So often people use  very poor quality images  often taken on camera phones or point and shoots, which really lets their image down. Its really worthwhile investing a small amount of money in having some pictures taken professionally, once you have them they can be re-used for lots of other purposes such as internal PR, magazine articles, company brochures,  events and business/social media like LinkedIn.

The photography can be either in my studio in Berkshire or I can travel to you to capture your employees in their own environment. I can even set up a mini studio if you have quite a few people to photograph.

More information on my executive portrait service is available here.

Executive portraits – great for PR, articles and LinkedIn is a post from: Berkshire Photographer - Shaun Edwards Blog

Think you’ve got what it takes to be  the next top model?

Or Maybe you’ve just fancied a modern fashion style photo shoot but never had the opportunity.

Now you can and for FREE . Plus you could win an exclusive 1/2 day professional photo shoot and model portfolio worth £600!

More information about the teenage photo shoot can be found on my website here.

Teenage model competition is a post from: Berkshire Photographer - Shaun Edwards Blog

Newborn baby photography  is great fun but can be very challenging. For the first few weeks or even months they are not that expressive so getting good photos can be difficult. They also spend a lot of time sleeping which doesn’t help!

For my baby photography sessions I always allocate plenty of time, at least an hour, as it can be quite on and off. Having to take cuddle and feed breaks quite often, thats the babies not me if you were wondering.

New parents Lisa and Craig came into my studio recently with 4 week old Olivia. We got some great images and I was really surprised when the said how young she was as she had great eye contact and expressions. maybe a Supermodel for the future?!?

Below is a slide show of some of the shots, check out the last slide as well as they bought a lovely multi image montage which is a great way to get a variety of shots but still look classically simple.

Newborn baby photographer is a post from: Berkshire Photographer - Shaun Edwards Blog

It’s that time of year again when we rush around looking for a gift for Valentines day!

You want something different from red roses, chocolates or champagne. Maybe something that has more longevity and is a bit better for the waistline.

A portrait gift voucher for a professionally shot studio session and framed photograph makes an ideal present for your loved one. It’s something tat you can both enjoy and the photos will be treasured for years to come.

It doesn’t have to be just yourselves you could include other members of the family. A session can include multiple generations so nan & grand dad along with the children and grand kids can participate, I’ve even had the odd dog or two included!

The vouchers can be turned around very quickly, just give me a call, I can take payment over the phone and get it out in the post to you today. Or take a look at my main website for more informartion on my portrait gift vouchers.

Valentines Day Gift – Portrait voucher is a post from: Berkshire Photographer - Shaun Edwards Blog

Photographing children can be a hugely rewarding experience; it can also be quite frustrating. If you have your own or have been around young children long enough, you will know what I mean! The term “Never work with animals or children”  springs to mind and usually relates to photography or film-making. However, done right, you will end up with photographs that will last forever and really capture the spirit of the moment.

I have seen Mothers in tears (Of joy I might add!)  when they have seen some photographs of their children, and you cannot put a price on that kind of reaction!

I’ve been family portrait photographer for over 10 years and here are a few tips to help you get the best shots. I have a fully equipped studio and the latest professional cameras but you don’t necessarily need all this to take great images – just lots of patience and practice. The one downside is if you want the whole family in the shot as one of you has to be taking the picture – which is where using a professional photography like myself comes in!

Get them involved.

One of the things that I find extremely helpful when photographing children is to get them involved in the process. Putting them exactly where you want them and saying, “now smile naturally” just doesn’t work. It’s far easier to get a natural picture of a child if you let them explore the setting that you want to have them in and if there’s something of interest to them within the setting of your shot.

Show them in action

Children are constantly on the move, as any parent with a toddler can attest to. Embrace it. You’ll get some great action shots showing movement if you set your camera right. Children on swings, slides, merry-go-rounds, playing sports, etc… These are great activities showing your child having fun. If you have a sports setting on your camera (one that takes many photos in rapid succession while the shutter is pressed), use it! You increase your chances of getting a great action shot. If your child is moving relative to the background, track their progress as they go. Don’t stop with freezing the action though. If you want to create movement in the images for added flare you can slow that shutter speed down. Pan the camera with the movement and you’ll get those images where the background is moving but the subject is mostly in focus.

Shoot at eye level.

Children are smaller than adults so you’ll need to get down to their eye level. Getting down to a child’s level will not only make them feel more comfortable with you but eye-to-eye contact is also extremely engaging in a photo. The expressions you capture from the child’s perspective will look much more natural than if you’re hovering above them. This rule isn’t hard and fast however. Experimenting with angles can be fun.

Focus on the child

Make your child the centre of attention. After all, the photograph isn’t about the background most of the time. This is where that portrait setting (usually a silhouette of a head) on your digital camera comes in handy. The camera tries it’s best to blur the background so the subject of your image stands out more (known as a shallow depth of field).

