Every so often I go through the images on my external hard drive to see what I can use for my portfolio and to look over pictures I've taken years ago but may have got over looked. I found this shot which I took with Natasha, a good friend from school. It's grungy and fun and I love the lighting because of the contrast it creates. I've got plenty of images to upload to the galleries on my website also so expect some new pics up =]. 
The image below is another old pic, the lighting was perfect in the tunnel we shot at. I have edited her face slightly to thin her eyebrows and clear away some stray hairs.

To book your portfolio shoot contact gemmiev@gemmiev.com

This photoshoot was booked through www.purpleport.com and was with the lovely model Megsy Green. We shot for a good 4/5 hours on different locations with plenty of different clothing changes and backgrounds to get the variety needed for the shoot. Megsy is a fairly new model who has only undertaken a handful of photoshoots, her versatility and willingness to explore ideas, locations and styles has the potential to make her a very good model. We visited the local sweet shop in south molton named bon bons and took some location shots there. The colours in the shop were great to go with the models styling and we got some lovely images whilst having loads of fun in the process. To see more of the pictures go to my flickr page by clicking here. If, like Megan, you are new to modelling or simply want some nice photographs as a keepsake contact me at gemmiev@gemmiev.com and we can chat about ideas for your shoot and what kind of images would suit your style.

I'm always trying to improve my understanding of my hobbies and have found some fantastic books along my learning journey. If you want to know more about photography, creative blogging, business, and lighting then the books above are a great read. My particular favourites include 'the nature of photographs' by Stephen Shore. This is a theory book on photography and shows how the content of an image affects the viewers perception of an image.  It's quite an in depth book and takes a while to read but it challenges the way you see an image and makes you think with an open mind. Another of my favourites from the shelf above is 'beyond the lens' from the Association of Photographers. This book is a very valuable resource for anyone looking to get into photography full time, it covers legal requirements, useful hints and websites and a lot of information on licensing, paperwork and how to stay on track when starting a new business.