lindsay philp photography

On the other side of the lens...

2011-02-11T12:08:00.000Z

I was taken out of my comfort zone this week! My friend Jo, of Jo Blackwell Photography was down in Newquay for a few days visiting her daughter. I thought it might be a good idea to see what it was like to be in front of the camera instead of behind it. Well, that's not strictly true: I needed some up to date images to go with the revamp of the website.

We took the boys, Knut & Bazel and headed down to Great Western Beach in Newquay. It was quite a mild day and fairly overcast which is always good news if you're using natural light for your portraits. The dogs love the beach and were not really in the mood to have their photos taken. They managed to look everywhere except at the camera and once released headed off across the sand at a rate of knots.

In the meantime, Jo and I headed back up to the back of the beach where there was an interesting wall which would serve as a backdrop. Pose, pose, snap, snap and we were done! Well, it seemed to go that quickly but then that's also the job of a good portrait photographer: to put your subject at their ease and get the best from them.

Here are the results:

I'm pleased and now feel ready to pin down my friend Allison Davies of Allison Davidson Photography to have some more done. This time I'm hoping to have some photographs of 'me in action'; the boys might have to stay at home for this one!

Why Does Custom Photography Cost More?

2011-01-04T11:41:00.000Z

[Credit for this post is to Marianne Drenthe of Marmalade Photography and freely borrowed from the site www.professionalchildphotographer.com]

The digital revolution has brought amazing flexibility and ability to control various factors during the image taking and making process. Photographers, the hobbyist, the professional, the amateur all benefit from this ability to manipulate pixels. However, with flexibility comes a price. Digital camera equipment is still considerably more expensive when you factor in its lifespan, the need for additional resources for processing those images, the time it takes to get a usable image and the effort that goes into creating a work of photographic art. We all know that you can go to the local Boot's and pay a £0.38 for a 6" x 4" print – as a client you may wonder why you may pay upwards of £25, £50, even £90 for a custom photography print. Photographers hear this statement every once in awhile:

"How in the world can you charge £60 for an 8×10 if it costs me less than £3 to print at x store?"

The truth of the matter is the answer to this question is multifaceted. Much of the cost of a photographic print produced by a professional photographer has a lot to do with the time, equipment costs, artistic vision and reputation of the photographer not to mention expertise and the usual costs of running a legitimate business.

The cost of TIME

Approaching it from a time standpoint, let's imagine that you have hired a photographer who has work that you love. This photographer is travelling an hour to your destination to photograph your session. Here is an example of a time break down:

booking time: 30 minutes to one hour (client contact time + paperwork)
pre-session prep time (30 mins – 1 hour, includes equipment and back up equipment checks + vehicle checks)
one hour travel time TO session
15-30 minutes prep time at client's home
90 minutes-2 hours with client photographing subject
one hour travel time FROM session
30-45 minutes uploading time from digital cards from camera to computer
30-45 minutes time spent backing up the original images
2-5 hours editing time to present you with a diverse gallery of edited images
1 hour prep time getting ready for ordering
2-3 hours time with client for ordering images
1 hour sorting through and checking order
30 minutes-1 hour prep time for delivery
30 minutes-1 hour getting order shipped
any additional phone time or time needed for add on ordering, shipment issues, quality issues

In this example, the time spent per client can range from just under 13 hours to 19 hours – dependent on the photographer's level of service. This is time dedicated only to ONE session. When the photographer charges £75-£150 for the photo shoot (aka SESSION FEE) you are not just paying for the two hours of session time, you are paying the photographer for 12-19 hours complete time for your session.

The COSTS of Maintaining a Custom Photography Business:

Regarding equipment costs, a good quality professional camera with a selection of good optical quality lenses and digital storage mediums and computer set up can run from £5000-£15,000 costs dependent on the photographer. Even though you can purchase a really good quality digital SLR for about £1000 there are still other costs related to photography. A good lens for portrait photography can run from £900 to £1600. A dependable computer system with software loaded for business and creative usage can run £2000 to £6000 dependent on the photographer. Then come lab costs for specialty products. A good photographer knows their professional lab is an integral part of their success. These labs often cost more and offer a range of products that allows the custom photographer to continually offer new, innovative products for the discerning client.

Discussion on other costs of running a photography business could take awhile so we'll skip many of the intricate details. An overview: the costs of running the business, taxes, studio rental/mortgage if the photographer has ownership of a dedicated studio, vehicular costs, costs of advertising/marketing, costs of sample pieces that the photographer will likely bring to your session, etc.

APPLES to ORANGES to BANANAS: Often times clients will mention to their photographer that X studio in the shopping centre/department store only charges £9.99 for an 8×10 "sheet" or they may mention other things related to discount photography chains. The fact is those discount chains make their money on volume, not on customized 1:1 service. In February 2007 a company who has leased photography retail space in a rather well known discount retailer closed down 500 of their portrait studios across the nation. The reason it happened is simple, you cannot make money on 99p "professional" prints if you do not sell enough of them. Interestingly enough – those same studios that offer the loss leader packages often charge much much more for their a la carte pricing vs. many custom photographers (as high as £40-50 for an 8×10).

A little history – the whole reason the big department stores began offering portrait services in the first place was to get you, the savvy consumer, in through their door so that you could spend more money with them in other departments. Your "PORTRAITS" are considered the "loss leader". Your portraits that are meant to symbolize a once-in-a-lifetime stage in your child's life are part of what a store considers a way to get you in there door to spend more money on goods that you might not really want or need but because you're there "anyway" you buy.

Also keep in mind that when you go to a chain studio, as a consumer, you don't have the benefit of 1:1 attention for 2 hours at your home where your child is allowed to explore, play and be comfortable in their home environment, nor do you get the experience that many custom photographers are known for as well as the lovely captures of natural expressions. You simply get a bare bones, "SAY CHEESE" experience.

REPUTATION/EXPERTISE of the PHOTOGRAPHER: There is an old story about a ship that cost a company millions of dollars. Something went wrong in the engine room and the ship was stuck in dock. They called various "experts" who spent weeks trying to fix the issue to no avail and at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars. Finally a older gentleman was called in who simply brought in his small tool bag and a hammer. He set about pinging on various parts of the vast engine with his hammer, finally settling on one area. He spent a few minutes pinging in that area, took out a few tools and fixed whatever what was wrong. After a few moments the man straightened up, looked at the captain and instructed him to "start her up." The captain disbelievingly went to get the engines started while the man sat in the engine room listening as the engine roared to life. The man tipped his hat as he exited the ship to the staff who sat dumbfounded because they had seen all the experts come on board for days with their expensive equipment only to have the ship not fixed. This man did it in a few minutes with a few pings of his hammer!

