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This photograph was created in July 2012. The sea was quite rough causing the whale watching boat to move up and down and side to side as we motored along off the coast outside of Sydney, Australia. This was my first whale watching trip (I enjoyed my second a week later when we observed two younger whales breaching and playing).
I was so excited to be able to photograph the whale in this photograph as it travelled along it’s annual migration path. Imagine how exciting it was to upload the photographs onto a computer screen and be able to see details that we not possible to see either from the boat or on the screen on the back of a camera.
That was until yesterday! I spent the day in the company of Tim Daly, an expert teacher, in what I had previously thought, was the mysterious relationship between the art of digital darkroom processing and high quality printing. Tim helped me and a handful of others to acquire the eye, the skills and the ability to bring out details in a photograph that would otherwise be impossible to see otherwise.
You are invited to enjoy the photograph on this page which was the one I chose to use under Tim’s tutelage. Or better still go to the gallery version and scroll around the photograph and examine the water on the Whale’s tail, the barnacles and other details. The link to the larger version is here (a new page will open on your computer screen).
As exciting as it was for me to have the life changing opportunity to be able to go whale watching, twice, it is even more exciting and memorable for you to be photographed by someone who puts you first. As I have written before, it is not about the camera.
No two people are the same and the deep levels of respect, care and attention required in creating your portrait is more than just pressing the camera’s shutter button in the appropriate lighting conditions. You are invited to experience what I mean for yourself.
Imagine how good you will feel when we meet, create and then review my unique portraits of you. What’s stopping you from taking that important next step, really?
Thank you,
Stephen
stephen cotterell photography
07990 525 814
In 2001 the American Actor and Comedian, Ben Stiller, directed and starred in a film called Zoolander. Have you seen it? What did you think about it? How does it relate to you (or how do you relate to it)?
I ask you these questions because when I first watched it I could not see the point of it at all. However, something deep inside of me made me watch it a second time. When I did sit through it again it was almost like seeing a new film through new eyes. I loved it at a very different level and it helped to prepare me for a recent and important insight about how many people develop a fixed view of how they look, especially when a camera is pointed anywhere near them.
Back to the film, if you have not seen it I will not tell you the complete story because I do not want to spoil it for you. However there are two things that Derek Zoolander, the eponymous lead character, an international male runway model, played by Ben Stiller, absolutely can not do. They are revealed very early in the story and are repeated through out the film (and there is a twist but you will have to watch the film to discover what it is).
Zoolander first personal predicament is explained in this quote from the film “I have problems with turns, because I’m left handed, and they haven’t built a left handed runway yet. I’ve done over 1,000 runway shows in my career, and if you put all those runways end to end, it’d be so long I couldn’t even walk down it without getting tired. I think the only good thing about it would be there’d be no turns.”
His second is that each season he develops a new facial expression, his trademark expression or look”changes” each year (except that it doesn’t) and the final version of his unchanging expression he calls “Blue Steel”.
Perhaps you know someone who ALWAYS presents the same “face” to the camera, someone who has their own trademark “Blue Steel”? Have you ever wondered how come it is even possible to this when most human beings have the ability to instantly adopt hundreds of expressions and thousands more micro-expressions?
What do you think? Is your camera face stuck in one or two or three fixed modes? How would you feel if you could easily and comfortably stop being like Zoolander and become a normal human being in front of my camera?
Let’s do it, show me your face and let’s celebrate by creating lots of photographs!
Stephen
stephen cotterell photography
http://stephencotterell.com
@stephensmiles
Had a very creative and fun portrait shoot today – podcast recording on Saturday and another beautiful portrait shoot on Sunday – how can anyone ever be bored and not be totally inspired and amazed when people and photography are involved?
Stephen
p.s. am really looking forward to Monday and Tuesday’s photoshoots too!
Hear hear 
You can now save money for you, your family and friends simply by contacting me (see below).
Last night I was exploring the depths of the smugmug service that I happily use to host my online photographs of you and my other photography.
The news is that I have figured out how to create an electronic family and friends discount voucher which guarantees a 25% savings of the price of your online order.
To receive your discount code, simply send me a text, email or facebook message now and it will be in your hands.
If you want a reminder of the password for your private gallery I shall send that too.
Imagine how good you are going to feel when you see my photographs on your home and office walls.
Thank you
Stephen
stephen cotterell photography
http://stephencotterell.com
Who do you know would love, love, love me to photograph them in May or June this year? UK locations only.
Simply finish this sentence “I want to celebrate the love, light and laughter in my life with you because ……..” in a comment below to be eligible to book me and claim your valuable free secret bonus gift. It will be fun experience I promise.
Love the light and the pose in the large image! Gorgeous.
Thank you Katariina – maybe you might like to experience the Icelight too?
“The camera can photograph thought.” – Dirk Bogarde
“A photograph never grows old. You and I change, people change all through the months and years but a photograph always remains the same. How nice to look at a photograph of mother or father taken many years ago. You see them as you remember them. But as people live on, they change completely. That is why I think a photograph can be kind.” – Albert Einstein
“I would love, love, love to photograph you. In not you, who? If not now, when? ” – Stephen Cotterell
by stephen