I’m Chris, your Photographer
The story so far
I teach political philosophy at the University of Kent and I love working with people to think critically about the important social issues they face. However, Universities aren’t what they used to be, and endless working hours have left me frustrated that I can’t spend as much time working with students as I would like.
A friend of mine felt similarly and started a portrait business in London; we had a chat over a pint and realised there was no reason I couldn’t do the same. I decided then to put my background as a lecturer to good use in a studio: now I can work with clients to reach their goals, dedicating time to work solely with them, and teach at the University when I want.
That’s how Chris Henry Photography was born!
This is also me!
To try and get out of the studio during the summer I punt boats at Westgate Punts on the stunning River Stour - please do say ‘hi!’ if you see me on the river!
Ask me about the ‘boatman tan’ on our feet…
Boatmen don’t like it when it rains. Please bring us coffee!
Do I do anything else?
Absolutely! I love dancing and I teach salsa at East Coast Entertains in Margate. I’ve also performed bachata across the UK with my dancer partner, Kat.
In my spare time (what spare time?!) I play the cello and bass guitar, the odd computer game (I’ve just started the Witcher III given the new season of the drama came out recently) and try to get to the gym.
All of this means that my friends often think I’m a bit of an odd one - academically-minded, but active and someone who loves creativity. To be honest, they’re probably right!
Getting over photography nerves
If there’s one thing I hear from friends about their experiences getting headshots, it’s that they are nervous not knowing how to pose in front of the camera.
When the model is uncomfortable in the studio then the fanciest set-up, the biggest camera and brightest lights won’t help get fantastic shots! This is where I realised that my teaching experience can be helpful in my photography.
I get it. You want stand-out images that match your creative vision, but you don’t want to stand awkwardly in front of the camera to get them!
We know that we look our best when we’re relaxed, happy and comfortable in our environment; so imagine going into a photoshoot knowing that you can just enjoy your time, confident that the results will be fantastic, regardless of your experience in front of a camera. That’s exactly the feeling I create in my studio for my clients.
“I had a photoshoot with Chris last week and I can’t recommend him highly enough. He was very professional and made me feel at ease right from the start. He knew how to get the best shots, also in the style that I liked and I am delighted with the results. He also taught me some really useful few tips about how to get the out of posing in photos that will stay with me!”
Who I work well with
Not all people work well together on all things. For example, please don’t book me for pet photography or for newborn photography - I am quite happy saying that I am not the person for you to get the results that you want!
However, photographic magic will happen if:
you want the have an enjoyable and comfortable shoot with a personable photographer that you will gel with,
you want to create photos that articulate an authentic, confident and capable version of yourself,
you want to stand out from the competition,
you want a photos in an up-to-date contemporary style,
you want to enjoy the success that your hard work brings by being more visible to the outside world.
I’ve been riding motorbikes for a while now; this is a happy me half way through testing out an Aprilia RS660!
Now it’s your turn!
If I seem like the kind of photographer you would like to work with, I would love to hear from you. Please drop me a message with the sort of photos you would like to get and we can discuss working together.