A few days passed and the man sent the shipping company a bill for $10,000. The accounting department contacted him immediately. Why all the rumours mentioned that this man had only spent "a few minutes" fixing the ship "with his hammer and a few other random tools". When questioned about why his bill was for $10,000 – did he accidentally leave an extra zero on the bill? The man confidently responded: "In fact the time was worth the $1,000. The other $9,000 was for the years of experience and the ability to discern the issue as quickly as possible for the company."

Now I'm not saying that photographers fix large ships but being in demand, being well known for quality work, having a good reputation often costs time on the photographer's part (years of practice, study, experience, etc). A photographer's expertise comes at a cost, their time learning their craft and learning the intricacies of lighting and the commitment put forth on their end to create a persona about their business that oozes professionalism. A great number of photographers go a very long time from the time that they purchase their first good camera to making money at the business of photography. Many photographers, when first starting out, rush in thinking that the business will be easily profitable in no time, how expensive could it be to get a camera and use it to create their dream? These photographers often undervalue what they do because they have the realization that they do not have experience or expertise but are very adept at pushing the shutter on the camera. Many times these casual "professionals" neglect to factor in the cost of business, the cost of equipment, software, back ups, etc.. When you hire a photographer of sound reputation, you are hiring an expert, one that knows that they must always reinvest in their business to create the reputation of being top notch. To create good work a photographer possesses not only sound knowledge in the technical and creative aspects of photography but also good, reliable equipment and back up equipment.

The photographer who desires to be known as better/best/unparalleled reputation-wise knows that the most important thing they can do for their business is reliability and dependability. This is how reputations get built. Good work often is a wonderful side product of building that good reputation.

I hope this (lengthy) article helps shed some light on WHY a custom photographer is a better choice for your family's memories. The photographs that are produced as a result of the professionalism and dedication that your photographer has will be cherished for a lifetime (or more) and great thought and consideration should be placed into hiring who is right for your family's most precious investment.

Why choose custom photography?

2011-01-03T07:23:00.000Z

[Credit for this post is to Marianne Drenthe of Marmalade Photography and freely borrowed from the site www.professionalchildphotographer.com]

Custom Photography as something "special"

Custom photography is more of a luxury than your entry level cookie cutter chain experience. Custom photography truly is not for everyone, it requires a level of commitment, investment in time and money, forethought and planning on the part of the subject/client and requires a larger time commitment for the photographer as well.

Clients who enjoy taking a more active role in the creation of their families’ memories have the desire to have portrait art that is truly personalized. These more discerning clients have been known to budget and allot time for a custom photography session. Many clients opt for it to be a once a year special experience, some opt to have custom photography sessions done to record their child's stages in life. Having said this, it is clear that custom photography is not in everyone’s budget, it is something that most families save for to splurge on from time to time to memorialize their children as they really are (not posed and primped in the cookie cutter studio setting).

There is a great deal of time involved in creating high end custom photography sessions for a client. The luxury of great service, better choices and a superb end product. The result of all this are heirloom quality images. The time invested at the session is only a small portion of time involved in this process.

Custom photography has been likened to purchasing a fine vehicle. To get to point B from A let's face it, even a bus ride would suffice. If you want to luxuriate in a finely appointed vehicle, customizing your own experience by listening to smooth jazz while sitting in a climate controlled setting adjusted purely for your comfort in a body hugging leather interior, perhaps that Lexus you so desire is your cup of tea. Custom photography is much the same cup of tea. It is the Lexus of the photography world. It is where the intangibles make the experience truly wonderful and the images themselves make the investment of money and time truly worthwhile.

Custom photography can be broken down into even more levels. There are on location, studio, mixed studio/on location, specialty location and destination type photographers. The beauty of custom photography is in the choices and in the luxury of those options. The customized service level you are sure to experience will be amazing. The knowledge that your final images are the result of someone caring about those moments so much that they take extra time ensuring that the artwork you receive is good enough to stand by with their name on it. That level of quality and commitment is all but lost in the age of "mass produced," "mass marketed," corporate "everyone is a number". Custom photography is based on being unique to you. How great an experience would be, to be able to sit back and allow a photographer to do this highly custom work for images that you will most likely cherish for a lifetime?

Keep in mind more than anything that the Lexus will never appreciate in value the way your portraits will. The portrait art you become invested in from your custom photographer will no doubt increase in value and become more priceless as the years pass.

Tomorrow: Why Does Custom Photography Cost More?

What is custom photography?

2011-01-02T11:25:00.000Z

[Credit for this post is to Marianne Drenthe of Marmalade Photography and freely borrowed from the site www.professionalchildphotographer.com]

The photographic art you choose to place on your wall is ultimately the result of the vision of the photographer. This vision, coupled with what you wear to your session, the environment, the lighting, even the mood the subjects are in at the time of photographing creates the work that you will want to proudly display on your walls forevermore.

Your first step in the process is more about determining who you are, who your family is and then seeking a photographer that reflects your style. For instance let’s say your family is extremely outdoorsy and loves playing on the beach. You start determining what style you like, browse through photography website portfolios and determine if any of the styles exhibited there would be a good fit with your life and family style. You have already determined that you should probably seek out a beach type photographer (that is if you live near a beach) and then begin narrowing the field down a bit.

Finally after a bit of internet research, you have narrowed it down to two photographers who do what seems like solid work, the sort of outdoor beach look you desire. It is now time to ask yourself: Do you like photographer A’s style over photographer B’s style? Is it because the people in the images of A’s style are having a great time and it seems very caught up in the moment vs. B photographer more posed, looking in the camera images? If this is a case, you probably like LIFESTYLE photography or perhaps even take it a step further and define your desired style as a PHOTOJOURNALISTIC photography style. The photographer you probably should choose is photographer A because their style is very similar to the style you desire.

What custom photography ultimately is all about is choice and experience. Custom photography is about finding someone who will photograph your family, give you devoted 1:1 attention without worry of who is next ‘in line’ or the feeling of a crowded portrait studio.

A custom photographer will typically show you a fairly extensive gallery culled to only show the good images that meet the photographers’ creative sensibilities.
Often the images are fully edited images-color corrected with blemishes and undereye circles removed.
Custom photographers are also known as boutique studios, offering a range of products and unparalleled service. Think Lexus vs. Hyundai, think M & S vs. Poundland.

A custom photography experience should have you, the client and your experience in mind.

Tomorrow: Why Choose Custom Photography

How To Take Fabulous Holiday Photographs This Weekend

2010-12-21T08:41:00.000Z

Yes, it's almost here: as I write this, only 2 more days until Christmas Eve. Everyone's getting excited (if you're a woman, change that to stressed!), hopefully everything's been done and you're waiting for your relatives to arrive.

