Frequently Asked Questions

Here is a list of frequently asked questions, but please get in touch if you have any others

  • I offer both headshot and portrait sessions and am often asked what the difference between them is.

    Headshots are generally taken from the chest up, focusing specifically on you and your expression to the camera. Portraits are more creative; here, anything goes! We can vary your distance from the camera, lighting setups and poses to support your personal branding requirements, and there’s no need to choose between one or the other - just let me know what you’re looking for!

    Additionally, there are different trends emerging for headshots in both corporate and acting worlds; some opt for plain gray/white backgrounds, whilst others prefer textured backdrops. I cater to both looks and will work with you to create whichever look you prefer.

    Having some idea of what you are looking for in advance of the shoot will help plan, but we will always take headshots during portrait shoots regardless.

    All you need is enthusiasm and I’ll do the rest: I take pride in coaching you not only to the best images possible, but also so that you are fully engaged in the process. You can rest assured that I’ll show you the angles and expressions to bring out your best side, whatever you will use the photos for!

  • I shoot in my home studio in Great Chart, Ashford, Kent. Great Chart is a lovely, historic town (it’s in the Domesday Book!), and the house is a beautiful 19th Century cottage.

    There is plenty of parking around the studio, which is an easy drive from town. In addition, there is plenty of countryside and farmland around the studio for outdoor photography!

    Should your project require a larger studio I have access to a number of different venues; although my studio is sufficient for most projects, just let me know if you have something else in mind.

  • In advance of the shoot I will send you all the information you will need, including travel and transport and outfit ideas.

    We will discuss the style of photos you are looking for and ideas for outfits and any makeup you will wear leading up to the shoot.

    The main things to remember on the day are to lay off caffeine and alcohol - even for Dutch courage! Both can make the skin pallid and pupils dilate (so we can’t capture the colour of your iris’). For that reason, it’s best to avoid both the evening before as well, and to get a good night’s sleep

  • When you arrive at the studio I will show you around, making sure you are comfortable and offer you drink (caffein only after we’ve finished shooting!) whilst we discuss the order of photos we will take. Before we start shooting, we will go over some Secret Posing Tips™ to bear in mind throughout so that you don’t feel awkward in front of the camera.

    How the shoot goes depends entirely on what you want to get out of it. In one two-hour shoot we will comfortably be able to fit in a number of different lighting setups and three/four outfit changes - but we can always go for more if you would like.

    The last part of the shoot will be reserved for selecting which photos you would like to keep. This ensures that you will leave the shoot knowing you have a number of photos you will love, rather than having to wait to find out.

  • As I shoot tethered to my laptop you will see how the photos we take come out in real time. Don’t worry - this is not as harrowing as it sounds! The advantages of doing this are that we can adjust lighting and poses as we go and you will gain a thorough understanding of how to look good in front of a camera, even if you started a little shy!

    It also means that we can select the photos you would like to keep right there during the shoot: the last part of the shoot will be spent going through the images you liked from the shoot and telling me which ones you would like to buy.

    I will then process these photos and will send them to you no less than 10 days after the shoot.

  • Sorry, but no. Processing the photos is as much a part of taking photos as is arranging the lighting, posing the model, and clicking the shutter button! Photographers spend countless hours learning how to perfectly process images to make our signature looks, and the photos we produce make up our brand image to the same extent that you look to us to develop yours. When you’re booking a shoot with me, you’re booking my ‘look’ as well as time in front of my camera.

    I won’t take it personally if you don’t like my style and choose another photographer for your photos, but my processing comes with the package.

  • I keep all the ownership rights of images I take, however you purchase a license to show and reproduce the images for personal and education use. This means you are more than welcome to use them however you like, so long as you do not claim that they are your own work, use them for commercial work such as advertising (unless we prearrange this) or use them in publications (again, without prearranging this).

    I encourage to use them widely in portfolios (i.e. Spotlight), social media (i.e. Linked In) and CVs.

    I reserve the right to use the images for advertising, competitions, or exhibitions and I will never use them in bad faith. Please let me know if you would like anything other than the standard usage rights for your images and we can discuss T&Cs.

  • If you come to me for your photos, you do so because you like the work I have done previously, as shown on my website and across social media, and would like to work with me to create some fantastic images. I put all my effort into producing excellent work and will do so for everyone I work with.

    In creating photos, I use my artistic judgement to create images consistent with my personal vision of the shoot. Contracting me for a photo shoot is tacit agreement that my judgement is part of the process and acceptance that my vision and style of photography is constantly developing.

    In attending the photo shoot, you acknowledge that the final photos shall not be subject to rejection on the basis of taste or other aesthetic criteria. Once you have chosen the shots you would like to purchase, the final post-production and editing styles, effects, and overall look of the images are left to my taste and discretion.