Sid is not a Model

Sid was just an ordinary young man living in Cardiff. He wanted some portraits and saw the Xpect Photography Special Offer called 99 No Nonsense. This was a limited special offer where you had a portrait session along with 9 full res jpg digital files.

Sid was very unsure about his portrait session, he hadn’t really had his portrait taken before and did not know what to expect. For days leading up to the shoot he phoned and texted often and I was able to answer his questions and put him mind at ease.

Sid told me what he wanted and from that I thought about where a good location to shoot would be and planned the shoot. Sid had clear ideas about what he wanted but as he is not a photographer he wasn’t sure how to put his ideas into action. Well that is my job and I re assured Sid that he should trust me.

Well the day arrived and it was a beautiful sunny day in Cardiff Bay. I had arrived about an hour and a half early and had spent that time scouting out locations for the shoot. I do this when I have not worked an area so that I do not keep my clients waiting around while I make decisions. By the time Sid arrived I had a clear idea where we were to go and how the shoot would progress. I had listened carefully to Sid’s wishes prior to the shoot. He told me he wanted to photographed in his suit and also in some cool street gear. Sid is a very cool young Asian man but he was very unsure in front of the camera.

The session was a lot of fun. The feedback from Sid afterwards was that he had a great time, in fact he loved it. He contacted me to thank me for all the help and re assurance I had given him even before seeing any of the images. Creating a portrait session that can be fun while ensuring we get the images that you want is one of the skills that is so important for a professional photographer. Sid loved the chosen locations even though he confided in me that before the session he couldn’t picture how it would all work.

That was when I asked Sid to trust me to deliver. I told him that by hiring a professional photographer, satisfaction was guaranteed. I will get the images that you love, or we will do it again. No extra charge, so your investment with Xpect Photography is as safe as houses.

When Sid saw the images he told me he loved them and had difficulty in choosing the 9 free images that came as part of the Special Offer.

Since the session with Sid, many people who have seen these images have commented that he must be a trained model. Well that is a compliment to Sid but it also reflects what Xpect Photography can do for you and others in a portrait session. Throughout this session the locations were chosen by myself, all the set ups, the decisions on how to stand, where to stand, how to pose, act, and where to look were directed and completely choreographed by myself. If I can do this for Sid, I can do it for you. All we need to do is chat before the session so that I understand fully what you are seeking in your portraits.

Have a look at the images of Sid, an ordinary young man from Cardiff and ask yourself if you would like Xpect Photography to create your portraits. Sid is now one of our Xtraordinary clients and I hope you will be too. I would love to hear from you with your ideas. There is never any obligation if you want to chat about having a portrait done, I will be happy to answer your questions.

Thank you for reading, enjoy the images.

Regards,

Mark - Xpect Photography

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There is someone out there for you.

In the latter part of 2011 I began to get enquiries from people who wanted portraits to use for their online dating profiles.

The debate over on line dating is an ongoing one but as I met my good lady, Sandra four years ago on an online dating site and we are still going strong, I can personally vouch for its potential to find you someone special. I certainly did.

What has prompted me to write this article is the fact that the clients who required lovely portraits of themselves were nervous about admitting that they were on an online dating site. They constantly apologised as though they were doing something wrong. Not all but some even impressed on me that they didn’t want anyone else to know.

Of course not only was I able to put them at ease, but I was also able to improve their confidence both during the portrait session and through the great portraits that they ended up with. I know this because they told me so.

One lady even came into the studio in such a state that she was in tears and was so judgemental of herself for being so vain as to want nice portraits to try to find a partner. This particular customer purchased lots of images, really enjoyed the experience and saw it as part of her own journey to re build her life several years after her husband had passed away.

Here at Xpect Photography not only do I fully support your desire to find someone special but I can totally empathise as I was once in the same position. I haven’t looked back and I want to help you in your journey.

The process is simple. Contact me to book your session. You can review the images and choose the ones you want during a viewing and your confidentiality is guaranteed.

So there is no reason to leave such an important matter to a picture that you had taken years ago, or that you took with your own camera held at arm’s length. A professional portrait could help you find the person you are looking for.

