Tuesday’s Bridal Boudoir workshop was a great success. Our 10 delegates listened to us talking about the business side of Boudoir, marketing, promotion , sales etc. followed by a practial demonstration with our 2 excellent models for the day, Holly and Anita. We worked initially with the wonderful daylight that is all around Maunsel House and while Faye was demonstrating her ‘dress dropping’ technique I took the opportunity to set up our favourite Bowens 500 Gemini head fitted with our favourite Fresnel spotlight, next door in the dining room. Here we demonstrated the various effects that the Fresnel spotlight can help photographers to achieve especially our favourite 1930’s film noir look. After lunch we split into 2 groups Faye going to the King’s bedroom while I set up 2 Quantum head’s  one fitted with a softbox and the other a reflector with coloured gel fitted. This was simply to show our delegates how to add a fashion style image to the Bridal Boudoir Collection and so adding additional sales opportunities to the studio. After we had accomplished this we moved into the main front facing, bedroom which I knew from past experienced offered the most wonderful soft, romantic daylight. Here we worked to both classic boudoir poses mixed in with a few ‘different’ images and the miniatures that all help to add variety to a Boudoir Collection Book. Faye worked in the King’s bedroom where the choice of backgrounds is any photographers dream. Our 2 groups swapped so every delegate had the opportunity to shoot with both models in very different environments. During each of these sessions our delegates worked one to one with each of the models so ensuring they had their own unique images. After the break we returned to the main ballroom where Faye did a short demonstration on how we process our images and, more importantly, how she use the liquify tool to such great effect.

So another BOUDOIR ACADEMY workshop came to an end, our delegates had a excellent day and left with some superb images to use on their websites and in their marketing material. Our models were, as always quite outstanding and again Faye and I thank them for all of their help throughout the day. Thank you to all of our sponsors, LOXLEY, BOWENS, AsukaBooks,  KUBOTA and TotallyRad.

The October BOUDOIR ACADEMY workshop in Guilford is sold out but we are now investigating a venue in either Manchester or Birmingham also in October. Details soon. Here are a few of our images from the day.

We received these wonderful emails this morning from Kate and Lisa, two of our delegates on Tuesday.

Dear Trevor and Faye, I wanted to say at once how much I enjoyed the course yesterday and what a lot I got out of it. Your expertise and instruction was given so generously and in a way I found easy to absorb and truly inspiring.
You managed to control the groups so that all of us had a chance to shoot the models from the best position unlike some other courses where I have been/and seen others elbowed out by the most selfish participants, and unable to gain the maximum benefit of seeing the angles that can provide the most satisfying shots.
I fully intend to act on the brilliant ideas you gave us and hope to be able to come to another of your courses and show you what I have achieved purely from your course yesterday.
Thank you again and very best wishes
Kate

Hi Trevor & Faye,
Pleased to hear you got home safe and sound with no hitches.
I’m sure I’m about to repeat everything that my colleagues from the course have already said, however I just wanted to thankyou both so much for a really enjoyable course on Tuesday at Maunsel House.  Yet again you made it relaxed, informative, and incredibly encouraging, instilling confidence and leaving me with an “I can do’ and ‘I will do’ attitude.
I’m not the most confident of individuals when it comes to my photography,  but working with you both I’m never left feeling embarrassed or out of my depth by my lack of technical knowledge or ability,  it’s both refreshing and appreciated.
Once I get a chance to process the images I’ll send a few through – any feedback good or bad, always welcome!
Thankyou both again, you do an amazing job and are an inspiration.
Best wishes,
Lisa

We were delighted to receive a return invitation from current chairman Ivan Finch to speak at the London Portrait Group on Tuesday the 6th of July @  http://www.pinweirestaurant.co.uk

Our last visit was a couple of year ago and Faye and I are looking forward to it immensely. Just need to find some images to show! I did say more news on our STUDIO MENTORING but with much gardening and our sold out BOUDOIR ACADEMY workshop on Tuesday time has once again escaped me. Not much of an excuse I know but the best I can come up with. So looking forward to working with Anita and Holly one again and hope all 10 delegates have safe journey’s to our venue.

