Simon Antony Photography

So you want to be a model but need a photo shoot / portfolio?

Simon Steed — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:50:14 +0000

Special offer to all aspiring models, for a limited time, Simon Antony Photography will be offering a special portfolio builder package for new/existing models. The deal is:

Location shoot (can be outdoors i.e. park, industrial estate etc or even indoors i.e. hotel, your home)
Up to 2 Hours for your photoshoot
You get ten digital images that you can use in your own portfolio
AND
you get copies of the ten images resized for Facebook & other websites
PLUS
a contact sheet with all the remaining images for you to choose from.

ALL THIS FOR THE SPECIAL TIME LIMITED PRICE OF ONLY £145 (plus any additional images, room hire costs etc). We have heard of some agencies charging £1000 for the same deal!

Additional images are available for only £10 ea.

This deal includes basic retouching but we can offer a full retouching at £45 per hour if you like – let us know what you need and we can quote you a price.

What you will need:

Changes of clothing
Ideas of the sort of work you want to go for i.e. fashion, beauty, glamour etc and come with the clothes you wish to show off each category
A positive mental attitude to make this work – remember this shoot is all about you so you need to want to succeed.
To want to have fun during your shoot

Email capture@simonantony.co.uk for more details or contact Simon through the Facebook Page.

Some examples of our shoots are here:

Halloween message from Simon Antony Photography

Simon Steed — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 13:22:37 +0000

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Why wedding photographers should be aware of their surroundings!

Simon Steed — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 07:57:52 +0000

This made me laugh but it shouldnt really – poor tog gets a shock when he does not look where he is going mid stream taking photos of the bride and groom!

Recent photo shoot pictures

Simon Steed — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 19:47:29 +0000

I’ve neglected my blog for a while now (in favour of Facebook of all things), I thought I would start to update it with what i’ve been doing recently.

I had the pleasure of working with some new models that a new model agency were casting for, only four turned up on the day however we got some stunning shots as i’m sure you will all agree.

If you are a model and want to build up your portfolio and are interested in shoots like this, we charge a very reasonable £45 for the shoot (up to 2 hours at a mutually convenient location), you can then choose 10 images that will be printed out or emailed to you for £100 and each print you purchase after that will only cost you £10 – so for £145 you get to update your portfolio with a selection of stunningly retouched images for you to sell your wares.

If interested, please contact us via the website – we can provide references of very satisfied models that have gone down this route with us already.

Simon

How difficult is it to photograph children?

Simon Steed — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:44:10 +0000

Sneak preview of the Simon Antony Photography website

Simon Steed — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:15:30 +0000

Here’s a sneak preview of what the new Simon Antony Photography website will look like. We have tried to bring all the elements that we are now known for under the respective branding we have namely Simon Antony for corporate, beauty and fashion work and Bump Baby Beyond for family portraiture, baby photography, maternity photography etc

Panoramic picture of the P&O Ventura at Guernsey 2010

Simon Steed — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 19:06:25 +0000

This is a panoramic shot I made in photoshop – it’s actually a combination of four separate images blended in to produce the one single shot (Click to view full size)

The P&O Cruise ship MV Ventura anchored just off the coast of Guernsey in the Channel Islands

We use the same techniques to blend multiple pictures of clients into one photograph, very popular although does take time to get the blend right so you cannot see any joins, well worth the effort though.

Simon

Note! Good photography isn’t cheap….. and cheap photography often isn’t good!

Simon Steed — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:42:01 +0000

You will see there are thousands of photographers out in the marketplace, all vying for your business, how on earth should you choose?

Do you want the cheapest possible job but pay more in the long run as the quality is fine for Facebook but not your dining room wall?
Do you want the highest quality possible but then can only afford the complimentary print being offered?
Or do you go on reputation, quality and price?

For most of our clients, the third option is the route taken. Sure a lot of them have gone to the likes of Venture, Olan Mills or whoever but when they see the pictures they like and are told “that will be £990 please sir”, you can visualise their hearts skipping a beat or few – “£990 for five photographs, you are having a giraffe!”

A lot of the work we do is by referral i.e. past clients pass our name onto their friends who then go on to book us and never look back. Why?

Our prices are very reasonable – we are not and never will be the cheapest – this is our living and we need to meet certain overheads and of course make some money.
Our approach is second to none – we have a lot of fun with all our clients, this allows them to relax and consequently their pictures shine.
Our quality is top notch – Simon is a particularly fussy bugger and will not allow anything to go out unless he is happy for it to be on his own wall or album
We try and accommodate all your needs so if you want the shoot to go ahead, purchase a couple of prints and then can only afford more in 12 months time, that is fine – we can do that. This happens a lot with Weddings where we will shoot a wedding, say Budget Bronze at £350 for the photography and then wait 6-8 months whilst the couple save up to get their album done. They then spend another £325 on the album plus get some canvas prints as well – in total the couple have spent over £800 on their wedding package but spread the costs over 8 months hence they don’t notice it as much.

