Photography Courses Newcastle
Newcastle Photography Courses
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Why you Should Book a Graduation Studio Photoshoot!
Are you graduating this year in Newcastle? You may want to consider opting for a dedicated graduation photoshoot with a professional photographer rather than the traditional ceremony photographs. There are many benefits to booking a bespoke graduation shoot which you may have never thought of…
The first is variety!
A shoot with me will be a completely custom and bespoke shoot based on your preferences, ensuring you are receiving images you will love for a lifetime. You can decide on a full length portrait (not offered by uni photographers) or you might opt for the classic headshot or a mixture of both.
I can also give you additional options you wouldn’t get with the traditional uni shoot; you could remove your cap & gown for some professional profile images or have a choice of multiple backdrop colours from neutral to bright, giving your images a pop of colour. If there are other props or elements you’d like to involve in your shoot, it can be discussed when you arrive at my photography studio.
Next is quality!
A shoot with me is not a one size fits all service. As an expert in portrait photography with over 23 years of experience, I’ll ensure your images will be of the highest quality and professionally lit to achieve flattering portrait photos. You will also have the option for some light retouching once you have selected your final images.
Another factor is time!
A dedicated photoshoot gives you the luxury of time, so no long queue and no having to be photographed under the watchful eyes of your peers! This is especially good for those of you who are nervous or uncomfortable in front of a camera, you can take your time to relax around the camera with some test shots.
As a portrait photographer, I deal with nervous clients daily. Most people are not confident in front of a camera, but it’s my job to help you relax and enjoy the experience. So if this is you, you will benefit from booking a shoot with me at my Newcastle city centre studio.
If you are someone who is nervous around a camera, you may want to read my blog post ‘What Happens at a Studio Photoshoot’ for more information on what a typical shoot at my studio is like.
These portrait photos will also be completely bespoke, so we can of course opt for something more classic and traditional, but if this is not your vibe we can create completely unique and creative shots! Perfect for the person who likes to stand out and this can be personal to you. You can even go for a mix of both! That’s the beauty of a tailored service, it can be whatever you want it to be.
Finally, the images are supplied are digital! I shoot digitally, so you will have 30 or so images supplied as thumbnails for your selection. Once you select 5 images for the Headshot Shoot or 10 for the Portfolio Photography, those are yours to keep! This is much better than the single image you get from traditional university graduation shoots.
As these portrait images are supplied as an online gallery they are perfect to send to your family and friends all over the world. No more taking a blurry photo of your print to send to relatives! Another benefit of digital images is they are ready to be uploaded to your social media, making the perfect profile image for LinkedIn or CVs. A professional image is a must for your profile as you are venturing out into the working world!
A graduation shoot is also perfect for any recent pandemic graduates who did not get the chance to attend a ceremony or capture portraits in a gown. Most universities allow gown rental all year. So if you missed out during covid, order a gown and book in and get that celebration photo that you missed out on. It’s never too late!
If you are interested in booking in for graduation photography, drop me an email or give me a call and we can discuss what you are looking for so head to my contact form now on the link below or give me a call on the number above.
Why Businesses Need Corporate Headshot Portraits
Why Businesses Need Corporate Headshot Portraits
In today’s digital age, it’s more important than ever for businesses to have a strong online presence. One of the best ways to do this is by investing in corporate portraits. My Newcastle Photography Studio offers exactly this!
Headshot portraits are professional photographs of your employees that can be used on your website, in marketing materials, and on social media. They can help you to:
- Make a positive first impression
- Build trust and credibility
- Show the human side of your business
- Attract new customers and clients
If you’re looking to rebrand or refresh your website, maybe adding a ‘meet the team’ page then professional portraits are a must-have.
Make a positive first impression
When potential customers or clients visit your website, they’re going to make a snap judgment about your business within seconds. If your website is outdated or poorly designed, they’re likely to move on to the next one. But if your website is professional and well-designed, with high-quality staff portraits, they’re more likely to stick around and learn more about your business.
Build trust and credibility
Professional portraits can also help you to build trust and credibility with your customers and clients. When people see professional photographs of your employees, it shows that you’re a legitimate business that takes pride in its work. This can be especially important for businesses that are new or that operate in a competitive industry.
Show the human side of your business
In addition to making a positive first impression and building trust, corporate portraits can also help you to show the human side of your business. When potential customers or clients see photographs of your employees, they get a glimpse into the culture of your company and the people who work there. This can help to make your business more relatable and approachable, which can lead to more sales and conversions.
Attract new customers and clients
Finally, corporate portraits can also help you to attract new customers and clients. When you have high-quality photographs of your employees, you can use them in your marketing materials, on social media, and in other promotional efforts. This will help to put your business in front of a larger audience and attract more attention.
If you’re looking for a way refresh your marketing materials with your staff, please drop me a line on my contact page to discuss ideas and a quote for your team here or if you are an individual I have a booking page here
Silverbean Office Interiors Photography
Last Autumn just before Lockdown No3, I completed an Interiors Photography shoot for affiliate marketing agency, Silverbean, PR agency, North and paid marketing agency, Ortus an impressive global marketing collective in Newcastle upon Tyne. The Silverbean team had recently moved into a beautiful new office space in Brinkburn Street, Byker close to the quayside and city centre. It was a really windy day with blue grey patchy skies, crunchy brown leaves and that dreamy warm pink/orange light that September brings.
The building is steeped in local history with traditional typefaces and exposed iron girders marked with ‘Iron Works Ltd’ proudly affirming its North East industrial location. The bold metal structures, exposed imperfect brickwork and polished wood floors are a stunning office setting together with plants bringing colour, softening sharp corners and adding warmth to the interior space.
