One of the hardest things to do is to juggle jobs. I already have a busy and very demanding job. It is photography based, although has become more of a management and administrative role, which obviously opens new challenges, but I really miss the hands on with a camera side. especially in the studio. So, this year, I am planning to up the anti on my studio work.

What better way to do that than to offer people lots of free stuff?

Now I have run these things before and they have proven to be very popular. So I am going to open up a studio for a weekend, here in sunny (not today) Middle Wallop. I have booked the community center for the 28th and 29th Jan 2017 and plan to open for some studio portraits.

Saturday will be for children. These will be for one on one portraits, so I can work on some new styling (lighting) ideas. Each shoot will cost £5.00 (what? I thought it was free?), well yes, the £5 goes to Cancer Research completely and the shoot will last for 30 mins (so I will need you all to book 30 min slots), and you will receive a complimentary 8 x 6 in print from the shoot. OK, you don’t get anything for free, right? Well that’s true, I guess. I will need a signature which will allow us to use the images for promotional purposes, although this does not mean we will.

We will be looking at making some really stylish contemporary portraits, that you would love to hang as works of art on your wall.

On the Sunday, we will be doing the same, but with your pets. I have done these things before, so I do kind of know what I am getting myself into, lol.

As I said, all the booking fee will go to Cancer research, as this is an ailment that pretty much touches us all. Who has not had a family member or friend that has not had to battle?

The whole point is that we want to do something with the community, build a reputation and if we can make the odd sale or booking then that is an added bonus… 😉

We will have some other work up and on display. so feel free to come and visit.

Oh, did I say we can do family portrait sessions and weddings too? No? Well, now you know. We look forward to seeing you there?

To book, you will need to call either Roxy or Mark on 01264 781461 and when prompted say ‘Studio Open weekend’. Please call in the evenings though, after 1830.

Please note that this is a session for individual portraits only, no groups or multiples this time. We will be looking at running other themed shoots during the year, so send us your ideas.

Pushing boundaries and why.

November 1, 2013

Development, Portraits

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Now I do like working in the studio very much but I don’t really get to spend as much time in there as I would like. When I do work in the studio, it is with mostly family work. I do find it quite difficult in Germany (not speaking the language) to find willing models to give up their time free of charge.

When I am in the studio it does tend to be just me and the subjects, as another difficult contact can be a Make up artist.

Recently I was approached randomly by a Make up artist who had just moved into the area at exactly the same time as a local amateur model had emailed me to work together.

For me the whole point of doing these TFP (time for print) shoots is to try things out, be it lighting or style. The same needs to be said for the model and the MUA. Otherwise the relationship just cannot work.

Anything that questions what we have done before and pushes you as an artist involves boundaries and without doing these shoots you will never progress and move forward. It is easy for an artists work especially for commercial shoots to kind of become stale and dull. You have to take chances and get yourself out of those comfort zones. Usually you are surprised what happens and where it takes you.

The ‘SCURGE’ of photography and a client education

October 18, 2013

Opinion, Portraits

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As I write this I have just discovered that another good friend of mine has been ‘ripped off’ by a so called professional photographer. Why am I pissed off? Simple, because every time this happens the effect is felt throughout the whole industry. I have been a professional photographer for over ten years now and I do not know all there is about photography. It has taken years to build a reputation, a style and a direction. There is no short cuts for this,

There have always been con men and women, that is nothing new, but the recent progress in photography has made this a breeding ground for minimum risk chancers. It is easy to set up a website, operate for a few weeks and then vanish.

Everyone is aware of the massive increase in photographers available and offering you their skills. This is both good and bad. Good because it has removed much of the elitist attitudes and competition is always good. Bad because most clients know little or nothing about the industry and how it should operate to be able to make an informed choice.

The papers are always telling stories of a bride and groom duped into giving away their hard earned money and being heart broken when the resulting images are not at all what they expected.

So how can I help?

I am going to give prospective clients 5 tips to reduce the risk.

