Phone cameras have become incredibly capable, and with all the talk of AI, new lenses and clever software, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or worried about choosing the wrong one.
Archive | 4. All Levels
One to One Tuition
One to one tuition A one-to-one photography lesson gives you personalised guidance tailored to your skill level, camera, and interests—whether that’s landscapes, portraits, food photography, or action shots. You might be wondering whether you need to buy any new lenses or a tripod and want to avoid costly mistakes? Or perhaps you’ve got the basics […]
Why Your Food Photos Fall Flat
Food created by @Kitchen_MaverickWhy Your Food Photos Fall Flat (Food Photography Tips That Work)You’ve styled a beautiful plate of food, chosen your favourite props, clicked the shutter… and the photo still looks a bit “meh.” You can read endless food photography tips, but the real game-changer is understanding the difference between food styling and food […]
Four must-read photography books
If you’re looking for books on camera settings and equipment, don’t buy these. I’ve had stacks of books over the years that explained exposure, metering, focusing, editing and, to be honest, they weren’t very helpful. Not because they weren’t good books but because I learn technical stuff by doing it rather than reading about it. And […]
Festive food photography
This article first appeared in Cheshire Life magazine December 2023.Festive Food Photography with a PhoneWaiter: “Is there something wrong with your food, madam?”Customer: “No, it’s delicious. Why do you ask?”Waiter: “Well, it’s just that you haven’t photographed it.”Before social media was a thing, food photography was the realm of the professional photographer, shooting for restaurants, […]
Freeze the moment: how to take stunning winter photographs
This article first appeared in Cheshire Life magazine November 2023.How to take beautiful winter photographs“Wow! That’s a great photograph, you must have a really good phone…” A seemingly innocuous comment and well-intentioned but consider this instead: “That’s a delicious cake, you must have a really good oven…”. I know this isn’t exactly a like for […]
Visual Storytelling
This article first appeared in Cheshire Life magazine March 2024.Visual storytelling – a picture is worth a thousand wordsThe saying “a picture is worth a thousand words” is usually attributed to an American called Fred R. Barnard, who wrote it in 1921 in relation to the power of images in advertising. It has since been […]
Mindful photography
what is mindful photography?This article originally featured in Cheshire Life magazine January 2024.January owes its name to the Roman god Janus, the god of portals, doors, endings and beginnings. He has one face turned to the past and another looking towards the future. Hence this has become the month for making new year’s resolutions, leaving […]
Telling stories with photographs
A few of my favourite things:Photography ~ Writing ~ Being OutdoorsAnd just before Christmas I got to indulge in two of them. I hadn’t used my ‘proper’ camera (Sony A7ii) for pleasure for a long while and was getting a little snap happy with my phone. I suddenly realised I was missing the feeling of […]
How to choose a new phone camera as a non-geeky photographer
How to choose the best phone camera as a non-geeky photographerThe time has come to upgrade your phone. And although on one hand it’s exciting (ooh! a new gadget to play with!), on the other it’s all a bit overwhelming. If you are anything like me, your main criteria is that the camera has to […]
Unlock the hidden potential of your phone camera
Unlock the hidden potential of your phone cameraThis article originally featured in Cheshire Life magazine October 2023.Capturing life’s precious moments in stunning detail has never been easier, with the staggeringly good cameras on smartphones. However, many of us just point and click, hoping for the best, and we are often frustrated with the results. Join […]
Photography and Yoga? Really?!
Yes, really! To be honest I’ve never had any doubts. Photography can a very absorbing and mindful activity, slowing down to observe what is around you, consider the light and create an image that lets you remember the moment. Then the yoga or pilates helps us to unwind, be in the moment, leave any day […]
How are your New Year Photography Resolutions working out?
January, I have to admit, is not my favourite month. It’s long, I’m usually skint, I have to do my tax return (which I should have done last May I know!), it’s cold and damp and dark. And yet, it’s supposed to be a time for new beginnings, goal setting, resolving to get fit, budget […]
Set your photography goals for 2019
It’s National Make Your Dreams Come True day today so I thought it might be useful to get you thinking about your photography goals or dreams. We’re already almost halfway through January and, if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably already ditched a few of your New Year’s Resolutions. I don’t tend to make any […]
5 Phone Photography Tips for Great Food Pics
A few years ago I wouldn’t even have tried to take photographs like this with my phone. It was simply too hard to get a sharp, non-grainy, well-exposed image. A D-SLR produced much better results and also created such lovely soft focus backgrounds. Fast forward to today and I now consider my smartphone to be […]
How to take your photography to the next level
There comes a point when you’ve mastered the technical stuff enough to get exposure right and you understand what makes a shot feel well composed. But you know that’s not really enough to satisfy your own aspirations and it’s not going to make your images stand out. You want to know how to take your […]
Where are you on your photographic journey?
