The Mastering Portrait Photography Podcast

At this time of year, more than any other, I find myself chasing my tail to complete everything I need to get done before the seasonal deadlines (otherwise our clients will be disappointed!) Of course, I want everything I do to be perfect but, as I have learned time and again, perfection is something that is unattainable and it is bad business too - finding the sweet spot balancing quality and time is the trick here.  In the end, if you spend limitless hours reaching for something that cannot be reached, it would be tough to find clients who could afford it!

I mention an EP that a friend of ours recorded and created a vinyl record as well as uploaded to Spotfy.  The EP can be found here on Spotify.

I only played on "I Think We're Alone Now" and "Teenage Dirtbag" but let me know what you think!

The Superclass and Masterclass we will be running at the Societies Convention 2024 can be found at https://thesocieties.net/convention/speakers/paul-wilkinson/ and we would love to see you there - either at the workshops or just for a well-deserved pint!

Finally, all of our workshops at our studio can be found at https://www.paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk/photography-workshops-and-training/ 

Enjoy!

Cheers
P.

If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode.

PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think!

If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk. 

The judging for the BIPP 2023/2024 International Print Awards is done and dusted and there some simply stunning images have been on the lightbox.

The results come out later in the year, but I thought I'd muse on some of the things I learned along the way by listening to the judges as well as some observations of my own.  Some of these you've heard me mention before, but one or two may be new to you (and to me for that matter - who knew that all judges have the same problem when it comes to picking out their own competition images?!) but all of them are useful.

Enjoy!

Cheers
P.

If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode.

PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think!

If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk. 

In this interview with an old friend of ours, Simon Shirley, Toastmaster extraordinaire, we end up chatting about some of the simple things that make for a successful client-facing business for responding quickly, to getting a crowd onside (even when the odds are stacked against you!)

I mention a few workshops we'll be running, so here are the links:

Sunday 10th September 2023
The Guild Of Photographers Photohub Event
Oxford
Mastering Off-Camera Flash
https://photohubs.photoguild.co.uk/the-oxford-belfry-photohub/

Thursday 28th September 2023
The Guild Of Photographers Photohub Event
Peebles, Scotland
Mastering Available Light
https://photohubs.photoguild.co.uk/peebles-hydro-photohub-2/ 

Monday September 11, 2023
Full-Day Workshop At Our Studio near Oxford
Mastering Dog Photography From Shutter To Print
https://www.paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk/store/workshops/mastering-dog-photography-from-shutter-to-print-11th-september-2023/ 

Monday October 9, 2023
Full-Day Workshop At Our Studio near Oxford
Mastering Personal Branding Photography
https://www.paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk/store/workshops/mastering-personal-branding-photography-9th-october-2023/ 

Monday October 23, 2023
Full-Day Workshop At Our Studio near Oxford
Mastering Available Light
https://www.paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk/store/workshops/mastering-available-light-23rd-october-2023/ 

Enjoy!

Cheers
P.

If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode.

PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think!

If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk. 

Pick up any book on business in your local bookstore, and it will almost certainly talk about processes. Yawn.  But what if we thought about processes as good habits? The things you do every day that you don't need to think about.

As a business, you need good processes: doing the right things, at the right time in the right way is the foundation of any successful studio. And besides, it gives you more time to do the things you love!

Enjoy!

Cheers
P.

If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode.

PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think!

If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk. 

Peter Aldington OBE, world-renowned architect and garden designer, with his wife Margaret - whose energy and partnership have been as fundamental to his success as any other creative's, though she professes to not being a designer of any kind.

I have wanted to record this interview for a long time. Peter is a world-renowned architect, having achieved no less than 9 (yes, you're reading that correctly, 9) listed buildings in his lifetime. Each of the nine houses he designed while working as an architect, along with the garden that he created in the eighties, is listed (aka protected) by English Heritage.  

Some record. 

He's also a charming guy. We have based our photography business in the original studio where he began his architectural practice, Aldington, Craig and Collinge, a building we have completely fallen in love with in the past 11 years.

As you can imagine, I wanted to record an interview with him; in particular, I wanted to ask him about creativity and how he turned his influences into something tangible.

Sometimes, however, the more exciting topics creep in as you talk, which was the case during this interview. Sitting with Peter and his wife Margaret, it quickly became apparent that the more important questions were about relationships: relationships with colleagues, clients and, of course (and you'll hear this throughout the interview), the relationship between Peter and Margaret and their family.

It's funny how you can plan all you like, but ultimately, life (and creativity) have a way of taking you on unexpected journeys.

But for me, well, I think it is a lovely interview with an architect who has made an immeasurable contribution to architecture and garden design.

Usually, I would ask Peter and Margaret for their book choice, but I have chosen two that feature Peter's work for this episode.

The first is A Garden and Three Houses: The Story of Architect Peter Aldington's Garden and Three Village Houses by Jane Brown.

The second is Houses: Created by Peter Aldington, a beautiful book choc full of stunning line drawings (and if you know anything about me, you'll know just how much I adore exceptional illustrations!)

Enjoy!

Cheers
P.

If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode.

PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think!

If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk. 

Well, this weekend has two big events: Mother's Day and the Societies Of Photographers Annual Convention In London.  

Sadly I wasn't able to make the Convention this year - though I was there in spirit!  That didn't stop me entering the print competition though.  I didn't come away with any gongs this year and that always stings just a little.  Somehow, I have to convert the feeling of missing out on a fantastic convention with photographers who I love to spend time with (FOMO anyone?) and also not getting the scores I would have loved for my entries.

