December Portraits: Emily

<i>As we wind down towards Christmas, I really wanted to make a commitment to just get outside and take some portraits for no reason at all than just for fun. So my next few posts will focus on just that - meeting up with friends and shooting!</i><br /><br />The last of my little December portrait shoots was with Emily, a talented local artist and photographer. We first met when a friend of ours sat us together on a wedding table, knowing our mutual interest in all things photography would make for some interesting nerdy conversation (which it most certainly did!)<br /><br />So this shoot has been a long time coming! She gave up a morning of her time to head down to the woods and take a little break to shoot with me amidst revision for her exams, something I am incredibly grateful for. Meeting with other photographers and talking about our passions is one of my favourite things, and being able to do this alongside shooting is even better, so thank you ever so much Emily!<br /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/wen__J4B0383-colour_zps387b3936.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web__J4B0402-colour_zpsbcb2dbb4.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web__J4B0463-colour_zpsfc6c4825.jpg" width="690" /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.emilytapp.co.uk/" target="_blank">www.emilytapp.co.uk</a><br /><br /><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F12%2Fdecember-portraits-emily.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=false&share=true&height=35&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>

December Portraits: Emily

As we wind down towards Christmas, I really wanted to make a commitment to just get outside and take some portraits for no reason at all tha...

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December Portraits: Kaytii

<div><i>As we wind down towards Christmas, I really wanted to make a commitment to just get outside and take some portraits for no reason at all than just for fun. So my next few posts will focus on just that - meeting up with friends and shooting!</i></div><div><br /></div><div>This shoot fell on one of those bizarre days where the sunshine is blazing but the temperature is absolutely freezing, so Kaytii's willingness to model was especially appreciated! Luckily, we got the results we wanted super quickly and she was able to return to her many layers to warm up. Thank you Kaytii for braving the cold - it is very much appreciated and hope you like the results!</div><div><br /></div><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/highres__MG_1288-colour_zps5f1191cd.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/highres__MG_1384-bw_zpsbb9cdfe7.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/highres__MG_1327-bw_zpsd5ad84a1.jpg" width="690" /><br /><br /><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F12%2Fdecember-portraits-kaytii.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=false&share=true&height=35&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>

December Portraits: Kaytii

As we wind down towards Christmas, I really wanted to make a commitment to just get outside and take some portraits for no reason at all tha...

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December Portraits: Maria

<i>As we wind down towards Christmas, I really wanted to make a commitment to just organise things and take some portraits for no reason at all than just for fun. So my next few posts will focus on just that - meeting up with friends and shooting!</i><br /><br />Maria and I have been well overdue a catchup since we last met, and a little morning shoot in my new home was the perfect way to do it. Over mince pies and coffee, we talked at length about photography, cats, life, and everything else.<br /><br />Maria is such an inspiration to me. She has achieved so many things (a PHD, a fascinating TEDx talk and successful photography business to name a few!) and the whole day just left me feeling so inspired and motivated to push myself and my business further than ever before. Hearing about other peoples' lives, inspirations and passions has always been a great love of mine, and being able to do this every day through portraiture makes me so happy I could burst.<br /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web__J4B9622_zps1dda3e6f.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web__J4B9583_zps1a333c4b.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web__J4B9614_zpsb7e2ce09.jpg" width="690" /><br /><br /><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F12%2Fdecember-portraits-maria.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=false&share=true&height=35&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>

December Portraits: Maria

As we wind down towards Christmas, I really wanted to make a commitment to just organise things and take some portraits for no reason at all...

