About me…
A personal and professional approach to portraits
I believe that the secret to taking wonderful portraits is as much about my relationship with subjects as it is about my technique with the camera. An informal and friendly approach ensures subjects are relaxed and enjoy having their photos taken, which is essential for creating portraits with a natural appeal. This is particularly important with children, who have a shorter attention span and can soon get bored, as well as any who are uncomfortable in front of the camera. Over the years, my subjects have included family and friends that I have photographed since their early childhood through to becoming adults with young children of their own.
Portrait sessions at home, in the garden or out on location
Many of my portrait sessions take place at the subject’s home – most often in the garden. I’ll usually involve family members as ‘assistants’ – holding lighting aids like reflectors and diffusers in position – it can help young or nervous subjects feel more relaxed and makes the whole photo shoot more fun. Location sessions benefit from a change of scenery, with parks, meadows and streets all proving suitable. Busy schedule? Don’t worry, an hour or two is all that’s needed for a set of stunning images.
A successful portrait style that suits daylight and flash
I’ve been passionate about photography since first using a 35mm SLR when I was 16. From these early days as a hobby to later working in publishing, photography has always been a passion of mine, with portraiture being my specialism. I’ve been lucky enough in my career on photography magazines to work with many leading photographers, developing skils and techniques on various cameras and lighting that have helped shape my own portrait style.
An award-winning career as a photographer and writer
My photography passion has gone hand in hand with my writing career. My first jobs in publishing was as a photo writer at Canon User and Practical Photography magazines in the mid-1990s. Following this I launched and editing the award-winning Photography Monthly. After founding Halo Publishing, I launched and edited Digital SLR Photography, a highly successful magazine later acquired by Dennis Publishing. I have also authored and edited several books and bookazines on photography, including the best-selling 100 Ways ToTake Better Portrait Photographs and The Essential Guide To Portraits, created specials and supplements for leading photo brands including Canon, Fujifilm, Nikon, Olympus and Samsung, as well as provide photo workshops and lectures around the UK and Europe.