Welcome!
Hello, welcome to Helen Spiegl Photography.
Your specialist photographer of pets, ponies and their people!
Working from our cosy country studio on the north west edge of the Peak District between New Mills and Marple (not far from Manchester and Stockport), we pride ourselves on providing a relaxed and stress-free portrait experience for you and your pets.
Our team consists of me - Helen, Marcus my husband who assists in some photo shoots, and also on our show stand, Myrtle our white & ginger Spanish rescue Podenco, whom you may also meet if you see us at shows, and also more recently Errol our new rescue cat who superseded Mousie (the little black cat pictured) whom we sadly lost not long ago.
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Most sessions take place in the studio, however we are also surrounded by fantastic locations so we can do either or both depending on time and weather. I am also happy to travel to you if there is a location that is special to you, or if it isn't practical to travel your horse to near the studio. (There may be a supplementary charge depending on distance).
WHY SHOULD YOU BRING YOUR PET TO US?
As a former Veterinary Nurse, and having grown up around animals and owned and ridden horses all my life, I am perfectly suited to photographing you, your children and all your animals. We are very proud of the glowing reviews we have received, some of which are quoted below. See our Google page to read more.
I hold the highest professional qualification of Fellowship with The British Institute of Professional Photographers, plus other qualifications with other professional photographic bodies.
I am very proud to have won many photography awards over the years including Overall Photographer of The Year, Equestrian Photographer of The Year, Portrait Photographer of The Year, Pet Photographer of The Year, Sport Photographer of The Year, and even Maternity Photographer of The Year (there was a dog in the image too!)
LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT GIFT?
Please don't hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or would like to order a luxury boxed gift certificate as a present for someone special.
FAQ's
HOW DOES IT WORK?
There are answers to most commonly asked questions below, but feel free to get in touch if you are considering a photo shoot and need some advice - WhatsApp is best 07815 492606, or by email via the contact form. We will have a chat to discuss your requirements and if we're a good fit, I can either book you in over the phone, or you can book online.
ON THE DAY OF YOUR PET'S PORTRAIT EXPERIENCE...
When you arrive you will be greeted at the gate and welcomed into the studio. There we will have a chat over a tea or coffee whilst your pet or pets get used to the surroundings.
If you have some ideas already as to the photographs you would like then we will discuss those too. I aim to take a variety of images using different backgrounds and props if you want them.
MY DOG IS QUITE EXCITABLE AND WON’T SIT STILL
This is usually the main worry that people have and the short answer is don't worry at all! Although it is always easier if dogs know how to sit, wait and lie down, even the best trained dogs sometimes don’t perform as their owners would like. This is a completely different environment to those they are used to and sometimes it might take a bit longer, but that doesn't matter! I have lots of patience and what is important is that we don't rush or get stressed. I want you and your dog to have a lovely experience.
I have plenty of little tricks to ensure we get the images we want, and if need be, we will use a lead which can be edited out afterwards. I guarantee that we will get some beautiful portraits of your dog!
“From booking to collection was impressed with the service. Directions were impeccable, we took the family and Helen was extremely amenable considering how many there are! She worked wonders with Jasper who is notoriously daft. We struggled to pick our photos as they were amazing and wasn't given a hard sell. Collection was speedy and Helen was flexible.
Highly recommend this experience, a true animal whisperer.” I Stapleton
MY DOG IS VERY NERVOUS AND I’M WORRIED HE MAY BE SCARED
Don’t worry! I am known for having loads of patience and
as a former veterinary nurse I am used to reading a dog’s body language.
I have also invested in some special studio lights that don’t flash or beep so ideal for very sensitive or nervous dogs.
If your dog really isn’t happy in the studio environment then we will go outside. We will take our time and make it a lovely experience for you and your dog.
DO WE HAVE THE OPTION OF AN OUTDOOR PHOTO SHOOT?
Yes of course.
We can do either a studio or location session - or sometimes a mix of the two. Just let me know what you’d like, although sometimes the weather may not be on our side for outdoors!
We can also discuss locations too. We have beautiful locations on our doorstep and depending on the time of year may incorporate bluebells, buttercups or autumn colours.
If you have a location that is dear to you, then we can discuss that too, although there may be an extra cost for travel.
CAN I BRING A CAT TO THE STUDIO?
Absolutely! If your cat is happy to travel then I’d love to photograph them! Even nervous cats relax as we take our time and don't rush them, If they are very confident or playful, it makes for some amazing action shots! Patience is the key and we take our time and I can guarantee we will get some beautiful images.
"My cat and I had a lovely photo session with Helen in her countryside studio. My cat enjoyed the experience. He got lots of treats and catnip and we got some fabulous pictures. Helen will make you and your pet feel really special. Her customer service is excellent and she really looks after you and your pet. She does you a lovely show of all your photographs and you can choose your favourites. There are lots of products to choose from if you like too. It's well worth choosing Helen if you want some fabulous pictures for your home!" L Hancock
WHAT HAPPENS AFTERWARDS ?