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December Portraits: Emma

<i>As we wind down towards Christmas, I really wanted to make a commitment to just get outside and take some portraits for no reason at all than just for fun. So my next few posts will focus on just that - meeting up with friends and shooting!</i><br /><br />And so earlier this week, I headed back to the village I grew up in to take some portraits of Emma, a local photographer who was back in her hometown on a flying visit back from university. Hearing about her adventures, projects and lectures reminded me of my year studying photography, which I will always look back on fondly as some of the happiest days of my life, and knowing this I am just so excited for the journey that lies ahead of her. Emma, you are fantastic and I can't wait to see where your career takes you!<br /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web__J4B9862_zpsd5fe732b.jpg" width="690" /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web__J4B9799_zpsce056838.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web__J4B9721_zps66ba063e.jpg" width="690" /><br /><br />Emma Dullingham on Flickr: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dullingham/" target="_blank">flickr.com/photos/dullingham/</a><br />Emma Dullingham on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DullinghamPhotography" target="_blank">facebook.com/dullinghamphotography</a><br /><br /><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F12%2Fdecember-portraits-emma.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=true&share=true&height=80&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 20px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>

December Portraits: Emma

As we wind down towards Christmas, I really wanted to make a commitment to just get outside and take some portraits for no reason at all tha...

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Winter Morning

I'm slowly but surely catching up with old personal work that has never seen the light of day.. and here is the first post from those efforts. At the moment I've got another set of self-portraits to finish and a fashion test that is 99% finished.. all coming soon!<br /><br />I shot these photos at the end of 2013, on one of those mornings that are so beautiful I can't help but grab a dress, a prop and run out of the house like a crazy woman to try and get some photos before the mist fades away. My favourite kind of mornings.<br /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_J4B3446c_zpsd39bdba1.jpg" width="690" /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/Untitled_Panorama1flat_zps1e1f5ef0.jpg" width="690" /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/Untitled_Panorama2final_zps19107bca.jpg" width="690" /><br /><br /><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F07%2Fwinter-morning.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=false&share=true&height=35&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>

Winter Morning

I'm slowly but surely catching up with old personal work that has never seen the light of day.. and here is the first post from those ef...

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Joseph Rock album artwork

I've always loved the idea of crowdfunding: people uniting through a joint interest to support a cause they believe in. So when classical guitarist Joseph Rock got in touch with me in late March with a view to us shooting his crowdfunded album's artwork together, I was thrilled to have been asked to be a part of his project.<br /><br />He started his Kickstarter campaign as part of his final project at university, the aim of which was to record and produce an album of classical guitar pieces, written by his favourite composer Augustin Barrios. The campaign was a success, going over and above its funding target, and last month I was ridiculously excited to receive a copy of his finished CD in the post.<br /><br />We met up at the beginning of April and spent the day trekking throughout the forest in the beautiful Cannock Chase in Staffordshire. Despite the falling rain that gradually got harder and harder to ignore throughout the shoot, we carried on shooting until we got everything we needed and finished the shoot next to an amazing pile of cut down tree trunks (something I have wanted to include in a portrait shoot for years!)<br /><br /><i>Joseph, thank you for putting up with all of my ideas and the awful weather that day! It really has been a huge honour to be a part of your project and I can't wait to see what you do next.</i><br /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/7350-8546670-joseph-rock_zps4875df19.jpeg" width="690" /> <img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/clpweb_J4B1068_zps35129d61.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/clpweb_J4B0713_cropped_zpsff751c71.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/clpweb_J4B0577_zps7f76f048.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/clpweb_J4B0990-crop1_zpsdfba8dfb.jpg" width="690" /><br /><br />And finally.. here are a few photos of the finished album!<br /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web_MG_8841_zps231d258f.jpg" width="343" /> <img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web_MG_8842_zps5293b791.jpg" width="343" /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web_MG_8845_zps808b65c1.jpg" width="690" /><br /><br />To find out more about Joseph and his work, why not take a peek at his Kickstarter page and website:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.josephrock.co.uk/" target="_blank">www.josephrock.co.uk</a><br /><a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1669519568/recording-the-music-of-classical-guitarist-augusti" target="_blank">Kickstarter: Recording the music of classical guitarist Augustin Barrios</a><br />  <br /><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F07%2Fjoseph-rock-album-artwork.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=true&share=true&height=80&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 80px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>

Joseph Rock album artwork

I've always loved the idea of crowdfunding: people uniting through a joint interest to support a cause they believe in. So when classica...

