croydon gets a taste of luxury...

...with our new boutique photography studio situated in a private - soon to be gated - road close to Lloyd Park, Croydon.

A year ago today, we collected the keys to what could only be described as a 'lockup storage unit', which in a previous life had been old stable buildings. Two huge white wooden doors, not too dissimilar to old style garage doors, kept the physical outside elements at bay. The space comprised an uneven plywood floor with an unitentional hole down to the concrete below, kitchenette with oldstyle over-sink electric water heater, office space with cut out through the plasterboard for a window, a tongue and groove ceiling with fluorescent tube lights and a toilet that neither you nor I would use. Are you getting the picture?

Sounds horrid right? Well, we're creative and we could see the potential, even if others couldn't. We had a vision and over the last 12 months, Michael has worked tirelessly to make that vision a reality.

As I type this blog entry, I'm sat at my glass desk with my shoes off and feet outstretched on the Brazilian Cherry wood flooring with the underfloor heating gently radiating beneath.

imageXperience™ studio space. Captured using iPhone 4 by Michael Ebanks.The ecofriendly low voltage lighting and atmospheric flood lighting is switched off, as the spring afternoons draw near.

Just some of the elements I loved about this space when I first saw it were the brick walls and light industrial feel. I so wanted to keep all the brick walls, however, their condition didn't allow.

imageXperience™ sumptuous acrylic image presentations atop our ostrich covered walled ledge against our exposed brick wall. Captured using iPhone 4 by Michael Ebanks.

Today, when you enter our boutique studio, you'll instantly notice the exposed brick wall on your left above a white ledge wall and on closer inspection, your hand will naturally reach out to feel the textured covering to the white wall; ostrich skin! Yes, it's a faux ostrich skin covering our wall that leads into the white steel upright, then on to more exposed brickwork.

If the automatic light is on in the washroom, your eye is naturally drawn to it and curiosity kicks in - what's behind the oak/glass double doors? Due to the size of the studio, Michael and I spent days, if not weeks, deliberating over how to layout the studio to ensure I have space for a beautiful washroom and changing area. We knew we had solved the problem when I suggested having a hexagon shaped room with double doors. The washroom is so beautiful, we didn't want to hide it; a back to wall wc with touchless flush, slimline designer wash hand basin with touchless tap and again the white ostrich covered walls, this time leading down to a black porcelain heated floor. Overlength curtains provide you with the privacy you require, which are held in place when open with beautiful rhinestone tiebacks.

imageXperience™ luxury washroom with ostrich covered walls, touchless tap, soap dispenser and wc flush, with porcelain heated floor below. Captured using iPhone 4 by Michael Ebanks.

I love my new studio, solely renovated with Michael's skillful hand. Whilst there are some finishing touches to be added, like installing an under-counter sink for our kitchenette, we are up and running having completed a number of portrait sessions, including beautiful 8 week old Charlize today; plus leading up to today, we've completed headshot portfolios, a birthday party and last week an intimately You™ boudoir session in our new boutique studio. Our diary is now booking up for the next couple of months, for which we are thankful and are working very hard to keep on top of all our bookings, kicking off next week with a singer portfolio session. 

A huge space it is not, however, a comfortable city lofty feel it does exude. 

This year, imageXperience will be introducing the areas we are focusing on via our forthcoming online magazine, including babies, headshots, professional portfolios, high schoolers and intimately You™ - powerfully understated boudoir.

Welcome to imageXperience, be connected...

Dnx

impromptu three minute session - meet kyle...

Whilst at the studio today waiting for the delivery of my latest boudoir furniture centre piece (picked up free from Gary and Julie - thanks guys, better than taking it to the dump), I got on with proofing a superb session from yesterday.

My brother arrived with his son and his son's friend, so I asked them if they wanted to have their picture taken whilst the they waited.  Kyle was keen and excited at the prospect.  So I got the camera, and captured a few shots - well ten to be precise - and he was suitably impressed, as was I.

Here he is, my nephew and God son, Kyle - a sweet mixture of his mum and dad...

welcome cherish baby erik...

Today we welcomed baby Erik back to the studio for some solo shots.  We had fun trying out various alternatives and testing some of our new set ups - thank you for your patience!  Mummy rewarded Erik with his favourite food - milk, Erik is already very long and having met mum and dad, if he takes their height, he's set to be very tall indeed (lucky lad).

Kicki, thank you again for choosing us and venturing over from Greenwich, I enjoyed photographing Erik today and chatting with you.

Enjoy!

Dnx

newborn baby (just - 5 weeks) erik for his cherish 1 session at the imageXperience studio in south croydon, surrey - photography by denise ebanks of imageXperience