Christina Lauder Portraits

  As always, I am keen to share the images I create. These are from a recent family photo session.  I must admit that of all the work I do, families are probably the most difficult and therefore stressful for me.  I'm a perfectionist and I find it hard to produce perfect images when you need to worry about so many people all at the same time, particularly when some of those people happen to mention that they hate having their picture taken and would almost rather that we just photograph the kids.  But when you get it right it can be so rewarding.  There is nothing like getting an image where everyone is looking their best.  And I feel I did manage that with the above image.  It was everything I wanted out of that image.  As is often the case, we allow our clients a clothing change or two and an alternate background as sometimes they aren't sure what they want.  I quite like them both for different reasons and my clients agree, h...

  It is with immense pride that I am sharing with you my experiences over the past week.  As many of you already know each year I attend a photographic convention organised by the Societies, this year being my 8th in a row.  It is through this convention that I have made incredible friendships, learned vast amounts of knowledge pertaining to all facets of my career and gained extensive inspiration that has brought me to where I am today.  And now, after 8 years of working towards this achievement I can finally say I was successful and more so than I ever could have imagined.    I not only walked away with 4 merits from the 20x16 print competition which was judged earlier in the week, but I also received the awards of Pet Photographer of the Year as well as Portrait Studio Photographer of the Year and rounded up the evening taking 2nd place for the Overall Photographer of the year.  With nearly 14000 images...

  Cake smash sessions have been an interest of mine since I started seeing them around. Actually, 9 years ago for my daughters birthday I made her a mini cake to go along with the main cake with the specific purpose of letting her trash it. I just didn't have a portrait business at the time to turn it into special portraits. (We started with some clean shots so this session wasn't just about messy cake) So when I had the inquiry I thought how could I refuse.  I'm always up for trying new things and I love the challenge of trying new portraits and putting my skills and creativity to the test.  (Mum thought she'd try her in a dress even though dresses aren't really their thing.  Her daughter proved her right in that she clearly does not like dresses either)   Luckily my client had some ideas of her own. She supplied the bunting, which she had already purchased.  She also supplied the cake and the cloth nappy which together provided...

  I often admire the work of other photographers.  I'm always having a browse or spotting something interesting on Facebook or Pinterest.  Many of them have a very consistent style and subject, as is the case with many newborn photographers especially.  This has made me wonder if perhaps I'm not developing as a portrait artist as well as I could be.  We are taught early on within the realms of the photography world that we are to develop a distinct style and this of course must be clearly evident in any upper level qualifications panels we choose to submit.  However, when I look at my own work over each passing year I fail to see the same consistency.  I don't have a particular subject in which I specialise.  I can photograph anything from newborns to teenagers, toddlers to families and even the occasional male nude.  How can you put these together in an album and form a beautiful collection that I see many other...

I recently had the great opportunity of photographing a subject different to my usual.  I got to create portraits of a 19 year old boy.  And I say boy because he's the friend of my step daughter and I've known him since he was about 7.  Its times like this when I feel old, very old.  If he were a stranger I would have seen him as a young man and I wouldn't have felt nearly this old.  Instead though, he was a grown boy, still the sweet young child I used to see at the school gates when doing the school runs.  Where did all this time go?  Anyway, before I embarrass him too much, it was great fun being able to use different lighting setups than I typically use for babies, children and families.  I like to take opportunities like this to experiment and really stretch myself as a photographer.  Its a great chance to take out the lighting kit I don't often use (and in some cases have never used) and give them a go.  Its a won...