It’s not long until Valentines Day; when we are expected to be at our most romantic! (and it’s acceptable and not corny to be so!)

Obviously your Valentine is extra special, so you’ll needing something extra special to give them and that’s where I can help

I have a fabulous offer for you, whether you are wanting something fun and relaxed or want to indulge in the romance.

There aren’t a lot of guys that are uncomfortable with being photographed, least of smooching it up in front of the lens, but I will help you feel at ease and not at all self-conscious, making the session full of fun and frolic! Your girl is going to love you forever for indulging her and proving that ‘movie love’ really does exist!

You will end up with some beautiful images to choose from, no matter what style of couple portraiture you prefer.

I’m adding  value this Valentine’s and offer Valentine shoots at half price (that reduces them to £20 for a location shoot). Either ring me before 14th February 2012 to book your portrait session or, alternatively, purchase a £20 sitting gift voucher (to use before 31st May 2012).

I will also be offering some special discounts on products, especially for these Valentine shoots

• Call now to avoid disappointment: 07786 300 140. (allow time for gift voucher orders, if wishing to have them by 14th Feb)

Thank you so much to all those people who invited me to photograph their children, siblings, parents and even dogs! I hope to be invited back again in 2012 for all those birthday parties, christenings, anniversaries and special moments that you want frozen in time.

Just a handful of clients from 2011

As a special thank you to all my portrait clients, I would like to offer you a rare chance to purchase all your full resolution digital negatives (the photographs from one sitting) on disc for an amazing price of £99!!

Usually I don’t sell the digital negatives but, at the end of last year (by popular demand) I introduced a disc of 20 images for a price of £250. So you can see this is a MASSIVE saving and one not to be missed. Some of you may even be able to use your 10% loyalty discount in conjunction with this offer, so get in touch quickly!

T&C’s

• Offer is only available to those that had their portrait shoot before 2012. Sorry but it is not available to Wedding, Corporate or Baby Package clients who are have not completed their package.
• Offer expires 31st January 2012

I am over the moon to have my recent St Lucia Lego photos published in a magazine. I know it’s only ‘Letter of the Month’ but it’s still very exciting. I mean, I win something

'Photo Professional' Magazine

It’s certainly spurred me on to make time for the hobby side of my photography – it can’t all be work, work, work (as much as I enjoy it).

I had so much fun taking these photographs but it has become a bit of an unhealthy addiction. These minifigures are multiplying in my handbag, travelling everywhere with me, so I’m constantly on the look out for the best photo situation for them. It causes great amusement (and equal annoyance) for my friends if nothing else

I thought I would take this opportunity to share some of the behind-the-scenes photographs….

My St Lucia Studio!

You can just about make out the seaweed and coconuts used!

Lonely Cara the Cavegirl - she looks a little lost and scared while I look for more props!

I had to work really low to the ground which required lying flat on the sand. You can see that it was quite gusty at times so, smeared in sun cream, I got covered in sand and I was very conscious of the sand so close to my compact camera!

Dressing the Set

Time for some reading!

You can check out more of these photographs on my Flickr photostream.

If you can’t read the magazine letter above then grab yourself a copy!

Or read below…

I am not sure what is more geeky; taking my photography magazine on holiday or taking my Lego to play with (at the age of..cough…thirtysomething!).
I had great fun with both, in St Lucia, but the latter probably got the most attention from staff and hotel guests. It’s not easy trying to explain to St Lucian’s exactly what you’re doing with the Lego and a compact camera!
My boyfriend took many ‘behind the scene’ shots as he found it hysterical watching me ‘dress the set’ and get into funny positions while dressed only in my bikini! (not my usual choice of outfit for photography work!)

I’m pleased with the results but absolutely gutted that I left my reading material on the plane – a magazine that will become well travelled. I had hardly read any of it as it was being hogged by my other half! Plus I remembered too late that it included a great discount code for the upcoming SWPP convention seminars. What other fab offers, articles and advice did I miss out on? As a loyal subscriber, please could you send me another copy or do I have to get on another plane in a bid to find my last copy? I’m not sure what I am sadder about; coming home from St Lucia to cold London, or losing my favourite magazine

Jenny and John had received a gift voucher last Christmas and it’s expiry date was fast approaching. I wouldn’t usually do such a late afternoon portrait shoot at this time of year due to the lack of natural light (unless it’s a Create & Capture shoot) but with all our Christmas diaries looking pretty full, we had no other option but to book in a 3.30pm home portrait shoot.

