Beautiful Bump and Baby Portraits for Baby Ellis

It is with great pleasure that I am sharing some of my favourite portraits to date. And I am so proud that I have been able to provide portraits equally as artistic for both the bump and baby session.

Many people may see me as a photographer, someone who takes pictures for a living. In fact, I probably saw it that way too when I first started out. But I don't see it that way anymore. The creation of my portraits is a lengthy process that begins from the moment I take the booking and discuss with my client their needs and preferences of style. It is from that moment that I begin to plan the session, first in my head, and then on paper.

Once the plan is in place I work out the lighting set up required to achieve my vision. I choose the appropriate backdrop and any necessary props. And before a single shot is even taken, I know what software editing will be required for the final piece. I even know what frame moulding will best suit the image. This is not merely a photograph I am taking. This is a well thought out portrait I am creating, every detail intentional. With that in mind, I like to think of myself as a portrait artist and not just a photographer. And to be honest, this is why I love what I do. I love being creative and I make sure that I get to be creative in as many ways and as often as I can.

I always have a clear vision in my head of how I want my finished portrait to look. In each of these sessions shown here the finished results matched perfectly the vision I created at the planning stage.

Abbie and Mitchell are great clients to work with and I love the fact that I got to work with them twice. It was so nice to talk to them as first time parents before the baby and to see how well and happy they are as new parents.

I was lucky with these sessions in that I heard the words I love to hear from clients and that is 'we trust you to create something beautiful'. Apart from saying they liked the baby weighing scales against a dark background, I basically had free reign to create what I wanted. It gave me great freedom which is a huge factor in being creative. Thankfully I'm hearing this more and more which is only spurring on my creativity even more.

Now the image below, Ellis in the pram, is one of my favourite images I've ever taken. Its actually a vision I had even before I found the pram, which I stumbled across at an antiques fair last October. I finally had the chance to use it here with Ellis. Its exactly what I had hoped it would be and is being printed as a sample for the studio. I can't wait to have it hanging on my wall so I can look at it every day. It will serve as an inspiration for creating more such pieces. The hunt for new props has already begun. And a tidy up mission in our garden sheds is the next step as I'm going to need a lot of space to store these things. Of course that's a task that needs to wait until spring finally arrives, whenever that may be.

Comments

My Associate Panel

As I mentioned in my last blog, I achieved my Associateship in Portraiture with the SWPP (Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers). I just thought I would share with you the panel I submitted. Having sat through the assessment I see that there are a couple of images that I wish I hadn't chosen, more so due to not having enough variety rather than the lack of quality. but overall I am pleased with my submission. I always thought that once I achieved my Associateship I would be done with qualifications. Working towards a Fellowship just seems so unattainable. I don't think I can just sit here not striving towards a goal though. Besides, my husband has already set 5 year plan. So I guess I've not seen the end of qualifications just yet. But don't be expecting any news on this front for quite some time though. A fellowship is on an entirely new level and its going to take a lot of work.

5 Reasons you Should Consider Getting a Professional Headshot

Headshots, or profile pictures are becoming a requirement of so many tools we regularly use or reference today. From Facebook to Linked In, Instagram to Twitter and often any website that represents a company for which you work or own will have a place to include a photograph that is meant to show your audience who you are. And how you present yourself there will tell your audience so much about you. 1. A profile picture is your first opportunity for your audience to see you. Its often the first impression you make and we all know you only have one chance at a first impression. A professional photographer has the skills to show you in the best, most suitable way to give a great first impression. (These headshots were created for recruitment firm Optima UK who asked to have their logo placed behind them. I think it makes these headshots quite eye catching and they should do their job well.) 2. Using a professional to create your headshot will convey yo

I am Still Me: A Story about a Transgender Boy

Meet Leo. Leo is 15 and currently going through an epic transformation that has momentarily turned the lives of himself and those around him upside down. A mum who once had the daughter she always longed for is now coping with the realisation that she will be living the rest of her life with a son instead. When your child is born you have certain expectations of the typical life they will lead but most of us know and accept that it won't necessarily end up the way we imagine. Not every person wants to marry, have kids or be involved with the opposite sex. Most of us have come to accept this and can adjust to whatever comes our way relatively easily. But few of us have expected to have to deal with a change in sex. Its not that we've hoped it won't happen, but just that it never occurred to us that it might. This is a new adjustment that we as a society are being presented with today, just like so many others that have come before. When I first heard that Phoebe

Portraits of a Beautiful Young Woman and Her Guitar

You may remember a while back when I did a casting call looking for teenage boys and girls. Well this is the girl I chose. I had quite a specific look in mind, one which included really long hair. I have always had a thing for long hair. The choice also became quite simple when this young lady put herself forward as she is someone I've been photographing through school for several years and she is a past member of the Hinckley Athletics Club where she has been coached by my husband for nearly as many years. He's always had a soft spot for her, being one of his first members which helped my decision. When I have projects where I want to work with a model rather than a paying client I like to use friends or past clients whenever possible as it enables me to give something to those who have been loyal to me. Wallis has been a pleasure to work with. She is a stunning, confident young woman. In addition, she could bring props with her that I love. I've been wanting to ph

Its a Dog's Life

When life gets tough I always look at dogs or my cats and think how lucky they are. I know not all are treated well but those lucky enough to be in a good home, like the ones who come into my studio, have a really great life. They look so happy and its a wonderful thing to see. I honestly love photographing dogs. They are a joy to work with and its almost impossible to produce a bad portrait of a dog which does of course make my life a little easier. I am someone who really needs to love the work I create. I can't help but love the portraits I've created of all the dogs I've photographed over the years. And this shoot was certainly no exception. I found it a real pleasure using a lighter background this time too. I do often gravitate towards darker looks but seeing as this dog had a light coloured coat I thought I'd produce lighter images. This gave me the chance to use a canvas I painted a couple of years ago but never really used and I absolutely love it

Christina Lauder Portraits

Search This Blog