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Q&A: What equipment do you use? (2014 update)

<span style="text-align: left;">I don't really talk about my equipment much as I am a firm believer in the concept that a good camera does not necessarily equal good pictures, but it's probably a good idea that I put all the information about my kit in one place for people to check out if they're interested!</span><br /><b><br /></b><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web_MG_8809_zpsf5c2a380.jpg" width="690" /><br /><b><br />Canon 5D Mark III</b><br />Early this year I upgraded to the Mark III (from the Mark II) and I have never looked back! The reason for this is that I shoot at wide-ish apertures most of the time, and when focusing and bumping over to frame my shot I kept finding a lot of out of focus shots, which is just not acceptable, especially terms of my client work. The Mark III has 41 AF points compared to the Mark II's 9, and I have noticed a HUGE difference.<br /><div><br /></div><div><div><div><b>Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM</b></div><div>I bought this lens about a year before I upgraded to the 5D Mark II, and it's always worked stunningly well on all of my camera bodies. It's my most used lens, and at £300 or so it's a real bargain considering just how often I use it! Beautiful DOF and hardly weighs anything compared to my other lenses, so using it for hours on end is a breeze.<br /><br />I'm now on my second one - my first one broke when the focus system failed. I managed to get it repaired by Canon but sadly the same thing happened again at the beginning of this year, so here we are onto number 2. Let's keep our fingers crossed for this one!<br /><br /><b>Canon EF 135mm f/2.0 L USM</b><br />When it comes to choosing a favourite portrait lens, it always comes down to this and the 50mm. I just can't choose! The 135 is one of Canon's fastest focusing and sharpest, yet lowest priced L lenses and it is perfect for closely cropped portraits. The long focal length compresses facial features to create a really flattering portrait, and the DOF is amazingly smooth.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM</b></div><div>For me, a zoom lens is always a must-have for any photographer's kit. Even if you won't be using it a huge amount, the range of focal lengths makes them incredibly versatile and for me, it's always nice knowing I've got one just in case I need to shoot something particularly wide angle, which I can't do with my current selection of prime lenses. This lens is a little pricey, but the quality of the shots it produces is fantastic and it's the zoom lens with the widest aperture I could justify the price of!<br /></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>BITS AND BOBS</b></div><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web_MG_8820_zpsea217aa6.jpg" width="690" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: start;"><b>Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 L Macro</b></div><div style="text-align: start;">This is a brand new purchase! My husband does a lot of food photography in his work and I really wanted to have a macro to be able to shoot macro photos at weddings, so it had to happen. I've not a chance to use it professionally yet but from playing around with it at home it is amazing. I've never owned a lens that can focus closer than 30cm or so, so the entire concept of shooting macro on a DSLR is completely new to me!</div><div style="text-align: start;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: start;"><b>Waterproof CF card cases / Sandisk CF cards</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">These cases are incredible. They feel absolutely bullet proof and are apparently waterproof (although luckily I have not had to test this out yet!) The main advantage for me is just having somewhere to keep my cards in the same place - if you're putting them back in a case you'll have no risk of cards getting lost floating around in your pockets or ending up in the washing machine!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I have a few of these because I like to use lots of small cards instead of a few big ones. The reason for this is to minimise risk if anything screws up on the card - I'll lose less images than I would shooting with a large one. Just search for "CF card case" on Amazon and you'll find this style of card case sold by multiple brands.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Tip: Replacing full cards into the case upside down is a handy indicator of which ones are full and which ones are ready to go!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Canon Speedlite 430 EX II</b></div></div></div>Another new purchase for weddings! I always used to use my dad's old film camera flash gun on manual, but I figured it was about time to get something more reliable. So far it has served us well and I'm looking forward to practising some more creative flash techniques too!<br /><br /><b>Looooots of batteries</b><br />You can never go wrong with lots of spare batteries. No explanation needed!<br /><br /><b>Collapsible reflector (not photographed)</b><br />At the very beginning of my love for photography, I purchased a large collapsible reflector with a zip off case from Jessops (it can be used as silver, gold, white, black or as a diffuser). I've still got it, it's every bit as useful as it was when I first purchased it and it comes along with me on every shoot.<br /><br /><b>Canon RC-6 Remote Control (on camera strap in top photo)</b><br />This is the remote I use for all my self-portraits. It's pretty basic, but its options work very well for the work I do: 2-second delay or shoot instantly. It has a good range and I've never had any issues with it (except for in thick fog) and even comes with a camera strap pouch so you don't lose it.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">- - -</div><br />So finally after 3 years I've updated this blog post! I hope this was useful to anybody who was curious, but again I need to mention that it's not your equipment that makes your pictures what they are - it's <i>you</i>!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Now it's your turn - what are your favourite things in your kit bag and why? Leave a comment below!</b></div></div><br />  <iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F07%2Fcamera-equipment-2014.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=false&share=true&height=35&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe><br />