This required some off-camera lighting which created a studio portrait look.

I took some beautiful headshots of the family as well as some group shots (although the space was limited). I wanted to create some catalogue poses with the boys as they were quite camera-shy, so I used the garden fence as a backdrop and had them show me their best model expressions. The boys proved what hardened men they were by being extremely patient in the freezing cold and blustery garden (naturally I was fully wrapped up!!). Hopefully they will like the results.

This family were a joy to visit and I was doubly rewarded by receiving fresh eggs to take home with me. I’m a HUGE egg lover, so this was the perfect treat. Thanks guys

Have a great Christmas and I hope not to keep you waiting too long for your online gallery.

I look forward to seeing some of you again in 2012.

This year’s Christmas Card…

With camera on tripod, cotton tied to mini-Maglite and myself standing precariously on a chair, I took several photographs (using the self timer) while I attempted to create a spiral of light. Not only did it take numerous attempts to work out how to achieve this motion with the torch itself; it took several more attempts to: 1) capture it correctly on camera and 2) make it take on the shape of a Christmas tree which was my objective (I’m hoping that part is obvious!)
With many tens of photographs captured on a CF card, I sat in front of my PC. Various effects were experimented with…

Christmas Tree Project: Breakdown of First Attempt

Firstly I began choosing those pics that had the correct sort of shape to them and had the entire motion caught in the frame. I experimented with colours and overlaid the final images. This was my first attempt. It felt a bit messy and not entirely tree like!

Tree Photo Project: First Attempt!

My final result was going to remain in green (to make it look more like a tree) but I didn’t find it as colourful as I had originally imagined. So, choosing simply three images and three Christmas colours, the final shot was created.
Pic – 3 green trees – Breakdown of final attempt

Breakdown of Final Attempt!

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy 2012.

Merry Christmas from Nikki Waterlow Photography

A lot of people come to me and ask ‘What compact camera should I buy?’ without adding any more information. This is like asking what car should they buy without mentioning whether they want petrol or diesel, manual or automatic, for high mileage or cruising round town?!

Everyone’s needs and preferences in a camera are completely different.

I haven’t owned a compact camera of my own since my gorgeous (and surprisingly impressive) Minolta Dimage Xt died on me in 2007. Since then I haven’t had the chance to replace it. For my recent holiday (with plenty of sand, water and possible hiking) I didn’t want anything heavy or bulky to be carrying around with me. I also didn’t want to be living my holiday through a viewfinder.

My compact camera wish list:

• A decent zoom lens, with a range that I felt was adequate – I wasn’t looking for the longest telephoto or the one with the widest range just something to give me choice when composing a shot.
• A close focus distance (I love macro work!)
• Some creative control such as manual controls of aperture and shutter speed.
• Different metering modes
• Small-ish design. I didn’t want a hybrid camera or a camera that looked like an SLR. So it was important to me that the lens completely retracted into the body. Weight was also important.
• I had a budget of up to £250

Shortlist

A lot, and I mean A LOT, of cameras can meet most of these requirements. I asked around, read tonnes of reviews and narrowed it down to three cameras….

The Canon G12: This is loved by a few professional photographers that I know but, as much as this would be on my Christmas wish list, it didn’t meet the size or budget requirements that I had set.

Canon G12

Canon Powershot SX220HS: I came very close to purchasing this camera (to stay loyal to the Canon brand) but having played with it in the shop I felt that it was very menu driven (and not easily - A full read of the manual is essential!). I also felt that the physical controls felt quite cheap and flimsy. I am hoping that my compact camera will last a long time.

Canon SX220HS

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20: Lumix are really popular in the compact market so all their models are worth a look. I had my doubts about choosing this camera as it offered GPS at a price, which I really wasn’t fussed about. It also had a touchscreen which many reviews said was more of a hindrance than anything. However, having played with it in the shop, this is the one I decided upon.

