Portrait Photography Q&A with Laura

In this Q&A blog Laura, who joined our club this year, talks about her passion for portrait photography and experience when attending photography sessions with models.  

Tell us a little bit about you and your photography experience.

Hi, I’m Laura and I love shooting portrait photography. I started out taking my DSLR on walks, capturing whatever caught my eye. That led to taking photos for friends and family, and eventually attending events with models. I’ve always been drawn to portraits because I find people fascinating—their faces, expressions, and personalities can all come through in a single image. 

One of my first group shoots was at the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham. I had found a photography group through the Meetup app that hosted monthly events, but unfortunately, those stopped after COVID. More recently, I’ve been attending local renaissance events there’s always interesting people to photograph—lots of unique faces, costumes, and energy that make for great opportunities. 

How did you find out about the photo sessions/ events?  

Networking can play a big role in finding new photography groups and events. A lot of people use platforms like PurplePort and Kavyar, which are great for browsing model portfolios and finding local castings or events. Websites like StarNow, as well as local Facebook and Instagram pages, can also be really useful.  

It's worth checking out nearby studios too—they often host networking events or organize their own model sessions for photographers. 

How much do sessions cost?   

Pricing can vary greatly when working with models or attending group events. It often depends on factors like the event’s theme, if costume designers and makeup artists are involved, and the location. 

I have paid anywhere from £25 for half day up to £150 for a full day. Another option is hiring models directly. Some may work on a TFP (Time for Print) basis if they're looking to gain experience or build their portfolio, while others will charge an hourly rate. One lady who I have worked with on multiple occasions and is an amazing model that hardly needs any direction charges £30 per hour.  

Some models may also ask for travel expenses if they're coming from a distance, but I usually try to find people locally to help keep costs low for everyone involved. 

What shoots have you enjoyed so far? 

Looking back I’ve been on a lot more than I realise! But these are some of my absolute favourites:  

Rosie Hardy Workshop – A talented lady who’s photoshop skills are another level – She even did an album cover for Maroon 5! That was an outdoor shoot with 2 models in stunning ball gowns in the grounds of a stately home. https://www.instagram.com/georgiarosehardy

Sally Gainsford – This lady creates painterly portraits; old masters style with high end costumes and head pieces. That was based at a Studio and she helped with lighting and positions on the day. https://www.instagram.com/salli_gainsford 

Far Forest Studio – Mark Roberts runs a great studio for hire and often has events. He has a purpose-built studio with outdoor lands and a man-made waterfall. I used one of his in-house models and we did a mermaid themed shoot. She was drenched by the end of it, but the images were brilliant.  https://www.instagram.com/far_forest_studio 

Finally Norse Dragon Armoury – which I believe they have ceased now but that was a Viking themed shoot at an Abbey ruin, which led to my first front cover publication and a full spread inside the magazine. 

What can people expect when attending one of these shoots?  

Events are often limited to a specific number of photographers to ensure everyone has time with the model. Some may only have 4, larger events may have 10-15 photographers. It usually depends on the number of models on the day. There’s often a selection of models, sometimes with different looks, outfits, or characters based on the shoot theme. The organisers all do their own events differently, but they do usually start with a rundown of the day and be on hand to assist.  

Even though the vibe is usually relaxed, it's important to be respectful of the time, space, and other people involved. Events are as much about learning and connecting as they are about getting the perfect shot. 

I only have two lenses currently, my nifty 50mm and a zoom lens 18-135mm and both have served me well. If going to a studio event usually lighting is provided both flash and continuous and people are always on hand to assist with set ups.  

I can still be a bit shy on group events; I tend to scope the place and talk to a few people before jumping in. Usually if you are paying for an event the models are well experienced and sometimes you hardly need to direct them at all, but I do also like to research and look at posing images on Pinterest to have ideas in my head too. 

What camera settings do you typically use? 

I admit I am still learning the technical side of photography, so I vary between Manual, Aperture Priority and Auto. Sometimes I will take a picture on auto as a starting point and then look at the settings it used and replicate those in manual and make amendments as to what I want to achieve lighter/darker or faster shutter speed etc and basically experiment. I feel there can be a stigma for using Automatic sometimes, but to me if you get the shot you want and you love it…it doesn’t matter how you got it. 

What sort of edits and post processing do you do?  

I always shoot in RAW, I don’t have any real preference with RAW vs JPEG but I feel when editing its best to have as much information and detail as possible especially if you’re looking to manipulate the image after.  

When it comes to editing software, I use both Photoshop and Lightroom. While Photoshop has a steep learning curve, I taught myself everything through YouTube—from airbrushing to adding textured overlays and special effects. There’s also a free alternative called GIMP, which I know some people use.  

My editing process usually starts by selecting the images I want to work with, I then do all my touch-ups in Photoshop, including skin retouching, spot removal, and dodge and burn techniques. After that, I move into Lightroom to adjust colours, exposure, and apply effects like presets and vignetting. 

I seem to have fallen into dark and moody looking images lately so that’s my go to currently. 

What have you learned through these sessions?  

Attending these sessions have really helped me to become more confident working with people and being able to direct and approach individuals. Other photographers are always happy to help and share their ideas and methods so you can learn so much from the others around you on the day.

Any advice or tips for attending these sessions? 

Top tips I’ve learned are to communicate with the models, don’t be afraid to ask them to try different things or direct them. Also, if doing a full day ensure batteries are fully charged (take a spare too in case) and have several SD cards. Take time to review your shots and show the model some of the images on the back of the camera and give them positive feedback. Remember to obtain peoples email or Instagram pages so if sharing images after you can credit each other. 

Are you happy for members to quiz you with their own questions?  

Certainly, I’m always happy to share my experiences and top tips of things I’ve learned along the way. Ask about flamingo leg next time you see me… 😉 

Thanks to Laura for this insightful Q&A on portrait photography. You can find more of Laura's fantastic portrait images from these and other shoots on her Instagram page https://www.instagram.com/photosbylaurajane