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Monday 9am - 6pm Tuesday 9am - 6pm Wednesday 9am - 6pm Thursday 9am - 6pm Friday 9am - 6pm

Sarah Aires Photography, Sidmouth (2026)

04/12/2025

You belong. You matter.

I read my friend, Natalia Shvarts raw and gripping story almost in one sitting this weekend - the fastest read of my year and the most important reminder.

"I Don't Matter – In Search of Home."
The title hit me hard even before I opened it and once I started, I couldn't put it down. Probably because I've been discovering the work I do is built on the opposite belief:
Everyone matters. Everyone belongs. Everyone is worthy of being seen.

I've got to know Natalia over the last couple of years through the franchise world. I've photographed her at events and twice in remote portrait sessions.

Reading this book, I've learned so much more about her journey.
Natalia gives words to feelings that are recognisable to many but rarely talked about. The in-built need to impress, the illness, the missing self-esteem, the relentless drive for self-improvement - all rooted in shame and covered by silence.

She learned to survive by staying silent, kept trying even when she didn't feel she fit in. She rebuilt when everything seemed totally broken. Twenty years ago, she didn't think she'd live long enough to tell her story. Last week, she released it to the world.

My heart gave a proper little leap when I saw she'd used one of our remote portraits on the back cover and fly leaf. To be a tiny part of this telling of her astounding story - of her struggles, her courage, and now the hope she's giving others, it feels deeply meaningful. I helped put her face to this incredibly powerful story. What a privilege.

If you've ever felt small, unseen, too broken, or not enough - this book will help you believe that healing is possible and your life matters more than you know.

(Be warned - it's raw and honest in ways that might shake you)

So thrilled there's a happy ending.
Super proud of you, Natalia! 💪

27/09/2025

Motorways done for the weekend ✔️

I’m absolutely thrilled to have been a finalist for Supplier of the Year at the Disruptive Franchise Awards! 🚀

Being called “disruptive” is a real compliment - not just about being a trouble maker!!! - it means being recognised for doing things differently, with innovation at the heart. For me, that’s about blending smart technology with genuine human care: treating people with respect, helping them feel comfortable, and honouring the trust they give me when I take their photographs.

I’d love to serve even more wonderful franchises, helping them show their people at their very best — with the least amount of hassle.

I’m so grateful to be part of this brilliant industry and to have connected with so many inspiring people who are shaking things up in their own ways. What a fantastic day of learning, celebrating, and making new friends. 💫

22/09/2025

✨ What does your photo really say about you? ✨

Nicola summed it up so well after her session:

“My last photo was rigid… black suit, forced smile, cement pose.
But that’s not me!
I’m a Pocket Rocket - big energy, big smile, get things done.
Sarah captured that, and my personality finally came through!
And the best bit? I didn’t even leave the house — just a hairband and a can of tomatoes!” 🍅📸

Tomorrow I get to join Nicola and the Circle Case Management team in person for their training day 🎉

After 5 years of photographing them remotely, I can’t wait to capture all that personality, energy, and connection face-to-face.

Here’s to headshots that feel like YOU 💫

15/09/2025

There was no cheese.🧀

Friday night was meant to be cheese and wine networking.
I’d had one of those weeks where cheese felt entirely necessary.
But no. No cheese. Just wine.

So instead of doing the usual networking thing I found someone I knew and we tucked ourselves away in a corner.
We didn’t talk much about business at all.
We caught up. Real life. Family.
It was exactly what we both needed.

Later someone asked what I do.
I explained it, smiled and got… well nothing.
A blank look. No response.
Which is fair enough because what I do doesn’t always sound like a real job.

So here’s the simple version.

If you usually hate having your photo taken, I help you feel at ease.
If you dread the idea of a studio or awkward posing, you can do it all from home using just your phone and a simple setup.
I guide you through step by step so you look like yourself on camera, not a forced version of you.
You end up with photos you actually want to use for LinkedIn, for your business, for anywhere you need to show up.

And if you are part of a team, you avoid the stress of trying to coordinate a company photo day. No time wasted. No chasing diaries. Each person books a time that works and the company still gets a consistent set of images.

It’s not flashy but it makes a difference.
Because your headshot is not just a picture.
It’s how you show up when you are not in the room.

And as for Friday night… I was disproportionately disappointed. Networking is always better with cheese 🧀

(Pic: relaxed snap of me on another occasion WITH some cheese ❤️ 🧀 )

👉

11/09/2025

“Do one thing every day that scares you.” Eleanor Roosevelt

Today's challenge? Hosting a live-streamed, camera-on, 100-attendee webinar on Health & Safety compliance.