Q&A: What equipment do you use? (2014 update)

I don't really talk about my equipment much as I am a firm believer in the concept that a good camera does not necessarily equal good pi...

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Review: Lenses For Hire

Having a convenient, reliable service to hire lenses through is something I've always wanted to find. You never know what will happen and if you suddenly find yourself with a broken lens before an important client shoot, you need to find another one pronto!<br /><br />I'd hired equipment before through Calumet, and whilst their service was good and I was pleased with it, the fact that I don't live in London meant that they weren't a very convenient choice for me. I asked around online for recommendations, the one name that kept popping up as highly recommended was <a href="http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/" target="_blank">Lenses For Hire</a>. So when I had a client shoot booked in late February just after my beloved Canon 50mm 1.4 broke, I knew where I was going!<br /><br />The service was quick, efficient and easy to understand, and after a great experience hiring the 50mm I wanted to document my second hire with them, Canon's 35mm f/1.4 L which I hired for use at a <a href="http://www.catlaneweddings.com/" target="_blank">wedding</a>. So here we go!<br /><br /><b>Using the website</b><br />In the past I've found lens hire websites a nightmare to navigate, ridden with hidden costs (deposit, insurance) and just plain confusing as to how the hire process works. With Lenses For Hire, the second you are on the site you have two choices: start looking at their lens selection or read their quick guide on how the process works. No questions here!<br /><br />Each individual lens page has a calendar so you can instantly see if they have the lens you want on the day you need it. There's also a drop down so you can immediately see how much it will cost you for the time frame you need it also. Need reviews to help you choose? They have links to external sites to help you make your mind up.<br /><br />Once added to the basket, there is a step-by-step process that takes you everything you need to know: the dates you've chosen for your hire, the dates that it will be sent to you and returned back to them, and a detailed breakdown of the cost. To my delight there were no hidden charges - the only thing added on at the checkout are the costs of the courier.<br /><br /><b>Receiving the lens</b><br />I went for the budget delivery option which ensures you receive your lens by 5.30pm the day before your hire starts. I got an email and text message from DPD which let me track the delivery of my parcel or request it was delivered with a neighbour if needed, and it arrived well in time. The parcel was also instantly assessed and approved by one of my cats (!)<br /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/wev-Photo-02-05-2014-03-04-00-pm-1_zpsf45683a9.jpg" width="690" /><b><br /><br />Packaging & what's included</b><br />The lens arrived in a cardboard box wrapped in postage bag, tightly surrounded by a good few inches of dense foam on all sides. Both lenses that I have rented were supplied with both a lens bag and a lens hood, which I was pleasantly surprised to see when I rented the 50mm 1.4 (this lens does not come with a bag and hood as standard when you buy it). To top it all off, they are protected with good quality Hoya Pro-1 filters.<br /><br />Also included are a lens manual, the case for the filter, a return address label, another plastic postage bag and a checklist so you can make sure you return everything that was sent to you.<br /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/hresPhoto02-05-2014030646pm_zps3f2543df.jpg" width="690" /><br /><b><br /></b><b>Returning the lens</b><br />I'm not a fan of waiting for couriers to pick up things from my house as it means I can be under house arrest all day, so I opted for the self-return option for convenience. As mentioned, the lens came packaged with everything I needed to return it, so all I needed to do was pack it up, head to the post office and send it back Special Delivery Next Day, which for the 50mm 1.4 was £9 I believe, and for the 35mm, £14 due to the increased postage insurance needed.<br /><br />They ask that you send them the tracking number, and once they receive the lens they let you know via email. <a href="http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/" target="_blank">Lenses For Hire</a> test each lens after receiving it back and email you to let you know how that has gone. I really liked this touch because it gave me assurance that the next time I hired a lens from them, I would know it would be working order after the last person's use of it.<br /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/diptych_zpsca3cbb69.jpg" width="690" /><br /><br /><b>Conclusion</b><br />Well, this one might be a bit obvious as I have used them twice now, but I have to say that I highly, highly recommend Lenses For Hire and will be using them for all of my future lens rentals!<br /><br />The only downside that I feel I should mention is that they don't rent out third-party lenses (Canon & Nikon only), which is a shame because I really wanted to try out the Sigma 35mm 1.4 Art as it had been highly recommended to me by others. However, I am more than happy to overlook this given the exceptional service and convenience of every aspect of the process.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/" target="_blank">www.lensesforhire.co.uk</a></div><br /><b>Have you rented equipment before? How did you find it and where did you go?</b><br /><br /><i>Despite my glowing review, I am not affiliated with Lenses For Hire in any way :-)</i><br /><br /><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F05%2Flenses-for-hire-review.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=false&share=false&height=35&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>