And do you know where you want to get to? People take up photography for different reasons and not everyone is on any kind of path with it. The camera can be just a tool to record moments so that they aren’t forgotten. But for others it’s a passion that drives them to seek continuous […]
How to take moody food photographs – with a phone
Moody food photographs are all over Instagram and Pinterest and it’s a style that looks set to stay for a while. So, it’s no wonder that lots of people want to give it a go. However, unless you know a few techniques and tips, it can be hard to achieve the look.In this blog post you will […]
My favourite food photography backdrops
I’ve got a LOT of different food photography backdrops and am always on the lookout for more! They make or break an image, so they are vitally important. This is what I’m looking for:A matt surface. Any shine or lustre is incredibly difficult to work with.An interesting texture or pattern but without really strong and dominant […]
How to photograph strangers – the 3 C’s
C for CONFIDENCE – it’s hard to photograph people you don’t know. I’m not comfortable with it, but there are some amazing shots to be had if we could just get over our fear. So I want you to go for it this week. I’ve had a go over the last week, knowing this topic was […]
From snapshots to great shots: why slow down for landscapes
I’m taking a slightly different approach with this post and not taking you through all the classic composition rules for landscapes. I’d like to concentrate on WHY you are taking the photograph and what you should CONSIDER before you press the shutter. I’m a huge advocate for slowing down and thinking before you click away and end up with […]
Using Triangles to improve composition
Triangles can be used in different ways to create a striking composition. In the image of the couple above their heads and shoulders have created a symmetrical triangle, which makes the image feel stable and harmonious – exactly the feel you want for a young couple in love.
5 tips for a successful and fun family photo shoot
5 family photo shoot tips We all want lovely photographs of our family don’t we? And as our children grow older, we can foresee the day when they will have left home to pursue lives of their own. This was the case with this lovely family, where the oldest daughter will be heading off to […]
First Love Your Lens Guided Photography Walk
Well the inaugural Love Your Lens guided photography walk took place on Saturday and I hope it will be the first of many. I met up with six members of the Love Your Lens Facebook group at the famous Chester Cross next to a lively puppet show. Everyone was looking forward to seeing what the […]
Great street photography tips for newbies.
Practical street photography tips for “newbies”I was in London last week, having won a four day trip! We had an amazing time sightseeing, eating, drinking and of course, photographing. I decided to try my hand at street photography, well aware that it was out of my comfort zone. I learned a lot and thought you might find my […]
Fine art photography masterclass at the Botanist
What a fabulous day this turned out to be! The idea to hold a Fine Art Photography Course came to me when I first visited The Botanist in Alderley Edge late last year. It is a beautiful and unusually styled venue, with botany and gardening inspired props and plenty of distressed and stained wood panelling. If I’d […]
How to photograph crafts
How to photograph crafts Do you have beautiful products that you lovingly hand craft and sell? That you are proud of and passionate about? That people love when they see them in your shop or craft stall?Now for a harder question. Do the photographs of your gorgeous products do them justice? Do they stand out from the competition and shout […]
How to photograph fireworks
How to photograph fireworks One thing I’ve never got round to photographing is fireworks. I’ve admired other people’s shots but it’s always felt like too much hassle to me, to lug a tripod around, set it up in the middle of crowds of people, mess about with camera settings in the dark and keep an […]
Get creative with your camera
One of the best ways to improve your photography is to take photographs as often as you can, ideally daily or at least several times a week. This isn’t as hard as it seems as most of us carry smartphones everywhere and can practise our craft with those too. Setting a photography project is a […]
Photo Composition Rules: Balance
This is quite a tricky composition rule to explain and it’s one that we probably apply unconsciously, as our minds seek balance in images and art. A balanced image feels right, pleasing and stable. In a balanced image there is perhaps some symmetry and the main subjects have equal weight or importance in the shot. An image […]
Superzoom lenses – are they the right choice for you?
I often find myself recommending “superzoom” lenses to students on Love Your Lens courses and one to one lessons and thought it might be useful to take a closer look at them. First off, what does “superzoom” mean? The term is commonly used to describe a lens that goes from a wide view to a […]
What's in the bag… for an Italian wedding
In just over 24 hours I’ll be heading to a beautiful mountain village in the Emilia Romagna region of Italy to photograph a wedding for a lovely couple who live in the UK but are marrying near where the groom was born. I’ve photographed lots of weddings in the UK and one a long time […]
7 things that have made me a better photographer
I have never stopped learning and developing my skills as a photographer and I don’t think I ever will. Technology won’t stand still (!) and there will always be new subjects to explore: wildlife, landscape, low light or night time photography, macro photography, architectural, travel – just some of the areas where I’ve only dabbled […]
One to One Photography Lessons with Marie
I’d like to introduce you to Marie. She’s a grandmother to two very lively toddlers (I should know as I’ve photographed them!), happily married to Brian and enjoying her retirement. She’s well known in the family for her baking and started a private blog for family and friends some time ago. Marie came to me around […]
Makers Market Knutsford
Markets are great places to practise your photography. There are so many interesting and colourful subjects and people generally don’t mind photographers snapping away. At the Easter Sunday Makers Market Knutsford people were in such high spirits in the long awaited Spring sunshine, that there were broad smiles all round! A few market photography tips […]
Update from the studio
I’ve been in the new studio 3 whole months now and it’s marvellous! It’s changed the way I work, given me a new lease of life, awoken my creativity and given me back my mojo! I’ve posted quick snaps along the way: befores, afters, durings, pictures of courses, shoots and a party, but I’ve not […]
Pancake Day in photographs
Pancake Day has fallen in the school holidays – yes! We’ve got time to do it properly, which means Abii indulging in a spot of baking, me in a bit of pancake photography and the boys (Nic, Sam, Ferb and Buster) in stuffing their faces! Mixing the perfect batter was down to Nic, with no […]
“Turn the garage into a studio?! You must be mad!!!”
