You might be wondering a little about me if you are going to hire me for your big day or special shoot. I am a well established creative photographer based in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. The name ArtbyClaire stems from my arts background and I consider photography to be an extension of art in an alternate form. My beautiful family (including my menagerie of pets and our latest new kitten Otto von Snowball White ) makes me appreciate the chaos and colour of life on a daily basis, or should I say mostly chaos, but all those moments are precious. and photography is a way to freeze time. Nothing is more appealing to me than this concept.
I was drawn to photography in my 20’s onwards when I discovered a dark room in my rented accommodation. I’ve never forgotten the magic of developing my own film. Taking someone’s photo is always about the photo after the last click – right at the end as your face changes or relaxes or reveals something – that’s the photo I am after.
As a child, I lived in India & attended the International School of Hyderabad in Andhra Pradesh which still exists to this day albeit back in my day we were only 35 kids in the entire school with lessons in the paddy fields, Golconda Fort and inside the bayabab tree. It was a different life and made lasting impression. I always knew I wanted a visual career. With a BA (Hons) English, French & Italian at the University of Leicester and language schools in Florence and Toulouse, I then went on to study Photography and Art at St Martin’s College of Art, London where I felt very at home with such creative people; it was so exciting being in SoHo and feeling so buzzy and at the centre of life.
In London I worked as a Photo Editor for national newspapers and magazines including Conde Nast Traveller, Time, People (US Edition) The Daily Mail, The Telegraph, The FT & more, commissioning photographic shoots and editing the most amazing pictures from all over the world. Behind the scenes, my passion for photography grew until I set up as a photographer in 2000.
My second greatest passion is interiors, architecture and design and I love an ikea p’interest hack.
I am lucky enough to have been a photographer for 20 years now and every single time I learn something new and experience the rewards of the magic of photography.
I look forward to meeting you and chatting over a coffee to find out more about your photographic requirements.
mobile: 07951943101
email: claire@artbyclaire.com
http://www.artbyclairephotography.com
FB & Instagram @artbyclairephotography
