Hello. Nice to meet you. My name's Paul, and I'm a Birmingham Photographer. I like making people smile.

 

I like to think of myself as a photographer for people who hate having their photo taken. Someone you can introduce to your Aunt Betty or Uncle Jim and know they'll relax and have fun so you don't have to worry.

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I came up with the words 'laid-back photography' not because I don't put the effort in, but because photography should feel natural, and fun. For some people, the thought of a portrait doesn't just make them nervous, it can be frankly terrifying! My job is to make you smile, without noticing you're smiling. To guide you through how your photos can shine with a glint in your eye. To, quite simple, have a laugh - because life shouldn't be taken too seriously.

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I live with my husband in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, with my cat Billy. One of them likes to squeak for attention but I won't tell you which. I'm an enormous geek, with a very large Star Wars tattoo, and far too many stories about the cast and crew of Doctor Who that'll never be shared.

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When I'm not telling people to smile next to their childhood heroes, I'm a writer - you can find out more over at my other site www.misterphipps.com. My two novels, The Axe and Grindstone and The Breath of Ages, are happy stories about ghosts, death, growing up, monsters, beer and whisky (not necessarily in that order). I've also written a number of audio books for Big Finish Productions’ gothic horror series Dark Shadows based on the original soap opera – think 1960s Dracula meets Crossroads, with a dash of Acorn Antiques. Other audiobooks for Big Finish include Doctor Who: A Small Semblance of Home – admittedly slightly less horrific, but that depends on your opinion of cheap 1960s sci-fi.

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I was once paid to write nice things about The Real Housewives of Orange County. Possibly the most horrific thing I've ever written, but I don't like to talk about it. 

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So, long story short. If you want a friendly, Birmingham photographer who'll buy you cake and geek out with you, then get in touch.