FINDING WHAT RIGHT FOR 2010

This time of year is just as busy for me, with 2010 approaching fast i need to come up to date
Finding new suppliers, giving my web site a revamp, checking pricing,with the new VAT increase, sorting out advertising , the list goes on

Problem is all these little things take a lot of time

I have learnt one lesson this week from a visit to a prospective client that just having a web based portfolio isnt enough, I now need to get a printed version

Deciding on which wedding album to supply there are so many out there in price ranges from £50 to over £2000

Updating my processing software is another minefield, Having tried the free trials and found the software does not deliver what is promised

Purchasing of new lenses yes lenses wear out, To get the best shots i use professional glass , that does not come cheap around the £2000 mark for a good quality lens

going over ever aspect to make sure i always deliver what clients want

Did i hear Christmas is a time to relax??? Maybe next year

CHOOSING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER

This is a question that i hear many times, How do i choose the right Photography?
Some photographers spend a small fortune on advertising, some dont, some photographers only shoot weddings but a lot of photographers all so do portraits and other types of photography.

How do I choose my photographer?

Ok so now a lot of people can afford to go and buy a good camera, but if my Gran bought a trowel I wouldn't trust her to build a house.
so owning a camera doesn't make you a photographer, just like owning a trowel doesn't make you a builder.
WEDDINGS
Once you have decided on a firm date for your wedding you can begin approaching your choice of photographers to see if they are available. It is worth starting your search for a photographer early, as the better photographers will become booked up quickly. It is important that you view photographer's work before you book them for your wedding. Never book over the phone.

Have a clear idea of what you require:

Would you like traditional or more journalistic style of photographs or a mixture of both?

Do you want exclusively formal shots or would some relaxed photographs of friends and family help you to remember the whole day?

Would you like some portraits of special people taken at home on the morning of the wedding, where you can ensure everything looks perfect (the photographer could visit you both separately)?

Are there some people you would like your photograph taken with apart from the traditional selection? For example are some of your guests traveling from another country who you see rarely?

Are you inviting an old friend that you had a photograph with when you were very young that you could update on your wedding day?

Would you like all colour shots, black and white or shots using other effects such as sepia toning?

Questions To Ask:
Remember, it is important to discuss all of your requirements with your photographer. They can do a much better job of your wedding photographs if they are totally aware of your hopes for the final outcome. Consider taking examples of photographs from friends' weddings or sketches so you are clearly understood. Leave as little to chance as possible.

Here are some important questions to ask the photographer.

Ask if the person you are meeting will be the person there on your wedding day. If not, ask to met the actual photographer and see some examples of their work. If this is resisted, be a little concerned.

If you meet an alternative photographer from the same company, ask the same questions. Don't assume the same standards or experience as their partner or employer.



Ask if the photographer has professional indemnity insurance to cover the cost of retaking your photographs if something goes horribly wrong. If the photographer does not have insurance, you should take out your own wedding insurance policy to cover such an eventuality.

Find out how long the photographer spends taking their shots after the ceremony and/or at the reception. There isn't really a standard time for this, you should decide before you visit the photographer how long you think it is acceptable to keep your guests waiting, and see how close the photographer's estimate comes to yours.

Ask how the photographer copes if the weather is not as beautiful as you hope. Here it will help if the photographer has worked at your wedding and reception venues previously and knows the local area.


- Consider having a pre-wedding photo shoot. This gives you and your photographer a chance to get to know each other a bit better and you will feel more prepared for the big day!

Above all remember your wedding is unique so viewing a photographers work is only an idea of the images the photographer offers, A good caring photographer will work around your needs, making your images special and unique to you

PORTRAITS A QUESTION OF PRICE

Q) Why do I as a photographer charge more for my portraits then, photographers that do portraits in high street shops?

A)Because I dont beg for business, I dont have offer saying portraits NOW £25.00 was £125.00, sounds to good to miss that type of offer, but sit and think for a minute
you will take your child to a high street shop, the image will be taken on a camera previously set up and connected to a PC , After 3 to 4 shots your session is finished,

You will pay your £25.00 and be given a card to come back in a fortnight,

On return you will be given one 7x5 image, now comes the shocker , on a large screen or even in the sales persons hands will be the other images of your child starting at £65.00 each, They will be destroyed if you dont purchase them . so thats 4 images at £65.00, so you duly hand your card over to the sales person and pay another £260.00, so your 5 minute portrait session and 5 images have cost you £285.00.

Did the photographer spend time getting to know you? Did they spend time amusing your child? was there time for a change of clothing? did the photographer discuss your needs what you wanted from this session?

