As a result, I’ve made the decision to NOT offer a studio day this side of Christmas as there simply isn’t time in amongst all my other bookings! I will revisit this idea next year at some point, although I have to say I am enjoying all the outdoor sessions. Autumn is ending, although there are still some leaves on the floor, making for some really special photos.

I’ve also made the decision to shrink my area of coverage as it’s clear I can get enough sessions in my local area to fill my books and I’ll certainly not miss travelling 1-2 hours up the motorway for a session! So my area now covers South East London (no mini sessions outside of this area) and South and most parts of East London and some parts of Kent and Essex for full sessions/newborns. I’ll make an exception for multiple sessions booked on the same day if you’re 1-2 hours away, so if you can find a friend who also wants a session near to you, that could work.

If you want to make a booking, I’d recommend doing so very soon as I have one, maybe two slots left for Christmas delivery.

I can always squeeze in newborns, but can’t guarantee Christmas delivery at this point as they’ll have to take priority behind those I have promised Christmas delivery for, although of course I will do my best. I do have some space for some non-Christmas delivery sessions after the 11th December and of course there is plenty of availability in the new year at this moment in time.

If you’re a previous customer and would like to order any products for Christmas, let me know and I’ll rehost your gallery for you – I may even be able to offer you some special offers! I’ve upgraded and updated the ordering gallery so it is even smarter and easier to use these days.

In other news, I’ve added new posts describing how to book a session, and answering questions about what to wear and other questions. I’ve also made a change to the way I handle sneak peeks. I used to offer them not long after the session but before the full gallery was available to the customer. These days I show them AFTER the client has ordered, so they get the full impact of seeing their photos for the first time all at once.

I’m looking forward to sharing my first post-maternity-leave sneak peek before too long so keep a close eye open! In the meantime, here are a few photos taken this autumn of my own family (plus a few from the obligatory fireworks at this time of year!) to share:

Click on the thumbnails for a bigger view.

Looking forward to hearing from you all, and meeting some of you for your booked sessions!

So much has changed in my life since I began my maternity leave back in February. My baby boy is now almost six months old, and full of character. My oldest daughter has just started school, and my almost 3 year old is growing up too fast too and becoming more mischievous by the day. Needless to say I’ve been pretty busy with my camera during the break photographing my children, and at the end of this post you can see some of my work.

So much has changed with the business too. I’ve also used some of the time over the break to update the site with fresh branding and a new look, better photo browsing, some rewording and reworking, new photos, updated galleries (seriously, check them out!) and a bit of a tidy up. Take a look around the new site and see what is new!

I now have a Twitter feed too – not much there yet, but you can follow me at @SilverAshPhoto – you can see my latest posts off to the side as well. The Facebook Page is still going strong – do “Like” it if you get the chance.

On the photography side of things I’m focusing more on newborn photography and outdoors, on-location photography – these are my strongest talents and what I enjoy doing the most.

On the financial side of things I’ve reworked my pricing - there is now NO minimum order with your order! It does mean I have had to increase the session fee, but at least half of that is a print credit so the increase is not all it appears. Due to the increase, a 25% deposit is all that is required for full sessions to secure a booking now.

New for my return are Studio Session Days. As those of you who had me bring my entire studio to your living room can attest, it is often quite impractical and from my point of view, I know I can get better photos in a larger space. I know many of my customers prefer studio sessions or would like the opportunity, so a few times a year I am intending to hire a large space and set up my full studio gear for the day. I will make a certain number of slots available (length and quantity depending on demand) and then make a dedicated page on this site so you can book your slot. The pricing is likely to be similar to my mini-session pricing and all product prices remain the same.

I’m planning on doing a Session Day in late November, perfect for Christmas presents. It would likely take place in the Greenwich (SE London) area, or at the very least not far away, and should be reachable by public transport.