1. Do your research. Visit the photographers website (no website should set alarms going), check their galleries. Is their work of a quality you would be happy with? Are the images of a similar style? Are they creative images? Visit their Blog (most have them now), do their blog entries match their website in quality and style? Look for endorsements but don’t trust them out of hand, anyone can write a few words. Be more trusting of personal recommendations although this is not always possible.

2. Speak to the photographer and meet them before any booking. Check the quality of their work on their walls, again, does it match the website for quality and style? Ask to see any other imagery that they have done that is not on their website or blog. Always ask to see a complete wedding if that is what you want to hire your photographer for. That could be either a digital display or a copy of the wedding album. Be cautious if they refuse, why would they?

3. Make sure the photographer has insurance. This should mean that you are protected to some degree. If your wedding photographs are ruined then this insurance will cover for this.

4. Get an contract. This should be an agreement like an email identifying what you should expect may suffice in many cases. I have had instances as a photographer where a client has said to me ‘but I thought I was going to get A, B and C’, the contract is there to protect the photographer as well as the client. Make sure you read and understand what is written.

5. Be cautious with up front payments. Most photographers will charge you some kind of sitting fee, this is to be expected. Make sure you know what you are getting for that. You should however expect to pay up front for a wedding (this is standard practice) so seeing as much evidence of the photographers work as possible is a must.

These simple suggestions will not remove the risk completely, but may minimise it. Photography is subjective and in any dispute, if the images are well composed and exposed correctly, you might find any judgement does not go in your favour. Make sure you actually like the work you have been shown.

A photographers web site should only contain images that they have taken themselves or within a larger company, although there have been instances where photographers put stock imagery on their page, so their website has professional imagery.

These points are not an exhaustive list but a mere five suggestions that will help minimise your risk.

Best laid plans and chomping on a bit or reality

August 7, 2013

Development, Portraits

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With a blog comes great responsibility…….or does it?

I look here today and realise that it has been almost two weeks since my last post. Me bad! Wait though, there is a reason for it. I have been really busy trying to rush those last bits of work before I go on a break with my family on Friday. I know, I hate hearing myself say it. Busy just seems like a lame reason.

So what have I been doing? Well the fact of the matter is babies, or new born’s. A particular genre that really is a skill and there is no substitute for experience. Well photographically I have committed a cardinal sin, in my eyes out of necessity. These shots have to be done in a very small window of opportunity at a time when a new family scrambles to get used to the tremendous upheaval. So the plan was to offer a few (small number) new families the chance to get some portraits of their new baby at absolutely no charge. There will be photographers now swooning at this as the something for nothing situation is what has got this industry into it’s condition.

In my defence, I had not shot babies this young before, my studio was not equipped for it and I really was not sure what to expect. All facts that I ensured the parents were made aware of before hand. You can’t exactly tell a ten day old baby what to do can you?

A chance to play with new ideas, new colours, new styles was amazing, a recent trip to the UK meant I could pick up some simple supplies like wooden flooring and some really amazing blankets.

The end results? Well after all they are subjective and I fully understand that not everyone will like them but the response from the parents has been amazing. I have another string to my bow and I do feel that my photography has made a step too.

Exposure

July 21, 2013

Development, Military work, Opinion, Sport / Action, travel

2 Comments

I am sure I have mentioned before how time is our worst enemy, although as a photographer it is one of the most important factors we work with.

Creativity never comes with guarantees, but you have to keep trying and keep your options open

Time threw another curve ball yesterday with a gentle reminder of how quickly time had gone by.

You find shots you like but it is always great when a client sees your vision.

Being a photographer is a strange existence at times. Very few of us lead repetitive lives, you can’t take the same photographs day in day out, so you are always meeting with new people and looking for the next shot. Let’s be honest though how many of us re-create the wheel at all in their lives let along every day?

Some moments are longer than others and that is never more obvious than with photography.

With the general understanding of the term ‘professional’ (which actually has nothing to do with making money) skewed, my goal or ambition is to be as professional as I can be. Not always easy when we juggle so many different balls. But it is out there, my goal.

One thing that experience gives you is a grounding for capturing an image or at least working out the mechanics of capturing an image under most circumstances.