🎤 Interviewing an expert
🧠 Sounding vaguely knowledgeable
🎥 Managing the tech and the Q&A
😅 Not my usual job

Husband Kevin had one of those classic calendar clashes - a long-standing valued client webinar vs. a presenting opportunity he really couldn’t miss.

He said: “I trust you to do this better than anyone else.”
So I said yes.

Was I an expert in RAMS and fire regs? Not exactly.
But I did my research. I got curious.

And I’m always up for shining a light on a real expert -someone helping people keep their spaces safe, compliant, and people-focused.

And that’s where I come alive - in the ‘it’s about people’ part.

I like asking questions. Drawing out knowledge.
I love the chat.
And most of all, I love encouraging people and giving them space to feel confident.
I reckon that’s my zone of genius.

☕ Quick cuppa and a pep talk with my highly valued cheer squad:
• Anna: “This is totally in your wheelhouse.”
• Jane: “Interviewing is just being interested in the person - you’ll be all over it.”
• And my podcasting daughters Imogen and Bronwyn:
“You’ll smash it, Mum.”
💬 “Own it.”

I’ve been reading 'Open When...' by Dr Julie Smith, and one line really stuck:
“Make a conscious choice about your mindset.”

So I was intentional.
I decided I’d enjoy it - not just the relief after, but the process itself.

And I did.

Now I can add it to my bow.
🎯 A string I didn’t know I had.

I talk to people online every day - but not usually with a camera close in, for 45 minutes, on a subject I’m no expert in… with 100 people watching.

Just before going live, I reminded myself:
“This is a chance to do your best and learn some more.”

And that’s exactly what I did.

Next stop? Something a little more “me” Maybe something about people, faces, parenting, empty nests, losing parents, supporting siblings, peer support, life stages, ADHD, relationships…

Maybe even my own podcast?

But today?
It was about stepping up.
For the Aires team.
For the client.
For myself.

05/09/2025

"No one puts baby in a corner."

Patrick Swayze knew what he was talking about.

Every day I see brilliant people hiding in the shadows of their own businesses.

The accountant who saves companies thousands but won't get in front of a camera. The HR director who transforms workplace culture but thinks she's "not photogenic." The financial advisor who guides families through their biggest decisions but believes he's "too ordinary" for professional photos.

You're not ordinary. You're the face of expertise, care, and solutions.

Your clients don't just buy your services - they buy YOU. They need to see the person who's going to solve their problems, care for their family, fight for their business. They need to connect with the human being, not hide behind the logo.

So why are you still in the corner?

I do remote headshots because I believe every single person deserves to step into the light. To own their expertise. To show up confident and genuine - not awkward, not apologetic, just brilliantly, authentically YOU.

That shy smile you think isn't "professional enough"? It's exactly what makes people trust you. That laugh line you're worried about? It shows you've lived, learned, and earned your wisdom. That serious expression you think looks too stern? It proves you take their problems seriously.

Companies spend fortunes on brand identity, then hide the very people who ARE the brand. The faces doing the work. The humans making the difference.
Not on my watch. hashtag for anyone.

Everyone - and I mean EVERYONE - deserves a photo of themselves they actually like. One that shows their competence, their warmth, their "I'm exactly the right person for this job" energy.

Because nobody puts baby in a corner. Not Patrick Swayze, and definitely not me.

Ready to step out of the shadows?

Please DM me and I'll get straight back to you

(And one last thing, if you have a team of more than 10 that need headshots I can offer a complimentary trial headshot so you can see how well this way of having headshots taken works.)

21/08/2025

Meet Lucy, my nine-year-old Labrador and chief morale booster who runs my under-the-desk operations! She’s also in charge of making sure I get out for my morning “jalk” (my version of a run: jogging-walking).
She’s the best company, absolutely selfless, faithful friend, no dramas.

Speaking of good company, today I’ll be delivering some remote headshots for a mix of professionals UK wide - healthcare heroines today, a regulatory law guru and financial advisors in Scotland. First up, I am connecting with Kayleigh from Hampshire.

Fun fact: I’m a geographer at heart, so I am obsessed not just with people (their faces) but places too! and I absolutely have to know where people are from, they need to state it in the booking process for me! There’s always a personal connection to be made. My friends know can talk freely about almost anything and I usually start with their location - 'where are you today?'

