Snapdragon Photography

You Cannot Hold A Digital File...

I never tire of thumbing through the musty old pages of my families old photo albums. Each time I see something new and try to look into the souls and characters of my ancestors I never knew. All as real as if living now showing so many important family moments. Their fashions and glimpse of their homes being so intriguing. The photo above is my family circa 1936.

These are real photographs in keepsake albums to hold and treasure for future generations. Nowadays everyone wants digital files - or do they? Yes digital files are the 'negative' of our today images but are they used correctly? All too often they stay on our hardiness, mobile devices and in a moment can be lost forever. And you can't feel and hold a digital file.

Keeping treasured moments should be treated with love and care. You cannot go back in time you cannot recreate the past but you can record events as they happen and place them in beautiful keepsake albums or folio boxes so that looking at them is a pleasure in itself and it be shared.

Headshots

As the old saying goes - ‘you only get one chance to make a good first impression’ and more often or not in todays fast paced digital world this saying is more true now then ever. Business competition has never been more harsh.

None of us like to think we are judged by how we look, or our facial expression, but sadly it’s a fact of life.  No one has the time to read pages and pages of someone’s bio, or information about what they do.  When we search on the internet for someones services, we are likely to only spend a few seconds hovering on their website landing page, before looking deeper into what they have to offer.

The next step, reading what they have to offer, is of course extremely important. But without a good headshot, to draw your potential customer in through your website door, you have to get them hopefully like what they see in you. They want to feel they can connect with you, do business with you or seek your professional services.

I guess it all boils down to our animal instincts. Probably why we are all so worried about how we look and come over to others. I think we all make instant conclusions about people on first meeting them. I believe most of us do judge a book by its cover, certainly on first meeting.

So what does your headshot say about you? Do you look welcoming, friendly, approachable, yet professional? Is it time for a refresh?

St. Barnabas Pre School, Hemel Hempstead

The Taylor Family

My connection with this lovely family goes back many years, but photography wise, about six years when Charlotte and Matthew beautifully posed for me for my stock agency assignments. More recently they revisited my studio in Boxmoor, Hemel Hempstead for some photos with their younger nephew, Connor.

Their mother wanted a set of keepsake photos that could go in an album and one for the wall with all the digital files included, so they always have back ups and can further make more prints as and when required.  The choice was a clean contemporary look, fun fun, relaxed images to show the children’s true characters. No bribes were needed! - they are great kids, and did well putting up with my ridiculous jokes and comments!

Sandra’s Makeover Session

Before Sandra came for her makeover session, we had many chats about the styling, clothing and colours she particularly liked.  As much as I make suggestions, it is always a two way thing and the client can bring whatever they want to wear.  It need not include lingerie, but often this is incorporated towards the end of the session, and is a good excuse for some retail treat therapy! 

We started off with her having her makeup and hair dry styled by the talented Harris Hill, while Sandra got into the spirit of the experience with chilled bubbly and chocolate strawberries.  Then it was off into the studio, where I had ready set up the first style of backdrop and lighting. 

In the following couple of hours there were many outfit changes, touching up of lippy and a lot of laughs along the way.  These sessions are never serious and are often described by clients as being similar to an exercise workout!

Editing of the hundreds of images afterwards takes a little time with soft skin enhancements (if requested), selection and edits, then the making of a slideshow to music, which all clients receive.

Mother & Son Portraits

This is the third time that I have photographed Sandra and her son, Toby.  The first two times were location photos, out and about in the local Hertfordshire countryside but this time, Sandra wanted something different, so a studio session it was!

They have a very special bond and Toby was a delight to photograph, he never complained and always had a huge natural smile - and look at those eyes!

A few outfit and background changes varied the look, which resulted in me having to edit over 200 photos! But it was all worth it, as Sandra now has a set of colour and black and white photos to mark yet another year of Toby’s life and important images for generations to come to look back on.

Soon after these were done, Sandra re visited, for a makeover shoot, the results of which will be in my next blog.

Poppy’s Portfolio

So many of the people I photograph are repeat sessions over many years.

Poppy’s is one such session.  Around 8 years ago, Poppy modelled for me, for a set of summery themed photos I was doing for an assignment for stock agency, Inmagine, who I worked with for many years.  More recently she was back in front of the camera for a set of portfolio photos, not the little girl anymore, but now a beautiful young lady who has her eyes focused on a drama and dance career.

The session included a variation of looks and styles and included lots of portraits, many of which are now in a lipstick pink keepsake folio box, together with the digital files.

I’m now looking forward to her coming back into the studio, but next time with her Mum, to create heirloom imagery to celebrate their relationship as mother and daughter.

A Group of Old Berkhamstedians  (Berkhamsted School)

For the past eight years, I have been privileged to be asked to photograph the reunion for A Group of Old Berkhamstedians, who all attended Berkhamsted School. It is incredible to think that many of them were once at school together over sixty years ago, and how lovely that they continue to meet every year with this every growing group.

