SMS Creative Photography is now Stella

Over the past couple of months, I've been busy working on my rebranding from SMS Creative Photography to Stella – Premium Photography, Beautifully Presented. Reflecting my transition from Oxted High Street to working remotely to suit my lifestyle and yours.

You may remember my 'Stella Lifestyle Photography and Bespoke Books' website primarily focused on the automotive photography part of my work. This will be my main website going forward, with a new focus on:

People – portraits, family events and special occasions
Identity – things we hold dear, that define who we are
Lifestyle – reflecting and celebrating the worth of the choices we made

Technology has made images easy to create and widely share, but quality and craftsmanship have become secondary to many, behind volume driven by social media. The Stella brand is about capturing life’s special moments through photography and ensuring they can be cherished, beyond the fading of memory (and social media!).

Click on the photo above to explore. I would love your feedback here.

A huge thank you to all of you because without you I would not still be trading after 25-plus years.

The part I love most about my work is the relationships I've built with you, capturing your children growing up, your weddings, landmark birthdays your business marketing, teaching you how to use your camera and so much more! It really does fill me with joy.

The SMS Creative Photography website will redirect you to the new Stella website. Past blogs on both sites are still available.

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have a photo-shoot or project in mind – be great to hear from you on 0777 181 0105

Thanks Stella

Oxted Gasholder - Courtyard Gardens - Prospective Book

A view from behind Johnsdale and behind the shops on Station Road East, Oxted in 2018

Here in Oxted we used to have a gasholder that sat in the centre of our town for over 50 years!

That all changed in 2019 when demolition began to make way for 111 high-end apartments and penthouses.

Having had a business right next to this landmark for 23 years I made it my mission, whenever the time came for it to go, to photograph the process for posterity.

The demolition and build took place between January 2019 and March 2022. St William, part of the Berkeley Group granted me access on a regular basis to document the process. With the help of the Assistant Site Manager, I wrote monthly blogs to share my experiences and record the process. I was amazed and captivated by the many stages, craftsmanship, and people involved throughout this time, I learned so much.

My intention was, and still is, to create a coffee table picture-led book showing the changes on the site. I just didn’t want hundreds of images laying dormant on my hard drives. So, it is through the photographs taken I share the story of the time the gas holder came tumbling down making way for a wonderful new living space – Eden place, formerly known as Courtyard Gardens.

If you would like to receive a prospectus about purchasing the proposed book please register your interest here.

During demolition early 2019.

A vast space for the process to begin.

Courtyard Gardens now called Eden Place in Oxted, Surrey.

To read the previous 27 blogs about Courtyard Gardens click here and scroll to the bottom of the Blog page under ‘Featured’ where they all appear.

Thanks Stella

Love Your Dog

Spoil your dog and treat them to a photo-shoot. You know they’ll love you for it big time. Either at home, or at a fun place outdoors.

Here are a few of our four-legged friends enjoying theirs.

We have a fabulous selection of ways to display their portraits for all to admire too.

To book a shoot for your four-legged friend or a gift for someone else’s special pooch, call 01883 722282 or 0777 181 0105.

Go on, you know it makes sense, I look forward to hearing from you.

Stella

The Design Gallery presents '50 Years Of Style' - Selling Exhibition

On May Day Bank Holiday 2nd May I had the pleasure of photographing some wonderful pieces from the fashion jewellery collection of an international designer of couture. The selling exhibition is called '50 YEARS OF STYLE’ – open 10am - 5pm Wednesdays to Saturdays from 6th May-25th June at THE DESIGN GALLERY 

Unit 1a Starborough Farm, Starborough Road, Marsh Green, Edenbridge TN8 5RB 

Here’s a little more information to whet your appetite.

Designer costume jewellery is a fascinating field for fashion aficionados and collectors.  Back in the 1930s, Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli championed the creative possibilities of “fashion jewellery”. From Chanel’s long gilded chains decorated with glass ‘pearls’ to Schiaparelli’s surrealist shapes, customers craved the uniqueness of the designs. 

Come the 1950s, American manufacturers stepped up to produce exciting pieces for the global market. Trifari became a household name when Mamie Eisenhower chose their jewellery for the President’s inauguration. Fine jewellers such as Alfred Philippe of Cartier were hired to bring their skills to play, and many items were triple gold plated to give long-lasting lustre.

The Design Gallery is staging a selling exhibition on Wednesdays to Saturdays from 6th - 28th May, and online, which tells the story of costume jewellery from many countries. 

Reflecting the passion of a British-Columbian couture designer for the vast array of materials and styles used to create fashion jewels, many of the best-known design houses are represented. Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Givenchy, Baccarat and Lalique glitter alongside Trifari, Napier, Monet and Swarovski. 

“I was amazed when I opened box after box of immaculate “costume” jewels. This designer lived on almost every continent, so the collection features African seeds and beans, shell and glass bead necklaces from Chinese and other Asian countries, Mexican silver, branch coral and antique jet,” explains Chrissie Masters, curator of the exhibition. “She collected for 50 years, mostly 20th-century examples. The majority of the designer pieces, are signed, which makes them especially sought-after.”

The eclectic taste of this well-travelled woman reveal a world of style and a deep interest in national histories. Whether you are looking for a style statement or a special gift, this exhibition may well start you on your own exciting journey of discovery. 

