winning qualities After both achieved Associateship in the summer, staff photographers Lindsey
Brooker and Gary Patterson from Ray Lowe Studios of Cheshunt took four of the 18 major category titles at the Master Photography Awards 2011.
Q
ualifications and extreme customer service are probably the two biggest reasons for business success at Ray Lowe Studios – and maybe a desire to be the best had something to do with it. “Whenever I take on new staff I always make them one promise that I will encour- age, mentor and drive them to achieve their Associateship in Portraiture, as long as they are with me for longer than two years. If they wish to go further I’m there for them”, Ray told us after the 2011 awards in which two of his staff did particularly well.
“There is a certain Ray Lowe style which has evolved over the 37 years I have been in busi- ness, but what I do not want is to create a Ray Lowe clone, I always encourage them to be there own person but under the Ray Lowe umbrella.”
The amazing success of Gary
Paterson and Lindsey Brooker in the last two years’ MPA awards is testament to Ray’s promise and continuous mentoring. They both achieved their Associate- ships this year with two differ- ent types and styles of Portrai- ture. They are each different in their approach to their art, but both are what Ray looks for in a portrait photographer and that’s passionate. Gary’s winning dog portrait was absolutely stunning and so different in how we normally see pet portraits. Such lighting is not easy to achieve on an adult, let alone a dog that does not understand what’s going on and doesn’t want to keep still. “The customer said that although it’s such a small dog in size it was big on guts and per- sonality and wanted a picture to show that fact”, said Ray. “Gary deserves this award as the dog portraits he produces through-
MASTER PHOTOGRAPHY 22
out the year are amazing, there is something about the connec- tion he has with them, a type of Dr Dolittle effect, and the owners love that.“ Lindsey’s trio of awards epitomises the company’s belief that with every customer you go the extra mile and give them a wonderful variety of images. “We always try and give the customer so much more than they expect, when they walk in the studio.
“Her award for best Child portrait was the very last image taken on the session and it
came about as the boy’s sister threw her velvet scarf at him, which he promptly put on, everyone laughed at him so he sulked and Lindsey captured the little boy lost look.
“It would not be out of place on an NSPPC poster, you would definitely hand over a pound just to see him smile. At the viewing mum and dad loved the shot so much so they purchased it alongside others.
“The award for the best family portrait was shot around the time of the London riots and this was how the family
of kids came dressed, Lindsey immediately saw the potential for something completely dif- ferent and this was the result. Little angels grew from little gangsters during the rest of the session – the girls were colourful, it was a great session which the kids really enjoyed, especially when asked to pose as little hooligans (which they aren’t) and the parents abso- lutely adored the images.” The award for best Fashion and Beauty photograph was a portrait of a young woman who needed some shots for her up- dated modelling portfolio. This is just one from a series Lindsey took for her.
As you look at all these im- ages from two completely dif- ferent photographers they have that certain strong contempo- rary stylised approach which is the studio’s successful signature, a style they are taught and mentored on throughout the year at a very busy high street studio, whose motto is ‘the customer always comes first’. Thanks to Ray Lowe HonFBIPP
HonFMPA FRPS QEP Master Cr PPA for the inside story.
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