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In The Meads – Féroce Magazine Publication

Self Portrait
Self Portrait Closeup

This series “In The Meads” was published in Féroce Magazine in 2018. It was such fun project to shoot. I had this idea using wild spring flower to do a shoot for over a year. I would like to thank Feroce fashion magazine which based in UK, published my image series “In The Meads”. I am truly appreciated the opportunity and thanks to my team, my friend and my partner’s help and support. I couldn’t have done it without you.

Model: Rebecca Busuttil

This series was inspired by the nature which around us. It is for celebrating the nature we have and appreciate its rich colours. Apart from work I love being surrounded by nature. These wildflowers were found by our BBQ camp and our rides in the countryside lanes. Some of the flowers my darling brought me on special occasions such as valentine’s day, I don’t have the heart to throw them away so I dried them and kept them.

There was a long struggle before I sent out the images to the magazine editor.

Pressing and drying the flowers.
After a week pressing and drying, the colour still look vivid and very pretty.
Model: Rebecca Busuttil
Closeup

This series contains close up self-portraits. It was scary for me to present my own face in this close up detailed size. I feel I am not beautiful as the models on Instagram so I thought my self-portrait would ruin the whole series. But still, I encouraged myself to do it, I wanted to know if it is ok to create images I love even I am not perfect.
I actually embrace the imperfections of myself, instead of worry about it when when I was younger.

Self Portrait

I was very happy when I got the email from the editor said they would like to publish “In The Meads”, as it was such a challenge shoot but it was very rewarding that creating the images I love and being published.

Model:Valerie Caruana
Behind the scene: This is how I created the image above. I used 2 backdrop stands and the cross bar to hang 2 pieces of polystyrene, I poked the flowers’ branches into the polystyrene.

Photography & styling & retouching:@amanda.hsu.photographer
Models and makeup:Rebecca Busuttil, Valerie Caruana, Amanda Hsu

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Business headshot session with Raiza

Raiza is a lawyer and the co-funder of MyHurryApp. She is a lovely, warm and kind hearted person who I absolutely loved working with. She shares her photo shoot experience:

“What can I say? Working on the photoshoot with Amanda and her make-up artist was a really fun experience. I felt really at ease and comfortable during the shoot (this started from the minute I walked in through the door). I loved the makeup and hair styling they did for me – my features were enhanced but my look remained natural. Amanda helped me out during the shoot itself, by showing me work she had researched so that we can do our own shots, helping me push the boundaries just the right amount! It was a really enjoyable experience and I really felt good about myself. Thank you Cranberry. 🙂 “

Read more about Raiza:

  1. NAME : Raiza Borg Carr
    I am a lawyer by profession, and I will be opening my own law office in Luqa this month! I am also a co-founder of a local platform called MyHurryApp which facilitates the looking up and booking of service providers here in Malta, with my husband. My husband also operates software/website development and printing/merchandise ventures and I assist him with administrative and legal work too. Together with what he does, I use my legal expertise (such as my know-how on trademark legislation in Malta) to offer a one-stop shop to our clients so that he can assist them with developing their website and software, as well as the design, printing, and their merchandise. I am however the door they need to knock first as I am the one who can guide them on making sure the business name chosen is a legal and appropriate one which does not cause them trouble in the future.
  2. HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD YOUR OWN BUSINESS: I have only left my full-time job in early 2018 however I guess I was always meant to do my own thing – running my own businesses is great even though difficult at times. There are certain challenges you can only understand when you are actually doing your own thing. Howvever if you love what you do, you will be extremely happy to go through these challenges as you grow a lot.
    4: WHAT ARE YOIR GOALS & ASPIRATIONS FOR YOUR BUSINESS: I hope I continue meeting many people everyday, as that has helped me develop on a personal level. I also aspire for my businesses to grow further so that I can continue doing what I love and being able to help people. As Steve Jobs once said (and my husband constantly repeats), the only way to do great work, is to love what you do.
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Photo Shoot with Anabel

“It was a “me to me” birthday present.” She said.

Love the smile of Anabel and the blue velvet dress she brought to the shoot. In fact, she has great taste, every dress she brought was amazing to shoot. 🙂

She looks absolutely beautiful in the green dress I design. I love designing dress and accessories for my photo sessions, I can be so creative. 🙂

Anabel shares her photo session experience: This photo session was a ‘me to me’ birthday present 🙂 It was really easy to relax, ended up being a long session :)… and very convenient to have hair and make up taken care of in same place. I’m very happy with the outcome! The photo shoot was on my to do list and finally managed to do it – would do it again anytime! 🙂

Stunning look of Anabel, the red dress is also design by me, seeing images with my own design dresses makes my heart sing. 🙂

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Teen photo shoot with Teodora

A princess or a sporty girl? You don’t have to choose. Because you can do it all!

I first met Teodora was at the Training Room, she was lifting weight, her techniques were great, she looks good and powerful. I thought that was so cool. I had this idea of breaking the stereotype about what girls should do and what girls shouldn’t. When I was a Tchoukball player in school, I was always been thought of as a tomboy and it made me thought that how I should be. But it shouldn’t. Girls should never be put in boxes.

I love this photo shoot concept and the results just amazing!

Teodora wrote about her experience about her training and her photo shoot experience:

I got to know about training room through mums colleague from work at the time. Ever since I moved to Malta I started searching for a gym and training room seamed like a perfect place to train. The first session was difficult but I managed to get through it with a help of the coach who helped me scale the work out and made sure my technique was correct. I started training as I started having back pain but also, I have done sports ever since I was 6 so I wanted to stay fit even though I didn’t do sports any more. I have been going to Training room for a year and a half now and wish to continue for much longer. I keep coming to train because I love the feeling I get when I finish the session. I also love to be able to do different things like gymnastics, weightlifting and running. It makes me feel strong and powerful and it gives me confidence in my everyday life. I wound recommend other girls to start training and doing sports as it makes them evolve into a batter person, through socialising and it creates good habits for the future. 