Review: Lenses For Hire

Having a convenient, reliable service to hire lenses through is something I've always wanted to find. You never know what will happen an...

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Going freelance: 12 things I learnt in 12 months - part two

<img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/header-blog-pt2_zps868716e3.jpg" /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i><i><br />The end of March marked my first year of working as a full-time freelance photographer. If you've not read it yet, why not check part one of this blog post <a href="http://dismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/going-freelance-12-things-i-learnt-part-1.html" target="_blank"><b>HERE</b></a> first!</i></i></div><br />So here we go - part two! I initially intended this blog post to be a one-parter but it ended up being so wordy that I had to split it into two. As I format this I'm finding even more things to write about.. but that will have to be another post for another time :-)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>PART TWO</b></div><b><br />7. Find a way to inspire yourself into action</b><br />Some days I just can't get work done. It's a big problem when working at home when your brain struggles to differentiate between home time and work time. I've discovered this year that my fix for that is going away and working in a coffee shop - it puts me into the work "zone" and I have nothing to distract myself with!<br /><br /><b>8. Find the time to inspire yourself and work on your portfolio</b><br />Although I've not reached this point as much as I'd like to yet, I'm quickly realising that making time to do personal work is incredibly important - even if you have to book it in a month in advance to make sure you do it. My husband and I have a little trip away planned for mid-April and there are no words for how excited I am to have the time to pour into my personal work and self-portraiture.<br /><br /><b>9. Write EVERYTHING down.</b><br />Have a client call? Write down the details. Have a spontaneous idea? Write it down. The biggest thing i learnt from working around other self-employed people is to write everything down, because you just can't expect to carry all this information around in your head. I carry a notebook everywhere now and always have it to refer back to.<br /><br /><b>10. It's ok to cry. Really.</b><br />Going freelance has been a roller coaster of emotions for me: elation, despair, inspiration, frustration, happiness, stress. Not everything will go to plan - life isn't perfect - it is understandably stressful not knowing where your next work is coming from, and you have to let yourself experience the emotions that go with it instead of bottling it up.<br /><br /><b>11. Stop comparing yourself to others and see how far you have come</b><br />It's easy to be constantly stuck on goal-mode and focused on what you want to achieve (or what others before you have achieved), but you might be surprised if you look back and really look at how much you have achieved. If you showed your portfolio as it is now to the person you were when you first fell in love with your photography, I bet they would be impressed!<br /><br />And finally..<br /><br /><b>12. You will learn how rewarding it is..</b><br />..when you wake up in the morning and realise you are doing <i>what you love </i>for a living. When you realise that despite all the stress you have a great deal of freedom and are fully in control of your own life and career. It's not without its stresses, but going full time is the best decision I have ever made and I can honestly say it makes me happy every single day.<br /><br /><img src="http://i1184.photobucket.com/albums/z338/dismantlerepair_storage2/behind-the-scenes-2_zps67f2166d.jpg" /><br /><br />Writing this article on my blog has really pushed myself out of my comfort zone and I hope to do a lot more writing in the future.. I'd better get my thinking cap on for future posts! In the meantime I have a few blog posts to write on a photo day with Suzy Wimbourne, testing with the Leaf Credo medium format system and a little update on my equipment set up.. lots to come :D<br /><br /><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.co.uk%2F2014%2F04%2Fgoing-freelance-12-things-i-learnt-part-2.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=false&share=true&height=35&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>

Going freelance: 12 things I learnt in 12 months - part two

The end of March marked my first year of working as a full-time freelance photographer. If you've not read it yet, why not check part on...

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Going freelance: 12 things I learnt in 12 months - part one