I think thats my zone of genius: meeting people in their own space, helping them feel good, and capturing that “I’m the right person to solve your problems” kind of smile. It’s all about personality, professionalism, and a little dash of charm. We're saying 'no!' to the awkward school-photo vibes here -its a totally different thing this remote headshot experience.

Anyone brave enough to share 'under the desk' - or have a canine-coworker today?

18/08/2025

Currently channeling my inner Chloe O'Brian! And it's working. 💻

Cutting-edge TV back in the early 2000s—pure adrenaline. I binged it like it was my job. Not exactly soothing (countdown clocks, Jack Bauer yelling, national crises every 10 minutes), but completely addictive.

And Chloe? She was a total legend. I loved her!

She was a CTU systems analyst - tech wizard, cybersecurity badass, and the only person who could keep up with Jack Bauer (and occasionally tell him off).
She typed like her life depended on it.
Broke into top-secret systems like it was nothing.
Saved the country, daily - and always looked vaguely annoyed doing it.

Now, Chloe and I? We’re not that similar.
She once said,
“I’m not good with people. But I’m great with computers.”
Me? I am into people. That’s my zone.

But this today… today is a tech day.
Fingers clacking on the keyboard. Brain locked in. Minimal chit-chat.
Maximum output.
Call it flow. Call it tunnel vision.
I call it Chloe O’Brian mode.

Highly efficient. Slightly unhinged. Surprisingly productive.
Anyone else operating from that zone today?

07/08/2025

📸 I’m Sarah — and I take photos of people.

Real people. Teams. Founders. Colleagues.
Individuals scattered across the UK and beyond, all showing up as part of something bigger.

Over the past few years, I’ve found myself in a very specific niche. I have been working with companies who want their people to feel seen, valued, and confident, even when they’re miles apart.

I do guided remote headshots - and honestly, I REALLY love it.

Its not the tech wizardry (though that’s fun too), but it's the people part that's what set me alight. I never know exactly who I’ll meet that day — what they’ll be feeling, where they’re calling in from (home or office), or how they feel about being photographed. But by the end? We've usually shared a laugh and created something they’re proud to use in their work.

That’s the absolute magic for me:
✨ Making people feel safe, seen, and just a little more confident in who they are.
✨ Helping teams show up as themselves — but their best selves.
✨ Giving someone a photo they didn’t expect to like, but actually love.

I haven't been very loud about it, but I am 100% a cheerleader. An encourager.
I believe everyone is of immense value.
I truly believe that every face is a masterpiece — and I treat it that way.

So if you're part of a team, a company, a franchise, or a network of brilliant individuals working from different places, and you want your people to feel really well represented — I’d love to help.

This is truly my passion. And I’m so glad it’s my work.

17/11/2023

Time for a Screen Sabbatical! 🌳📵

What a week! After a huge and bustling Conference and Awards Ceremony in Birmingham and a very full weekend’s worth of editing that tested the old ‘burning the midnight oil’ adage, I'm now properly ready for a spot of rest. It's probably too rare you’ll hear me say this, but my tech and I are about to have a bit of time apart.

In just a few hours I am going to be switching off for a much needed screen break. My eyes are telling me they need to be focussing on the blues at the beach and the greens of the valley.

This week has been even more chokka than usual with detailed admin, focussed and thinking tasks— house sales, business plans, checking forms - all needing close attention and reading glasses! My eyes are hurting today!

Work-wise, it’s been exciting—I've had some cracking firsts. Photographing the Directors of a new client amidst their executive shake-up, and capturing the smiles of Award winners for another new client from as far afield as Pennsylvania, Johannesburg, and Kuwait, all from the cosy confines of my Devon farmhouse. I still find it wonderful how technology allows us to connect across miles, and it's always, always a treat to see the surprise on faces when I show people the results of our remote photo sessions! Everyone's happy! It gives me joy!

Do join me and take some time to properly unplug this weekend. I’ll be embracing the simple joys: long walks by the sea, hearty laughs with some recently neglected friends, and time with my girls over home-cooked meals and games in front of the fire. I'll be ready for more action on Monday but now I am counting down for the weekend.....

What are you up to?

Sarah Aires Photography

04/12/2025

27/09/2025

22/09/2025

15/09/2025

11/09/2025

05/09/2025

21/08/2025

18/08/2025

07/08/2025

17/11/2023

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Monday	9am - 6pm
Tuesday	9am - 6pm
Wednesday	9am - 6pm
Thursday	9am - 6pm
Friday	9am - 6pm