Photography newcastle Archives - Sarah Deane Photography Studio Newcastle

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24 years a Photographer in Newcastle!

20 March 2024/0 Comments/in Assorted, Commercial, Portraits /by Sarah Deane

There is a lot to celebrate this month! I took the leap to set as a Newcastle Photographer with my own Photo Studio in March 2011 servicing Product e-commerce photography and Business Headshots and despite the crazy ups, downs and storms ridden with topics such as bereavement, client restructuring, a recession and a pandemic, I’m here fighting fit, always progressing and most importantly still loving it!

I graduated from Camberwell College of Art in the millennium so this year I celebrate being a professional photographer for 24 years! This feels like a major feat together with my city centre studio business at Clavering House Business Centre turning 13 years old this month.

On reflection I think one of the successes is my passion for my work, always wanting to improve my photo shoots here in my Newcastle Studio, always aiming to enjoy shooting and keeping client happiness at the top of my goals.

Multiple Awards!

What better way to celebrate your own achievements in business than awards? Last month I went to meet with Prestige Awards at Blackwell Grange and receive a gold ‘Multiple Award’ for best Portrait Photographer North East having won this for 3 years running! I took Dan, my assistant so that we could celebrate together as he has been integral in supporting my studio in the last year. It was interesting to be interviewed about my Portrait photography and my new Photography Tutorial products too. The very first Photography Award I achieved was in 2007 when I managed a Portrait Studio for Venture Photography at their studio in Gosforth. It’s wonderful to reflect on the 17 year span of awards won.

Photography Courses here in Newcastle

With all this experience in mind and to keep my work varied and my product offerings diverse, this spring I launched two new products to my portfolio of services to the general public. Whilst I capture images for businesses such as Meet the Team Staff Headshots, Office Documentary Photography and Interior Design Shoots, I also offer Headshot Portraits, Portfolio and Press Shoots to the general public.

The one question I’ve been asked regularly as a Newcastle Photographer over the years is do you teach photography?’ and now I can answer a solid YES! My vast experience working in studios such as shooting freelance projects in London 2000, managing Venture Portraits in Gosforth 2002, shooting in house for advertising Agency NDC Marketing Communications 2008, then my own business in 2011 has led me to a point where I feel a desire to share what I’ve learnt.

So this month I’ve launched two new products! I’ve designed two Photography Courses in Newcastle, here at my city centre studio, teaching you in my cosy space at Clavering House. I can teach you all about how your camera either a Phone camera, DSLR or mirrorless works in a simple two hour course. You might be a business wanting to capture better shots at your events on your phone, or you may be a hobbyist who’d love to learn the ropes in a studio whatever the requirements, you may even want to understand what makes a good portrait and how to shoot them in a studio. I can tailor the session to your needs and design a course that means you leave confident and full of knowledge.

FIND OUT MORE HERE!

Below is a snapshot of a ‘Shoot like a Pro’ article that featured in Digital Photographer Magazine with the type of tips I can share with those who want to learn studio skills in Newcastle! You may also like this link to another blog telling news of an article featuring me as a photographer and my professional CV here

Newcastle Portraits Behind the Scenes!

26 February 2024/0 Comments/in Commercial, Portraits /by Sarah Deane

Photo shoots at my Newcastle Photography studio often end with my visitors saying

“That was so fun….. but I didn’t know what to expect!”

This is what so many of my clients say to me when visiting my portraits studio for the first time. Maybe you also have wondered what getting a new headshot photo would involve. maybe you want a new online profile photo but don’t know where to start looking!

So here is some help! The full finished video my assistant Dan and I have put together for exactly this purpose. It’s a thorough look behind the scenes at a relaxed hour long Portfolio shoot in my studio in Clavering House. The hour long shoot allows for a multitude of image types, so some for Corporate Headshots some for online profiles and for keepsakes. So this video documentary will give you an insight into how my Headshot Shoot, Portfolio Photography and Press shoots work. Some people come to me for business shots for conferences, social media or a website, but also want to tag on another requirement like a dating website profile or a celebration be it a birthday, special occasion or hobby.

Gurminder Marwaha came to me for 2 requests, some corporate headshots together with some story telling portraits having been a DJ since a teen. He was kind enough to let Dan film him during our session from arrival to completion! The hour allows for time discussing accessories, colour schemes, creative lighting and ideas that you might have seen online. My client Gurminder sent me a Pinterest board of shots he’d seen that he liked and I mimicked the lighting styles of these images so that he got exactly what he came for!

I used creative lighting for the headphones and vinyl props using coloured gels and spot lights. Then a simple white backdrop for an alternative smart corporate approach for business use. The Portfolio shoot allowed Gurminder to try out both types of portrait photography- for business and for fun!

The video is aimed at anyone thinking about a new headshot and yet no idea what is involved. This video demonstrates what happens in my magical cave at Clavering house! It’s meant to break down any apprehensions, showing you are guided through the whole process: from booking and preparation to final edit and delivery.

Please do get in touch if there are questions you may have and check out my Studio Portraits page for more info here. Or if you’d like to see the various types of Portrait Shoots I offer go to my Portrait Galleries here

BOOK ME HERE!

Northern Stove Log Burner Photography

5 February 2021/0 Comments/in Assorted, Commercial, interior design photography /by Sarah Deane

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?)

Newcastle Photography of interior design and log burner installation 5

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.

Newcastle Photography of interior design and log burner installation1

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.

Photography of interior design and log burner installation in living room in Newcastle 8

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.

Newcastle Photography of interior design and log burner installation in living room in Newcastle

Newcastle Photography of interior design and log burner installation in living room in Newcastle 8

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.

Photography of interior design and log burner installation in living room in Newcastle 9

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?

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