<center><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/header-blog_zps3fac5db6.jpg" /></center><br />Yesterday marks a year since I took my photography business full time and I honestly, truly can't believe it's gone so quickly. I am overflowing with gratitude right now for each and every one of my clients and for everybody who has helped me along the way, and I am so excited to see how my second year will unfold.<br /><br />Despite the fact I had been working part-time for a while beforehand, I still had some misconceptions and learnt more in this last 12 months than I ever could have imagined. So here we go: 12 things I have learnt in the last 12 months. This post has ended up being a little bit wordier than I envisioned, so it's going to be a two-parter. Scroll down to the bottom for a link to part two!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />PART ONE</b></div><br /><b>1. It's all about time management..</b><br />This is one of the first things I learnt, and one of the things I am still learning how to do more effectively! The pace at which you work defines how many clients you are able to take on, how quickly you are able to deliver work to those clients and ultimately how much free time you have left at the end of the day. It might be tempting to watch Netflix in the middle of the day as your workdays at home are so flexible, but I promise it will feel a whole lot better watching it in the evening having completed everything on your to do list!<br /><br /><b>2. ..but sometimes you <i>will</i> need to work evenings and weekends to get stuff done.</b><br />No matter how well you manage your time, there will always be instances where you will be working over and above normal working hours to get stuff done. For me, working for myself is a constant learning curve and I'm constantly learning how much work I can realistically fit in. I've worked the last two weekends in a row because I took on a bit more than usual, but I made promises to my clients and I will keep them no matter what.<br /><br /><b>3. Learn to love your admin</b><br />Like it or not, unless you are in a position to pay somebody else to do it, admin is a big part of working for yourself. Sending out invoices and writing up expenses might not feel like the most creative use of your time but try and think of it in a different light: every time you send an invoice, it means that somebody is <i>paying you to do what you love</i>!<br /><br /><b>4. You can't be precious about the work you take on when starting out</b><br />If you're busy enough to turn down work then this tip isn't relevant, but when you are starting out you may get asked to do stuff that you don't specialise in, and you may not be in a position to be precious about it. I've photographed jewellery, food, corporate portraiture, retouched others' images, and although I don't specialise in those things, if people think you are right for the job and are asking for your rates, give them! You may just find yourself discovering a new aspect of photography that you love.<br /><br /><b>5. Learn to say no to commitments</b><br />I still struggle with this one a lot - I want to <i>do all the things</i> but at some point you will end up reaching a limit where you can't do the best job at doing the things you want to commit to when busy. I might have a day spare to organise a fashion test in, but realistically can I finish the work in an acceptable timeframe when I have client shoots coming up? People will understand if you explain the position you are in, and will most likely be grateful for your honesty if you explain your time constraints and that you'd want to do the best job possible for them.<br /><br /><b>6. Value and recognise your worth</b><br />It's very easy to constantly feel as if you are not good enough - it's something everybody universally struggles with, regardless of profession. If a client has seen your work and trusts you to work for them, it means you ARE good enough. They have thought about it and made the decision that you have the skills necessary to do what they need. What a great thought!<br /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/behind-the-scenes_zps2f19d82f.jpg" /><br /><br />I'm always a bit self-conscious about writing blog articles that aren't about shoots, but I think it's about time I stepped out of my comfort zone and did something a little different with my blog. Part two of this post is on its way soon and I'll be sure to put a link at the end of this post once it's finished :-)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Do you work for yourself? What has it taught you? Leave a comment below - I am so interested to hear your thoughts!</b><br /><b><br /></b><b><a href="http://dismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/going-freelance-12-things-i-learnt-part-2.html" target="_blank">CLICK TO READ PART TWO</a><br /> </b></div><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.com%2F2014%2F03%2Fgoing-freelance-12-things-i-learnt-part-1.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=false&share=true&height=35&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>

