5 words to describe my business

Belfast Family Photography

Its hard coming up with new and interesting things to blog about at times, and i was chatting with Hudson child no 2,  he is the insightful one.  He comes out with thoughts that just floor me sometimes.  I remember when he was little and he asked me what he should get his Nanny for her birthday.  My response was very offhand and i said ‘ lets put our heads together and come up with something ‘ .  He stood motionless for a moment walked towards me, took my hands and pulled me down to his level.  Then he placed his forehead on mine and said ‘ ok now our heads are together what do you think i should buy Nanny for her birthday’  he was 4.

A few weeks ago it was bedtime and he came up to my nook to say goodnight.  He stood over my shoulder and looked at the gallery i was editing and said

whoa mother you are a way better photographer than i thought you were!

He wasn’t being unkind, in fact it was a massive compliment coming from this kid.  So i said thank you.  He asked me what else i was doing and I said i had to write a piece of writing to advertise my photography business to encourage people to book with me.  He looked real thoughtful and said

if they knew you they would book you

Which was so lovely, and I asked but how do i get them to know me?

Pick some words that describe you and write about that

See insightful! So for the past wee while ive been thinking about words that best describe me and they are below with reasons why i think they work for my business.  Thanks for taking the time to log into my website and have a nosey at my work.  It truly is appreciated and if you’ve gotten this far into my story then its an even bigger thank you!

Belfast Family Photography 

Comfort

 

I pondered over this one the longest.  Comfort is after all the enemy of progress.  But I decided to go with it because its a huge priority for me that my clients are comfortable.  Comfortable booking with me, happy and relaxed on the day of the session.  Most of all contentment when they jump in the car and wait for their pictures.  My sessions are built around making you comfortable.  Its so unnatural to have a camera stuck in your face.  We instinctively create double chins from nowhere.  The tight smile appears on our face.  And all of a sudden we are the furtherest thing from comfortable.

Getting my clients to relax and be comfortable is my super power.  Which leads me nicely into..

Family Photography Belfast

Observational

 

Observational!  You can have all the cameras and lenses in the world.  Amazing studio spaces with trendy sofas & beautiful pictures on the walls.  But this is not what makes great family photography.  Great photographs are made by the maker.  It is a craft & skill.  I do love that everyone can capture lovely pictures with their phones. The new iPhone at the minute is unreal!  It will capture lovely images for you.  But the difference between a lovely image and my images.. is the moment.  My skill set lies within anticipating and capturing those moments between you and your family.  Being in the right spot, at the right time in order to capture the love that I see.

Those moments that you dont see because you are busy living them.

I don’t believe this type of family photography can be catured within a studio.  Ive been there and i’ve observed families.  All types of families and being an outdoor family photographer is without a doubt thee most wonderful way to watch a family just be themselves with each other.  Which leads me nicely into my 3rd word..

Easygoing

 

Easygoing.  I remember once meeting a little family in the car park.  The dad was reluctant, as most dads are, and wanted to get it all over and done with as quickly as possible.  I started the session as i normally do just having a chat as we dander.  We stopped and played some games, walked some more, chased some squirrels.  Rolled down hills, made our way back to the car.  One the way back the dad asked me, so when are we doing these photos then Mel.  I kinda looked at him a bit surprised and told him that was us done for the day. We were heading back to the car and there was only one more shot i wanted to get.  He rolled his eyes and told me that as much as I was lovely to spend the afternoon with he wasn’t holding out much hope for these ‘photos’.  His wife was mortified, I was a bit taken back, but I smiled got my last photo and said goodbye.  You see my session was very easygoing.

Why make things harder in life than they already are?  

I edited the session and sent the viewing gallery through a few weeks later.  About an hour after i sent it i got an email from the dad.  He couldn’t believe what I had sent him and was overwhelmed by how lovely the pictures were.  He couldn’t remember me taking them and was just so surprised.  This little family now books me every year for their family photos.

Specialist

 

Would you go to the butcher to buy Nike runners?  Would you head to the cinema to buy a dress?  No we are an educated bunch of humans to know when we want something, we go where they do it best.  The exact same is with photography.  There are so many genres of photography.  You know which one i suck at the most, landscape photography.  I cannot take a nice photo of a lovely landscape if my life depended on it. And i have tried, multiple times.  I look and see the waterfall looking beautiful.  Or the mountains rising up with the sun setting.  I click click click and come home and they are pants. Worse than pants.  Landscape photography, good, excellent, amazing landscape photography is a skill.

So why is it so hard to believe that family photography wouldn’t be a skill as well?

My business specialises in outdoor family photography and although im based in Belfast I cover all of Northern Ireland.  Ive been taken to so many little corners of our little country since ive been shooting outdoors, its been so much fun.  When I see families invest their hard earned money in photographers that dont specialise in families.  An angel loses their wings… only joking but really dont do it.  Look at the photographers website and see what they specialise in.  The beloved Maya Angelou said it best when she said

when someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time

If a photographers main income comes from weddings, they specialise in a very different style of photography than someone who specialises in posed Newborn sessions.  Studio photography is incredibly different from outdoor photography.  Each have their skill set, editing differences and styles.  Family photography is exactly the same.  My business is not an add on to boost income.  I specialise in Family Photography in Belfast and beyond.

Family Photographer Northern Ireland 

Love

 

Which leads me finally into my 5th word. Love.  I love what i do.  Meeting new families and capturing their moments of love and joy together.  Its so good for the soul. I have a love for photography.  And have had since i was 2 years old and i seen a toy camera in a tiny toy shop in Carrickfergus.  The camera was one of those that had images already in it.  As you clicked it made a little sound and the picture appeared.  Do you remember those?  I coveted that camera so much. Ive no idea why but at the time its all i wanted, along with the classic Etch a Sketch.  I never got the Etch a Sketch.  But I did get the camera.  I woke up from my 3rd eye operation and there it was at the bottom of the bed, when i was 3 years old.  It was my prize possession.

If you’ve stayed this long with my little blog then thank you!! Maybe Hudson child no2 is onto something. Ill get him to give me my next topic to write about.

If you are interested in booking a family photography session with me, either in Belfast or North Coast sessions. Then please do get in touch +447703389313 . Id love to have a chat.

M x

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