Christina Lauder Portraits

Headshot requests are becoming more frequent so I thought I'd put together a post to share some recent work and explain the packages I offer in greater detail. Headshots are typically a simpler and quicker session so my packages are also a little simpler than what I offer in my full studio sessions. If headshots are what you or your child need its really important that you get good quality headshots that can stand out amongst the crowd. A headshot is a representation of you and often the first impression you are giving out to your audience, whether its casting directors, agents or college officials considering your application. A good headshot is more likely to get you noticed and ultimately get you further along your path. Making your headshots the best they can be should go a long way in helping you progress in your chosen path. I offer 2 different levels of service in order to make it as affordable and appropriate as possible. The first is a simple straightforwa...

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 ...

  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 ...

  Last week Vickie returned home to visit family so we took the opportunity to have a play with the lights again. I love using this time to try out things that I wouldn't want to trial with a client. And I'm glad I did. I was able to create work similar to that which I've admired on many occasions, not really being certain how it was created. By taking what I knew about lighting and applying it in a way I suspected would give me the results I wanted I actually produced what I wanted. Imagine that. For the photographers out there, I used either 1 or 2 lights (started with one then added another) behind Vickie pointing towards her hair but positioned quite close to her so that they were nearly pointing towards the camera also. This produced a slight lens flare that gave that milky coverage that softened the light just how I wanted it. For those that don't know, this experimenting and practicing is part of running a photography business. Of course I don't hav...

It seems like the wish list is never ending when it comes to kit. Even with this new kit I still have 3 more very desirable items I wish to acquire over the next 12 months. But I'll have to see how the budget goes first. Anyway, in order to have a test run I requested the assistance of a couple of lovely young ladies. The first being Vickie Deakin who is a newly qualified makeup artist. As she is a friend of my step daughter I'd seen her work on Facebook and thought she was worth a try. I'd used makeup artists in the past but hadn't found one I was happy with, until now that is. I, myself don't know much about makeup but seeing Vickie work I am confident that she does. And I look forward to working with her again in future. And the second is our lovely model Faye Strachen. I stumbled across her photo on Facebook as she too is a friend of my step daughter. I liked her look and I wanted to work with someone more typical of the sort of person who might use m...

Last week I had the opportunity of doing headshots for this gorgeous girl. Its times like these when I really love my job and thoroughly enjoy what I do for a living.  It was like having an afternoon playing. Its the kind of thing that if my daughter were willing (and she most definitely is not) I'd be doing in my free time to practice and play around with light. Working with this lovely young lady was such a joy and she photographed so well. I'm starting to get more requests for sessions such as these and I'm really glad.  But I would like to clarify something.  If you are interested in getting your child into modelling and you are after images to send to agencies, professional photos is not what you need.  An agency wants to see a natural and unprofessional snapshot. I know that may sound strange but they just want to see if your child is a natural in front of the camera.  They don't want to see something that may have taken a professional over an hour to...

This face should be familiar to anyone watching my work.  Emily-May is a lovely little girl who was not only chosen by me to contribute in my Fellowship panel of portraits but has often been chosen for catalog shoots that include Matalan and Harrods, commercials that include Sainsbury's and theatre productions that include the Sound of Music at the Curve in Leicester.  She's one to watch for sure. Her parents were always willing to bring her over whenever I needed her, despite her already heavy schedule.  So of course when they asked me to do her headshots to keep Emily-May's portfolio up to date I thought it was the perfect chance for me to offer my thank you. They hadn't expected me to do them for free (which was nice to know) but I wanted to do these for them because I think its important to show people you appreciate the effort they make. And because Emily-May is so easy to work with it was a great opportunity for me to build my own portfolio of headshots ...