Lumix DMC-TZ20

Conclusion

I used it extensively on holiday and I was surprised just how much I used some of the features that this camera had to offer. Auto-Tracking Focus was a godsend. A function I thought I would use once in a blue moon became something I used quite a bit. I think this was mainly because of the sort of angles I was shooting at and also the bright sunlight. Hard to explain in a few words in here; writing isn’t my strong suit!

Auto scenes (most cameras offer something similar) was actually pretty accurate and took away the need for me to override auto settings. This was especially good for sunsets and night scenes.

The only thing I was disappointed about was the casing. As well as the zoom lens mechanism, there are few little holes in the casing of this camera (mic and speakers etc) and St Lucia can be windy along the coastline. Working closely to the sand (as seen in my previous blog) I think I would have been far more confident with my SLR in these sorts of conditions. My other half has a Pentax Optio W30 and I guess I have been used to having this on holidays. It’s a sealed unit (an underwater camera) so if it gets sandy, dusty, muddy, you just wash it!

Pentax Optio W30

So far I am very happy with my new compact camera and I purchased it in a very cool blue (it compliments all the pink that is in my handbag!).

My advice to anyone choosing a compact camera; Work out what it is you want it for and from there work out what features you require. Do a lot of research and IMPORTANTLY make sure you have a play with them in a shop.

Now this isn’t a blog to boast about my fab holiday (and it was FAB) but a chance for me to do a  number of things…

Share with you some photos of my new little project.

Show you the photographs from my new compact camera: those that follow me on Twitter or Facebook will know that just days before my holiday I was desperate to find a compact camera that I could take instead of my SLR. I spent two solid days doing my research and thought I would share my results (for those that are interested) with a separate review blog to follow.

And finally, I couldn’t actually mention St Lucia without sharing some of it with you.

Lego Project

I have recently discovered my love for Lego is still as strong as it was when I was a kid and have become addicted to purchasing Lego Minifigures.

Now I’m not sure what’s more geeky; taking my photography magazine or Lego to St Lucia!! I guess the latter as this was the one that got the strange looks and questions from onlookers. Does the Caribbean even know what Lego is?!?

With my new camera in hand (and purchased with this project in mind), I went about shooting my new friends on the beautiful beaches of St Lucia

Cara the Cave Girl!

Flickr will find you hundreds of Lego photographs; so it’s not an original project – but one I am going to enjoy. I’m going to rely on different locations for that added creativity.

Lazy Sherlock (named after the Resort's 'Lazy River')

It’s also an excuse to collect each character in the series for variation

Larry the Lumberjack; looking for coconuts

The Lumix TZ20, that I purchased just days before the holiday, was great for this type of close up work. The AF tracking in conjunction with the touchscreen really came into use where the focus was crucial at such a close distance and in bright sunlight. Read my camera review in a few days.

St Lucia is a beautiful island. The landscape is luscious and breathtaking. I don’t actually have any photographs that do it justice (mainly because I took time off to enjoy the country). The people are friendly and the climate is just perfect for me; warm sea breeze and warm Caribbean and Atlantic sea.

There is snorkelling, mountains to climb, views to take in and cocktails to drink!

Don’t think it’s just for romantic honeymoon couples (although there were a lot of them!), the resort we stayed at was perfect for families as well as adults wanting some quiet time. I can’t recommend the Coconut Bay Resort enough. The staff took pride in their work and did it all with welcoming smiles and friendly conversation. We are already hoping to return.

The excursions run by ATV Paradise Tours are the best on the island (thanks to inspirational Kurt who left his life in Belgium for the ‘back to nature’ one in St Lucia) and ‘Mystic Man Tours’ shouldn’t be missed either. We booked our trip with Tropical Sky, so check them out if I’ve tempted you enough!

Sunset Cruise: Romance and Rum

You can check out more of my Lego and St Lucia photos on Flickr

The loyalty club will offer exclusive discounts to its members which can also be in addition to any other offers that we have running so your savings can soon add up.