One of the key motivators for me is the learning process, I love to try out new things, new [for me] ideas, more opportunities to attract fresh clients. The best way to do this I have found is to keep up with what people want. There is still usually enough room for your individual flair though.

No photographer likes to sit still, there are always more challenges ahead. A new market place to enter, more clients to please.

One of the more important things to keep in mind also though is that not everything goes to plan but this should not worry you, but just keep you on your toes.

The technical aspects of a shot are not always clear to see, but this does not mean the shot was simple to capture.

These images on today’s blog include some military work and some personal work but shows some of the variety we are faced with on even a weekly basis.

One model, three looks.

April 3, 2013

Development, Portraits

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Lighting in the studio is simply never ending, there are so many possibilities. Different intensity, direction, modifiers, sources and on and on. The opportunity to play with the D800 for the first time in the studio was a big motivator too.

I enjoy working in the studio for its control-ability. The only way to learn is to practice and play with the light. Some of the things you can do with light is simply amazing.

Most of my lighting set-ups are either one or two lights and getting the simple lighting to work is the most difficult. As you begin to understand how the light will work, you learn to manipulate it the way you want to.

So with a couple of hours, a willing model and having some ideas before hand, you can come out with some decent results. Now how can I get it better?

Canvassing favour

January 4, 2013

Portraits

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As a photographer you can go periods of time struggling, this is by nature a creative industry and at times, like writers I guess, you can get a creative block. For some time I have been looking for some more creative ideas that are fun to do in the studio. Photographing a family is never run of the mill, nor should it be.

Then there comes a time when the magic happens, you get a bunch of characters who make it all so easy. When you photograph a person, the difficult part can be capturing the personality and character. Sounds easy but then when you think, you may not have seen the subject before, you need to create a rapport and fast.

You may only have a short amount of time to get the shots.

For this kind of session, preparation is paramount. The ideas need to be planned, set up and executed with military precision and yet really need to be relaxed and natural.

These ideas have been in the pipeline for some time and like most new things, they take a little time to get just right. I think we are getting there, almost…

Always room to improve but what is most important is that the client loves their images. Get that and you will not go far wrong.

Getting known and trying to break the norm.

November 28, 2012

Development, Portraits, Promotion

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Any photographer will tell you that one of the biggest journeys for them to take is the attempt to do something new, so find their own USP (Unique Selling Point). More often and not these days it is a certain look done in post production (after the photo has been taken). An example of this is the Dragan effect (google it). The thing is with PP is that it is quite easily replicated. Once someone comes out with a catchy look, its just a matter of time before everyone is doing it. That USP then becomes dull, it loses its impact.

I have decided to undertake a couple of projects over this Christmas period working at charity events and a Christmas fayre.

Why?

Well simple, I decided I needed to do two things. Firstly be seen for what I do (taking portraits) and secondly to capture something that makes people go wow, which is not that easy. I also wanted to make people go, “I like that, can I book a family shoot or a portrait session from you?”

A standard set up for this kind of event is probably a two light set up, maybe three. A main light, fill and either a background light or hair light. The idea being that this set up is versatile as the sweet spot can be organised to be quite large.

Well I decided I didn’t want to do that as although you can get reasonable light it will not suit everyone. There is not really any set up that will suit everyone, so decisions have to be made. I chose to use a ‘clam shell’ set up which has the main light as a 1.2m Octobox directly above the subject, and very close. The fill light is under my feet and I shoot through the gap in between. The problem is that to get this really amazing soft light the subject is close to the light and the sweet spot is quite small. I can only fit (carefully) two subjects.

Ultimately here lays the problem. I do not directly make any money from this shoot which as a business I have to make money to survive. There will always be people that want a certain shot and it is difficult to almost alienate yourself from anyone, but I have to look at the bigger picture. I want you to see that I can get some amazing pictures of you guys and in a studio with all my kit at my disposal and a couple of hours to spare, we can come up with same really memorable shots that you will love.

