About Shaun

Origins

My interest in photography began back in 2011 when I discovered urban exploration and met lots of lovely people from all walks of life as we went on adventures exploring abandoned buildings ranging from old asylums to huge industrial sites all with the intention of seeing things off-limits to the general public. This was the first time I had encountered anyone using a DSLR (Digital Single-Lens Reflex) camera and at that time I had a point and shoot. The idea is that you share the photos you have taken of your visit with a community both to document the places visited for historical purposes and also to show your perspective of what had been seen.

I quickly realised that when there is limited natural light and you want to take photographs that are clear enough to share with others that it would be a good idea to upgrade to a DSLR.

It wasn’t long before I was carrying around my DSLR camera everywhere and soon after I started attending wedding fayres in preparation for my own wedding. One of the first wedding fayres that I attended led to me connecting with a sweet company called ‘Candy Girls Tables’ who used some of my photos in their advert which was published in ‘I Will’ wedding show magazine. This was followed by a photoshoot with a newborn baby which gave me a glimpse of the joy and challenges of working with people rather than buildings or objects. This work was invaluable both for me as a photographer and also to the parents who have photos they can treasure forever of their ever growing baby (now in school).

My work with Baby Dominik and Candy Girls Tables led to me being asked to provide photography services for a large company called Allensmore (who supply plants to well-known chains like Homebase and B&Q) to celebrate their 40th year in business by taking photos of their staff and products. Again this was a fabulous opportunity to work with people (this time adults) in order to produce professional images for business to show of their employees. I also took a number of photographs which were then used in their catalogue to sell their products. I had by this point become accustomed to using lightroom to process all my images.

Interests

I saw images recently that my Father took before he passed away a number of years ago and realised photography was something we had in common. Whilst he enjoyed landscape photography, having worked with families and companies my focus professionally has remained with people including models, wedding parties and birthday parties. In my personal life I have been enjoying photography involving my Wife and young Daughter most recently whilst on outings to National Trust properties.

Focus

Based on my experience I focus mainly on photographing children and weddings. Both can be unpredictable but unexpected situations can be minimised with enough thought, research and discussion with the client. To produce beautiful images these areas require significant experience and understanding of equipment and confidence working with people whilst thinking on your feet. I have therefore worked hard on my technical understanding of the equipment that I use so that I don’t miss critical shots and can concentrate on creating visual memories rather than hoping each shot is going to work out.

Equipment

I started out with a Canon 400D which is still going strong and makes a nice lightweight second DSLR when a shot using a different lens is required without the delay. I now work mainly with a Canon 5D Mark II which is far better in low light conditions and when needing to produce large prints. Whilst I own a multitude of lenses, my lens of choice is a Canon EF 100 mm F 2.8 L Macro IS USM prime lens, which enables me to take shots in low light or very close to the subject. It produces very detailed images either of objects up close or further away for accurate portraits with beautiful lighting and bokeh (background blur). In an enclosed space where an overall view is required I will use my Canon EF 17-40 mm f/4.0 L USM Ultra-Wide Angle Canon EF Zoom Lens.

I carry a number of Canon 580EX II Speedlite Flash Units along with wireless transmitters/receivers which enable me to modify/enhance the lighting of a subject from several angles when required either in low light or for artistic application.

Introduction

Greetings and welcome to a new section of the site which is being written for those of you who are interested in taking control of your camera so that you can take beautiful photographs of your subject. Once the core principles of using a camera have been established, we will be focusing on photographing children who can be the most difficult yet rewarding subjects to work with. There will be a few examples of working with adults as well for those of you that want to concentrate on that particular discipline. If you are serious about photography, even as an amateur, you will need to invest in some kit to get the best results.

Throughout the articles to follow, we assume that you have a DSLR (Digital Single-Lens Reflex) camera, a basic understanding of the buttons or access to the manual for reference so that you can follow the articles and a copy of lightroom.

The information we provide will range from basic principles through to understanding how each control impacts upon the photo taken, tips on composition, lighting, clothing, posing and locations and instructions detailing how to process your images for the best results.

More Fun in the Sun!

Good afternoon folks, the temperature is soaring and things are good.

