Well, well, how tricky it is for a photographer to be the subject of photography!
In general, we photographers are behind the camera for a reason, and I certainly don’t usually enjoy the process of being photographed.
However, from time to time it is important to have a new set of publicity images, in my case they were a little overdue, though the previous version, below, also seems to feature my wrinkles!.
So, on a recent, cold, foggy, intermittently drizzly day I headed off to be made to look a bit better than my usual appearance. Hair and makeup beautifully done by the lovely people in the Headquarters salon in East Horsley www.headquartershairhorsley.co.uk I then set off to meet my photographer.
Andy Newbold is a very experienced commercial photographer who has done portraits of royalty as well as being the official photographer for the Royal Variety Performance, among many other stellar bookings and responsibilities. I hoped that his other clients might ‘rub off’ on me just a little!
We started the photoshoot in the lovely town of Farnham, which has gorgeous brick and flint buildings. Andy took me down little streets I didn’t know existed, even though I have lived nearby for many years.
Within no time I was relaxed and at serious risk of enjoying the process. Surprisingly the light was excellent for portraiture out and about in natural light.
Andy was very good at giving me directions, when to smile, where to look and so on.
We spent a couple of hours in the town and then set off for a secret location nearby!
You may know the location from the pictures, but I had never been there. It was singularly appropriate for me to be photographed among the ruins of an ancient building, and it’s clearly time for me to ‘embrace the wrinkles’ which, after all, are a sign of lots of time spend smiling – (my eldest granddaughter calls them ‘crinkles’ which sounds much nicer!).
I can certainly recommend Andy to anyone wanting a professional photoshoot. He is a bit of a magician, and even though he doesn’t transform his subjects in Photoshop there were so many images that I liked to select from.
I love black and white photography, but having selected a coat with red lapels, I have to include some of these. Also, at the second venue I chose a purple velvet coat for a different look, and you can also see that I am wearing one of my favourite silk scarves. This one is the Lusitano stallion in his stable. Being black and white and grey it goes with anything and everything.
As it was drizzly, I also took along one of my equine themed umbrellas and you can see that too.
If you want to have a photoshoot yourself, I thoroughly recommend Andy, www.andynewboldphotography.com and if you are interested in buying my scarves or the umbrella you can find them at www.katelloydphotography.com/shop
Go and have a look at the gorgeous scarf options, not just horses these days!
What lovely words Kate – Thank you so much and it was certainly a pleasure to photograph you – it is also nerve-wracking photographing another photographer especially one so talented, but you were a great model and I am so pleased that you liked the results, fab shoot and who needs sunshine! Thanks for trusting me with such an important job! A x