The weather on the day of the shoot was just right – warm and sunny with a sky filled with clouds giving a soft and diffused light. The rapeseed fields and woodlands filled with bluebells provided the perfect backdrop.

On this occasion, my kit consisted of a Fuji XT-2 with a 50-140mm lens and a Nikon D750 with a 24 -120mm lens, a ladder and an all important reflector.

A peek behind the scenes.

If you love this story and would like to own a piece of history for yourself or a loved one you won’t be disappointed. The Design Gallery is a treasure trove of Art Deco furniture, lamps and more to inspire you to claim a piece from a bygone era.

Thanks to Chrissie Masters for commissioning me to photograph the pieces, modelled by Olivia Chenery, Hair and Make-up by Helena Sergeant, Styling Chrissie Masters. Photography and art direction by me, Stella Scordellis.

Stella

The Power of the Photograph to Evoke Feelings of Joy

Sibling love.

Over the years I have had the privilege of photographing your children – from when they were babies, right up to adulthood to create a story of their lives for all to reflect on. It always fills me with joy when I see these photographs from years gone by framed and taking pride of place in your homes.

I’m showcasing a few photographs of two brothers I started photographing seven years ago when they were two years eight months and eight months old.

Every April the photo-shoots take place in a local woodland that is filled with the most beautiful bluebells. And this year, 2022, was no different, other than they have a sister who was introduced to the photo-shoots in 2019.

Take a look at the gallery below, by clicking on the white arrows on the left and right of the main picture to scroll through to see the evolution of time and just how important it is to take the time to enjoy every single moment to reflect on. The only year we missed was 2020 when the pandemic took its grip.

The relationship I have built with their mum started in 1997 when she was one of my first customers when I opened the studio next door to her place of work. She chose to commission me to take her portrait to mark her birthday as a gift for her mum’s 50th. Fourteen years later I was asked to photograph her wedding day and so the story goes…and this is what fills me with joy to connect and create images to tell the story of your life.

What’s your story?

Thanks

Stella

Women Drive Electric - The Mustang Mach-E

‘Women and Cars’

The Ford Mustang Mach-E.

Back in the day, the automobile was a revolution, a carriage on four wheels. Little has changed, or has it?

A 1904 Columbia 2 Cylinder 14 HP at the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run.

Cars have evolved in so many different ways that are significant to current trends and demands.

But one thing that really hasn’t changed all that much is the way cars are sold in the media, and who the manufacturers are trying to appeal to, and that is predominantly to men!

 It wasn’t that long ago that scantily clad young women were draped across cars in adverts and dealerships to lure men to part with their hard-earned cash.

Well, times have changed big time! And we women want to be included and directly spoken to about the performance and practicality of the vehicle – this includes on the forecourt and in the media, to close the gender gap inequality for good.

Don’t get me wrong, we know the words torque and horsepower, but the language we women use is far more expressive and emotional when we describe our cars and driving experiences. We are passionate about Carbon Footprint, Sustainability, and Supply Chain – words that belong in the 21st century. I doubt this was ever considered in the early days. But now we have to stand up and listen to our overheated planet and protect it for future generations.

 Did you know:

•   41% of all privately owned cars were owned by women at the end of 2020

  (17% increase in 10 years vs 9% increase for men)

•   19 million women hold a driving licence in the UK

•  Women would rather shop for a car online because they feel dealership environments are uninviting and masculine.

•   1 in 5 haven’t even looked into electric cars and 1 in 4 think they are much too expensive to run and 2 in 3 don’t know about government grants.

 Last year, the Government announced that the sale of exclusively petrol and diesel cars will be banned by 2040

 I recently had the pleasure of test driving a Ford Mustang Mach-E with a group of like-minded women with Ford and Erin Baker – an award-winning Motoring Journalist. I have always loved Mustangs – for their power and design prowess.

Erin Baker - an award-winning Motoring Journalist during our creative content class.

 This is what I discovered about the Mustang Mach-E.

•   Stylish, spacious, and comfortable interior

•   Standard 15.5 portrait-style touchscreen.

Easy to use and comprehensive touch screen.

•  Heated front seats

•  Smartphone charging pad

•  Front and rear parking sensors and 360 parking camera

•  Between 248 and 379 miles of range

•  SUV with instant acceleration

•  No congestion charge

 Starting at £42,500 it has captured my attention (and heart) – so much so I didn’t want to return it.

Grid Serve Braintree, Essex. Super-fast, reliable charging for up to 36 cars at the same time.

 We visited the Grid Serve Electric Forecourt in Braintree, Essex where there were multiple charging points and shopping experiences. Currently, electricity can be bought for 40p/kiloWattHour making £35 for 370 miles of range on the biggest battery, taking in the region of one hour to charge. Or as little as 10 minutes for a quick top-up.

 This sounds like simplicity on wheels, and I like the sound of that.

 Over my past 4.5 decades as a passionate car owner and automotive photographer, I’d like to pitch to car brands to connect more with women.

 As they say I’m your (wo)man.

In the driving seat of the Mustang Mach-E. A spacious and comfortable interior with a glass panoramic roof adds depth and light.

Recharge at Grid Serve can take a little as ten minutes for a top-up!

Women Drive Electric - Our group of writers and presenters – to create content to appeal to a wider female audience to educate them more about the world of cars and the evolution of electric cars.

If you love cars and automotive events take a look at our sister website stellascordellis.com

Thanks very much

Stella