What are the opening hours?

Monday 8am - 4am Tuesday 8am - 4am Wednesday 8am - 4am Thursday 8am - 4am Friday 8am - 4am

Nicoladawson.co.uk, 40 Western Road, Sevenoaks (2026)

09/03/2023

CONTRACTS⁠
⁠
When you are starting out it is easy to think that you can get away with not having a contract. They are a must. A contract not only demonstrates professionalism but also clearly sets out the expectations of both you and your clients regarding the service that is being agreed upon.⁠
⁠
Here are some clauses to think about before deciding on your terms and conditions. ⁠
⁠
Payment terms - How much your booking fee will be and the date that you want payment. How soon before the wedding will the final balance be paid? ⁠
⁠
What they are getting and when - how many hours of coverage, how many images, whether the images are edited, whether they will be in an online gallery or on a USB and how many weeks after the wedding will they have their images.⁠
⁠
Image use - A photographer retains copyright of the images but the contract is to agree terms of use with the couple which is generally personal use for printing or social media and excludes sale, promotion or commercial use. Make sure you include that YOU can use the images for social media, website, commercial, competition etc⁠
⁠
Postponement/cancellation clauses - what will happen to their deposit or booking fee? Will their balance still be due? Will it depend on how far in advance the event is postponed or cancelled? What if you cannot make a date? ⁠
⁠
Insurance companies sometimes include a template ‘terms and conditions’ or ‘booking form’ that you can use which is underwritten by them so do ask your insurer about this. ⁠
⁠
Otherwise there are several companies who sell template contracts which can be much more cost effective than getting one drawn up specifically for you by a solicitor.⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

09/03/2023

CONTRACTS

When you are starting out it is easy to think that you can get away with not having a contract. They are a must. A contract not only demonstrates professionalism but also clearly sets out the expectations of both you and your clients regarding the service that is being agreed upon.

Here are some clauses to think about before deciding on your terms and conditions.

Payment terms - How much your booking fee will be and the date that you want payment. How soon before the wedding will the final balance be paid?

What they are getting and when - how many hours of coverage, how many images, whether the images are edited, whether they will be in an online gallery or on a USB and how many weeks after the wedding will they have their images.

Image use - A photographer retains copyright of the images but the contract is to agree terms of use with the couple which is generally personal use for printing or social media and excludes sale, promotion or commercial use. Make sure you include that YOU can use the images for social media, website, commercial, competition etc

Postponement/cancellation clauses - what will happen to their deposit or booking fee? Will their balance still be due? Will it depend on how far in advance the event is postponed or cancelled? What if you cannot make a date?

Insurance companies sometimes include a template ‘terms and conditions’ or ‘booking form’ that you can use which is underwritten by them so do ask your insurer about this.

Otherwise there are several companies who sell template contracts which can be much more cost effective than getting one drawn up specifically for you by a solicitor.

28/02/2023

Some things you may need to hear today ⚡️

22/02/2023

I AM A WINNER

Last week was my daughters half term and aside from a short, beautiful, intimate wedding and keeping up with enquiries, I had scheduled in very little work and had a wonderfully relaxed week.

My daughter and I had a couple of fun trips out including Puttshack (where I won, twice!), my In-Laws stayed with us, we enjoyed meals out, shopping trips, walks and I was there to get my daughter to and from her Pantomime final rehearsals and performances.

I was able to be present, to step back and enjoy time with family. I didn't need permission for leave and I wasn't slave to my computer. My business and my boundaries are why I AM A WINNER.

Success doesn't have to be a bank balance, a number of bookings, a number of followers or awards.

It can be a feeling of contentment, time, fulfilment, connection and a freedom to live how you want to.

Tell me, what would winning look like for you?

10/02/2023

A little DO THIS, NOT THAT for anyone that might need this today.