6 months ago we decided to convert our garage into a natural light photography studio and office. Here’s the story in pictures. I still can’t quite believe we did it! I had a clear idea from the outset how I wanted it to look and used Pinterest to collect all the ideas. Click here to […]
10 things to photograph this Autumn – [4] – fungi
The wet and mild conditions of Autumn provide the perfect growing conditions for fungi and this exceptionally mild Autumn means that there’s lots around at the moment, without having to look too hard. They have their own kingdom completely separate to plants and animals and there are tens of thousands of different kinds. They are fascinating to […]
10 things to photograph this Autumn – [3] HALLOWE’EN
Like it or not Hallowe’en is growing in popularity every year and if your children are anything like mine, the opportunity to dress up and be allowed to accept sweets from complete strangers is the ultimate in fun. Their costumes get more elaborate each year, as do the decorations in our house, even spreading out […]
10 things to photograph this Autumn – [2] LEAVES
In the first of this series we looked at How to Photograph Trees (click on the link if you missed it). This time we’re going to concentrate on how to photograph Autumn leaves and capture their many glorious colours, shapes and textures. It’s all about the Light. Well of course it is as without light we wouldn’t have […]
10 things to photograph this Autumn – [1] TREES
I LOVE Autumn (or Fall, for our friends across the pond!). Summer is fab while it lasts but around the start of September I yearn to wear fleecy jumpers and knitted hats, to walk through woodland, seeing my breath as white clouds, kicking through fiery coloured leaves with my wellies, spotting weird fungi on tree stumps and […]
Holiday photos from Cornwall
We spent the second week of our summer holiday at my brother’s cottage in Marazion, Cornwall, with its famous landmark, St Michael’s Mount. Our accommodation is undergoing major refurbishment and we had been warned to have an “indoor camping” experience. It proved to be far more than this, with a beautiful kitchen, designer chairs in […]
Behind the scenes of a very special styled photo shoot
When Sarah Gardner of Sarah Gardner Photography put out feelers via her Facebook Group as to whether anyone would be interested in a collaborative styled photo shoot with our teenage daughters, I jumped at the chance. It took all of two seconds to persuade Abii; the mention of hair stylist and make up artist did […]
A few more holiday photos (& some top tips)
Our little cornish break came to an end all to soon, but I managed to squeeze in a quick trip to Glendurgan, a National Trust garden, on the last morning. Miraculously I was able to drag Abii out of bed and persuaded her to come with me (anything was preferable to packing). This is a garden more about […]
Helford Passage and Helford Village
Helford Passage is a lovely spot on the Helford River, offering everything you could want from a little seaside hamlet, a decent pub, boat hire, ice creams, crabbing, a tasteful gift shop and a dozen gigs! These are fast, narrow rowing boats and there’s obviously a thriving community of them in Cornwall, judging by the […]
Red Arrows over Falmouth
Saturday promised to be a glorious sunny day and we had planned to head to a beach for a spot of boating, crabbing and exploring, but talk of a display by the Red Arrows over Falmouth changed our minds. It was windy on the harbour but we found a gem of a cafe with […]
This place is so nice we want to keep it a secret…
340 miles door to door… seven hours (including stops to collect a teenager from a sleepover and obligatory leg stretching, Costa coffee buying and loo breaks) in the car with an over-excited dog. All made well worth while when we saw the view from the living room window of our home for the next few days. The two […]
How to make the most of your holiday photographs
Most of my blogs are about how to take better photographs, but it’s time we looked at what to do with the ones you take. What do you do? Share a few on Facebook, send some to grandparents and every now and again print and frame the special ones? Gradually your hard drive gets full and […]
Chelsea First Timers
The RHS Tatton Flower Show gets scribbled on the calendar 1st January each year and we haven’t missed one yet, but this time it was pipped at the post by The Chelsea Flower Show, booked before the calendar was even out of its packet. A few glasses of wine and a bracing walk on a North […]
5 reasons why you should do a photography project
I love babies and (most) kids and for some crazy reason I like to earn a living by chasing them around with a camera, capturing natural photos of them and selling them to their parents. Newborn babies are my favourite subjects as they don’t get about so much and because they are without exception extremely […]