I can answer that NO
These people are not photographers they have to be skilled in sales

Portraits should be an investment, a true portrait should capture the spirit of the person, a portrait is something to treasure when your little baby leaves home, you should still have portraits to cherish

I take time i meet with my clients i talk to them about what they want, They smile in my images because they are happy not because i asked them to smile, I am a photographer an artists I create beautiful images to cherish

Will i fool you? no,. will i charge the earth? NO, will you have options of how your prints are displayed? YES

You see i am a photographer not a sales rep
Next time you want a portrait done just think for a minute and ask yourself what do i really want from my portrait session, Do you want to que for a 5 minute session?

or do you want a relaxed session to fit around you and your family in a place of your choice, with images to cherish
With a session starting at £65.00 and print prices from £15.00, I am actually cheaper and offer more

Studio shoot

wow another week flown by, I am not a lover of dark morning short days and dark evening
means now some work has to be studio based,
I am debating on getting a green screen this seems to be the all new photographers studio tool,

A nice pop up background would be much easier then assembling the backdrop support when I visit clients, But then would a pop up background leave space to pose ? oh so hard making my mind up

I like my studio sessions to be fun, heres one i did earlier this week with a young girl, she was quick to relax and enjoy her session and we got some great fun expressive shots, and all done in the warm,

Dad enjoyed the session as well I aim more towards contemporary portraits to capture the natural personality of my clients , The aim is to have fun,

Maria And Andy

Maria and Andy picked me to to be their wedding photographer , We had a a lovely day not weather wise as the heavens decided to open, Maria was very nervous

It gave me a chance to put all my camera skills into practice and I captured some wonderful moments for them to cherish their special day for years to come

Took a break

We have been away to Devon, taking in the beautiful Autumn colours , spending time on the dramatic coast and having walks on Dartmoor, as well as the odd Devon cream tea

Had a nice relaxing time, all apart from the caravan we stayed in, which was rather disgusting with mold growing up the walls and curtains. I certainly recommend you do NOT stay at Devon Cliffs resort,
they had run out of food and the camp shop was empty just a few pricey goods on the shelves

As for the staff whom one told me was very experienced as she had worked for Haven since May 2009, she among the others were the most unhelpful group of people i have ever encounter, very rude and with attitude like Vicky Pollard,

Its a shame as I always opt to stay on Haven sites great base and good evening entertainment, but not at this site

In fact unless Haven sort out the mess and the fact it cost me twice as much for a short break then it cost me for 10 days in July , i shall never use them again

E-session

Oh what a day, I mean a bad day weather wise rain rain and more rain,
today i had an E-session which i normal do outside, Unfortunately the groom to be had pneumonia so had to be kept in the warm, and the lovely bride to be had recently had a stroke

This meant studio lighting a small room, The couple still wanted images done though they were not feeling 100%, I just did a small session with them.



This is where as a photographer I have to be prepared, On days like this when everything is against you and your clients

They still want me to do their wedding which is great as they are a lovely couple and i am looking so forward to this as i am sure it will be an amazing day and we will get some images to treasure

Checking out wedding venues

Its all ways so important to check out venues prior to a wedding,

I have photographed wedding here in the summer but the Autumn light makes the area look so different

Places where the sun streamed in during the summer months are now void of much light, so a few test shots tell me what i will need to take with me on the day

A good photographer knows how the tools  work, they dont fiddle around with settings they know by the light what settings to use.

its no good making mistakes on someone's special day it has to be right

I rely on myself and my camera to get it right not on photo-shop to correct mistakes

so test shots done  ISO settings indoors and out doors are as i expected them to be, meaning i can capture my couple  in a relaxed  way without having to worry about the light

What a week!! Swine flu saga

Oh dear oh dear, I havent had time this week to update my blog, my little girl has had the dreaded swine flu, well so the doctor said who would not come out and see her.
He just told me to ring the national flu hotline, where you have to answer some questions put to you by a Doctor err no a uni student studying English. If you answer yes to any of the below four questions then you have swine flu
1) does the patient have a temperature ? A) YES
2) does the patient have a sore throat? A) YES
3) Is the patient more tired then normal? A) YES
4) Does the patient have a headache? A) YES

so according to uni student my daughter has Swine flu, he then goes on to issue me with a top secret number to obtain Tami flu

er so my daughter has now been prescribed a drug which has all sorts of side effects and a doctor hasnt seen her!!!!

