London, UK

A campaigner poses as Rishi Sunak outside the Palace of Westminster in support of the Make Polluters Pay campaign, which is calling for the UK government to impose higher taxes on big polluters, such as BP and Shell

Photograph: David Levene/The Guardian

House of Secrets Boudoir by Tanya Eivin Photography Enhances Its Services to Include Couple Boudoir Sessions

AUSTIN, Texas, Sept. 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Today, House of Secrets by Tanya Eivin Photography, Austin’s premier fine arts boudoir studio, is thrilled to offer couples the opportunity to transform their love and intimacy into art through a boudoir photography session.

Bolstered by a shift in body positivity and the rise in people’s desire to own their sexuality and sensuality, boudoir photography has enjoyed a surge in popularity over the last few years, but typically these sessions have been embraced predominantly by female clients. House of Secrets owner and lead photographer Tanya Metaxa wants to change that by inviting couples into the studio. The intimate nature of boudoir photography allows people to delve deeper into their most inner selves. For couples, this is a unique opportunity to experience this together while creating lasting memories and timeless heirlooms.

A boudoir photo session with your partner isn’t an ordinary photography session. It’s a chance to explore your relationship and each other––with no judgment and in a safe and welcoming space. With help and guidance from the photographer, couples are given a rare chance to capture these beautiful fleeting moments that usually only happen behind the closed door. The result: unique, rebellious images that break down the barriers to intimacy.

“Love is beautiful. Intimacy is even better,” Tanya explained. “Boudoir for couples is an incredible art form focusing on intimacy, vulnerability, and raw chemistry between partners.”

For those intimidated by a boudoir photo shoot, Metaxa says you shouldn’t be. “Every single one of us and every body is beautiful. With our relaxed and safe environment, even the shyest clients find themselves having fun from the first click of the shutter. At House of Secrets, you’ll feel sexy and confident, and our couples will discover a stronger bond.”

“Being photographed together in an intimate and judgment-free setting brings a unique edge to the session, creating unparallel, sensuous, and daring images that are sure to lead to long-lasting memories. Not only will the images last a lifetime, so will the adventurous feeling.”

Tanya divulged couple boudoir is limitless. “Whether you’ve been together for one year or twenty, any couple can benefit from a boudoir session. It’s a very special experience unlike any other.”

No two love stories are the same, and House of Secrets wants to tell those stories through fine art photography. Couples can explore their sensuality and reclaim the power that comes from embracing their unique beauty. Bedroom secrets can come to life—safely in a comfortable studio setting. Couples enjoy the freedom to be daring without consequence.

Metaxa explained why House of Secrets feels so passionately about this new service. “There’s something magical about being in love. It’s a feeling of connection, adventure, and security—all at once. That feeling can be intense, and it can also be electrifying. Our couple sessions bring their love stories to life and celebrate the beauty of relationships.”

For more information on scheduling a session, visit the House of Secrets website.

About House of Secrets by Tanya Eivin Photography

House of Secrets by Tanya Eivin Photography is a luxury boudoir photography studio located in Austin, Texas. More than a photography studio, House of Secrets is your partner in becoming someone who is at peace with their body and mind, and discovering and embracing their uniqueness where society sees flaws. House of Secrets delivers timeless photography in an inclusive, safe, welcoming, and judgment-free space for clients of all genders.

Contact:
Tanya Metaxa
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (512) 866-6565

SOURCE Tanya Eivin Photography

Becoming a good photographer is a complicated thing that requires a wide range of factors to come together, and rarely is the journey a straight line. If you find yourself on this journey, check out this fantastic video essay that features an experienced photographer that discusses the truth about growing as a photographer. 

Coming to you from Joshua Peg, this awesome video essay discusses the truth about growing as a photographer. I think Peg is touching on something particularly important when he discusses the amount of effort and perseverance that goes into growth and that there are no shortcuts. We live in an age when we are conditioned to expect instant gratification. A lot of products are geared toward this with the idea that they will allow us to bypass the sort of effort and practice that goes into finding success. Things like presets and automated editing promise us quick results that will look like the pros, and while it is true that under the right circumstances, they can provide a boost in efficiency, there is a vast chasm between increasing efficiency and replacing technique and creativity altogether. And even if they could do that, would you really want that? After all, we all picked up a camera because we enjoyed the creative process, so why surrender it to a machine? Check out the video above for the full rundown from Peg. 