Hannah Strong, Head of Marketing at Silverbean and sister agency AGY47 invited me for a meeting after a LinkedIn recommendation pointed her my way. We discussed the company objectives in line with brand photography then had an enjoyable scout about the building assessing light and points of interest whilst I offered some creative input.
I was wowed by the light, the colours and textures together with the simplistic and spacious interior design of the building. The communal areas were warm and inviting suggesting a friendly, fun and unified team despite many staff off site temporarily working from home. My post visit proposal to the team offered a dual approach tailored for each brand and sample imagery to demonstrate my portrait, interiors and documentary photography style.
The Silverbean space was an absolute Newcastle Photography treat, the type that makes you proud of North East industry, past and present. 166 Brinkburn Street is simply bursting with character blending its historic and modern charm perfectly with Scandi furniture, giant palms and a burgundy pool table to boot! There was even Reggie, a pupppy King Charles Spaniel happy to model, adding yet more warmth and playfulness to these Office Interior Design Photos.
Once used for traditional industrial manufacturing, this creative commercial workspace now generating marketing ideas and online technology is the perfect environment for my own creative Commercial Photography. Where old and new meet in unison and the people within it absolutely do…
Northern Stove Log Burner Photography
Who’s feeling chilly? ME!
This January was exceptionally cold, in fact it was the coldest January in ten years, I really felt it! This February is much the same and more snow is on its way. It’s been so cold I have even discovered usb chargeable hand warmers which have been life changing, especially on early morning dog walks. But it’s not hand warmers of the pocket variety I’m wanting to shout about, it’s something much more exciting than that. Here is a ‘before’ shot to keep you guessing!
This winter we welcomed into our home a new friend, a working-from-home treat and an absolute saviour in fact! All this in the form of an amazing Woodpecker Log Burning Multi-Fuel Stove installed in our living room last month. This warmed our hands, toes and our heat greedy pooch dog who is currently living her best life! Her face looks sad, but she’s happy as Larry! (btw.. does anyone know who Larry is?)
The wonderful Newcastle based Northern Stove did a fantastic job of installation, they were friendly, extremely tidy and respectful with noise, important when working from home. Jonny came initially to measure up, gave great advice on approach and finishes followed up later by Jonny’s Business Partner Scott and Andy coming to install the Log Burner.
They kindly checked in with us for decisions on intricate design details like the size of the opening in relation to the stove size, brickwork and hearth width. They even added a bird guard on our chimney top as having never been on our roof, we didn’t realise it was missing.
The chimney breast was to be knocked out to expose the brick work, which has a 90 year history having being laid in 1930! A slab of rough cut limestone was to be our hearth so I braced myself for the dust but there was none! This was due to fab gizmo which sucked it all out and shot it out the window. Bingo! Here is Northern Stove’s Scott discussing the preferred height of the opening during installation for you to see their slick operation.
The brickwork was intact and worthy of a clean up and just look at the great job Northern Stove’s Scott and Andy did! The whole job of knocking out, cleaning up, stove installation to current regs including chimney lining and alarms fitted took less than two days. We were so happy with the work I thought it worth shouting about the team on here.
Once the painstaking job of sitting watching plaster dry for a week was over, (visually unfinished things like this drive me potty) the final touches of paintwork could be completed in this newly refurbished room.
The theme was traditional materials reflected by the main focus, our cast iron and steel Wood Burning Stove together with colours green and gold. For soft furnishings I wanted natural materials such as leather, cotton, sheepskin and wool adding comfort and texture. Having grown up on dairy farms I have a great sentiment for cattle so my cow skin is absolute fakery from Wayfair!
I’ve included a few before and after pictures as we replaced the carpet with a wood floor oak finish and painted the walls with Little Green’s calming Sage Green on recommendation from a friend (thanks Paula) who is also bonkers for interior design.
I’d really gone to town with the design details selecting woven fabrics, mat ceramics and check out my gold pot with bird feet below (thanks Lisa) with the intension of capturing Interior Design Photography incorporating the burner too. This felt particularly relevant as currently I’m splitting my time between studio and home during this pesky pandemic.
I bargain hunted, scouring the internet finding vases, sheepskins, baskets and cushions from Dunelm, (check them out and you too will find the nuggets) floor lamp from Next Home (this was the big spend), leather butterfly chair from Ebay, a second hand chair (an upholstery project draped in a sheepskin for now) from St Oswald’s Charity shop, wool rug from Benuta and 4 old wooden fruit boxes from a skip in Newcastle (I have absolutely no shame) which all were ace pieces to capture. Our 1950-60’s chandelier I bartered and bought in an antique shop in Hexham.
Along with many things old and recycled, I added a brand spanking new piece of art, a shiny new Heart Break Mirror that was designed by Patrick Schmidt who is a friend and a London based illustrator so feel free to click on his name to whizz over to his website where you can see the work he creates along with his online shop. I am a big fan!
The black pen drawn illustrations in frames are non other than Jim Moir’s portraits of Bob Mortimer drawn for FHM many years back before it went into administration, they make me smile daily at their silliness!
The theme for this room was natural materials, comfort and warmth so hopefully when you look at these images you’ll feel the glow from within! It’s now time for my tea break so fitting with the theme of traditional and natural materials such as glass, cast iron and timber, I’m adding porcelain to the list with this tea set from Oliver Bonas. Tea, a big softie (my Frenchie pup) and a cosy wood burner what’s not to love with this incredible comforting combo?
