Fine Studio & Location
Portrait Photography

The professional portrait has become part of family life. A portrait can document family history for posterity, from children's first steps, to highlights in their lives and from the forming of partnerships at engagement and marriage. A good portrait is more than just a likeness, it can truly reflect the personality or lifestyle of the sitter.

Cheshire profesisonal portrait photographer Neil McAllister ispecialises in providing magazines and advertising agencies with fine portrait photography.
He is in a position to offer a unique range of portrait possibilities for both private and commercial clients.

A Studio Portrait Sitting involves taking as many photographs as are necessary to get the 'right' picture - rarely less than twelve exposures. What you wear for your portrait depends on how you wish to be portrayed. As a general rule, very dark clothes don't photograph particularly well, although a black leather jacket can be a perfect prop for a stunningly modern portrait - on the right sitter! Generally the best colours to use are mid to lighter shades of colours which are not too powerful. There are obvious exceptions however, I will offer advice when I discuss your requirements with you. Do you want to appear casual, formal or romantic (Janet Reger?).

For mother and baby portraits you can't beat nature's own clothing! You should feel comfortable in what you are wearing. For groups, a good general rule is to keep clothing to a colour theme, all working in harmony, without people's clothes fighting for attention. The aim is to create a unified group, not a number of individuals who happen to be in the same picture. You can make a portrait more personal by including personal items, props or pets in the picture. Do you have a hobby or pastime? Do your children have favourite toys or musical instruments that they love? These can make the starting point of a successful portrait session.

An absorbing interest in chess for instance suggests many portrait possibilities. What could be more appropriate than picturing ballet dancer in tutu and ballet shoes! You can do a lot to help make your portrait memorable.

Take a look at some pictures from a recent mother/baby studio session, including some sepia portraits

Make up is a job which although best left to professionals, can be undertaken reasonably by most people. A basic requirements of photographic make-up is to allow the skin to photograph well. A matt foundation will kill shine. Blusher and highlighter can emphasise the shape of a face, or correct imperfections. Eyes need subtle make-up for most portraits, with mascara used judiciously to enhance the eyelashes' natural beauty. Men and women can benefit from the use of cover-up make-up. No-one wants to be pictured with skin blemishes to the fore. Even the most stubborn male can be persuaded to cover up an adolescent pimple or shaving nick, knowing that by doing so, he will save a small fortune on print retouching costs.

We can provide the services of a make-up artist when this is specified in advance. Your hair should be your crowning glory. It must be in it's best condition to photograph well. A visit to your hairdresser before a photographic sitting is never wasted. The fee for home, environmental and executive portraits also include a brief preliminary location visit and consultation prior to the sitting.

Studio Portraiture is something with which most people are familiar.
We can offer this economic kind of photography in a number of different styles. Traditional family, group, child or individual portraits can be taken using a variety of different studio backgrounds. New styles such as romantic portraiture are especially suitable for child studies, mother & baby pictures or individual portraits. This subtly coloured mistily atmospheric portraiture leads to images which are light years away from traditional styles.

Glamour and boudoir photography are more intimate styles, which make a wonderful present for a loved one. Sepia and black & white portraiture are amongst our particular specialisms. We can create modern, stunning decorative portraits of all subjects in either warm sepia tone, or rich black and white as seen on the pages of leading magazines and art posters.

Home Portraiture is ideal for family and individual portraits as well as boudoir photography. I pay a short preliminary visit to help you get the best from the available locations.

Environmental Portraiture can lead to wonderful group and individual portraits at an outdoor location which can be a garden, park, woods, or similarly attractive place.

Executive Portraiture is sometimes called boardroom photography and is a style commonly used to make portraits for Annual Reports, Company brochures, trade magazines - and of course portraits to hang on the boardroom wall! Undertaken on location in the working environment, this is corporate image enhancement at work.

We use the successful video proof method of viewing the photographs. After the sitting, we show you the results in a personal screening at the studio. You can determine your requirements during the course of this session - and we will advise you of the best framing and presentation possibilities for your prints.

Click here for map locating the studio (17 secs download time).

After receiving your payment (cash, cheque, Visa, Access, Mastercard)
we can usually have your order ready within ten working days.

Click on the links below to discover the range of Neil McAllister's Photographic Services

Photo Home Page / Contact Us

Fine Studio & Location Portrait Photography

Fine Studio & Location
Portrait Photography