Photographing Vickie ~ One of our Teenager/Young Adult Portrait Sessions

This week I had the great opportunity of photographing Vickie who is training to be a makeup artist. Which also provided Vickie the opportunity to understand what it will feel like for her future clients when they are in front of the camera. I'm looking forward to the possibility having Vickie work with me as a make up artist in future.

From time to time I organise sessions where I can put my skills to the test and try something new. Its important to me to continually work on my skills and keep up to date with current trends so that I can always offer my clients the best and hopefully something unique and tailored to their requirements. I took this opportunity to try out old kit I never get around to using. I'm so used to using the same old setup that from time to time I like to stretch myself so that I can become more comfortable with a wider variety of tools. Being able to use this variety of equipment means I can bring greater variation to my work. This type of practice session is a regular and invaluable part of my work.

I'm lucky enough to also have a great relationship with a well known manufacturer of much of my equipment, Lastolite, which means they regularly lend me things to try before I buy. On this occasion I was able to borrow a couple of backdrops, one I really loved.

This set of 3 images were all taken against one of Lastolites collapsible background. These backgrounds are fantastic as they allow me to completely change the look of a portrait with little investment in terms of storage. They fold away neatly so they take up very little space and each one is reversible so I have 2 options with one background. And for a further change I used some coloured gels on a background light so I could add a blue hue to the tone of the background in this image. Lastolite have created a few new backgrounds this year and I can't wait to try those. One of which I definitely have my eye on.

It was great to have a change of subject for this session, being able to photograph an adult who easily followed instructions. It gives me a chance to get all elements of the portraits just how I want them without worrying about the temperament of my subject. I do love working with small children but sometimes its great to have a change of pace and be able to photograph someone different for a change. I think just as a mum needs a break from her own child, so too does a photographer need a break from children and animals. And as I've said so many times before, variety is the spice of life and it's certainly what keeps me going.

Comments

Soup Products said…

Thanks grreat blog

29 April 2023 at 00:05

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 ...

London in Spring, Whats Not to Love?

Well I know there is still a lot not to love but I'm choosing to see the great things about London at the moment. I am having a ball this year visiting London as often as I can. Which is unusual for me since I usually prefer the comfort of my own home, in rural old Leicestershire. Staying home and avoiding people has always been the easy option. But this year, possibly due to the wonderful weather we keep having, has me longing for venturing out. Again, just like my last trip, I headed out with my good friend Panikos Hajistilly . Living in North London he finds it easy to meet up for our shoots. This time though I had more of an idea of the sights I wanted to use as the backdrops for my portraits. With it being spring I was in search of colour, preferably flowers. Admittedly. I didn't quite get what I was looking for. The white fronted terraced houses with pink magnolia trees we did not find unfortunately. But I did make it to Peggy Porchen's which was a must see on m...

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 ...

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.

My First London Fashion Shoot

Well I finally did it. I bit the bullet and faced my fears and headed to London with a good friend, Mr. Panikos Hajistilly to do my first location shoot. We chose our locations together and Panikos organised a model and brought so much of his gear which he kindly shared with me. And probably most importantly, he showed me how it's done. I was so surprised to see just how much wonderful light was there, just waiting to be used. I am a studio photographer and while I understand the use of studio flash very well, I am very much out of practice and out of my comfort zone with using available light. Its one thing to place lights and backdrops around my subject in the comfort of my studio. Its very different to find the right light and the right backdrop in unfamiliar territory and to place my subject in it. That may sound simple enough but honestly it is not, particularly on a day with no clouds in the sky. One of our planned locations just wasn't possible as a result of the ...

Christina Lauder Portraits

Search This Blog