hope you like your portraits.

Baby Ashley, While Still in Mummy's Tummy

2010-10-10T21:25:00.004+01:00

I completely forgot that I haven't yet posted my photos of Ashley's mum. He was born so soon after this session and in the end the viewing for these photos didn't happen until after Ashley's newborn session. As I don't like to post any images until after the viewing these had to wait. But I was so keen to post Ashley's photos as they were different to anything I had done before that I posted them first.

So things are a little out of order here.

As you can see I've once again been able to utilise my growing collection of organza to great effect. In fact I think its time I grew the collection to include a few more colours, especially seeing as I've got another bump session in a couple of weeks. I can feel a trip to the shops coming up. Won't my husband be happy to hear that.

It would seem that the product ordered here is becoming rather popular. I sell at least one of these at almost every session. Its a good way of displaying more photos in less space and these make for great gifts as well.

I am very pleased with the arrangement purchased and I just love my images from this session. I'm so glad I get to do it all again soon with another couple at the end of the month. So check back soon if you want to see more baby bump photos. Or give us a call if you you're expecting and would like to arrange a free, no obligation consultation for yourself. Its a great chance to get to know us while seeing our products and where we work at the same time.

Baby Isobel

2010-10-06T19:04:00.001+01:00

Recently I had the pleasure of photographing little Isobel. She was an angel and a joy to photograph. So much so I was left wishing I could have another baby. This is the downside of doing what I do. It makes me long for the days when my little girl was this little. I adored having a baby. And I so wish I had the equipment, skill and props I now have when I had my baby so I could have the sort of portraits I've been taking lately.

Don't get me wrong, I did take loads of photos. I think I took 10,000 images by the time she was 1. And I love my photos. But they aren't the sort of images that I would want to see hanging on a wall in elegant frames. Nor would they have enlarged well having taken them on a little compact camera. And for some reason it didn't occur to me to go to a professional when she was so little.

I regret it now though. I would love nothing more than to have a really beautiful image of my daughter as a baby. Something that could capture her perfectly, with appropriate lighting and clutter free backgrounds. Something I could put in a big and beautiful frame like the one Isobel will feature in. Her mum chose a fantastic frame too. Its a new frame I've decided to offer and she will be the first to have it. I will definitely be taking a photo of it when its done to add to my collection of product photos. Below is the arrangement she has purchased.

I can't wait to see the finished article. It is sure to be a wow piece.

Lyn

2010-09-26T21:00:00.001+01:00

I met Lyn while working with the local Scout group to help them achieve their photography badge. The organiser of our project had invited Lyn (County Chairperson) along to see what the Burbage Scouts group got up to.

From there we got chatting and she became interested in having a photo done for her husband for their anniversary as a surprise. Well it was their anniversary this weekend so I am finally allowed to post them on my blog and Facebook.

I have to admit that I am always worried when photographing women. Most women, no matter how good the photo, hate seeing themselves in pictures. Which makes for a rather large challenge on my part. But Lyn was a great subject and the results are something we are both pleased with. I've not yet heard from Lyn but hopefully her husband is too.

Lucia Framed and on the Wall

2010-09-15T20:26:00.002+01:00

It was my pleasure this weekend to present an order to one of my clients. Their order included 2 extra large frames of two images I really loved. And it was an extra pleasure to be invited over to see them hanging on their wall (which incidently was a job completed the very same evening they took the frames home, something I'd struggle to get my husband to do).

I was thrilled to see the portraits hanging on the wall, looking so prominent and as though the room was designed around them. Especially in such a lovely home as this. Their home is gorgeous, and nothing out of place. I can only dream of such a home, but then again, their child is still a baby. It could all change.

This is exactly how I have always intended my work to be displayed. It made me very proud.

I hope to have the honour of being able to do this more often with my clients. I can feel a collection coming on.

Baby Ashley James

2010-09-07T20:26:00.000+01:00

I am really loving photographing babies again. So much so that I've been spending hours trolling through websites trying to find more props and plan to visit the Peterborough Antiques Fair at the beginning of next month in the hopes of finding some great stuff to use. I always keep an eye out for props but now I have something quite specific in mind.

This is largely to do with my recent sitting with Ashley James. I never realised you could do so much with a relative newborn. Even though I've had my own I still didn't feel comfortable asking a new mum to put their baby into positions I only thought possible of older children.

But it worked and the results are fab. Ashley looks absolutely adorable in these images and I only wish I had the skill and equipment back when my daughter was born. In fact, it makes me want another just so I can spend hours photographing my own baby.

Unfortunately I think it would result in me becoming a single parent though, as my husband would lose his mind and need to be institutionalised if I became pregnant. Our kids are currently at an age that makes a new baby and 2am feedings look easy. Although a new baby might be nice, a new teenager or stroppy 7 year old wouldn't be. And its inevitable that a baby would some day become one. So I'll just have to make do with clients who have babies instead.

Finally, Another Gold Award

2010-09-05T14:13:00.001+01:00

Its been a while since I've won a gold in the SWPP's monthly competition. But finally I've done it again. I must admit that I've not been entering much lately. The motivation to compete has been lost somewhat in recent months but as a spur of the moment decision I decided to enter a few for the month of August. And amazingly I had only taken the winning image earlier that afternoon.

It wasn't until late evening, just before I was due to log off that I suddenly remembered that it was the 31st. The last day to enter. I had just over an hour to submit my entries. I perused through my images trying to decide what, if anything, was competition worthy. I narrowed it down to 5 for various different categories.

Amazingly the very next day the category with my winning entry had been judged. And there beneath my photo sat a G for Gold. So this photo will now go forward to the annual awards giving me the chance to win Baby Photographer of the Year. This will make the awards dinner in London in January all the more exciting.

This is my Gold winning entry.

Baby Lucia

2010-09-01T10:38:00.000+01:00

I'm starting to do baby portraits regularly again and loving every minute of it. Especially when I get shots like this next one. I love it. I only wish I had something like this of myself and my daughter. Unfortunately as the photographer I rarely get shots of myself. Not that I'm complaining. I am quite happy sitting behind the camera and not in front of it.

Once we got this shot I knew what we needed next, a matching set. So we produced this one. And now this is what my clients will be featuring as a focal point in their newly decorated lounge, side by side and extra large. Just how I intend my portraits to be viewed. The order goes in this week and I can't wait to see the finished product.

Here's a prime example of how my clients inspire me. Lucia turned up with a gorgeous pink tutu. The colour is so vibrant and made for some lovely portraits. Unfortunately Lucia is still a little too young and being unable to sit up made it hard to show off the tutu. So we're going to leave it a couple more months and have her return when she's a little order to capture the next stage in her life. I can't wait to photographer her again.

Another Portfolio Shoot

2010-08-27T16:42:00.000+01:00

I love doing shoots like this. This little boy was a joy to photograph, so much character and seemed so comfortable standing before the camera.

And it makes it easier having a subject who can take instruction, unlike the babies I've been photographing lately, although I enjoyed them too but for different reasons. I'll be posting some of them soon but want to wait until they're parents have seen them first.

Anyway, this little boy is trying out for a part in a film so fingers crossed that he gets the part. He certainly has a good look as far as I am concerned. As they say, the camera loved him.

I'm Back and its About Time

2010-08-26T10:39:00.000+01:00

First, I can't believe where the summer has gone. It just seemed to disappear in a blink of an eye. I hadn't intended on taking this much of a break from my blog, but I knew I couldn't keep up with regular postings with my daughter off school for 6 and a half weeks. Still I hadn't realised it has been this long. Sorry about that. It shan't happen again (until at least next summer, I hope).

Anyway, I've had a great summer so far which even included a trip to Turkey where the weather was fantastic (so much better than here). I now see why the British holiday abroad each year. You need it so you can get through a British summer.

As you can see, I can't get away from photography, no matter where I go. In fact I even brought two cameras with me (but managed to leave the large lense at home). I feel very uneasy without a camera, like I could be missing out on a great Kodak moment.

And I really enjoy collecting portraits of the kids so we can look back on them in years to come. These aren't all of mine, by the way. We had friends staying at a nearby resort so we met up for a day, which turned out to be highly eventful when two members of their family ended up in the hospital. It was my husbands great idea to see if they could get 9 people into a single raft down a slide. Needless to say it gave me the opportunity to say I told you so.

Amazingly though, nothing major came of it. And the rest of the holiday was fantastic. I would definitely recommend a resort with a waterpark. It amused the kids for hours. This was a perfect example of how some adverts do work really well. This holiday was a direct result of my 6 year old asking for a First Choice holiday everytime the ads came on the telly. I have to say, I am glad we went too.

Anyway, it is back to work now. Things have really been picking up over the past few weeks. So I have plenty to blog about now that I have decided to make a determined effort to keep up with my blog again. So I'll apologise in advance for bombarding you with frequent posts

because I have a fair bit to blog about now.

So why do we cost more than other photography studios?

2010-07-08T21:26:00.000+01:00

I often get asked this question. And it is always followed by a lengthly discussion on the differences. Because there is a reason I charge more, for the same reason that a Mercedes costs more than a Ford and a Sony costs more than a Sharp.

First, all our portraits are custom framed using high end mouldings. We use conservation grade mount board which protect your portraits as well as high quality low reflection glass which provide a truer colour rendition so the images look more vibrant and true to life without much of the annoying reflections of standard glass.

This quality goes beyond the products but into our service as well. To start with we offer free, no obligation consultations to anyone considering booking a session with us. During this meeting we sit and have a chat over a coffee giving us the chance to get to know each other as well as giving our prospective clients an opportunity to see the work we do in person.

During the portrait session we offer an almost unlimited amount of time to ensure that everyone is at their most relaxed. We are not interested in rushing people in and out. This doesn't do our clients any good nor does it put myself, the photographer in the right frame of mind for being creative. We also take a very consultative approach in our processes because we want to ensure we produce the sort of images our clients really want. So throughout our sessions we take breaks to take a look at what we've done. If something isn't quite right we change it, all the while being guided by our clients interests.

The next stage is the viewing. These are done in person in our studio using projected images on a 150" high definition screen. We provide you with a beautiful and moving slideshow of our selection of the very best images. Each image image is carefully selected and given an initial degree of processing in order to make them suitable for viewing.

We then take a closer look where our clients can eliminate their least favourite or highlight their most favourite, often comparing side by side images in order to narrow it down to the very best. The whole while myself, the photographer, is in the room available for advice and guidance. Again this is a very unhurried, low pressure session. We do not believe in pushing our clients to purchase what they don't want or can't afford.

Then finally we hand process each purchased image fully. We start with the removal of any temporary blemishes (permenant blemishes can be removed on request and at no additional charge). We smooth out any lumps or bumps. We tidy up backgrounds and remove stray hairs. We add a little punch, smooth and soften skin and we sharpen key aspects of the image. All of this is a necessary aspect of high quality photography. Digital images straight out of camera are rarely, if ever, acceptable without some degree of manipulation if we are talking about professional quality. In fact, I've never personally printed any image without some degree of image manipulation even if they were just images for my personal use. I enhanced images in the darkroom years ago and I certainly enhance images today in the computer.

(Before)

(After)

All our printing takes place at a professional lab and is then taken to my framer where she takes the utmost care in assembling each piece of work.

We don't waste money on equipment we don't need. We have a core set of professional tools we use which are reliable and are replaced as needed, not when we want a new toy. We keep up to date on our training but we don't overdo it taking courses we don't need.

But still all of this comes at a price. We need to earn a living too. This isn't a hobby but a profession. Yes we could lower our prices if we were to reduce our level of service or perhaps cut back on the quality in our products. But that is not what Christina Lauder Portraits is about. And at the end of the day, as with so many other products and services, you get what you pay for. People nowadays seem to be happy spending good money on new phones, laptops, and gagdets when they don't really need them but when it comes to portraits which last a lifetime they are much more reluctant.

