Photo credit: Tif Hunter / www.bermondseystudio.com
About
Hi, my name is Sarah Bourne and I am a documentary photographer, with a passion for taking pictures of people, especially families having fun together and special events in people’s lives.
A typical photo shoot with me involves going for a walk in the countryside, maybe taking a picnic or a flask of tea and enjoying the fresh air. Nature is my favourite backdrop for taking portraits – somehow the freedom to roam and play, means my clients can relax and have fun whilst I capture the moment with my camera.
Natural light plays an important part in my approach – I find working outdoors creates more options for beautiful and flattering portraits, while the changing seasons offer endless opportunities for timeless and poignant backdrops.
My Half Orange
Why ‘my half orange’?
When it came to choosing a name for my business, I was working as a second shooter at weddings. During that time I attended a wedding in Spain and the groom referred to his bride as ‘mi media naranja’, a well-known Spanish colloquialism which translated means ‘my half orange’. Since no two oranges are identical, each half-orange only has one possible match. In other words, if you find your half orange then you have found your perfect match!
Looking for a wedding photographer? Please browse the wedding section in my portfolio – if you like my reportage approach using the documentary style of sequencing images to tell a story, then I would love to hear from you.
My Story…
My experience is broad and has spanned many years. My freelance work began with photographing performance artists, cabaret acts, live bands and musicians before moving on to become a features photographer for The Argus newspaper in Brighton.
As a press photographer, I practiced my documentary style and learnt to work quickly by building a rapport with my clients and putting them at ease. During those early years, I had just a few minutes to get the shot that was needed for the story but now my photo shoots last up to 2 hours, giving me plenty of time to get to know people before I photograph them.
When my children were small and photojournalism wasn’t an option, I took my skills into palliative care, working in a hospice where I enabled patients to tell their life stories using photography and film.
More recently, I worked in collaboration with West Kent Communities, to facilitate a participatory photography project with residents at a mental health ‘move on’ scheme in Ramsgate. Whilst working with vulnerable adults, I was inspired to start training to be a teacher in further and higher education, where I am now a part-time lecturer in photography at West Kent College.
Exposed
Best Book:
‘Wild’ by Cheryl Strayed
Fave Drink:
Champagne
Inspiration:
Mid century modern design
Love:
Up-cycling, retro crockery and mosaics
Passions:
The great outdoors and my vintage camper van