Get close

Once the child is comfortable with you and your camera try and get in a little bit closer. It isn’t necessary to have the child’s full body in every shot. Often times the sweetest, most intimate shots come from focusing on the child’s face and capturing expressions that are unique and natural to them.

Location, location, location.

If you are not in a studio the child is going to be much keener to get their picture taken when they’re also having fun. Taking a child to the beach, or a park, or a bridge over a river can create an awesome background and also pique their curiosity allowing them to walk and investigate while you’re snapping frantically.

Chose the right time of day to shoot

Photographers call the first or last hours of daylight the “golden hour” because during that time light is soft and has a warm hue, making it flattering to most skin tones. During the middle of the day, the sun is overhead and bright, resulting in harsh shadows and washed-out complexions.

Showcase Relationships

Parents, grandparents, siblings, friends; capture memories by taking photos of children with the important people in their lives. Photograph them engaged in their favorite joint activities – reading, playing video games, and eating pizza, for example.

Be patient.

Chances are you won’t be able to get the shot you want straight off the bat. Give the child time to warm up to you and their surroundings. Give them some space, sit back and watch, but always be ready!

Now that’s quite a lot to take in addition to learning how to use the camera. But the two most important things are practice and patience. Just because I’m a professional photographer doesn’t mean every shot I take is perfect, I also have to delete quite a few, I’ll keep the exact number to myself though!

If you use some of these tips you are sure to get a better ratio of good to bad – have fun and good luck!

Kids Photography – Some Top Tips For Getting Get Great Images When Photographing Your Kids. is a post from: Berkshire Photographer - Shaun Edwards Blog

One of the most difficult things to do being a professional photographer is photograph your own kids!

It’s a bit like the old saying “Cobblers children always have the worst shoes”. I just never get around to doing it, even though I’ve got a fully kitted out studio. And when I’m actually doing family stuff I want to enjoy being there doing it rather than having the pressure of getting “great shots”, plus having to lug around all of the equipment. Trust me when you have 3 bodies and about 8 lenses there is just no way you can take just one out.

I was really struggling to get something for my wife this year and thought that some up to date pictures of the kids would be a nice surprise.

So just before the Christmas break I picked up Holly my daughter from school and took her along with my 4 year old son Daniel to the studio. Photographing other peoples kids is tough work and you have to have lots of patience to get the great shots, at least I only have them for an hour. With your own kids you sort of set high expectations but they did perform really well and I got some great shots, even together which doesn’t always happen at this age.

The were both under strict orders not to let on to mum where we’d been. But the first thing Daniel told my wife is that we’d been to the studio. But I managed to bluff that I had to pick up a load of deliveries – phew!

I couldn’t decide how to do this pictures so thought a montage would be a great way to give variety. We already have an original piece of artwork that is acrylic on canvas in the play room so I had it printed onto a 30″ canvas wrap – which is a really great and modern way to show images.

It was way too big to wrap and I’m a guy after all and we don’t do wrapping so presented it in the big box that it came in a told Steph it was some jewellery. She was over the moon with it and it now sits pride of place in the kids play room.

I also had a couple of pictures framed for my mother in law, who also cried when I gave them to her!

Portrait of my daugther Holly

Photographing your own kids is a post from: Berkshire Photographer - Shaun Edwards Blog

If you have a digital camera you will most probably have seen the “white balance” or “WB” button, but what is it? In a nutshell if the human eye looks at a sheet of white paper in the morning it looks white because our eye adjusts to white automatically but the camera will see the paper as having a blue cast.

If the same bit of paper was held up in front of our eye at lunchtime and again at sunset our eye still compensates and sees the paper as white but not so with the camera. So you can set your camera at “auto white balance” which takes an average only and is most of the time incorrect.

You can change to the little icons for “sun” “shade” “incandescent” “fluro” or “night” all of these are ok but nowhere as good as setting the exact white balance for the light you are in. Go to set white balance if your camera has it – say yes, then aim your camera at a piece of white paper filling the whole frame (you may have to turn of the auto focus) press the shutter release (like taking a photo) and it will be “set” just for where you are now – if you move to another area you would have to change is again.

It is important to note that when you set your white balance all the colours in your photo will be correct and without colour cast even if your subject is standing right next to a yellow wall.

Setting white balance is a post from: Berkshire Photographer - Shaun Edwards Blog

The older I get, the harder it is for me to remember the people and events of my past.  What I would give to have pictures that helped me to remember those times.

As I began to have a children of my own, I realized that I didn’t want to forget any of the special moments that each of my kids created. I didn’t want to forget the way my oldest daughter used to stick out her tongue or the way my youngest son used to love wearing his daddy’s baseball caps over his head. Fortunately, I will not have to forget any of the special things that each of my kids do because one of the first purchases I made as a new parent was a nice camera. I cannot afford to not have pictures that capture moments and help me to cherish them as my children get older and life changes. I missed out on too many moments that were perfect for pictures during my own growing up years that I certainly will not repeat that same mistake with my own family.

