Style and approach
I approach portrait photography in pretty much the same way I do weddings – I have a good, long chat with my clients beforehand to determine their requirements and then tailor my approach to getting the best out of them, for them.
Good portrait photography is more than just sticking someone in front of the camera and pressing a button. It’s about having the ability to see a person intuitively and translate those perceptions into pictures that speak of more than just appearances.
For this reason, I am not a great fan of studio portrait photography – the ‘white background, lots of flash’ approach is a tad too contrived for me and I feel the resulting pictures say little about the subjects personality. I shoot portraits of my clients on their home turf, somewhere they feel comfortable or is special to them. As well as putting my clients at ease, I find that taking portraits in a natural or familiar environment reveals genuine character and individuality and for me, that is what it’s all about.
While for the majority of my portraits the emphasis is on natural and relaxed, I am also influenced by my background in fashion photography and love of theatre and film so, in contrast to the spontaneous approach, I also enjoy creating strong, theatrical images. These are great fun to shoot and produce incredible images for clients who want something out of the ordinary. Although these two styles create very different kinds of images (as illustrated below), my approach remains the same – we go out, have fun and take great pictures.
Theatrical
Natural
In terms of what to expect in a portrait sitting, it’s pretty simple really – you get me, a camera and a couple of hours where I’ll talk you through, direct you or just let you get on with it depending on what makes you feel most comfortable.
So that’s the long and short of it. Please visit the Prices & Services page for package details and prices or give me a call on 07760 270908 and we can have a chat about it.
And before you say anything, let me say that most of my clients begin a session by telling me they are not at all photogenic!