If you are someone who is happy with your mobile phone pictures it is unlikely I'll be able to persuade you to invest in a Christina Lauder portrait. However if quality matters to you than perhaps you'd like to ring us for one of those free, no obligation consultations. What do you have to lose? And you might just find that we have something within your budget. We will try to work with you as much as we can.

I've Been Asked to Take the Images for a Charity Calendar

2010-06-30T09:53:00.001+01:00

The Leicester Mercury last night featured this article on the subject.

Coach crew dare to bare

A crew of coach drivers and backroom staff are stripping off for charity.

The men and women are hoping to raise up to £9,000 through sales of a saucy calendar.

Burbage photographer Christina Lauder has taken a series of pictures of staff stripped off but with strategically placed items covering their modesty.

Money raised from sales will be shared between the air ambulance and the Hathern Dog Rescue charity.

Julie Johnson. of Hugglescote firm Roberts Coaches, said: "We are hoping to raise in excess of £5,000. If, however, we can sell 2,000 calendars we could possibly reach £9,000."

Miss Johnson, who has posed for one of the pictures, said: "I have managed to get some of our coach drivers to get into the spirit of the cause and I have been overwhelmed by the support, so much so that we are having to have a second day shooting photos."

Transport manager Geoff Cox was one of the first to take his clothes off for the calendar.

He said: "I was reluctant at first but it's for charity and Julie can be very persuasive.

"Some of the drivers were not too keen at first. But in the end, they quite enjoyed getting their kit off for charity."

Miss Lauder said: "I was delighted to offer my services when Julie contacted me."

Coach driver Andy Williamson is one of the crew yet to be photographed.

He said: "It is a bit of a laugh and it's for two good causes.

"Quite a few of the lads have agreed to strip off for the camera."

The calendars will be priced at about £5 and will go on sale in August.

Sue Fairbrother, of Hathern Dog Rescue, said: "We depend on donations and we really appreciate the support we have received from Roberts Coaches over the years. I hope the calendars prove popular. It will help us continue our service of re-homing strays and other dogs with no homes."

Catherine Foster, fund-raiser for Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance said: "I would like to thank the team for all their fund-raising efforts.

"It is always good to see the different, innovative ways that the community supports the air ambulance and keep us flying.

"As a registered charity, we receive no Government or Lottery funding and it costs us over £1.5 million a year to keep operational and rescuing people. We, therefore, rely on fundraising activities like this to keep on saving lives."

I'd just like to say thanks to Julie Johnson, from Roberts Coaches (http://www.robertsholidays.co.uk/) for inviting me to take part in this exciting project. I can't wait to see the finished article.

Burbage Carnival 2010

2010-06-24T14:29:00.001+01:00

Well another year has come and gone. Yet again we managed to get by with spectacular weather which certainly ensured that we had the maximum turnout on the day. In fact I can't remember when it last rained on carnival day. It will have to happen one year but so far we've had luck on our side.

And with great weather comes great photos. I love nothing more than beautiful blue skies with wispy white clouds. It makes all the colours stand out and look wonderful and really makes my job a whole lot easier. I'm not looking forward to the day that I have nothing but bland, grey and overcast skies to work with.

I really think the carnival comittee, of which I am a member, have done a fantastic job this year if I do say so myself. We are growing from strength to strength each year and it looks like this year we will even be growing in numbers. With a few more set to join us for the 2011 carnival I reckon we can make Burbage Carnival the carnival to attend above all others in the area.

We went from 12 floats last year to a record 19 floats this year, all of which going all out in decorations along the theme of Fairy Tales, Myths and Magic. The effort and expense each participant went to this year was outstanding and once again proved that our village has spirit. The streets were lined with spectators like I've never seen before. It was truly a joy to be a part of this event.

I was very proud of our field events this year. Thanks very much to both Burbage Infant school for performing their annual Maypole dance and the Vicky-Anne Academy for performing various dances from their annual show. The field was full of spectators yet again. And I got to see my daughter and step daughter perform also which is always a bonus.

Performances on the field always gaurantee a large crowd and without them the event wouldn't be the same. We welcome other acts to participate as well so if you know of any group interested please get in touch to make arrangements for the 2011 carnival. Its never too early to start planning.

So thank you to everyone who either participated or simply just attended the event. The village and all who attended and participated made this event outstanding. It was a superb day and I look forward to seeing this event grow as the years go by.

If you want to see the rest of the photos from the day take a look at the Burbage Carnival album on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=186030&id=116278416331&l=4e245c1021.

Also, if you have any desire to help out either throughout the year or on the day itself please get in touch either through myself or through the contacts on the carnival website (http://www.burbagecarnival.co.uk/). We are always happy to accept assistance, however much or little you can spare. Every little helps so don't be afraid that too much will be expected of you. We're grateful for whatever is offered.

Another Baby Bump

2010-06-16T21:04:00.000+01:00

I am so loving working with adults. It makes such a change being able to direct and have proper conversations with my subject. They say never work with animals or children and there is a reason for that. It is bloody hard work. I don't always realise myself how much work it takes until I photograph adults and it is so much easier. This shoot only took about 20 minutes to complete and we had plenty of time for a drink and chat before hand. Just the sort of way I like to spend my work day.

All in all a very enjoyable session and a large part of why my job doesn't always feel like a job. Especially when I get the chance to meet such nice people as Nick and Claire. Not at any point did our meetings with each other feel like work. To be perfectly honest I just felt like we were having friends around. Seeing as I only just met them for our consultation I think thats a pretty good client relationship we've developed. They're even coming over Friday to watch the next England match. (Our viewing projector in the studio is making a great venue to watch the World Cup).

Below is the arrangement that my client purchased from the session. I love it when I am in complete agreement with a client's decision. Each of these images were among my favourites and the images I had planned to use on my website and blog. I don't always get it this right but I love it when I do.

Introducing Esteem for Men

2010-06-14T14:15:00.004+01:00

Well I did it. I finally got up the nerve to try photographing a man other than my husband. In the end the anticipation of this shoot was much worse than the actual shoot. In the end I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to do more of this sort of work.

Leading up to this shoot I was rather nervous. I wasn't sure I could do it. I mean photographing my husband naked was easy. But to photograph someone without their clothes who you've only met once is a whole other ball game. As it turns out I hardly even considered the situation. I just concentrated on getting the shots I wanted.

I always start my shoots fully clothed. Its much easier to get into the shoot without worrying about where to look or where not to look. It gave us a chance to get to know each other too and become more comfortable with the situation. Before long though, we were ready to bare all. It turns out there really wasn't much to worry about. And it was one of the most rewarding shoots I've had recently.

I can't wait to do this again! And now that I have enough photos to create a brouchure, hopefully I'll get the chance sooner rather than later.

Burbage Carnival 2010

2010-05-29T14:02:00.001+01:00

This is the second year now that I have been a part of the Burbage Carnival committee. And since our new studio has been built we hold the bulk of the meetings here. Now that the better weather is here though, we are venturing out to the various village pubs for a change of scenery.

The carnival itself is well underway. With a record number of floats entered this is due to the one of the best carnivals yet (weather dependant of course). It hasn't rained in a while on carnival day so it is bound to one year. I just hope its not this year (and I am sure I will say this next year as well).

We recently held the Prince and Princess competition where we actually had 3 entries for the prince which is great considering it was the first year we included boys in the competition. Each winner in the competition won a portrait sitting and free portrait taken by myself, of course. For our program and the local press I put some images together in the style of our Clique party group shots.

Speaking of the program, it has just been received from the printers and it is looking great, if I do say so myself (I designed the cover and some of the ads on the inside). We'll be at the next Burbage Farmer's Market on Saturday June 5th selling them if anyone is interested. So if you are in the area please drop by and support this event.

The Burbage Carnival, although there in part just to have some fun in the village, is also about raising money for local charities. Each year a large number of charities share in the funds raised. The greater the support the more each charity can be given. And as with most things in life, every little bit helps. Which also reminds me, if anyone is interested in volunteering to help out with the carnival, please get in touch. We can use as much or as little help as you can offer. Even if you only want to help out on the day it would be much appreciated.

Hope to see you on the day, which is Sunday June 20th if you don't already know. The parade will be starting at 12 noon this year, instead of 1pm as in previous years to account for the bigger turnout. (Visit www.burbagecarnival.co.uk for more information)

Our Studio Portrait Lighting Workshop - Wednesday June 9th, 2010

2010-05-02T17:08:00.002+01:00

Some time ago I somehow developed a desire to be a speaker at the SWPP convention in London. Having been a software trainer/consultant in a previous life there were parts of that life I'd been missing. And speaking in front of a group of people about something I am passionate about is one of them.

In 2010 I was fortunate enough to have been given a place as a speaker at the convention. I spent several months thinking I was mad. In fact right up until I walked into the room on the morning of my talk I felt that way. But then the room began to fill. I realised there are many people much earlier on in their photography career than myself and I do have something worth sharing with these people. When the talk was over I was left on a high that stayed with me for weeks. I thoroughly enjoyed doing my talk and now feel it is something I want to do more of.

So the date has been set and the details are as follows:

Date: Wednesday June 9th, 2010

Location: Our new studio at 81 Hinckley Rd, Burbage, Hinckley.

Time: 9:30 - 5:00.

Cost: £100 (which includes lunch and refreshments).

Subject: Studio portrait lighting

What I am trying to create in this course is a compilation of the many lessons I have learned through the various seminars and talks I've attended, along with all the trial and error errors I've made in order to deliver a concise session that should switch the light on, so to speak, for all those either new to studio lighting or those needing confidence with their lights. Basically, I am trying to create the sort of lighting course I wish I could have attended all those years ago when I first began, so that I wouldn't have had to make so many errors to get where I am today.

This course will begin with a projected presentation explaining the function of the various lights required in portraiture. This will be followed by a hands on session showing everyone first hand what they've just been taught. Each member will then get a turn to use the lights themselves. We will finish with a brief demonstration of our post production workflow and processing techniques.

I would like to have a maximum of 8 people on the course and so far we already have 3. If this is the sort of course you would be interested in please get in touch, either via our website at http://www.christinalauderportraits.com/ or give us a call on 01455 611069. We are very much looking forward to hearing from you .

Introducing Esteem Boudoir

2010-04-27T10:51:00.001+01:00

This is an area of photography I've been wanting to do for years. While we worked out of our home it just wasn't feasible. Since we built the studio, however, it has become a very promising aspiration of mine. And this week I managed to get the nerve to have a go with two willing and very helpful and beautiful women.

Actually I think it took a bit of nerve from us all as neither of these women are models, nor had they done this sort of thing before.

I couldn't be happier with the results. In some ways it was much easier than I had anticipated and in others it was much more difficult. Dealing with semi-nudity wasn't uncomfortable at all but thinking up poses and understanding how to position the lights took a little more work.

Its certainly not as simple as 'just look at someone elses photo and duplicate it'. Not to mention that I want to be original. Originality isn't easy when the number of photographers in this world is growing at an exponential rate. And when you spend hours studying other people's work it can be hard to get their images out of your head in order to create your own.

In addition to achieving images that I am very proud to call my own, this exercise appears to have gone a long way to boosting the confidence of my clients as well . This too was an ambition of mine. It is not just about the photography but also about a boost in self-esteem. When you get to see yourself through someone else's eyes and realise that you are beautiful, that has to go a long way to making a difference to a person's self belief and confidence.

So take a chance, do something different for yourself. Be a model for a day and see what we can do for you. It might just give you the boost you've been after. This experience could prove to be an empowering one that may even change your life. In the process, give yourself something to cherish for the rest of your life.

All in all this was an incredibly enjoyable experience and I am very much looking forward to my next chance to do this again, which is already booked in for early May, but this time it is with a man. I can't wait to see what I can come up with during that session.