Going freelance: 12 things I learnt in 12 months - part one

Yesterday marks a year since I took my photography business full time and I honestly, truly can't believe it's gone so quickly. I am...

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Lucinda

Out of all of the people I have known through my internet travels, I think Lucinda has been one of the people I've followed the longest. I'm pretty sure I've been keeping an eye on her work ever since I was uploading photos of flowers and trees to deviantART!<br /><br />So with Lucinda now a fashion designer and model, and myself a photographer, it seemed only right that we finally met up to do a little shoot. We ended up getting on so well that we did slightly more chatting than shooting, but I still managed to get some photos of her lovely self wearing her own fantastic designs.<br /><br />It's always so inspiring meeting other creatives and I absolutely cannot wait to see what 2014 has in store for <a href="http://www.lucindasinclair.co.uk/" target="_blank">Lucinda</a> and <a href="http://www.sanctus.org.uk/" target="_blank">Sanctus</a>!<br /><br /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web_J4B1773crop_zps7ecaf7c5.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web_J4B1923_zps53d1a92e.jpg" width="343px" /> <img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web_J4B1688_zps18ea4034.jpg" width="343px" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web_J4B1838_zps06a50c2b.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/web_J4B1736crop_zpsd7357dd8.jpg" width="690" /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.lucindasinclair.co.uk/">www.lucindasinclair.co.uk</a><br /><a href="http://www.sanctus.org.uk/">www.sanctus.org.uk</a><br /><br /><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.co.uk%2F2014%2F01%2Flucinda.html&width&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=false&share=true&height=35&appId=112365025537572" style="border-style: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden;"></iframe>

Lucinda

Out of all of the people I have known through my internet travels, I think Lucinda has been one of the people I've followed the longest....

