and cheap photography often isn’t good!

You will see there are thousands of photographers out in the marketplace, all vying for your business, how on earth should you choose?

• Do you want the cheapest possible job but pay more in the long run as the quality is fine for Facebook but not your dining room wall?
• Do you want the highest quality possible but then can only afford the complimentary print being offered?
• Or do you go on reputation, quality and price?

For most of our clients, the third option is the route taken. Sure a lot of them have gone to the likes of Venture, Olan Mills or whoever but when they see the pictures they like and are told “that will be £990 please sir”, you can visualise their hearts skipping a beat or few – “£990 for five photographs, you are having a giraffe!”

A lot of the work we do is by referral i.e. past clients pass our name onto their friends who then go on to book us and never look back. Why?

• Our prices are very reasonable – we are not and never will be the cheapest – this is our living and we need to meet certain overheads and of course make some money.
• Our approach is second to none – we have a lot of fun with all our clients, this allows them to relax and consequently their pictures shine.
• Our quality is top notch – Simon is a particularly fussy bugger and will not allow anything to go out unless he is happy for it to be on his own wall or album
• We try and accommodate all your needs so if you want the shoot to go ahead, purchase a couple of prints and then can only afford more in 12 months time, that is fine – we can do that. This happens a lot with Weddings where we will shoot a wedding, say Budget Bronze at £350 for the photography and then wait 6-8 months whilst the couple save up to get their album done. They then spend another £325 on the album plus get some canvas prints as well – in total the couple have spent over £800 on their wedding package but spread the costs over 8 months hence they don’t notice it as much.

One saying we do go by is:

“Good photography isn’t cheap….. and cheap photography often isn’t good!”

Remember this. There are a lot of bedroom shooters out there that are trying to make it work but with inferior equipment, inferior skills and most importantly, they are not insured – 90% of the time, it’s their second income  and all these points together explain why they are cheap.

Do you research, talk to the photographers, meet them, find out their style, look at their portfolio and then ask yourself, would I like their style of pictures on my wall or in my album – I’d hope that you would find a full time professional to then take your photographs for you, I know we would!

Simon Steed

March 2010

1. Professional photographers are in business, and consequently we need to make a profit to survive. Because it is our career, we dedicate ourselves to becoming the best we can be, and share that knowledge with our clients in the form of the photographs we take.

2. Professional photographers have to buy professional equipment. Nope, we don’t just pick up a point-and-shoot from ASDA or Jessops and declare ourselves a professional. We have spent thousands of pounds getting multiple camera bodies, the finest lenses, flash equipment for every situation, tripods, light stands, backdrops, props, carrying and storage cases. And then when you think you have it all – you need to get backups for everything to make sure you never miss an image.

3. As Professional photographers, education is an continuing exercise, and hence they learn as much as they can about the business. They join groups like SWPP or the National Press Photographers Association. They attend seminars and training by some of the best names in the business. They concentrate on becoming the best they can be.

4. Professional photographers don’t just snap a picture, they create a photograph or even a piece of artwork. They understand positioning. They understand lighting. They understand placement. You’re not just paying for the ability to place a finger on the trigger and snap a picture. You’re paying for the years of experience it took to create the perfect image.

5. Professional photographers can spend hours producing one professional photograph. Time can include:

• creating the marketing
• answering emails and phone calls
• meeting with the client to talk about the event
• setting up for the event
• drive time to and from the event
• time for the actual photographing
• running to and from the lab
• meeting with the client for previews and decisions
• processing the image
• retouching the image
• mounting the image
• framing the image
• packaging the image
• dropping off final images
• production work
• follow up work

Add it all up, and you can see why one portrait session may include hours worth of work. It’s impossible to stay in business if you only make a few pennies per client.

6. Professional photographers have to be more than photographers. They have to be CEOs and marketers, and bankers, and salespeople, and production workers, and janitors, and buyers, and negotiators, and networkers, and drivers, and organizers. And photographers. That’s a lot of skills for one person to master.