TAIYUAN — The 23rd Pingyao International Photography Festival kicked off on Tuesday in Pingyao, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site known for its well-preserved ancient architecture, in North China’s Shanxi province.

Themed “New Light, New Orientation” this year, the six-day festival has attracted 13,961 works by over 2,000 photographers from 28 countries.

The festival is divided into five major sections with 16 units. More than 120 educational institutions, 12 of them from overseas, are participating in one of the units, a record high for the festival.

Advocating diversity, internationalism and professionalism, the annual festival, launched in 2001, has attracted over 290,000 photography works from more than 100 countries and regions, and is considered an important platform for cross-cultural communication.

Fine Gael Senator Micheal Carrigy, who spoke at the hearing into RTÉ’s finances last week, compared the professional photography to mobile phone photos and said his assistant can take photos at no cost.

It emerged last week during an Oireachtas committee meeting that the photographer would earn a maximum of €60,000 per annum, or €240,000 over four years, to photograph stills on the set of Fair City.

Following the hearing RTÉ’s director general Kevin Bakhurst said the broadcaster was suspending the tender for a photographer, and “stopping all discretionary spending”.

Mr Bakhurst said he “can’t believe” the salary that was being offered for photography on the show.

“Given the steep fall in the licence fee and the uncertainty over interim funding, and following last week’s announcements, we have decided to halt the current tender process for Fair City photography,” said Mr Bakhurst.

During the hearing Senator Carrigy expressed his shock at the job salary and said, “I’ve asked my assistant to take a picture of me speaking here and I’ll show it to you in about two minutes’ time and it won’t cost anything to be able to do that”.

Beta Bajgart, who holds the Fair City stills photographer contract, penned an open letter to the Senator on Monday and said she was “disturbed” by his comments.

“I found your remark highly insulting and derogatory to all people who work within the creative industries,” said Ms Bajgart.

She said that the remark is potentially insulting to all her colleagues working on Fair City, stressing that a photographer’s work is “not just a matter of pressing a button on a smartphone”.

Ms Bajgart explained that her role is to take photographs of the scenes and actors for publicity purposes, with promotional press packs forming an important part of the show.

“Firstly, not that I should have to, but your ignorant comment of reducing a photographer’s work to such a level astounded me so much that perhaps I do need to explain,” said Ms Bajgart.

She added that the average time she spends on the set of Fair City is 30 hours per week, over three full days, in addition to time editing, postproduction enhancement, prepping packs as well as emails and meetings.

“The photographer on RTÉ’s Fair City is an independent contractor who does not receive any benefits that you and your colleague are more familiar with for example,” the open letter continues.

“There is no pension, no paid holidays and no sick leave,” she said, adding that the photographer must buy and update their own equipment and have their own transport.

“The utter disregard that the photography profession received in the press in the past week, compounded by your derogatory remarks, feeds into the damaging stereotype that art and creative professions don’t deserve the same respect and financial benefits as any other profession,” she said.

She asked Senator Carrigy if he enjoys a night at the cinema, a music gig, a theatre production or a visit to the galleries. “Perhaps none of these should exist, perhaps these are all superfluous, and something we can ‘capture on our smartphone’ free of charge,” Ms Bajgart said.

“I would like to invite you to rethink your outlook and make a public apology for the ill-considered remarks you have loaded on all creative practitioners in our country.

“A representative in your position should refrain from such insulting comments and make appropriate redress for them,” she concluded.

In a statement last week RTÉ said the tender was being suspended following an announcement of a recruitment freeze and stopping all discretionary spending.

The broadcaster said it will “pause and take time to review the volume of photography required and length of contract, among other considerations”.

A revised tender for photography on the Fair City set will be issued once these decisions have been made.

The photographer would have worked an average of 20 hours per week over the course of three days per week and delivered “a minimum of 16 approved photograph stills in both high and low resolution to Fair City each week, for 50 weeks per year, as specified by RTÉ”.

RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst said: “While quality professional photography is essential to enable us to promote our programmes and engage audiences, it is not possible for RTÉ to commit to a four-year contract or to this level of spend given the challenges we now face,” Mr Bakhurst said.

It is anticipated the shortfall in TV licence fee payments will stand at €21m by the end of the year.