Looking at it that way, its a bit of a no brainer really…. What I particularly love about this is the options that remain in PP, like in any lighting situation I suppose.

In the thick of it and always experimenting

November 19, 2012

Development, Portraits

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As a photographer one of the best parts of the job is the sheer volume of options. I love the fact that I can always learn new techniques, be it composition, lighting, style or… well the options some times feel pretty limitless. #

The only limit to a photographer is their imagination.

I love playing with lighting, the studio is a great place when things are going well and the most frustrating place when they are not.

Lighting is, in essence quite simple, even the most complex of lighting set ups should look simple, but simple is great to look at and natural.

After setting up a stand at a recent charity fashion show, I thought it would make a great opportunity to try a simple clamshell setup. I have to say I have never used this one before and I really have no idea why. It is an amazing light and with post pro can suit men, women and children.

For this one I had a 1.2m Octabox as the key light, with a simple shoot through brolly as the fill from the floor. The lights were no more than 1m from the subject so I used a wide lens for most of them.

Another set up in the bank.

Building books and the tangible truth

October 22, 2012

Afghanistan, Military work, Opinion, Portraits

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If there is one aspect of digital photography and the internet that I don’t like it is simply the lack of necessity to print your images.

There is nothing quite like a decent print, and trust me it is never simply a case of hitting the print button. So in the last six months or so I have been responsible for producing 4 photographic books, and all I can say is wow. Although the books have been limited run or one offs, the sense of achievement you get after all the work of putting them together and handling it is second to none.

I now have the printed book bug.

A reflective image is so different from a back lit image, that seeing your images feels like seeing it again for the first time.

There are some amazing companies out there that can produce these books and some of the software you can use to complete the books are very straight forward. All I would say is don’t feel the need to over complicate the layout.

Photo books should ideally, in my humble opinion, be about an image at a time, although that is not always possible. There is certainly a skill in putting a book together and I feel myself getting better each time. There is a lot of work, in particular when you are trying to include other contributors.

Another important effort is to do your best to create a narrative, to make the images inter connect and flow from one to the other and at times, even if you have a cracking image that misses the narrative, do not shoehorn it into the book just out of hand. If you need to add another section to the book to fit it in, then try but be your own worst critic.

The end result is worth it though.

Finding the time, a photographers lot

October 19, 2012

Development, Portraits

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Well many of you may be aware the last few weeks have been a blur, but a happy one. Now I am starting to move on and as a photographer, there is always a difficulty balancing the work with real life. Any working photographer lives and breathes photography, and I find it gets worse the longer I go on. Understanding light is probably the hardest thing with photography and it takes time. There are no shortcuts here and learning to identify and use light is something every photographer constantly works with.

As I understand light more and more, I see opportunity and inspiration. I suppose it feels a little bit like staring at the screen on ‘The Matrix’, you just start to see photographs everywhere. That said seeing images and capturing images are two completely different things though the more I see light and its subtleties I base it on images I have taken.

Now I like working in the studio with controlled light. There is a sense that anything is possible, if you can just control it as you need. I really love photographing people but the most difficult part is ‘the people’, getting them to do what you want, no, need them to do. A sitter does not have any idea what is going on in my head (probably a good thing), and I am working towards an end product that nestles in the outer reaches of my muddled head.

There is no substitute for working with people, it really is the only way you get to know the craft of lighting. I can play with new ideas on an inanimate object but translating that to people is something that can only be done with people……

….and no two people are the same.

So there we have it, this post is no more than a plug, I need you to improve and you need me to take your portrait, so there you go, no excuses any more…

And here is to the weekend, all good in moderation.

Award winning, does it really make a difference?

October 12, 2012

Military work

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I write this blog in somewhat of a state of shock. I have just been told that I need to get myself over to London next week to pick up a couple of prizes from the Army photographic awards. This image was taken at 0500 using available red light on a high ISO and shows us packed like sardines into the back of a Chinook about to go on an operation.

This year was only the second time I have entered in ten years for one thing or another, and after being runner up last time, the improvement was great. This macro shot was taken with a macro lens and was supposed to be an observation of religious prominence within the military and more so with the Americans. What is does not show however is the levels of religious diversity that we have now.

