photography Blog
free tips + training
Are you aspiring or professional photographer? My blogs are all about offering support and advice and I cover photography, editing, business and marketing. Thanks for stopping by!
subscribe to the
blog
to receive Quarterly updates including top tips and any new training and speaking events. You can, of course, unsubscribe at any time and your information will never be passed to anyone else.
Kick start January by asking yourself which of the 4 pillars of branding do you need to work on?
This year I had the pleasure of running a Masterclass at the SWPP convention focused on branding and what photographers should consider to make their brand stand out. I thought it might be useful for me to share some of the key messages from the presentation so you...
Creating a product page for your clients – Free DIVI template page
creating a product page for your clients WELCOMEWith Christmas fast approaching and us being in lockdown again at the moment I have created a new product page for my website. This page has a list of my favourite frame and wall products and serves as inspiration...
Partner brands
brand partners + discounts SEE MY PREFERRED PARTNERS & ACCESS DISCOUNTSI am very lucky to work with some outstanding partners and brands and they have been kind enough to offer exclusive discounts to my followers. You can find a complete list below and you can...
Marketing for photographers: Getting to know your target audience
target audience for photographers"YOUR VIBE ATTRACTS YOUR TRIBE"One of the questions I am asked regularly by professional photographers on my Business & Marketing Workshop is "how can they find customers who really value our photography?" Let's be honest, we all...
Creating a link-in-bio page for your social media
creating a link-in-bio pageHELPING SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS TO FIND WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR ON YOUR WEBSITEAs my Instagram and Twitter following continues to grow I chatted to my friend and fellow photographers Stephanie Belton and Andrea Whelan about how to make the...
Photography Tips: Using gradients in Photoshop to add light
ADDING LIGHT USING GRADIENTS + SUBJECT SELECTION IN PHOTOSHOP WELCOMEThank you for visiting my blog. My name is Nina and I am a Surrey-based photographer and photography trainer. Over lockdown I have been running a charity dog photography project and I have been...
Sharpen your images in Photoshop FREE ACTION
sharpen your images in photoshop free action WELCOMEThank you for visiting my blog. My name is Nina and I am a Surrey-based photographer and photography trainer. I am often asked in my Facebook community for tips on sharpening images so I thought I would share...
Friday night cinema treat in Lockdown
As we can no longer head out for our usual cinema nights, I have been looking for ways to create a cinema night at home for the kids. I spotted this on one of my favourite Instagram feeds We're the Millers 2 (go and check them out they are a brilliant family to...
Introduction to Frequency Separation includes FREE downloadable action
using frequency separation on family photo shooT editing + FREE downloadable action** PLEASE NOTE THIS BLOG IS BEST VIEWED ON AN IPAD OR PC/MAC SO YOU CAN SEE THE DETAIL WITHIN THE IMAGES ** Over the last 9 years, I have refined my editing (and shooting)...
Great FREE SEO tools for photographers
Knowledge is power they say, and this couldn’t be more relevant when it comes to improving your website visibility so new potential clients can find you. This blog post lists some of the great FREE SEO tools for photographers so you know where you rank,...
Location scouting for family photographers
LOCATION SCOUTING TIPS FOR FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHERS WELCOMEThank you for visiting my blog. My name is Nina and I am a Surrey-based photographer and photography trainer. I am often asked in my Facebook community how I find great locations for my outdoor shoots so I...
5 tips to help you create beautiful autumn family photography
As we head into Autumn I get especially excited about photographing families outdoors and I wanted to share some of my top shooting and session preparation tips along with images from a collective of fantastic UK photographers to inspire when you go out and shoot...
Using Gradient Maps to add colour
Welcome to my latest blog post. Last month I ran the first of my 2016 Outdoor Children's Photography Workshops in Milton Keynes and as part of the course we discussed using Gradient Maps when editing in Photoshop. A Gradient Map...
Coronavirus rage in the photography industry – have you been a victim?
Coronavirus rage in the photography industry – have you been a victim?I have worked as a photographer and trainer for 10 years and one of the reasons I love our industry so much is because of the friendships I have built and the support I have had along the way from...