Now is the time to have a think about the sort of holiday photographs you'd like to take this year and if you read my last Blog post on how to use your compact camera, you're well on your way to getting some cracking Christmas images. So here are a few more things you might want to consider:

Try to avoid choreographing people; this will really frustrate everyone and it's not realistic. Capture the moments as they happen;

Take pictures of people's faces as they open their presents: their expressions are priceless;

Get down low: grab some shots from a kid's perspective;

In the kitchen: the focal point of the house (unless you're a man!). Use your macro function to get some close up shots of the food;

The dining table: how often do you all eat at the dining table when it's all decorated? Preserve the memory!

The tree with all the presents underneath: grab some shots here. Try some close ups of labels and wrapping paper;

Take shots of people asleep after the lunch;

Take pictures from above by standing on a chair: the different perspective will instantly give your images some pizzazz.

Above all, take lots of images (it doesn't cost anything after all!), vary your angles and just enjoy your photography! But try not to use the flash!!!

Happy Christmas everyone!

How to Get the Most From Your Point and Shoot Camera

2010-12-14T11:23:00.000Z

You might be wondering if you can improve the quality of the photographs from your point and shoot camera. Well, with a little bit of application, yes you can! If you read this guide, take away a few points from it and practise (yes, that means do it over and over again until you’re satisfied you’ve got it right!), you’ll be getting some fabulous shots of friends and family over the holiday season.

Read the Manual!

This might seem like a silly question but: have you read your camera manual? Be honest here! If you’re like me, you unwrap your camera, take a cursory glance at the manual, throw it to one side and turn the camera on. You think, how difficult can it be? It pays to read the manual, believe me. So, that’s your first instruction: set aside an hour or so, get your camera out and as you go through the manual, relate it to your camera.

Settings

Next, you will need to explore the various settings via your camera’s menu. Of course, you can just set the dial to P and have the camera think for you, but it’s always better to be in control, don’t you think? The camera’s presets are fantastic: if you want to get an action shot of your son on his BMX, this is the one to use. What does it do? It increases your shutter speed so that you can freeze the action. Beautiful view? Use landscape mode where everything from the front to the back of your image will be in focus. If you know what it means when you set that dial, you’re already on the way to better photographs. After all, you have but seconds to capture that shot of your children and you don’t want to miss it by fumbling with your camera dials! Oh yes, whilst we’re in this section, TURN OFF YOUR DIGITAL ZOOM! An optical zoom is where elements in the lens actually move to bring the object closer. A digital zoom, on the other hand is where the optical zoom maxes out and the camera takes over giving questionable results. Don’t use it!

Practise

Now, you’ve read the manual and played around with the settings, go out and practise. When I was younger (much younger!) I had to play the oboe. I can still hear my father now saying to me “practise makes perfect” and you know, he was right. So, don’t just get your camera out on special occasions, take it out all the time and take pictures of anything and everything. You’ve got nothing to lose except a bit of battery power. Download them to your computer, then be critical of them.

Technique

Now we can look at technique. You’ve done all of the above but your pictures still don’t have that wow factor. How many of you make sure your subjects are dead centre of the frame and looking straight at you? Dull, dull, dull! Try this: move your subject to either the left or right of the frame and see what a difference it makes.

Have them look ‘into the frame’ instead of at you. Imagine your picture has a noughts and crosses grid superimposed on it. Try and position your subject where these lines intersect and your image will be much more visually appealing. Just out of interest, have a skim through some magazines and see how many images are using this technique. It’s called the ‘rule of thirds’.

How many times do you see a family out for the day where they are being lined up for the picture with the view behind them and the photographer standing? You are so used to seeing images taken from the height you are. Try getting down really low and shooting up or climb up higher and shoot down. Shooting down can make children’s eyes look wonderful and it does wonders for those of use who may have a little more flesh than we’d like around our chins! Don't be afraid to climb, kneel, lean, tilt the camera, hold it over your head, shoot from the waist, or any other unconventional things to get a photo that's interesting.

Out for the evening? Special meal or occasion? When you download your images, everyone looks either like the devil with the dreaded red eye or like they’ve just returned from a Halloween party. The reason for this is your camera’s flash. Because it’s situated right next to your lens it projects light forward parallel to it, resulting in flat and nearly shadow less photos. One answer is to ditch the flash altogether; turn it off. This will mean that you have to be a bit inventive: brace yourself against buildings, tables, hold the camera tight to your body for additional stability, and breathe properly (exhale when you press the shutter) so your low-light shots don't turn out blurry.

On the other hand, you shouldn't neglect to take the picture just because you have to use flash. It's worth taking a not so good photograph of a family gathering just to have a nice clear photo of your great grandfather with all his grandchildren. Practise at home in various lighting conditions to see how your camera handles poor lighting conditions. Oh and don’t forget, you can remove red eye with most image manipulation programs.

Hopefully, by reading this and taking a couple of things on board (and PRACTISING!), you should have some great shots of this festive season.

Gift Vouchers now available...

2010-12-02T07:28:00.000Z

I have now received my beautiful gift vouchers which are available for you to buy. If you are stuck for ideas for Christmas or birthday gifts, these are ideal! Complete with a choice of coloured envelope (orange, yellow, silver or plum) and a card for you to write your personal message. They can be used against a portrait session, any products or photography tuition (which will be offered in the Spring of 2011).

It's Been A While!

2010-11-08T07:08:00.000Z

Well, I didn't realise just how long it's been since I last wrote here! They say time flies when you're having fun so I guess I've been having a great time! Seriously, I've been very busy with a multitude of things especially now Christmas is not too far away. All of a sudden, people are thinking wouldn't it be great to give mum/dad/granny/auntie a book or canvas of our recent photo shoot? Yes, great gifts...but it's keeping me really busy!

Over the weekend, I had two assignments to complete. The first was a commercial shoot of a beautiful holiday lodge near Tintagel. What a restful place for a holiday! Close enough to the beach to walk and overlooking rolling countryside. We certainly were lucky with the weather for our outdoor shots.

I must confess to eventually eating the smaller scone!

The living area

Yesterday I was lucky to be at the joint christening of Harry & Phoebe at St. Petroc's Church in Padstow. You've met Harry & Phoebe before and now they're about 8 months old. Phoebe is a typical girl, slim and willowy whereas Harry is a chunky little fellow: both are adorable!

Phoebe

Harry

There were a lot of guests at the church and I don't think I've ever been in a church which was quite so noisy! As the ceremony started, first Phoebe started to cry, closely followed by Harry and supported by other small children/babies in the congregation. I'm surprised the vicar could hear himself think!! Anyway, it all passed without incident and we all enjoyed a Sunday afternoon in the Social Club relaxing and eating...lots!!