I’d love to get an idea of interest and preferred days before I commit to a venue, so if this sounds like something you would be interested in, please fill in this form as soon as possible as I will need to book a venue soon. Filling in the form does NOT commit you to anything whatsoever.

I will only use your email address for the purposes of Studio Session Days, mailings will be infrequent and there’s a human being (me!) on the end so you can ask to be removed at any time.

And finally I thought you may like to see some of my recent photos of my children. I may have been on maternity leave, but I have not been resting my camera and I’ve been using the time to practice and further improve my skills! Here’s is just one of the ways that my new site makes sharing photos easier:

I love taking photos of my children but truth be told – other people’s children are easier. So I’m really looking forward to booking sessions again and getting out there meeting people and their gorgeous families, and best of all capturing their precious memories forever.

Tempted to book a session with me? You can book months in advance (with newborns even a rough due date will do) and my calendar is wide open right now so here is a chance to get the date you want. I book no more than one session a week, so my calendar fills up fast. Looking forward to making that first proper return booking – who will it be? Contact me to get things started or to ask questions!

The most important thing is to wear clothes you’re comfortable in, especially if your session involves children and you may find yourself sitting or crouching down with them. And that the clothes flatter you as well! For adults it is best to avoid clothes that reveal too much skin as this can distract from your face, and cameras can often make arms and legs appear wider than they are.

Secondary to that would be patterns and large logos/slogans. Most importantly, these distract in the finished photo and often really date a photo too. Simple patterns such as stripes are usually okay, although the more plain the clothing, the better it translates to a black and white version, especially if there is a wide variety in darkness/lightness of the colours chosen.

Which brings us onto colours. If you’re doing an outdoor session it’s nice to have colours that complement rather than jar with your surroundings. So earthy colours such as green, brown, blue, burnt orange etc should be the predominant colours rather than neon pinks and yellows! White and other very bright colours do not always photograph well either, so avoid having an entirely white top or bottom. Particularly vivid colours can also give a colour cast on the skin which is a pain to remove. Remember darker colours can be slimming!

In autumn there will be lots of browns and yellows around, so purples and pinks may not look so good amongst the leaves. A good autumn choice could be usually blue or black jeans with a cream or black top – a dark brown can look good too. In the spring there’s a lot of green and blue skies around, so colours such as light brown would not look so great, and green could disappear into the grass if you have green bottoms. Spring is the time for the brighter colours in your wardrobe, such as reds, pinks, blues and yellows.

Make sure your colours don’t clash with other people’s each other if you can. Sometimes it can be nice to have a family all wearing shades of the same colour e.g. blue.

Just before a photoshoot is probably not the best time to experiment with a new hairstyle or make-up routine either – go with what you are used to so you’re not distracted or feel uncomfortable!

Maternity shoots can often benefit from stripy outfits to really accentuate your bump. By the time it comes to your maternity session you will know which of your clothes make your bump look its best – wear *those* clothes with a little less regard to the guidelines above than usual!

Don’t worry too much if you or your child has a skin breakout or a scratch/scar on the day. Within reason I can easily fix most blemishes in post production. A runny nose can also usually be fixed in post production, although this does take time and it’s easier all round if you’re quick and frequent with the tissues throughout the session.

And another thing – the weather! I can shoot in any sort of weather other than heavy rain, although it goes without saying that it’s better if there’s no rain at all! Sunshine is lovely for doing effects with the light such as rim lighting, but it’s not so great in the harsh midday sun. So if sunlight is to be a part of your photos, I will strongly recommend booking the session for an hour or so before sunset (the “golden” hour) or, rarely, shortly after sunrise. In the winter, this means sessions may start as early as 2pm, and in the summer, they may start as late as 8pm.. although obviously if small children with a bedtime are involved we can work something else out. Shade is always a good option if a middle-of-the-day session is unavoidable.

A session can take place at any time of day if it is overcast as harsh light is no longer an issue – in fact the clouds act as a giant softbox and can create very soft tones.

