Tag Archives: photographer

Do testimonials work… do you read them or skip over??

When you’ve completed a successful shoot and your client is really pleased… should you always remember to ask for a review or testimonial? This is usually the bit I forget!! … although some clients spontaneously provide one anyway 🙂

I’m told google likes them, and sources like ‘Trust Pilot’ wouldn’t exist if people didn’t look for them – LInkedIn and Facebook have a business page ‘review’ feature, so I guess the answer is that you should. It feels like ‘self praise’ and blowing your own trumpet, but nowadays it’s much more about showing you are a credible and trustworthy business and who better to authenticate your services than happy customers.

So, do you read reviews and testimonials? Well, yes if I’m purchasing items from a source that I don’t know personally, they are very helpful. Or, researching the best item to buy on say, camera equipment. Does this apply to services too, especially those that are hugely personal, such as photography? In addition to ‘reviews’ and ‘testimonials’ we should add ‘recommendations’, as these are frequently asked for on places like Facebook. I ask this, because most of my work comes via face to face networking and getting to know people, who in turn use and recommend my services.

Perhaps reviews, in addition to a solid portfolio, are mainly part of a credible and true presence online, including all the various social media platforms … will you read any further 🙂 ??

” I can not begin to express the delight I felt when I saw our photos however the outstanding service started months before we got them!
For my 50th I wanted a picture of my family so hubby duly got a voucher from Penny and then handed over to me! Oh my what a pain pinning 4 sets of families and diaries to one Saturday. Penny was supportive and patient, no pressure just gentle reassurance that we would get there. So we got a date and we all turned up at the most beautiful house and gardens… chaos ensued with sorting two 3 year olds, two under 12 months and one teenager who needed to be serious.
Penny had taken the time to ask questions before hand so she knew all the likes and dislikes and all the names, plus Terry supported Penny and entertained the children and took additional pictures.

Thank you thank you thank you 😊

If you are looking for someone who cares about the service they give and the shots they take then please use Penny – you will not be disappointed

Venitia Billings “

All ready for delivery..

All ready for delivery…

#portrait #suffolk #family #together Family gathering

Quick tips – how to be in front of the camera:

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If you are one of those people who feel mighty uncomfortable in front of a lens and you’ve not had the opportunity to work with a professional, I wanted to share a few ‘rules of thumb’ and tips to help, that you can take away and actively put into practice.

First of all, I firmly believe that the responsibility lies with the photographer to capture a good shot of someone – not that of the people being photographed. Everyone without exception can take a good photograph, no arguments – and if you are working with a professional, they should have the knowledge to guide you all the way through it.

There are exceptions to the rules and as a professional photographer, I work with the individual and capture what is right for them, as we are all different.

However in a ‘non’ professional situation, you have more control that you may imagine, because it’s unlikely there will be any guidance of where and how to be, whether you are seated, standing, on your own, or in a group. It’s also very doubtful you will be given an indication when the image is about to be taken.

1 – When standing full on, or square to the camera, this is your widest angle and gives little opportunity to show your personality. If you stand sideways onto the camera, it’s going to look quite awkward turning your head so far to look at the camera and also shows all your outlines. 45 degrees towards the camera is your best angle and streamlines everything.

2 – Stand comfortably, either equal weight on each leg, or, place your weight on your back leg and allow your other leg to casually point forward. Hands can either be gently clasped in front of you, or behind.

3 – Angles to the camera are good – we’ve already mentioned in Tip1, but SMALL tilts of the head also help. The camera is at a more flattering angle if a little above you and less flattering if below you.

4 – All the above also applies to being seated in front of the camera.

5 – If you find yourself in a group, say at a party, wedding or family gathering, apply the above tips, focus on the fun of the event, allow a smile to come to your face and resist the urge to chatter. Watch the camera and wait until they have taken the image and put the camera away.

How much priority should we give ‘down time’?

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Easter is around the corner bringing with it a term holiday for those with children in school. Now what to do with the them? Is it a holiday for those in charge? ’I’ll do that, if I have the time’, or, ‘we’ll do it later’. Do we find the time, or are we chasing our tails and it feels like another working week? Remembering the simpler times when we could work out where our friends were by who’s house they’d left their bikes outside and being told as kids to be home by tea time!

No mobiles or internet, just our bikes and imagination.