The reluctant wedding photographer...

2010-09-21T08:26:00.000+01:00

Days seem to fly by so quickly don't they? It doesn't seem a minute since I wrote my last post, yet here we are 15 days later and so much has happened!

When Donna asked me to photograph her wedding over a year ago, I dithered for a bit before committing. The reason? I'd never done a wedding before, it was for friends so that made the pressure a bit more and I just didn't know if I wouldn't rather attend just as a guest. Donna wanted an answer so I said yes and then panicked!!

In the meantime, Allison Davidson of Allison Davidson Photography in Launceston had sent out a request for a photographer to help her out as and when with any weddings or other shoots she had booked. What a great idea! We met up in Padstow for coffee and a chat and hit it off right away.

My first wedding, covered in my Blog here of the 29th June was of Hayley and Ben in Falmouth, as assistant photographer.

Then I assisted Allison at the wedding of Hayley and Will, where Allison just said go and do whatever you want! Brilliant! No pressure and I could see how Allison worked and what was involved.

Next up was Liz and Joe at Launceston followed by the reception at Bude, again working with Allison. This time, there was a bit more responsibility: meeting Joe at the chapel, doing the groom and bridesmaids shots. It was great fun and I felt a bit more prepared for Donna and Mike's big day.

I rounded up the troops: my friend Jo Blackwell of Jo Blackwell Contemporary Photography jumped at the chance to help out at the wedding of Donna and Michael at Padstow church on 11th September. Jo and hubby Neil were having a week's holiday in Newquay visiting their daughter so they opted to stay an extra night so Jo could be at the wedding on the Saturday and not have to rush home afterwards.

Allison was also on board and Donna had already dubbed us the paparazzi! We were ready...

The day started early, at 8 a.m. with the make up, followed by the hairdresser and the detail shots. A brief respite then I met Jo at the Customs House where the men were enjoying a pre-wedding, calming drink. I had to shoot up to the house to capture the bridal preparations, leaving Jo to sort out the men, which she did admirably!

Panic in the house as the car arrived 40 minutes early and Donna wasn't in her dress! But everything went smoothly and I headed off to meet Allison and Jo at the Church. A quick chat and a rundown of who was going to be positioned where in the church and we were ready for the show to begin!

Well, I don't think there was really time to draw breath, it all went in such a whirl: arrival of the bride, the ceremony, outside the church, the bride and groom at the lake at the Showground, the reception, speeches, cutting of the cake, first dance. By 9.45pm, I'd had enough and I don't think I could've summoned the energy to take another photograph!

It was a great day for everyone: the weather couldn't have been better, it all went to plan and the 'paparazzi' worked together as a great team. I'm still a reluctant wedding photographer; I enjoy taking the pictures, the sense of occasion and seeing the great images afterwards. But it sure is a very long and tiring day!

It's a Dog's Life, Lanhydrock

2010-09-05T09:44:00.000+01:00

Yesterday saw the first 'It's a Dog's Life' event held in the grounds of the beautiful National Trust property, Lanhydrock near Bodmin. I wanted to go and meet other dog oriented businesses as well as take some photos. I thought it might be a bit cheeky just handing out promotional postcards so I asked Matt, the head warden if it would be OK in return for some photos of the event which the Trust could use to promote 'It's a Dog's Life' next year. He agreed and I was all set to go. The only drawback was the completion of Model Release forms. If the 'model' doesn't sign the form, the photos can't be used in any publicity material! Dogs can't write so it was down to the owners....

I had planned to leave Knut and Bazel at home: trying to take photographs and keep control of the boys is never an easy job! But they looked at me with those imploring eyes and I thought 'why not?'. It'll be a good socialization day for them.

Well, they were so excited walking from the car park! It was a slow journey because everyone wanted to speak to Knut, wanting to know what he was, how old he was etc etc. Poor old Baz doesn't get a look in! There were dogs of every size, shape, breed you could think of! Dogs absolutely everywhere! And my two were so well behaved! I was really proud of them.

Chris grooming Oliver

I met some lovely people: Gary and Chris from Oliver's Dog Grooming Service and of course, Oliver himself! The manager of the St Francis Home for Animals at Porth, Sgt. Colin Harper and his police dog, Edie, Mark Smith of the Cornwall Fire Brigade and his dog Nelson amongst many others. Not forgetting Fred of the National Trust who organized the entire event (and who was a little surprised by its success, if truth be told!).

Sgt. Colin Harper with Edie

Mark Smith with Nelson

The highlight of my day was meeting a 5 month old Jack Russell who could have been a miniature Bazel. His name was Trevor!!!

Kate with Teddy


Jenna And Robert

Time for a rest

Jo Smith and Murphy

Sandra and millie

Fred, who organized the entire event!

What is the ideal size for a wall portrait?

2010-08-24T09:09:00.000+01:00

There is a growing trend for clients to purchase wall portraits. There is a realisation that not only are they a great way to see their favourite image every day, wall portraits are a fab way to enhance the decor of their home. The traditionally framed wall portraits don't seem to be as popular as canvases and, more recently, box frames. When the client, together with advice from the photographer pick the right image in the right medium in the right wall space, the impact is amazing!

So, let's get back to our original question: what is the ideal size for a wall portrait? There are several things you will want to consider:

What is the nature of the image? By that I mean is it more of a scenic composition or a tightly cropped head shot? By and large, the scenic composition will work better as a single large image whereas a head shot of a baby may have more impact with a grouping of several smaller images arranged in a gallery style;
Where do you want your image to hang? If you have narrow wall, for example in a hallway or middle landing of the stairs, then a set of 6 smaller images in a tall 2 x 3 vertical arrangement would be better;
If you intend for your portrait to hang over a piece of furniture or a mantlepiece, then it should NOT be longer than the furniture.

In most family homes, a wall portrait should be upwards of 24 inches on the longest size. Not many people can visualize that so when I show clients their images, I always have a couple of samples with me ~ a box frame and a canvas ~ so that we can try them out on the walls.

A 20" by 30" landscape image: could really do with being larger!

Believe me when I say...bigger IS better!

'How to photograph dogs'....and their owners/staff (Part II)

2010-08-19T12:27:00.000+01:00

After a sumptuous lunch, which had to be rather rushed as Knut and Bazel wanted a quick walk by the river, we went downstairs to meet Graham and his 3 lovely whippets, Chai, Misty and Zeppy. After establishing a few important facts, Paul had a surprise for us all. We were to be given a specific type of shot to get sometime during the afternoon. Lots were drawn and I got 'quirky/comedy'! You know what it's like when you HAVE to do something all of a sudden? Yep, your mind goes completely blank!

