I've been a portrait photographer for over a decade. I'm pretty proud of the above photographs (and those on the rest of this page) and I dare say that most people reading this would love to have images like this in their portfolio.
Well, what if I told you that I took them all in a single afternoon. That I got to photograph seven professional models in full, production-quality period costume and makeup. That I had free run of a 19th Century Victorian castle, used as a filming location by the BBC and Hollywood studios. That I had access to professional lighting equipment, along with guidance on how to use it.
And that all the above came with a ticket price of just £165 (about $200 / AU$325).
@digitalcameraworld ♬ Pachelbel Canon in D major - EpicMenn
ABOVE: Watch our TikTok video overview of the event
Hiring just one top model can cost you that much, let alone seven of them. Then you've got to think about costume hire and the price of a professional makeup artist. And as far as the location, well – you can just imagine the hire cost of a Gothic castle that's frequently hired by the likes of the BBC.
Suffice to say, the price makes it impossible for most photographers to organize a photoshoot like this for themselves. So how come I was able to shoot all this, with a ticket that cost only 165 quid?
It's simple: I attended a professionally organized portraiture event, held by a group called Session Days. And if you've ever wanted to take impactful portraits like these, without breaking the bank, this is the single best way to improve your experience, sharpen your skills and get some great photos for your portfolio.
Professionally organized portrait events
A little backstory. I've been a professional portrait photographer for over a decade, but that came about after a nine-year career as a professional model. And that's how I first became aware of Session Days: I was hired to model at one of the company's earlier events.
There are a number of groups that organize similar photography event days, but my experience with Session Days was nothing short of world-class. So when I had the chance to attend another one, years later as a photographer, I knew that I would get an incredible opportunity to take absolutely one-of-a-kind pictures.
Each of these events is a uniquely themed day, held at prestige locations with a carefully chosen selection of subjects and appropriate dress.
To complement the venue I shot at on this occasion, Allerton Castle in Yorkshire, the lineup included celebrity model and reenactor Zack Pinsent, with a wardrobe of tailored period clothing. Other subjects represented some of the finest professional models both from the UK and United States, each playing a specific part (such as Louis XV and Marie Antoinette) or wearing historical dress.
Photographers bring their own camera equipment, along with anything else they might need. But Session Days works with professional lighting suppliers such as Rotolight, providing on-set lighting that anyone is free to use. As we were working in some characterful but dark corners of a castle, I made use of the Rotolight Neos and Rotolight Aeos to add supplemental illumination.
My group of three photographers was invited to shoot freely with each model, or to ask for as much assistance as they would like when it came to lighting, composition, posing or lens selection – and the help couldn't have come from more qualified people.
Session Days is run by a pair of creatives at the top of their field. Emma Finch is an award-winning photographer and professional trainer, who has given masterclasses for The Society of Photographers and spoken at The Photography & Video Show. Graham Currey is an accomplished photographer in his own right, and also a qualified photography judge – but he also brings unique insight as a professional model and stage actor.
If at any point anyone needed help on how to position a light, how to direct a subject or how to get the right exposure, Emma and Graham were available. If we wanted to know the best "money shot" for an area of the venue – or, just as importantly, the shots that everyone else had taken, so that we could avoid them – they were available. Or, if we wanted to be left alone, they were invisible.
Session Days are also play days
Attending this event was phenomenal for a laundry list of reasons. Of course, getting to shoot seven amazing subjects in such an astonishing venue was chief among them. There were models here that I'd wanted to work with for years, and some – such as Pinsent – who are on many photographers' bucket lists.
Some of the attendees were hobbyists, who simply wanted to add unique shots to their portfolios. Some were camera club and competition circuit veterans, looking for winning images – something that has become a happy byproduct of Session Days events, particularly with the technical insights from Finch and Currey.
Some, however, were very young in their photographic journeys – one person I spoke to was using a kit lens, and another was slightly shy about her "beginner" camera. To shoot in such a lavish location, with models who could pose without direction and lights already set up, enabled them to concentrate on their craft and composition, learning their camera and settings without having to worry about anything else.
For me, it was a genuine pleasure to have a play day. I took my usual portraiture kit – my Canon EOS R5 with RF 85mm f/1.2 to sate my bokeh fetish, and my Olympus PEN-F with M.Zuiko 75mm f/1.8 for mono and creative shooting – but I also took a bunch of toys that I seldom get to shoot with.
My full spectrum Olympus PEN E-PL7 (modified by the folks at Kolari Vision), my Moment CineBloom diffusion filters, my Lensbaby lenses… all the cool stuff that usually sits on my shelf was instead on an epic location, taking epic photographs.
I had such a blast flexing my creative muscles, with subjects and a location that I would never have access to unless I was doing a commercial gig (where I wouldn't be having nearly as much fun).
Wherever you are in your picture taking, whether you're a seasoned pro or it's your first time shooting a model, I can't recommend this kind of event highly enough. There is so much knowledge and experience available in one place, making it a great place to learn the ropes, sharpen your skills or just let your creativity loose.
There are other groups offering these kinds of tailored shooting events, but my experiences with Session Days were just out of this world. And unlike some others, it's very female-friendly with around 50% of photographers being women. Events take place regularly throughout the year, so head over to the Session Days website to see what's coming up.
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