If I am totally honest, I didn’t really hold out much hope as much of the last 12 months was doing video, and if I am even more honest, not to a great standard. Military equipment – this was one of my favorite portraits from Afghanistan, it shows an attitude and toughness that belies the old equipment they operate with.

So back to the competition. I am obviously very pleased for the recognition, but I really don’t think it means all that much at the end of the day but what we can do to raise the profile of our small group of individuals who work hard to show our colleagues at their best. This is not down to me being disrespectful to the other entrants in this particular competition, just the fact that winning competitions may be a skill but also requires a lot of luck. After all three judges look at the images subjectively and pick their favorite and on another day with different judges, the results would, I am sure, probably be very different. This military portrait taken in the studio is intended to show a diversity within the whole port folio. It is a standard portrait with a little twist.

I had no idea who was judging this competition, not that knowing that would have made any difference. The simple fact is that photography is purely subjective and what one person loves another simply can’t stand… the Marmite thing I suppose. In the absence of a perfect boxing or skiiing shot (not much of either in Afghanistan), I wanted to demonstrate a little bit of the British soldiers sense of humour… unfortunately there was no lake in sight.

So what did I win? Well rather surprisingly, the Professional port folio award and the best Professional image. Wow, now I am speechless. From the harshness of Afghanistan to the grandeur of Hannover town hall for the Queens birthday celebrations, a city that has close ties to the royal family.

The port folio was a simple case of choosing eight images, each one fulfilling a single criteria. Operational image, Sport, Macro, Black and white, portrait, military equipment, Interior and Public relations image. So the portfolio was always going to be a mismatch off images rather than a coherent collection of images to support a narrative.

Which ever way you look at it, there will be controversy and disagreement, as everyone will see different things from the images submitted. So there we have it for another year, I only hope that we as a photographic trade can make the most of this and promote ourselves as the self motivated, professional individuals we are.

The image selected by the judges as the winning image, taken just before the officer at the front of the picture screamed at me for not being where I should be.

It’s a ‘Riskey Business’

August 12, 2012

Development, Music

2 Comments

As many of you are already aware, I really enjoy my job, to the point of feeling guilt at times. How can I enjoy a job so much? I think one of the primary reasons for this is the fact that no two days are the same. This is such a challenging vocation at times, and sometimes so simple. I enjoy photographing people, in the studio, on location, it’s just so much fun (although there are times when there is little fun to be had).

One of the things I particularly like is the opportunities there are to ‘try something new’. Too many people see the skill of photography as a dying art, or simply a matter of a numbers game to capture the one required image.

Photography is a form of art, it can be creative but there is creation in every single image. The camera operator has decisions to make every time the shutter release is pressed, composition, timing, exposure, aperture and shutter speed. Then there is lighting, another discipline that is undervalued by viewers everywhere as the best lit shots out there generally look like they are naturally lit, so with very little skill.

The fact of the matter is that every time a photographer captures a moment, there are so many things to consider, that people just don’t see.

As a photographer and an aspiring photographer too, it is dangerous to get comfortable, you always look for the next image, the next project, so being asked to photograph a local hobby band for publicity shots was a challenge to look forward too. At this point I feel I need to add that these musicians are brilliant and the term ‘Hobby’ is meant to show their motivations, they play for the love not the finance (although they are available for hire).

Due to the nature of most of their day jobs, the band line up does change constantly as members move on and new ones replace, but this adds to the difficulty of getting the photograph.

I shot the band the first time in 2011, not too long before I went to Afghanistan, a short time out of the bands religious rehearsals. With a camera, a few flash guns against a brick wall, I managed to make a simple image, but after I felt it did not do the band justice as by their nature, their line up changes almost monthly.

Then back from Afghanistan, a new line up, with even more changes on the horizon, I wanted to do something that I felt suited their make up.

Individual portraits, all with the same identical lighting that have that connection, the images could then be brought together to make a band photo.

I did however make an image of the band all together too, call it the banker shot if you like…………..