We all headed off back to the river where there was a greater variety of terrain and backdrops. First up was the group shot allocated to another delegate. Here's my attempt....(memo to self, get a squeaky toy, give to Knut to destroy then rescue squeak and use to get dogs' attention).

Unfortunately, the rain which had threatened during the morning started to fall. And this wasn't any rain, it was Lakeland rain! And it was heavy! Ooer! My camera doesn't 'do' the rain! Whilst everyone else was sheltering under an overhang, Rachel ran back to get us umbrellas and to shut the windows on my van. And I was sent out to get my quirky/comedy shot....

Graham suggested he hang upside down in the tree with some food in his mouth and let the dogs jump up. Great idea! Only drawback was that the available light under the tree was about zero. We were only allowed about 4 minutes to get our particular shot so I wasn't very successful. In fact, I got nothing worth looking at!!! My time was up, the rain was stopping and it was someone else's turn.

The techniques Paul showed to us were invaluable and did involve close direction with the owner/handler in order to get the image which we had previously envisaged. This one was one of the more successful ones...

In conclusion, getting fabulous photographs of your pets is much more difficult than getting fabulous photos of your children. But, with a detailed game plan, an intimate knowledge of your camera and lots of practice, it can be done!

'How to photograph dogs'....and their owners/staff (Part I)

2010-08-18T08:09:00.002+01:00

Last Wednesday, I packed the van and the boys and I headed off on the long drive up to the Lake District, a journey of nearly 400 miles. I had booked to take part in a workshop that would help me become more proficient in photographing our canine companions. The workshop was run by the team at Annabel Williams and the speaker was acclaimed pet photographer Paul Walker.

The dogs and I popped in to see friend and colleague Lorna Coates where we were all warmly welcomed! The dogs were invited in to play with Freddie although I'm sure Bazel was far more interested in a) the hens and b) all the children's toys! It was great to catch up with Lorna again - we were on a 4 day photography seminar last April - and to meet husband, Mike and the girls: India and Izzy.

We started the workshop by looking at some of Paul's images which were stunning. We talked about photography styles and what, as a pet photographer, we were trying to capture for the client. Then, after coffee (and delicious shortbread/chocolate chip cookies/chocolate covered biscuits), we met our first victim, sorry, client! Maddy was an old English sheepdog, only about a year old, with her owner Lisa. She seemed friendly but was a tad overwhelmed by 8 photographers crowding around her! We headed for a large open space and the fun began!

Now, I know there are some of you who are awaiting my photos with bated breath. Well, on this occasion, I didn't get any 'wow' photos. Why? Paul recommended we use the manual mode on the camera. When he announced this, there was a moment of silence before everyone sheepishly changed from either aperture priority or shutter priority. Here comes the learning curve again! Paul was able to rattle off aperture, ISO and expected shutter speed and get it right nearly every time. I realized I had become a bit lazy expecting the camera to do all the work and not really thinking about it. So, manual mode it was.

We soon realised that to get the very best images, the photographer had to direct the client into specific places and do specific things; it was not enough to follow the dog and owner around and hope that the shots would just happen. With each shot that was set up, Paul explained why and how, took his images then let us practice the same. It was great!

Paul demonstrating the getting the 'formal' pose!


Maddy with 'mum' Lisa

The next test was the running shot down the slope....


Rachel, Lisa, Maddy and Paul talk about what's required...

This was my best attempt: it's been cropped and the focusing is out a bit; more practice needed!!!

And another...more practice needed! Those who know me, know that I'm a perfectionist and it takes quite a lot for me to be 100% pleased with my images!!

Back to the studio for a well earned lunch...

Part II later and the fun we had with 3 whippets...

Can I take a couple of pictures of your dogs?

2010-08-10T15:17:00.002+01:00

This was the start of a conversation I had with a lady called Claire. Let's go back to the beginning....I was out walking my two hounds, Bazel and Knut when I saw Claire with her two unusual dogs, one black and one white. I didn't recognize the breed so I asked what they were. 'Shiba Inus' came the reply. Then, from behind the gate, popped this delightful little bundle called Honey, a Pug puppy of about 9 weeks. I was smitten and hence my request: 'can I take a couple of pictures of your dogs?'

We finally arranged to meet at Claire's house one Monday morning a couple of weeks ago. Honey, was by this time about 12 weeks old, with teeth like needles but a lovely disposition and a face to die for. Long live wrinkles and loose skin....if you're a Pug! (Not quite so nice on me, but hey, who's looking?!). I arrived at the house at 10 o'clock prompt and thus started one of the most hectic mornings I've had!

I was greeted by a sweet little boy at the door who announced 'I'm Will, Sam's friend.' He then promptly disappeared upstairs, back to watching the TV. In the meantime, Honey, Badger and Bubble were roaming the garden, play fighting and having fun. I started taking some photographs, then Molly aged 6, her brother Sammy aged 5 and previously introduced friend, Will also aged 5 descended from the living room to add to the mayhem in the garden. Claire had mentioned that it would be nice to have a couple of pics of the kids so I thought we'll do them in between shooting the dogs who were, after all, my main focus.

Molly & Sam

Sammy

Badger

Triple Trouble

Sammy & Will

Molly

Bubble

Honey

Boys will be boys!

Becky

Pip in a quiet moment!

The kids were nicely arranged on a delightful wooden bench in the garden and the shooting was going well, when Claire emerged from the house with a gorgeous British short haired silver tabby cat. Switch focus again and onto said cat who was really not in the mood for having a long lens poked in his face. He shot off inside to be replaced by by a rather striking white cat who was content to pose in the front doorway away from the hurly-burly of the children and the dogs.

Back to the kids and dogs and all was going well when Will's mum arrived with his little sister, Becky. There were now 4 children, 3 dogs and 3 cats and I was a bit like a child in a sweet shop; I didn't know which subject to focus on next! But wait! Will's mum brought her dog Pip into the garden, a young Staffie with the most beautiful (and unusual) blue coat. What choice!

We headed off to the beach at Chiddley Pumps where the dogs and kids had a paddle and generally messed around, as kids do for half an hour or so. Coming back through the field, we did some running shots and I managed to get Molly on her own, away from the boys for a bit of individual attention.

All shots captured, camera away, we popped down into town for a pasty (not a good move in the height of the summer!) and I headed home. I downloaded the images and realised that I actually didn't have that many of Molly and Sam. I'd previously mentioned compiling a book of images and Claire was quite keen, but I didn't have enough variety of shots. I rang Claire and suggested we go out the following week just for an hour or so to redress the balance a wee bit.

Monday before last, photo shoot part 2 and we had a great time! The kids and I were all more focussed and the shots were beautiful. I could visualise the book in my mind's eye.

Yesterday was the viewing. It had to be late because Neil was working until 8 and the kids were up because they wanted to see themselves so it was a bit of a party atmosphere.