Sony A6000 review – my travel camera of choice
sony a6000 review - MY travel camera of choiceWelcome to my latest blog! I am often asked which camera I use when travelling so I thought it would be a good time to review the Sony A6000 which I have used for the last two Summers. This year I also invested a Seafrog...
Cameras for teens and parents
With Christmas fast approaching I am often asked which cameras I would recommend buying for teenagers, mums and dads who have an interest in photography. I thought it would be useful for me to list all of my recommendations plus give you some...
Free photographers daily planner & tips for refreshing your social media
Sadly the Christmas holidays are at an end BUT the good news is January is a great time to start planning as you are refreshed and re-energised from hopefully a lovely break. I am currently working on my 2020 Business and Marketing plan and have the intention to be...
Photography editing tips: Colour replacement tool in Photoshop
Photography editing tips: The colour replacement tool in Photoshop I recently shared this before and after edit in my Facebook Training Group and one of the members asked how I changed the colour of the subjects dress to match the colours in the background. It was a...
Top Tips for photographing around the Christmas Tree
top tips for photographing around the christmas tree As we move into December, I am often asked for tips on how to photograph children putting up the decorations and around the tree on Christmas day. So here are my best tips on photographing around the Christmas tree,...
Which starter DSLR should I buy?
As you may know, once a month I run a 1 day photography course for beginners, and a number of attendees have asked for my recommendation on which starter DSLR they should look to purchase. For more details visit here...
What’s in my camera bag? Canon photographer Nina Mace
I work with families shooting lifestyle images in their home and then outdoors on location and my aim is to create a story of my clients day that reflects each member of the family in an authentic and real way. As I am photographing children, who most often don’t stay...
I’m shouting it from the rooftops…the universe has NOTHING to do with the success of my photography business
i'm shouting from the rooftops - the universe has nothing to do with the success of my photography business! It’s an ongoing joke with my friends and I that I am really not a fan on the current marketing messaging that the “universe has my back” and that the...
Editing tips for photographers : Exporting your photos for print or social media
This week, in my Facebook group for professional photographers, there has been lots of discussion around how best to export your photographs for print or social media. To make things clearer Andy Dane (my new website and technical partner) has created a...
Bluebell photography tips, hints and inspiration
BLUEBELL PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS, HINTS + INSPIRATIONWELCOMEApril and May are always incredibly busy months for child and family photographers because of the emergence of the bluebells. Last week I ran a bluebells workshop for professional photographers and we photographed a...
Editing tips for photographers, Green colour casts
One question that often comes up in my Professional Photographer's Training Group is whether or not the colours look OK on their outdoor photography. The question is usually asked as the photographer can see something in the skin-tone is not quite right. From...
Professional Photography Inspiration – family photography
Throughout the year I work with a very talented group of professional photographers on my 12 month mentoring programme and I wanted to share some of the amazing images they have been creating! Each month we will each publish one of our favourite recent images around a...
Spring Photography, hints, tips & inspiration
As we leave Winter and head into Spring, there is a collective sigh of relief from professional photographers all around the country. As the temperature begin to warm, we are able to utilise the abundance of floral and green backdrops and start embracing the...
Vietnam Backpacking – travelling in Vietnam with kids
Welcome! My name is Nina and I am a married photographer with 2 children (9 & 12) and a new found love of backpacking! My husband and I never travelled after university so it was something we planned to do when our kids were old enough to carry their own bags!....
Creating beautiful Marketing videos in partnership with Animoto
CLICK THE ADVERT BELOW TO JOIN THE SHARE SCHEME WITH NINA MACE PHOTOGRAPHY I have been using Animoto for the last month and have been so impressed with how easy it is to use, and how professional it looks, I have decided to partner with them and also be a...
The Business of Photography: Survey results
As a photography mentor and trainer, I am privileged to work with newborn, family and wedding photographers from all over the UK. Setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Timed) objectives for their business is one of the core tasks we...
Professional Photography Inspiration – Sunset
Throughout the year I work with a very talented group of professional photographers on my 12 month mentoring programme and I wanted to share some of the amazing images they have been creating! Each month we will each publish one of our favourite recent images around a...
Professional Photography Inspiration – Green
Throughout the year I work with a very talented group of professional photographers on my 12 month mentoring programme and I wanted to share some of the amazing images they have been creating! Each month we will each publish one of our favourite recent images around a...
