Susie Lawrence Photography

The Lawrences at Center Parcs

susie — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 16:48:57 +0000

There was a time when I managed to post something featuring my children quite regularly but I’m afraid they’ve been a bit neglected. To prove that they occasionally get treated and we do some family stuff I dedicated a few minutes to photographing them while we were at Center Parcs at Whinfell Forest in Cumbria a couple of weeks ago. We had a really good time especially considering it was February. It was cold but as you can see the sun did come out and they really were in their element. I love this first one – if you look carefully you can see that even though it’s sunny, there is a bit of snow in the air. They seem to find me funny.

Small girl, big trees…

It’s a bit of a Maisie special, because yes that is a camera in her hand in the next image! She takes it everywhere and seems to feel a bit like I do about it.

She’s really very good in my possibly somewhat biased opinion and I’ve started to show her how to process her images. As a bit of an aside from Centre Parcs, I love this one she took in Lanzarote back in October. She was looking out of the bus window while we were doing a volcano tour and I think it’s lovely that you can see her camera and her happy face in the reflection.

And here’s one she took of an old geezer. Well actually she chopped his head off – deliberately of course – and framed the holes that he poured the water down to make them steam. This is Maisie’s processing. She did this all on her own, deciding on colour saturation, moving sliders to adjust exposure and tints and increasing the vignette. I didn’t help honestly and she’s only nine. Genius in the making, surely…

One more portrait of Maisie before the other two get a look in again. She likes her bike as well.

Jasper got a bit grubby.

This is how they spent most of the weekend…

Chilled little boy

susie — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 15:55:09 +0000

This is Max, one very cute little boy indeed. I went with his mum and dad to Horsforth Hall Park on a bitingly cold day last week for a bit of a play and to capture him at what is surely the pinnacle of his gorgeousness. It was snowing a bit and really not ideal for a portrait shoot but it’s possible to get lovely photographs in the most surprising circumstances and if my clients are game, so am I. This family was totally undeterred by the wintry weather to start with, so we set off full of enthusiasm and did manage to get some fab outdoor shots. Max, who is 16 months old, is not a fan of gloves or mittens so it wasn’t long before his poor little hands were red and painful so we headed back to their house to warm up and see what we could do in more familiar and cosy surroundings.

Here he is in the park:

Back at home, it was straight to quantum physics. That Einstein chap simply didn’t know what he was talking about. Now Max’s theory…

Back to the little people

susie — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:49:47 +0000

Yes I AM a portrait photographer! I seem to have been doing quite a bit of other stuff lately but natural light children’s portraits are where my heart lies – no offence lovely corporate clients

I had the pleasure of photographing Joe, who’s three and one-year-old Hannah a few days ago. It was bitterly cold and despite being wrapped up warm Hannah’s nose started to get a bit runny so after a brief play we headed back inside. Joe was happier outside so there’s more of him in the garden. I think Hannah is a home girl – can’t blame her. My favourite shots are the ones where they’re engrossed in what they’re doing. Hannah loves her dolls, Joe loves his trucks. Girls will be girls, boys will be boys, what can you do.

I’m very pleased that the evenings are starting to get a bit longer and there are little green shoots pushing up from the ground. Portrait photography bookings are getting booked up fast for February and March and I’m looking forward to getting outside more and having some fun.

Salvo’s – The F Word’s best local independent Italian restaurant… and me!

susie — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 12:40:11 +0000

I’m not very good at keeping a secret especially if it’s something exciting. And what could be more exciting than becoming Salvo’s photographer so I’m spilling the beans! Only a few weeks ago Gordon Ramsey’s F Word decreed Salvo’s the very best local independent Italian restaurant in the country, and deservedly so – I have been going there regularly since we moved to Leeds 10 years ago and always have a wicked time with amazing food. On Friday I went to Salvo’s Salumeria for an evening of soul and wonderful food and to kick off our new partnership. I’ll be helping them out with photography for their music nights and events every so often and running promotions with them. Friday’s event was huge fun with the ‘chunky but funky’ Cleve ‘Reverend’ Freckleton and musicians Neil and Jam providing a lively mix of soul hits while Gip’s team looked after the delicious four course menu. I took a few photos as I was there and I was very pleased they turned out so well after John plied me with rather too much limoncello.

Next post will be more what you’re used to – a lovely bit of portrait photography featuring natural light and children. But for now, a small musical and gastronomic diversion (although unfortunately the food had all been snaffled before I had chance to photograph it) …

Corporate people shots

susie — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:46:16 +0000

I’ve been a bit quiet on the blog-front lately. Sorry if you’ve missed me but I’m about to make up for it by several blogs in quick succession. I’ve not stopped – I’ve been really busy shooting portraits and corporate work and getting together new samples and marketing materials as well as sorting out some great new partnerships, of which more later. For now, here’s a taster of some corporate photography that I did last week for York-based engineering firm SES, featuring headshots and groups from marketing and the main board of directors and senior management team. There were a lot of people – this is just a small sample – but they were all very friendly and fun to work with so it was a long day and even longer post-production but worth it when I found out they were all happy with the pictures of them!

