Amy — Where It All Began – Hera Magazine International

HERA Magazine International | Photography & Glamour

Every photographer remembers their first photoshoot. Mine was with Amy, and as it turned out, it was her first photoshoot too.

Looking back, I suspect we were both rather nervous.

I’d prepared a shoot plan beforehand, outlining the ideas I wanted to explore, and Amy and I had discussed everything in advance. We were both happy with the arrangements, so at least we knew what we were hoping to achieve. Whether we’d actually manage it was another matter entirely!

Amy brought a chaperone along, which was another first for me. As it turned out, having an extra pair of hands was enormously useful. Instead of trying to balance reflectors on drawers and whatever furniture happened to be available, I suddenly had someone who could actually hold them in position.

It was a revelation!

Once we got started, however, any nerves soon disappeared.

Amy was an absolute pleasure to photograph. She was warm, friendly, funny and wonderfully enthusiastic. There was none of the awkwardness I had half expected from two people attempting their first photoshoot together. Instead, we quickly settled into a comfortable rhythm, experimenting with different looks, lighting arrangements and ideas.

And the time absolutely flew by.

Finding Our Feet

One of the things I remember most fondly about the shoot was Amy’s willingness to contribute ideas of her own.

I’d arrived with my carefully prepared plan, but Amy had some thoughts about what she’d like to try as well.

One of those was a series of photographs involving pillows.

I must admit, I wasn’t entirely convinced at first. It wasn’t something I’d originally envisaged, but Amy was quite excited by the idea and keen to give it a go.

So we did.

And looking back at the results, I think she was absolutely right.

It’s a lesson I’ve carried with me ever since. Photography works best when it’s a collaboration. A photographer might have a particular vision, but the person in front of the camera can bring something unexpected, something that takes the photographs in a direction you hadn’t considered.

Amy certainly did that.

A Natural in Front of the Camera

What made the shoot particularly enjoyable was how naturally Amy took to being photographed.

Considering it was her first time modelling, she seemed remarkably comfortable once we got going. She brought a lovely combination of confidence, enthusiasm and personality to the photographs.

We worked through a variety of outfits and ideas, each giving us an opportunity to try something different.

Some photographs were carefully planned. Others developed more spontaneously as we became increasingly comfortable working together.

By the time we finished, I knew we’d had a great shoot.

I was genuinely excited to get home, process the photographs and send them over to Amy.

And when she saw them, she was delighted.

For someone undertaking their very first photoshoot, I couldn’t have asked for a better outcome.

Looking Back

Revisiting these photographs for HERA Magazine International has been a rather wonderful experience.

I’ve been able to look at them with fresh eyes, remembering not only the photographs themselves but also the experience of creating them.

There are things I would approach differently today, of course. That’s inevitable. Photography is a constant process of learning, experimenting and improving.

But there’s also something rather special about those early photographs. They capture a moment when everything was new, when enthusiasm mattered more than experience, and when two beginners discovered that they could produce something they were both proud of.