Professional Photography Inspiration – Black and white
Throughout the year I work with a very talented group of professional photographers on my 12 month mentoring programme and I wanted to share some of the amazing images they have been creating! Each month we will each publish one of our favourite recent images around a...
Professional Photography Inspiration – Spring images
Throughout the year I work with a very talented group of professional photographers on my 12 month mentoring programme and I wanted to share some of the amazing images they have been creating! Each month we will each publish one of our favourite recent images around a...
Get the latest blog posts for professional photographers, straight to your inbox!
Back to school photo inspiration & competition winner revealed!
The idea for this back to school photo feature and competition came on the back of the Daily Mash's latest article " Get that uniform on and get against the door, school children told" article. It made the team and I at Digitalab laugh...
WIN with Digitalab – Back to School photography feature
Dance photographer Surrey
Dance Photographer Surrey As most of you know I love to photograph children and families but I have also always wanted to try dance photography. I loved to dance when I was younger and I was really pleased when Ruby and her family got in...
Ideas for presenting prints to your clients
As many of you know I work closely with Digitalab as my professional print lab of choice and a few months ago we started discussing how I would like to give clients the option to have their prints in a more premium print box. I am...
Our first family backpacking trip to Thailand
Thanks for stopping by my blog. My name is Nina and I am a photographer and Mum to Luke (10) and Sophie (8). I am married to Paul and around a year ago we decided that we wanted to go on our first family backpacking trip. Paul and I never backpacked after university...
Business tips for photographers: A new faster way to access your Google + business page
I am very pleased to hear that Google has announced they are simplifying the way you update your Google + Business page (as let's be honest it isn't currently that easy to navigate!). To try out the new way of adding photos and posts follow the steps below: Log...
Business tips for photographers: Fetch as Google Tool
It's well documented that good, interesting, shareable content is a great way to drive your overall SEO position in today's crowded professional photography market. One tool that can be underutilised is Google Webmasters 'Fetch as Google' which gives YOU the power to...
Children’s Photography Workshops by Nina Mace
It's been an incredibly busy Spring with my Children's Photography Workshops throughout the UK. I have had the pleasure of spending time with professional photographers in Leeds, Essex, Basingstoke, Nottingham and London and I wanted to take this opportunity to share...
Children’s image of the month: April
Welcome to our April, children's image of the month, blog circle! For those of you that don't know, I run a Facebook group which is all about outdoor children's photography and I have close to 900 members now who support one another and discuss all elements of...
Behind the scenes kids photographer
kids photography There's nothing I love more than a behind the scenes blog, so I thought I would share a little video from the location I photographed at with my daughter last night. On the way home from school we spotted this patch of dandelions and as the weather...
Photographing children : Tips for creating interesting light indoors
When I photograph families and children I often like to start in their homes for the first half of the shoot. I will take images of the children in their bedrooms with their favourite toys, as I like to think in years to come these photos will be invaluable. I...
A before and after edit example
A before and after edit; Girl with guitar Thanks for stopping by! I wanted to share a before and after of one of the images taken on my outdoor photography workshop in Basingstoke. The girl in the image is a keen musician and brought her guitar along to the...
Winners of the C41S & Nina Mace Photography Competition Announced
childrens photographer Thank you to everyone that entered the Spring Photography Competition in association with C41S Photo Imaging. We had lots of fantastic entries and below are the winners (chosen by the team at C41S) and our overall top 10. We loved the...
Win with C41S Photo Imaging & Nina Mace Photography
I am excited to announce that I am partnering with C41S Photo Imaging to launch a competition to celebrate the best Spring family & child photography from all over the UK. To be in a with a chance of winning some amazing prizes, and to be featured on the C41S and...
Lifestyle family photography Harpenden
Along with my colourful outdoor children's portraiture I also love Lifestyle family photography. A few weeks ago I met with this lovely family in Harpenden who I had met at a wedding I photographed at St Michaels Manor in St Albans last year. The aim of the shoot was...
Top tips for photographing live music & fashion
In the last couple of weeks a number of photographers have asked for my top tips on how to deliver great images when photographing live music or catwalk and fashion shows. Alongside my children's photography, I also love to photograph events so I thought I...
