The Memories Thru a Lens Blog

As anyone who knows me will testify I am always looking for something different when it comes to my photos, I shy away from the standard white background shots if I can as I think there are for more interesting and artistic ways to take photographs.

Which is why I love getting the opportunity to take portrait photographs with the fabulous blue backdrop of a swimming pool, now don’t get me wrong not all swimming pools are suitable for portrait photography, but luckily for me a local prep school has a Waterbabies class in their glorious and well lit pool, with floor to ceiling windows at either end the plethora of light is amazing.

What child doesn’t like swimming, so its the perfect the opportunity for capturing natural children’s or babies portraits, I know some would argue that the white background studio shots are so vibrant and thats what makes them so popular, but to me the colours you get in a swimming pool easily rival a boring white background.

I just love the blues in this shot…..

Children grow up and change so quickly which is why I love to photograph them, capturing through photographs, their personality as it is at that particular phase in life.

Its always a fun affair too, I never shoot in a studio I shoot in the great backdrop of the outdoors or bring along my mobile studio to your home; if you are looking for the high key white background images that can look really great for children’s portraits.

This is what Simon & Claire where looking for when then asked for me to photograph their cute daughter, luckily we had loads of space as they had access to a local social club so I set up and little one loved being able to show off on the white stage!

As always it was a nice relaxed photoshoot, I think being female helps with this, children seem to relax easily which enables me to get those lovely natural expressions and smiles that the parents are looking for, as opposed to those big toothy grins that kids seem to think is a good smile!

Here are some of my favorites.

In one of my last posts I explained how I add my photoshop magic to my wedding photography and portrait photography and this post will explain a bit more about my style of photography.

Anyone who is looking for a photographer to capture their wedding day of the wonderful memories of their child growing up will often be asked if they know what style of photographer they are looking for; indeed I will often be asked what style of photographer I consider myself to be so that the potential client can weave their way through the field of potential photographers out their and pick the one that best suits what they are looking to achieve in their photographs.

When asked what my style of wedding or portrait photography is I would say I am bespoke and artistic, but why would I say this.

Firstly lets address bespoke; the dictionary definition of this is “made to order” which I feel couldn’t describe my service better, to me each and every client be it for wedding photography or portrait photography is different and deserves to be treated as such.  So I don’t head off to a wedding shoot or portrait shoot with a list full of poses that I use each and every time, instead I judge on the day and the person and adapt how I take photographs to that, so therefore each and every shoot is made to order.

So that brings me to artistic; now the dictionary definition of this is “having a creative skill” do I have creative skill in my photography?  Well that would be a question for my clients but what I do know is that I certainly put my own creative mark on all the images I take.  First its the actual shot being taken, how I do this is something I find very hard to describe I simply look around, look at my subject then look through my lens and out the shot comes.  Luckily for me its the most natural thing in the world to capture a photograph, a skill which I certainly cherish.  Next I edit the photo adding my photoshop magic, I guess this is where my creativity really comes into its own to make the shot a work of art that when my clients see it will love it and be proud to hang in on their walls.

To follow are  some images that I really feel are artistic…. enjoy!

Its been a busy few weeks with me, weddings and portrait shoots not to mention editing the images and of course designing the albums. I will post some images of the weddings and portrait shoots as soon as the clients have had a good look at them. in the mean time here is one little photograph of a gorgeous little boy looking like he has just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

Anyone who has children will know as soon as you point a camera at them, or say smile you get an awkward toothy grin that the child believes is a beautiful smile but for the view of the picture not so much which is why I never tell a child to smile in their portrait photo, I let them do their toothy grin for a few shots to get it out the way, but then the real shoot can begin which is all about laughter and fun. It always helps to have a parent or parents beside me to get the natural expressions which is how we got this lovely like expression on this little ones face.

The new year has definitely been and gone, I can’t believe its already February. With the new year I have been designing a new website which will showcase more wedding images and portrait images, as well and having more information on the site. It takes a long time for me to create my new websites as picking the images I will use for my galleries is no mean feat; firstly I have my photographer head on and go through many many photographs to check which ones are the best technically, then my next head goes on and I pick which ones are best creatively, but then I have to have a third head on which is the hardest one of all…… which images are best to potential clients!

Then to add into the mix is different feelings on different days, when I have carried out a photographic shoot be it weddings or portraits I always tell my clients to take their time looking at the images, as to pick which ones the like the best can sometimes change in your mind from day to day, exactly the same has done to be done when I pick the images for my portfolios, so this is why when I decided on the theme for my new website it is over two months later before I have finally created the galleries.

Its will soon be live so watch this space, but in the meantime here is a sneak peek at the image i have chosen for my home page, Im hopeful it will entice you in to look at the rest of my work.. hope you like it!