Corporate headshots for those who hate having their photo taken.

I know how I feel about having my photo taken, I hate most of the results and that's down to my own insecurities. People can tell me I look great until they are blue in the face, it makes no difference to how I see myself.

So when it comes to headshots which are absolutely necessary to all business owners I understand the anxiety this causes people, most commonly women, who also hate having their photo taken and end up disliking most of the results.

If this sounds like you, or someone you know, it's definitely worth having a chat with me.
I go to great lengths with my clients. We discuss makeup (if applicable) and dress before the shoot to get things dead right and then I take a large number of images, different angles and poses, on the day.

Before the photos even get to the editing stage it is you who chooses the images so you have total control. 
Then, once you have chosen your images I edit them to make you look your absolute best - sometimes taking certain photoshop requests from clients
wink emoticon.

Even after all this, if you have not found an image you like I will do a reshoot with you.
So if you need headshots but have been dreading getting them done then please contact me today.

info@sammisparke.com / 07879423231

Client Headshots Story

Tricia is one of my new clients.  I met Tricia at B for B Networking last month.  We exchanged business cards and an email or two.  

I am told however that it wasn't until Tricia attended a workshop where she found herself listening to Matthew Kimberley (Head of Michael Port’s Book Yourself Solid School of Coach Training) hosting the APCTC’s Expert Success Summit, who stressed the importance of professional head shots when creating your personal branding that Tricia took action.  http://apctc.com/

Tricia explained she had been invited to join Sandy Newbigging's team of Trainers, supporting people wanting to become Mind Calm Meditation Coaches, and had been asked for a photo; she also needed head shots for her new website.  The opportunity to work on behalf of Sandy and the weekend’s Summit created a sense of urgency for Tricia and she wanted the head shot as soon as possible.

With many clients an event or opportunity where photos are needed urgently is the thing has spurred them on to finally get those headshots done, something that often stays on your to do list un-ticked!

Luckily I had a slot available the next working day and we met up. immediately I began by I asking Tricia about the range of photos she needed before we discussed her business and who her clients were. As always I need to acquire a little understanding about the type of businesses my clients run because this dictates the style, aesthetic and tone of the image I need to produce, even with a simple headshots.  

Tricia wanted to convey a sense of calm in her photo.  I suggested the Millennium Gallery and Winter Gardens as appropriate locations to shoot, intending to capture the feel of “peaceful spaces”.  

With all businesses headshot shoots we spent 40 mins to 1 hour on location. We shot in a number of locations making sure Tricia had a variety in the images including plain backgrounds some colour and of course the natural, relaxed feel which was key for these images.  

After the shoot I uploaded the a number of unedited images and asked Tricia to favourite 10. I then went away and edited the final 10 images chosen by Tricia so they look perfect and then Tricia selected 3 which are included in the price.

Tricia needed one of the images ASAP for inclusion on Mind Calm Meditation Coaches website  and I edited and emailed it to Tricia that evening.  

Although Tricia admitted she preferred to be behind the camera, than in front of the lens, she’s delighted with the results.  I’m sure you’ll agree the results are great. I have had a great deal of feedback from clients of how I put them at ease and this is something I pride myself on especially because I myself am uncomfortable in front of the camera.

If you are interested in having headshots or business/website photography done and like what you see here then don't hesitate to contact me. 

A headshot shoot like Tricia's will currently cost you £100 and includes 4 photos and the option to purchase more.

info@sammisparke.com or 07879423231

National High Five Day

National High Five Day April 16th!

Today is National High Five day and to mark it I've got some of the local businesses involved.
#Sheffield #EcclesallRoad

Haircut tastic - love these guys! 

Thank you   Lobby Toffs

Twitter: @HairSheffield

Address: 440 Ecclesall Rd Sheffield, South Yorkshire S11 8PX‎

0114 266 4490

National High Five Day

National High Five Day

National High Five Day April 16th!

Today is National High Five day and to mark it I've got some of the local businesses involved.

 Cocoa Chocolate Wonderland  Thank you!!

462 Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, South Yorkshire S11 8PX
0114 268 5050


Twitter: cocoawonderland.co.uk

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cocoa.sheffield 

National High Five Day

National High Five Day

National High Five Day April 16th!

Today is National High Five day and to mark it I've got some of the local businesses involved.

Anyone fancy a hair cut at lunch? Wolf and Co Ecclesall Road, Sheffield.

 Thanks Guys.

Check them out on the above link or at twitter, @WolfandCo_Sheff

National High Five Day

National High Five Day April 16th!

Today is National High Five day and to mark it I've got some of the local businesses involved.

So, because lunch is coming up lets start with Spoilt for Choice. Thanks Guys, your sandwiches rock!

These guys don't have a real social media presence but you can find their details on the link above.

My New Website. 'To thine own self be true'.

I have a brand new website. Yay!

It is a site, a site which has taken an inordinate length amount of time to come to fruition.

www.sammisparke.com

I knew almost exactly a year ago it had to be done. I already had a website, two in fact; one for the babies, children, family and wedding photography I did and the other for the corporate, business, event and commercial work I undertook but here was the problem apparently. 

I needed all my work in one place.

I understand the advice. It was advice I took from the hugely knowledgeable PR guru #FayeSmith whilst i was on her February #BrandBooster course.

It turned out my brand was a little confused.

What this year of putting the website together has achieved, aside from a pretty fab website, is that it has lead me to a much better understanding of the type of photographer I want to be and therefore how i need to proceed, the work I need to prioritise, my desired cliental and how exactly to market myself.

Courses like Brand Booster, run by Faye Smith, are exceptional at cementing in place in your own mind and the consciousness of the people around you who you are, what you do and how you do it.

So far this seems like a thinly veiled promotion for Brand Booster - I assure you it's not (though if you are a new or struggling business I cannot recommend BB enough).

What this is about is an explanation for what you see now as my current website - my contemporary portfolio of work.

So here we go... this is my raison d'etre or maybe more accurately the motivation behind the madness: 

My updated website's home page shows mainly the creative, lifestyle family photography I do. It includes primarily baby, children and family photoshoots, wedding photography and artistic photoshoots. 

It is my ambition to do more of these types of shoots and my ambition for each type of work correlates with the order I've mentioned them in and the frequency with which they appear on the home page.

Some may find it strange that I have neglected to include the other work I do on the home page, work I do plenty of including corporate headshots (which I really enjoying doing) music photography (I love) and event and website work which is work I respect. 

Not having these areas represented on the home page (even though they are represented in my portfolio) has been a difficult decision for me because I still need this work and am good at it.

What I had to put first was my brand and what I want to be doing with my photography in the next few years and after I asked myself that question there was absolutely no doubt in my head about the answer. I want to be an exceptional family photographer with a specialism in lifestyle baby and children photography. I want my reputation to come before me and I want my style of work to be recognisable. We can all dream ;)

So, in a bid to make this happen I needed to represent only on the home page the work I want to be synonymous with and I hope very much I've done the right thing. Only the next few months will tell.

The site, although lunched is in need a little preening in the removal of some of the photos from the slideshows - I am told 10-15 is a healthy and professional amount of images per slide show but achieving this is incredibly hard as I have very little objectivity left with regard to what needs to go. 

Anyway, I open up my new website homepage content dilemma to you all and anyone who might have a considered opinion on it. 

Either way I'd love any feedback on the site.

www.sammisparke.com

Signing off for now, Sammi