Please call me for a chat on 07840 947517. As this is my first Blog of 2012, Happy New Year.

Regards,

Mark.

Architectural images for Haines Decorating Ltd

Haines Painting and Decorating Ltd of Cardiff hired Xpect Photography to capture images their work at Cabot house In Bristol. Hiring a professional photographer to photograph your work ensures that you can show the world in the best way possible what your business is capable of. Xpect Photography 

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Emma and Simon’s Wedding

It was my great pleasure to be the photographer for Emma and Simon’s wedding at the end of October 2011. It was a glorious day, more like Summer than late Autumn/Winter. Here are some images from the day. You can see more wedding images at Xpect Photography

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Web site.

Stock images or Hire a Professional photographer?

As a professional photographer, I often visit the web sites of people I get to meet or know and I can’t help but notice how many use ‘Stock Images’.

Firstly for those that aren’t aware of what a ‘Stock Image’ is then let me explain. They are images stored on Stock sites, such as Fotolia or Shutterstock by photographers who sell them with usage rights.

The benefits are that you can often get images to use on your sites that are easily found, downloaded and may not cost a great deal.

The price often depends on the level of usage and the time for which the image will be used. Obviously the price increases in effect with higher usage and for longer periods of time. Often time is limited or the number of uses is limited unless you pay the higher fees.

The down side to stock images is that you will choose an image that you like and you will have searched the site library using words or phrases relevant to your business. Well it stands to reason that so would others in the same business as you!

The chances are that you could easily be purchasing an image that others in the same business are purchasing and so you will have the same image on your site as they will. I see this from time to time but more often than not I just notice that Stock images are being used because once you become familiar with that type of image you get to recognise them.

Moreover they show nothing of who or what you are; they are simply a representation of a genre, an emotion, a situation or an activity. That may be fine but if you are going to show a picture of a board room because you have one and you want to tell the world about it, why not have a photograph of your very own boardroom?

If you are a beauty salon for example, you will always see images of ladies laid on their fronts with hot stones laid on their backs. You see these images everywhere and they are very ‘Same’ meaning quite often beauty / salon sites look very similar.

The alternative would be to hire a professional photographer to photograph your business, your staff, and your premises.

Now in the first instance this may be a bit more expensive but if your deal includes having the digital files then you have them for life and you can use them as you see fit with no limitations or complicated usage licenses.

Further more you will have images that truly reflect your individuality as a business, images that no one else will have and no risk of looking the same as all your competitors.

I have provided several businesses with images for their web sites. The process is simple, an initial meeting to discuss the brief; what you are seeking from your images, what you want to portray about your business. Then I go to work at a convenient time so as not to disrupt you or your staff. I prepare the images and arrange a viewing where the customer can review the images.

If necessary I will revisit and re shoot perhaps where new ideas have been forthcoming or if something isn’t quite right. Ultimately you get the fabulous images you want for your web site and images that will set you apart from the others.

As a professional photographer I am a creative person and you would be surprised at how amazing things will look once I have got to work.

Other uses; I have also seen the images used in banners, in flyers, stationary and advertising. So they are very useful in all sorts of ways without you having to worry about the license that you have purchased from a Stock site or worrying that you might breach the terms and conditions.

I would be happy to discuss with you your needs, with no obligation to see what can be done for you and your business. www.xpectphotography.com

Add some fireworks to your photos!

At this time of year the skies are often lit up with fireworks – and they can make great photos but many people think they are too difficult to photograph.

Here are some tips to get great fireworks pictures:-

1: Get a tripod – your camera will need to be rock-steady for at least a half a second and it is highly unlikely that you will be able to hold it steady enough for long enough without some help. A remote release cable will reduce the risk of camera shake even more. Fireworks are fast so from about .5 of a second upwards perhaps to 3 or 4 seconds will be required depending on how extensive you want the light trails to be.

2: Go manual – modern cameras are good at working out the settings for well-exposed pictures in a wide range of situations but the brightness of the fireworks against the dark of the sky can easily fool the auto-settings. So turn them off and set aperture and shutter speed yourself.

