My First Blog

I’m Alison,a professional photographer based in Kent and I love what I do. This is the very first blog I have ever written and hopefully it’s the beginning of many more. This no doubt is the hardest post I will ever write. I have been racking my brains for days now on how to begin. You see I’m used to putting all my efforts into finding out more about you, my clients, and telling your story.

This is what I love most about being a professional photographer, how you can capture perfect moments and expressions between people that tell you so much about them, and convey so much love and emotion.

But okay, I must talk about myself and what better way to start than from the very beginning. For me looking back on my life I can see that I have always been a very creative and visual person. As a child I kept scrap books full of drawings, cut-outs and made up stories. I loved painting and trying my hand at every craft possible ,this continued throughout my school years.

When did I discover Photography?

Come to think of it, I discovered photography quite late, when I attended art college (Kent Institute of Art and Design) in Rochester Kent, where I took a foundation year course in which the aim was to help you find out what area of art you loved the most and what direction to take. I only studied photography for 3 weeks and in that time, I was let loose in the dark room. I also took an SLR out onto St Ives beach in Cornwall and photographed surfers on the waves.

Hooked after that, my final project combined photography, fine art, my love of rock music and abstract collages with typography. Every part the atypical teenage art student.

Family Connection

The key thing I didn’t realise was that photography already had an undercurrent in my family. My Dad and great Uncle were also very keen photographers and developed their own photographs. Without realising it at the time, I was drawn towards an art form that was familiar, something that reflected the joy my Dad had found in this creative art.

In fact the whole Welsh side of my family were passionate cutting edge, modern, amateur photographers. I now have a growing collection of the Lewis family camera’s. I love the differences between them. The photograph attached was taken a few years ago now before my equipment expanded (I don’t travel light anymore!)

professional photographer based in Kent

Background

After leaving college I worked for two studio photography companies over the space of 8 years. The knowledge and experience I learnt from this time was invaluable. I met and worked with some of the best photographers and digital artists in the UK and improved my technical skills.

Now a small note about technical skills, and it is a big bug bear of mine, many photographers will complain or acclaim their technical skills and equipment. It’s not what you have in your kit bag or hanging on your wall that makes a great photographer. It’s about how you interact and care about people. The people in front of your lens have to be made to feel like they can show themselves as they truly are and only then you can capture their story.

Many of my clients come back to me because there is a relationship and rapport, a trust that is built between us. I am giving them a precious experience and story told in photographs that they will cherish for years to come.

Twelve Years Experience

12 years down the line I have now met hundreds of families and told many of their stories. Whether it was a birthday, engagement, wedding, capturing the stages of a family growing or child changing. A hen party, maternity, new born baby, or anniversary photo shoot. I have loved every moment of doing this.

2013 saw me branch out alone in a freelance career and with it a whole new set of challenges to keep me on my toes. Finally I got to explore new outdoor locations redefining my style away from the confines of a studio and opening up to a whole new world of photography in Kent.

On Reflection

I can look back on those challenges and tell you that I love the open spaces, seasons changing and British weather has seen me thinking fast with camera settings and adapting shoots on the fly. But nothing quite beats seeing children laughing with their mums and dad’s. Running around with their siblings in family photo shoots, and exploring the world.

Women expecting their first baby in a maternity photo shoot, surrounded by Spring blossoms and bluebells. Autumn leaves tussling a models hair, the red leaves surrounding her in a portfolio, and male models in an urban gritty setting for corporate portraits. With a never ending array of places to explore in Kent I am very lucky.

In contrast I take on a wide array of event, corporate, and community photography every year, which is blisteringly fast paced, unpredictable and inevitably a lot of fun. You can prepare and plan for the lighting in every set, but as anyone in showbiz will tell you.. anything goes! One minute I’m on track for the perfect wide angle low light static pose, the next I’m climbing on chairs and throwing lenses over my shoulder to get a better angle.

My Favourite

My all time favourite subject is the sea and coastline, an ever changing (sometimes by the hour) landscape. It might sound wistful and in reflection it is, my partner is often freezing and left to huddle on a bench, however I literally can spend hours in one spot watching the scenery change.

This link shares a video showing a few of my favourite moments and also a look back to 2015 for my exhibition titled “Coast” can be found in other videos. https://www.facebook.com/pg/alisonlewis.photography/videos

professional photographer in kent

Now here it is, I can’t think of anything else to say, blogging is tough, its hard talking about yourself. Any tips or hints, suggestions or asks, just go ahead.

What’s Next?

Here is a look at the future…

I’ll update you on who I’m working with
Things that inspire me
And naturally what all budding camera geeks really want, tips, tricks, technique and all the basics.