3 hours, 3 books, one canvas and 3 mini books later, Claire turned to me and said 'You just asked me for a couple of shots of my dogs and look where we are now!'

PS I'm back again next Wednesday because we don't have any pics of dad for the book!!!

An afternoon on the Townleigh estate...assisting at a wedding

2010-08-01T11:07:00.000+01:00

My good friend Allison Davidson, and I have a reciprocal agreement whereby I'II help her out at events and weddings and she'll do the same for me. So, yesterday, I made my way to the Townleigh estate near Lifton in Devon to assist in the wedding of Will and Hayley.

I did all the prep work necessary including finding the location of the Estate on Google maps, printing off Alison's shot and timing sheets and making sure I was well fuelled with one of Aunt Avice's traditional pasties. It was a slowish journey given that it was Saturday and change over day but I was there at the specified time despite taking a very unorthodox route to the estate. It went a little like this: follow directions from map, miss the left hand turn and follow brown sign to Hotel. Realise hotel is not the one and check sat-nav on iPhone. Retrace steps and follow sat-nav's instruction to turn into very narrow lane (Allison had said the lane was narrow so didn't become unduly concerned). Passed a couple of houses then lane gets very narrow with grass growing up the middle. Realise that long wheelbase VW van is perhaps not ideal for this environment. Continue along lane with branches brushing roof and sides, pass numerous signs declaring this is private land then encounter sharp left hand turn on gravel. Gritting teeth, continue round bend with wheels spinning furiously and come out in a yard with stables. Turn the corner and realise I have arrived in the right spot. Breath sigh of relief!!

The location was absolutely stunning with panoramic views right over the Devon countryside and the weather was holding fine, which was just as well as the ceremony was being held outside in a glade of trees. As Will and Hayley live in Hong Kong, many of the guests had travelled a few thousand miles to enjoy this special day. After touching base with Allison and fellow photographer Lisa, my brief was to do my own thing. Great! Let's find the kids!

And the bride and groom? Beautiful!!

Publishing a book

2010-07-28T13:08:00.000+01:00

It's never been easier to publish a book of any description: photographs, poetry, recipes ~ anything you like! In most cases, you download the software on to your Mac (or PC) and off you go.

I first did a book for my stepdaughter ~ I hate to call her that a) because we're not far off in age b) that means I'm a step mother, or worse, a step granny (heaven forbid!) ~ last year about her little Pomeranian, Ted. It was fun putting it together and I thought it would be good if it was written by Bazel, my Jack Russell. Sarah loved the book but keeps it well wrapped up and protected from the elements! So much so, that I gave her a soft back version she could keep out and peruse at her leisure.

Big Ted Goes To Cornwall by Bazel Philp |

I've now just completed two more books, both for clients. 'Simka & Saffra' is the title of a 60 page book for Matt; whilst 'Holly, Chloe and Ben' features the exciting afternoon we had down at Booby's Bay a couple of weeks ago. Mum really couldn't decide which images she liked best so is having all of them (143) in her own 8" by 10" hardback book. I must admit that they both look really good and I can't wait to get them!

No sneak previews yet, but when they arrive, watch this space....

In memory of Simka.....

2010-07-24T13:26:00.000+01:00

Back in May, I was asked by Matt if I could take some picture's of his mum's dog, Saffra. He wanted to surprise her with some images for her birthday later in the year. We agreed to meet on Perranporth beach one Sunday morning in early May. He had said that he would be bringing his own dog, Simka with him too as the dogs, of similar age, really enjoyed each others company. However, Simka didn't make it because of a trip to the vets the day before and was feeling a bit under the weather.

Saffra, however, was delighted to be on the beach but had eyes only for Matt; I was just an irrelevance on the periphery of her world and she paid me scant attention. As we got her to 'pose' (as much as you can with anything feline/canine/porcine et al), I suggested that Matt might like to come behind the camera so it would appear as if Saffra was looking at me. No, she wasn't having that! As soon as Matt got a couple of metres away, so she moved closer to him! We had to devise other ways of capturing her!!

We had a really good morning on the beach and over coffee in the Blue Bar, Matt said that he would like some images of Simka. We arranged the shoot for a couple of weeks time, when I could show him the images of Saffra afterwards.

Fast forward two weeks, to Stithians Lake where the weather was a little unkind: Cornish drizzle persistently falling and a strong wind. Not that it bothered the two dogs!! Saffra and Simka were out of the car like a flash and heading off round the lake and into the water. However, the news wasn't good: Simka had been to the vets and it was discovered that she had cancer and had only a few months left. It made the photo shoot just a little more poignant.

If you look carefully, you can see the little bald patch on Simka's leg where she had to have her anaesthetic.

Matt viewed the images of Saffra on the laptop whilst sitting in the back of my VW van...a first for me! I delivered the images 10 days later and Simka seemed happy and well under medication. She had put on weight because of the steroids and was eating like a horse. (Matt's mum was thrilled by the images he'd chosen for her which were presented as a box frame.)

However, Matt knew that she only had, at best a few more weeks. I received a text today to say that they lost her yesterday. So this Blog entry is for Simka, a lovely dog who will be sadly missed....

Charlotte's Christening.....

2010-07-07T14:38:00.000+01:00

Last Sunday, I was fortunate to do the photography at Charlotte's christening which, as Dad is a serving naval officer, was held at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. I was expecting a very formal occasion, with mention of uniforms and the such, but in reality, the whole day was gloriously relaxed and good fun! My sister accompanied me as 'photographer's assistant' and she did a very admirable job of navigating us to the college whilst changing into her 'glad rags' in the back of the van!!

On the photography side, I knew I would find lighting conditions challenging in the chapel. No, I don't own a flash, don't have one on the camera and (foolishly?) didn't have a monopod either. The only option was to ramp up the ISO and deal with the noise afterwards. As it happens, I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome. In landscape photography, I very rarely use anything other than ISO 50 or 100; here we were at ISO 1600 or at the max.

After the ceremony, John gave us a quick tour and gave us an insight into life as a naval cadet. However, I was soon very distracted by all the children. Back in my element: overcast skies, children being active outside, stunning backdrop equals happiness!!

It was back inside for some shots of Charlotte resplendent in her dress followed by lunch and the ceremonial cutting of the cake.

The children, soon bored after lunch, decided to amuse themselves by running up and down the extremely long corridor which ran the full length of the front of the building. They had a blast, as you can see!

My first wedding shoot......

2010-06-29T11:09:00.000+01:00

On the 12th June, I was lucky to be asked to be a second shooter at the wedding of Hayley and Ben in Falmouth. The weather was absolutely fantastic and so was the occasion. I met with Ben as he was getting ready, then we all headed off to the Registry Office. Family had come from France and Ireland so it was a very special day. The bride looked stunning as did the groom and after the ceremony, we headed down to the gardens at Gyllynvase Beach for the group shots. What a beautiful setting! Here's a taster...

