Monday, June 14, 2010

A Picture is Worth 80,000 Words

Or so I hope, anyway!

Anyone who's friends with me on Facebook (just send a friend request if you're on FB!) knows I was in a slight tizzy yesterday. Why? I had to have some photos taken. Photos of me. AS much as I love to look at lovely photos of myself, the actually taking and making of said photos strikes fear into my unphotogenic heart.

I have two photos I've been using whenever anyone asked -- for my websites, blog interviews and the like -- but the time had finally come to expand my professional photo portfolio. With my rather limited budget, though, my main concern was finding a photographer who had enough skills to ensure I would appear half-way decent in the finished project.

Scouring Gumtree, I came across a Polish photographer, Grzegorz Lepiarz, whose work I loved. I feared he might be out of my price range, but I fired off an email and yay! We struck a deal, and agreed to meet up at his studio at the wonderfully eccentric Debenham House in nearby Holland Park.


Now the tizzy began in earnest: what to wear? How to do my make-up (and not injure myself in the process)? And the most important question of all: how to make sure my hair co-operates? I really must give a giant shout-out to my husband who patiently gave his opinion on countless outfits, drove me to and from the studio location, and even had a lovely lamb stew waiting when we got home!

After a hasty appointment at MAC make-up down the street where I had my face painted with various shades of pastels, I carefully dressed in my chosen outfit and drove off to Debenham House.

What a wonderful location for a photo shoot! It was early evening, the sun was gleaming off the tiles, and the beautiful surroundings -- along with Grzegorz -- helped put me at ease. Worth £29 million and built in 1906, the house is (according to a property website):

a mixture of the Arts and Crafts movement, neo-classical and Byzantine styles. Glazed tiles are used extensively inside this ten-bedroom, five-bathroom house. Some depict peacocks, eagles, flowers, galleons and mythical beasts. Many may have come from an assignment originally commissioned for the Russian czar's yacht Livadia, built in the 1870's. In addition, there is a covered walkway from the road, a front garden laid out in a formal Dutch style and an Orangery in the back garden, where there is also a croquet lawn and a coach house with two-bedroom suites.

However you describe it, it was simply gorgeous and I could hardly believe I was lucky enough to have my photos taken there! I just hope I do them justice (gulp!).

58 comments:

  1. Have you looked in a mirror, silly girl? You have NOTHING to worry about! They will be B-U-TI-FUL!!!

    xoxo -- Hilary

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  2. Aw, thanks Hilary! :) Fingers crossed - I felt like my smile was frozen in concrete when he was snapping away!

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  3. I don't think you need much to pretty yourself up. You are beautiful. :) The site where your photos are being taken is gorgous. I would relax you have nothing to worry about.
    Christine

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  4. oh you have nothing to worry about. You are adorable and I'm sure your pictures will be amazing! Just like you. :)

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  5. I agree with Hilary. You're beautiful and should not be worried about your photos. Your brilliant smile will captive anyone who looks at the photos.

    BTW, that was a gorgeous place.

    Mason
    Thoughts in Progress

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  6. Hey doll-face - you're gorgeous! feghidabudid!

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  7. Oh, you guys are the best! Thanks so much for the ego boost - I will share the photos once I get them - but only if they're good! :)

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  8. I can't believe you think you're unphotogenic. You're so gorogeous and your photos refelct that! Well done on finding that photographer, I need one. Please could you email me details on cost? xo

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  9. DJ - thank you. But believe me, it takes a lot of photos for me to find one that I like!

    I'll email you the deets on the photog.

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  10. And when will be seeing these photos my lovely? Please don't do what you did before you got your contract, I don't think I could wait months.

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  11. When can we see the photos????

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  12. You're more beautiful than this house. No worries. Believe me, you have no hair worries - I have Hair from Hell.

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  13. I can't believe you fret about how you'll look in photos - you're gorgeous, inside and out, and have absolutely nothing to worry about. Your photos will look stunning.

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  14. You are all so good for my ego! Before you know it I'll be donning a bikini and prancing down Kensington High Street (OK, maybe not, but still - thanks!).

    I will post some photos once I have some proofs - hopefully Thursday! Finger crossed.

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  15. How exciting, Talli, they will be like the beautiful house - perfect.
    I hate getting my photos taken, even in Theresas lovely one at our coffee meet up, my sister told me I look 'sinister' .

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  16. Wow it just shows how fabulous you are!! Wait to go girl! Sounds like you had a blast and I can't wait to see how everything turned out!

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  17. Awwwwww I still say you are the SPIT! of wozzername from Girls Aloud.

    What are you on about - you got CHEEKBONES! That should take you anywhere and everywhere!!

    When may we see a glimpse of your pics??????

    This is a lovely setting btw and well done you for getting that photographer!! He sounds great!!!

    Well done you!

    Take care
    x

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  18. How funny - I had lamb stew as well on Sunday! Must have been the day for it. :)

    And I know it's tricky to like pictures when you think you are not photogenic but believe me (and the folks above!) you are, and I am sure the pics will be lovely, gorgeous and 'authorly'. :) Exciting times!