One saying we do go by is:

“Good photography isn’t cheap….. and cheap photography often isn’t good!”

Remember this. There are a lot of bedroom shooters out there that are trying to make it work but with inferior equipment, inferior skills and most importantly, they are not insured – 90% of the time, it’s their second income and all these points together explain why they are cheap.

Do you research, talk to the photographers, meet them, find out their style, look at their portfolio and then ask yourself, would I like their style of pictures on my wall or in my album – I’d hope that you would find a full time professional to then take your photographs for you, I know we would!

Simon Steed

March 2010

Simon Steed is a full time professional photographer that focus upon high quality portraiture, wedding and baby photography. He covers the Stockport, Greater Manchester and Surrounding areas and is available for commission work. He can be contacted through his website, http://www.simonantony.co.uk

Launch of new Family and Couples portrait package in Stockport

Simon Steed — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:57:33 +0000

We are pleased to announce a new package geared towards families and couples which gives them a range of photographs to treasure

Full details are available from this link

Why professional photographers charge what we do

Simon Steed — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:12:53 +0000

1. Professional photographers are in business, and consequently we need to make a profit to survive. Because it is our career, we dedicate ourselves to becoming the best we can be, and share that knowledge with our clients in the form of the photographs we take.

2. Professional photographers have to buy professional equipment. Nope, we don’t just pick up a point-and-shoot from ASDA or Jessops and declare ourselves a professional. We have spent thousands of pounds getting multiple camera bodies, the finest lenses, flash equipment for every situation, tripods, light stands, backdrops, props, carrying and storage cases. And then when you think you have it all – you need to get backups for everything to make sure you never miss an image.

3. As Professional photographers, education is an continuing exercise, and hence they learn as much as they can about the business. They join groups like SWPP or the National Press Photographers Association. They attend seminars and training by some of the best names in the business. They concentrate on becoming the best they can be.

4. Professional photographers don’t just snap a picture, they create a photograph or even a piece of artwork. They understand positioning. They understand lighting. They understand placement. You’re not just paying for the ability to place a finger on the trigger and snap a picture. You’re paying for the years of experience it took to create the perfect image.

5. Professional photographers can spend hours producing one professional photograph. Time can include:

creating the marketing
answering emails and phone calls
meeting with the client to talk about the event
setting up for the event
drive time to and from the event
time for the actual photographing
running to and from the lab
meeting with the client for previews and decisions
processing the image
retouching the image
mounting the image
framing the image
packaging the image
dropping off final images
production work
follow up work

Add it all up, and you can see why one portrait session may include hours worth of work. It’s impossible to stay in business if you only make a few pennies per client.

6. Professional photographers have to be more than photographers. They have to be CEOs and marketers, and bankers, and salespeople, and production workers, and janitors, and buyers, and negotiators, and networkers, and drivers, and organizers. And photographers. That’s a lot of skills for one person to master.

7. Professional photographers will do it all. Want to get married at the top of a 14,000 foot high mountain, where the only way up is a 30 minute ski-lift ride? A professional photographer will be there. Want a portrait running through the waves on a Southern California beach? A professional photographer will be there.

8. Professional photographers aren’t just order takers, they provide total customer service. Professionals photograph dozens or even hundreds of clients a year. They understand what looks good, how to put together albums, and how to group multiple photographs together. Their goal is to provide you with what you need and what’s best for you – not just have you sign on the dotted line.

9. Professional photographers watch for the newest, most innovative, creative products available. They stay up to date on industry news, and find things that perfectly match their clients taste. They don’t try and fit you into something you don’t like – they find out what you want and search the world over for the perfect things. They are the professional.

10. Professional photographers have the knowledge and the skill to make you look the best you can be. I can buy a hammer for a few pounds at the local store, yet I spent hundreds of pounds for a handyman to repair my deck. I can buy a needle and thread for a few pence at the fabric store, yet I spend over £100 on alterations at a local tailor. It’s not about the tools; it’s about the outcome.

Sure, anyone can buy a camera and take a picture. You can head down to your local discount store, wait several hours and have a minimum wage clerk place you on an X and snap a few pictures. But they can’t get what a professional can get. They won’t concentrate on expressions. They won’t advise you on outfits and locations. They won’t provide 110 percent customer service. You won’t get a professional portrait.

Are you a professional or would you rather we take your pictures?

Adapted from text originally written by http://virtualphotographystudio.com