Following on the resounding popularity and success of our BRIDAL BOUDOIR workshops we are delighted to announce an exclusive Bridal Boudoir workshop to be held at the award winning 5* Prestonfield House in Edinburgh. We have been given exclusive use of the Franklin Suite on Tuesday the 7th of September 2010. We can only offer this to 5 lucky delegates at £400 inclusive. http://www.prestonfield.com/Rooms-FranklinSuite.html

A couple more images from Sunday’s workshop here @ Claremont. This time 2 images, one of Faye’s and one of mine, both taken at the same location which is one of the hallways in our house which we always use in a Boudoir session as it provides masses of beautiful, soft daylight.   Faye’s image first today.

And this was my interpretation.

Sunday we hosted another of our highly successful Boutique Boudoir Academy workshops here @ Claremont. Our normal number of 4 delegates was regrettably due to family illness reduced to 3 however that only meant more shooting time for everybody. Our model for the day was the beautiful Aicha, one of our brides from 3 years ago and who had a Boudoir Book done for her husband obviously an ideal subject for our delegates. The first part of the day was spent looking at the business part of running a successful Boudoir Business and as always we have test marketed all of the marketing and promotional ideas that we suggest so that way we know what did and did not work for us. Our first promotion produced over 380 leads of which we converted in to over 80 paying sessions! If you want more information then you will have to come on a workshop, sorry. After a couple of hours devoted to the business of boudoir we met up with Faye and Aicha to start the first of several location shoots both in and around our home and into the studio in the afternoon. We always begin, as we would with a client, with simple daylight shots usually in a man’s shirt before we progress to the lingerie part of the session and after a wonderful lunch we moved into the studio where we demonstrated the various light modifiers that we use on Boudoir sessions. The standard soft box, Bowens Beauty Dish and of course our favourite the Bowens Fresnel spotlight. As always Aicha was a star, very patient and understanding with our delegates and I am sure they all left with some stunning images. All our images were shot on Nikon D700 & D300 and post processed with Kubota DASHBOARD.

We have managed to post process a few of our images from yesterday and first we have an image of mine from the very start of the day, husbands white shirt and beautiful soft window light makes for a gentle start to any Boudoir session.

Then we moved into one of our bedroom where Faye captured this very sensual image of Aicha again light by windowlight and a small reflector as a fill.

The it was on to another of our bedrooms where Faye got this very sexy and provocative image of Aicha. This image was lit with only window light.

During the shoot I always remind delegates to never forget the ‘detail images’ from the session and Faye’s example of the legs and shoe shot is a prefect example. What lady does not love her Jimmy Choos?

And finally for today an image of mine after we had moved into the studio after lunch. Scatter cushions on top of a bed spread give a Boudoir feel to the images and light with my favourite Bowens head and softbox.

We have had a very busy day with people booking the Bridal Boudoir Workshop on the 8th June at Maunsel House. We now only have 4 places still available so if you were thinking about it don’t think too long! Today one of Faye’s images from last week at Maunsel.

We have now managed to firm up the first date for our BRIDAL BOUDOIR workshops. Tuesday the 8th of June in the beautiful surroundings of Maunsel House in North Somerset. We will have 10 delegates with 2 models and plenty of sexy bridal lingerie. £375 inclusive.

One of my favourite images of Faye’s from last weeks BOUDOIR ACADEMY workshop.

One of Faye’s images of Rebecca complete with black bob wig. Shot in the studio with the Bowen Fresnel spotlight. Various Kubota Actions used on this image including, digital flash, eye enhancer, smokeless burn and Doll Face.

Now for a few images from last Sunday’s Boudoir workshop held here at Claremont. 4 wonderful and enthusiastic delegates and at last an opportunity to work with Rebecca Amy who we had the pleasure of meeting at the SWPP Convention back in January.This is one of my images from the day shot in the studio with a Bowens 400 head and softbox.