Gemma Varney

I'm one of those imaginative creative types who likes to scrapbook, learn, draw and create images. Picking up a camera felt so natural to me, before my camera I used to spend hours drawing but now I can create images quickly and get just as much satisfaction in doing so. I am formally trained and hold a Triple Distinction in Photography from College and a Certificate of Higher Education in Commercial Photography from The Arts University at Bournemouth. I have always enjoyed photographing people and I've previously worked for a multinational child/baby portraits company where I was held in the top three photographers in the company. From there, at age 22, I went on to start up my own photography business, GemmieV Photography, where I concentrated on photographing babies and families throughout Devon on a part time basis. Then in March 2013 I was approached by a local businessman with a studio space, he was looking for someone to take on the studio full time. I took the studio on and built it up, learning along the way about all the key aspects of running a studio, organizing shoots, networking, etc then in December the Owner decided to sell up so I moved out of the studio and started again, thankfully I had built up quite a client base. I decided that rather than starting up a new local studio and competing as I had been with the saturated local market that I would become mobile and offer Photography Workshops throughout the Southwest of England to teach new photographers everything I had learned from College, University, Employment as a Baby/Child Photographer and through my experiences as a Self Employed Photographer and Studio Manager. I love inspiring people through photography, helping people understand how to use their cameras and lighting to create images they are proud of makes me happy. Although I do take on the odd family/baby portrait here and there my true passion is teaching. I believe that to be the best photographer and tutor I could possibly be I need to keep an open mind and regularly learn new techniques, I'm often found with my head in a book or watching online tutorials, I have a stash of photography magazines that I trawl through for tips and have many full journals with notes and drawings from helpful articles I've picked up along the way. I love working with other creatives and have recently traded trades with a makeup artist who teaches in Falmouth, I taught her how to light her makeup effectively and she taught me how to apply makeup properly, this was great for me as it means I can use what I learned on my workshops when creating new looks with Models and it also means if anyone wants to shoot boudoir or a beauty session with me I can offer to do their makeup too! It also means I get to scrapbook makeup styles and practice yet another creative hobby.