Boudoir Photography in Liverpool

Boudoir photography doesn't have to be about showing it all - I much prefer it when boudoir photography is about sensuality rather than sexuality - and going by the reactions that the man in the girl's life has to the boudoir photographs I take, I think most men prefer sensuality too.  I look for ways to bring in an artistic approach into the picture, creating photographs that you'd be proud to have on your wall, something you'd be proud to present to your fiance as a wedding gift.

The best time to have your boudoir portrait session is around 3 to 4 months before your wedding.  You can arrange to have the disk of images so that you can make up your own album to give to your fiance, or you can leave it all to us at Zoe Photography.  We recommend that you also have your hair and makeup done professionally so that you can enjoy the full pampering experience, and we can arrange this for you.

Prices start from £250 (usual price £300) with hair and makeup and a disk of images for boudoir photography sessions booked in Liverpool before the Royal Wedding on 29th April 2011.  Our boudoir photography sessions are slightly longer than our regular Makeover Photo Shoots as we want you to be able to relax from fully clothed to as many or few clothes as you are comfortable wearing for your boudoir portrait session in Liverpool.  Albums can be created for you from £100.  Call 0151 708 5838 to book your boudoir portrait session now.

Liverpool Wedding Photography Prices in 2011

We all know there is a VAT rise in January and there's a lot of fuss about it in the media and how prices are going to rise everywhere you turn.  But that's not the case here at Zoe Photography - let's face it, we are only talking 2.5% and with wedding photography not everything has VAT applied to it, so at Zoe Photography prices will remain the same throughout 2011, with the relatively small VAT rise being included in the price.  Any 2012 wedding booked by 1st September 2011 will also be at the 2011 price, guaranteed.

So, the only reason to hurry when it comes to booking your wedding photography with Liverpool based Zoe Photography is because dates are booking up fast.  We are already at a bumper level of bookings for 2011 and 2012 is starting to book up too, so there's no time to waste if you know that you want that unique blend of storytelling with fashion styled photographs mixed in with classical wedding photography at an affordable price.

Call Zoe Photography now on 0151 708 5838 now to discuss your wedding photography with one of Liverpool's best wedding photographers.

Charley and Robin's Wedding in Heswall and Knowsley Hall

It says something for a venue when the sales and marketing manager decides to hold their wedding reception at the place where they work!  But that is just what Charley did when she married Robin a couple of weeks ago.  The beautiful service was held in Heswall, on a day when we thought the weather was quite magical - before we had all the snow we've got now!  And then on to Knowsley Hall, one of the most beautiful places you could choose in the UK for your wedding.

Charley brought a fabulous team together, with Sian Louise Auld doing the makeup, Becci from Shush Hair Company doing hair, the video by Dominic of Impressions of Formby, and the flowers from Earth flowers, with the grandest of reception venues too.

Here is a small selection of the photographs we took on the day - I know Charley can't wait to see all of her wedding photographs, but this snow has put paid to that, so a sneak peak before Christmas will just have to suffice!

One Winter

Love these shots from today

Christmas Charity Contrbution

Every year I make a contribution to charity instead of buying christmas cards - but you have to help me out here!  This year I am aiming to give £50 to NWCRF - the North West Cancer Research Fund  - and I'm asking for your help.

All you have to do is make a comment on this post or any other post from 2010 on this blog - for everyone who comments I will put 50p into the pot and if you get me to 25 unique comments - that's unique as in 25 different people - then I will double the pot up to £50.  Get me 50 unique comments and I'll give £100 to NWCRF.

So come on, get those comments flowing - tell me what you think of my photography, identify your favourite photograph and tell me why you like it so much.

I look forward to hearing what you think, and I look forward to you helping me get to a great total for the NWCRF - you can follow them on twitter @NWCRF and for that matter, you can follow me too!  @zoephotography

Have a happy christmas everyone, and may 2011 be all you wish it to be and more!

Special Offer - Third off City Girl Makeover Photoshoots in Liverpool

Visit our City Girl Makeover Photoshoot site to see our very special offer with no hard sell, no pressure sales techniques, all ethical makeover sessions in Liverpool - click here to see the offer.

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?

Newsletter Download Available

Our new newsletter is now available to download - click here for our November issue.

Our Ethical Pledge

That's it!  We're taking the pledge - after hearing and reading about pressure sales techniques designed to encourage very high sales we've decided to create The Photographer's Ethical Pledge.  If you're a photographer who works ethically, then get in touch and join the campaign to bring ethical business practices into our industry - if you're someone who purchases photography, get in touch and let us know what you think.  We'd love to hear from you.

Here’s the pledge:

1. We pledge never to use pressure sales techniques - when we quote you a price that is all you need to spend. We will tell you what else you can buy from us if you want to buy more, but you will not be pressure sold anything.
2. We will not encourage you in with competition wins, introductory offers or conning approaches geared to make you spend more.  At Zoë Photography we offer one product one price – for example, a makeover, photoshoot and a disk of around 40 images for just £300.  
3. Any discounts offered, any promotions we do are all genuine offers, genuine promotions.  We do not expect you to buy more, we simply ask you to tell others about your experience of working with a photographer who has signed the ethical pledge.
4. We will not ply you with alcohol to help you lower your guard.
5. We supply usable images on disk with printing rights for you to enjoy - we do not overcharge for providing digital images and the only copyright marks are on web images for use on social networking sites.
6. We want you to have a thoroughly enjoyable experience with Zoë Photography and City Girl Makeover Photoshoots, which means we will work hard to make sure that we deliver good customer service.
7. If we get it wrong, please tell us, because let's face it, we are human, and we may get things wrong at times.  We will apologise to you without making excuses and we will work with you to put our mistakes right.
8. We do not have a credit card machine and do not use credit agreements, because we only expect you to spend what you can afford to spend.
9. We will openly help you and guide you - for example, if you are interested in becoming a model then we will provide you with realistic advice.  We will not tell you that you could make it as a model if it's unlikely.
10. We aim to renew, reuse and recycle wherever we can, and will work to reduce our carbon footprint.
11. We respect copyright and intellectual property of other businesses and artists.
12. We follow distance selling regulations.

If you want to take The Photographer's Ethical Pledge then email zoe@zoephotography.co.uk

Wayne and Andy's Portrait Session

Wayne had a birthday celebration recently, and as well as photographs with everyone at the party, I had the pleasure to photograph at home with Andy and adorable Penny the dog.  Here is a small selection of their photographs, and I can't wait to share the rest with Wayne! Oh, and I adore that wallpaper!  Next, here I come!