During a photo shoot for Mandie Holgate's new portrait shots we were discussing editing and airbrushing photographs. Where is the line between basic editing and reducing a few lines to extreme face lifts and colour enhancement. We're used to seeing this extreme editing all day everyday in papers and magazines and it's accepted as 'one of those things' for celebraties - but what about us?

So, Mandie and I agreed to do the experiment on one of her photos. As you can see I've gone from the original image to a bit of editing to all the way extreme editing. The far right image of Mandie doesn't even look like her anymore!

Mandie is a life coach and you can find out more about her at http://www.mandieholgate.co.uk/ look out for her new profile photo on her website!

Let me know what you think of editing photos and where we need to stop and draw the line!

Karen x

With the daffodils and snow drops trying to sprout up (with little help from the snow pushing them back down!!) we can see that Spring is definitely in the air! And even more when I meet up with bride and grooms to talk about their weddings and the photos we can get in the beautiful surroundings of all the wedding venues across Essex that I go to. I feel in the wedding mood today after coming back from Whitehall Hotel, Stansted and meeting a couple who I'll be photographing in just 6 weeks time. The venue is gorgeous whether you're inside or outside, so hoping for dry weather is always a must on a wedding day - but here it won't make a difference as the inside is stunning!

Plus I meeting up with a few bride and grooms-to-be for their weddings in Autumn and Winter of this year. It always seems so far away - but weddings creep up on you so quickly so it's best to be prepared and everything booked up well in advance!

I offer 3 different packages for my wedding photography and of course if you want something else we can tailor make a package to suit you - so if you have any question and can't find the answers here on my website then just give me a call and we can talk through what you want for your big day.

Happy Wedding Planning :o)
Karen x 

After a little bit of sunshine and blue skies I'm feeling optimistic about Spring and all the lovely family photo shoots that I have got planned in parks and beaches!

But before I get too ahead of myself I am concentrating on the back up of photos that I am currently editing - with a load of photo shoots in one week, I've got loads to edit ready to print out and send off to the models.

I've just finished the large family shoot and sending that off and now back to the other 2 competition winners - make over photo shoots so they can get to their photos. Very busy - but love it like this!

I'm off to The Business Woman's Network tomorrow at Five Lakes, where I'm listening to a lecture on 'blogging for business' so hopefully my next blog will be loads better as I'll know what I'm doing... well at least I'm supposed too :o)

Then on Wednesday I'm off to Whitehall Hotel, Broxted to meet a bride and groom to go through what they want for their wedding photos in April. I've never been there before so I'm really looking forward to it - I hear it is beautiful. So I'm hoping for a dry day on their wedding day so we can get some lovely photos outside. And if it does rain, then the inside of of building will be a beautiful backdrop.

Weddings are perfect no matter what time of the year as no matter what the weather, your photographs will hold the memories of the most important day to you. I've recently seen some gorgeous wedding photos from January when we had the snow storms and just because the sun isn't out doesn't make the photos any less perfect!

If you have any questions about wedding photography or portrait photography then please email me at karen@pinkcreative.co.uk

Until next time... xxx

Well what a couple of weeks I've had!! Finishing off Jeanette's photos, the first makeover competition winner and getting the presentation folder to her so she could see the finished outcome was great - her response was "OH MY GOSH…is that really me? I know I have seen the four shots you sent earlier but to see the full body shot ones. And my tattoo :o) I never get to see that. Love them all and think you have done such an amazing job. You are truly amazing with the camera, so impressed. Never knew that wonderfully applied make up and a photographer with an outstanding eye for good shots could make me look quite alright." So both Natalie (Pretty Perfect make up) and myself couldn't have been more pleased!

Since Jeanette, we've had Laura and Lucinda, the other competition winners in to have their make up and photos down. Both had never had photos done like this before and both were fairly nervous, but by the end of the shoot they were relaxed and had really enjoyed themselves. I'm currently editing their photos ready to get the presentation folders over to them so they can see themselves how they've not seen themselves before!

Inbetween all the makeover shoots I've had to take photos for The Colchester & Tendring Baby Book, I am their official photographer, and as it is a local book they like to have photos of local children in it. So I spent a hour in Rowhedge at the pre-school there with some very friendly and happy children. I also talked a friend of mine who is 7 months pregnant to pose for me for the Baby Book antenatal section! The new edition of the Baby Book will be out in March - look out for your copy, or contact me to find out how to get yours, there is  great information from pregnancy through to toddlers. http://www.thebabybook.co.uk

And just when you'd think I'd have no more time - I had a photo shoot for a wedding anniversary yesterday with 11 family members! They ranged from 3 years old up to the grandparents! It was a great a hour, a lot of work - but a lot of fun and the photos look great! We re-arrange the lounge so everyone was surrounding to sofa, so it was nice and relaxed - by the end of the hour everyone was ready for their Sunday afternoon nap - including me!!!

If you're interested in having your whole family photographed for a special occasion, or just because... then give me a call :o) Catch up soon!

Karen x

Wow what a week!!