3: Aperture - a mid-range aperture of around F8 or F11 works best. Either set the camera to expose for a set time and experiment to get the best combination or try setting your camera to “bulb”. This keeps the lens open until you release the shutter. Using this technique open the shutter as the firework is about to explode and keep it open until it has finished. This provides you with the maximum of control.

4: Flash – leave your flashgun in the bag or turn on-camera flash off. The
short range of flashguns means they have no impact on the main subject.

5: Framing – both vertical and horizontal framing can work well but remember there’s a lot of vertical motion with rockets going off.

6: It’s not just fireworks – whether it’s in your back garden or at a professional event there is plenty of scope for great people shots. Reactions to the fireworks, lighting effects and children with sparklers all offer the chance of interesting “environmental”
pictures.

But most of all – stay safe and enjoy yourselves!

 

‘All About Me’ Show – Supporting Autism

I’m delighted and honoured to have been chosen as the official photographer for the ‘All About Me’ Show at the Cardiff City Stadium on November 20^th 2011.

The show is billed as Wales’s ultimate fashion and beauty showcase and will raise funds for Autism Cymru and National Autistic Society Cymru.

The Cardiff show will feature OK!TV’s Matt Johnson, GMTV make-up
artist Ariane Poole, the House of Fraser fashion show, expert demonstrations
and makeovers, nail, lash and brow bars, the Tiger Tiger cocktail and karaoke pod, fashion and beauty advisors, massage, facials and reflexology, teeth whitening and botox, personal trainers and health experts, Christmas shopping and unique gifts – and lots more!

My role will be to photograph the event as it happens as well as focusing on main
events such as makeovers, fashion show and catwalk.

Exhibitors with specific requests for photography can contact me on 07840 947517 or e-mail mark@xpectphotography.com

The show takes place on Sunday, November 20. Tickets are £5 from www.allaboutmeshow.co.uk.

You can also follow ‘All About Me Show’ on Facebook.

Hope to see you there!

 

10 Top Tips for Photographing Children

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It’s never an easy thing to do!

1: Boys will be boys and children will be children – so don’t try and force them
into a particular pose. Some of the best photos are captured when the subject
is oblivious to the camera. This approach also reveals more of their character
and personality.

2: Down with kids – it may sound obvious but children are smaller than adults.
Getting down with them gives you more natural looking photos and an interesting
child’s-eye view of the world.

3: Location, location, location – a bored child is not going to yield much in the way of
great photographs. Just taking them to the local park can do wonders for their
interest levels and gives you some interesting backgrounds. Having fun (and
that goes for the photographer as much as the subject) should be what it’s all
about.

4: You are what you wear – our clothes can tell us a lot about the situation the
picture was taken in. Children need to feel comfortable, in all senses of the
word, if you are going to get worthwhile shots. Forcing them into their Sunday
best just because you want a photo not stacking the odds in your favour. Also
pay attention to colour – bold, plain colours are less distracting

5: More is More– Kids love messing about and pulling funny faces. Sometimes this is good, sometimes not. So keep on pressing the shutter and you’ll have a far better chance of getting the shots you’ll want to keep.

6: Patience is a virtue – kids are natural performers but don’t expect them to turn it
on immediately just because you get the camera out. Giving them to time to
adjust to their surroundings and to forget that you’ve got a camera in your
hand will increase your chances of getting the pictures you’ll want to pull out
for their 18^th birthday party.

7:  Get it out regularly – the more often children see the camera being used, the less they become aware of it. Children who are used to being photographed regularly act more naturally in front of the camera. Regular shots also capture those changes that are almost imperceptible on a day-to-day basis

8: Get up close – in most cases, child photography is about the expression in
their faces or what they are doing with their hands. Yet many people seem to
think that you have to get their footwear into shot as well. These full-length
shots may be have their place as reminders of what we wore back in the day but
homing in on the action will give you more pleasing results.