✅ Have the courage to say NO
✅ Know who you want to work with
✅ Show what you want to shoot
✅ Set Boundaries and grow gently

Save this most as a little reminder ⭐️

08/02/2023

Have you ever said "I'll wait until I have done a, b or c before I do x, y or z?" Or are there those jobs that keep getting put to the bottom of to do list all the time and you come up with excuses not to do them?⁠
⁠
Welcome to procrastination station. You're putting off something that you should be doing but the longer you stop here the harder it can feel to get going again. Unfortunately there is only one way out of this place and that is to simply TAKE ACTION. ⁠
⁠
If it is something big that you are scared of doing, try and break it down into smaller chunks. The smaller chunks will feel more manageable and before you know it you will have overcome that larger obstacle. No one starts a marathon with one goal of running the full distance. They break it down into smaller splits and each one of them is a win. ⁠
⁠
Lots of little wins lead to big wins.⁠
⁠
If it is because the job is something that you are not looking forward to because it won't be fun then try and make it a nicer experience. For example, if you are not a fan of blog writing, settle down with a nice cup of coffee , put your favourite relaxing playlist on, have a chocolate brownie waiting for you at the end as a reward. ⁠
⁠
Just start to move forwards. You will soon gain momentum and look back and wonder what on earth stopped you in the first place ⭐️⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

08/02/2023

Have you ever heard said "I'll wait until I have done a, b or c before I do x, y or z?" Or are there those jobs that keep getting put to the bottom of to do list all the time and you come up with excuses not to do them?

Welcome to procrastination station. You're putting off something that you should be doing but the longer you stop here the harder it can feel to get going again. Unfortunately there is only one way out of this place and that is to simply TAKE ACTION.

If it is something big that you are scared of doing, try and break it down into smaller chunks. The smaller chunks will feel more manageable and before you know it you will have overcome that larger obstacle. No one starts a marathon with one goal of running the full distance. They break it down into smaller splits and each one of them is a win.

Lots of little wins lead to big wins.

If it is because the job is something that you are not looking forward to because it won't be fun then try and make it a nicer experience. For example, if you are not a fan of blog writing, settle down with a nice cup of coffee , put your favourite relaxing playlist on, have a chocolate brownie waiting for you at the end as a reward.

Just start to move forwards. You will soon gain momentum and look back and wonder what on earth stopped you in the first place ⭐️

06/02/2023

I never planned to photograph a wedding.⁠
⁠
I couldn't imagine why anyone would want the pressure of it and when I was asked by friends to be their wedding photographer it was a hard and fast NO.⁠
⁠
But thank goodness I slept on it. I realised it was an opportunity to experience something different, to test my ability and I said YES.⁠
⁠
I didn't just rock up with my camera and give it a go through. I researched and studied. I was NOT going to mess this up.⁠
⁠
On the day I was buzzing with excitement, smiling from ear to ear, in the zone and I LOVED every second of it. I have photographed just weddings ever since.⁠
⁠
Are you ready to photograph your first wedding?⁠
⁠
I have created a guide to help you photograph your first wedding like a pro. Grab in the link

https://www.nicoladawson.co.uk/10-steps-sign-up/
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

01/02/2023

You finish editing an amazing gallery that you LOVE.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
You press send and nervously await their response. ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
When the email comes you read it and it blows you away! They are so happy and give you the best testimonial you have ever had.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
What would it say?⁠⁠
⁠⁠
" We can't stop crying, the pictures make us so emotional"⁠⁠
" We never thought we could look like that"⁠⁠
" We didn't even notice you there but you captured it all!"⁠⁠
" You made us feel so relaxed and we never imagined we would look so relaxed in front of the camera"⁠⁠
" You fitted in with our guests and captured all the fun and laughter"⁠⁠
⁠⁠
What you WISH your clients would say about you tells you so much about the experience you want them to have working with you. ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
✏️ Write your own perfect testimonial.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
🤩 Really connect with what you want your clients to take away from working together.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
💪🏼 Make sure your website, branding and socials really communicate that message.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠
⁠

26/01/2023

It was in this very spot that I made a pivotal decision in my business.

It was the summer of 2018 and we were holidaying in a villa in Kefalonia. I had fallen in love with wedding photography, was in the middle of a wedding business coaching course with the amazing and had the clearest vision of where I wanted my business to take me.

But there was a stumbling block and it was my website. I had built it myself and I guess it was 'OK' for someone that had never made one before. But why would it be anything more than OK?! I had never made a website in my life before. It showed my work but I didn't LOVE it.

