Catchy title, right? Ha. I have been asked to be the photographer for various photographers so many times now that I guess I can call myself that. I have shot photographers’ weddings – I have even shot a wedding photographer’s wedding – and taken their portraits. And if not actually professionals themselves, a good proportion of my clients have photography as a hobby or are graphic designers or just appreciate beauty in design and composition. And emotional content – mustn’t forget that! A technically and aesthetically beautiful photo is just that – and nothing more. That is not my style. People who also appreciate emotional content – something that makes them feel a familiar human emotion when they look at a photo, whether it is empathising or sympathising with it – tend to ask me to be their photographer.
Photographer Nicky Christoforou posted the following message in a local networking group in Facebook: “Hello, I’m looking for a photographer who can take a good portrait shot of me, a photographer who doesn’t like to be the other side of the camera.” About 10 local photographers responded or were recommended. Luckily for me, Nicky connected most with my style, and a few days later we met up for a portrait shoot.
I have gained a reputation of being able to take good photos of people who hate having their photo taken so I was confident that I could make Nicky relax and even enjoy being in front of a camera rather than behind it.
Isn’t she gorgeous… and such a lovely person, too. Nicky’s speciality is family photography and her style is to take natural, unposed photos of family life. I really like the style of photography she does. My own farther was a photojournalist and because of that, I never learned to ‘pose and smile for the camera’ like other kids did – instead, my childhood is recorded in photos of everyday life; no awkward smiles nor poses, just moments of us kids playing or engaging in whatever we were doing, and paying no attention to the camera. Photos of my childhood are of real memories of things that happened, not ‘camera smiles’ with variable backgrounds. Nicky’s photography reminds me of the kind of photography I grew up with: moments in normal life, cute smiles captured on the sly, eyes connecting between a couple, or parent and child. Beautiful moments of human connection.
You can see Nicky’s photos here: https://www.facebook.com/Family.Life.Photography – but even better, go and see her printed photo exhibition at St Ann’s Well Garden Cafe between 30th March and 29th April 2015. If you’d like to meet Nicky herself, she will be in the cafe from around 11 am on Tuesday 31st March.
