Exciting News!

Jo Belfield Photography is delighted to be showing a video alongside local fashion icon Hoopers of Wilmslow within the ultra cool Revolution Bar in Wilmslow, Cheshire. You will now be able to see my images and some information about my stylish photography for businesses, musicans and models - indeed anywhere where your image is important - on their TV screens, including the massive 8ft one in the evenings!

I am very excited about this campaign which I hope will show people what the fashion styling and photography at Jo Belfield Photography can do for their business, portfolio or indeed their personal portraiture.

For more information please contact Jo on jo@jobelfield.com or 07908816147.

Commercial Photography - I Focus on the Details.

At Jo Belfield Photography I am committed to producing commercial photography that enhances your business. I take your products and I create images from them that make YOUR clients notice YOU. At it's simplest it's my job to create an image so eyecatching that potential customers are drawn in and want to read on and find out more about you and your product.

As a business owner myself I know how hard it is to grab attention in this age of relentless multimedia. You have to make an impact to stand out among your competitors. Bigger. better. sharper, clearer.

However, consumers today are educated about their needs and the items they want to purchase. The economic downturn and a weariness of mass-manufactureed products has led many consumers to favour products where the manufacturer has cared about the quality, has taken the time to work on the details. They are looking for quality and longevity, workmanship and even heritage over disposable items.

This fits in my philosophy about commercial photography as a whole. I will present a client with photographs of your product as a whole. However, after discussion with you, I will also present you with a series of photographs showing the details that make you and your product or business stand out from the crowd.

I aim to give you the "wow factor" to make people take notice, and then when you have caught their attention you are visually showing them the details - the reasons why they should chose you over your competitors.

I focus on the details because your business does too.

For more information on how focussing on the details with my product photography can help your business please telephone on 07908816147 or email jo@jobelfield.com

Helsby Family Photoshoot

One of my highlights of my recent trip to Helsby was an impromtu family photoshoot featuring R, aged 2, and his new baby brother - 10 week old baby B.


It was actually the first baby shoot i'd done and with reduced kit (natural light only, no studio lights / flash or even a reflector!) but I was pleased with the outcome. R and B's mummy is very happy with the images and so am I!

Helsby Arms Photoshoot

I have to admit the Helsby Arms www.helsbyarms.co.uk in Helsby, near Chester, effortlessly sails into my "top pubs" list. The pub is efficiently run by the landlord and landlady, Steve and Carole, and sumptious, beautiful food is cooked and presented by their head chef Lee Fish and his team with infinite care.



I am not writing this lightly - my parents and grandparents were both in the pub trade and my dad trained me wo his standards for waitressing and barwork during University holidays the same as he trained the other staff. So when I go into a pub I can generally spot a Brake Bros chocolate fudge cake from 20 paces and if there is something out of place I notice it.

When I first photographed the Helsby Arms, approximately 12 months ago, my brief was wide:to take publicity shots of the bar area, outside, food and kitchens. I was there from 9.30am until around 6pm as I also attended one of their infamous Cheshire Tweet Ups! in that time I found absolutely nothing I could criticise. I was, in all honesty, gobsmacked.

When I returned to the Helsby Arms yesterday I was visiting purely for pleasure and to attend another Cheshire Tweet Up (#cheshiretweetup on Twitter), however I had my camera with me and I just couldn't resist taking more photos.

You see, to my mind one of the things that makes the Helsby Arms so special is Carole's attention to detail. In every corner and on every windowsill is a perfect little still-life set-up just begging to be appreciated by their customers and off course, begging to be photographed.


This time I had a 50mm f1.8 lens so light was no issue and the wood floors and carpentry kept it's burnished tone. This time I concentrated on the details and creating modern images with a fine-art flavour. They can be used commercially or printed onto canvas or in a frame to produce art-works in their own right. It was an enjoyable exercise and a good indication of how I intend to approach capturing the little details that matter when on location at a wedding.


You can follow Carole on www.twitter.com/helsbyarms to find out all the latest news and offers at The Helsby Arms and of course, details of the next #Cheshiretweetup!


To discuss the photographic requirements for your business or family please contact Jo E. jo@jobelfield.com M. 07908816147

Jo Belfield

Today's Mini-Shoot at Canalside Radio

Today I had the pleasure of photographing the lovely Liz Stringer at Canalside Radio in Bollington as well as a little chat on air during her Your News feature. We had come up with an idea to make some documentary shots of Liz at work when I was interviewed on her Women's Show a couple of weeks ago. As usual I got a warm welcome at Canalside and also was introduced to two of the other presenters, Nick and Brian. I hope to appear on Brian's breakfast show in the near future.