7. Professional photographers will do it all. Want to get married at the top of a 14,000 foot high mountain, where the only way up is a 30 minute ski-lift ride? A professional photographer will be there. Want a portrait running through the waves on a Southern California beach? A professional photographer will be there.

8. Professional photographers aren’t just order takers, they provide total customer service. Professionals photograph dozens or even hundreds of clients a year. They understand what looks good, how to put together albums, and how to group multiple photographs together. Their goal is to provide you with what you need and what’s best for you – not just have you sign on the dotted line.

9. Professional photographers watch for the newest, most innovative, creative products available. They stay up to date on industry news, and find things that perfectly match their clients taste. They don’t try and fit you into something you don’t like – they find out what you want and search the world over for the perfect things. They are the professional.

10. Professional photographers have the knowledge and the skill to make you look the best you can be. I can buy a hammer for a few pounds at the local store, yet I spent hundreds of pounds for a handyman to repair my deck. I can buy a needle and thread for a few pence at the fabric store, yet I spend over £100 on alterations at a local tailor. It’s not about the tools; it’s about the outcome.

Sure, anyone can buy a camera and take a picture. You can head down to your local discount store, wait several hours and have a minimum wage clerk place you on an X and snap a few pictures. But they can’t get what a professional can get. They won’t concentrate on expressions. They won’t advise you on outfits and locations. They won’t provide 110 percent customer service. You won’t get a professional portrait.

Are you a professional or would you rather we take your pictures?

Adapted from text originally written by http://virtualphotographystudio.com

June 1st 2009 – Manchester, United Kingdom

Representing Greater Manchester

Simon Antony Photography are very pleased to announce that we shall be representing the Greater Manchester region in the forthcoming ‘BRIDES Flowers Special & Directory 2009 CD ROM ‘.

It will include, amongst other things, editorially led floral features and a unique wedding Product & Services Directory area.  In total, 95, 000 CD ROMs will be distributed with BRIDES magazine in early August for the September/October 2009 issue.

Simon Antony Photography, a Stockport based mobile wedding, portraitrure, pregnancy and commercial photography company  will be profiled as the exclusive Photography entry for Greater Manchester.

The CDROM will include, amongst other things, editorially led floral features and a unique Product & Services Directory area – Simon Antony Photography shall feature within the prestigious Wedding section.

The wedding section contains a unique interactive wedding directory, which will profile a selection of leading wedding suppliers from around the UK.  Only one company per region is selected and after viewing our website and discussing the project with us in detail, we were selected as Brides Magazine exclusive Photographer for Greater Manchester.

To view Brides Magazine website please visit

Notes to editors

Simon Antony Photography is run by husband and wife team Simon and Sharon Steed. It was started in 2009, in the middle of a recession to provide cost effective fully mobile photography services for their clients and their style and approach to dealing with clients and the pictures that result is proving a winner.

“We have been photographing for over 15 years now and got to say what was a very satisfying hobby and is now an even more rewarding profession. We have a very relaxed approach to taking our pictures and do not like to rush nor put our subjects into situations they are not comfortable with.”

“An added bonus is we take the studio to our clients and work in their environment. As a result, our photographs are very relaxed and spontaneous, showing people and situations as they are in real life but capturing their beauty.”

Our Photography Philosophy

Our strapline is simple, Capture the Moment. That moment can happen at any time and only appears when all the pieces work well together, that is photographer, surroundings and most importantly our clients.

Contact details

For more information or to request photography, please contact:

Simon Steed on 07967 739393 or press@simonantony.co.uk

Well as anticipated, the pregnancy shoots ala bump shots are now gathering momentum with more bookings being taken each week.

These shoots are a lot of fun both for the “mum-to-be” and ourselves as photographers because there are only so many positions a pregnant lady can achieve in so finding comfortable and soothing poses can be a challenge.

The secret is to help the mother (model) to feel completely comfortable and at ease with the studio setting, hence being mobile and providing the service in their home and just go with the flow – this way you get much more natural shots as a result.

Many mums-to-be have been surprised to find themselves looking and feeling much more attractive, even sexy, as a result of seeing their finished prints.

I’ll post some images of recent shoots once the clients have their proofs – watch closely!

Simon & Sharon