Stockeld Park for a last burst of winter adventure

susie — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 17:25:26 +0000

Sunday was the last day (we thought then) of the holidays so we decided to head to the fabulous wonderland at Stockeld Park near Wetherby for our final festive flourish. We arrived just as the sun was setting and although it was bitterly cold, it was a great evening with snow to boot. I took my camera to get a few more wintry shots while I had the chance and had to resort to experimenting with the failing light as I didn’t want to use my flash and draw attention to myself. Little did I know that there was really no need to try so hard since the children have been off school today after just one day back and we are practically snowed in! I didn’t take my camera sledging today as it was still snowing so hard when we went all I thought I’d see was blizzard. But it looks like I may still have tomorrow…

Here are a couple of quick highlights from Stockeld Park, even including a landscape! Clearly the photography experimentation should stop before I go completely nuts. More light soon please!

Jasper was deemed too young to ski in the treacherous conditions so he and I had to walk round the enchanted forest while Karl and the girls made fools of themselves falling over every few seconds.

Off they go, not realising that the peril was themselves…
I was testing my boundaries big time with this one! I wanted some movement as Maisie was skating but it still had to clearly be her. A bit of panning round trying to follow her erratic course and I got her:

Susie Lawrence Photography is one year old. And it’s Christmas. And it’s snowing.

susie — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 19:42:11 +0000

It’s exactly a year since Susie Lawrence Photography was launched with a party. What a party that was and what a year it’s been. I have been so busy and so happy and even though I knew I wanted to do this, I had no idea how successful it would really be. I have been so lucky to have met the most fantastic friendly group of photographers who have helped and encouraged me every step of the way. And my clients have without exception, been great to work with and very appreciative of what I do, making my job easy and fun. When I say easy though, I don’t mean ‘easy’ easy! I mean easy in that I really want to do it well and have learnt so much and done everything in my power to make sure I do a good job. I have worked sooooo hard! So I give myself a small pat on the back (and a mincepie) I also know there’s still a lot to learn and new things to try and I can’t wait!

What better way to celebrate than to remember who I’m doing it all for in my heart of hearts. Obviously I love my job now and do it for selfish reasons, but these three and Karl, are what my real life is all about. Today we finally got a Christmas tree and Sasha, Maisie and Jasper decorated it as soon as they came home from school. It was quite magical with the sprinkling of snow outside. I’ve processed the shots to be a bit ‘vintage’ as that was how it felt in our living room – one of those moments that goes straight into memory as especially Christmassy.

A big thank you to everyone who has been involved with Susie Lawrence Photography as it’s grown up and flourished this year – clients, friends, family, fellow photographers and suppliers. It’s been amazing and I’m so excited about 2010. Have a wonderful Christmas everyone and I hope you have a great 2010 too. xxx

Taking a moment out to check if it’s still snowing outside. It’s not very in focus but I love this shot. (by the way, dear Santa, I would like a D700 for Christmas – it would improve my photography no end in low light like today – just a thought). You can see the snow on the hedge outside the window. So festive!

Excited about Christmas

susie — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 16:15:11 +0000

I ordered the turkey this morning and I’m starting to feel very festive. I also finalised plans for the photographers’ Christmas party a bunch of us are having. We mostly work on our own or as two-person teams and everybody was craving an office party – and that’s what we’re going to get, complete with secret santa, full Christmas dinner, tacky 80s disco, the works – can’t wait!
It would be great to do a few more portraits in the next few weeks. It’s always a bit quiet at this time of year as people are getting ready for the holiday and the light’s not as, well light, as it is at other times of year. But there’s something special and magical about wintry images, especially if they’ve got a bit of a Christmas vibe – sometimes it’s a rare chance to get the group of people together that you’d like to be involved. I’ve got a few dates still available in December so let me know if you’d like to me photograph your family – it’s not too late to do something as a gift if you’re quick or if you’re not quite quick enough, I can provide lovely gift vouchers.
This is Leo posing for some Christmas card images for a bit of inspiration. What a pudding!:

Baby massage – pupils and teacher

susie — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:58:21 +0000

Suzie has launched a fabulous new baby massage class in Leeds called Jelly Babies.

As well as providing mums with the chance to learn how to massage their babies with a friendly fun and qualified instructor, it gives them an opportunity to meet other mums and have a lovely sociable experience with their babies. At the end of the five week course everyone gets a personalised certificate with a beautiful photo of their baby taken by me! Here are some images of Suzie I’ve just taken for her marketing materials, plus a couple of example certificate photos from the last course.

And here are a couple of lovely little models from the last course, as they appear on the front of the certificate with the Jelly Babies logo (they don’t have my watermark, that’s just here for the blog):

Muddy mischief

susie — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:10:47 +0000

I finally got to photograph the final session of Ziggy’s year-long portrait package this week. We’d been thwarted twice when we’ve scheduled the third of the three sessions – first by the weather, then by Ziggy falling on his nose, but this time despite intermittent hail and rain storms, we persevered. And it was so worth it. Ziggy is the coolest happiest baby and fortunately his mum is pretty chilled too. So she didn’t mind that within minutes of arriving at Horsforth Park he was soaking wet and caked in mud and loving every minute of it! She even let him sit in the puddles, much to his delight. The sun came and went while we played but Ziggy laughed throughout. It’s been so lovely photographing Ziggy change from a tiny baby into a chatty lively toddler and I hope his parents love his images as much as I’ve enjoyed taking them.

This sequence was taken when Ziggy was dancing with his mum, beeping noses and blowing kisses – so sweet!:

The leaves provided lots of entertainment:

Oops, am I starting to get a bit mucky?:

Great, another puddle!: