The pricing debate

To be honest, I've always struggled with pricing my work. I see studios offering deals for £10 or £15 and I wonder if I'm charging too much. The thing is, no matter how much I choose to charge, there's always someone cheaper.

I work hard to make beautiful images, I spend time getting to know my clients and relaxing any nerves. Each session is different as I work with the clients and their individual needs and wants. If you hire me you're not just paying for the time I spend actually taking photos. I answer phone calls, texts, and e-mails, update my blog, website and Facebook page regularly and can spend hours editing a session's photos to my high standards. The money I make is needed for new equipment, training, insurance, transport, website and a myriad other things.

I could charge next to nothing but the truth is that I value my work and my time enough to charge what I believe to be a fair rate. The reviews on my Facebook page speak of people who are very pleased with my work, I'll let their words make my point.

Location guide - Coombe Hill, Buckinghamshire

I love the lifestyle area of photography, especially when working with young families. Having lots of space lets everyone relax and have fun together, making for beautiful photographs. My favourite location is Coombe Hill in Buckinghamshire, if you've been directed to this post then you've asked for more details about the area. Please read on.

Why Coombe Hill?
It offers a wonderful combination of woodland (with bluebells in the Spring)...

 

... with open grassy areas...

 
... and a stunning view of the surrounding countryside from what is the tallest point in the Chiltern Hills.

There's even a playground tucked away near the car park, very useful for letting little ones burn off some steam!

It's also a beautiful area in the evening as the sun sets over the valley, making it perfect for romantic couple sessions.

How do we get there?
Coombe Hill is above Ellesborough and Butler's Cross - this map shows exactly where. The best car park is on Lodge Hill, to the left where the road turns 90 degrees to the right.

Please note
Any session at Coombe Hill will involve some walking and many of the paths are unsurfaced. Please choose shoes and clothing that will be comfortable and are suitable for an outdoor location. Please also bear in mind the weather forecast and that there is often a stiff breeze in the more open areas.
There may also be cows and people walking their dogs in the area, please let me know if this will be a problem for you.

Thanks for reading, I look forward to seeing you soon.

Lianne and family - 2/5/16

Another sunny day at Coombe Hill, this time with Lianne and her extended family. A group of 9 people and a dog made for a challenge, especially with 3 young children included, and we were grateful for the space to let them run around and relax into the session.

Once again, we started in the bluebells, taking advantage of the beautiful seasonal display.

Willoughby and Molly the dog posing in the bluebells, totally adorable!

 We then worked our way around to the monument and the beautiful view, always a highlight of a session at this location.

It was rather windy so we didn't stay there for long!

The bigger boys had a wonderful time running around and chasing each other.

On our way back to the car park we visited the woodland playground, it was a great way to the session on a happy note.

 Thank you to Lianne, Peter, Willoughby, Paul, Kathy, Sam, William, Jan, Terry and Molly the dog for a fun time together!

Helen, Robert & Millie - 30/4/16

 Late last year I was asked to donate a voucher to a local Zumbathon and I was happy to oblige. Helen was the lucky winner of the voucher and yesterday we met up at Coombe Hill along with her husband, Robert, and their daughter, Millie.

 We explored the local woodland and found a beautiful patch of bluebells, we were so blessed with the sunshine pouring through the leaves.

 There were lots of cuddles on a bench near the memorial, a good idea as the wind was quite cold!

 The view from the monument was as wonderful as ever but the temperature was dropping so we decided to move back towards the car park.

On our way back, we visited the woodland park. Millie had a wonderful time climbing, balancing and jumping.

 "Mummy, you're the dirty rascal!"

 Careful balancing along the logs...

... and jump off the end!

 A big thank you to Helen, Robert and Millie (and Rainbow Dash) for a really fun session!

Oxford wedding - Emma & Kevin - 1/4/16

Just a few days after their pre-wedding shoot, it was Emma and Kevin's big day. Their wedding was a very intimate affair at a local Registry Office and it was utterly beautiful.

 

Everyone was so happy, all of the photos I took during the day show smiles everywhere.

They really made a glamourous couple and turned heads as we walked to the reception venue.

I wish them a lifetime of happiness together and want to say a big "Thank you" for sharing their day.

An Oxford love story - Emma & Kevin 28/3/16

 It seemed fitting to use Oxford as a backdrop for Emma and Kevin's pre-wedding shoot as they met, fell in love and were shortly to be married in this beautiful city.

 On the day of the shoot, however, the weather wasn't looking promising. The country had been battered by Storm Katie overnight and it was still raining heavily as I made my way to our meeting place. As the wedding was only a few days away, there was no option to reschedule so I just had to hope that the weather would clear up through the morning.

 Thankfully the rain had stopped and the wind died down by the time we met under the Carfax clock tower. We walked to the the nearby Radcliffe Camera and started having some fun!

 Emma and Kevin were very brave in the cold conditions, even taking their jackets off for the photos. I loved Emma's sense of style, her dress and boots were awesome.

 Check out the umbrella they brought with them, totally perfect for the conditions (and ridiculously cute).

 All in all, it was a great way to get to know the happy couple a little before their big day. I hope they're very happy with their photos.

The Photography Show 2016 (aka even pro-photographers take selfies)

This weekend I was lucky enough to visit The Photography Show at the NEC in Birmingham.

 I was there to do some research about new ways to present edited photos to clients, such as USBs and photo books, but it was also an excellent opportunity to network, add new kit to my wishlist and have some fun with fellow photographers.

 There were stormtroopers from the Comic Con taking place next door...

... and a fantastic group of people dressed in authentic WWII costumes.

 While there I also met up with the lovely Emma, a wonderful photographer who I've got to know through the FMS Photo-a-day Facebook page. We chatted, looked at all kinds of fabulous equipment and took some rather daft selfies in front of a wall filled with corny (and sometimes slightly rude) photography jokes.

  We'll definitely go again next year!