News

I was out and about photographing all the fun of the fantastic St Mary's Church Fete in Twickenham last Saturday. If you were one of the families or stall holders that I photographed and you need a reminder of the details required to access the full portfolio, then please get in touch. 25% of all print sales are being donated to the nominated charity Spear, which is a charity for the homeless in Richmond.

I was too busy working to enjoy the lovely cakes and other products on sale, but the stallholders and the organisers did an amazing job for the charity.

If you are stuck for ideas for a special Father's Day gift, consider a family photo shoot. Every Dad would surely love some beautiful photographs of their children. There are photographers up and down the country who will be able to help you with this.

Maybe you have thought about getting photos done and framed ready for Father's Day, but it is just a couple of weeks away now. It's not too late though... You could buy a gift voucher and have the photos taken as a family at a later date. Or you could have the photos taken now and let Dad decide which he likes best.

I personally cover Surrey, London and the surrounding counties, but if you live elsewhere, just google local photographers. You might want to consider a "lifestyle" shoot in the local park for some really natural shots, particularly now that the weather has finally turned sunny.

Take a look at my galleries and get in touch if you would like to know more. Gift vouchers are available and June special offers can be seen on my website.

The new special offers available this month:

• Book a mid-week photo shoot in the park including your favourite 6 images on a CD for £250 (a saving of £60)


• Buy 3 blockmounts and get the cheapest half price.


• Buy all images on a CD (priced at £495) and receive £100 towards products of your choice.

I've photographed lots of local business people this week with many different business backgrounds, from banking to alternative therapies. I enjoy headshots, because it's more than just a passport photo - I need to find of way of capturing the person naturally and in a way that reflects how they want to be perceived. Now that's not a simple task, particularly because many people feel uncomfortable in front of the camera. I put a lot of effort into making the experience painless, even enjoyable for people, by talking and engaging. I love it when someone who has entered the room saying "I really hate having my photo taken", leaves saying "Oh, I actually really like the photos and I normally never like photos of myself!". My headshot gallery has more examples of my work: Click here.

Would you like some great photos of your children? Do you live near Esher Rugby Club in Hersham? If so, get in touch now to book your slot for Friday 4th June. Space is limited, so book now to avoid disappointment. Click on the link to this flyer to see more information.

I have added a new gallery today, showing some of work with ballroom dancers and a local jazz band: View here.

I work with children of all ages and it can be handy to use toys during a photo session. Because I travel to my customer's homes to take photos, there are always plenty of favourite toys to hand. I often use toys as an icebreaker - children usually like to show their toys to people that are interested. Toys give children something to focus on and you can get some lovely natural shots while they are concentrated on playing. Colourful toys can also bring additional interest into the photograph. This little girl loves her lego and though it may look like a set up, she built this lego structure herself (and then promptly smashed it to pieces just after this shot was taken).

I often get asked how far I travel. Most of my portrait photography - baby and family photography is near to my home in Kingston Upon Thames - Surbiton, Teddington, Twickenham, Richmond, Esher, Cobham, Epsom, Leatherhead, Walton on Thames, Weybridge, Guildford. I cover all of these areas for the standard session fee. I am happy to travel further afield, though an additional charge to cover travel costs will usually be applied. So, if you are in Sussex, Middlesex, Berkshire or any of the counties surrounding London, then please give me a call for a quote.

The new special offers for May are now available:

• Book two portrait sessions to take place in a single location on the same day (one for your family and one for a friend's family) and you will both get 25% off your session fee.


• Buy a 3 image blockmount (priced at £185) and get a second half price.


• Buy all images on a CD (priced at £495) and receive a free 12x12” blockmount (worth £120).

Last week, I was working with another photographer on a job, photographing a country estate. As we methodically moved from room to room, setting up our lighting, selecting and changing lenses, adjusting white balance and generally taking our time to get every technical detail right, it struck me just how different this type of photography is to what I am usually dealing with – photographing people.

Portrait photography is 10% about photography and 90% about the subject. I spend the majority of my effort and energy during a family photo shoot on getting the best out of people. Photography is both a science and an art, but the balance of the two shifts depending upon the field of photography.

Visit my blog here.

I had the opportunity to shoot a Ball on Saturday night. Low light, no flash and fast moving subjects. It was great fun and a real challenge. To allow enough light to the sensor, I shot at high ISO, aperture wide open and shutter speed as quick as I could get away with, while tracking the dancers around the dance floor.

Visit my blog here.

Click here to see competition details and how to enter.

If you ask a small child to smile or say cheese, you usually get a big, fake grin that doesn't make a great photo. If you want to get a natural smile, you need to find a way of getting a real reaction. If you are photographing your own child, you will probably know what makes them smile or laugh.

When I am working with children for the first time, I try to figure out what gets a reaction - it could be funny noises and faces, tickling, using their toys to do silly stuff. Once you figure out what works, you can keep with it - I find that lots of repetition with small children is a good thing - often it just gets even more funny.

Visit my blog here.

I have created a YouTube video channel to display some promotional videos showing examples of my work.

Do you want to look good on your Twitter and Facebook profiles? You may be surprised to learn that professional photography needn't be expensive. I have photographed dozens of local small business owners in the last few months specifically for their websites, twitter and other social media. I offer the session fee including one digital image for just £40. All you need to do is get in touch and sign up for the next profile photo day. This offer is not limited to business people, so if you just want a great photo for facebook, you have come to the right place.

New special offers have been added today, valid on all portrait sessions.

Because I am certain you will love your photos, the special offer allows you to purchase either 12 digital images or the complete shoot on a CD, giving you a free gift worth up to £120. This will allow you to share images with family and friends and have a fantastic framed image on your wall to show off.

• Buy 12 images on a CD for £350 and receive £50 towards products of your choice. Available at the time of your viewing only.
• Buy all images on a CD for £495 and receive £120 towards any framed products. Available at the time of your viewing only.

I have updated my wedding packages to provide an affordable option for couples who want great photos on the day without breaking the bank.

If you like the idea of having some beautiful professional photos to keep, but are not too worried about capturing the events throughout the day, the Newlywed Package could be ideal for you. Priced at £575, this package is good value without compromising the results. Though I will only be present at your wedding for about 1.5 hours, we will achieve some great, natural photographs of you and the main bridal party members. It is also quite a lot of fun!

You will be provided with the images on a CD so that you can print and share with family and friends.

All of my packages are available all days of the week, without a weekend premium. See the pricing page for more information.

I will be at the Womens Wellbeing Event at St Stephens School this evening (Thursday 18th March) from 7-10pm. There will be some lovely stalls, including hand-sewn leather belts, health and beauty products, home-baked cakes... oh and of course some great offers on phoot shoots from me!

I will be running another corporate headshot day on Monday 22nd March in Kingston. If you need a photo for your website or social networking profile, please get in touch. Your session fee will be waived and there is no minimum purchase, so you can get a professional photo for just £40.

A photo session is the perfect gift for Mother's Day. Natural photos that capture memories beautifully will be cherished for years to come. Family photo sessions start at £60 and for each voucher purchased, I will give £30 towards products of your choice. Click here to buy.