Jul
04
“You are beautiful, it’s my job to make you feel it”. Whether you choose a Couture or Boudoir photoshoot I believe that all my clients should feel amazing after their session. It’s a mantra I live by so much so that today we organised for a local artist to hand paint the quote above our gorgeous throne. So anytime you visit you know that more than anything we will do everything in our skill and power to make sure you leave knowing how beautiful you truly are.
#youarebeautiful #couturesession #boudoircouture
Apr
13
A few months ago Brenda of Annie Ruffles Vintage Creations asked me to create some new business headshots for her. During her pre-session appointment we chatted about personal brands, her band values & brand personality and decided to shoot at a location that reflected her brand personality, classical, vintage, designer, relaxed… We also talked about wardrobe, creating a Pinterest board to attach ideas to and Brenda even snapped and sent some of her chosen items before the shoot.
On the day of the shoot, Brenda had her hair & makeup done at our studio by Marian of Wedding Heaven. Marian listened to Brenda’s ideas as well as bringing her expertise. An hour and half of pampering and chatting we were ready to head to our stunning location… No 1 Pery Square.
We had pre-ordered the delicious afternoon tea to mirror the her brand with it being served on vintage tableware. We both found it nearly impossible not to eat the “props”… nearly!
During the shoot we chatted about business, family, tea, cake… not only helping Brenda to relax but also to get to know her more. We got through a series of images quiet quickly and when we finished shooting, we devoured the afternoon tea. Yum!
The results were just perfect, a series of images that reflected Brenda’s brand that will serve her and her business well. Click here to check out some more of Brenda’s images from her shoot.
Dec
29
A New Year is all about redefining you, not reinventing. Are you looking for a promotion, a new job or to market your business to a wider audience? If so you need to think about the image you put forward. Think of yourself as a brand, how do people feel when they hear your name? Do they know who you are and what you do?
Follow these steps to help you build your personal brand:
What do you stand for?
Are you funny, trustworthy, creative, an expert in your field? What are your passions? What makes you you? What ever you stand for you need to define it and communicate it. Make a list of “key words” that describes you, what you are about and then use these to help you be more strategic in your communication.
Your Domain
Using your own name is important to build your personal brand, therefore branding your business with your name is recommended. Try and secure your domain name for your website or even a blog and make sure you use it across all social media platforms.
Your Personal Style
Create a style that makes you stand out from the crowd or create a signature look that communicates your “key words”, e.g. are you a creative designer or a confident business woman. Make sure you wear your signature look at meetings and in your business profile. If you are unsure where to start, I would recommend finding a wardrobe consultant that specialises in working with executives. Check out Gaye Moore on Twitter
Personal Brand Kit
Your personal brand toolkit consists of many elements, make sure they represent you & communicate your personal brand key words effectively.
- business cards
- websites/blogs
- social media profiles
- professional headshots
- email addresses
Communicate your Personal Brand
Now you have created a personal brand it’s time to communicate it to your audience. Be active online, create original content, join a network group, speak at public events and ask for introductions.
Best of luck with redefining your brand in 2016, if you need any help please feel free to contact me 🙂
Eva
#personalbrand2016
Nov
01
You may know by now, I adore emotive portraits and I love creating images that look like paintings. Niamh won a Couture Session competition and during the pre-session appointment I soon realised the style of shoot we would be creating.
She adores Irish fashion from the 20’s & 30’s and she loves medieval architecture, literature and art. But we didn’t want to create something that looked like a costume but rather influenced by all these elements.
The artist that came to mind was Lavery, his women were always emotive but also very strong. So with this in mind we created a selection of images that were in my opinion an “Irish Portrait”.
Please if you are looking for a portrait, ask me to shoot you like this. I would be in heaven!
Eva x
May
03
I want to make something very clear... Just like all women! We are strong, beautiful and unique! Please remember that….
I know there are times we don’t feel it or see it, we may feel tired and worn out but that is the very time we need to look after ourselves, be kind about how we feel (don’t give ourselves a hard time) be gentle and put ourselves first, i know a lot easier said than done. Strength comes from knowing what vulnerability feels like.
Life does have its up and downs, but the great thing is we can choose to have more ups! Its all about how we see things. Don’t get me wrong, i have my moments but i try and work (hard) on being positive every day but it is so worth being able to choose to be happy. Happiness is real beauty, its written all over you.
