A gorgeous little girl....

I love children. It's a fact. I always have done and probably always will do. Even to the point of voluntarily offering to have friends children.....just because I can.

I love their innocence, I love the way they love life and I love the fact they see things for what they are.

And what's more......I love photographing children. Especially gorgeous, beautiful little girls like the one that came to my portrait studio yesterday.

Freya, her Mummy and Daddy came to capture some wonderful memories of her as she grows (and a few of them as a family). There was lots of fun, lots of laughter, lots of nursery rhymes (thanks Philippa!) and hopefully some wonderful portraits capture.

Venetia xx

And of course bear came too......

And when you ask her to smile she does this really cute thing and closes her eyes.....I had to capture that!!

The Somerset portrait studio is coming along.....

I promised an update on the new, exciting portrait studio in Taunton and here it is.......

The studio is in an existing building which was in very good condition anyhow so I just basically needed to convert the inside to a portrait studio. We started out by double insulating it and then gave it a thermal skin all over to make it warm and comfortable.

I've got so many clients wanting family portraits, child portraits and baby portraits done before Christmas that it was all hands to the deck and here is my lovely (and very supportive) husband laying the second layer of insulation!

We've then had the floor completely boarded to give a firm, even surface....

And sealed to ensure a totally flat, safe surface.....

As a portrait photographer it's so exciting having your own portrait studio and I just want it finished NOW! I had two weddings to photograph at the weekend so work was temporarily stopped but commences again in ernest tomorrow......I'll update you again with more photographs tomorrow evening!

Venetia xx

The excitement never ends.....new portrait studio in Somerset!

As some of your know, as well as being a busy wedding photographer, I also take on a few commissions for portrait photography. This has been mainly requests for location portrait photography and if I've ever needed a studio then I simply 'borrow' one off a friend. However, the requests have been growing year on year and in 2008 I've been inundated with them. So.......I have finally decided to build my own studio here at the new house in North Somerset......how exciting!

It's going to be a home based potrait studio as I love the benefits that it brings. The majority of my portrait work is babies and children whose parents bring them to me specifically as they know how much I love kids and the rapport I build with them. They know that the shoots will be fun for their children and stress-free for them!

It's imperative when you do a baby portrait or a child portrait that they feel relaxed with you and their environment before you start to shoot. Having a home portrait studio not only means I can make it exactly as I want and have all the little things to hand that makes life easier (building bricks, toys, bubbles!) but also means it's in a much more informal environment. I can spend time playing and getting to know everyone before I even take the camera out of the bag.

As those of you who know me well know once my minds made up I'm not one to hang around......so building work starts tomorrow!

I'll of course keep you posted on progress and of couse, post a few piccies!!

Venetia x

Beautiful chidren....beautiful words.....

I had the pleasure a month ago to photograph a family portrait in Bristol for Martin & Leanne & their four gorgeous children, Jade, Kayleigh, Jasmine & Max. As Max was 6 months old Leanne & Martin wanted to document this important stage in his development & I suggested to her that it was a perfect opportunity to capture the whole family.

They decided to purchase a hi resolution DVD from me so that they were able to print off pictures for themselves and their family and this was her recent e-mail to me:

"Venetia,
Just to let you know I received my disc this morning........they are absolutely FANTASTIC, I could cry. I can't stop looking at them. You really captured all of thier personalities......I am so pleased I chose you to do the photos and if the wedding ones turn out like them, well let's say I will be more than over the moon.
Thank you so much again,
Leanne"

She was so pleased with the results of the family portrait that she has asked me to photograph Martin & her destination wedding in Cyprus later this year...I can't wait to get some more pictures of their beautiful children in natural light!

Here are a few pictures from the family portrait:

The girls hanging out.....





It's important when children to make them feel at ease & let them have some fun....this makes their personalities shine through.....we had such fun this afternoon.



A beautiful baby portrait of the main man......





Whilst we were there I suggest we do some individual portraits of each of the girls too.....







All the children together will make a lovely present for their grandparents.....



Martin & Leanne looking proud......



The whole family....



It was a wondeful, fun afternoon guys & I can't wait do your destination wedding photography in Cyprus!!

Venetia x

Sorry.....

I guess the more your doing the harder it becomes to update your blog....but that's when you should be doing it the most! My New Year's resolution is to try and update my blog at least once a week...so watch this space.

Anyhow, I hope everyone had a good Christmas & New Year. Before Christmas was a whirl of portraits, portraits and more portraits...both in the studio and on location. I have posted a couple of my favourites here and, as always, I will be updating my web-site with the best. It's funny - it used to be that the potrait photography 'season' was quite specific and from October through to mid-December. However, in the last couple of years people seem to be booking family portraits, pregnancy & baby portraits...infact all sorts of portraits, all year round. It's wonderful as it means I get to do this type of photography throughout the year!

Before Christmas is also busy with everyone wanting their wedding albums designed and completed to show off to the family over the festive period. I usually get a rush about November of people contacting me with their choice of wedding photographs for the album and seeing whether they can be done in time. I burn the midnight oil to get every one ready on time and have had a bunch of lovely thank-you cards and e-mails from pleased clients...thank you for them.

2008 has started well too. I've already done a few portraits (which I will post here shortly) and have had plenty of enquirires for people looking for a wedding photographer for this year and next. Nearly all have these have been recommendations from Bride & Grooms who's wedding photography I have done previously so THANK YOU everyone who recommends me....word of mouth is priceless to me.

I'm currently going through all my wedding photography from last year and trying to select the best pictures to update my gallery with. It's hard as obviously there are lots of weddings but even worse is the fact that I can't choose between the hundreds I've taken on the day...I like them all! Anyway I will keep going over the course of the next couple weeks and will let you know when that's been done.

Venetia

Wonderful day.....

Yesterday was fantastic.....I had the pleasure to shoot 3 family portraits.

I started off with Sim & Lauren, a beautiful mum and daughter whom were both really happy to play up for the camera and have some fun.

Next were 6 of the most well-behaved and well dressed children, all in co-ordinating outfits; Carmelo, Dominico, Dominco, Antonella, Antonella & Oriana. No...no spelling mistakes, four of them shared two names...you can image how hillarious it was trying to instruct each one of them where to sit!

Last but by no means least were Paul, Lindsey and the lovely Leah. Lindsey was insistent she wasn't photogenic but as you can see from these pictures (the blond baby) she so is.

I'll have such fun going through the pictures and hope they love them all.

Venetia