I always enjoy meeting up with the guests, they are all so welcoming and charming.  The reunion is always held at Berkhamsted Gold Club, which is nestled high up on Berkhamsted Common, and has far reaching views over Berkhamsted town and the National Trust land of Ashridge. I am very lucky to live in such a beautiful area, having myself attended Berkhamsted School for Girls and grew up in the town.

Here is the photo from this years reunion.

Although I always work to the needs of the family, the sessions pretty much run along the same lines.  After an initial meet and greet, and chat over a cuppa about who is who and what sort of style and shots are important to the parents we set to work with a flowing set of ‘poses’ be it the family as a group, children together, children individually and with a usually a little persuasion, we end with the parents - which is often to the squeals of delight from their Mickey taking kids. This is actually good, as it helps to capture genuine, real smiles and expressions.  And expressions are what portrait photography is all about and cannot be achieved in a few minutes, but after many years of experience I know a few tricks to make that magic happen.

Often Mum will come with bags of outfit changes, and various eat treats to bribe the kids and all sorts of home comforts to include maybe a favourite teddy or toy, but in the end it’s not about props and different clothes but the people and capturing the spirit of the family.

I don’t clock watch my family sessions, as we have to work to the speed of the youngest or trickiest of children and to rush would result in not the best photos.  Do children ever play up to such an extent as to make the whole session impossible? Yes, that happens, but rarely.  And if it does, we simply call the session up, and reschedule for another time, (at no additional cost) maybe in a few weeks or a month or so when the child would be that bit older, which can make a huge difference. 

Here are a few photos of the super Fellowes family, their session was actually held at a school event, so we had vastly less time to capture some great photos, but as you can see we did!

There are many professional bodies out in the workplace but who do they benefit? The professional or the potential client? Or both? Or are they just to give a slap of self worth on the back?

Many years ago, in fact 1995 I started getting serious about my photography hobby and wanted to pursue it as a career.  I could have self taught myself, read up on endless training manuals, magazine and attended courses to hone my skill.  I did all of this, but I also did extensive training starting with a City & Guilds in photography.  This allowed me to qualify with The Royal Photographic Society as a Licentiate.  From there I did further training and qualified with The British Institute of Professional Photographers and likewise The Master Photographers Association.

I need not have qualified, who really cares?  Clients have never asked me about my qualifications and when they have seen my certificates, were none the wiser as to who the professional bodies that I was a member of were.  So what was the point in all that extra training, effort and cost. The point was, in my opinion of great benefit to both me and my clients equally.

How can being qualified and attached to a professional body in ones field do this?  It does this by pushing the professional further and harder to constantly increase their standard of work through a vast range of courses, mentoring, meetings and competitions  I attended many courses on weddings and portraiture, even giving away my much wanted Bon Jovi tickets as one course I attended in Cornwall clashed date wise!

Being a member keeps one really self motivated and involved within ones industry. Keeping up with high standards through their education and regular meetings where print competitions encourage creativity, skill and a hunger to be the best.

I was a member for many years, and for no particular reason did leave, but will soon be rejoining The Master Photographers Association, which I found to be a brilliant organisation and the Central Region, where I was a member, run by Hoss Mahdavi was extremely pro active and Hoss was a great mentor.

So for me, belonging to a professional body is an excellent way to keep the standard of photography within the industry high and without proper education standards fall, which I believe they have in recent times, since anyone can buy a digital camera now and call themselves a photographer.

A beauty make over session can cover many styles and is very individual to each client.  Hollywood inspired, Vintage, Cover Girl, Classic or themed. All of them are such fun to do as it allows us to dress up for a few hours, play with clothing, accessories and lots of make up!

I do like drama in a portrait, which can be introduced with lighting techniques to create shadow and form.  Clothing to have interesting textures and colours to give a glamorous feel and of course make up that is appropriate to the client and style. 

Make over sessions are very much about fun and indulgence.  Being pampered with a relaxing make up and hair styling.  But the best bit is seeing the client’s face light up when she sees her own reveal wall of portraits or opens her folio box set of gorgeous prints.

My latest make over session was styled in the theme of a sea goddess.  With a colour palette of greens, blues and turquoise and with fabrics that were sheer and iridescent.

My model Angie, is a naturally beautiful lady who as a general rule never wears make up.  So this was very much out of her comfort zone, but she loved every minute of the experience and was bowled over when she saw her images for the first time.  And to prove she did approve, she is coming back to the studio for another session soon, but next time it will be a very classic look, which I am very excited to do. Here are a few images from her session together with a video slideshow for her as a keepsake.

How about a dreamy glamorous sea goddess! That’s the theme of my beauty make over photo shoot project later this week. We’re talking a colour pallet of sea greens, heavenly blues and icy turquoise . Add a fifties something model with long tresses which will be styled super glam and a professionally applied make to compliment. Now to get sewing and planning my set. #BeautyPortraits #StylisedPortraits #StudioPortraiture