How will you feel at the session itself? Well, try to relax if you can. You’ll find the session won’t be nearly as nervewracking as you fear it will be and you’ll almost certainly enjoy yourself. I am not a fan of being on the other side of the camera at the best of times, so I can certainly relate to nerves and anxiety. You’ll find the session gets easier towards the end and that’s often when we get the best photos. The more enthusiasm for the session all round, the better the photos.

The most important thing to remember is that the camera can only photograph what is there. Sure, I can do some retouching within reason, but you get out of a session what you put into it, especially when it comes to children. You know your children best, and although I’ll do my best to get great responses from them, I’m sure you know a lot of tricks specific to your child that I won’t. Whatever silly noises or faces you need to pull – go ahead and do them, the camera won’t record it!

Another thing to consider if your session involves children are bribes. Bribes are the photographer’s friend. Most children are absolutely fine for a short while at least in a session especially if they’re playing, but if you want group shots or some posed shots, some sort of bribery can really help! Whether that’s a promise of a play in the park when the session is over, or the more immediate raisins/sweets (works better with younger children) it can really make things go a little smoother. Try and avoid chocolate though or you’ll be forever wiping it off. Obviously bribery does not apply to babies!

If you’re worried about your children misbehaving – don’t worry. My worst ever subjects are my own children as they are so jaded by being photographed and I can assure you your little ones probably won’t be as awkward as they are! Obviously a great session results in better photos but I can usually get something out of even the most mischievous or grumpy toddler. If the session really doesn’t go to plan (e.g. the child does not stop screaming for one second) then usually we can rearrange a reshoot. There are always options, so please do not worry unduly.

If you have any more questions please get in touch or simply comment here and I’ll answer them – and maybe even add them to this post for future clients to read!

Before booking I would recommend having a read of my Terms and Conditions. They are pretty industry standard and common sense and not designed to catch anyone out – it mostly spells out expectations on both sides and what should happen if all doesn’t go to plan. Not all conditions apply to every session, but it should be clear what is appropriate. You can find these here:

http://www.silverashphotography.co.uk/TermsandConditions-SilverAshPhotography.pdf

You do not need to post me anything, but I’ll bring along a copy of the Terms and Conditions on the day for you to sign.

To pay for and therefore confirm the booking, you will need to visit the following page:

http://www.silverashphotography.co.uk/client/

You will need to create an account (this is later used when ordering your items) – you can do this either at the start using the “Create Account” button, or at the end when you check out.

To pay for the session you will need to access the gallery named “session”. To do this, select the “Access Gallery” menu below the logo at the top of the page. The access word you need is “Session”.

There is only one item for sale in this gallery – the “Session Fee”. Click on this object as if to buy it.

You will then see on the right hand side three drop down options – Mini Session, Full Session and Newborn Session. Select the type of session you are intending to purchase.

If you have been instructed to add on extra subject fees or distance-related fees, you can add those from the menus that appear. Otherwise you can ignore these.

You need to click “Add to cart”, and then access your cart using the “Shopping Cart” link at the top right of the screen. If you have been given any coupons to redeem, select the “Redeem Coupon” button at this stage.

To checkout, select the “Checkout” button at the bottom right (or top right) of the screen. At this point you can register if you have not done so already, or log in if you have an account with Silver Ash Photography already.

Follow the on screen instructions, and leave any messages etc for me in the “Special Notes” section if you need to. To place the order, select “Place Order”.

This will take you to PayPal where you can pay with your PayPal account or if you do not have one, with your credit card. Alternatively you may wish to arrange a bank transfer or pay in cash, but we would have discussed this beforehand.

If you have any problems, please let me know!

My daughter on holiday in a fairy garden!

* Updating my branding. The logo you see is one I designed, and ideally I would rather have a more professional one. So I am currently investigating options for a new logo, and therefore new branding. With that will come new business cards, watermarks – the whole lot, and probably a colour scheme change.