Best inexpensive lenses for beginner photographers
my top 3 lenses for beginner photographersNINA'STOP 3 beginner lens choices For beginner photographers when you are considering purchasing a new lens, the number of choices can feel quite daunting! To make things easier I have listed my top 3 inexpensive DSLR...
childrens photography courses behind the scenes
Childrens photography courses 2016 Last year I began running a number of UK childrens photography courses and thought I would share a before and after edit of one of the images I took on one of the dates at Tunbridge Wells. I find seeing other photographers before...
Take That at the 02 2015
Some of my favourite images from Take That at the 02. This had to have been one of the best produced shows I have ever seen with incredible dancing, lighting, staging and of course all the brilliant songs. The show is now available on DVD and they are next due to...
Childrens Photography Workshop for professionals – update
I am really looking forward to working with so many professional photographers in 2016 and so many different UK locations. The majority of my Spring/ Summer Childrens Phorography Workshops are now SOLD OUT, but there are one or two space left available in Milton...
Top Tips for streamlining your photography business
It’s the start of the New Year and the perfect time for us all to take stock and get organised for the year ahead. Along with eating well, exercising more and drinking less, the idea of getting your photography business ducks in a row as well can feel a little...
Hemel Hempstead Fireworks
Each year in the Old Town in Hemel Hempstead we have a spooky Halloween themed evening with monsters, ghouls and fireworks. This year it was superb and I took my camera along to capture some of the action. My 5 year old wanted to prove "she wasn't afraid of no ghost"...
Childrens Photography Workshop Glasgow, Photography course Glasgow
I was very pleased to have been asked to go up to Glasgow to host my first Scottish Colour & Light Outdoor Children's Photography Workshop a couple of months ago. The course took place at the David Livingstone Center a Scottish National Trust site. First I want to...
Family photo shoot in Hertfordshire
The colours outdoors this Autumn have been stunning and I wanted to share one of my favourite colour sessions from October. This photo shoot was given to the family as a gift to celebrate the arrival of their new daughter by Mums cousin. We met up at a local park...
Children’s Photography Course Milton Keynes
Children's Photography Course Milton Keynes 21st & 22nd March 2016 In 2016 I will continue to travel around the UK working with my Outdoor photography courses. Due to demand I will be visiting Milton Keynes and the confirmed venue for these training days is the...
Glasgow Street Photography
I have been all around the UK this year with my Children's Photography Training and my last course of the year was held in Glasgow. As a treat to myself I took an extra day to do some shopping and indulge in a little bit of street photography. The day of...
How to set your photography pricing
I have been thinking around the subject of photography pricing as it’s something that comes up regularly on my photography workshops and 1-2-1 mentoring sessions. I wanted to share some of the learnings from my business, but also from working with other baby,...
Family & Child Photographer : my Summer
Its been an incredibly busy Summer of family & child photo-shoots, so I thought I would share a few of my favourite images from those shoots I can share (some are still being kept as surprise presents for Grandparents)... An outdoor family photo shoot in...
Outdoor bump baby photography Hertfordshire
Outdoor bump baby photography I have been really looking forward to sharing these images from a recent outdoor maternity shoot Hemel Hempstead. These were taken back in August and were kept under wraps until a few days into October for dads 40th birthday gift. We...
Photographing children outdoors in Autumn: Top Tips
As I was heading out on the school run this morning , I noticed that the trees are already starting to turn from Summer green to that glorious Autumnal orange. The conkers are on the trees and the nights are starting to draw in (I must admit I even put the heating on...
Comparing the big 4 Canon outdoor lenses
So how did the big 4 outdoor lenses compare, and which lenses would I consider investing my hard earned money in?I am often asked by other professional photographers, which is my favourite lens for shooting on location and why. I recently had an opportunity to test...
Childrens Photography Workshop London Basingstoke Tunbridge Glasgow
Over the last few years I have mentored a number of professional family photographers who want to grow their photography to ensure they are delivering beautiful and impactful images to their clients. This had led to the growth of my Childrens Photography Workshop...
Children’s photographer, creating your what to wear guide
Children's photographer, creating your what to wear guide clothing for outdoor photo shoots Over the next 2 months I will be running a number of children's photography workshops all around finding great light and using environmental backdrops. Ahead of my...
