That Tog Spot

09/06/2026

Just ran through the deck for this event tomorrow, and I'm even more excited 🤩

If you're a regular to me and my webinar missions, you'll know there's always a LOT packed in. You might recognise a few points if you've been through my system, but there are some new nuggets to note, some never-before-seen raw files, editing progressions and explanations, plus some new frameworks too.

As always, if you don't learn something then I've failed.
Thankfully, I'm fairly certain you will 💪 [pinky swear!]

Thank you to ISAP for inviting me to speak to your members ❤️

27/05/2026

New inside Unit 6 of the Equine Photography Course: A shoot behind the scenes for farrier Mike, plus the subsequent image processing workflow 🥳

Here's what's new:
✅ Immersive behind the scenes: In-camera POV with settings and focus movements etc, walkaround camera angles and voiceover for more information where needed.
✅ Efficient client-ready workflow: No removals, no fine retouching, no time-consuming processing. What's needed, and then straight out the door!

👉 Already enrolled in Unit 6? You have an email with direct links!
👉 On the EPC but not U6? Check at the bottom of the 'your account' page to add on Unit 6 there
👉 No idea what EPC is? Here are the details for this mammoth multi-unit course: https://thattogspot.com/equine-photography-course/

HUGE thanks to Mike's clients on shoot day for giving us permission to film all of this 🙏

22/05/2026

Sony Camera Set Up (for Portraits): New YouTube video 🚨

I thought it would be a super opportunity to record a good old how-to on how I set up my Sony cameras for shooting portraits. Why two cameras? Well, the A7RIII was my workhorse for many years since 2020 and has the older Sony menu - I still use it now to document farm developments! And the new A1 MKii has the newer Sony menu with some additional features, so in this video you’ll get coverage of both.

Word out there is that Sony camera menus are notoriously difficult and confusing, but I have to disagree, I’ve never found them confusing at all. However, if you still aren’t sure on something, or simply just curious as to how I set mine up, then this will absolutely help you out. And if you don’t shoot Sony? You can still watch along, but definitely have your camera manual ready and finger over the pause button so you can hop on over to Google and check what a feature or setting is called by your camera manufacturer if it differs.

Sure, there are alternative settings for the multitude of scenarios out there you’d like to photograph, but please remember this video is focused on how I set up my menus for how I like to shoot portraiture. If you have a different way of doing something, that’s absolutely fine if it works for you!

There's no time like the present to delve into a Sony camera menu set up with two camera bodies: the Sony A1 MKii and the Sony A7RIII. Learn how I set my Son...

17/05/2026

In case you missed it: Velia foaled out on Friday morning at a respectable 9:40am, needing only a little bit of help from me, and we've been VERY busy over the subsequent days ensuring mum and baby are safe and healthy (and having foal snuggles)!

Velia's hostage was ejected at 326 days - within the normal gestation window for horses - and although a little small, she couldn't have been much bigger to fit through her exit chute! Mum's milk will come in at day 3 normally (at the moment it's more colostrum and a little light), so she'll begin to flesh out and grow a LOT after this.

Meet Asterveil, or Asti for short: Our little blanket of stars ❤️
She is a purebred Knabstrupper filly, and of course, I've taken a few photos (LR tweaks only ofc)!

Momma and baby are doing well; Velia is a natural, and Asti is as perfect as perfect can be 💕

02/05/2026

Just a couple of weeks away from a finished office, it's time to start looking at new tips to go out on the old YT 🥳 I released a video every single week for almost 3 years, starting in 2020 just before Covid arrived. That's over 156 videos just on the schedule, but really, it was over 200. And then I stopped.

Although my time was prioritised to members and our online courses (there are 9 of those now), some of you know the real reason I pressed pause on the channels' weekly videos. That reason was my brain.

A life on the internet comes with pros and cons, but the biggest con comes when you put so much importance on creating that you leave your self-worth wrapped up in comments on content, and your mental health fragile in the process. Too fragile, as became clear.

