For this studio workshop we have a dark queen theme with awesome model and dress maker Rosemary Blakewell.

We also have prop maker Jim Mills in attendance who has made us a ram skull crown with chains and skeleton hands! How exciting!

Here are a few shots of our model and the rams skull crown:

To grab the last space on this workshop head over to the studio days page here.

Allison treated herself to some professional photos for her 40th birthday, we had a make up artist work with us too and we styled the background to suit her outfit. 

I love all the shots we got, Allison looked amazing and with some simple posing guidance from me we got these lovely photos.
​Click to see the full size images. 

Would you like to treat yourself or a loved on to a confidence boosting photoshoot? Contact me and we will get you booked in or I'll send you out a gift voucher. Prices start from £135.

You can order my standard products using this form. I will email you once I receive it to confirm any necessary details. If you have any questions please email gem@devonpt.co.uk

Last month we had actor and model Rafe in the studio with some Larping outfits from Gideon Lawrence who runs theoldwyvern.com. We got a really good range of shots with a variety of angles, light set ups and background colours. We had two students in attendance who also got a great range of images whilst they learned about where to position studio lights, what soft boxes and other modifiers to use for portraits and how to use their cameras in the studio.

At Devon Photography Training we cater for all types of digital cameras, this session had a Nikon D810 a Canon 6d mark 2 and an Olympus OMD EM 10 mark 2. We used Elinchrom lighting equipment including the D-lite 2 and D-lite 4 Flash heads with a large octobox, 150cm square soft boxes, a beauty dish and grid, a snoot as a hair light, coloured gels on a reflector dish and a reflector to help us manipulate light. 
Working together we all got some great images. That's what these sessions are all about. ​

​Marketing Consultant, Cath Harris of Ipsa Consulting, shares her views on the importance of Professional Photography for your brand.​

What does photography have to do with my business?
Business owners often think that their logo *is* their brand identity when in reality it's so much more. A brand identity is a way of visually communicating who you are, what you do, and even more nuanced things such as your price-point and audience type - all without a lot of text. Professional photography is a really good way to showcasing these things in a wider context.

Consumers here in the UK are extremely design savvy - to me, it's a hallmark of Britishness. For centuries we've been saturated with great examples of design from world-class fashion houses, luxury motor vehicles and even more practical examples like the London Underground's iconic map or G-Plan furniture.

Why not just use stock images?
In order for a business to communicate their value to a UK audience, photography can be a really useful tool in your tool kit. Compared to cheap, generic stock imagery, bespoke professional photography is uniquely yours - it is created to contain the very essence of your brand identity, from idea, to execution through to final edits.

Stock imagery has its place, however. For start-ups and those finding their feet it can be invaluable. But if you can afford professional photography, do invest!

Do I need a professional headshot?
The sort answer is yes. When you work with a photographer like Gemma, she'll set the lighting and angle right to make you look your absolute best! She'll also take quite a few images of you which means you can choose the right image for the purpose. Plus, Gemma is a whizz at editing images which means she'll be able to smooth out that zit without a fuss!

Plus, if you work with a team, a professional photographer can ensure the team are represented in sync with your brand and with one another. 

**Top tip**: if you worry about looking weird in photographs then remember this: you're used to seeing yourself in a mirror and when you have your photo taken, you're seeing yourself from the other way round! This is how other people see you.

Why should I use a professional for my product shots?
Your commercial images through your website or social media are (metaphorically speaking) your shop window. A professional photographer will ensure each image is clear, in focus, taken in the best light, using the right background or props, at the best angle and using the right depth of field.

There's nothing worse than a gorgeous product that is represented badly through basic photo skills. Whilst it costs more to outsource commercial product photography than doing it yourself, you'll definitely notice the true value in your return on investment. 

For more tips on marketing communications, follow Cath on www.linkedIn.com/in/cathharris1, or view her website: www.ipsaconsulting.co.uk

It is really important to me to be continually improving my photography too. Learning about the latest methods of post production and keeping an eye on the latest cameras released is all part of the job and allows me to pass on what I learn to my lovely students.

I have been a member of The Guild of Photographers for quite a few years now and find it a very inspiring association to be a part of. I can push myself by entering their image of the month competitions, take part in regional competitions and attend training sessions with pros in various fields of photography.

I have found it invaluable in my photography journey and would very much recommend you check them out if you are serious about improving your photography too.

Over the years I have entered their image of the month competition and I would very much like to share some of my awarded images with you. 

The Guild of Photographers say the following in regards to the awards:

"Entries are assessed by very experienced Judges in accordance with national competition judging criteria and graded as follows –

A Platinum Bar .. Images of exceptional or outstanding quality (only awarded to the ultimate of images)
A Gold Bar .. Images of particular distinction (very rare)
A Silver Bar .. Images that are very well crafted (difficult to achieve)
A Bronze Bar .. Images of a strong standard at a national competition level (something to be proud of)"

I am very pleased to have gained 30+ awards so far, including a Gold, a Silver and multiple Bronze awards, I will continue to enter the competition and strive to gain the all elusive Platinum Bar.

Colours make such a big difference to your photographs, imagine Photographing a family portrait with a mix of patterns, floral, stripes, chequers, someone in a football kit, someone in bright green next to someone in bright red. It can be a bit of a nightmare! I often send out clothing guides when Photographing groups. Helping me to avoid clashing colours and print.

I have been exploring colours in the studio recently, Photographing my black dog against the orange an working with different skin tones and outfits to see what works and what doesn't. There are loads of colour theories you can find when looking at the colour wheel, we can work with harmonious colours such as black and orange contrasting colours such as red and yellow or complimentary colours such as yellow and purple or green and magenta.
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Here are a few examples of playing with colours in the studio:

Some of my favourite portrait photographs taken on location from over the years. 

Some are with models organised via Purpleport, others are portrait jobs, weddings, or practice sessions with friends or family.

If you are looking for a specific location photoshoot email me at Gem@devonpt.co.uk and I'll get back to you asap. 

This is an ongoing project where I photograph people in the studio and play with lighting for varying contrast and impact in the images. I do love shooting portraits, especially when people don't realise how photogenic they are and then they get excited when they see the images.  

Here are a few of my favourite mono images from over the years: