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

How to say 'I love you' this Valentines.

7 day only 30% off Valentines Mini shoots for Couples.

Today I am launching a Valentines special deal on mini couple portrait shoots.

Mini shoots are normally £100 but If you book your shoot in the next 7 days it will only cost you £70, which is a whopping 30% off!

Why not pick a location that means a lot to you, maybe the place where you first met? Maybe you have recently got engaged and want to tell the world? Maybe you are looking for the perfect way to get engaged and want to capture your partner's face on camera!! How perfect..

Whatever you choose, this really is a perfect way to say 'I love you'.

So if you're based in either Sheffield or Cambridge feel free to contact me today.

Email: info@sammisparke.com

What Does Your Linkedin Profile Photo say about you?

•  Did you know that 19% of recruiters only look at your profile
photo when browsing lists of potential candidates for a job?


• Did you know, according to Judy Parsons a LinkedIn Marketing 
Coach, 'Linkedin profiles are 14 times more likely to get profile views 
if they have a good photo'?

So bearing the above in mind are you potentially disadvantaging your 
business with your profile photo or worse, lack of profile photo?

The following are examples are of bad Linkedin profile photos:

Centre top two images borrowed from Gina Vincent Photography 

So, what is a good corporate headshot?


A GOOD corporate headshot is firstly professional looking and should show your face in a clear way without too many background distractions. 
A GREAT profile photo requires the photographer to learn a bit about your business, your role in the business and how you want to come across to your clients. It considers your pose and your styling. Finally it involves making you look your absolute best with some little tweaks at the editing process so your profile photo helps you stand out from the crowd. 


Taking a GREAT profile photo for you is what I do best.

Headshot shoots are becoming increasingly popular which makes so much sense in the current business climate where branding and a strong image is paramount.

So, what happens on a head-shot shoot with me:


Pre-Shoot: We chat on the phone, email or text so I can ascertain the nature of your business or your role in the business you work for, focusing on how you would like to come across to clients.  If you don't have any strong ideas about an image or style I'll get you to look at your competitors and how they market themselves and I will also share with you a collection of profile photos from varied business people which show you different styles and poses you could try.

The shoot: Once we are on location I will get shooting pretty quickly trying you in different poses. For those of you who are uncomfortable in front of the camera I do my best to put you at ease by talking to you throughout. If we are outside and you've brought a change of outer clothing we work these into the shoot like the following client of mine.

 Hair down

 Hair up

 Minus the scarf

Ideal changes of clothing for an outdoor shoot are:

For women- A change of jacket, jumper, necklace, scarf or coat
For men- A jacket, tie or coat.

Changing clothing or accessories gives you variety and therefore choice when picking your favourite images at the end. A change of clothes is however not always necessary or wanted by clients.

The Shoot (continued): If you have decided on an indoor shoot I am happy to visit you at your place of work whether that be at your home or a shared communal building. If you are in a situation where you would like indoor photos but do not want your place or work as a backdrop we can always head to a cafe, restaurant or hotel.



Examples: Here the following clients worked from home. With each of them we did a variety of different shots inside and outside and in different areas of the home/business. This makes sense for clients who can't decide on whether a photo with a natural backdrop or one taken indoors with a plainer or more corporate feel will work best.

With photos taken indoors it means you have the option to change clothing more easily so the above client changed her top which worked well. Corporate head-shot shoots are however designed to be quick shoots to keep down the cost for you and I so only one change of clothing or location is normally all you will want or need. 

After the shoot.

Before you see your photos I will do a little bit of editing just to make you look your absolute best. Once this is done I will send you a selection of final images of which you will pick your favourites.
Some clients have loved all of the photos taken of them on the shoot and have either purchased additional images or the entire album for a small amount extra.

With each photo you pick, you will get a full size image and a crop (see above). Sometimes the crop is more suitable for a profile photo but the full photo may be of use on a website.

So many reasons why you should book your shoot today with me.....

I have helped many small businesses, sole traders and individuals on Linkedin and other social media platforms to attain an appropriate yet eye catching profile photo to help them stand out from their competitors. 
Head shot shoots with me are designed to fit around you and your work yet they are quick to do and quick to turn around and exceptional value for money at this point in time.
For most small business and sole traders they are also Tax deductible 

Contact me today for more information:

Sammi Sparke Photography
South Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire and London 

info@sammisparke.com

www.sammisparke.com
www.lovebeautyphotography.com

Travel Photography

www.sammisparke.com

This is a very small section of travel photography that covers three years of extensive travel I did across Africa, Asia, Australasia, South America and Europe. Some of the images are links which will take you to the blogs (with additional photos) I kept while travelling to each of the places. I must warn you now these blogs are exceptionally badly written, over excited ramblings of the twenty something I was back then. 

Sammi Sparke Travel Blog

Although I specialise in portrait photography, travel photography is an area I have enjoyed immensely when I have had the opportunity to pursue it. I have also had some commercial successes with it the past by having several travel images published in online travel guide Schmap. Please contact me for more information.

Muhammad ali Mosque, Cairo, Egypt

Milford Sound, NZ

Solitaire, Sossusvlei, South Namibia. Africa

Solitaire, Sossusvlei, South Namibia Africa

Wai-O-Tapu Thermal springs, Rotorua, NZ

Table Top Mountain, Capetown, Africa

Figi

Daintree Rainforrest, Cairnes, Aus

Kaikora Sunset, NZ

Moreton Island, Brisbane Aus

Jan-Juc beach Torquay, Melbourne, AUS

Victoria Falls, Livingston, Zambia

www.sammisparke.com

In Session St Paddies Perfection.

Bah - I'm rubbish at this blogging keepy-uppy stuff. 

So, for you guys this may be a slightly dull blog because I have nothing controversial to report from the penultimate week of In Session Live- well the penultimate week that I had the pleasure of booking and photographing. 

It was a very chilled out week with solid talent and beautiful performances from all the guys playing. 

The acts included Hail to the Eskimo, Rita Payne and The Ruby Jacks.

This week for me was memorable for Rita Payne, an act I've been dying to see for ages who are extremely talented and doing very well currently (we were lucky to get them on this occasion as they are in demand).......oh and my photography turned out pretty well too :) 

Rita Payne

Hail to the Eskimo kicked off In Session Live for us with their specially prepared acoustic performance.

These guys normally play sets that are described as: 

"a wall of delay drenched guitars set against pounding dance beats, that rumble beneath shimmering heartfelt vocals to create a sound that is melodic, driving and ultimately danceable."




....a little bit of info for you on them:

Hail have performed in venues up and down the UK including Tramlines and Doncaster Live. They have shared their stage with bands such as Seahorses, Starman, and Tinchy Stryder whom they opened for at the Keepmoat Stadium. In addition to having their songs played on Hollyoaks they have been championed by numerous local radio stations. Their most recent achievement comes in their nomination for best live band, best album and best female vocalist for the 2013 Sheffield Scenster awards.

Rita Payne were the next act on. 

These guys were great for me as they photographed particularly well.....I have mentioned before how I am partial to a woman with beautiful skin and Rhiannon along with being very photogenic has that! 

The reason this duo are so fab aside form being absolutely lovely people, totally professional and fab at what they do, is the following:

Rita Payne have been regulars BBC Introducing Sheffield & Humberside- with 4 sessions currently under their belt so far and regular airplay too.
They have gigged all over the UK and alongside many established American artists such as Caroline Herring, Annabelle Chvostek and Rod Picott. Recently Rita Payne played at the prestigious folk Venue The Green Note in Camden, London where artists such as Leonard Coen have performed.

 

The Ruby Jacks were our last act of the evening who turned out to be the perfect end to the session with their added electric kick. 

Basically with it being St Paddies day The Forum was packed.  As you regular readers may be aware we normally only have acoustic acts on stage - or those like Hail to the Eskimo (or The 48k's from a few ago) who can pair back their sound and give us something acoustic and chilled out.

The Ruby Jacks on this occasion weren't prepared for an acoustic gig, which would normally have caused us some problems. On this occasion with the amount of noise and people about their full on style ended up working really well for them and us.   

A bit about them:

The Ruby Jacks These guys were picked to Support the platinum selling band Space in Sheffield this March. They have had their songs played on Radio Sheffield regularly and are due to get into the studio next month to record some new material before heading off to perform around the UK.

 

A great night was had in all with much thanks to all who played.