I duly phone my GP on Monday as she is still ill but chirpy in between calpol . "sorry I cant come out keep her on the Tami-flu" says the GP but i havent even gone and got the tami-flu stuff

Wednesday comes daughters sore throat is getting worse oh my her tonsils are covered in white yucky stuff, it does not take a doctor to see this child has tonsillitis well to cut the story short it wasnt until Friday a GP would bravely venture out to see her after my constant phone calls, yes he arrived wearing a mask and rubber gloves, I felt like painting a red warning cross on my door

here is what he said " Oh she does not have Swine flu she has Tonsillitis " shock horror guess mum was right all along then

moral to GP,s a parent knows its child better then anyone else, we also know when our kids are ill
I wouldnt advice anyone to take an immune destroying drug such as Tami-flu without making sure you do have Swine flu

A good test is get a friend to wave a million pound outside your window if you really can not lift a finger towards it then you are ill with flu, If every joint hurts so much and your head is so bad breathing hurts and you really cant move then you have flu
if you just feel chitty and have a sore throat runny nose but can get up for the loo and drink a cup of tea then its a cold
Men get man flu this is totally different to what women and children suffer from, its a form of attention seeking and feeling sorry for themselves and is usually nothing more then a slight cold, If a man can complain and make moaning grunting noises then he has Man flu, nothing more.

treatment for this is 24 hours of being sympathetic to him there after just kick his butt and he will be cured

Hardest photographic subject of them all yourself

To be a good photographer you need to portray people and objects well, Self portraits seem to be an in thing at the moment, so I thought why not give it ago,
GEE its hard
armed with tripod and remote shutter fire i have set out this week to try and capture the inner me

The moods, emotions, the real person that makes me
I am a mum cuddly, wrinkly middle aged
Inside i am 16 fun outgoing impulsive and a little eccentric
its very hard to capture that
My image of self today was moody, I was feeling down as had tons of washing and house work to do
A beautiful day wasted apart from a trip to the park with my younger two kids this afternoon

putting myself in front of the camera is giving me a new insight into how people behave on a shoot, made me think about what is the best capture, Is putting my camera skills to the test creating lighting and moods, Its fun but also very embarrassing
I recommend this for any photographer to try as its very challenging

Lifestyle portraits

A session yesterday in the beautiful village of Finchingfield in Essex, This was for an older client a group of people that seem to shy away from having their picture taken, I personally would encourage them to have a photo session done, It relaxing and fun and you get a nice cup of tea depending on your location choice

This session was done so mum ,wife and grown up family have some images to treasure

Heres a sneak preview of an image from the session

Camera Club and portrait session

well busy busy busy still. Had a portrait session which is the last by one for babies first year book, I must say its been a pleasure being apart of this little girls first year, I have built up a great relationship with the family, The mum even asked me if she can pre book me for a wedding in about 25 years time :)

I told her she will have to opt for my son whom will follow in my footsteps

I attend the Great Notley Camera club this week, Its a club that started with a handful of strangers and has now grown in strength its members produce some excellent images

Its always interesting to meet up with other photographers, as each one has different skills and likes and dislikes

I guess today I best fill out my TAX return form dreaded paper work

Lost Blog and busy

Sounds good really yes i lost my original blog, Get a new password i hear you say, i would do but have lost my long time email pass word, Yes my windows PC decided its life was over its little light went out and that was in,

repair cost did not warrant the expense and I had typically saved everything on the computer
what i have learn t windows is so unstable hence now i work on MAC, computers are not reliable so now have a little pass word book

I am now a convert to MAC its so much faster for my processing needs and does not crash or ask me to wait while windows does this or that, easy to move files just drag and drop simple.

Unfortunately now it means my daily blog has been lost hence the mighty three postings on this one

well whats new
I have my own make up and hair stylists fully qualified six years experience with cosmetic companies, working on make up for films and TV,

she also does bridal make up as well as extreme make overs

so a new service will be offered to clients for a make over portrait session and I will also be able to offer my brides to be a full make up and hair service as well as being their wedding photographer

In the new year i plan to offer wedding stationary as well which will save couples even more money giving them an all in one package price

I also think i will be the first photographer in Braintree to offer this service

so its a busy time of year with winter approaching and Autumn almost in full swing, making some lovely light and backdrops for outside portrait sessions

Smash The Cake Session

Today i had the most fun ever and this is why I love photographing children,
I did a smash the cake session for Sophie's, 1st Birthday, Its more an idea that started in America but is taking on fast over here

Sophie,s images are private for clients only, but if you want to do this a huge bright cake is a must and washable backdrops, so much fun and oh so much mess

New Actions Installed

Busy day today fixing my computer and installing some new actions

Tillys Photo session

Photographing children can be a challenge on its own, photographing disabled children even more of a challenge, But hey we had fun, here s a sneak at Tillys photos, she was a great little model and really good