My little pea brain started to make its own imaginary connections between entire demographics and bad apples. The second I noticed it was happening, I stopped releasing videos on a public platform. Because if you can't control your brain's rewiring, just cut power to the faulty switch.

It worked perfectly, and my brain rewired itself back to normal within 6 months. I focused on the members, courses and my other commitments instead, and released the odd video here and there. Every week or two, someone would ask when the next video is coming, or if I've stopped forever. My answer was always the same: "We have no current plans to release more videos on YouTube". (read: 'current')

Then we moved, a fresh start and oodles of shooting opportunities. It just didn't have a shooting area, but would have one 'soon'.

Those who have been here since forever will remember the old dining room YouTube set, with the stone and dark wood on one side and a bright yellow blind behind. You'll maybe remember the spell in the lounge (short, but essential for puppy zones in the other room!), and you'll also remember our purpose-built studio, where my corner was a happy place I loved working in.

The cottage at the farm was my new set as quickly as we could make it, but we were never going to be in here long term, so no colour, or art, or anything. I didn't want to film there for YT, so I waited for my office. 6 months became 12, which became 18 and then 24...

It's not quite done yet, but unless you've been following closely on stories or socials, you might not know about some other things that I'd rather we addressed before I start posting a few new things here and there to the old YT.

So that's what this video is for. To say hi to old friends, share a bit about what's been going on, thank the members for keeping me sane and busy with things to do, to cover losses and new faces, and share a bit about what I have in the pipeline for YT.

No, I won't be posting on a fixed schedule.
Yes, I'm still odd.
Yes, of course I'm here to help, for free, if you'll let me ❤️

You guys literally watched me and Dan get married (legit), so it's good to have a video here that we can link to if someone asks why I'm in a castle (I'm not!), who the spotty neds are, where Pip is, or if we added two new additions without mentioning anything to anyone at all.

Most of you know everything in here, so skip if you wish. Thank you for always being good eggs. Hopefully, I can repay the kindness with some useful stuff this year 🙌

1 like. "It's been a minute..."

31/03/2026

The Peep 😍 TOP TIPS ⬇️⬇️
The easiest photo to get in the bank when completing an urban dog photography session, and it’s arguably the cutest too! But if you’re not ready, and you don’t have a plan, it can get boring for the dog really fast! Here’s some tips:

1️⃣ Pick the background first. Do you want down the street, or the structure the dog is sitting within? Here I knew I wanted the textured brown/bronze panels before I sat down, so I already knew where to sit too!

2️⃣ Pick the Peep… do you want half a face, a whole head, or head + chest + front legs? You need to relay this to the handler before the dog goes into the area - make it clear!

3️⃣ Imagine the head 🐶 This sounds weird but you need to guess where the head will be, compose for it, move your focus area over that section and be ready because…

4️⃣ The first peep will always be the best (99.9% of the time!) - if you didn’t do step one, two or three above, something won’t work well and the dog will be less interested on repeat attempts. It happens FAST, so be ready!

Save this post for later 📍

The wonderful Callie and her human Alice helped me out in London by offering to model for workshop students at the Societies convention 🙏 As a thank-you, they received a private 30 minute mini-session the same weekend, and this was our first photo ❤️ Callie was a DREAM - we’re living in her world 😍

Excited to share more from this mini, stay tuned 🤓

20/03/2026

SC26 Retreat is complete 🥳 It's been a BLAST. The group was so kind, so funny, and so supportive. The dogs were 10/10, with Zest making her workshop debut in style, and Alf taking his semi-retirement gracefully.

Trying to whittle down photos to sum up the week is next to impossible. The behind-the-scenes images here are good visual explanations of what this Retreat involved when we did go shoot. Each has a caption with a little more info in it. I'd do it all again tomorrow if I could!

Early mornings, long days, and really good food.
SC26... that's a wrap 🎬