Hi There!
I'M FIONA
A YORKSHIRE PHOTOGRAPHER
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PEOPLE TELL ME I MAKE THEM FEEL RELAXED AND COMFORTABLE, they say I'm calm and patient; my husband and kids will probably totally disagree with them!
I LOVE the great outdoors, animals, (especially horses and dogs) Good Old-fashioned, Yorkshire grub and Craft Gins-not so much the fruity ones but the botanical ones.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A PEOPLE PERSON, I spent nearly 8 years working as a teaching assistant, whilst my children were younger and as they started to spread their wings a little, I started to wonder what I might do when that really happened.
Obviously, I've known my way around a camera for a long time now!
When I was younger, I REMEMBER DISTINCTIVELY THE SHOE BOXES OF PHOTOS: They lived underneath my Mum and Dad's bed, I recall the thrill of seeing what my parents looked like before I was born, what the dress was like that my Mum chose to walk down the aisle in and who she had by her side. I remember specifically, a photo from my Aunties wedding, where she was in the middle of tonging her hair and my Dad was peaking through the triangular gap her arm was making. He was looking towards my mum, who was taking the photo. He had the biggest smile on his face and my Auntie was beaming, she was loving being centre-stag, when unbeknown to her, Dad was messing about in the background. I can almost feel the atmosphere in the room, that morning. The joy and pure excitement.
I remember the photos for my christening and how proud my Nanna and Granda looked to be there holding my cousin and I on the day.
I RECALL THINKING HOW STRANGE THEIR CLOTHES LOOKED! Now, I can't get over how incredibly cool they were! To this day, I love the chance to witnesses how they looked at each other, both immersed in their love of animals: Photos of Dad with a chick on his head or laid among the cats and dogs they had at the time. Or one of my mum with a cat around her neck or a horse nuzzling her cheek.
This is what I love about photography, it's the chance to freeze moments in time, so future generations can enjoy them just like I did and still do.
Because of this, I know MY PASSION BEGAN WAY BEFORE I EVEN GOT MY HANDS ON A CAMERA.
A photo is a powerful object, it's chance to look back on something or someone you may not necessarily have know or remembered.
They say our earliest memories are not memories at all, they are simply moments instilled in us through stories told to us.
TO ME, PHOTOS ARE THE GREATEST STORYTELLERS OF ALL. I'm a visual learner and rememberer, so to imagine a world without photos, I wonder, would my memories be quite so clear?
The power a photo can hold is unreal, the emotions they can trigger, and make us feel together. I WANT TO CAPTURE MOMENTS LIKE THIS NOT ONLY FOR MY OWN FAMILY, BUT FOR YOU TOO.
I absolutely love the people I get to work with, the emotion of their day and the kick I get, from delivering moment-heavy galleries them at a later date. Because I value the people I work with and enjoy seeing them more as friends, rather than clients, I prefer to work with less people and spend more time with them. I like to get to know more about the people I photograph and what makes them tick, so I can produce my best work for them. There is nothing better than knowing you've done the best you possibly can for someone, these are your memories and I'M IN CONTROL OF CAPTURING WHAT YOU REMEMBER.
This is a big responsibility and it's not one I take lightly.
I want to do the BEST job for you and to do that, I need to give myself time to grow, rest, learn and enjoy life too.
Effectively, I'm doing less, better and totally enjoying every minute.
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My Ethics, my work and your story
MY PHOTOGRAPHY IS FOR FUN-LOVING PEOPLE, JUST LIKE YOU AND ME.
It's for normal people, who care about THE REAL, UN-SCRIPTED MEMORIES AND OFF-THE-CUFF MOMENTS BEING photographed, so they can relive them and keep them safe to share with the little people that may not have even been thought about yet. My photography will make you FEEL: It will encapsulate the people you love, the atmosphere and the authenticity of your time with me.
I GUARANTEE I WILL PAY ATTENTION to the details and emotions of our time together, I'll put you at ease and keep things calm, I care most about capturing your memories for You.
My photos of our time together will tell Your true story, it's unscripted and will show off your characters, afterwards the photos you receive will make you laugh and sometimes they might make you want to cry (good, old, happy tears). I see the beauty in ALL moments and I promise you, you will treasure these photos forever too.
In short, yes, it is!
That's right, I'm a full time photographer, I GET TO PICK UP MY CAMERA AND MAKE PHOTOS with lots of different people from all kinds of different backgrounds and for so many different reasons. I consider myself lucky to be able to work so closely with people at times in their lives that are very important to them. I got to capture weddings when there were only allowed to be 12 guests in the room, to these couples their photos were the only thing they'd have left to show the people who were unable to attend.
I've also been fortunate to document the crazy and joyous parties since all of the 2020 shenanigans! BELIEVE ME THERE'S BEEN ALOT. I love to tell the true story where you can look at the photos afterwards and you know exactly what the atmosphere was like on the day, even if your weren't there. A face can tell a thousand stories and that's exactly what I look for when I work for my couples and families.