Have courage in your convictions

June 23, 2012

Opinion

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Most people in our society will at some point in their life need (no, not need but want) a photographer, be it for their wedding, to photograph their new baby, their portrait, their pet. Their business products, the list goes on and on.

What do people look for?

Do you search for a photographer who captures something different or has a certain look you like? A cheap photographer? A friend who has a camera? Or nothing at all?

Where does the cost of a photographer come into it? Should it enter the equation at all?

The photography industry is incredibly competitive at the moment and the industry can be very easy for anyone to access with the super high quality of even some of the budget cameras. I wonder if this is a positive development, but regardless, this is where our industry is right now. The client has never had so much choice.

What does that choice mean?

I think this depends on what your view of a photograph is. Do you see a photograph as just a still image that simply records and reminds you of a memory? Is a photograph a piece of art? Can a single image really be that important? Take a while to think about some famous images you can remember. It may be a war photograph from Vietnam or a celebrity portrait, but the chances are it will be a stunning image for one reason of another.

A photograph is history. Although it is taken at the time the image is immediately assigned historic status. I shows us what was.

When you are looking for a photographer, what is your main consideration? I think there are two main perspectives. Will I love the images or can I afford them?

Take a wedding for example. This is for many people the most monumental day in their lives (although not for all). I think it is fair to say that most couples will look for a look they like from their wedding photographer. There is usually a budget but their first consideration in many cases is the look. I have been asked if I can replicate someone else’s look for a wedding before………Mmmmm!

Each and every photographer is different, of course there are styles and fashions that you can find over and over, but you have to look at the image, see what has been captured, is there emotion, a certain use of light, a character in there or is it simple a flat image processed to a style?

Photographers are observers, we look for things, we search for a representation. Some are better than others, that’s just the way fo the world I am afraid. As a photographer we should always be striving for the next image, that killer image that may not be the most asthetic but one that has that bit of magic. Sometimes that is not obvious but invariably there will be something.

To look at a photographers images, look into them, try to identify what they were looking at. You can do this for any photographer and ask the question, why? I guarantee you at times you won’t be able to answer the question but you will still see something that you like.
My work may remind you of someone elses work but for sure that’s all it is. Photographers are individuals, our work is unique, we all see things differently and if you hire us you are buying into that vision and experience. All photographers draw inspiration from the world around us.

As a client you should never look at a photographers work and then wonder if you can get a cheaper alternative by going elsewhere. Another photographer cannot just step into anothers head. So if you need a photographer, look around, look for somthing that you like, an edge, a look, a style or a vision and hire them.

If budget is an issue then look for an alternative, but don’t expect the same, you are only setting yourself for disappointment.

Your choice of photographer may, in the end, cost a little more than you wanted to pay but in years to come, those photographs could have more value to you because you will know in yourself that you did not compromise.

Did I mention that I shoot weddings and portraits…………………………………………………………………………..? 😉

Herding cats and capturing character

May 13, 2012

Development, Portraits

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There is a popular phrase that we have all heard stating you should never work with children or animals, however as a photographer, you try that. I recently came up with a promotion idea to get people into the studio, to see how we work and hopefully come away with plenty of workable images to wow the customers.

This became the ‘Pets win prizes’ competition. The premise was for local people to bring their pets to our studio in order for us to try to capture some of their character. The shoot was free and an image from their shoot was to be displayed on Facebook in a gallery for people to vote (like) their favorite. The winner is the image that 7 days later has the most likes. They then win a canvas wrap print of their pet (not necessarily the one used in the competition).

As with anything like this, the build up can be nervous as you find yourself asking the questions, like, did we promote this enough? Will people turn up, have we explained the situation properly? Has word got around?

I need not have worried because apart from a quiet hour at midday, the event was a success. We got a variety of pets in from the expected cats and dogs to the more exotic Bearded Dragon and some tropical fish in a huge beer glass.

