Well, this weekend has two big events: Mother's Day and the Societies Of Photographers Annual Convention In London.   Sadly I wasn't able to make the Convention this year - though I was there in spirit!  That didn't stop me entering the print competition though.  I didn't come away with any gongs this year and that always stings just a little.  Somehow, I have to convert the feeling of missing out on a fantastic convention with photographers who I love to spend time with (FOMO anyone?) and also not getting the scores I would have loved for my entries. It's all part of ..read more

So it's 2023 already!  What happened to 2022?  This episode says a big thank you for 2022 and kicks off the year ahead with some thoughts on how to deal with so much negativity in the years and the media.  We're hitting it all with positivity, energy, creativity and laughter!  Well, you wouldn't expect anything different from us would you? We also say thanks to some incredible brands who have put a little faith in us and asked us to be ambassadors: Graphistudio (they create the best photographic albums on the planet!) https://www.graphistudio.com/en/  Pixellu (we use t ..read more

We are a lucky business.  OK, I know you make your own luck to a greater or lesser degree, but we really are a lucky business.  Every day I work with people I love - from our team in the studio to our clients across the UK and further afield.   As we run into the festive holidays, our studio has been full of laughter (and the smell of gingerbread, thanks to our Christmas candles!) as clients come to pick up their last-minute gifts as well as albums and frames they ordered during the year.  The shelves have creaked under the weight of the boxes; each bowed with our dist ..read more

A couple of weeks ago, we judged the British Institute Of Professional Photographers (BIPP) 2022 national print competition. I have always loved being a judge and now, in my role as Chair Of Qualifications And Awards for the BIPP, I couldn't be happier!  I get to see so many incredible images and sit with so many incredible photographers.  It's one of the best gigs imaginable. In the first half of the episode, I step through the rigour of judging, how it is done, and how we ensure it is fair. In the second half of the episode,  I go through some of the notes I made while the jud ..read more

I recorded this podcast at 7am while sat in the studio, waiting for a new TV to be delivered.  Luckily it actually arrived when they said it would!  The TV is for our Client Reveal Room as we want our customers to have the best possible experience when they come back to see their pictures. But exactly how do you figure out where to spend your limited budget?  On things that benefit your client, that's where! In this episode, I mention a couple of different things.  Firstly, a reminder of the colour correction tool I love: Imagen AI If you use this link: https://www.ima ..read more

Had a chance this week to go and enjoy some incredible sketches and watercolours at the Ashmolean in Oxford.  The artists?  The Pre Raphaelite Brotherhood - one of my favourite groups of artists.  Somewhat uncharacteristically, we also developed some Ilford XP2 film (our daughter wants a film camera) and I've been testing a few old boxes we've had laying around for the past 20 years or more. The results, if I was being charitable, weren't a disaster.  But they weren't great either. And that's in stark contrast to the camera I am using daily: the Nikon Z9.   This c ..read more

At the end of a long week, the exhaustion can creep up on you.  Fatigue is not an unusual feeling for a professional photographer.  But finding your source of energy, whether it's your work, your clients, your colleagues or just some time out with family, is crucial. For me?  Well, for me it's always been about people in one form or another! The details of the Photo Hubs Oxford workshop mentioned in this episode can be found at: https://photohubs.co.uk/product/oxford-light/ This is a hands-on, three-hour workshop for no more than ten people and is all about the thing that I love ..read more

I have honestly grown to love the sales process - from pitch to payment, it is something I never thought I'd get my head around but have surprised myself. One key aspect is understanding that a 'no' may not be all it seems.  In this episode, Sarah and I have stood out in the weather at Thame Food Festival, pitching to prospective clients.  Not everyone says 'yes' but learning that there are grades of success when it comes to selling, helps me not worry about those who've said 'no'. During this episode, I mention a piece of software we're now using to expedite our colour correction.&n ..read more

Had a chance this week to go and enjoy some incredible sketches and watercolours at the Ashmolean in Oxford.  The artists?  The Pre Raphaelite Brotherhood - one of my favourite groups of artists.  Somewhat uncharacteristically, we also developed some Ilford XP2 film (our daughter wants a film camera) and I've been testing a few old boxes we've had laying around for the past 20 years or more. The results, if I was being charitable, weren't a disaster.  But they weren't great either. And that's in stark contrast to the camera I am using daily: the Nikon Z9.   This c ..read more

After a little bit of a break from recording over the summer, this episode is a quick update and reflects on the experiences we had while visiting the beautiful Tuscany area of Italy.  As with so much in business, it's the experience that completely won us over (though the product was delicious too!) Huge shout to the Buglioni Winery (and, in particular, to Lorenzo, who could not have made us feel more special! We'll be back!) We have also been announced as ambassadors for three different top-flight companies (so these links are going to become familiar territory!) Graphistudio The best ..read more