9: Lock it in – autofocus is a wonderful tool but it’s not foolproof. Most
autofocus cameras focus on the area in the centre of the viewfinder. If you are
taking a picture of a group of children be on your guard. If the small square
in the centre of the viewfinder is trained on a tree or a building in the
background that’s what will be in focus. To avoid this make sure you focus on a
face or another part of the action that you want.

10:  A little understanding – many compacts are called point and shoot for a reason. We love the simplicity of being able to take it out of the box and start taking pictures almost immediately. But take a little time to read the manual and understand what the buttons do. Practice makes perfect so play with the setting and see what happens. That way, when you need to switch to sports mode in a hurry, you’ll know exactly what to
do.

Of course, if you would like a professional photo shoot (so that you can also be in the pictures with your kids!) just call me to discuss your requirements – 07840 947 517.

Priceless portraits

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As a photographer with a business to run of course I want everyone to have a portrait session.

But my passion for this most intimate of art forms goes way beyond simple economics. Capturing people and telling a story about them, as individuals or as part of a group, is what attracted me to photography in the first place.

A professional portrait is not just a wonderful piece of individual art for your home now, it has the power to become a family heirloom.

Portraits were once things that the wealthy commissioned artists to paint and generations later they still have the power to say something about their subjects.

Today photography makes that available to everyone and we don’t have to rely on imperfect memory to see how our children change as they grow or to remember much-loved grandparents.

Modern portraiture tells a very different story about us as individuals, families and friends

Photographs can define our times for generations to come. Most people today think of the Victorians as rather stiff and formal. That’s because, given the technology of the time, photographs tended to be rather formal.

Professional portraits are so worth the investment and there is a real and tangible difference between them and the family snapshot.

The family snapshot can be a treasured memento but a professional portrait will probably be the most personal piece of art you will ever own

So, with Christmas approaching I’d like to encourage everyone to think about a sitting with a professional photographer be it me or another pro.

How would you feel unwrapping a beautiful portrait of your loved ones on Christmas morning?

And if you feel that way, just imagine how your loved ones would feel about a beautiful portrait of you.

This is no time to reach for the tired old socks and tie as a way of working through the Christmas list.

Be original and creative and give them something really special – portraits are for life, not just for Christmas.

For more information, please don’t hesitate to contact me on 07840 947517 or please visit the WEBSITE HERE….

Calm those Pre-Wedding nerves with a Portrait Session!

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When you book your wedding photography with us we offer a complimentary pre-wedding portrait session. This can be a fantastic opportunity to relax and get some great pictures of you both before the main event.

Not only that, a pre-wedding shoot is also a chance to spend time with your photographer so that you can all get to know each other better. This really helps you relax when it comes to your wedding day, safe in the knowledge that your photographer really understands what you want.

In addition, I find that it can help build confidence in couples that they can look amazing in their wedding photographs. It’s a time to help with posing and what are the best positions to take. I always like to give couples just a few tips on how to present themselves in the best way possible for the wedding photography and I can also help them practise these tips during the pre-wedding photo shoot.

During a recent wedding the Bride constantly reminded me that she was doing everything that she had learned during her pre-wedding portrait session. She really loved the results when she saw the photographs!

This is also the ideal chance to tell your photographer more about you – do you have a preferred side to be photographed, for example? Are you concerned about anything? Unfortunately, we can’t change who we are and how we look but I always aim to inspire confidence in all my couples that they are wonderful and will look beautiful on their wedding day. But if you are worried about things like tattoos, chins and arms and visible scars (all very common issues!) there are some very simple things we can all do to improve the way we look in our photographs. So, it’s a good idea to discuss these concerns with your photographer in complete confidence.

Finally, the pre-wedding photography can be a great chance to have some fun with each other and enjoy the moment.

Ultimately, everything I do for my clients prior to their wedding is all part of maximising the potential for great wedding photography. I strive to help my couples as far as possible and this complimentary portrait session is something that has been appreciated by everyone who has taken advantage of it so far.

SPECIAL OFFER – For all weddings booked prior to the end of October 2011, couples will also receive the high resolution images from the pre-wedding session as a complimentary gift on disc with license to print included.

To find out more about wedding photography and my special offer, please contact me on 07840 947517.