If this is something you've always wanted to do please get in touch with us and we can schedule an appointment for a free consultation to discuss your wishes and get to know each other a little before making any decisions.

Our First Clique Party in the New Studio

2010-04-20T11:56:00.009+01:00

Over the Easter holidays we had the chance to do our first Clique Party in the new studio. We had the lovely Rosie celebrating a late birthday with 6 of her friends.

This was also the first time that I tried a dark background as opposed to the usual white. Not sure which I prefer but I do really like having a change from the usual. The grey background is very much my favourite at the moment and it makes such a nice alternative to the usual white background.

I really lucked out with this group too. Although I had suggested bright colours and preferably plain clothes, it was really nice to see that planning had gone into the group photo. The girls had agreed to all wear different coloured vests and I think it makes quite a difference to the finished article. This co-ordinated effort definitely makes this my favourite group shot so far. Hopefully it will set an example for future parties to consider as well.

Having the party in our studio made such a difference in the atmosphere. For a start I was much more relaxed and comfortable. The girls had the room to move about freely and an atmosphere that really got them excited. It also enabled us to extend the party to include food which meant that while the food was being served I was able to prepare a slideshow for the girls to view at the end of the party. It was a really rewarding experience and from what I could tell, the girls loved it.

For more details about our Clique Parties please go to our website at http://www.christinalauderportraits.com/ or give us a call on 01455 611069. These are very popular amongst teenage girls. Not that I am limiting them to just girls. The 3 boys we've had at a previous party seemed to love it too. I would love the opportunity to do a boys party.

We Have New Products!!

2010-04-14T20:59:00.001+01:00

I am pleased to announce the introduction of 2 of our new products. The first is one I've already been selling, however it now has a twist. We now frame our canvases which I find give them a much more luxurious and eye catching finish. In fact, it makes them look more like a finished article.

We use a very chunky frame moulding, 6cm square, which fits around our chunky canvases perfectly. I'm looking forward to getting one for my own home myself. Just waiting for that perfect image of my children first. Unfortunately photographer's children are the worst to photograph. Ask any photographer who they least enjoy photographing and they will likely tell you its their own children.

The other new product is our Accordian Keepsakes. I came across them at a convention earlier in the year. I knew as soon as I saw them that I wanted to offer them to my clients. I've finally got around to creating a sample.

The Accordian Keepsake is a 3 inch accordian style book that comes with a little sleeve to keep it in. I love them. They are a handy size just perfect for carrying around in a handbag or briefcase so the family or your favourite person is never far away. They make for great gifts for grandma too as she can take it wherever she goes, showing off her family to everyone she meets, as most grandma's love to do.

We are selling these Keepsake Accordians for £75 for 3 but as I need a couple more samples anyway, I will give 2 away (with any purchase from the sitting) for the next three clients to book and mention they've seen this offer on our blog.

Hannah

2010-04-09T21:20:00.002+01:00

This week I photographed a young girl named Hannah. I keep having to remind myself that she is only 12. She always seems so much older than the others her age. What makes it even harder to believe is that she is the same age as my stepson. To me they seem years apart, rather than just a few short months. But thats boys for you.

This is the second of hopefully many times I will get to photograph Hannah. She attended one of our Clique Parties a year or so ago (If you want to know more about our Clique Parties visit our website at http://www.christinalauderportraits.com/). I knew then that she was easy to photograph which is why I was so looking forward to the chance to do it again.

Hannah has such a lovely face and she is so tall and slim. The hardest part about the shoot was doing her justice. Here is a selection of my four favorites.

Our New Kitten ~ Mittens (Mitzy as my daughter likes to call her)

2010-04-07T20:53:00.001+01:00

As I said in my last post, a dog just wasn't for us. But we've been having the kids nag us for months for a pet. Not that they haven't had pets before.

We've had baby chicks (which became egg laying chickens) and we've had rabbits. Neither of which ever sparked much companionship as far as the kids were concerned, although my little one did love her chickens. That reminds me, I must include one of my favourite photos of her from when she was a baby, the first time we had chicks with her.

Anyway, we finally caved and decided to give them one more pet, one which we figured we could handle. I must say that she has turned out to be a lovely kitten. I never imagined a cat could be so affectionate and loving as this one is turning out to be. She constantly wants attention and cuddles and someone to play with.

She is perfect for us. And after just 3 short weeks she is clearly a valued and appreicated member of our family.

Oh yes, and here is the photo of Kenzie with a baby chick. You may think she is pulling an Ozzy Osbourne on it but honestly she isn't. She just happened to be at a stage where she thought that opening her mouth was giving kisses. The chick was not harmed in anyway during the taking of that photo.

Lucy the Springer Spaniel

2010-04-06T14:05:00.001+01:00

A couple of weeks ago we had our first booking via our new Facebook page. So it turns out that this Facebook thing can be a lot more useful than originally anticipated. And a great excuse for spending time on it each day. Its now no longer a distraction from work instead it is actually work. I love it!

Anyway, here are a few of the photos from the booking. It made a nice change from the usual. Although, it can be tricky getting a dog to smile. Luckily this Springer is a little older and therefore a lot less hyper than Springers can be. We dog sat a Springer for a week once and it was enough to put us off dogs for a lifetime. Hence the reason we now have a kitten. More on this in my next blog entry.

Lucy was a pleasure to photograph. It turned out to be a very low stress session. I'm looking forward to doing more of the same in future.

Francesca

2010-03-19T20:27:00.001Z

A couple of weeks ago I had the wonderful opportunity of photographing Francesca. I had photographed her in the past on a couple of occasions so I knew I was in for an easy and fun time. She is clearly at ease in front of the camera so it was a chance to have a little fun and do a little experimenting.

This of course meant I could play around with light so naturally I chose a more dramatic light, which is clearly becoming my favourite.

I also fancied the idea of trying out some shots with sunglasses. This has inspired me to build up a collection of props. Any excuse to go shopping.

Aiden with Attitude

2010-03-14T17:52:00.002Z

The other week I had the pleasure of photographing Aiden, one of my favourite students from one of the schools I photograph. I always find his smile so contagious and as such he is always a joy to photograph. So it was a great opportunity to get him into my studio. I knew he wouldn't let me down.

For such a shy and quiet young boy I was surprised at how receptive he was during the session. He really got into it all and started acting very much like a young model, seeming to know when to smile and when to give me attitude.

And what was so interesting about Aiden was how much he changed as his expression changed. At some points he was his 9 year old self while at others he could quite easily pass for a teenager.

The Spice of Life

2010-03-10T11:05:00.006Z

They say that variety is the spice of life, and I couldn't agree more. I thrive on variety. The truth is, I get bored without it. Doing the same thing day in and day out is what drove me away from the nine to five office job I once had and steered me torward what I do today. What I do today, thankfully, is different virtually every day. And what I did last weekend was so completely different to what I normally do that it alone added enough spice to last me a month.

My latest project is something that has inspired me to explore this subject further. Some may say 'well of course, we're talking about a nude man'. But it is so much more than that. What I love about this subject is all about the light. What most non-photographers don't realise is that the best photographs don't come from the best equipment (although good equipment does help). Its an understanding of lighting patterns. What makes a photographer a good photographer is their ability to see light and to understand where it needs to be and possibly more importantly where it shouldn't be, in order to make an attractive image.

Now I am not saying I have mastered this art because that is far from the truth. This is the sort of thing that will take years to master. But the variety in my subjects is helping me to get there. This project involving the male form has got me doing more with light than I have done since I began using studio lights. I now feel hugely inspired and ready for more. This project is far from finished. In fact, this is hopefully just the beginning.

We're Proud to Announce the Launch of Our New Website!!

2010-03-03T16:13:00.001Z

I have spent the past several months being disappointed with our existing site. It did the job for a while and at the time was certainly the only site I could fathom owning. But things have moved on, as they always do and I was in need of something new. What that was, I wasn't too sure. I knew it was out there though so I went searching.

This January, at the SWPP convention I found exactly what I wanted. So I spent the past several weeks building up the trial version, making it just right. I went through old portraits choosing only my favourites and then spent time preparing favourites from many of my recent sittings. This is something I am really proud of and today it went live. http://www.christinalauderportraits.com/

We will be updating this site on a regularl basis, along with my blog which was a new years resolution which so far I have kept. So please keep checking back with us to see whats new. In fact you may want to sign up as a follower of this blog.
Now with our new website and new studio it is only appropriate that we include a promotion. So for all sessions booked before the end of the month (March 31st, 2010) we will be offering a 25% discount on all our products and including the sitting for free.

So, what is there to lose? Give us a call or contact us via the form on our website and we can discuss your what it is you are interested in.

How fast they grow...

2010-02-28T18:02:00.001Z

For the past several months I've been having one of my clients come in with her recent addition to the family. We started at 4 weeks. We continued at 4 months and then again at 9 months. And we have another planned for 12 months this April.

Its been an interesting project, being able to see the changes that occur in a baby's first year. Thats been useful as well in developing various sets for the various stages that a baby goes through, useful poses for the wobbly head stage, the lying on their belly stage, sitting up and eventually standing/walking. Although that last one is clearly going to be the most difficult. We'll have to see how that goes in April.

This all started when Dawn made the request nearly a year ago as this was something she did with Olan Mills with her first child. Now although I have no desire to be another Olan Mills this project has got me thinking about what I could provide my clients along these lines. So we now have a baby plan in the works.

If you're expecting and are interested in documenting your baby's life in a similar way please get in touch so we can work on this plan together. We'd really like to start with the bump photos and progress right through to 12 months. So it is never too early to get in touch to discuss your requirements.

A big thank you for the two families who helped make our new studio possible...

2010-02-23T17:03:00.008Z

My new studio is changing my life and really been a dream come true. Its not the large, high street studio that many photographers dream about, but it is all that I've ever wanted and certainly all that I need. But I wouldn't have it without the help of two families in particular, the Lewis's and the Hall-McNair's.

Both Rob and Adrian (of Quest Design & Build) have spent many hours helping build our studio, providing labour and skill on a number of occasions and not expecting or accepting payment for it either. Its at times like these that you realise you really do have friends you can count on. Without them the studio wouldn't have been complete by our deadline. It would have cost us considerably more as well. And my husband and I would have gone through considerably more stress.

So to thank them I photographed their children in the new studio without telling them what we were up to. I had the girls choose the portrait they wanted for their parents and I choose on behalf of the boys. Boys are never as concerned or interested with photographs as girls are. I then had the portraits framed and invited each of them over for a drink, each having no idea why they were invited around, and both on the verge of rescheduling for another day. But the good friends that they are, didn't let us down when we said we really wanted them to come around.

We brought them into the studio and told them that we wanted to show them something. These slideshows are what we showed them. When they were done wiping their tears, we presented them with our gift. Which then brought more tears. Its one of those unusual moments in life when seeing someone cry is really rewarding. It meant a lot to me that my thank you meant a lot to them. It made it all worth while and I was so happy that I could do this for them after all they had done for us.

So thank you Rob and thank you Adrian for helping us out when we really needed it. It won't be forgotten.

Another Client Returns, This Time for the Third Time

2010-02-13T16:49:00.007Z

I always love having existing clients return. It feels a more like friends coming over for a visit and a lot less like work. Even though there is always work involved in photographing young children. But compared to the last time we photographed Lily this was easy. She is that much older and more comfortable that I was able to give her instructions and she was happy enough to oblige.

And thankfully Riley was young enough that he couldn't run away, as I am sure thats what he would have liked to have done he was that excited. Having found his feet recently he took great pleasure in raising them over his head on a number of occasions, often pulling the blanket over his head at the same time.

