Love is in the air. I can smell it as the Eurostar train pulls into Paris. I was waiting impatiently in my train seat, eagerly awaiting my portrait photo shoot that set scenes in Paris, my suitcase bulking out with hand picked beautiful dresses.
Related: Dream Photo Shoot
Romance in glamour portrait photography
I am a romantic at heart. In my young days I watched all the Audrey Hepburn movies over and over, day dreaming about fairy tales, visualising myself in elegant dresses with masses of floating fabric. In the latter era my heart pounded when I watched Pretty Woman, as Julia Roberts turned from a duckling to a swan. These days, it may be The Netflix series Emily in Paris grabbed my attention. Despite the oversimplified story line, glamour is certainly sprinkled in every episode. That glamour may come from the Parisian back drops, or from the carefully staged outfits.
Interestingly, my romantic visions did not involve the Prince Charming figure. It wasn’t about girl meeting boy, or boy meeting girl, but about us indulging in beauty. To me it is about self love. It is a romantic relationship with ourselves.
Needless to say, marrying up one of the most romantic cities in the world and a portrait photography session is the ultimate romance I would love to put together and introduce to my clients. What is not to love? Let’s visualise: jaw dropping locations, beautiful dresses, flying hair that have been professionally tamed, impeccable makeup. We record smiles and laughter that come from the heart, the breath of romance in the air. It is an ultimate escape and an ultimate treat for a woman.
Outfits for photo shoots
Often you will notice that in my glamour portrait photo shoots, my clients will be dressed up in alluring dresses with a strong sense of drama. Dressing up often gives us a sense of empowerment. It is the sense of beauty, the surrealism, and the distinct departure from our everyday lives. It is their time to shine.
Outfits that drape on the body and emphasise curves work well, regardless of your body shapes. I am particularly keen on dresses that have a big flowy skirt, that allow for plenty of movements in the fabric, where one can twirl and dance in.
Why should we have a dream destination portrait photo shoot
Often women are photographed by professional photographers on their wedding days. To many brides, wedding days are their best days in life ever, showered with love and attention. It is a day that feel and look like princesses. However to many, the organisation of a wedding also involve a good amount of stress.
Having a portrait photo shoot in Paris is a self treat that help you to relive that fairy-tale moments, but without the equal amount of stress. There are no other observers of your spotlight, so you don’t have to please anyone but yourself.
When you book a photo shoot with me, you will have full support in the planning process. I will help you choose your outfits. Your hair and makeup will be taken care of on the shoot day, and where needed, we will have a dedicated travel agent to assist you will your travel plans.
Planning a destination photo shoot
We will start with creating a mood board. What kind of style make you tick? Are there particular scenes that appeal to you? What is your preferred dress style? Do you have any inspirations would you like to draw on?
Whether you would like to select clothing items from your current wardrobe or purchase new outfits for the photo shoot, we will go through your options in details our planning sessions. Some outfits may look amazing in person but not as much for photographs. But not to worry! I will give you all the advice you need in order to pack for your wardrobe on the wheels! You also have the options to borrow outfits from my photography studio wardrobe ( see link here), which are all photo shoot worthy!
We will then work on the logistics of our shoot arrangements and pin down on our travel itinerary. It may involve us arriving at destination before shoot in the day before, have a good rest, and start the shoot in the following morning. Or we can start on the same day we arrive and toast to a good day in the evening!
If you are already looking into a personal or business trip in Paris, what can be better than having the portrait photo shoot as an add-on to your journey? This will make your trip much more memorable and worth-while, adding in a totally different level of excitement. Alternatively, you can think about planning a holiday around your photo shoot and take advantage of your time off to thoroughly immerse yourself in your chosen photo shoot destination, giving yourself all the rest and adventures you deserve.
The portrait photo shoot experience
Here with Elena, we started early in the morning before the crowd drew in at popular tourist locations. We chose locations that were undoubtedly Paris – the Eiffel Tower, the royal palaces, the roadside cafe. The dresses of choice were hand picked from my studio wardrobe, both being glamorous and timeless but in completely different style. One was a pink ball gown with a full tulle skirt for the sense of drama. The excess fabric of the dress flies with body movements, creating a romantic getaway vibe. I had the vision of Elena swirling and laughing in front of the Eiffel Tower, and that is exactly what we got! The pictures are perfect captures of the beautiful moments, and more importantly: the radiance, confidence and unforgiving beauty of the woman in those pictures.
While we travelled to our next location at the royal palaces, we took some photos of her in the ball gown in the metro station, which give a sense of surrealism and fashion. It expressed that we could fit glamour into everyday life.
After we arrived at the next location of the royal palaces, Elena changed into a black dress with long lace sleeve and open back, which gave a very sophisticated and elegant look. I was fascinated by the grand architecture of the historical buildings, and the weathered stone walls and pillars lent to a fantastic photogenic backdrop.
Our last stop was a roadside outdoor cafe – another Parisian statement! Here was another dreamy blend of everyday life with glamour. We finished the shoot in time for a lovely bistro lunch, after which Elena spent the afternoon soaking up the Parisian atmosphere, strolling and shopping in the trendy Le Marais district, before she met up with her girlfriends.
Related reading: Mother and daughter photoshoot
The empowering experience
In my portrait photography sessions, It is the transformation, the experience, that is vital to giving women their lift in confidence. The final images is an affirmation after.
Can you imagine having that fairytale created especially for you? I would love to invite you to come onto a destination photo shoot with me, and be THAT leading character in your own story!
Please start dreaming and contact me here for a chat to explore the possibilities. You can also see more of my portrait portfolio by clicking here.
Related reading: Capturing Venice: A Dream photoshoot to remember