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Fotografi Italiani Rome meet-up

One of the most inspiring things in the world to me is meeting up with other photographers, so when the lovely Domiziana approached me back in November last year about coming along to Fotografi Italiani's big photographer meet-up, I jumped at the chance and flew out to Rome at the end of July!<br /><br />Fotografi Italiani are an online photography group, and have regional meet ups, but this time they wanted to do one to bring everybody together in the one place, including three photographers from Europe: myself, Laura Kok and Julie de Waroquier.<br /><br />We spent three days together shooting, sightseeing and chatting and I feel so, so privileged to have been a part of this wonderful meet up, and on the receiving end of so much kindness, welcoming and generosity. Thank you guys, I will never, ever forget it.<br /><br />So here we go.. a bumper-sized blog post full of portraits!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Grace Caringi / Domiziana Suprani </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_MG_1230_zpsfc2d6a7e.jpg" width="343px" /> <img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_MG_1251_zps76fbcce7.jpg" width="343px" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Julie de Waroquier </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_MG_1307_zpsf0ced1e9.jpg" width="690" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Julie de Waroquier / Costanza Coloni</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/julie_zps4cb3acfe.jpg" width="363" /> <img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_MG_1605_zps4128cde6.jpg" width="323" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Alessandra Caronna</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_MG_1466_zpsb022ffe4.jpg" width="690px" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Laura Kok</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b></b><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_MG_1658bw_zps79114f05.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_MG_1631_zps5fc1dc04.jpg" width="690" /><br /><br /><b>Caterina Appia</b><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_MG_1707landscape_zpsf79d90f8.jpg" width="690" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b></b><b style="text-align: center;"><b>Gioia Loffredi / Grace Caringi</b></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_MG_1568_zps9b0192c0.jpg" width="690" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Angela Lisena, </b><b>Guendalina Bia & </b><b>Caterina Presutti</b><br /><b><br /></b></div>These lovely ladies were our models on the day we spent in the Villa Borghese gardens, and were absolute stars posing for the 40 or so photographers that were there, in ridiculous temperatures. Thank you girls for all your hard work!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/Untitled_Panorama1c_zpsd0cbbf62.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/Untitled_Panorama1b_zpscc69de98.jpg" width="690" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b><b>Caterina Presutti</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_MG_1439c_zps0ff149dd.jpg" width="690" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b><b>Angela Lisena</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_MG_1397_zpsf7d2de08.jpg" width="690" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Guendalina Bia / Domiziana Suprani</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_MG_1448_zpse73d53bc.jpg" width="343" /> <img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_MG_1250_zps50e74cc3.jpg" width="343" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Caterina, Gioia, Guendalina, Domiziana & Serena</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_MG_1475_zpsf1448950.jpg" width="690" /></div><br />And lastly, a few behind-the-scenes images. They even arranged to book a cinema screen so we could discuss Photoshop techniques once the sun went down!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/Photo-27-07-2013-11-01-11-PM_zpse4f0a401.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/Photo-27-07-2013-03-55-26-PM-1_zps4612ffb1.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/Photo-27-07-2013-11-16-12-AM_zps185e9727.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_MG_1258_zps16e926ff.jpg" width="690" /><img src="http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w541/dismantlerepair_storage3/_MG_1317_zpseb533037.jpg" width="690" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Words cannot describe just how much I enjoyed the three days we spent together and how much it inspired me - a huge thank you to everybody who took part and made this happen. You made me feel so welcome and at home in your group, and I hope I get a chance to see you all again one day! ♥<br /><br />PS. I'll be editing this post soon with links to everybody's portfolios and blog posts about the event.. keep your eyes peeled!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;">  </div><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="//www.facebook.com/plugins/like.php?href=http%3A%2F%2Fdismantlerepair-photo.blogspot.com%2F2013%2F09%2Ffotografi-italiani-rome-meet-up.html&width=450&height=35&colorscheme=light&layout=standard&action=like&show_faces=false&send=false&appId=112365025537572" style="border: none; height: 35px; overflow: hidden; width: 450px;"></iframe>

Fotografi Italiani Rome meet-up

One of the most inspiring things in the world to me is meeting up with other photographers, so when the lovely Domiziana approached me back ...

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