As I promised on air today, below are the photographs of Liz hot off the print..well, disk!



If you would like me to photograph your business or function don't hesitate to contact my Macclesfield studio on 01625 429 162.

Jo Belfield Photography featured in PC Plus!

Jo Belfield Photography is delighted to have been featured in the latest issue of PC Plus Magazine (issue 296, July 2010) in a feature by Jon Thompson on how photographers and other creatives use the internet to boost their businesses.

http://pcplus.techradar.com/latestissue/

If you arte a photographer or other creative and you want to know how to use the internet to boost sales and to make managing your business easier watch this space as I am hoping to put together some workshops focussed on helping you to harness the power of the internet!

Jo

Listen to me on Canalside Radio on Friday 4th June!

I am really excited to be on the Women's Show on Canalside Community Radio on Friday 4th June from 10am-2pm with Liz Stringer and Michelle Kay! I am looking forward to discussing a wealth of topics to do with women and business. If you are based in North East Cheshire you can tune in to Canalside on 102.8 fm - outside of this area you can listen online at http://www.ccr-fm.co.uk.

Capturing Moments

I did a lovely photoshoot last week with lovely, spirited L from Southport and her parents. It was a lovely photoshoot with moments of complete introspection and thoughtfulness appearing occasionally in a very energetic and bouncy shoot. She is a real firecracker with a strong idea of how she wants to pose and I really had to let her work through it to capture those precious moments of calm where she was relaxed and truly herself!

To book your own photosession with photographer Jo Belfield, in the studio or on location at your home or other location special to your family, please call the studio on 01625 429162.

New Awards for Jo Belfield Photography

Jo Belfield Photography is pleased to announce a further two awards from the Society of Wedding and portrait Photographers. In the April 2010 competition, we were awarded bronze in both the Glamour and Beauty and the Digital Art categories. Both images featured talented Manchester model DamiLola and were taken during a photoshoot at our studio earlier in the month.

Revised price list now available

As it is the beginning of the new financial year we have now released our new price list for our studio sessions, prints and products for 2010.

Please note that if you have a particular size or product in mind that is not listed, just ask!

Contact Jo Belfield Photography on 01625 429162 or email jo@jobelfield.com to get your copy.

Photographing Michelle Kay for TV!

Jo Belfield Photography had the pleasure of photographing Michelle Kay who runs the web development company Your Webstar . The original use for the photographs were as corporate portraits, but when Michelle decided to apply to go on ITV's Tonight programme it was one of those photographs she chose to send them.

Michelle duly appeared on the programme talking indepth about women over 35, their self-image and their careers. The photograph was apparently well-received by the TV Company and appeared in a number of scenes too.

Congratulations Michelle! We always knew you were a Web star but now you're a TV star too!

Jo

Pretty House

I took this photograph as I knew the owner was interested in seeing any photos I came up with, but I hadn't been happy with previous attempts. I like this faux watercolour version. I am also going to do a black and white version on another one of the photos - I just haven't quite got round to it yet! I hope the owner likes it!

Jo

School Photographs with a Difference.....

I will admit I am not fond of the "norm" when it comes to school photography. Sitting in front of a camera and lights is not the most comfortable or natural experience for anyone and since it is a natural and relaxed pose is what makes the best photos, the typical studio set up is something I shy away from. There are times it has it's place - for achieving a certain look or lighting effect, especially for commercial work or when using models, but for most of the time, especially when photographing children I prefer a much more familiar environment.



In an attempt not to get the strained smiles of typical school photographs and create pictures that you will be proud off I prefer to capture the children being themselves. So the best things to do are to let them play and act like they usually do whilst the photographer either blends into the background whilst photographing or alternatively I become familiar to them and they are happy to interact with the camera.

When I go to a nursery, playgroup, or toddler group to do a photoshoot I take the individual photographs hand held so there is no tripod to get in the way. I DO use a tripod for whole class pictures but otherwise I like the flexibility of angle and movement that handheld photography provides. It is much easier for me to interact with the children, get down to their level and engage them in the process and it makes for better pictures in my opinion.

If you would like to discuss a photoshoot at your nursery, preschool, playgroup, mums and tots group, or class please contact me by emailing jo@jobelfield.com. I work in the Macclesfield / South Manchester area mostly but will consider going further afield.

Jo Belfield