Working for international agency Getty Images, perfecting pictures for Chanel and Dior for Debenhams, and experience as a photographer in her home city of Munich means Andrea Duncan knows what she’s looking for in a photo.

After meeting her husband and moving to Taunton eight years ago, Andrea had to learn the language and enjoyed adapting to the slower pace of life in the South West. But now she has the perfect opportunity to develop her business where she focuses on portraits and capturing important moments in people’s lives.

Andrea’s specialism is making women look gorgeous using her trade mark style that is closer to fashion and editorial photography than conventional portrait skills. This year she launched her ‘Professional Prom Photography’ service which is aimed specifically at young people attending their school, college and university proms.

“When girls have lavished such care and attention on their clothes, hair, makeup and accessories they deserve to have that moment of glory captured for all time to serve as a reminder of just how young and stunning they once were. So often prom photographs are poor quality pictures, snapped in bright white flash light with a stark black background which does no justice to the beauty of the subject. My approach is totally different, I bring art to my images and endeavor to bring out the personality of my subjects too. I think women especially can have such a bad perception of themselves, and I know how much photographs of models are retouched, even size eight models are retouched, so many women have had bad experiences. I pride myself on bringing the best out in people so they are relaxed, they enjoy the experience and they have an image which captures them beautifully.”

Andrea makes the experience a fun one. You might get your best friends together in a setting like Rumwell Hall for individual portraits as well as group photographs. The photographs don’t have to be taken on the day of the ball itself. An alternative date can be arranged to suit.

Andrea works closely with her clients, discussing their ideas before hand and individually matching the settings to each person. She delivers framed, edited images in colour or black and white.

“When you get older, it’s so easy for women to forget how fantastic they once looked with none of the wrinkles and dark circles under the eyes that inevitably creep in with advancing years and the toll of work and bringing up children. With some sensitive input and the click of a button I can take a prom picture when a girl is in the prime of her life that she will be proud of forever.”

Visit www.andreaduncan.co.uk or call 07854-284919 for more information.