But he is a happy and easy going child so I was able to get some great photos that I am really quite proud of. The colours in these images are so vibrant and really bring out the blue in Riley's eyes. And I love the expressions we were able to get too. This is exactly the look I had envisioned when I purchased the new fabric for this set up. All I need now is a baby girl to try out the pink version of this.

Zoe returns, this time with baby!!!

2010-01-29T12:47:00.002Z

This was a great opportunity for me to experiment in my new studio. Zoe let me do this with her baby bump a couple of months ago with great success so we took the time again, this time with her new baby. Some experiments were successful and some where not. But that comes with the territory. You can't find new and exciting ways to shoot without finding a few bad ways too. I'm just greatful that the only mess we needed to clean up in the end was a little wee. It could have been a whole lot worse.

As usual, Zoe photographs so well and I am again so pleased with the results. She is going to have some great images to show her daughter when she grows up. Zoe looks absolutely fantastic, and without any signs of having been pregnant just a few short weeks ago. Of course, apart from her bump she hardly showed any signs of even being pregnant. If only all women could be this lucky.

I had forgotten how easy it is to photograph newborns. They can't run or crawl away. They can't even roll away. And we were lucky enough to have very little crying. It was a joy.

Because baby was doing so well we were able to try a few things, with a break for feeding of course. She was a dream to work with. In fact, its hardly fair to call it work as it was so simple. Although I can't imagine it being this simple the next time Zoe comes back. But I am looking forward anyway.

Our First Adult Clique Party

2010-01-23T23:57:00.004Z

Growing our ever popular Clique parties is something I've been wanting to do for some time. But like many things, never got around to it. And then came the request for a party for 22 year olds. And so it begins...

Instead of the bright, white background though, I thought it would make a nice change to try something a little different. So I went with black. This was while we were still working out of the house and our options were limited. Now that the new studio is ready there are plenty more options available to us.

Its always a nice change to photograph adults, people who won't cry, need nappy changes, need feeding or refuse to sit in front of the camera. Although we did decide to serve food and drink this time to give the girls more of an experience. And from this we've decided to incorporate this into all our future parties. We felt it made a good addition and this should give us enough time to prepare a quick slide show at the end of our parties too.

For this party what I think the girls preferred most was the groups, rather than the individuals so we took the time taking any combination the girls asked for.

This party turned out to be a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to doing more adult parties in future, perhaps with a few more twists as well. Watch this space.

Another Great Convention and this Time I was a Speaker

2010-01-18T11:06:00.007Z

Several months ago I got it into my head that being a speaker at the next SWPP Convention would be a good idea. Why I could possibly think that I don't know. The pressure, stress, worry and anxiety leading up to this event was immense. I spent many hours thinking what an idiot I was for agreeing to do such a thing. What good could possibly come of it? This is work I didn't need and stress I didn't want.

But still I did it. I made the commitment, I would follow through. Although the snow of the preceeding days did bring me to the occasional day dream of severe storms that stopped the convention from going ahead.

No such luck however. So as I sat in the room awaiting the attendees with my biggest fear being that I would be one of the unlucky ones who had no attendees. At 7:20 the first person arrived to put his bag down before getting a coffee. 'Damn', I thought. Now I am going to have to do my talk to one person and I won't get to go to breakfast after all. But at least I could say I had someone turn up. Then a few minutes later one more turned up. And then another. Before I knew it the room was nearly full and it was still only 7:45. Where were all these people coming from and why did they want to see me?

Now a whole new worry came over me. What if I had nothing new to tell these people? What if they thought 'I just wasted 2 hours of my life listening to what I already knew'?

As it turns out, five minutes into my talk and all my worries disappeared. Apparently I do have something worth saying. I'm no different to these people. I am just a few years ahead of the game. In fact, just 5 years ago I was them, attending the very same convention and looking for inspiration and confirmation that this was indeed a profession worth getting into. I've not regretted it for a minute. And I most certainly do not regret the decision to be a speaker at this event. In fact, I see this as being a moment that is going to change my life drastically.

The overwhelming feeling of pride and accomplishment when I received several compliments and much thanks was incredible and worth every minute of stress. I really appreciate all the comments and the friendliness from both the groups. They put me at ease straight away and contributed to the success by asking great questions and offering some of their experiences as well.

So thanks to all those who attended. This experience has meant so much to me. I see this as only the beginning of something new and wonderful. 2010 is going to be a good year. And I am going to be a speaker again next year so I can tell everyone all about it. Well so long as they'll have me anyway.

Happy New Year Everyone!

2010-01-10T22:28:00.002Z

Well again it has been a while since I last updated the blog. It was just crazy busy in the lead up to Christmas, with completing all outstanding orders and completing work on the studio. It is yet another New Year's resolution that I maintain this blog on a more regular basis. It is my goal that this year there will be no need for apologies for any lengthy absences.

Since the completion of the studio I can already feel my life turning around. I feel happier, less stressed and much more organised, both personally and professionally. Our home is becoming a home again, now that all the photography gear has been moved out. And now I am able to store all my photography gear in one place it is making my life much simpler. I now know exactly where everything is and it is at my finger tips. What a difference this is making to my life. As I read the Facebook statuses of friends moaning about Mondays and getting back to work I actually find myself looking forward to going to work.

Especially when I have a view like this. I am going to love looking out this window, in winter when the snow is falling, in spring when all the blosoms are popping up, in summer when everything is in full bloom, and in autumn when the leaves change colour. So much to see and now I will actually be able to see it.

Admittedly, we still have some work to do. The window isn't complete (but scheduled to be done on January 23rd, I can't wait. And the garden needs a little work too. But I think we'll wait until the snow thaws before we tackle that job.

And here is the view of our shooting space. Its not the largest studio in the world but it suits me just fine. Having done a few sessions in here already I am more than happy with what I've got to work with. Of course it could always be bigger, but I know that no matter how big it was, I'd always wish is was just a little bit bigger.

Well I already have plenty more to blog in the coming weeks so hopefully this will prove to be a year worth blogging about. I hope you'll come back again to see what we're up to.

The Latest on the Studio

2009-11-30T10:00:00.002Z

Well we made it into the studio this week. It was wonderful. Well not all the work leading up to it was though. Several weeks ago I had gone ahead and made several bookings for this week believing that I had plenty of time to get the studio finished in time. I very naively neglected to incorporate the things I couldn't control into the project plan. But even with a delay to our plasterer, parts for our electrics not arriving, a problem with the glass for our large window and varnish for the floor taking 2 days to dry instead of the stated 8-10 hours, we managed to make just it in time.

At this point I was getting really excited. Each time I walked into the room I could see the finished product getting closer and closer. Of course that's when the worry of staining the floor kicked in. After spending all this money on a great floor I didn't want to ruin it by making a mess of the stain.

And what a mess it started out as too. As I spread the first stroke of stain on the floor I could have cried. It looked like tar sitting on top of my beautiful floor. This couldn't be right. So we read the instructions again. They suggested as an alternate solution that we rub away the excess stain. Thankfully that produced the look I was after. Unfortunately it ended up taking me 5 hours to complete and left me in a whole lot of back pain.

But it was worth it. I love my new floor and it is exactly the look I had in my head right from the start (several years ago when I first began fantasising about my own studio).
This week the long awaited glass arrived as well. This completely changed the look of the studio. If only the view at present was a little nicer. I think I am going to have to be a little more patient there though.
Here is the nearly finished product. We still need to complete the electrics and install the wall booms so we can get the lights off the floor. And then there is a multitude of finishing touchs which will gradually take place over the next couple of months. This will of course require many shopping trips. But this is the fun part.

This week we tackle the outside. The cladding is being delivered today and started tomorrow. Another major transformation I am very much looking forward to. Hopefully next week I will have a new set of photos to post on my blog. Until then...

My First Baby Bump Portraits

2009-11-28T19:36:00.001Z

I've always known that I've wanted to do baby bump portraits but without having done one comes the fear that I may not be able to do them justice. Well I no longer have that fear.

Last week I had a fantastic photo shoot with my good friend Zoe. I'm sure it helped to do this first with a friend as it did involve a little experimenting and a little nudity which for me anyway needed a little getting used to. Zoe on the other hand didn't seem to have a problem at all. Why is it always the clothed person who is more uncomfortable than the unclothed.

In order to ease our way into the shoot I opted for the fully clothed poses to start with. And we gradually worked our way down to the bare essentials. This is a technique I will employ for all future shoots as well seeing as it seemed to ease us in quite nicely. By the time we made it to totally nude I hardly even noticed. Not that all baby bump photos need to go this far though.

We actually ended up finishing off with clothed poses. For the final set I switched to the white background. In this case I played around with the lighting again. Rather than create very bright (high key) images I decided not to light the background so as to get something somewhere in between. As it turns out I quite like the look of these images too and plan on using this technique a lot more in future. Particularly in the new studio.

This turned out to be an experience I am so glad to have had. I started out being very nervous, wondering if I would be able to produce something artistic and appealing. And as with most women, the shoot started off with the words 'I hate pictures of myself' which of course put even more pressure on me. But with each pose I was able to produce something both myself and Zoe were proud of. The experimenting really paid off.

Now I can't wait to have another opportunity to do the same. And to have another opportunity to do more experimenting because I can now see that being the key to continual and long term success as a skilled photographer.

Our Exciting News!!!

2009-11-21T17:08:00.015Z

For the past several months we've been working on a project that is going to completely transform Christina Lauder Portraits. Previously we've been working from our home. We have a dining room which is big enough to convert to decent studio space whenever we have sessions booked in. But it has always meant moving furniture and making sure the entire house was clean every time we had a client come around. And it makes it very difficult to do laundry when I can't hang it out to dry by the dining room radiator.

Well these are problems of the past for us now. In less than a week we should have our new studio up and running (I hope I've not just jinxed it by putting this revelation in print). This has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. This was our backgarden at the start of the build. It seems like such a long time ago. At that point it felt like we would never finish. This photo was taken on September 11th. But it wasn't until October 8th that the first wall panel was erected.

This was a very exciting day for me as it was the day it all started to take shape. And amazingly all wall panels were erected on the same day. In fact this stage only took 5 hours which was a shock to us all.

Unfortunately it wasn't the walls that were the difficult part though. It was the roof, with panels that were twice as thick (therefore twice as heavy) which needed to be lifted over ten feet high and not at all in a standard roof like formation.

Unlike the walls, which went up relatively easily, the roof took much longer than 5 hours. Although still not bad at about 12 hours.

And yes, that is our kids playing on the roof. It took Kieran several trips part way up the ladder before finally mustering up the courage to get on the roof. I suspect that was only because his little sister managed to make it up.

This is a photo of the inside a couple of weeks ago. Andy, my husband, wanted photographic evidence of his handy work. He did the battening before the more trained came in to fix the plasterboards. Amazingly he got most of it right. Only a few battens needed moving.

And finally the plastering could be done. This was the part I was looking forward to most because it meant just a matter of days before we could paint. And yesterday we began the painting. Well actually I should be more specific as Andy began the painting. I just helped him in the evening and all day today. The painting of the white walls is now complete and tomorrow we start on the charcoal wall. I'll take photographs of that tomorrow though.
So its really not long now. In fact, it can't be as we have our first session booked in for Thursday afternoon. Which only leaves us 4 and a half days to get it all done. Well to get the inside done anyway. The outside still needs a lot of work and that isn't going to happen for Thursday. But I'll keep you posted of the progress.
Finally my dream is about to come true. I can't wait.

My Work Experience Week by Ellie Davies

2009-10-16T14:05:00.010+01:00

My name is Eleanor Davies and I am a student at William Bradford Community College. I am considering persuing a career in the media, which is why I was interested in spending a week with a photographer such as Christina.

Throughout the week I have experienced numerous aspects of photograhpy. From visiting and shooting a local playgroup to editing photos, I have discovered that it takes a lot more effort and time than you would think! The first few days of the week were spent editing proofs for a primary school, which - although time consuming - gave me a chance to familiarise myself with photoshop.

