Fashionista loves...boudoir photography!

I first came across mainstream boudoir photography a few years ago as an idea for a wedding gift. Although I didn't do it at the time it had a certain appeal to me. Being pampered and then photographed looking your best in a sexy shot for your partner. Found this boudoir photography website and am intrigued by the idea of a couples boudoir shoot...don't think my husband is as keen to get in front of the camera though!

So many choices...

When it comes to printing your photos these days, there are so many options available.

You can choose from standard photo printing and enlargement prints, glossy photo books, mugs, T-shirts, mousemats, etc. The options really are endless and there are so many great suppliers out there now offering low prices and great quality.

You can even turn your snapshots into works of art for your home with the increasingly popular posters and canvas prints. Particularly popular for family portraits and wedding photos, canvas prints look fantastic in any room and give your photo an extra dimension. Consider wrapping your photo around the edges of the canvas frame for an even more artistic look.

How do you print yours? Feel free to send us some examples and we will publish your work right here!

Why watermark your photos?

With more and more people having access to digital photo editing software and online image processing stores, the issues of copyright and intellectual property are becoming increasinly important to professional photographers.

One technique that photographers use to protect their copyright is to only provide small file size / low resolution images for customers to preview. While this technique prevents the customer from printing high quality images themselves, it also reduces the quality and therefore the appeal and desire to purchase the photographs.

Another, more popular, technique is to use watermark software. Adding a picture watermark ensures that you are marking your copyright on each image and means that you don't have to compromise quality of image when giving customers a preview disc / web slideshow.

There are several free photo watermark software sites available for you to use. Well worth stamping your mark on your work to protect your copyright.

Is it a toy or a watch?!

While looking for a birthday present for my husband the other day I came across the Van Mildert website. In addition to well-known brands like Firetrap and G Star, they stock a brand called Toy Watch which, I confess, I was not that familiar with but am now loving!

The watches are certainly not toys and definitely not for kids as the name might imply. The range includes funky coloured watches that have a good sense of fun about them as well as cool gun-metal coloured watches and even those with a bit of bling too.

With prices starting from £125 they are pretty good value as well and would make a nice addition to the hubby's fast-growing watch collection. I'm liking the gun-metal grey metallic watch pictured, I think he'll love it!

5D Mark iii

Very excited about the new Canon 5D Mark iii. It looks absolutely fantastic and, knowing Canon, it almost certainly is even better than it looks. I've heard people refer to the 5D Mark iii as the most eagerly anticipated camera ever and I can understand why.

After the incredible success of the 5D Mark ii it's hard to imagine something beating the image quality and performance of the bestselling professional camera.

This latest camera from Canon features an exceptional full-frame 22.3 Megapixel CMOS sensor (the highest resolution in the Canon line) and a 61-point auto-focus system. It can shoot up to six frames per second and includes all the video features of the brand's flagship camera, the 1D X.

I cannot wait to get my hands on a Canaon 5D Mark iii and try out all the new features, the advanced autofocus, the new shooting modes and the HD video function. Until then I will be happily honing my skills with my EOS 550D. Gotta love Canon!

Designer wish list

I've been browsing the web over the past week or so compiling a list of designer must-haves. Along with the vintage Chanel quilted bag that I've been hankering after since I was a teenager, I would like to add the following:

• A pair of sparkly Jimmy Choo summer shoes; wedges / slingbacks / sandals...who cares, they're all fab!
• A Vivienne Westwood handbag, I've got my eye on the Chancery Croc bag (pictured) in black by the Queen of British Fashion!
• A head-turning D & G dress, after all who doesn't love Dolce?

What's on your designer wish list?

Underwater magic...

I was watching a very old episode of ANTM yesterday and was reminded of the water shoot the girls did in Hawaii with Russell James.

I've always been fascinated by underwater photo shoots, there's a whole extra dimension to the photo that allows for a very simple scence to look incredibly impressive.

Now that I've got my superb Canon EOS camera, maybe I'll look into getting a decent underwater camera so I can have a play with some underwater shots. I doubt I'll get anything quite as stunning as his shots but at least I can give it a whirl and I'm sure I'd have some fun trying!