I like to put myself under pressure, and I limited each shoot to 15 minutes, which included the time to get to know the animal a little, try to find some of its character, decide on how to work with it and light it, and then execute (not the animal but the idea). I could quite easily have set up a flat light setting and just gone for the safe option but I didn’t want a load of same images. I wanted to be creative, to try to show off each animal as best I could in the time.

At the end of the day, I sit through the images and I have to be honest, I am happy with what we got. There are a lovely range of shots, the customers went home happy and I now hope they like what they see. I don’t photograph a lot of pets, so this was an ideal opportunity to try to broaden my horizons as a photographer.

As I try to complete the job, my eyes are heavy, this was a challenge but like all challenges I am left in its wake feeling content. This is the kind of project I think I should do more often and I urge others to also. It is all to easy for a professional photographer to focus on revenue, but there is a kind of warm feeling when you undertake a project for no obvious gain, that said I did take a couple of bookings today which is nice but certainly not what this was all about.

If you have read this blog today, could I urge you to visit our Facebook page, and visit the gallery. Please take a little time and like any images you like. The winning pet owner will I am sure be most grateful. Plus there are more images from the set to see. As with any of my work I love to hear from people, feedback is important.

Ground-rush!

May 11, 2012

Development, Portraits

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Some of you may have become aware that as a promotion I am organising a pets open day at the studio this weekend. This is a project designed to raise my profile within the community, so show off my work and me working. The prospect of having a studio full of a variety of pets is daunting but the potential of the day excites me. One thing is for sure, it will be a busy day.

There is still so much to arrange and finish. I have props to paint still as its been a while since all my posing blocks were properly white. I think the key to these things is to keep things as simple as possible but not this time. What I am conscious of is I don’t ideally want 20 pets all in the same light. I want to have a gallery of images that shows the animals off to their best and gives the final gallery some range.

Another consideration is the final output! The winning pet will be the one who gets the most likes on our Facebook page and will be printed on a large white Canvas for the owner, so the image has to suit this output.

I am allowing four pets an hour to step in front of my lights, which does not sound much until you consider the effort. I have options. Light or dark backdrop? Soft, hard light, props or not. What is the character of the animal and how can I capture it in a few minutes. I after all only need one image for the gallery.

Sunday is not too long away now. All the details need completing, there is still so much to do, I simply don’t know if I will get it done in time.

Look out for the release of the images and please visit our Facebook page to vote for your favorite image when they go live. There will only be 7 days before the winner will be announced.

Pets win Prizes!

May 5, 2012

Development, From the Archive, Opinion, Portraits

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We at LIMEfotographic have arranged a special open day at our studio on Eichholtstrasse, in Bunde, near Herford in Germany on Sunday 13th May 2012.

You love your pets, of course you do! Have you ever considered getting a professional pet portrait done? Well here is your chance, and you can be in with the chance to WIN a canvas frame print of your special pet.

We are opening our studio for a special pet day, so between 10am and 4pm on the 13th May, bring your pets to the studio behind the Naafi in Bunde (near Herford). We will photograph your beloved pet.

HOW THIS WORKS. This is a promotion day, we will photograph your pet in our studio for a maximum of 15 minutes per pet. Once the images are processed they will be posted on our Facebook page for voting. You can invite who ever you can to vote for your pet and quite simply by the closing date, announced when the images are posted, the image with the most likes, will win a stunning canvas print worth €250.

There is no obligation to purchase anything, but of course you may decide that you would like to book a family shoot or some simple portraits…………

Just pop by on the day, and don’t forget to bring your favorite pet with you.

—The mastery of life, work and Photography

The eye sees what it sees, the camera sees what you ask it to and the rest needs to be discovered.

Archive

Tag Archives: studio

Never work with kids and animals? Why not?

Pushing boundaries and why.

The ‘SCURGE’ of photography and a client education

Best laid plans and chomping on a bit or reality

Exposure

One model, three looks.

Canvassing favour

Getting known and trying to break the norm.

In the thick of it and always experimenting

Building books and the tangible truth

Award winning, does it really make a difference?

It’s a ‘Riskey Business’

Have courage in your convictions

Herding cats and capturing character

Ground-rush!

Pets win Prizes!

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