Not pining for rose tinted nostalgia, too many reminders of dodgy clothing choices and shocking/questionable haircuts, but how much downtime do you book for yourself and your loved ones? The benefits of ‘head space’, enjoying the great outdoors and doing the things that bring enhancement to your life… why on earth don’t we give it a higher priority?

Future memories are being made today.

Outside is free. These things don’t have to be financially restrictive. Build a blanket den, hide & seek or get crafty – make stuff from, well, stuff! But are teenagers going to want to be involved with a ladybird search? Our past experience has included tame pheasants, quad bikes, dogs, sport, music, oh and imitating Mo Farrah and Usain Bolt, to name a few things we’ve captured with the teens of the family.

Picnic in the park, beach walks and nature trails, liking these simple things for what they are, not for the ‘likes’ it may achieve on social media is still pretty priceless.

Create your future memory this year.

Create your future memories this year. Photograph copyright of Penny Morgan Photography.

The ‘Elephant’ in the room… a photographers focus.

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So for the last two years, I’ve talked about getting to grips with changing how we feel about being photographed. Discovering just how many dislike it and/or the results, has been both eye opening and yet strangely not a surprise.

After developing the program ‘Love Your Image’, to help people who don’t like being photographed change this mind-set, has been an interesting and rewarding journey. Just about everyone thinks it’s a good idea and most will talk about it on a ‘general’ level, but how open would you want to be to discuss this subject on a much more personal level? No so much I find. Often what we don’t like about our image may feel somewhat trivial or connected with vanity and nobody really wants to admit to being vain? I hear so many different stories of why people don’t like their photograph taken, but if you are in business, can you afford to be an Eeore about it?

Being aware of your ‘Mind-set’ is being applied to many things these days and how you present yourself in images IS hugely important. Therefore so is changing your mind-set in front of the camera… and change it YOU CAN… this is something that is within an individuals reach regardless of how you have felt… perhaps for many years? With the right help and guidance you can do this.

To change how you feel and be among a growing group who have learned to ‘Love Their Image’ has MANY rewards. It’s neither trivial nor vain to decide to address this and the benefits are considerable.

The first step of the journey is:

Learning and understanding ‘why’ we arrive at such an attitude.
Useful tips on ‘how’ to be in front of the camera and why they work!

… and when you feel brave enough…

A photo-shoot – that only you see the results, until you are ready to share.

And that’s just the start, to making it a permanent change.

This doesn’t ask anything more of you than a willingness to be open minded to change.

So consider this… and its nothing to do with your size… can the ‘Elephant’ in your room be ignored any longer…?

Elephant In The Room

Photograph copyright of Penny Morgan Photography

Radio Suffolk – James Hazell’s Saturday morning show…

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So the 9th March, saw me trundling down to Ipswich for a short interview with James Hazell on his Saturday morning show Radio Suffolk. Another first I guess – he has a slot during the show, called ‘A beginners guide to…’ and this week it was ‘How to be a professional photographer’. In hindsight barely scratched the surface on the subject, but did my best to impart a few tips and some worldly information on the topic! Inevitably, after walking out of the studio, you realise some of his questions could have been answered far more informatively… I guess there were a few nerves kicking around…

He’s obviously a keen photographer himself and a really easy guy to chat to 🙂

If you’d like to listen, click on the following link. Have added a few photos, that we captured while in the studio, mostly thanks to my partner Terry, sitting at the back of the studio with his camera!

Penny Morgan on Suffolk Radio

Radio Suffolk - James Hazell's Beginners Guide to Photography

New wedding photography video…

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I’ve loved the idea of having a video created from stills and now have just that, created for me by Iidoo.co.uk

After selecting a few images from various wedding shoots and run them in sequence, they tell the story of your big day and portray a little anticipation, happiness and love from the photographs, trimmed with a few words and music.

Hopefully it’s long enough, without being tedious and just enough images to make people want to see more about my work as a Suffolk Wedding photographer. More portfolio images can be viewed here – Wedding Portfolio.

I’ve been placing my profile on a few wedding directorys

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After recently placing my profile on a few wedding directory sites, as a Suffolk Wedding Photographer, I’ve already reached the first page of Google with www.iidoo.co.uk.

They’re very supportive, encouraging and… it’s FREE – pass the word on!

So I will now update my text with them to promote the latest Special Offer!

Watch this space…