Childrens photography Workshop Basingstoke
It’s been a very exciting few months in the run up to my first Children’s Photography Workshops for professional photographers. The idea began with a discussion from a number of photographers who follow my work. They had asked if I would consider travelling to spend...
Children’s photography: Month of May
Children’s photography: My favourite May images As winter turns to Spring the UK becomes awash with incredible colours which make stunning backdrops for children’s photography. I didn’t need to travel far to find incredible palettes of purples, pinks, yellows, and...
Children’s portraiture, behind the scenes
Colour in Children's portraiture; Behind the scenes It's been an exciting few weeks with the launch of my 'Colour & Light' Workshops and continuted growth of my mentoring business along with lots of family photo shoots in the bluebells and blossom. Last...
Building your Photography website
Building your Photography website I have been asked by a number of photographers how they can build and launch their own Photography website, so I have decided to list the most popular tools with information and pricing around each, first of all, you will need to...
Children’s photographer Nina Mace: Smile project
Children's photographer Nina Mace: Smile project Over the years and hundreds of families I have photographed, I have found the style of photography that I love the most. I want my clients to look at their images and smile so its very important to me that the children...
Family photo shoot Stowe Gardens
Family photo shoot Stowe Gardens I am always very excited when a fellow photographer asks me to take some family photos for them and I take it as a huge complment. My friend Neil from Neil Bowler Photography asked if I could take some photos of his 2 boys at Stowe...
Rough Copy & Day 26 @ Koko, London
Last month I photographed a number of my favourite groups and singers at Koko in London. The show was a mixture of artists from the UK and USA including Rough Copy (who first came to our attention on X Factor), J Holiday and Day 26. The set started with a DJ warming...
1st birthday family photo shoot Berkhamsted photography
1st birthday family photo shoot Berkhamsted photography I have been really looking to blogging this session. Mum booked a photo shoot with me to celebrate her daughters first birthday and to capture her in her surroundings at home and out at their favourite places to...
Guild of photographers discount code
Guild of photographers discount code I am an active member of the Guild of Photographers competing in their image of the month competition, going on their training courses and speaking to other professional photographers within their forums. I am often asked by other...
What’s in my kit bag? Canon Photographer
What’s in my kit bag? Canon Photographer A number of photographers, who follow my Facebook page, often ask me what cameras and lenses I own, so I thought I would write a blog post which covers all my equipment and shows how I use it. My Camera I have always owned...
Photo shoot winners from Team Macy event
Last year I donated an hours photo shoot for a Team Macy event in Hemel Hempstead. Helen and Paul started Team Macy to raise awareness of Congenital Heart Disease in memory of their baby girl. If you would like to read more, or donate to o this fantastic cause, you...
Latest PR Hemel Hempstead Photographer
I am always really pleased when local newspapers report on Photography news and I was really pleased to see that Berkhamsted Today, Hemel Today, Basingstoke Gazette, Bucks free press, St Albans Review and Tring Today all wrote an article on my recent Photographer of...
Branding for photographers
Branding for photographers - what does it really mean? I often see the topic of logo and branding for photographers being discussed on photography forums, and I will pop in and add my views as my background is working in Brand & Marketing Management. From...
Family photography Berkhamsted
Family photography Berkhamsted I have been looking forward to blogging this photo session as this is a great example of my indoor/outdoor shoots. The combination of photographing at home, and then heading outdoors for an hour, means that your family gets a huge...
Berkhamsted product photography
Berkhamsted product & pack photography: Oglee Poglee I always love working with other local businesses, and when I started chatting to Claire who runs Oglee Poglee from Berkhamsted, I knew straight away that I wanted to work with her. Oglee Poglee is a Berkhamsted...
Tadley Tea Party Musical Festival
As most of you know, I am a huge fan of live music and I also love working with people with an entrepreneurial spirit! That's why I am pleased to say that I will be supporting this brilliant event, the Tadley Tea Party Music Festival, which takes place in May, the...
Childrens photography; Shooting for competition success
Childrens photography; Shooting for competition success This year, I was incredibly pleased to have been awarded Children, Family & Lifestyle Photographer of the Year from the Guild of Professional Photographers. I have been actively entering the competition for 2...