Most of Wednesday was spent at a playgroup in Burbage. I learnt how to set up equipment (and how much equipment you actually need!) and how each piece plays an important part in producing a high quality picture. Photographing the children proved to be challenging yet entertaining - they were very reluctant to sit still and smile! Wednesday evening we visited the Oak FM studios in Coalville to learn about different business opportunites the station offered. Although only loosely related to photography, the visit was extremely interesting, especially as I enjoy learning about the media and it's different formats.

On Thursday I got to invite some of my friends over and do a photoshoot with them. Although initially awkward (none of us really knew what we were doing!), the shoot proved to be lots of fun and gave me a chance to experience photography first hand. I think that it produced some good pictures and provided an exciting new experience for all of us.

Friday was spent editing the pictures took the previous night, which taught me lots of different techniques on photoshop and showed me how to get the best possible results.

Overall the week has been lots of fun and shown me that photography takes alot more time and effort than I had previously anticipated. I have enjoyed working varied hours and doing lots of different things; it has made me more eager to persue my career in the media and I admire Christina for running a business such as her own.

I would reccomend this to anyone who is enthusiastic about photography as it is a great opportunity to improve and learn. Finally, I would like to thank Christina and her family for being so welcoming and giving me such an enjoyable and interesting week!

Bethany's Year 9 Prom

2009-08-24T21:00:00.005+01:00

Last month I had the pleasure of photographing my step daughter and her friends before their prom. Bethany invited 7 of her friends around for photos at our place before the event. Its not often that she's glad I'm a photographer but I think on this occasion she was. Not that she'd ever tell me that though.

The girls each arrived one by one and as can be expected they arrived to much screaming, hugs and giggles, all pretty much in awe at how beautiful and different they each looked from their day to day appearance. And they did look beautiful. Oh to be young again. It took me back to my prom a number of years ago (the exact number of years is not important). It was a great time for me, one that took weeks of preparation, so I can imagine how excited these lot were on this occasion. It was great fun photographing each of these girls. With flawless skin I have only a vague recollection of ever having and perfect hair and makeup they were dream subjects, each with their own style and special something.
Unlike most prom goers though, our lot never got around to sorting their limo. So my husband had the brilliant and strange idea of using his transit van. And for some reason the girls seemed to love it. I can't help but think though, that had they managed to arrange their limo they would have thought it to be a ridiculous idea.

The mode of tranportation I thought was most unique and impressive was the double decker bus. What a fab idea and perfect for a load of lads. I only wish I'd thought of it myself. I must keep it in mind for Kieran's prom in 3 years.

Another Chance to do Something New - Gem in Fancy Dress

2009-07-31T21:50:00.003+01:00

Last week my favorite client was of the four legged variety. Gem, the new puppy belonging to one of our Burbage Carnival princesses, arrived with costume changes. And although not quite with a smile she was still ready to perform. That may or may not have had something to do with the pot of treats ready and waiting. Either way, I think we got what we needed.

I didn't really know what to expect when the request to photograph a puppy was first made. I've only done this once before and that was a few years ago. It wasn't easy that time. But I thought positively and hoped for the best and I couldn't have been happier in the end. Even though she didn't always look where I wanted her to she did sit where I wanted her to which is more than I can say for some of the children I photograph.

After 3 costume changes and a few nudes the shoot was complete. They say you should never work with children or animals (which is nearly impossible in this line of work) but I could definitely work with this animal again. Gem was a gem during this session. What a treat it was to have such a fun, interesting and unique client. I look forward to more of the same.

Through the Eyes of the Students of Hastings High School

2009-07-29T18:55:00.006+01:00

(Photo by Jess Whelan)

Well I have finally received all the model release forms I needed to post these images to my blog. I have been looking forward to posting this for weeks.

The work you see in this post has NOT been shot by me. Every image here was taken by students of Hastings High School during their activities week, in which I was privelledged enough to be apart of. It was an inspiring week that made me feel so happy to see so many young students so enthusiastic for the craft. Its hard to remember a time when I felt as in awe of photography as some of the students clearly did here. This gave me a new enthusiasm for the craft myself.

(Photo by Tia Downs)

I had four main objectives when I agreed to help out on this week of activities. The first was to show the students how to take better pictures using their own cameras. All too often we stick to the auto settings provided on all new cameras as it is the easier way of doing things and in most cases it does produce reasonable results. But auto won't always produce an acceptable image and in many cases learning how to use the various options available will mean a superior result. So we discussed things like exposure compensation, white balance and setting shutter speeds and F-stops either manually or by using the various program modes available on most compact cameras. (Photo on right by Taylor Darker-Batt)

(Photos by Tia Downs)

The second objective was to give the students an opportunity to use a professional camera in a studio environment. For this I brought my studio lights and white background into the school so that they could have some fun using the equipment themselves. The idea was to give them an insight into how a professional works. Together we set up the studio and they each took turns with the camera. (Photo on left by Amy Finley)

The third was to teach them a little bit about seeing the light. Sometimes all it takes is moving about a bit, to face a different direction or to step into some shade to improve the lighting conditions and take a great portrait. And sometimes you can find great light and great backgrounds in the unlikeliest of places. For this the students used my Canon 5D and one of my fast lenses. I provided some suggestions for where they could find good light and interesting backgrounds and then sent them on their way to see what they could come up with. The results were excellent and they even managed to help me see more out of a seemingly ordinary environment. Most of the photos shown here were using natural light. Only the photos with the pure white background were using studio lights. The rest were taken in and around the school. (Photo on right by Sam Ross)

(Photo by Jack Edge)

(Photo by Sam Ross)

And the fourth objective was to show the students what sort of improvements they can make to their images using image manipulation software. In this case we used GIMP, software which can be downloaded for free. I must say though that it wasn't the easiest software in the world but it can do much of what Photoshop does. I think it just takes some getting used to. Still, we're hoping to have access to Photoshop Elements for next year.

(Photos by Alice Lewis)

Overall I thought the students did a great job. They really seemed eager to learn, something I imagine isn't always apparent during their day to day coursework. And for this I felt I had to showcase their images. I am really proud of what they came up with and at times I look at these images and forget that they aren't my own. I hope that this experience will stay with them forever, making them think twice before setting their cameras to Auto and making them see more than just their subject when they look through the lens.

(Photo by Francessca Bednarova-Harrison)

Burbage Carnival 2009

2009-06-30T10:00:00.005+01:00

For the past few years my husband and I have been attending the Burbage Carnival and remarking to ourselves at how much better it could be. The carnival seemed to be declining in recent years. Earlier this year I met someone (Harvey) who mentioned that he joined the committe. When I asked him why he said he had been remarking that the carnival could do with some improvements. The response he received was rather than complain why don't you join the committee and do something about it. Its hard to argue with that. The following week I found myself, along with my husband, at the Burbage Carnival meeting. And we've been attending (most meetings) ever since.

With this being our first year we didn't want to dive in head first. We contributed where we felt we could but it was great to see that what little we were able to offer still made a difference on the day. We're now very much looking forward to seeing just how much of a difference we can make next year. I just hope it doesn't rain. Its been a while since the carnival has seen rain and it has to come sooner or later.

This year though weather couldn't have been better (for me as a photographer as well - I love fluffy white clouds and blue sky). Everything ran smoothly, aside from the carnival schedule which fell behind a little when the parade took a little longer than anticipated. But overall I am so pleased with the result. With 10 or so floats and a packed field I think it really shows that the Burbage Carnival is moving up.

As a photographer I just couldn't leave my camera behind, as much as I try on occasion to just enjoy the day. For me though I can't enjoy myself if I think I am missing potentially great images. I am so pleased I didn't leave the camera behind. I had so much fun taking these photos and I couldn't be happier with the results. In all honesty it was a learning experience for me yet again. Bright sunlight isn't the easiest of lighting conditions to deal with and the back of the camera is useless for checking out whether or not the settings were correct in such conditions. So it was a test to myself as to whether or not I could do it without that cushion of being able to preview the image. It turns out I really do know something about photography as nearly every image was exposed correctly.

If you would like to see all of my images please visit my website. You can find the images at http://www.christinalauderportraits.com/ProofGallery/Proof%20Gallery.htm.

I would also like to take this opportunity to say thanks to the Sycamore's (particularly Emma) who allowed me to set up a display in the garden to show off my work. We wanted the chance to show people the type of work we create and give them a chance to see the level of quality in person. Sometimes you just can't tell what you are getting from online images. We thought the Sycamore's would be ideal since it always proves to be a very busy but relaxed place. And my husband thought it was great that he had to spent the entire day in the pub. It wasn't easy but he made it through.

Now I'm already looking forward to next year and the ideas are flowing steady. Feedback was positive and I've met other people interested in getting involved. If you're interested in getting involved please contact myself or visit http://www.burbagecarnival.moonfruit.com/ for more details. Things can only get better from here.

Little Baby Marcus

2009-06-09T21:49:00.009+01:00

A little while a go I had the pleasure of photographing 4 week old Marcus. He was the perfect subject, being only 4 weeks old and unable to walk away. And his little pj's were simply gorgeous. I even had the pleasure of a cuddle at the end while his mother and I had a chat.

I'm looking forward to seeing him again at our next visit. We're in the process of developing a new product range which will include a series of portrait sessions to take place within the first year of a baby's life. So we will be seeing plenty more of Marcus in the coming months.

Photographing Charlotte. Another one with Star Potential

2009-05-21T14:38:00.017+01:00

This week I had a great time photographing Charlotte. I choose to make it a relaxing session taking very much a consultative approach. Together we worked through the session as a team and not just a photographer and subject. And the results, I feel, are spectacular. For me it is my best work to date and I can't wait to see how some of these images fair in the SWPP's monthly competition.

The image above is by far my favorite. And I can't wait to get the sample for the studio. I am pleased with all aspects from composition to lighting and expression. In fact I absolutely love most of the images with the hoody. I must remember to try this again.

Our aim was to create a portfolio for Charlotte as she is coming to the end of her 3 year course with the Phil Winston Theatreworks College in Blackpool. She required head shots as well as commercial shots so we spent the morning playing around with various outfits, backgrounds and lighting set ups. It was a great chance for me to experiment in a way that I normally wouldn't with a typical family portrait session. This image below was one of the experiments where I took the opportunity to play around with some two toned organza I bought a little while ago.

I finished with finally having a go with a fan. I've had on my wish list a wind machine for some time but thought I at least ought to try using a regular fan before shelling out for a wind machine which believe it or not is ridiculously expensive.

Working with the fan was great fun though and definitely added something to these images. For now I will keep on using just the fan but look forward to when the wind machine creeps further up the wish list.
I will leave you now with another one of my favourite images. I hope you like them too.

I Can't Believe How Long its Been

2009-05-11T10:32:00.004+01:00

Well I had intended on keeping up with my blog a little better than I have been lately but time has just moved too quickly this spring. There just isn't enough hours in the day to keep up with everything.

So what have I been up to? Well, we've done more Clique parties, baby shoots (which I will have photos to add soon), a ruby anniversary portrait, and much more. We've been to the Mayor's ball, been helping out with the Burbage Carnival and working on a number of events for the near future.

We have a couple of things we are working on that I can't wait to reveal but until I am a little further along in the process I don't want to spill the beans. But I am really excited about the possibilities for the future and will share it here as soon as possible.

I should have a number of things to post in the next few weeks. So please keep coming back. This is a very exciting time for us.

Vicky-Anne Academy of Dance & Drama

2009-03-30T14:10:00.000+01:00

This week I had the pleasure of photographing the staff at the Vicky-Anne Academy of Dance and Drama. The Vicky-Anne Academy is based in Burbage (above the co-op) and runs classes for children aged two and a half right up to adulthood. In fact, I too attend a class there and have done for the past 3 years. If you wish to contact the Academy here is a link to their website http://www.vickyanneacademy.co.uk/ where you can read about all the classes, times, events and contact details.