It was whilst laying by this pool that I had a big realisation that it was my website that was keeping me small.

Because I didn't love it, I wasn't directing people to it.

Because it wasn't as good as I wanted it to be, I thought my work wasn't up to scratch either.

Because I didn't believe in it, I wasn't going to grow a the rate I wanted to.

And that was when I saw so clearly that it was worth investing in. I remember messaging Faye, so excited and feeling light as a feather like a weight had been lifted off of me. My next message, still next to the pool, was to the very talented who went on to create my website for me.

It was so me! I loved it and couldn't wait to get clients to look at it. I had confidence in it, it worked and converted couples. It said to the world that I believed in my business enough to invest in it and it said to clients that my photography was worth investing in too.

If your business is worth investing in, then send that message out to world ⭐️

24/01/2023

Are you wondering what you should be doing right now?

When the season doesn’t kick off for another month or two, enquiries trickling in and social media posting might leave you twiddling your thumbs feeling that you should be doing something else but you’re not quite sure what.

Well here are a few ideas to get you in your productive flow.

✅ Goal setting - You may not think about this one as being very productive, maybe even a bit woo-woo BUT think of this year like a journey. How will you reach the end if you have no idea where you are going?
Imagine yourself this time next year; work life, home life, health, and write down all the things that you want to achieve between now and then. You could even create a vision board and fill it with inspiring images that you can set your sights on.

✅ Go over your workflow and processes - imagine yourself as a client and walk through the experience with them from beginning to end. Update emails if the copy is a little old. Streamline any parts of it that are now a little clunky. Are there any questions that you get asked regularly that you can create content to direct people to like a blog or webpage, even create an automated email in your workflow.

✅ Portfolio - Have a really good look through your portfolio and curate it to really attract the clients you want. Only show what you want to shoot more of. Ask yourself a few questions. Does this appeal to my ideal client? Do I want to shoot this again? If the answers are yes then great, if not, don’t show it.
A few amazing pics are better than lots of mediocre ones.

✅ Ask for testimonials and reviews
✅ Submit your real weddings for publication on a blog or a magazine feature
✅ Reach out to other suppliers with a similar ideal client and have coffee
✅ Look for wedding fairs where your clients will be looking for suppliers
✅ Plan a styled shoot
✅ Book a workshop
✅ Read from inspiring and insightful business books

No more reasons to stuck in procrastination station, get out there and grow 🥰

20/01/2023

Imposter syndrome and comparisonitis can be really debilitating particularly in such a visual industry absolutely teeming with talent.

But there is such a FREEDOM that comes with accepting that you are the ONLY person that can do what you do.

Yes, there are photographers that shoot in similar ways, use the same gear, chose the same compositions, have a similar edit. But your clients aren't booking you just for that. They are booking you for the experience that only YOU can give them.

Your social media messages, your blogs, your website are all giving your clients the opportunity to find out about you and to CONNECT and that is ultimately why they will choose you.

So perhaps, rather than thinking that someone else is better than you, maybe just think they are DIFFERENT.

Numbers aren't a reliable tool for comparison. We don't have access to other businesses books, overheads, costs, education or history. We are on completely different journeys. So, more IG followers or more bookings doesn't mean they are better. They are just different.

Mute accounts that trigger you or make you feel bad about your own work. Don't waste energy focussing on what other people are doing, just put that time and effort into ways to push your own business forward. Only keep accounts that inspire you.

Also, create a folder on your desktop and fill it with messages, emails and reviews from clients who said good things about your work. They appreciated and loved what you created. They will remind you of the VALUE in you and the service you provided them.

Remember, YOU are the only person that has your vision and can create the experience that you give your clients. It is DIFFERENT to everyone else's and that uniqueness is your strength not your weakness. Embrace it.

Nicoladawson.co.uk

09/03/2023

09/03/2023

28/02/2023

22/02/2023

10/02/2023

08/02/2023

08/02/2023

06/02/2023

01/02/2023

26/01/2023

24/01/2023

20/01/2023

Address

Opening Hours

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share

Monday	8am - 4am
Tuesday	8am - 4am
Wednesday	8am - 4am
Thursday	8am - 4am
Friday	8am - 4am