The photoshoot was an amazing experience and I loved to have an opportunity to do it. I made me see myself in a different way and it showed me how we as girls can be both powerful and beautiful. Thorough the whole photoshoot I felt really beautiful and encouraged.

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Headshot Photo Shoot with Joannie

Joannie only came for her professional business headshots for her business website. Not only that we created gorgeous professional headshots for her but also some artistic portraits.

Joannie is a freelancer accountant who has worked for accounting firms in Dublin for 10 years. She came back to Malta in a recent years and decided to go freelancing, she is doing extremely well!

A friend saw Joannie’s photo and commented, “a beauty like that can move mountains.”

I was so happy that Joannie love the results and she also told me that the experience gave her more confidence.

When is last time you have your photos professionally taken? My contact information is below, let’s have a chat. 🙂

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A Vintage Photo Shoot with Therese

Therese wrote:
“It was a very positive experience and a one to remember. I felt quite confident before the photo shoot appointment. The whole team is professional and gentle with clients. When I saw my photographs at the viewing, I was overwhelmed. Exactly how I wanted them to look like – classy. “

I first photographed Therese in 2016, she told me before she had an unpleasant photo shoot with another photographer so she was very careful about choosing a photographer for her shoot. The shoot was in my previous little humble home studio, we had a great time and she absolutely loved the results. I was so happy to turn her photo shoot experience to a positive one. 🙂 For me, that’s an incredible achievement because it affects a person’s self-esteem. I would like to shout out to everyone who had an unpleasant photo shoot experience, come to my studio and let me photograph you properly. Not only I would love to create the images that you will love but also give you an empowering experience. I’ve seen many of my clients’ life change after the photo shoot and the transformation always make me so proud and happy.

When Therese contacted me this time, I’ve moved to my Cranberry Studio in Mosta. She absolutely knows what she wants and told me the styling and details she wants of a vintage shoot, I was excited and inspired for her shoot. We looked through some images together so I could start to plan the whole studio set up, posing and lighting. A good photo shoot always needs lots of preparation beforehand, it takes time and patient to create good artistic images.

I was blown away by the results, they are just SO beautiful!

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Photo Shoot with Miha

It’s such a joy to see a woman’s transformation in front of my camera. The experience of being photographed is a precious lifetime memory.

I met Miha in an event, she was visiting Malta for 2 weeks, it was a business and travel combined trip. As I talked to her with other women at the event, she got interested in my job and later when we were having lunch, I learned that she is working in a company in Florida which provide course to teach people how to use glider, later on, I learned that she has a license for glider as well! That’s super amazing! she told me her 39th birthday was coming soon and she would like to gift herself a photo shoot as a birthday present. I was thinking, oh wow, it’s an awesome idea to have a photo shoot on birthday to celebrate life! It was only 2 days away, so I did my best to arrange everything, luckily I was able to book her in and tell her what she should prepare and what to bring. She was in Malta for 2 weeks so she didn’t have many clothes with her, but it’s fine, I have a studio wardrobe with beautiful dresses so she doesn’t have to worry about her outfits. I just love styling people for photo shoots, I can be so creative to create different looks and I was very happy with the outfits I styled for her.

After she received her photographs, she sent an email and told me she intends to do a photo shoot each year on her birthday. I was so happy to hear it, I am so touched with happy tears in my eyes, return clients and their referrals are the best compliments for me. I’m already so looking forward to photographing Miha again!

Here, Miha shares her photo session experience.

“Amanda did my first professional photo session, I was curious to know the process. The entire experience was worthy, very relaxing, Amanda was great at giving me directions, easy to follow. I feel my images are Classy, natural, beautiful images. This photo shoot gave me more confidence, worth trying for everyone.

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A vintage shoot with a dancer and her photo shoot experience, Christine Aquilina

Follow up my last post which includes Christine’s breathtaking headshots, in addition to the clean headshots for casting, we’ve also created the vintage themed images to show that she is versatile to be styled to any dance role she might be cast.

Christine wrote about her experience to share with you all. 🙂

“I knew that if I wanted great headshots I had only one choice to contact Amanda. She is so professional and perfectionist in her work that it makes the whole process runs smoothly and I knew I would be satisfied with the results.

On the day of the shooting, I woke up very eagerly and excited to get my head shots taken. As soon I arrived in the studio I found Amanda with her team already there discussing on hair and make up that will suit me best and brings out the best in me. Everyone worked so well hand in hand, making me feel with a mind at ease that it will be a great shoot which it turned out that it was.

During the shooting, I felt quite relaxed. Amanda is very good in giving directions on how to pose and hold yourself in front of the camera to look at your best. Amanda is so talented and have good eye for details. She takes care for everything and always ready and prepared which makes the whole process of the shoot very professional.

Two weeks later, on my way to the studio for the viewing I was very nervous and hoping that I can find one good photo of me. As soon I arrived, I found Amanda at the studio and was surprised how she set up the studio especially just for my viewing. She planned a very emotional short clip with all the best photos, and I was just blown away with the result. All the worries I had before went quickly away. I was over the moon with the results and loved every single image taken. 

I truly recommend this experience to everyone and so thankful to Amanda for this experience. Looking forward for more shoots with her.”

Christine’s upcoming show Kinetic Rocks on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th July, the tickets are selling out fast on the TicketLine.com.mt