Family photographer in Berkhamsted
Family photographer in Berkhamsted Last week I had the pleasure of photographing the P family in an outdoor woodland shoot. They were looking for relaxed, fun images of them and the kids and I suggested a local woodland where I know the light is lovely. The kids were...
Photographer in Berkhamsted
One of my favourite ways to work with families is to have an indoor/ outdoor photo session. I photographed this family in Berkhamsted, and suggested we start at home so I could get to know the boys a little better, before we headed outdoors. I started off in the boys...
Photographer of the Year 2014
Hemel Hempstead photographer crowned Photographer of the Year 2014 I am incredibly excited to announce that this weekend I was named as the Children’s, family & Lifestyle Photographer of the Year, by the Guild of Professional Photographers. The competition, which...
Family photo session in Surrey
Booking a Family photo session in Surrey Hello and welcome to my website! My name is Nina and I am a bump, baby, children & family photographer who works throughout Surrey I love photographing families and have photographed hundreds over the years. I'm a location...
My holiday photos & lens choices
My holiday photos & lens choices..... With my husband and I both running business, we find the best time of year to go away on holiday is over the Christmas period. For the last 2 years we have visited Sharm El Sheik to get some winter sun and to indulge our love...
1st Birthday photo session, Bourne End Bucks
1st Birthday photo session, Bourne End One of the best parts of my job as a family and children's photographer, is that I get to meet the same family over and over again. I first met this family, from Bourne End in Buckinghamshire, for a maternity session. I was so...
Matt Goss @ The Dorchester
For those that knew me growing up, I have always been a big fan of Matt Goss. Bros was the first band I really loved, and I have continued to follow Matt Goss' music career which has moved towards a different sound over the years. He has a residency at Caesars Palace...
Family photo session in the Hemel Hempstead woodland
Family photo session in the Hemel Hempstead woodland I have been waiting to share these images as I had a couple entered into a competition, but finally I can share them! Just before Christmas I photographed this lovely family in the woodland up in Boxmoor in Hemel...
Branding your photography business – what are your options?
Branding your photography business - What are your options? In recent months, I have started working with a number of aspiring professional photographers, or those at the start of their photography journey, and as an Ex Marketing and Brand Manager and I am often asked...
New 2015 Beginners Photography Course dates added!
After the huge success of last years Beginners Photography Course my 2015 dates are now on sale! For more details please visit here Dates include: Sunday 8th March Saturday 25th April Sunday 17th May To secure your place please email nina@ninamacephotography.com...
Winter portraits – children’s photography Hemel Hempstead
Winter portraits - children's photography Hemel Hempstead Throughout December, even though its very cold, I do still try to work as the light is very, very pretty as it is so low. At the end of last year I was really lucky to be able to photograph this gorgeous little...
Exciting news for Nina Mace Photography 🙂
Exciting news for Nina Mace Photography It's always lovely to hear that your images are being considered for an award and I was very pleased to arrive back from holiday to find this email from the Guild of Professional Photographers " The Guild of Photographers runs...
Beginners Photography Competition winner
Beginners Photography Competition winner announced! Firstly I wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone that entered my competition to win a place on my 2015 Beginners Photography Course for parents. I received over 300 entries from people throughout Hemel Hempstead,...
Win a place on my 2015 Beginners Photography Course
Win a place on my 2015 Beginners Photography Course Want to learn how to use your DSLR and get great photos of your kids? Then my 1 day Beginners Photography Course may be perfect for you. To celebrate having trained over 100 mums and dads this year, I am offering one...
Buying your first portrait lens
On my Beginners Photography Course we discuss which lenses you should consider investing in once you have outgrown your kit lens (usually an 18-55mm 3.5 - 5.6). Your kit lens is a what I would describe as an "everyday all round" lens, which will allow you to capture...
Nina Mace is Hemel Hempstead Photographer who specialises in bumps, babies, children & families. In 2013 she was awarded a place in the top 10 UK photographers by the Guild of Professional Photographers and has been featured in blogs and titles including Vogue Italia. Nina also runs Beginners Photography Training for mums and dads with DSLR’s. Nina works throughout Hemel Hempstead, St Albans, Berkhamsted, Tring, Harpenden in Hertfordshire.
Hemel Hempstead Photography