Portrait Photographer Hampshire

Portrait Photographer

Whether it's a portrait of your children, immediate family or simply yourself I aim to make the session fun and enjoyable rather than a formal, stiff affair.

I believe a portrait isn't simply a photograph of a person, it's a reflection of their personality. Most people are now much more informal than they traditionally used to be and so the traditional stiff poses are less relevant today than they used to be.

Despite a more informal approach, how you carry yourself can make or break a picture and I can give your subtle directions that will improve your look. Golden rule is that if your standing in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable, you probably look uncomfortable! Nothing beats a comfortable relaxed look!

Studio Photographer

I Work from my own comfortable home studio in Farnborough, Hampshire, close to Camberley, Yately, fleet and Basingstoke close to the Berkshire and Surrey borders.

I have a range of different backdrops, although by far the most popular is the plain White background popularised by Venture.

Studio based sessions offer the best control over light and being indoors is not so dependent on the weather. It tends to be what people think of when they think of having a professional portrait taken.

Lifestyle Photographer

It's becoming increasingly popular to have your portraits taken outside of the studio, perhaps at your home or a local park.

Even in a modest home it's possible to shoot some incredible pictures far beyond what you could achieve yourself.

A forest makes a wonderful setting for a portrait session, with natural pools of light, colours and textures that if taken advantage of, can make for some stunning portraits. Imagine your children running through the Autumn leaves or playing in a wild flower meadow.

Actor & Model Portfolios

I can also provide model portfolios for aspiring or experienced actors and models looking to create or update their portfolio.

A good model portfolio is usually made up from several different sessions consisting of both studio and lifestyle based portrait sessions to give a range of looks and styles.

For those looking for something a bit more chic, nothing quite matches shooting in the square mile of London on a Sunday when it's almost deserted. The square mile contains many architectural features that trap and shape light with some wonderful backdrops that can make for a very contemporary portrait.

Gift Vouchers

A portrait session makes a fantastic gift and I stock gift vouchers for all budgets.

What to Bring & Wear

Avoid wearing ultra fashionable clothing that could date very quickly and make your photographs look dated after a few years. Think about Paisley and fly away collars!

Also avoid stripes, spots and strong patterns as these also tend to age. Solid blocks of colours are generally best. Think timeless classics, Blue jeans and an informal top or t-shirt are always a great choice.

For groups try to wear colours of a similar tone, it's fine to wear different colours, but if one person is wearing clothing that is much brighter than the others, it can stand out too much and detract attention away from the others.

Please be aware that White clothing against a white backdrop may not stand out and will make for a very low contrast image.

If you like bring something that defines who you are, you may play a musical instrument or play a particular sport. If you play the saxophone have a couple taken with it, it's part of who you are and your personality.

If bringing babies and toddlers a hooded dressing gown or towel can also make a wonderful prop. Don't forget a few favourite toys or comforters, even if you don't want these in the photographs, they may save the session if your little one decides to have a melt down!

What happens Next?

After the session I select 20-40 of the best images to display, then work on those images to further enhance them.

A few days after the portrait session we arrange a viewing session where you come back to the studio in order to view the images at full size on a digital projector.

I don't do hard sell, I let the pictures  do that! I simply show you a small slideshow of images then run through each one and you tell me whether you want it or not.

Once we have a list of the images you want you then need to choose the size and format of the image, from 6"x4" to 30"x20", from simple prints through to canvasses and designer frames.

Prices

Unlike many portrait studios in the area I'm not afraid to show my pricelist! Please follow the link to portrait prices from the prices menu above.

Frames & Canvasses

I supply a good range of gallery quality frames which are made individually to order. Being individually made while they do come in set sizes, they can also be made to fit pretty much any size you require and have a range of options such as standard, conservation or anti-glare glass.