This is a group I work with quite regularly, doing such things as class photos, show photos and costume photos. I love taking the show photos as it gives me a chance to do something completely different to my usual. There is no posing of any kind and no setting up of lights and as such no need to worry about whether or not I have the light spot on. I just get to float around shooting what I can, trying to capture a special moment.

These photos were taken for Vicky-Anne's website. She'd asked for a staff photo for the top of their web page and it was my step daughter who suggested having a photo of all their feet for the bottom. It was a great idea and I love the resulting image. Sometimes 13 year old girls can surprise us with useful suggestions. Not often, but sometimes.

We also have a special project we are working on with the Academy that I hope to reveal in the next couple of weeks. But until I have samples I plan to keep it under wraps. But I look forward to sharing it with you soon.

The Beast

2009-03-08T11:46:00.014Z

'The Beast', a brand new, very out of the ordinary cross country race which should be here for years to come. Now although it is the last thing I would ever sign up to take part in myself, having been up close and personal taking the photos I can see why so many would find this a great race. If getting dirty and wet while having a real work out is your thing then you would love the Beast. For more details on this race and to keep posted of future similar events check out http://www.purepersonaltraining.co.uk/index.php?page=pure_corporate. The Beast is just the first of many to come.

When I was asked to photograph this race jumped at the chance to photograph something different from the usual and to get out of the studio for change. This opportunity presented me with the challenge of capturing a great moment while making the most of the backdrop available to me, which at this location was beautiful.

I woke up that morning at first thinking, great its not sunny so we will have good, even light and I'll be able to get some good people shots. I'll just miss out on the brilliant blue sky that can make the surrounding landscape really stand out. Then when we arrived it started to rain and the sky seemed quite dark, so I started to worry about slow shutter speeds and rain spots on my lense. But by the time the race began, the rain stopped, the clouds cleared and the sun came out, unfortunately just in time for the first water obstacle, placing the sun at precisely the wrong position, completely throwing off the camera's light meter and forcing me to act very fast to make the necessary adjustments in order to still be able to capture my images accurately. Luckily the race includes several obstacles, many of which in very different positions to the sun allowing me to capture a variety of artistic shots worthy of publication and this blog.

When I agreed to photograph this event it never occured to me that I might actually need to be nearly as fit as the runners. I was told that I could position myself some where in the middle as there are several obstacles all quite close to each other. And to a runner, which the organiser of this event was, I'm sure they were all quite close. To me though, they were miles apart, and one of them up a steep hill. On more than one occasion I felt out of breath and wishing I had done some training myself.
Still, I found myself unable to resist the temptation of seeing what was at the far corner of the course. I didn't want to miss a potential photo opportinuty. So off I trekked. And to my delight the sky was full of definition and the light was perfect. I just sat back and waited for the runners. I am so glad I did as I captured several images I am very proud of, particularly this next image which is my favorite of the lot. It just goes to show you that when at times you feel like you can't be bothered who knows what you could be missing. I toyed with the idea of missing this out but I'm ever so pleased I didn't.

Well I'm off now to get in some training. With less than a year left until next years race I must get started as soon as possible.

Rosemarie & Tony ~ We Meet Again

2009-02-23T23:18:00.004Z

Last year I had the honour of photographing Rosemarie and Tony's wedding. This year I had the honour of photographing them yet again for their website.

We spent a morning taking various images, bouncing ideas off each other to arrive at something we were all happy with. As is the case with most adults we had a barrier to break through in order to get shots that worked. I think most people come to a shoot with the belief that they don't photograph well or they don't know how to smile. Being in front of a camera is difficult. I don't pretend that it is anything less than that. I myself do not like to be photographed which is why I am quite happy being the one who is almost always behind the camera. But in time, if we take our time, we can get even the most camera shy person to relax. And I believe that it is relaxing that will eventually get the images that look natural and flattering.

Rosemarie and Tony are the owners of Heterarchy, an interior architecture and design firm based in Leicester. Heterarchy, as a group of designers have a wealth of experience across all areas of their industry. We believe in them so much that we have enlisted their services for a new project of our own. You can find Heterarchy at http://www.heterarchy.co.uk/.

And I will keep you posted on our project, although won't be mentioning it again until we get planning permission. I'm too superstitious to talk about it before we have the go ahead to go ahead. I really hope I haven't said too much already.

Wellies, Wellies and More Wellies

2009-02-17T11:45:00.011Z

Over the past couple of years I've been photographing Jileon Ltd's wellies for their website. And over the last couple of months I have had quite a bit to do for them.

Jileon is a great client of ours, giving us regular work that I can undertake in my own time and in my own way. It makes for such a relaxing change from having to make small children smile in a short span of time. Particularly since they can't get up and walk away just at the moment when all elements of the perfect image come together.

The only real challenge in photographing wellies for me seems to be the dreaded reflection that is unavoidable when photographing shiny objects using flash. But without this challenge where would be the fun?

Jileon Ltd is a Hinckley based distributor of mainly wellington boots. They do also distribute other things but typically it is just their wellies that I photograph. If you wish to order a pair please visit http://www.jileon.co.uk/. They have a great variety to choose from. I have a pair myself (the pink ones with the fur lining and I love them - I wore them loads the past couple of weeks with all that snow and my feet didn't feel cold and they most certainly kept dry).

Its a Snow Day!!! Well almost a snow week really.

2009-02-08T11:44:00.005Z

I began writing this blog entry at the start of the week when the first snow day was announced. I knew I wasn't going to get much work done with the kids hovering around the place so I decided to have some fun with my blog, particularly as it is something that tends to get neglected in favour of tasks with specific deadlines.

Of course the photographer in me couldn't let this opportunity slip by without capturing the days events in pictures. And this time I decided I was going to take photos with a difference. My usual rushed snaps with a 'can't really be bothered attitude due to the cold weather' just wasn't going to do this time around. Instead this time I was going to master the art of the perfect exposure in an almost pure white scene. This is nothing that the automatic setting on the camera can handle and another aspect that sets casual snappers apart from skilled photographers.

I must say that I am ever so pleased with the results from our snow day photos. Having switched from aperture priority to full manual I managed to get correct exposures about 95% of the time with some stunning results that I will truly cherish for years to come, particularly if this weather really is a freak occurance and doesn't return for another 18 years. Although it would really be great if we could see the snow return just once each year. Nothing like the Canadian winters I grew up with. Just a taste of it for a little change of atmosphere.

Well I think it is time to get back to real work now. I've had enough of a break this week with two of our kids off 3 days this week and one off for just 2. It was worth it though and I wouldn't have missed it for the world.

SWPP Convention

2009-01-24T16:04:00.004Z

This is always an exciting time of year for me. It is the time that myself and my husband make our way down to London for the SWPP's annual convention. The SWPP is the Society of Portrait and Wedding Photographers, a group I joined when I first started out as a professional photographer. I always knew that this society would provide me with great benefit professionally but I never realised how much I could benefit personally. We had, yet again, a fantastic weekend.

It was our third year attending the convention in London and with each year we attend we meet more and more people. It is now no longer just a work function but becoming just as much a social function. As such it will be an event we look forward to every year.

Of course it wasn't all about socialising. We did manage to squeeze in a little learning. I attended some brilliant seminars from top photographers whom I've been admiring over the years. I have pages of notes to work through, loads of ideas and a great deal of inspiration to keep me going for months.

In addition to the seminars we also attended the annual Awards Night. All the monthly awards given throughout the year are put forward for the annual judging where one international and one UK image for each category wins the honour of photographer of the year. Over 16000 images made it to the annual judging. I didn't actually win an award however I was lucky enough to make the top three in the Pets Category with my horse picture. This is actually the second year in a row that I have had an image in the top three which has made me more determined than ever to win an award. So I have a lot of work to do throughout the year if I am to make that happen.

Well thanks everyone who helped make this weekend so enjoyable. I look forward to seeing you all again next year.

We Hope You Have a Great Christmas & New Year!

2008-12-22T22:47:00.006Z

Well the year is finally coming to a close. It has been a great year for the business and we are really looking forward to the new year and all that we have planned. I can't wait to reveal some of our plans but as I don't want to jinx anything I am going to wait until everything is well and truly on its way.

Not a lot has happened over the past month as I have spent most of it just filling orders in time for Christmas. Its a great worry of mind that I might miss something vital before Christmas. I would hate to disapppoint anyone. As far as I am aware at this moment in time I haven't let any one down.

Well here is our annual Christmas photo in front of the tree. Its a photo of my two step children and my daughter. As you can imagine, they are so fed up of having their photo taken. I try now to limit it to a couple of times a year but even then they need to be bribed.

Anyway, we hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and we very much look forward to seeing you in the new year. 2009 is going to be an even better year, I can feel it already.

And One More Gold for the Year!

2008-12-07T16:48:00.013Z

I've been given another gold in the SWPP Monthly competition. So that gives me a total of 4 images that will go forward into the annual competition in January at the SWPP Convention in London. The competition is fierce so I'm not holding my breath as typically it takes a truly spectacular image to win one of the annual categories.

But I am already getting geared up for new images I can create in hopes of winning an annual award next year. I can only imagine the feeling of winning one of these, which must be fantastic. Last year I saw one of my images appear in the shortlist for Traditional Portraiture and knowing that I was in the top 4 was enough to leave me elated for the remainder of the evening and probably most of the following week. The high I would be on after actually winning one of these awards would surely last well into spring if I ever do someday receive this honour.

I have great plans for next year so one can only hope.

Here are the other 3 gold winners for this year. I am already very hopeful that I will have even more next year. It is certainly one of my New Year's resolutions.

Our Long Awaited Portrait Albums

2008-11-24T15:42:00.015Z

I have been very excited about announcing this new product as portrait books and albums have always been something of great interest to myself. Ever since I can remember I have been creating personal albums and scrapbooks from my family snaps and now a whole new world of magazine style photo books has opened up, giving me endless possibilities both personally and professionally.

It has taken many months of sourcing an appropriate supplier of these books but we have finally decided on the one we feel provides the best quality with the most impressive results. So it is with great pleasure that I display these photos of my most recent creation.

Our books are more like coffee table books than portrait albums, making it even more impressive. They look equally as professional as any book purchased from a bookstore only they are comprised of very personal portraits.

Not only can our books include images but you are also welcome to submit to us any text that you would like included. This could be a letter to a parent or grandparent for a very personal gift. It could be a letter to your child, of whom the book is about, so that they can be given an invaluable keepsake later in life. You might want a favorite poem. However you would like to personalise your book, we can work with you.

This book was created using images taken on a location shoot. Rather than using the studio style images the decision was made to use the clients home for the backdrop to these portraits. We wanted something that showed Jack's personality along with some of his day to day activities. In years to come Jack and his family will be able to look back on this book and see so much more than just faces and expressions. Studio portraits can work equally as well but I must admit that I really like adding this extra personal touch to our albums.

This is also a great way to get a copy of all your images from your session. Often it can be hard to narrow down your choices to just the few you actually need, and in most cases budget and available wall space doesn't allow for the number of images our clients actually want to keep. By purchasing an album we can often include them all.

These books can be created from a single portrait session or if you wish we can save your images from multiple sessions and create a book that spans several months or even years. What a great way to see the growth and development of your child with professional portraits in a variety of styles all in one book. Come in for a studio portrait to capture the newborn stage using our classic black background. Then perhaps change the background to white when your child is able to situp or maybe even walk. For the final stage we can go outdoors and create some lovely environmental portraits using your garden, local park or your child's bedroom. We could create an absolutely stunning album with a collection such as this giving the most fantastic keepsake that will increase so much in sentimental value as the years go on.