At present it is set to 10% off all sittings and purchases.

So, for example, if you combine this loyalty discount with our proof book promotion, then you can earn 20% of any post portrait purchases!

Loyalty Club Card

Who gets one?

Loyalty cards are issued to all current clients after their first booking.

After your sitting you will receive your personalised club card which contains your unique card number. Your loyalty discount can be used on subsequent bookings and the orders associated with them. (Any photographs that are captured after the ‘issue date’ stated on the card).
What if you have already used our services?

If you are already a client of ours, from wedding or portrait sittings in years gone by, then you won’t miss out. Providing we have your current postal details we can get your loyalty card on the snail mail trail today! If in doubt, drop us an email with your postal address and we will ensure you don’t miss out.
Your loyalty Club Card can also be used when purchasing gift vouchers.
Don’t forget about our Referral Scheme.

Offer has now changed to the one below!

Recommend our services to friends and family. If they book with us not only will you receive a FREE full-res digital file (this can be from any one of your shoots and is of your choosing) but they will also receive a FREE 7×5 print from their shoot.

Check out our new products and more information on our blog.

He’s still not walking so it was a less physically demanding job than some but, what do they say; ‘Don’t work with children and animals’?? On this shoot I had both! Amanda and Paul wanted their much-loved (and very patient) cat, Garfield, included in some of the shots. We all know how independent cats can be, so this didn’t always work as well as I had hoped!

Amanda and Paul’s son is lovely and a joy to work with. Too inquisitive to make smile all the time but it didn’t matter, he is cute whatever expression he makes

Here are just a few of my favourites from the shoot, including Garfield at his best!

I think this final one is my favourite. I just love the way this little boy looks engrossed in his book and, holding it himself, he looked adorable.

Make sure you leave a comment below. Perhaps let me know which one of my favourites is YOUR favourite

Firstly, check out our lush new product guide which I hope clearly lays out what we have to offer.

It doesn’t end there…..

We have just signed up with Pinhole Press; A fab new company which can provide professional products for you via our personalised link. Only when you use our link (or enter our Photographer’s Code: ‘NikkiWaterlow’), is the whole product range opened up for you to browse.

Look at these beautiful products; notepads, calendars, handbag albums and they even do wine bottle labels!

Use our link to get access to more professional products

This shopping site is ideal for those of you have acquired the high-resolution digital files from us and are looking for gift ideas or simply a gorgeous assortment of products. It allows you to shop and edit your own products without having to order through me (although you do have to purchase the digital file from me to begin with). You have complete control. Don’t let the US dollar prices put you off (the distributor is UK based); simple calculations and you will see that these are great products, of a professional standard, at great prices.

Folio Frames

We can provide folio frames (three 8×6 images mounted within one panoramic frame) in a variety of orientation options. Good, complimentary presentation is vital for showing of your photographs for maximum impact. Framing three suitable images together can capture the essence of a child or family within one frame and be a talking point wherever it is displayed.

Folio Frame

Wooden Prints

I’m really excited about our new wooden prints. Earlier this year, one of my clients asked about a cheaper alternative to canvas wrap-arounds. I completed the challenge and she purchased large versions of her two daughters (check out her photo tweet). This product has a very similar appearance to the canvas prints; the images are printed directly on to a 1” thick piece of wood which has a subtle texture to it. They are a better price than the canvas and just as hard-wearing and long-lasting. I think they appear more modern than the canvas and suit all photographs; whereas I feel the acrylic only reaches it’s full potential when used for high saturation or high contrast images (as opposed to monochrome). Like the canvas and acrylic prints, they are ready to hang, so no added frame costs involved.

Wooden Prints: 9 Square Block

The wooden prints can be displayed on their own or can be purchased with a wooden backdrop. This is basically another 1” piece of wood (black, brown, wood grain or an image) larger than the wooden print, to provide a frame. They really do look stunning and modern, but not for everyone’s home, so do enquire about our home consultations.

There are soooo many products available out there for the professional photographer, so it’s hard to list everything on offer. If there is anything you see elsewhere that you fancy purchasing yourself, set us the challenge to find it for you.