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  19. Great post! And I don't think you have anything to worry about, the pictures will be lovely :)

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  20. I hope you share the pics!

    The building is beyond gorgeous. What a great environment for photography!

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  21. They'll be great! But yes, I hate pictures, too. Good luck!

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  22. Hi I'm a fellow photo-phobe! (I'm sure it will be a word one day!) I will do anything to avoid the lens! Not easy when your best friend is the fabulous @carafreckles photography! So nice to hear other people avoid the camera - from seeing your other pic I'm sure the photos will be stunning! Hx

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  23. I want to see the photos! I'm sure they're fantabulous. I mean how can they not with all that stress going into it, and then the location! Holy Crap! I need to do this too, but i'll have to settle for some boring studio down the road I suppose.

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  24. I hate having my photo taken, but I'm sure yours will be wonderful. What a fantastic place to get them done. When will we see them?

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  25. What a beautiful location!

    I'm never happy with pictures either, but it's probably because we're always comparing ourselves to the airbrushed ones in the glossy magazines. But with the right photographer (not my husband) and make up artist, I believe we can all be transformed.

    I cannot wait to see your pictures.

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  26. Can't wait to see them!

    Gorgeous place, bet you felt a million dollars!

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  27. You are gorgeous, lady!!! I can't wait to see these pictures. The location is to die for!

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  28. Oh, that place looks gorgeous. And I'm sure you looked beautiful in your photoshoot. Do share the pictures when you receive them! :)

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  29. You are all so sweet! But you'll have to eat your words if I look like a total 'drunk Ronald McDonald being attached by a cat' (to use Brigid's daughter's words).

    I'll share them when I get them later this week, regardless! :)

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  30. I think the ambiance and atmosphere of beautiful places like that really set the tone. The photos will be amazing.

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  31. Grzegorz's portfolio looks amazing. You're in some high flying company too! :)

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  32. Don't panic. I bet you will look lovely. :)

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  33. I'm sure you will be gorgeous in every shot, Talli!

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  34. That building is beautiful! I'm sure the model of the photos was also! The question is, when will we be seeing them?

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  35. You could stand there in a burlap sack, and I'm sure the photo would be great. :-)

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  36. I hate getting my picture taken, and I don't know anyone who likes it. But I'm sure your photos will turn out great, especially at such a gorgeous property! :]

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  37. I applaud you for doing something that terrifies me. I'd like to see the house though and can't wait to see the pics when they're done.

    CD

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  38. What a pretty location!! I'm sure the pictures turned out awesome; you're lovely!

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  39. What a gorgeous location. As everyone has already said - I don't think you need to worry about having your photo taken. So when do we get to see them?

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  40. That really is a beautiful location and fascinating too.

    I can't imagine you could ever have a bad photo taken!

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  41. How on earth do you injure yourself putting on your make-up? I am intrigued. Are we talking a mascara wand in the eye or something more unusual?

    I hope the photos turn out well.

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  42. Talli,
    How cool! I mean that place has an orangery & a croquet lawn, you know it's gotta be splendid! What a great background you've chosen, & that'll do nothing but make your pictures unique. I saw his portfolio & I'm sure that you'll be happy w/ the new pics.

    When will you be posting them?

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  43. All that? And lamb stew? I want your life.

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  44. I am trying to psych myself up for exactly this. I wore makeup as a teen and in my early 20s, but gave it up for waitressing in a greasy environment and it has never stuck again--I put it on for a party and my 15 year old BEGS ME to let her fix it--I've apparently become inept...

    I am writing a gardening cozy, due in December to the publisher, so I feel compelled to get pictures with flowers and know the clock is ticking, but it scares the crap out of me. I'm SURE yours were FABULOUS (great location!)

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  45. Taking pictures is no fun. At all. I hate taking them!! But I'm sure they turned out beautiful! And that place is gorgeous!!

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  46. I don't think you could look anything other than beautiful if you tried! I bet the photos turned out great!

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  47. Talli, I hate having pictures taken as well, so don't feel bad. But I have to agree with everyone—there's no way your pictures could turn out anything but great. You are adorable, and have a great spirit shining through. Plus, PLUS, the location you showed looks amazing. WOW.

    Take care!

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  48. This house is magnificent! And I'm sure your pictures are, too. I hope you'll share them with us when you get them!

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  49. Eeeek! I hate getting my photo taken so can completely empathise...but what a place to have them done!! I bet you will look stunning in them (you will have to post them on here you do know that don't you?)

    C x

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  50. Oh wow, I cant wait to see them! =D

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  51. I love taking photos but hate having them taken. I think it is unfair to take anyones picture unless you can make them look half their normal size and ten times more gorgeous!!

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  52. look forward to seeing the pics Talli - what an amazing place!

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  53. just swinging by to remind you to check your blackjack hand today. do you want to hit or stay?

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  54. I feel a bit self conscious when someone's taking a photo of me but it is nice to look at it if you particuarly like it. I doubt yours will be anything but beautiful.

    CJ xx

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  55. I'm sure you did the place proud.

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  56. I felt like my smile was frozen in concrete when he was snapping away!
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Coffee and wine for all!