Harry, Ruby and Billy having fun at Harlyn.....

2010-06-28T22:16:00.000+01:00

Back at the beginning of May, I met up with my good friend, Linda down at Harlyn Bay. She wanted some photographs of her son Harry, and his cousins, Billy and Ruby had come along too. Despite what you might see in the following pictures, it was exceptionally cold for the time of year! Ruby, however, didn't bat an eyelid at paddling in the sea! As everyone knows, the sea in May is probably as cold as it gets: instant cramp in your feet. On the plus side, despite it being a Saturday afternoon, the beach was quiet. When the kids arrived, it was great to see them all in primary colours. Normally, you would ask that everyone wears clothes with the same tones. This made a really refreshing change! These kids were very active (perhaps they were moving around to keep warm?!) and certainly kept me on my toes with a weather eye out for any rogue wave which may engulf me and equipment (been there, done that only too frequently when trying for that cracking sunset!).

A wonderful family shoot...even if it was a bit chilly!

2010-06-26T11:18:00.000+01:00

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of spending the day with the Clague family. Mum, Jackie, dad, Jon, two live wire boys Thomas(just 5) and Henry (2) and the adorable Lottie (nearly 6 months). Oh, and not forgetting Wellie, the black lab who also had bags of energy!

We started off at home with Lottie and I think she relished being in front of the camera! The light from her bedroom window was beautiful and she was propped up in a small seat just waiting to pose. We even had a change of clothes complete with hat ready for those hot summer days (which we now have!)

We then headed out into the garden where the boys had been warming up their electric tractors. Being with Lottie was the calm before the storm....out in the garden, I needed eyes everywhere to prevent my legs being run over by an over enthusiastic driver! It was great fun and the boys really are quite accomplished given their ages. I don't think I'II try the technique of driving whilst looking over my shoulder though!!

When we'd refreshed ourselves and put the tractors away, we all headed off to Mawgan Porth and had a walk along the beach. It wasn't really warm enough to sit and let the boys potter so we wandered along to the end of the beach and back, stopping for shots when the boys were engrossed in something. We finished off with a family shot on the steps of the lifeguard hut. Well, there were several family shots; it's not easy to get 2 adults, 2 little ones, a baby and a dog to look at you simultaneously!

All in all, a great day! Thanks!

When Harry met Phoebe, Ruby & Pebble-Rose Part II

2010-06-03T16:58:00.000+01:00

Harry is now 9 weeks old and Phoebe just a couple of weeks older. You wouldn't believe the change in them both! Harry is a little chunker and weighs more than 3lbs more than Phoebe who is willowy and, dare I say it, elegant! As much as an 11 week old baby can be, at least.

When I arrived at granny's just before 12, Ruby was busy playing at washing up outside and both the babies were having lunch. Well, Harry was having lunch but Phoebe wasn't taking too kindly to the bottle and was letting us all know about it! To set the scene a little, granny - Elaine! :) - and grandad, Rob have a lovely house in the country with a larges field, pond, small bridge and umpteen places for small children to pose. The big problem yesterday was the unremitting sunshine! Fabulous for all the holiday makers who've had years of driving rain and winds, but a little trickier for photographers. However, I came prepared with a very large white umbrella and roped Elaine in to be my assistant for the afternoon. After finding a suitable location for Ruby, I asked for the umbrella to go up; I was immediately plunged into cool shade! After much laughter, Elaine directed the shade to fall over Ruby as she posed in the trap (which goes with the pony which was out in the field!).

In the meantime, Pebble-Rose had arrived, fresh from spending the morning on the beach with her granny. A quick change out of beach shorts and into a dress and we were ready to go again...

There are no pictures of Harry: he wasn't a happy chap and wasn't really in the mood so we let him be in his cot! Phoebe, on the other hand, was a bit of a star....

Photographing family....

2010-05-31T19:44:00.001+01:00

It's half term week and usually the time for visitors. No exceptions this week: I have my step-daughter and her two sons for the week...and Ted, the Pomeranian! Not one to pass up the opportunity for a bit of photography, the boys were up for a portrait session so we headed off into Padstow. We steered well clear of the quay which was thronged with holiday makers, preferring instead to wander round the back streets, through the church yard and ending up in Chapel Stile field. Bazel had gone with Ted and we kept Knut with us as a prop (much to his dismay!). We had a great time, as usual, with lots of laughs, especially when Joe was running!! I have said that we'll head off to the beach later in the week as the boys said they wanted to reproduce the Daniel Craig/James Bond shot coming out of the sea! Given the water temperature at the moment, I don't think so! Here are some images of Dan:

And Joe:

And this is a cracker of Bazel....

The boys are playing.....honestly!

2010-05-19T20:11:00.000+01:00

My two dogs, Knut and Bazel get along really well most of the time. They play alot and sometimes it can get a little out of hand when Knut gets hold of Bazel's bone and won't give it back! When they go out for a walk on the beach, Knut likes to run along the water's edge. Bazel also likes to run along the water's edge but he wants to hold onto Knut's neck as he does so! I didn't quite realise until I looked at these photos just how much Bazel shows his teeth whilst he is 'playing'!

Model in the Making

2010-05-06T09:06:00.003+01:00

On the 3rd day of the Annabel Williams Training Course, we went out with another photographer, Stewart Randall to shoot model-in-the-making Chelsea. It was very interesting to work with another professional as photography is essentially a solitary profession; you meet up with other photographers but don't very often go out on shooting assignments!

We tried some different techniques such as shooting into the sun and trying to produce flare in our images (not sure I got that one!). Chelsea was very patient and really enjoyed working with us all.

Down on the Beach

2010-05-04T06:46:00.002+01:00

It was a glorious day yesterday and after doing all my chores, I decided to head down to the local beach. For those of you who don't know, I have two lovely dogs: Knut, a 3 year old Northern Inuit and Bazel, a 2 year old Jack Russell. (You can get a sneak preview of them here on my friend Lindsay Dobson's Blog.)

I had in mind a particular shot I wanted of Bazel: running towards me, over the crest of a sandy path, both front legs off the ground, ears up and tongue out. Well, what fun we had! Dog owners will know about the 3 types of dogs:

the obedient ones who do everything they ask
the 'selective listeners'
the self rulers

I think you know where I'm going with this! Bazel is a self ruler. I needed him to run into the sun because his eyes are very dark; if he runs the other way, his eyes are just like black olives in his face - not very appealing!