After the session we will arrange an appointment for you to return for your ordering and design session. This is normally 7-14 days after the shoot.. You will be shown examples of available products after your session and then sent a link to the Product Guide for you to peruse at your leisure. If there is a particular product that you are considering, we can plan the shoot around that.
I have the facility in my viewing software to include images of any wall space that you might be considering so that you can see your images to scale on your own walls. This is so useful as often clients can't decide where it would look best, so you will be able to see any image at different sizes to ensure you get exactly what is right for you, for the space, and your budget.
I LIVE A LONG DISTANCE FROM THE STUDIO - CAN I SEE THE IMAGES ONLINE?
Your ordering and design appointment is always held in person and your images viewed on a big screen for the best experience.
For those living a long way away we can block off a whole day for you so that you can have the complete experience including the design/ordering session on the same day.
Your session would be arranged for late morning to give you travelling time, then after the shoot you would go off for lunch for an hour or two (I can recommend some local dog-friendly pubs), whilst I sort through your images and make a few magical tweaks. Then you would return to the studio and over coffee view a cinematic slideshow of your images where we design your artwork together. We will show you how your artwork would look (to scale) on your own walls using our special viewing software. It makes for a very special day’s experience.
Sometimes clients decide to make a break of it and incorporate an overnight stay. Being right on the edge of The Peak District it's a wonderful way to really make the most of your photoshoot experience. I can suggest great dog-friendly places to stay nearby, lovely places to eat and fabulous places to walk in the beautiful countryside here.
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"My daughter Heni and I together with our anxious Romanian rescue dog, Ziggy met with Helen. Right from the start, we all felt extremely welcome, with coffee and the opportunity to see some of Helen’s work. Having driven 200 miles to get there, it was great to relax and chat to allow Ziggy to settle and for us to get our land legs back.The shoot was well planned and Helen completely understood how to take the shots and show Ziggy and Hen at their best. Even though the weather wasn’t amazing, the photos are beautifully executed and we have some very special photos.Helen carefully explained the options available and timeframes for paying. There was no pressure throughout the session and we would thoroughly recommend Helen to anyone who wants some magical shots of their pet." Mary Cloake
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?
My fee is £149. Included is up to 2 hours of my time on the photoshoot experience itself, plus the viewing/design and ordering appointment of approximately an hour, plus all initial post shoot digital processing.
Please note that a booking reservation fee of £75 may be required to secure your slot to avoid wasted appointments. This is credited back to you at your ordering appointment.
(Should you need to reschedule please get in touch with as much notice as possible - Appointments rescheduled less than 48 hours before the day of the session may lose part or all of the booking fee).
From time to time there may be special offers or promotions so follow us on social media so you don't miss out.
(For information on Equestrian Sessions please click here)
ARTWORK
We have different artwork products to suit most budgets - only the very best professional suppliers are used and all artwork is guaranteed to be of the highest quality.
For example:
Bespoke Premium Hand-made Frames from £345
Contemporary High Gloss Metal Wall Art from £395
Premium Canvas Art with or without frames from £295
Mounted Fine-art prints to frame yourself from £225
Free-standing presentation products from £450
All purchased artwork will also come with the matching digital file to display on your phone or social media.
(Special offers/packages may be available from time to time).
Monthly payment plans are available should you wish to spread the cost over 3, 6, 9, 12months. Cards and BACS payments are also accepted.
CAN I BUY DIGITALS?
Yes! High resolution printable digital packages with a licence to reproduce unlimited times (for personal use) and start from £795. However, I always think portraits should be seen every day on your walls or sideboard and so often digital images never get printed - I dread to think how many people have digital files on CDs or DVDs from their wedding or baby portraits that are now obsolete, corrupted or lost at the back of a cupboard!
I use only the best quality professional suppliers for your artwork for that complete 'wow' factor, but I also appreciate that you may wish to share your beautiful images with your family, especially if they live abroad. (Should you require a licence for business use, please ask about my brand packages).
Digital Mobile Albums for your phone home screen are available with purchased artwork only, and are £65 for a one-off registration. Any purchased images from either printed artwork or digital packages will be included free of charge. Further images may be purchased at a discounted price. (These are low resolution images sized for personal, social media and online use)
" We absolutely loved our session with Helen! She was so patient, especially with our young puppy, and really knew how to get the most out of the time we had together. The shoot session was fun and relaxed. Helen took on board what shots we wanted to get, as discussed during our pre-shoot conversation, and also showed us what she does best by capturing our two dogs from new angles which really brought out their cheeky and playful sides! A few weeks after our shoot we organised a photo viewing session with Helen and not only were all the photos fantastic she was also very patient whilst we deliberated on sizes and frames. Once we placed our order the turn around was quick and the quality is outstanding, and the photos arrived well before Christmas! Overall, we had a great experience with Helen and will definitely be using her again in the future - thank you Helen! " Ben S