We hope you find this product as exciting as we do. I am really looking forward to creating loads of portrait albums. I am going to struggle with not ordering a second one to keep for myself with each and every one I create.

My First Clique Party with Boys and it was Great!

2008-10-27T21:35:00.001Z

I was surprised when asked if it was okay to bring a few boys to one of our Clique sessions. I thought it was great but based on the experiences with my step daughter who seems to want nothing to do with boys I was not expecting to have this opportunity. But I am glad I did. It made it a totally different experience and the photos turned out great. In fact it has made me think that it may even be possible to have a party entirely for boys. Although I won't be suggesting this to my step son. I can just imagine the look on his face if I did. He prefers something a bit more on the adventurous side like rock climbing. But then again, he is rather sick of being stuck in front of the camera as he gets it a lot from me.

In this case though, these boys truly seemed to enjoy being in front of the camera. That made it so much more fun for me and so much easier. I think a couple of them have been practicing in front of the mirror before coming out. They seemed to know exactly how to smile (or not) for the camera. They each gave a little attitude with a little smile, a combination that worked perfectly.

And thanks to I believe it was Harry for suggesting that I photograph Bethan's feet as her shoes and tights were very interesting. So I ended up photographing both her feet and Harry's and I think I might make a point of doing that more often. I really like colours and images like these would make excellent components in one of my composite collections.

The group photo I am particularly pleased with. It was the first I have done of this nature and so much fun. And believe it or not actually easier than if I had squashed all 8 together in a single image. Getting 8 people to look in the right direction, with the perfect expression all at exactly the same time is nearly impossible. Creating a group shot with 8 individual photos is considerably easier in some ways. By creating a group from individuals photos I was able to choose the best photo of each person and piece them together a bit like a jigsaw. Time consuming yes, but satisfying and rewarding too, particularly when the end result works as well as this one does.

If this sort of photo shoot party appeals to you give us a call or drop us an email and we can discuss the possibilities.

My Work Experience by Zak Millard

2008-10-17T12:03:00.032+01:00

My name is Zak Millard and I am 15 years old. For my two weeks work experience I chose to incorporate a passion of mine, photography.

Christina is a very competent photographer and a easy person to get on with, she is also patient which was good for me because I often forgot something or had to ask twice about an instruction.

My two weeks with Christina have been very helpful. Though I am a aspiring photographer there is much I have learnt, including:

Different lights and there uses.
Different light set ups.
Key photoshop skills.
Exposure compensation.
AV/TV settings.
Composition.
How to keep children's interest!

One of the most useful things Christina has taught me is that of photo editing. Photography isn't all about taking the pictures though obviously this is important. The little tweaks made here and there make a lot of difference and in all honesty before Christina showed me these tweaks I would never have made them myself, so thank you Christina for opening up to me the massive world of Photoshop, photo editing and organisation.

Another interesting experience for me was school photos. On the Tuesday and Wednesday of my first week, we went to Richmond Primary School to do their photos. What an experience it turned out to be. Being picked up at 7.15am to go and set up the background and lights with Andy was the easiest part. After the first few classes Andy left, leaving me in charge of organising the siblings and the classes. It was very daunting and confusing at first but surprisingly I enjoyed it. Working as a photographers assistant felt good and seeing the really nice photos after made all the loud noise and stress worth it!

I also was given the amazing opportunity of co-ordinating my own shoot using all the studio equipment and Christina's Canon EOS 5D, which i have fallen in love with. My family came in and I co-ordinated the shoot while Christina assisted me when I got stuck for ideas or needed light adjustments. Thank you again for the amazing opportunity and for trusting me with your awesome camera, lens and lights!
I have thoroughly enjoyed my two weeks and I hope Christina, although falling behind on work, has enjoyed having me.
These past two weeks have strengthened my resolve to be as good a photographer, hopefully as Christina and also like Christina, make it my occupation.
I will take all the things I have learnt at Christina's and work on them and work on the things Christina has pointed out I need to work on like my organisation!
So thank you again for 1. Having me 2.Teaching me so much and 3. The cheese toasties!
Zak Millard - William Bradford Community College 6th October - 17th October 2008

I Got Me a Gold

2008-10-01T20:53:00.009+01:00

Nearly every month I enter an online competition with the SWPP (Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers). Each month nearly 2000 images are entered in various categories from photographers all over the world. They are judged by a highly qualified professional and given a score of either Bronze, Silver or Gold. All Gold winners are put forward into the annual competition where they have the chance to win Photographer of the Year for its category.

Well this month I was awarded a Gold in the Pet Category with the image below.

This isn't the first gold I have been awarded, just the first since I started my blog. If you wish to see my other gold images please visit my website and check out our awards section.
Click here to see my awards page
Hopefully I will have many more of these to show you in the future.

I have finally photographed some of our products

2008-09-23T11:12:00.003+01:00

I have been meaning to do this for ages but as there was no pressing need for it I have been putting it off, saying 'I'll have to remember to do that next week'. Well with the kids back at school and a little more time on my hands I thought it was about time I finally did what I said I was going to. Although I still have more to do, at least now I have something to show you all so you can see a little of what you can get by coming to us for your portraits.

First we have our framed products. We have two ways of framing, one we call standard and the other premium. The difference between the two is in the size and finish of the moulding as well as in the way in which we mount the photos within the frame. The frame shown above is an example of our premium frames. Standard frame options, as seen here on the right, are generally used as gifts or as desktop prints rather than wall mounted prints.

I like to create collections that can be hung together to create more of a focal point in a room. This is also a good way of getting the best photo of each of child rather than trying to choose one group where they might not all be looking their best. This is particularly useful with very young children or even older children who can't all make it to a sitting at the same time.
Canvas wraps have become quite popular over the years. We believe that we've sourced ours from one of the best canvas printers on the market. The finish on our canvases is top quality in all ways. The wrap is very tight, the colours are vibrant, the image is sharp and the heat seal leaves it resistant to scratches and fading. Each canvas is wrapped around a 2" frame making it look so much more professional than some canvases on the market today.

Finally, here is my favorite of all our products on offer, our acrylics range. This is something I have wanted to be able to create since my darkroom days when I first learned of liquid emulsion that could be painted onto various services and exposed much like paper. Well now I don't have to. I have a supplier who will print directly onto acrylic for me. This is very different to most acylic suppliers who print onto paper and then adhere it to the acrylic or sandwich it between two pieces of acrylic. The technique I use is much more eye catching and unique and truly does become a work of art rather than just a photograph.
We offer two variations of our acrylic. The first is as you see it above. In this piece, I have used the acrylic print instead of glass in my frame. I choose a deep, very chunky frame so that the acrylic can sit about an inch above the mount board creating interesting shadows beneath. Everytime someone new sees this piece they have to walk up to it to see what it is because it is like nothing they have seen before.
The second option is a standalone acrlyic that is mounted directly to the wall using 4 fixings, one in each corner. The wall then becomes the frame. I like them both but haven't yet at the chance to create a sample of the this second option. I hope to do that soon though.
Portrait albums are something else we have started to offer. I don't yet have a photograph of one but will do soon as I have just taken another order for one and this time I will remember to photograph it before giving it to my client. I'm also working on a sample to show clients so hopefully will have that soon too.
I hope you like what we have to offer. We are always on the lookout for new products and plan to add a couple more products over the next couple of months. I've already spotted something new I quite like just recently and hope to find a good use for it soon. So watch this space.

I Photographed My First Horses

2008-09-15T23:39:00.005+01:00

It has been such a pleasure being able to add so many new ventures to my repertoire this year. I shot my first wedding, my first Mayor, first portfolio, and now my first horses. And what a joy that has been. Horses are such naturally beautiful and interesting creatures. It was difficult not to get good shots really. Although, as it turns out I did get a couple of bad ones. Apparently Harry looked fat as he ran towards the field in my direction and I didn't capture him in the best light at that time.

Sharon approached me to photograph her horses after receiving the magazine cover for her daughter, Jo, from one of my Clique parties. I was asked to photograph Jo along with their horses, of which they have 3. I was ever so keen to try this out as I had never done anything like it. Having done so now, I look forward to having the opportunity to do it again. I had so much fun both taking and enhancing the images.

Sharon attended the viewing recently and she loved the images. She said she was 'blown away'. We spent 2 hours deciding which images she wanted to buy. I knew it would be difficult given the subjects and the variety of images but this I can honestly say was one of the more difficult viewings. I think if her budget was endless and her home full of vast and empty walls she would have purchased them all (apart from the two where Harry looked fat). But eventually, after two hours we were able to figure out what worked best.

I would jump at the chance to photograph horses again. They have been such lovely subjects. And Jo was lovely too.

Wedding Workshop in Nottingham

2008-09-05T10:04:00.002+01:00

On Wednesday of this week I made the trek up to Nottingham (which wasn't actually much of a trek compared to most of the other delegates who travelled from as far as Glasgow, Portsmouth and South Wales) for a workshop held at Crash Taylor's home. Crash, a very talented photographer, specialising in weddings is someone I can highly recommend to anyone.

Apart from spending the morning getting to know the other photographers we then spent the afternoon photographing a hired model, in her own wedding dress, as we wandered through Nottingham Castle. It provided me a chance to see how other photographers handled their weddings as well as a chance to experiment with equipment I haven't had a chance to play around with. Like in this image to the right. Here I used my flash, mounted on a tripod off to the side. This allowed me to achieve studio quality lighting out of the studio, a technique I will be using in my environmental portraiture.

I can't seem to make up my mind on which of these two images I like best. The above shot has very little tilt, although the vertical lines show that there is a slight tilt which is annoying to me. Ideally I would actually wish I had zoomed out a little more on this shot and had the bride a little off centre. The shot below has a strong tilt that I am not sure works but I prefer the overall composition. This is one of those times where I would let the client decide and hope that they didn't ask me to choose.

The following image was also created using my off camera flash set up. Although I like this image the expanse of blank and lifeless sky lets it down and I probably should have shot this at a different angle so as to minimise the boring sky. The step ladders I usually take with me on a wedding or environmental shoot would have come in handy here.

The next image, I must admit, I had very little creative input into but I really like it. In this instance Crash set up the shot and directed the model while his assistant Emma held the video light. I simply pressed the shutter and then enhanced the image a little in Photoshop.

Overall this was a really fun and worth while experience. I got to meet some lovely people, with whom I had become familiar with on a great forum prior to this event. I had the chance to photograph a beautiful model which is always nice just for the simple fact that she is more comfortable being in front of the camera and she requires less direction. This opportunity has opened my mind to new portrait possibilities which will hopefully help me see Hinckley in a different light for future photo sessions for my own business.

Thanks Crash for a lovely day out. I hope we can do it again sometime.

Photographing Dee - She may be famous someday

2008-08-30T00:01:00.006+01:00

I have recently had the pleasure of photographing Dee Short, a recent graduate of Phil Winston's Theatreworks College in Blackpool. Dee had already had portfolio photographs from another photographer with whom she was unhappy with so I asked her to bring them along to see what it was she didn't like. Having seen them I saw straight away what was missing. Dee did not look comfortable or relaxed. They were lacking a sense of naturalness that I feel is essential for a performers portfolio collection.

So we set out to create a more natural selection of images. This will be done in 3 stages. For the first we decided to do a black background for a dramatic and classic look.

Admittedly, it isn't always easy getting a subject to relax and be themselves. You can look at someone and see that they are beautiful but that doesn't automatically mean it will be easy to get a good photograph. A good photographer though should be able to get their subject to relax and become comfortable so that you can get that good photograph. It is obvious that Dee is a beautiful girl and I knew that with time I would be able to get what I wanted but it didn't happen straight away. I am sure that this was down to both of us needing to relax and get into the situation and this always takes time. But as the shoot went on I could see the transformation.

