For me, portraits are the photographs that most often find their way into frames. There is something about a portrait that pulls me into a photograph in a way no other subject does. And I am not the only one; there is a reason that the Mona Lisa is the most famous work of art in the world, and that Art Historians and the public alike have spent hundreds of years trying to discover the secret behind behind La Gioconda’s ambiguous smile. A portrait gives a glimpse of personality; a hint of feeling; it entices us to want to know more, yet as much is hidden as is revealed.

My maternal grandmother had her portrait professionally taken on several occasions between childhood - mid-piqué in ballet shoes and ringlets - and motherhood (holding her baby in her arms), and these are all framed on a wall at home. I treasure these beautiful photographs for the gift of giving me an insight into a woman that I never knew.

Whether you would like to commission a portrait of yourself or of a loved one, we will work together to create an authentic image that captures a sense of time, place and soul.

I offer the following options for a portrait shoot:

1: A Special Setting: We meet at the location of your choice: a place that is important to you. In addition to close-up (head and shoulders) shots, we will also capture images of you in the context of the wider setting.

2: A Day in the Life: We take the portrait shoot on tour! Are you happiest when skiing? An avid mountain-biker? I accompany you for a morning, afternoon or evening as you undertake your favourite pursuit, taking a range of candid and posed images.

3: Maternity Fine Art: Taking place in the setting of your choice, whether the privacy of your own home, or a beautiful natural setting, a maternity portrait shoot is profoundly special; it is a portrait of both you and your unborn child. You may wish to combine a maternity portrait session with a family portrait shoot, and I offer bespoke timing to allow for both individual portraits of the expecting mother, and for photographs with both parents and any siblings.

After each of these sessions you will receive a minimum of 30 high resolution colour digital JPEGs & 10 duplicates in timeless B&W, all of which you will be able to access and download from your personal online gallery.

Contact me using the contact form on this website so we can plan your bespoke session.

“I’ve been looking at the photos again and can’t stop saying how you create magic.”

— Irina