I have just been notified by the charity LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming) that I have won their photography competition, further to my previous post.

It was said that my winning entry …’captured the essence of Open Farm Sunday brilliantly. As an image they thought the focus and composition was excellent. They also liked the way the fence leads the eye into the image. Congratulations, Shaun, a fantastic winner!’

The image they are referring to:

LEAF do very important work (as described in the following extract) and are a worthy cause:

‘LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) is a national charity that helps farmers improve the way they farm by encouraging them to take up Integrated Farming. LEAF also helps to create a better public understanding of farming through our national network of Demonstration Farms, Innovation Centres and initiatives like Open Farm Sunday. We bring farmers and consumers together to raise awareness of how farmers are working in harmony with nature to produce good food with environmental care. To find out more about LEAF’s activities, becoming a member and supporting our work visit our website by clicking here.’

Second Encounter – ‘Fun in the Sun’

I was delighted to take the opportunity to meet up with the child and parents whom I previously worked with (as featured in images shown on the website). This time we spent the day outside on a glorious (and unusually) warm weekend. It was during a farm open day, which meant there were plenty of things to do and see.

I have created a collage of images taken on the day, which now feature below for your viewing pleasure:

Fun in the Sun

 

Working Away

Hello folks. It has been a while since my last post, and a lot has been happening.

I have had the fortune to attend a very special birthday party for someone who has been battling with a life-threatening illness but (fingers crossed) should now continue to live a healthy life without having to worry. This was my most recent assignment, and during the event I was able to capture some brilliant expressions and magical moments, along with more formal portraits of friends and family. The final product was put onto a disc, contained within a presentation box for keepsakes.

This gave me the opportunity to start experimenting with prints and collages. It has even inspired me to start going through old photos I have yet to publish.

I am currently in the process of refining my skills in layout design in anticipation of my next assignment and the possibility of a client requiring an album.

You may have noticed that the website is looking slightly different, and this is because this website has passed its second birthday. So to celebrate I have added more content, simplified the design even more and am looking at further enhancements.

Updates

Hello dear readers, I am sorry that I have not been around to post to the website sooner. I have been very busy recently with projects both relating to photography and otherwise. Just because there have been no news updates doesn’t mean I have been sitting idle.

Since July I have been working tirelessly to make preparations for the wedding of my long-time girlfriend Gemma.

September was taken up by the actual wedding and subsequent honeymoon. We went to Orlando, Florida to see all the sights (Disneyland etc) and take lots of photos as you can imagine. We had a fantastic time and it has taken a long time to recover from the early starts and late finishes. Our bodies are just starting to get back into the normal rhythm  Now I have the daunting task of weeding through over 7,000 images and processing the results.

Welcome Mrs Gemma Hill to the photography scene. Should you contact me with any projects expect to meet this wonderful lady as my assistant.

Allensmore Nurseries Product and Portrait Photography

I have just received a copy of the latest catalogue for Allensmore Nurseries, which confirms my images have been used to sell their products to clients as large as B&Q and Homebase, as well as independent stores locally. Allensmore grow and supply exceptional plants from their family run business in Herefordshire, producing millions of plants and importing others from the best growers worldwide. Contained within the catalogue are images I captured of their huge growing areas, their transporters, and photos of trees, shrubs and plants.

 I have been informed that staff portraits and other photos not used in the catalogue will be featuring on their updated website in the very near future.

Six Ways Wedding Fayre

The weekend just gone marks the end of my appearance at Wedding Fayres in the West Midlands for the foreseeable future as I move onto new areas of photography (unless specifically requested).

It has been extremely useful in allowing me to practice in difficult lighting conditions whilst trying to get great looking photos, and has allowed me to meet wonderful business men and women and share the results with those businesses willing to let me capture their goods and services on camera.

I spent more time with the people at each stand photographed and it was far more relaxed than previous times.

As usual, you can view a select few of the photos in my portfolio and the rest on flickr.

Please feel free to share your thoughts about the outcome by leaving a comment or sending an email.

In other news, Friday night entailed a productive walk up the Malvern hills for some light painting and more recently I have been asked to help a large company celebrate their 40th year in business by taking photos of staff and products. Watch this space for updates.