— Studio portraits · More informationHow a
Portrait Session
Works.
Everything you need to know before booking: what to wear, what to bring, how the day runs, and what happens to your images afterwards.
Portrait sessions at the Malmesbury studio cover everything from clean actor headshots to storytelling business portraits to something a little more atmospheric and personal.
The session is the same, no matter what brings you here.
This page explains how it all works in practice.
No time
limits.
The session runs for as long as it needs to. Most sessions find their natural end between one and two hours - but there is no pressure, no clock-watching, and no extra charge for going longer.
If you need more time to settle, you have it.
Unlimited
changes.
Switch outfits and backdrops as often as you like. Kevin photographs across a range of looks in one session - clean headshots, wider portraits, different colours and wardrobe combinations.
All within the same £250 session fee.
Honest
editing.
The editing is light, filmic, and honest. Faces are not reshaped. You will still look like you - just at your most settled, confident, and well-seen.
Colour and monochrome both included with every session.
— ON THE DAYHow the session flows.
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Arrival and settling in.
The studio is on the High Street in Malmesbury - straightforward to find, with parking a couple of minutes' walk away. Kevin will send directions when you book. We start slowly: a coffee if you'd like one, a look at any reference images you've brought, and time to get comfortable.
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Warm-up and first images.
Almost everyone is a bit tense at the start. That is normal and expected. Kevin keeps conversation going, directs clearly, and does not ask you to perform. The first images are always low-stakes and used to find the light and a natural rhythm.
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Building the set you need.
Once the warm-up images are in the bag, the session opens up. Wardrobe changes, different backdrops, a mix of tight headshots and wider portraits, different expressions and framings. Kevin guides throughout - but follows your brief rather than imposing one.
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Review and close.
At the end of the session, Kevin does a quick review of the selects on screen so you can see roughly what you have before you leave. Then he edits and delivers within two to three weeks via a private online gallery.
— Before you arriveWhat to wear & how
to prepare.
You don't need to overthink this. The most common thing people get wrong is bringing too little variety or trying to look too different from how they normally present. Here is the practical version.
Clothing
-
Bring 2-4 options. Enough to give variety without overpacking. A couple of neutral tops, one that's slightly smarter, one that's more casual.
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Solid colours work best. Bold logos, large graphics, and very busy patterns pull attention away from your face. Subtle patterns are usually fine.
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Necklines change everything. A V-neck, crew neck, and shirt collar read very differently on screen. Bring a mix if you can.
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Layers give you options. A jacket, a shirt, and something underneath lets Kevin quickly switch the look without a full wardrobe change.
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Think about your casting or context. Actors: what roles do you actually get seen for? Business professionals: what's the context for the images? That informs the formality.
Hair, Grooming & Makeup
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Don't book a haircut the day before. Give a new haircut a few days to settle. Fresh cuts often look too sharp on camera and don't represent how you normally look.
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Freshly shaved or intentionally unshaved. Either works. The thing to avoid is "just about due a shave" - that looks unintentional on screen.
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Keep makeup natural if you wear it. The session aims for honest portraits, not performance looks. If you don't normally wear makeup, don't start for the session.
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Normal skincare only. Don't try anything new the day before. Keep it the same as usual - any irritation or redness will show.
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Glasses - bring both options. If you wear glasses regularly, bring them. Kevin will shoot both with and without so you have the choice.
What To Bring & Day-Of Tips
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Props, if they mean something. Books, instruments, cameras, tools of your trade - anything that genuinely represents who you are or what you do. Props that are forced or decorative rarely work.
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Get decent sleep the night before. You can see it in the eyes. It is probably the single most useful thing you can do.
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Arrive in plenty of time. If you're running late, message Kevin rather than rushing. Arriving flustered is worse for the session than arriving a few minutes after the planned start.
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Any reference images you like. If there is a headshot or portrait style you have seen and liked, bring a screenshot. It helps Kevin understand what you are drawn to before you start.
DON’T WORY ABOUT: POSING, BEING PHOTOGENIC, LOOKING PERFECT, WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR HANDS, RUNNING OUT OF TIME, GETTING IT RIGHT FIRST TIMEAfter the session —
what happens next.
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Editing and selection.
Kevin edits every image himself - no outsourcing, no batch processing. He selects the strongest frames from the session for full editing.
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Gallery delivery (2-3 weeks).
You receive a private online gallery with 10-20 fully retouched images in both colour and monochrome - ready to download at full resolution.
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Print store built in.
The gallery includes a professional print store if you want physical prints, canvases, or other products. Ordering is handled through the gallery - nothing extra to arrange.
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Yours to use, freely.
All images come with an unlimited personal-use licence. Print them, use them online, send them to agents or employers - no restrictions.
Understanding your role helps with image selection
— Kind wordsWhat clients say about their sessions.
I've just seen the photos, and they are absolutely fantastic. The shots, the colour and the backdrop are just beautiful - both the colour and the black and white. They're precisely the cinematic look I was hoping for. Thank you so much. It was a lovely day, and I had a great time and a good laugh with you.
Thank you so much for the session, Kevin. I had great fun, and the results are absolutely outstanding. My agent loves them too.
Kevin, the photos are perfect. I've uploaded them to Spotlight, and hopefully that will help me in my career. My agent said she really loved the monochrome images, too. Thank you so much.
— And one more thingPets in
the studio.
Yes, really. Kevin occasionally photographs pets — usually dogs — either as standalone portraits or as part of a session with their owners.
The studio is a reasonably pet-friendly space (it has a wooden floor and not much that can be knocked over), and the results tend to be rather good.
If you'd like to bring your dog along, whether for their own portrait session or just to be included in yours, mention it when you book.
Kevin will confirm whether the timing and logistics work, and whether any particular setup is needed.
Cats are theoretically possible. In practice, cats tend to have their own views on studio sessions. But if you'd like to try, Kevin is game.
— Recent workA selection from the studio.
Actors, business professionals, creatives, musicians, a firefighter, and everyone in between.
The variety comes from the brief each person brings to the studio, and the approach stays the same.
Book your
portrait session — £250.
One session, one price, no time limit. Choose your date via the scheduling page and Kevin will be in touch within 24 hours to confirm details and talk through exactly what you need from the session.
A recent actor portfolio session in my Malmesbury studio, featuring natural, professional portraits designed for portfolios, casting use and personal promotion.