This is where I believe I am different from other photographers. I don't have any restrictions on clothing changes. I don't have an alotted time that each session must fit into. I don't do back to back appointments so there is never a rush. I like to work with my clients and have them feel that this is a team effort. With Dee, between outfit changes we reviewed the images to see what it is we liked and disliked about them and we discussed what we wanted to do next. I did this to help us both become more comfortable and to ensure that I was producing for Dee the type of images she was after.

I am very pleased with the results I was able to achieve from this shoot. And I am very much looking forward to the next two stages. The second will be an environmental shoot which will take place as soon as we can co-ordinate our schedules. And the third is something I am still working on but not yet ready for at this time. I still have some props to source and this will take a little time. But as soon as I am ready I will be inviting Dee back and I will be very keen to add another blog to show everyone what I am up to.

Lands End to John O'Groats with our Friends, the Hall McNairs ~ Part III

2008-08-25T20:23:00.002+01:00

Now this is the final entry regarding this trip. I think I have taken up enough space on something that really isn't even that closely related to my photography business, even though it does contain a lot of photographs.

So, where were we? Oh yes, the good weather had ended. It was Saturday August 9th and the Highland Games in Mey were due to start that afternoon. We managed to get the tent and everything packed away in the dry but it didn't take long for the rain to start. By the time we arrived at the Highland Games it was typical, horrid, Scottish weather. And of course, I forgot to pack proper rain gear for us all. But we weren't going to let that stop us, particularly since this was the closest we were ever going to get to royalty.

I must admit that I knew very little about the Highland Games. I certainly didn't know that the public could enter on the day. Having seen that very few people were entered anyway my step son decided he'd like to enter. My husband and I are so glad he did. He can now say that he has competed in the Highland Games. And not just any Highland Games either. It is the one that Prince Charles attends each year for the judging of the tug of war.

As it turned out that he came in 3rd and won £3 in the boys 100m. Although, there were only 6 of them running so not necessarily the greatest accomplishment in his life but one he will be able to tell people about it for many years to come.

Only minutes after Kieran crossed the finish line Prince Charles and his entourage entered the field. None of us were expecting him to be in the first car and we certainly weren't expecting him to be driving. As such, I was unprepared, in part due to our good friend Niki suggesting that they would be coming in behind us rather than in front. Hence the reason I have a shot of the car driving away from us rather than towards us. I will be kicking myself for some years to come having missed the shot of Prince Charles waving at us as he drove past.

To give an idea of the size of the event, the Royal enclosure was directly across the field in the white marque here in the distance. Even with the limited numbers, the press quoting somewhere in the region of 300 in attendance, it still didn't stop the abundance of press from turning up with their huge and extremely expensive lenses. And I thought I had a big lense. Some of their lenses looked more like telescopes. And there I was with my 105mm lense. I contemplated pulling out the larger lense (a 200mm) but it was buried beneath a sea of camping gear and still would have pailed in comparison to their 800mm's. Had the weather been better I am sure I would have made more of an effort though.

So in the end all I could get of Prince Charles and Camilla was what you see above. But it will have to do.

Following the Highland games we headed towards home, with the intention of staying a night near Perth to break up the journey. Getting a campsite without pre-booking was harder than we anticipated. In the end we found a place that could squeeze us in. But the trouble wasn't over there. It wasn't until after our night out at an Indian that we realised just what we had gotten ourself into. We left the restaurant in the pouring rain and total darkness, with airbeds still to blow up and sleeping bags to take out. That wasn't the problem though. It wasn't until I got into bed that we discovered our tent was flooded. My daughter pointed this out to everyone as she splashed in a puddle inside the tent. Morning couldn't come soon enough. And it wasn't until the then when we took down the tent that we realised just how our tent became flooded. We were sleeping on a small lake.

To finish our trip off we decided to head to Blackpool. No one, apart from Andy, had ever been there so I thought it would be something worth seeing. Having now been there, I am so glad we made the stop so that I don't have to make a special trip in future to see this place I had always been curious about. I had heard many things about Blackpool and unfortunately it was all true.

What was most amazing of all though was the blue skies we had from about 10 miles away until we left the place. Prior to that we had nothing but terrible rain. We almost drove straight home thinking we would just be wasting our time anyway.

In all it was a fantastic trip. We are all very glad we made the effort and it will always be something we look back on quite fondly.

Thank you Niki and Rob for letting us be apart of your adventure.

Lands End to John O'Groats with our Friends, the Hall McNairs ~ Part II

2008-08-20T17:37:00.003+01:00

As I said earlier, we were lucky enough to accompany our friends, the Hall-McNairs at two points during their journey. The first was from Tewksbury to nearly Nantwich which I wrote about in an early blog entry. And the second point was from Wick to John O'Groats.

It was never our intention to be there for the finish, although if my husband could have had his way he would have joined them for their entire journey. Luckily for me it wasn't possible due to other commitments (like paying the mortgage). Not that I didn't want to be there with the Hall-McNairs. Its just that the weekend from Tewksbury to Nantwich was enough for me to see just how much work was actually involved. The 18 days from Land's End to John O'Groats was no holiday.

Andy though, was determined to see the finish. We had discussed it on several occasions but it just didn't seem to make sense. There was too much on for us both and the drive to John O'Groats seemed too long, particularly with kids. But as he kept harping on about it in the end I caved and agreed to make the drive through the night in order for us to be there for the morning of their last leg of the journey. This was clearly something important for Andy. Besides, he said he'd owe me big time for this. I just better make sure I cash in on it before he forgets.

Well we made it in time for Andy to accompany the crew for the last leg of the journey and I took the kids to the finish, although we almost missed it as we sat drinking coffee and eating cake. Luckily someone spotted them from across the car park and ran to tell us so we could get into position. We really only had seconds to spare. In hindsight the coffee could have waited but it is hard to gauge how long it will take to run 17 miles. We're just lucky the finish line was right next to the coffee shop.

It was great to be there for the finish. What an accomplishment it must have felt for all those involved from the start. Niki and her parents did a fantastic job taking care of everyone. The boys, Atticus and Reuben did incredibly well to last the journey with minimal complaints. And of course Rob, Sue and Martin did amazingly well to complete it in 18 days without a days break. I was exhausted just from driving it. I couldn't imagine doing even a quarter of what they did. Congratulations to them all.

Well we really lucked out with the weather. It was blue sky and sunshine for the first 2 days of our trip. It could have been a bit warmer so that the kids could really have enjoyed the seaside but with the weather we've been having lately I really can't complain.

We enjoyed a lovely day at the beach at Dunnet's Bay. The kids were in and out of the water all day, while Andy and I sat cosy and warm watching from a far in peace and quiet.

My daughter, Mackenzie, absolutely loves the beach. Its all she has wanted to do all summer. So we finally gave her a day at the beach. She was in heaven. And she didn't care one bit about how cold the water was. Andy and I found it too cold for our feet yet she was lying in it and thinking it was great.

While up north not only did I get a nice break away from home but I also managed to meet up with a fellow photographer, John Baikie, who was kind enough to drive over from Thurso to meet us at the Seaview Hotel in John O'Groats. It was great catching up and hearing what he has been up to and about some of his plans for the future. Its always nice talking to a fellow photographer and being able to talk shop. Working on my own means I don't often get the chance to speak to people about the business of photography so it was great to get that opportunity face to face rather than just on a forum as usual. I really enjoyed it. And while I was meeting John, Andy arranged to meet with one of his ex-colleagues, Kate who also lives in Thurso. It was a little strange being so far from home yet still meeting up with people we know.

Well this concludes the good weather portion of our trip. I think I will post this as it stands and add one final entry for the remainder of our trip as it includes getting a photograph of Prince Charles. Who would have expected that way up there?

Lands End to John O'Groats with our Friends, the Hall McNairs ~ Part I

2008-08-19T22:37:00.001+01:00

This summer my family has been fortunate enough to accompany the Hall-McNairs at two points through out their journey. They began their journey from Land's End on Monday July 21st. This put them close to home, well as close as they were ever going to be, by the weekend. So Friday afternoon we joined them in Tewsbury so we'd be ready for Andy, my husband, to run the following morning. As a photographer with a passion for photography in both my business and personal life I could do nothing less than document the occasion to the best of my ability.

We really lucked out with the weather this weekend. If anything it was too hot. But the sun was shinning so spirits were high, at least for us non runners and Andy who was only scheduled to run one or two legs of the journey. Although the extreme heat did have him worried a little.

Shortly after arriving at the campsite we headed out to the main road to greet the team which included Rob Hall-McNair (the runner) along with his support crew on bicycles, Sue (Rob's sister) and Martin (Sue's husband). It was really rather exciting. I even found time to take a few portraits while waiting.

The next morning I drove the runners back out to the main road to see them off and take a few snaps as they set off. Again, everyone was very focused and I felt I needed to be discrete in order not to put them off as they prepared. Before long they were ready to go and I was back at the campsite packing our things so I could get on the road to meet Andy at their first break. Unfortunately though, not only had I lost track of time talking with Niki (Rob's incredibly understanding wife), but the team had arrived at their break point earlier than expected. I ended up being a half hour late.

After a lovely lunch in a local pub we headed off for another campsite just outside of Ironbridge. We were all rather looking forward to seeing the new site with its name of Pooleview. Our anticipation turned a little into fear as we saw a power station in the distance but kept our hopes up all the while believing that the lovely winding road leading up to the campsite would take us away from the overbearing monstrosity but our hopes were quickly dashed when we arrived at our final destination only to find that we were directly beside as well as beneath it. The noise was ungoing and annoying and sounded just like rain hitting the tent which seemed really odd considering there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

The only great aspect to the location though was the vast expanse of space available for the children to play. I took advantage of that and decided to experiment with off camera flash. Both the kids and I had a blast seeing what we could come up with. Here are just a couple of what we created that evening.

My Second Wedding

2008-08-18T12:33:00.000+01:00

I am struggling to keep up with my blog, having been so busy and with the kids off on school holidays. So I am adding this entry a little late. I actually shot this wedding on July 5th, 2008. It is a policy of mine anyway to never use any photos from a wedding until the official viewing with my clients. I feel it is important that the first people to see the photos are the couple themselves and they should be seen in a formal setting where they can relive the experience of the day. This takes a little longer for me to prepare than perhaps some other photographers but so far I am 2 for 2 on producing tears. To me, that makes me a success. They were good tears by the way.

Anyway, back to the subject. I did my second wedding. This one being very different from the last. There was no church, no traditional wedding gown and very little in the way of formal, posed portraits. It took place in a converted knitwear factory, both inside and on the roof top which made for extreme changes to lighting requirements. But an interesting set up all the same.

The couple, Rosemarie Fitton and Tony Matters, own their own architectural design firm called Heterarchy, based in Leicester. I met Rosemarie through a breakfast networking group a while back. I had always respected her very much as she is an interior designer, an occupation I had often dreamt of entering in my youth but for several reasons had bypassed. A creative and contemporary mind such as hers had me very flattered that she choose me to shoot her wedding even though I had yet to shoot a wedding at the time of the booking. As such, I felt even more pressure to get this right. Luckily, it would appear, that I did.

The venue, their fascinating home, had huge windows, open space, lovely lighting and brick walls (which I love). Its just too bad that we couldn't have enjoyed the roof top more but at least the rain held off until after the blessing. Unbelievably the rain started just after the last guest left the rood top to get some food following the service.

I very much enjoyed the fly on the wall perspective. It was nice to be able to sit back with my large lense and see what I could get without being right in anyone's face. But unfortunately, even in a converted factory it was hard to remain unnoticed. It wasn't long before people started to photograph me. I am very glad that not everyone is like me when it comes to having their photograph taken or I would be out of a business. I stand behind the camera for a reason, that way I am hardly ever in pictures myself.