My strategy was to walk in the opposite direction, wait for them to get ahead of me, then quickly turn round and drop to the floor (did I forget to mention I wanted a 'low down' shot?!) and wait for Bazel to appear. It was a bit like that ad for Kit Kat with the photographer in the zoo from backalong; you know the one? Then he got wise to the camera and would run, see me and nonchalantly stop to sniff the grass. Or else I'd be patiently waiting and he would sneak up behind me, stand on my back and lick my face!

Knut meanwhile had found a new friend on the beach: a young lurcher called Ness. She belongs to my friend Hugo, a retired army major and she only joined his family 6 weeks ago.

She ran Knut ragged for 10 minutes! He came back exhausted. I think the 'piece de resistance' came when Hugo was trying to walk home along the beach and Ness kept coming back to see Knut. When Hugo finally caught her, he just muttered 'Nessy, I don't think your training is going very well!"

And the shot of Bazel? This was the best of the day:

William and Anna

2010-04-29T07:44:00.001+01:00

In afternoon of the second day of the course, we went out with Annabel to shoot siblings William and Anna. Being older, they just loved to pose and be posed! William was very particular about his hair being in the right place whilst Anna loved being treated like a model! We started off at the Annabel Williams Studio again before heading off round the back, along the stream and into an open field. The weather was beautifully sunny which many people think is ideal for portraits...

How to photograph a lively 3 year old....

2010-04-25T21:12:00.002+01:00

On the second day of the course, we had a pretty hectic day lined up. Annabel Williams led the seminar and we were first treated to a slideshow of her fabulous images. By coffee break, our 'model' had arrived: Kai was a very lively 3 year old with very firm ideas on what he wanted to do! He certainly didn't seem phased by 13 photographers all aiming their telephoto lenses at him. I felt a bit like a member of the paparazzi!

We started off in the entrance to the Studio before heading off around the industrial estate. Sounds a bit rough? You wouldn't believe the diversity of backdrops within such a small area! Kai did however did need a little encouragement from time to time and both Rachel and Annabel did a fantastic job of encouraging him to be in the right place at the right time and looking the right way!

After making an imaginary cake with twigs and leaves, Kai decided that the 'carrots' in his cake (stones) would be much better thrown at the waiting photographers! Quick change of plan and off to the children's playground.

Join me tomorrow for William and Anna.....

Trained by the best...

2010-04-24T21:16:00.000+01:00

I've just returned from the Lake District where I've been attending a Discovery Seminar over 4 days at the Annabel Williams Studio

What a fantastic time I've had, meeting 11 other like minded professionals keen to improve both their business and photographic skills. Over the 4 days, we covered many things: how to run a successful business with an emphasis on customer care, how to develop our images to really make them zing. Best of all, we did two photo shoots with Annabel.

We photographed Kai, a lively and mischievous 3 year old boy then brother and sister, William and Anna. The following day, we did another shoot with aspiring model, Chelsea. This time we were guided by Stewart Randall who demonstrated an alternative way of shooting. In the afternoon, we were shown how to develop our images for maximum impact.

The course was not relaxing! With so much information crammed into such a short space of time, it's going to take a while to put everything into practice. But it was absolutely brilliant!

Tomorrow, I'll post some images and you'll be amazed!

When Harry met Phoebe, Ruby & Pebble-Rose

2010-04-15T07:48:00.000+01:00

This was really a fun afternoon! Here are the ingredients:

2 babies less than a month old
2 toddlers aged between 2 and 3
2 proud mums
2 proud grandmas
1 uncle
3 interested visitors.

And the method? Take over the conservatory where the light was superb and just go for it!! The result? well, have a look for yourself.....

Summer has arrived...in mid-April

2010-04-12T11:51:00.000+01:00

Constantine Bay is a favourite location for people wanting portraits done by the sea. On a Sunday afternoon, in the Easter holidays perhaps wasn't the best time to go; taking 3 energetic dogs also added to the fun! The sun was out but the wind was a little cool so we didn't hang around too long.

My sister has been asking me to take some photographs of her with her daughter for some while and we finally managed to make some time to get together.

Mary, Mary, quite contrary...(not really!)

2010-04-09T22:18:00.000+01:00

Mary lives next door to me and I'd wanted to photograph her for ages. She was up for it so one Sunday morning we headed down into Padstow and had a wander around through the churchyard, to the children's playground and ending up on the quay. It was a brilliant morning despite being a bit chilly so we warmed up with a good cup of tea in the cafe!

Out with my niece, Sophie

2010-04-07T19:37:00.000+01:00

A while back, I went out with my niece Sophie to try out a couple of new things. She was absolutely brilliant and we really had a laugh! The dogs came along too but I think they were more of a hindrance than a help! It's amazing how many different backdrops you can find in small villages. Although it was a cold day, the light was good and there were plenty of birds about. Why birds? Well, you'll just have to ask Soph about that one...

Sam, a model in the making...

2010-04-05T10:41:00.000+01:00

I went out with Sam and his mum down to into the local town centre of Wadebridge during the holidays. It wasn't the warmest of days and rain threatened but the light was good and the camera just loved Sam (and vice versa!). We had a great morning down in the playground, along the banks of the river and over Anneka's bridge. The next challenge is to create a portrait of Sam with his two older brothers.....

Look out for the logo.....

2010-04-01T20:50:00.000+01:00

I'm busy uploading images to the new website, adding information and we should be ready to go 'live' by the end of next week. Here's a sneak preview of the logo....

Eve's portraits are ready for collection

2010-03-31T07:44:00.001+01:00

During February half term, I had several portrait shoots to do. It wasn't easy, dodging the freezing showers and trying to keep warm. Eve was a wonderful subject! Although almost 7, she had very firm ideas of how she wanted to be portrayed and was quite instrumental in setting up her own poses. When she saw the images, mum was surprised that we managed to find such a range of backdrops in such a small village. We finally managed to whittle about 80 images down to less than 20 and of those, this one was considered to be the absolute favourite.

It does look absolutely stunning as a 24" by 16" box frame! Of course, Eve couldn't be serious for the whole shoot......

Welcome to the first posting of the new blog!

2010-03-28T20:12:00.006+01:00

With the imminent publication of the new website so here is the accompanying blog! I'II be trying my best to keep this updated at least 2 or 3 times a week with news of events and happenings at Lindsay Philp Photography.

As the weather improves, so does the demand for timeless contemporary lifestyle photography. And here on the north coast of Cornwall, we're spoilt for stunning locations to use as our backdrops: beach, sand dunes, rural and even urban!

Today, I was at Constantine beach with Kevin and Cat and what a beautiful morning it turned out to be, despite the protestations of the weatherman who said that Sunday was going to be very wet. Well, yes, it did start raining but we'd finished by then so it really didn't matter!