I hate being photographed ... no, seriously, I hate being photographed!

You've said it a million times, you hate being photographed, and then along comes one of those situations in life where you HAVE to be photographed whether you like it or not, and everyone tells you that you'll be fine, you'll look great - but don't they hear you?  You HATE being photographed!

And you know, you're not alone.  We hear it all the time, beit when we are photographing portrait and makeover sessions in Liverpool, weddings in Southport, newborn babies with their mum and dad in Chester.  So many people say the same thing, and yet when you look at photographs other people have had taken they look great, so you kinda think they must surely be lieing - afterall, don't people hear you?  You HATE, HATE, HATE being photographed!

The obvious thing to do is to try and hide from the camera, but you can't always do this, and nor should you.  By not being photographed you are stopping your family from collecting memories of you - and what about the generations after you who want to remember you as you are.  They're not interested in your double chin, your squinty eye, you chubby belly, your turkey wing arms.  All they're interested in is having memories of you, the person they love.

The other obvious thing to do is to just ask your friends to take the photographs at the wedding - after all, you won't have to pose then, will you?  Or get your friends to take a picture of you and the family because it will be over quickly and relatively painlessly.  And then afterwards you look at the photographs, and see, you were so right to hate having your photograph taken, look at how dreadful you look in these pictures your friend has taken!

But this is where you made the mistake - an established and experienced professional photographer knows how to work with you to get the best of you.  Your friend may well know how to use a camera, but that doesn't turn them into a professional photographer.  There is so much more to using a camera and taking pictures of people than the camera itself.  It's about understanding how to pose people to look good, it's about psychology and connection to bring the best out in someone, it's about helping someone dress properly for looking great in photographs.

So this Christmas, treat yourself.  Give yourself a boost, get over your hatred of having your photograph taken, book a makeover photoshoot party with your friends or a City Girl Makeover Photoshoot, and discover how amazing you look in photographs.

By the way, Petra in the photograph above was very camera shy - she doesn't look it does she?

Weekly Update: Portrait Photography - don't wait too long!

I've been so busy of late I've just had no time whatsoever to do a blog update with the images taken, and even now I'm just going to leave you with one set of photographs, but that's more to do with the story that goes with them.

These photographs are really important to me, and I think they will always be important to Sean too, not just as reminders of his beautiful daughter. I am always talking about making sure we capture special times while we can - it's all too easy for parents to say "oh, don't photograph me", but I was really pleased when Sean agreed to be photographed with Dani. And this became all the more poignant because a matter of days after Dani's makeover shoot Sean's brother Joe sadly died at only 41 years of age - we never know what tomorrow might bring, so next time you catch yourself saying 'oh, don't photograph me', remember the people around you who love you for who you are, and want beautiful photographs of you as the storytellers for the future.

Are you ready to tell your family story through the photographs of your family as it is today? Don't leave it until it's too late!

Beaton Portraits at The Walker Art Gallery

We have now done 3 of the 6 portrait sessions at The Walker Art Gallery where members of the public come along and have their portrait taken in a style similar to Cecil Beaton's linked to the Beaton exhibition this summer. Below is a tiny selection of what we've captured so far, more images are on the special blog for the project - www.beatonportraits.blogspot.com . The next session is on Tuesday 4th August, then again on Saturday 15th August and Tuesday 25th August - it's a first come first serve basis for the bookings, so if you want to take part don't leave it too late in the day!

The Meadow and The Woods

An evening shoot in a meadow and some woods produced some amazing effects recently - we didn't have much time as the only way to create the results I was after was to shoot close to sunset, and of course that inevitably gave us very little time as the sun sank fast! Here is a little taster of what we were able to create. Makeup Artist was Sian Louise Auld, model Amy Finnimore.

Danielle and Jason

Oh dear, I am so behind on blogging - a mixture of being very busy and some technical difficulties. Anyway, I am so pleased to be able to upload some images from the shoot I did with Danielle and Jason on a breezy day in Portishead. I hadn't realised that I have been to Portishead before, but I don't think I took it all in the last time I went. What a gorgeous town it is! And I was welcomed into Danielle's family home like an old friend - huge thanks to Peter and Donya for their hospitality, but I think I need to go on a diet after all that delicious food! It doesn't help eating in the home of food experts!

It was actually really difficult to choose a small selection of photographs to display on the blog - but in the end I had to pick some! But I am so pleased with what we did manage to create together, particularly as it was such a great day out around Portishead.

Playing at the Park

Hesketh Park was a great backdrop for having fun with a group of children - and I love looking for ways to capture the essence of child, like on this one with just the hint of the nose, a suggestion of the eyelashes.  I regret not getting these kinds of photographs of my own daughter when she was little, but it didn't seem to matter then.  It's only now that she is 15 that I realise I struggle to remember the little details. 

The seesaw was a favourite with the children.

Look Mum, one hand!



It was really cold, even though it was bright, so we needed to take a break to warm up.  And even the break gave a chance to get some lovely photographs.

How is that kids can run around in t-shirts and not feel the cold on a freezing day!

Jerry the Horse

I love photographing people involved in activities that they enjoy doing - so it was great fun to be asked to photograph Jerry the horse for Hannah.  She even let me have a little ride at the end, which was such fun - I haven't ridden for a few years, so I ached a bit afterwards, but it was worth it.  Jerry is a beautiful horse, full of energy, and clearly much loved by Hannah.  When I photograph lifestyle shoots like this I like to get involved in the whole event, so we photographed everything from mucking out to tacking up, as well as photographing Hannah riding Jerry.