Also, just read a funny story about a girl who dropped her underwater camera in a lake in Australia, it was fished out a week later in perfect working condition! I will definitely register a rugged camera so if it does get lost, the manufacturer can get it back to you.

Stone Island - luxury men's fashion

I've often heard it said that there is a lack of reasonably priced men's designer fashion available in the UK but with so many up and coming labels, this seems to be changing at a rapid pace.

Stone Island is one example of a menswear label that offers exceptional quality and modern styling at a reasonable price. For example, Stone Island denim starts from around £130 for a pair of jeans, which is not significantly more than the average high street price.

The Stone Island design team is led by artistic director Carlo Rivetti and his multicultural team of senior designers such as Aitor Thorup and Trevor Jackson. Together they produce collections of Stone Island jackets, shirts, accessories and Stone Island jeans that are proving extremely popular across Europe.

You can now find Stone Island products online at Cruise Fashion with sizes available from S to XXXL to fit men of all shapes. Well worth checking out.

Italians do it better...

I love fashion from all over the world: quirky British designs, sophisticated French chic, edgy New York couture. But there's something to be said for Italian style. Always well put together with the feel of effortless cool, Italian clothes and fashion have long set the benchmark for the rest of the world.

There are not many countries that have several cities that are considered to be as fashionable as Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan with its influential annual fashion week. Italian Vogue is the ultimate aim for all models, photographers, fashion writers and designers.

Such well known and highly desirable brands as Prada, Gucci, Versace, Pucci and Armani are all from Italy. However, the exclusive pricing can mean that these brands can be slightly out of reach for many of us. For all true fashionistas, a forgery is never an option, therefore we need to look out for places to buy authentic designer clothing and accessories at reasonable prices.

Looking online is usually a good bet, you can compare prices between online stores quickly and easily to find the best deal. Plus, online stores are often able to offer products cheaper due to their lower overheads. One of the designer clothing websites I've recently bought from is StylishItalian.com, they offer up to 70% off designer denim and up to 60% off watches and, as the name would suggest, offer loads of Italian brands including Armani and Pucci.

Tucci Tucci Too!

I love the internet! It's amazing the gems that you can find when browsing online. I've just discovered the Tucci fashion blog and come across some sparkling bargains! They have an extra 20% off sale prices on brands like Firetrap, French Connection, Replay (I love their jeans!) and Diesel.

Also found the latest collection of Muuabaa leather jackets on there and have fallen hard for the Cheryl Black Leather Jacket (pictured). It has just the right amount of biker chic and looks like it would be fitted enough to be ultra sexy too.

Tucci fashion are an online retailer of mens and womens designer clothing and offer a fantastic range of brands. From the more familiar names of Ted Baker, Lacoste and UGG to the more niche like Muubaa and Ichi, this store offers great value for money and a huge choice to boot!

My new fave fashion site

Just stumbled upon one of those rare fashion sites where I wanted to read every single article. From the story about how Chinese style is influencing fashion to the article about how a fashion consultant to change your look, I was hooked. The additional articles about how real fashionistas wear vintage shoes, fashion in the ancient times and the future of New York Fashion Week had me line and sinker too!

Plus, there's a whole section on fashion magazines, everything you needed to know about the leading fashion publications such as Vogue, Galmour, Vanity Fair and Harper's Bazaar. Info includes who each magazine is published by, the date it was launched, frequently covered topics and a gallery of some of the most notable covers. Definitely worth checking out!

Loving my professional photography course!

Over the past few weeks I've purchased my new SLR camera and enrolled in professional photography evening classes at college! I've always had a love of great photography and now feel ready to take the next step and turn my passion for beautiful images into something slightly more profitable.

Sharing my photography for the rest of the class to critique was a little daunting but very reassuring to hear their positive feedback. Plus, my tutor thinks that I could look into becoming a fashion photographer...my dream job! Looking at entering a competition to photograph at London Fashion Week, just need to put together a selection of images in the next week or so for my competition entry...best get to work!

The whole thing feels very new and exciting so this blog is soon to be filled with fantastic imagery and stories of my new photography adventures! In the meantime, here's a snapshot I took at the weekend.