Family portrait photographs should tell stories and capture the real personalities of the people in the family. I like to get outdoors and have fun. I did this session in the summer of 2010 and I can’t believe that I never put it on my blog. Here’s a small selection from the day which we did in Rainhill, not far from my base in Warrington, Cheshire.

Andrew Collier Photography and Catherine Sandland are delighted announce a joint special offer for people who want to set their businesses apart from their competitors. Catherine Sandland, well known as The Presenting Queen is renowned for her ability to help people become fantastic presenters who love to speak in public about their businesses. Her Panic to Poise and Phenomenal Women courses are hugely popular throughout the UK. Andrew Collier’s outstanding business portrait photography shows his subjects as confident, relaxed and approachable people you’ll want to do business with.

We have put together a fantastic special offer for people who want to create the perfect first impression. From the moment someone first sees your photograph to the moment they see you present, you’ll be making the perfect impression on your customers. Come and see us on Stands 11 and 12 at Warrington Business Expo and ask for an offer leaflet. The offer is exclusive to Warrington Business Expo visitors only. We’re looking forward to seeing you there.

1. Self-portrait taken with a camera phone
2. Sunglasses – if we can’t see your eyes we can’t see you
3. A picture of your kids instead of you – who wants to do business with an eight year old?
4. Holiday snap – what does a picture of you in a T shirt in a beach bar say?
5. More than one person in the picture – which one’s you?
6. Holding glasses of alcohol
7. Passport photo – who looks good in a passport photo?
8. Product pics and logos – these are fine for a company but not for a person
9. A snap of you doing your favourite sport – we don’t need to know that you’re sweaty!
10. No picture at all!

Your business portrait makes a powerful statement about who you are in business. So, it makes sense to send out the right messages about you and your business. Click here for more about my business portrait photography.

I’ll be showcasing my business portraits and corporate headshots on Stand 12 at Warrington Business Expo on Friday, April 27th. I’ll be showing how natural lighting and local environments make business portraits that are not only flattering but also make a powerful statement about you and your business.

Hardly anyone likes to be photographed and I’ll be giving some simple tips to help you prepare for your business portrait and how to avoid the obvious mistakes so many professional and amateur photographers make.

I won’t be doing portraits on the day at Warrington Business Expo. I don’t think it’s the right way to do something as important as a business portrait. We’ll be taking bookings for our business portrait days and arranging bespoke sessions for clients who’d like something extra special or need business portraits for several people.

Click here to read my five tips to getting the best business portrait.

We only have one chance to make the perfect impression. This is especially true in marketing, both digital and print based. I still cannot believe the huge numbers of people out there who still can’t see this.

A business portrait, corporate headshot, avatar; call it what you like, not only introduces you to new contacts online, it also reminds people who met you before about who you are. So it makes sense to have a business portrait that communicates your character and personality.

This is why I recommend these five key things to clients looking for a business portrait:

1. Always have a preshoot consultation with the photographer. He or she needs to know how and where you intend to use your business portraits.
2. Always check out the photographer’s work and get feedback from other clients. What do they like about their portraits? What do their clients and friends think about the photographs?
3. Allow plenty time for your shoot. Unless you love being photographed you need time to get used to being photographed and truly relaxed – this lets your personality shine through. Thirty minutes is ideal. Less than twenty minutes rarely produces a relaxed confident look.
4. Looking fabulous. Hair, makeup, maybe a new outfit too! We all feel more confident when we look our best, so a trip to the hairdressers is a must. It doesn’t have to be on the day of the shoot but if you colour your hair, those roots need covering up. We do business makeup for all our clients. It just builds confidence that little bit more, and for the guys with a receding hairline like me it tones down the shiny head problem. A new outfit is always good; remember that your business portrait is there  to help you win business.
5. Location and lighting: This makes the difference between ordinary and extra ordinary, and who wants ordinary. Natural light is best, much more flattering and less intimidating than harsh studio flash lighting. A real backdrop makes your pictures unique to you and more interesting than a plain white background.

The truth is that anyone can have flattering portraits of themselves with preparation and a photographer who knows how to help you relax in front of the camera. Click here to find out more about our business portrait sessions.

In the summer of 2010 I was asked to do a prom dress shoot for Jessica just before she set off for her high school prom. It was the first prom dress photography shoot that I’d done so I was really looking forward to it. We only had ten minutes to take the photographs. Jessica looked truly fantastic and her dress was amazing.

Here’s a small selection from the session.

I’d photographed a big wedding a few days before in Great Budworth, where I covered the whole wedding, doing reportage style wedding photography and had a wonderful day with Niki and Ross and their families. Sheila and Gordon’s wedding was at St Thomas’s Church in Stockton Heath, Cheshire and couldn’t have been more different but was just as special in every way. Sheila & Gordon had a witness each, two friends from Sheila’s schooldays. There were just six of us in Church, with the Vicar and me making up the rest of the wedding party. When I looked to the back of the church during the service I saw a small group of people sat at the back of the church watching the service.

I’ll always treasure that day in September 2011 when I was asked to do the wedding photography for a very special couple who were very much in love.

They were very specific about the photographs they wanted and about some of the poses, which reflected photographs they’d had taken in their teenage years.

We wanted to capture the moment. Seven best friends who’d been so close at school, celebrating that friendship, but probably not knowing if they’d stay close friends in the future. As our lives develop we go in different directions and end up being separated from our friends but those friendships remain important and even if we don’t see each other for many years, we can reconnect and pick up where we left off.

Even though it poured down we got some fabulous, informal portraits that the girls will be able to treasure forever and say, ‘do you remember when…’