I would encourage you, no matter how young or old you are or no matter what stage of life you are in, to get a camera and begin to take pictures. Go crazy taking pictures of the people and places you love most. Your friends and family might get annoyed with your constant desire to make memories, but I guarantee that at some point soon they will thank you for being committed to taking pictures and to preserving great memories.

I love pictures because they are such a simple yet great way to keep a record of events, ceremonies, and the every day moments that make life worth living. I cherish every picture that I take because I know that in some small way I am making a fleeting moment last a little longer. Every time I take more pictures I get excited to develop them and to see how they help to reflect upon and remember moments as life continues to speed by.

If the only thing that is stopping you from having great pictures is the expense of purchasing a camera, then allow me to ease your mind. There are a wide variety of one time use or disposable cameras available for just a few dollars. These cameras allow you to take the pictures you still want without having to pay big dollars for a fancy camera.

Don’t let another family event or fun evening with friends pass by without you getting a camera and snapping pictures that can last a lifetime. You and the ones who come behind you will be so thankful that you did.

Photographer stuck in a rut ?!? – Just take some pictures!! is a post from: Berkshire Photographer - Shaun Edwards Blog

Tips For Shooting Winter Landscapes.

A few tips that might come in handy over the next few days – its just been snowing here!

Some of us, regardless how harsh the weather gets, will brave the tough elements in search of the crisp winter light. Planning well in advance will help make your trip more enjoyable. Winter brings out the toughest elements in our climate, with many people putting away their camera bags ‘till early spring. But, if you do put away your camera you are missing out on the raw beauty that this magical season brings.

Here are a few tips to make the trip more enjoyable.

• Watch the weather: It’s very important to know what the weather is going to be like. You don’t want to travel for a couple of hours and then hear a weather report that tells you that: the weather is wet for the next few days. During the winter months the weather can dramatically change in a matter of hours.


• It’s always advisable to let someone know where you are going and which route you’re planning to take. If you do get injured or ever caught in a storm someone may be able to help.


• Carry only what you need: Carry only the essentials. You don’t need to upload your camera bag with every piece of equipment you own. If you are going to be out taking pictures all day you are much better off going as light as possible. Carrying a light load will also help preserve energy. You could be climbing icy rocks or crossing snow filled hills; a warm flask would serve you a lot better than a third camera.


• Wear the right clothes: It’s very important to wrap up warm when out shooting winter images. The winter season brings the toughest elements, so if you are planning to spend a few days out and about always be well prepared.


• Expose carefully: Snow and ice are extremely difficult to expose properly. Snow usually confuses your cameras metering system or your hand held light meter. When you take a light reading from snow you will automatically get an underexposed image. The meter will record the snow as grey.

Now is the time to start bracketing your shots. If you bracket your shots add 1 – 2 stops of light to compensate for your light meter reading. Using an 18% grey card, which I described in a previous article, should also give you a perfect light reading.

Tips for winter landscape photography is a post from: Berkshire Photographer - Shaun Edwards Blog

A family portrait is more than a photograph, it is a veritable heirloom that will be passed down from generation to generation, a rich artefact of family tradition that will speak to your kids and grandkids of their past, and where they come from. Not any random photographer can fulfil the needs of a family portrait. To capture the essence of your family, you need to invest in a professional portrait photographer.

Although you might think of a professional portrait photographer as a frivolous expense, when you consider the fact that your family portrait is more like an investment that will last for generations, the expense seems quite justified. Not only will it give joy and comfort to your kids and grandkids, when your own children have left your house for college or jobs, you will be able to look back at your family portrait and derive immense joy from it.

Read more about using a family portrait photographer here

Using a family portrait photographer – 3 Things to Keep in Mind When Hiring a Portrait PhotographerFamily photography is a post from: Berkshire Photographer - Shaun Edwards Blog

So I’ve created a page dedicated to my Surrey wedding photography, it gives some details on the county plus a bit more information on the venues that you can chose for your Surrey wedding. I’m going to add specific pages for some of the choice venues which will also include wedding photos that I took from that venue to give you an idea of the environment and opportunities for great wedding photography.

So if you are searching for a Surrey wedding photographer click here

Wedding Photographer Surrey is a post from: Berkshire Photographer - Shaun Edwards Blog

I’m also focusing locally for people who are searching for a  photographer in Reading or Wokingham. My studio is in between Reading and Wokingham so is ideal position for both of these towns.

I’m mainly a  portrait photography, wedding photography and commercial photography but I’m  willing to conduct any kind of photography.

So if you or anybody else are looking for a:-

• Wedding photographer in Reading
• Portrait photographer in Reading
• Commercial photographer in Reading
• Any sort of Reading photographer!

Then please get in touch.

Reading photographer is a post from: Berkshire Photographer - Shaun Edwards Blog