Well it’s here, we can’t escape it….. It’s Christmas! Is it just us that feel like last Christmas was only five minutes ago? Anyway, it’s here and we are looking forward to it. The clocks have changed and the days are definitely getting shorter. The weather we have had is a bit all over the place isn’t it? We’ve had sun and rain and now its chilly. To help get us into the festive spirit we have started to decorate the studio with snuggly cushions and blankets and we have bought a small but perfect living Christmas tree. The jars have been filled with candy canes and marshmallows and we have hot chocolate at the ready. The Christmas sets are all sorted and we have all the ingredients to provide you all with a most magical experience. We have our two Christmas sets at the ready, our traditional one with a fireplace and toys with Santa. Our new one for last year, the hot coco bar with a traditional sledge and even snow! This year we decided to make a winter wonderland and have built a wintery arch from white branches. It’s been a bit of a labor of love. Each branch has been stripped and painted and woven into an arch. Finally, it has been dressed with baubles and crystals and is ready for it’s first shoot. All of the festive goodness has made me think about one thing though. It’s been a tough few years and even though the pandemic is subsiding we are facing challenges that are tough. With the energy crisis, the economy and people struggling to eat, family means more than ever. It makes us appreciate what we have and be thankful for it. I know it’s hard, it feels more so than ever. However, if you have chance to do something wonderful this year and you feel you can afford too, then consider donating something to a worthy cause. Maybe even if it’s just a brew with someone who might be lonely, a Christmas card for someone who won’t be receiving any or a spare packet of biscuits to someone in your community. Embrace what we have, and that is each other. Wishing each and everyone of you the most Merry and healthiest of Christmases and a prosperous New Year! With love from our family, Sam, Elizabeth, Charley, Evie, Nickolas & Timothy xx

So the leaves are turning colour and the air is beginning to get a little colder, your reaching for your comfy knits and boots once more. It’s got to be one of my favourite times of the year! We are preparing for a variety of photoshoots coming up and we couldn’t be more excited about it. We recently had an Addams Family style shoot with our family. We had planned and designed the concept for ages, bought costumes and organised our fabulous friend to do the make-up and hair styling. All was going so well until everyone got a bit tired and hungry. Imagine four children and two stressed out adults all in pale make-up, costumes and wigs. We got some fabulous pictures in the end and we have laughed at the end result which was all we hoped for. Getting to that point however was not plain sailing, next time get the children ready last! Moving on though we have an autumnal cake smash coming up which is a great opportunity to get creative. We are building some new props and have ordered a cake with beautiful colours on it, can’t wait to see it! Every set though is bespoke. We have a consultation with the parents and design a scheme. With baby being born at autumn, it will be themed around that, so pumpkins and leaves at the ready. Each smash shoot finishes with a bubbly bath and a splash. The splash tub is also having a bit of a makeover at the moment, so watch this space. Lastly it’s the festive season just beyond. We have had enquiries about Christmas photoshoots this year and we can tell you that we are prepping for them now. They will be officially released very shortly. We have the beautiful cosy traditional set with the fireplace and a little bit of Christmas magic, or the more modern hot coco bar. With our traditional wooden sledge, candy canes and hot chocolate, whichever set you choose it’s bound to make you feel very festive. It’s our first festive season at Broadstone Mill in our new studio. As i’m sure you will have seen by now, we have amazing views from our windows. The colours of the trees turning and the twilight sunsets are magnificent, we are looking forward to seeing it under a possible blanket of snow. If you ever fancy having a nosey and a chat about a photoshoot for yourself, then give us a call to make an appointment. We are always ready for a chat about new projects and the kettle is always on. In the meantime, enjoy the ever changing season, make sure you capture the beauty that is around you.

Well, we have moved Photography studio! Sometimes the art of being creative doesn’t flow easily. behind every picture is a camera, a person that takes that forever photograph. Furthermore there are props and backdrops, rails for gowns, dressing rooms and work desks. All of these things are put to their best use in our photography studio, a wonderful space to let imaginations run wild. Up until recently our studio was based on the A6, however due to us outgrowing the space, we have moved! We are now in the beautiful old Broadstone Mill, Reddish. We are on the top floor with magnificent views out. Lots of space for props, separate dressing room and a fabulous consultation space. It’s been hard to make the move here with lots to pack up, however here we are. The kettle is always on, come and see us for a chat. Let’s talk about creating forever photographs for your family portrait photography.

Choosing the perfect style With so many different styles of portrait and family photography available these days, you’re probably finding choosing a photographer for your perfect portrait quite a difficult decision. In this blog, I explore why we like to take portraits, why we should be looking for the best, and why you would ultimately choose a fine art photographer such as myself.     Why do we take so many photographs?  Whether it’s the constant snapshots we take on our phones or printed images from decades ago, we all like to spend time looking back through photographs of our nearest and dearest. . These in themselves are often enough to evoke an emotional response in us, the viewer. It sends you back in time to the moment of the captured image and can often spark further memories to create that lovely warm feeling of being in the moment with the person or people in the shot. Photographs bring to us closer to old memories of happier times, and allow us to re-live moments of care and affection between loved ones.    What it means to have a quality photograph to look back on.  Although we are surrounded by digital images all day, everyday, there is something about that photograph we have taken the time to print out which stirs emotions in us as humans. The fact that it’s physically there in front of us, we can touch and feel it, makes it highly valued, even in this digital age.  A high quality printed image allows us to bypass any distraction we may face with lesser quality images – either the focus distracts us where it isn’t necessary, or the depth of the image pulls your eyes away from the subject, so you are not focused on what matters. It provides you with a forever photograph to share in the present and, of course, pass on to generations to come. What makes a Fine Art portrait so special? By choosing a Fine Art Family Photographer, your experience from beginning to end is one of exceptional quality. Fine art photography is about more than a simple photo. The whole premise is that the image is put together, styled and created by the photographer as an artist, not just by the camera. The creative process involved, centred specifically around each individual, is designed to capture a mood, emotion or idea or enhance a particular element of the subjects character. Careful thought and planning goes into creating the style of each shoot, with plenty of input from the family, in order to produce the maximum impact in the final images. It is usual to spend several days working on each photograph to achieve the high end finish of your beautiful fine art portrait.       “The camera need not be a cold mechanical device. Like the pen it is as good as the man who uses it. It can be the extension of mind and heart…”                                                                                                                                                               John Steinbeck   My passion for Portraiture It comes from within, my desire to use my creative skills to give you lasting memories. And, possibly more importantly, from my own family. My father, as a lecturer in graphic design at Stockport College, shared with me his love of unpicking how superb images are put together, all the little elements that others may miss. More recently, my beautiful twin girls have been my muse in exploring this particular branch of photography. I hope I can bring you the same joy the images of my girls have given my family and friends.