All About Eve Photography picked up the Cirencester Chamber of Commerce Pr and Marketing Campaign of the Year accolade at this year’s business awards. Charlotte Shepherd met with photographer Kate Brown.

WHEN All About Eve Photography launched last June in Abbey House Gardens in Malmesbury, home to the so-called Naked Gardeners, the location could not have been more perfect for a business that specialises in tasteful “outdoor boudoir” photography.

And since the launch, photographer Kate Brown, who collected the award for best pr and marketing campaign at the Cirencester Chamber of Commerce Awards dinner, has used shrewd marketing to make sure that her fledgling business has a real buzz about it.

Kate set up the business after becoming disillusioned with the focus on airbrushing and perfecting images that was putting an impossible pressure on women.

“Growing up I felt a pressure to conform and look great. Images in magazines put so much pressure on women and girls to look perfect and I wanted to challenge this.”

The idea for beautiful photos of women in a natural outdoor setting, wearing as little or as much as they choose, came about after she took some boudoir shots for a friend.

This grew into a business idea and All About Eve Photography was launched to allow women to celebrate their natural style and femininity.

Photographs are taken in three private locations, including Abbey House Gardens, outside of opening hours, and a private woodland.

“I want every woman to come away from the photography experience feeling fabulous. There is no airbrushing and each female dictates the pace,” Kate explained. “People put themselves outside of their comfort zone and it is incredibly liberating for them. Everyone who comes to me has a story to tell. My last lady said she was doing something for herself for the first time after years of being a carer.”

Judges at the Cirencester Chamber of Commerce said that Kate “showed a clear understanding of her target market and made use of social media as well as other marketing channels to convey her message and raise the profile.”

Kate’s marketing background prior to turning to photography seven years ago has helped her to keep the business in the spotlight and she struck gold when she invited journalist Emily Carlisle to try out her photography experience. “Her article appeared on the Guardian online and achieved 55,000 page reads in one day,” said Kate.

Kate used Facebook and twitter before the launch to create a hype and to successfully drive traffic to the website.

Early on Kate teamed up with Cotswold Breakthrough Breast Cancer and helps to raise funds for them. “It is important that this business is about more than just making money. I wanted it to help local women.”

To this end a donation is made from each experience to the breast cancer charity and Kate hopes to be able to offer some free photography sessions to people who have been or are going through breast cancer. “I want to help them feel fabulous again,” said Kate.

Kate is aiming high for her business and is currently “pestering” Lorraine Kelly for a regular slot on daytime television. “She champions women feeling great about themselves and I could offer a real women makeover that doesn’t involve airbrushing.”

For Kate the rewards are when her women see the photographs. “It’s fantastic. One lady emailed me and said she never knew she could look this amazing naturally. It is the most rewarding part,” she said.

• Contact Kate Brown on 07818 074312 or email kate@allaboutevephotography.co.uk.

Go to www.allaboutevephotography.co.uk or follow her on twitter @allaboutevepics.