I started off by finishing editing the photos for the Benton Hall Ladies Night winner and taking them to her - which she was really pleased with and pleasantly surprised (fab!).

Then I had the first of the winners of the makeover photo shoot competition that I ran alongside local make up artist Natalie from Pretty Perfect (there were 3 winners in total!!!). Jean, the first winner had never had a photo shoot done before and I have to say she was a natural. Her aim was to just go with the flow and listen to what I said and replicated the poses that I got into to show her - and she was great.

A lot of people think that they're not models and wouldn't be able to do a portrait photo shoot, just them, but you'll be surprised about how many of us have got the 'inner model' just crying to get out!!! Natalie's and my job is to relax you and make sure you are having fun - so the music is pumping and we're having a laugh - this is what it's all about and then you're relaxed and I get some fabulous photos for you to keep and look back on forever!

After all the excitement and glamour of the makeover photo shoot, I had a family portrait session, which had been a Christmas present to the family (what a perfect gift!!). So I had the most energetic and excited three kids in my studio that I've ever had before! Ranging from 5 years old to 11, they all had amazing personalities and they were all up for posing, even been practicing beforehand! After settling them in we had poses with Dad, just kids, kids individually (which the youngest even had a outfit change for!) and then a massive whole famiy shot - we covered all angles in a very loud, exciting and energetic hour. I think all of us were tired out by the end of it, but when I get the photos edited and over to the family to see, I know that the hour would have been worth it :o)

If you want a family photo shoot that doesn't break the bank, you can have an hour either at my studio (which holds an average of 2 adults and 4 kids) or I can come to you with my portable studio, you get all the photos I take in colour and black & white on disc and this only costs £75!! Perfect pressy for any family!

Have a great week and remember to check out my facebook page for more photos of my shoots :o)

Karen x

This weekend I went to the home of the winner from the Benton Hall Ladies Night. Before Christmas Benton Hall in Witham had a 'Ladies Night' and I was there promoting Pink Creative Photos. I also supplied a prize to their charity raffle which consisted of a FREE hour portrait photo shoot.

Maria, the winner contacted me before Christmas and we arranged her appointment. She openly admitted that she did not like having her photo taken, which I fulling understand - it's OK for me to always stand behind the camera and hide, but I fully appreciate how hard it is posing in front of a camera, it's not something that always comes naturally!! But after a few photos and some giggles we were all warmed up and relaxing in to the shoot! I was really happy with the results. A lot of my photography uses the bright white background, the 'Venture' look, but this time we used her beautiful cottage as the backdrop... a gorgeous sofa and open staircase, plus the fab clear chair! There is always a background to be found where ever you look which will compliment the model! And with a model a beautiful as Maria (who done her own make up!!!) my job was very easy!

During the rest of my week I have been editing all of the photos of my best friend Genny's shoot and now they are all done - so they'll be up on my Facebook page in the next couple of days, check them out at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Colchester-United-Kingdom/Pink-Creative-Photos/109414113829?ref=ts

I'm really looking forward to next weekend as we have the first of the 'Makeover Photo Shoot' competition which was run alongside make up artist Natalie from 'Pretty Perfect' http://www.pretty-perfect.co.uk/. There were 3 winners in total and all 3 will be pampered to the limits and photographed during January, so watch this space to get a sneaky preview before they are uploaded on to my new gallery pages!

Remember if you want a portrait photo shoot done, with make up or without, but you don't feel confident - I can come to your house to do the shoot so you feel more relaxed, you can have your girl friends with you to make it fun, and before you know it - your inner Naomi Campbell will be screaming to get out :o) Just contact me for more details.

Karen x

On Saturday I had my best friend come over and finally get her pressy that I had been promising her for ages, a studio photo shoot! And 'Oh My God' what fun it was, the music was on, we had Sex And The City on the TV in the background for some inspiration and the studio was all set up and ready to go.

The first pose and outfit for the studio portrait shoot is always the hardest, even when you have your best friend as the photographer which you have known for over 20 years!  It is not natural to pose and be relaxed in front of the camera for a lot of people and when you are in front of the camera on your own it makes it even harder - but the results are always worth a little bit of time and effort on my part to 'ease' my models in and make them relaxed... and it never takes long and the inner model comes crashing out of you and before you know it i don't need to direct you at all!!

Once we were on the next outfit everyone was relaxed (even I get nervous as I really want to make sure everyone has a great time and gets great photos!!) and the posing was perfect!


Some people think that having photos of just themselves is a bit indulgent, but it is such a perfect present to yourself to have beautiful photos to look back on...

If you want a personal studio portrait done of you, or maybe you and your partner have a look on the website for the packages I offer - I can come to you, or can come to me (I am based in North Colchester, Essex), you can have a one hour shoot or a two and I also work with a local make up artist if you want to make it a ultimate pamper session!!

More of Genny's photos will be up on my website gallery and my Facebook page really soon.

Karen x

Welcome to my new Blog!

This is my New Years Resolution... to write a blog about my photography the the different shoots I do!

So keep your eye out for new posts :o)

Happy New Year!!

Karen x