What is a Personal Portrait Session? What to Expect in London
Not sure what a portrait session actually involves? Here is an honest account of what happens from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave. Most people who book a portrait session have never done one before. That is not unusual at all. In fact, it is probably the most common thing people have in common when they arrive. They are a little unsure, a little self-conscious, and quietly wondering whether they have made the right decision. What follows is an honest account of what a personal portrait session at Moments with Nadine actually looks like, from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave. Where sessions take place Sessions take place at a studio space in Canning Town, East London, and a studio space in Clapham, South London. Both are well-connected by public transport. Once you have booked, you will receive the full address and everything you need to prepare. What happens when you arrive The session does not start the moment you walk through the door. There is always time to settle in, have a look around, and talk through any ideas or preferences before anything is photographed. This is often the part people underestimate. Getting comfortable in a space matters. It changes how you carry yourself once the camera comes out. How the session unfolds There is no list of poses to follow. There is no expectation that you will arrive knowing what to do. I will guide you through it, and the session builds gradually. We start simply, work through different looks and lighting setups at your pace, and adjust as we go. What tends to happen somewhere in the middle of a session is that something shifts. The initial awkwardness settles. People stop thinking about how they look and start just being present. That is when the real images start to happen. The sessions that produce the most interesting results are rarely the ones where someone arrived knowing exactly what they wanted. They are the ones where something unexpected emerged. How long does a session last? Sessions typically run for around one hour. There is no clock pressure. If something is working well and there is more to explore, we keep going. The aim is always to finish when the session feels complete, not when the timer runs out. What happens after the session? After your session, you will be invited to view your images privately. You choose the ones you want to keep. There is no pressure to commit to anything until you have seen the results. The session fee of £95 covers the shoot and includes one edited image. Additional images are available to add from there. Who is a portrait session for? Almost everyone. Personal milestones, professional headshots, a birthday, a life transition, a creative project, or simply the feeling that you have been meaning to do this for a while. The session is built around whatever brings you in, not a fixed template. If you have been thinking about it and not quite booking, this is a gentle nudge. Most people leave wishing they had done it sooner.