What makes us unique is our own story, every woman i meet has a story to tell. We have emotional and physical scars that life has given us but these are our tiger stripes! These show us we have battled and survived.
It helps to have inspiring people around you too, look out for them, they are worth their weight in gold!
So please remember we are all strong, beautiful and unique, tell yourself, tell others xxx
Jan
29
What is Boudoir?
Boudoir historically means a woman’s bedroom or small private room. Hence why usually Boudoir Photography is set in a bedroom or hotel room. It also means many things to many people, some say its soft porn, others that it is cheap and maybe when you see a particular image they evoke that emotion.
What is Boudoir Photography to me?
But to me, Boudoir Photography should be feminine, beautiful, sensual, empowering and fearless and i strive to produce images that reflect this. At no time do i want my client to feel uncomfortable. That is why I go to great lengths to make her feel relaxed.
Being a curvy woman, i completely understand when a client says she is conscious of her body. I have studied with the best photographers to learn how to pose women of all shapes and sizes. So before you come into the studio let me put your mind at ease, i will do everything to make you feel beautiful.
So why do i shoot Boudoir?
Its simple really, I want woman to feel empowered! I know that sounds weird, I’m encouraging women to take their clothes off to feel strength. But its true, when you are brave enough to consider doing your own Boudoir shoot, you have already taken the first step. You will go through a range of emotions, being nervous and even feeling a little vulnerable, but by the time your session is over you will feel amazing. You will feel empowered from the fact that you actually did it! {high fives}. With results like that why wouldn’t i shoot Boudoir.
You with one little session have now redefined how you feel about yourself. You are feminine, you are sensual, you are beautiful, you are strong.
Now next time you look at one of our Boudoir Couture images, imagine how that woman now feels about herself, imagine you feeling that way too.
Jan
15
As a child of the 1980’s I remember seeing a View-Master at a friends house for the first time. I thought it was the coolest thing i had every seen! It was like my very own private “still” movie. Through many hours of pestering and hounding, I persuaded my Mum to buy me one for my birthday along with extra reels of Disney movies. Oh how i loved it.
So when I found out that we can custom design these for our clients you can imagine my squeals of delight. I knew I just had to add it to our Boudoir Couture products list. Imagine your very own custom designed reel & viewer, a private slide show for you or your other half. What a quirky retro toy for adults.
After your Boudoir Couture shoot we organise a viewing session to choose your images. The reel takes 7 images (one for each eye through the viewer) and the comes in 3 colours red, black and white, depending on your mood. So whether your images are fun, sexy or even bridal, its the perfect unusual gift.
Click on the video below to check out our latest PhotoReel
Apr
05
Every day I meet wonderful people and get a small glimpse into their lives just like this family. Lorraine asked me to photograph her son Dylan for his confirmation, along with his extended family. Dylan looked amazing against our new grey backdrop both in block colour and pattern.
Not only did we shoot in natural light but also took the opportunity to photograph the whole family with the studio lights against white, which is perfect for group shots.
Next time you are thinking about getting a Confirmation or Communion portrait done, why not consider getting a family portrait done too 😀
Check out the gallery for more confirmation photography
Mar
21
I love meeting new people, i love learning about a person i never knew before. The reason is that everyone has a story to tell. And when you photograph someone it gives you a bit of an insight into who they are. When we do a Couture Session, this is when you learn a lot about someone usually through insecurities.
I have plenty of these insecurities myself, so when it came to put myself (and my Mum & Sister) in front of the camera, they all surfaced! Thoughts like “i’m too heavy, I don’t feel beautiful, what if i look awful in the final images…” the list goes on. I had to have a wee chat with myself, the same conversation I usually have with my clients.
Don’t put it off until you’ve lost those few pounds, you are perfect as you are today. Embrace who you are now!
Lets show our children (and daughters especially) we are strong confident women even with all our insecurities, they make us who we are.
I don’t want to regret not having that beautiful photograph of my Mum, Sister and myself to treasure forever.
Be brave and love the experience.
So the day of the shoot, the three of us with our nerves embraced the experience. I had a dual role, being photographer and client but i experienced the fun and laughter that goes with feeling a little exposed but ultimately loving it.
I don’t regret for one minute having the Couture Session done and maybe the next time I do it I might not feel so vulnerable but if i do i will still give it 100%
Mar
07
Welcome to our new home, website and blog combined. Put on the kettle, pull up a chair and enjoy 😀
