What To Wear To A Photo Shoot - Part 2 - Kids

Welcome to the second part of our "What to Wear" series of posts.

We thought we would concentrate on those little treasures this time around, as we often get asked by moms and dads what to bring to a photo shoot for their children.

First and foremost children of all ages need to feel secure and relaxed.

Ian gets the best photographs with children when they are playing - the last thing you want is a posed photograph with a false smile - those days are long gone!  So, bring along any props or favourite toys - a favourite umbrella, bright wellies, hats etc.- anything really which will help your child relax and we can have some fun with.  If your child wears a particular outfit every day, perhaps a favourite super hero, bring it along.   If it’s special to them then lets capture it.

Bold colours are great for young children, especially primary colours like red, blue, and green.

Another option for young children is all white. This gives a clean and natural look to the images.   

And finally, those babes in arms.  New-borns have gorgeous skin and nothing shows that off better than nakedness (or just a nappy).

 

What To Wear To A Photo Shoot - Part 1 - Maternity Shoots

Whilst Maternity Shoots are becoming more and more popular we quite often get asked what our mom's should wear.

Firstly, please remember this is YOUR photo shoot so these are only loose guidelines. If you always wear orange dresses and pink socks then stick with it! Many people bring a range of clothing with them. The most important thing to remember is to be yourself.

There are lots of clothing options and it's important for you firstly to decide what sort of image you want, as this can differ depending on lighting and backdrop styles: 

For example, if you want a light background, then a white blouse with a few buttons fastened and your bump showing is perfect.

A lot of our moms like to wear their partner’s shirt - it does help if your partner is a little larger than you of course!

Some couples prefer the dark, moody look and a cropped top and trousers in a dark colour works well here.   If your partner is joining you in the shoot, then similar colours will compliment each other.

Remember that your bump will be exposed and it is important that, for a couple of hours before the shoot, you don't wear any tightly fitting clothes across it.   The last thing you want are marks left by waist bands etc.

Finally, and of course most importantly, make sure you are comfortable.   The shoot may take an hour or slightly more, but a good photogapher will allow for plenty of breaks for you to take a rest and won't make you stand for too long!  

Some photographers may, as we do, suggest you bring a change of clothing and have a variety of images taken, for different looks.
 

Charity Events - A great way to raise money and network

Well, April and May have proved to be busy months for me and Ian but fortunately we found the time to get involved in two great Charity Events.


CRUSE BEREAVEMENT FUNDRAISING NIGHT

The first was a Fundraising "Fun Night" for Cruse Bereavement, Burntwood, in April.  Lots of exhibitors attended this evening Craft Fayre and there was lots on offer for all the family, including Balloon Crafts, Cup Cakes, Vintage Wedding Gifts, Jewellery, Make-up artist, Home-made sweets and a local Wood Turner with some beautiful gifts.

The venue was Burntwood Memorial Centre and Ian took centre stage - quite literally - setting up a mobile studio on the stage.  We "encouraged" (no bullying at all, honest!) a few people to have a mini portrait session on the stage, with profits from the sales going to Cruse.

The Star of the portrait shoots was this little fella - an absolute gem!

We thoroughly enjoyed the evening and so did our two youngest children, whom we took along and who almost bought the entire Lucky Dip stall.

Not only was this a great night to raise money for a very good cause, but it was also a great networking event for us.  We met some fantastic local businesses and people and very much look forward to being involved with this Charity again.


WEDDING AND PROM FASHION SHOOT - VILLAGE INN, WALSALL, WEST MIDLANDS

In May we were invited to be part of the Bridal and Prom Fashion Show, organised by Synergy Hair Ltd in Aldridge, Walsall, and held at the Village Hotel, Walsall.  This was to raise money for the Walsall Lord Mayor's Charities and Walsall's Neo-Natal Unit for Premature babies.

It was great to see one of our future brides at the show.  Looking forward to her wedding next year.

With Bridal Boutique Walsall showcasing their beautiful wedding and prom dresses, and Duncan James Menswear supplying their luxurious menswear wedding outfits, the Catwalk was stunning.  Ian was kept busy all day photographing the models, who all did a fantastic job, as well as some fantastic local singers and dancers.

 

Again, it was a great chance to meet up with local businesses such as LNP Sound and Russon Dance Academy and to meet some great local entertainers.

Networking for a good cause and a bit of fun!

New packages

Well, we have been a bit naughty and not kept our Blog up to date - as you can see.  We've been so busy the last few months - business as well as family life has kept us on our toes - and our Blog has been well and truly neglected.  A bit like the garden at the moment (!)

Anyway ... we are attempting to keep this a bit more up to date and hope to Blog every two or three weeks or so, so please bear with us.

Our first post is to tell you about our exciting new packages - we have managed to negotiate new prices from our suppliers for our Wedding Albums and are pleased to pass these savings onto our customers.  We have therefore reduced all of our wedding package prices.  We have also listened to what our customers want and made our packages much simpler.

Our Wedding prices now start from just £450.  You can choose from a DVD only, to a Coffee Table Book, or Super De-Lux Albums from our top packages.  It doesn't matter which you choose, you will always get our exceptional professional and friendly service, and you don't have to decide which package you want at the time of booking.   A small booking fee - deductible from your final payment - secures the whole day.

NEW PACKAGE – Take a look at our brand new “Confero” Package offering a choice of Album Bundles for those of you who want to share your memories with family or friends, offering 1 x Main Album, 2 x Medium Albums and 4 x Small Albums – all for an AMAZING £795 including photography of the Wedding Ceremony, Reception, Speeches and First Dance – and including a DVD of your chosen images.

Please get in touch for a chat to see how we can help you.

Fashion Shoot - Holiday Inn

In an attempt to "catch up" a little and tell you all a bit about what we've been up to lately, I thought it was worth mentioning the Fashion Shoot we did to help launch the New Holiday Inn at Junction 10, M6, Walsall.

First, a mention to the Events Manager there, Claire Pittard, who was extremely helpful and accommodating both during the organisation of the day working with Tina, and whilst we were there ensuring rooms were available and most importantly, coffee was on tap!

Some of the best Walsall businesses were involved and it was a pleasure to work with them:

Bridal Boutique Walsall
Duncan James Menswear
The Flower Pot
Synergy Hair

Here's an extract from the Express and Star which gives an overview of the day, together with a handful of images - a thoroughly enjoyable experience working with some of the best businesses in Walsall and yes, exhausting.  We have to say a special thank you to all of our models also, who worked tirelessly throughout the day.