I’m based near Malton in North Yorkshire; but I get to go all over the place which I really enjoy, I cover many local venues, some are literally just down the road from me and I've also been to very tip of this country in Cornwall along with all the way to the Tuscan hills and the beaches in the Bahamas.
Lots of people ask me, if this is my actual job.
Due to MY OBSESSION WITH PHOTOS and capturing memories for my children to look back on it was a well known fact that I would be the one who'd turn up with a camera, this leading to my greatest adventured to date.
In 2016 when our close friends told us they were getting married...everything changed and the birth of my business happened.
Originally, I asked if they could get permission from their photographer for me to follow them around and grab a few shots for my portfolio and they said, "We were actually thinking of asking you to do the photos!"
And I was like, "Oh, my goodness, YES!"
But inside thinking...
"What on Earth have I done?"
So, in June 2016, after using a whole bunch of friends and family to practise on, following a few photographers on social media and Pinteresting in my sleep, I headed off to our friends' house where Mel was getting ready. I knew I wanted to capture the whole day and it was important to me to tell a story, because that to me, is the most powerful gift to my clients. I got the shots I wanted of Mel having her hair done, applying her makeup and I helped her in to her dress and then I headed off to church to see Shaun. He was patiently waiting for his bride; who was substantially late, but we knew that was going to happen, because Mel's late for everything and she won't mind me saying this, we joke about it all the time!
On this occasion, it wasn't just the groom who was nervously waiting for the bride's arrival, it was me too. I was anticipating her arrival whilst worrying I might miss focus or get in the way of the vicar and be a distraction. This is my absolute worst nightmare, I hate being the centre of attention. Afterwards, I was delighted to be told, I hadn't at all and even happier when I looked through the images to find I'd captured moments that made me 'feel'.
You'll know what I mean, like when you've watched a film or you witness something so powerful, it chokes you up or makes your heart beat a little differently to normal. That's exactly it.
It was difficult to know at that moment whether, this feeling had happened to me because these two meant so much to me or if it was generally, just because I could see both of their true reactions throughout the day. Not only their emotions, but the emotions of the people they have such special connections with too, Mel's Mum and Dad, for example; I still remember now, how her mum was resting her head on Mel's Dad's shoulder, watching and listening so tentatively as her daughter proudly, married her childhood sweetheart. I noticed at this point that I'd never photographed anything so powerful as this, and I realised then, to be given the trust and permission to capture events, where people are truly and genuinely, feeling, like they do on a wedding day, is really pretty magical indeed.
Hear what Mel and Shaun said when I gave them their photos.
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Here's what they said
What can I say?!
Amazing?? More than amazing!!!
My husband and I are so grateful for the work and effort Fiona has put into our wedding shoot! We really couldn't fault it. Fiona had the greatest ideas of where to take photos with different backgrounds and she was also fantastic with the children. Fiona is so friendly and she made the guests and us feel comfortable when taking photos which I find it's really important when you are having your photo taken. Fiona captured everything we wanted and more so we can now look back at our special day and remember how much we loved it!! Thank you so much Fiona aka Anoif photography!
I love I asked them to write it like they had hired me!
🤦🏻♀️😂🙈
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This is how I like to work?
My approach,I'll go in to more detail depending on whether you're looking for wedding or family photography, the thing I love doing most is documenting what's happening at the time. At a wedding it's easier in this case, everything is laid out looking pretty and there's so much going on the BIGGEST TASK IS KEEPING UP WITH IT ALL.
When it comes to an engagement, family session or one with either your pets or your horses, I often find it's best to plan either an activity, or a walk combined with a few activities you like to do. I love it when I go for a wonder with my clients and they turn up with a bike or their family pet or I turn up and everyone's playing cricket or bowls for example. It's a great way to ease in to the session, I can capture lots of action and whilst I do so, it gives me chance to work out the characters of the family.
I'll always call everyone together for some more formal photos; even so, PLEASE DON'T STRESS ABOUT EVERYONE LOOKING TOWARDS ME, I totally love it when you're not! There are so many people out there, calling themselves a photographer, some may even say they think we'll soon be out of a job. I truly believe anyone can take a photo of you all stood in a line, but not everyone can capture the moment and the connections. THAT'S WHERE I COME IN.
The photos on my walls and mental piece are of my friends and family having a good time, someones probably laughing out loud or maybe there's one of the children messing about with us and others where one won't look.
Well there it is, there's that little talking point. In fact one of my favourite photos of my children with their cousins is one where my neice is having a strop because she doesn't want her photo taking on our family day out. Lewis, Natalie and Charlie are all smiling in a field of strawberries and Lily has her head bowed down to the floor, shoulders slouched and "long arms" hanging down to her knees, which is typical for Lily when she's not happy. Three years on, even she laughs at it hung on my hallway wall.
Perfection doesn't have to be perfect.