* Finding studio space. Unfortunately there isn’t the space, and nor is it practical to operate my studio out of my home I share with my family. And most customers who live in London rarely have the sort of space I really need for a decent full studio session. So I have been investigating some options and I’m pleased to announce that I have an option to inexpensively rent some space when needed in a building very close to Greenwich Station. I will be splitting the costs of the rental with the customer so it will incur a premium but it is more than worth it.

* Advertising. I have launched a Facebook ad campaign, and will be launching a Google Adwords campaign shortly. I already appear pretty high up the rankings in Google (especially for things like “Breastfeeding Photography”) but all these things will help. As always “Word of Mouth” is the best advertising, so if you like my work, I am eternally grateful to those of you who’ve been spreading the word around. Testimonials are extremely appreciated too.. I need more!!

* Portfolios. I’m currently in the process of redoing my portfolio on this site as I was not happy with the Smugmug offering. I’ll let you know when it’s all finished. I’ll also be creating a special breastfeeding portfolio soon, as this is very much an area I want to specialise in too.

* Special Offers. The 50% offer still stands with some sessions left, although they are dwindling, so if you’re umming and ahhing, now is the time to get in quick. I will never offer savings like this again – this is solely because I am starting out and wanting to get my name out there. I am still looking to get a maternity client at 75% off if anybody knows of anyone?

I’ve also reduced the session fees a little to encourage new custom, so if that was putting you off before, why not take another look? I also do mini sessions if you don’t want a full session.

That’s all for now! I did a session with my own children recently (I hadn’t had them in the studio since January so it was well overdue!) so keep an eye open for it here in a few days..

Thank you for reading

All future sessions, including those I have not yet completed (there’s still a few portfolio-building ones I am finishing off) will go into one of these galleries to make it much easier to order prints or more.

I’m currently in the process of collecting testimonials from everybody on their appropriate blog page. Thank you very much to those who have already sent theirs – it is very much appreciated!

Just about everything is in place now, including prices and my portfolio galleries. I am just tying up a few loose ends like sorting out business cards and I shall be ready to go with the official business launch. The site itself is just about ready – I’ve added and fleshed out quite a few sections now and I now have a splash page. Obviously as it’s a website, it’s an ongoing project so I’ll continue to work on it once I’m launched.

I only have TEN slots available with an initial 50% discount on nearly all prices. If you, or anybody you know, wants custom photography in the near future, I suggest you get in quick! I am actually taking bookings – use my “Contact” page to get in touch. I’m also going to be offering referral bonuses as well.

Back in February, I launched my portrait photography business – Silver Ash Photography.

Up until that point I had been photographing only my own children, so in order for me to be taken seriously as a photographer I needed much more than my own family as subjects in my portfolio. So I asked if anyone would be willing to pose for free portfolio-building sessions. Within 8 hours I had no fewer than 24 offers, so I had to close the offer sharpish! 15 of those offers translated into actual sessions over the following two months. It’s been busy!

Those sessions have been invaluable. Not only have I learned so much about photography and dealing with clients, but I’ve also gained plenty of confidence as well. Thank you so much to everyone who offered and especially to those who I actually photographed – you were all fantastic. If you would like to leave a testimonial, it would be very welcome – just look for the blog page with your photos on and comment!

It’s been quite a varied ride! From newborns to couples, horses to Cambridge Academia and a hefty dose of children – my portfolio certainly looks varied these days..

I’ve divided my work into two sections. Indoor/Studio work, and outdoor work. These are now on my blog, under the “Gallery” heading at the top of the page.

* You can see my new Studio/Indoor portfolio here
* You can see my Outdoor portfolio here

In case you’re interested in all the work I’ve done over the last two months, you can view the whole lot over on my SmugMug account here:

* http://sparklies.smugmug.com/SilverAsh

So what now? Well, I only managed to do 10 images for some of the sessions as I ran out of time, so I’m hoping to do a few more for some people – keep your eyes open for an email from me if you’re one of those! I’ll post the best here when I’ve finished.

