Shy Violet calls the shots from new base

GAYNOR Wilson, the photographer behind Oldham’s racy Macmillan Calendar — a group of naked Saddleworth femme fatales with appropriately placed props — has moved into her own studio.

After years of working from a converted dining room at her Greenfield home, Gaynor has invested significant and substantial funds to move her Shy Violet Photography business into the Hartshead Mill in Springhead.

From this base she is hoping that what was once her hobby and became her passion will soon be the home of her full-time career.

“That’s the intention, obviously, but that is also the long-term goal. It would be lovely to do this full-time, but that depends on commissions and workload.

“Business is building with clients coming from a larger catchment area now. I have people from Marsden and Manchester and word is spreading,” said the super snapper.

Gaynor’s latent interest in photography was sparked into action four years ago when she was handed an expensive DSLR camera.

She immediately enrolled on the inaugural Open University photography course and was hooked.

“At the end of the course I was asked to state my favourite medium and I immediately answered people . . . and it’s been that way ever since,” added Gaynor.

She has a niche market website GrinandBareIt — obviously aimed at the racier end of the portraits — and these have proven to be extremely popular.

“Brides are increasingly having boudoir albums to present to their new husbands and wives and girlfriends like to present pictures to their partners for birthdays and anniversaries.

“It is all extremely tasteful and beautiful,” she insists.

To date, Gaynor has been approached by only one man for a boudoir shoot, and she declined the commission, although she has shot couples.

Gaynor has develeoped a particular expertise in layers and digital enhancement — laying red lips on to black and white portraits is a particular favourite of many clients — and is keen to develop this creative side of her business.