It's all part of the puzzle when it comes to entering photographic competitions.

Enjoy!

Cheers
P.

If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode.

PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think!

If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk. 

Photographers are supremely visual, right?  Of course.  But have you ever wondered about the power of words?  Two words, in particular, can have a bigger impact than any image ever can (and I am speaking as someone whose entire life is living and breathing pictures).  The words? "Thank You".  These two words, when given or received, can bring a huge amount of joy.  Trust me.

In the podcast, I mention the dates of our upcoming workshops:

• 6th March, Mastering Essential Studio Lighting
• 20th March, Mastering Available Light
• 3rd April, Mastering Headshot Photography
• 17th April, Mastering Your Creative Workflow From Shutter To Print
• 15th May, Mastering Advanced Studio Lighting
• 5th June, Mastering Available Light On Location In Oxford

These can all be found on our website.

Every workshop is limited to six delegates so we can fine-tune the content for the attendees.  They're an absolute blast! If you're a portrait photographer, whether a pro or looking to break into the industry, these workshops are perfect for you.  We also provide a delicious lunch!  Never underestimate the need for good food! haha.

Enjoy!

Cheers
P.

If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode.

PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think!

If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk. 

So it's 2023 already!  What happened to 2022?  This episode says a big thank you for 2022 and kicks off the year ahead with some thoughts on how to deal with so much negativity in the years and the media.  We're hitting it all with positivity, energy, creativity and laughter!  Well, you wouldn't expect anything different from us would you?

We also say thanks to some incredible brands who have put a little faith in us and asked us to be ambassadors:

Graphistudio (they create the best photographic albums on the planet!)
https://www.graphistudio.com/en/ 

Pixellu (we use their brilliant Smart Albums application to do the heavy lifting for all of our album designs). If you fancy a discount, use the following link and discount code:
https://www.pixellu.com/?fpr=masteringportraitphotography
Code: MPP@2022

Panasonic Eneloop Batteries (not as sexy maybe as let's say, a camera but massively important!) These guys have very kindly helped with a little funding for the podcast - useful given that we entirely fund it, write it and produce it ourselves.  A little help like this goes a long way - just like the life of their AA batteries (sorry, couldn't resist!)
https://amzn.eu/d/gbinUuT 

Finally, we mention a package that is proving priceless for us in our colour correction - Imagen AI.  Machine Learning (aka. Artificial Intelligence) is certainly going to be a huge part of all of our lives in the future - some of it for good and some of it otherwise - and one or two applications have already emerged that are stunningly elegant in the way they support our business: this is one.  Since we added this to our workflow, it has not only saved us hour upon hour but has also improved the consistency of our colours and grading. Ai isn't all bad!  If you fancy getting 1500 free credits, use this link:
 https://www.imagen-ai.com/start?ref=paulwilkinson  

We also want to thank all of our clients - both as subjects and as delegates to our workshops - we could not be happier and more grateful that you're part of our lives!

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU and here's to a fabulous year ahead!

Cheers
P.

If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode.

PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think!

If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk. 

We are a lucky business.  OK, I know you make your own luck to a greater or lesser degree, but we really are a lucky business.  Every day I work with people I love - from our team in the studio to our clients across the UK and further afield.  

As we run into the festive holidays, our studio has been full of laughter (and the smell of gingerbread, thanks to our Christmas candles!) as clients come to pick up their last-minute gifts as well as albums and frames they ordered during the year.  The shelves have creaked under the weight of the boxes; each bowed with our distinctive ribbons and tags.  Today, with just a few days to Christmas, the shelves look empty, with just a few items left to be picked up. Every client through the door has brought joy and festive cheer and taken away photographs it has been a joy to create.

Like I said, we are a lucky business.

And so it is that I feel incredibly fortunate to have worked with my guest for this interview for the past decade.  Michele Jennings was, up until a couple of months ago, the CEO of Hearing Dogs For Deaf People - an incredible charity that provides assistance dogs for deaf adults and children.  I have worked with the organisation for the past 11 years and so it has been my pleasure to spend time with Michele and her team, creating images for the brand.

This is a lovely interview and we cover all sorts of things from positivity to passion, from vision to values.

As ever, I asked Michele to nominate a book and she recommended Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman and it's available on Amazon here https://www.amazon.co.uk/Four-Thousand-Weeks-Time-How/dp/1847924018

Definitely worth a read!

If you're curious, Hearing Dogs For Deaf People can be found here: https://www.hearingdogs.org.uk/ 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the interview!

Cheers
P.

If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode.

PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think!

If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk. 

A couple of weeks ago, we judged the British Institute Of Professional Photographers (BIPP) 2022 national print competition.

I have always loved being a judge and now, in my role as Chair Of Qualifications And Awards for the BIPP, I couldn't be happier!  I get to see so many incredible images and sit with so many incredible photographers.  It's one of the best gigs imaginable.

In the first half of the episode, I step through the rigour of judging, how it is done, and how we ensure it is fair. In the second half of the episode,  I go through some of the notes I made while the judges assessed and commented on each of the entries.

If you are curious about image competitions or fancy entering one - not just the BIPP competition - some of the things we spotted might be of use to you!

Enjoy!

Cheers
P.

If you enjoy this podcast, please head over to Mastering Portrait Photography, for more articles and videos about this beautiful industry. You can also read a full transcript of this episode.

PLEASE also subscribe and leave us a review - we'd love to hear what you think!

If there are any topics, you would like to hear, have questions we could answer or would like to come and be interviewed on the podcast, please contact me at paul@paulwilkinsonphotography.co.uk.