Charging for Images

With the portfolio-building out the way, it is now time for me to start charging for my photography. Much as I’d love to be able to afford to be in a position to do this for free, ultimately it’s about earning an income as well.

One reason for having so many free sessions was so I could be confident in the prices I will be setting – that I am capable of producing good quality work time and time again. I’m not entering the industry at the bottom of the pile – my aim is to start out as a quality photographer and improve from there..

I’m currently putting together a pricing package which I believe is fair and reflects the standard of my work. Many of you, especially those who have not used a custom photographer before, will probably be very surprised at the prices I will be charging, but a good, third-party explanation of why custom photography is not cheap can be found here. To cut a long story short, there’s a lot more to it than just showing up with a camera for a few hours – the post-processing can be as much as an hour per image or more in rare cases. To be blunt, it’s why my images look good – the photo-taking is only the start. Each session takes me upwards of 20 hours of my skilled, professional time. Then there is the time spent developing the business outside of sessions. Plus there is the not inexpensive matter of camera equipment, studio equipment, computer hardware and software, insurances, accounting, marketing, travel costs and plenty more.

I’m partly so defensive over my prices because I can clearly recall being aghast at the prices photographers charged myself and it’s only now the boot is on the other foot that I can see that photography is sadly not a license to print money! However, I firmly believe that it is worth every penny with the right photographer. You can’t put a price on a precious moment in time captured in high quality.

When I have finalised my pricing and finished developing my client proofing gallery (currently in progress) I’ll be looking for new, paying customers. As a special offer, I’ll likely be charging a significant discount for the first (to be decided, probably a dozen) paid-for sessions before going totally full price. So if you’re in the market for a bargain quality photography session or know someone who is, keep a close eye on this blog!

Sessions Available

I would still like to practice on one more newborn, and do a maternity session, so if anybody knows of any newborns or pregnant ladies who would like a free session with 10-20 images for free, please get in touch by leaving a comment or contacting me by other means.

If anyone would like a paid-for session sooner rather than later please DO get in touch (as described above) and we can sort something out and I can quote you a very competitive price based on my special offer starting prices. I won’t be actively starting marketing until the start of July to give myself time to sort everything out but I am available for sessions.

My specialty is child photography but I am very flexible, and open to most types of photography going. For more information, see my “About Me” page.

Anyway, that’s all for now.. please keep following this blog either here or on Facebook for more news and photography! I have some great photos from my recent trip to the US to share hopefully soon for starters.

The blog remains under construction, as do logos and so on. I am not yet charging customers as I need to build up my experience with using the studio on location as well as with different subjects. I have yet to create my business website (e.g. for client ordering) although it shouldn’t take long. I also need to build my portfolio to include photos other than immediate family, who are getting a little fed up of being photographed now!

The fed up children with their mother (me!)

The plan is to start charging at a heavily discounted rate from May 2010 onwards, and to be charging fully at some point over the summer when I feel I am ready.

Yesterday I quietly announced to some of my friends that I was seeking models for my portfolio building. Within six hours I had no fewer than 24 offers of a session across a very broad range of portrait subjects, which is MORE than enough. Thank you all so much for offering! I had to close my offer last night to all categories except for newborns, tiny babies and maternity, as these are areas which are a lot harder to get models for.

So if you know anyone within a reasonable distance of SE London who is pregnant or who has just had a baby and would be interested in some custom portrait photography for free, please point them in this direction. There are a few terms and conditions attached (mostly to do with credit) so for full information, please see my “About Me” page.

I am going to be extremely busy over the next few months building my portfolio, so you can look forward to seeing a lot of exciting photos here! Somehow, I also have to find the time to train for the London Marathon in April (seriously!) which I am running on behalf of the Miscarriage Association (sponsorship very welcome!) so if I look a little stressed, I hope you can forgive me!

Anyway.. here goes! Thank you for reading!