Cowes Care Home Residents Strike A Pose For Professional Photoshoot Experience

Residents at Old Charlton House in Cowes were made to feel like film stars when professional photographer, Debs Allen, visited the home and held a photoshoot.

Debs offered the residents the opportunity to have their portraits taken professionally.

It gave a lovely opportunity for a husband and wife to have their photograph taken together, with residents having the opportunity for a mini makeover.

Hairdresser, Natalie, was on hand to ensure residents were perfectly coiffed.

Makeup could be applied if desired, and there were accessories such as jewellery, scarves and flowers, that they could choose from.

Josie and her Labrador, Duchess, from the Trackadogs team, came too, so that residents had something lovely to focus on while they were waiting for their turn.

There were smiles all around, and it was heartwarming to see.

Residents thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, and said it was quite magical being made to feel like a million dollars.

Activities Coordinator, Debbie Webb, said:

“This was a fabulous day for the residents, they all looked so beautiful and the home was buzzing with excitement. I would like to thank Debs Allen for coming in and making this all possible.”

Debs Allan added:

“It was a privilege to have the opportunity to work with these lovely people. Once a person is in a care home, they do not often have the chance to participate in a professional photography experience.

"I used to work creating orders of service and memorial pictures for funerals, and it struck me that the families’ photos were not always of a good enough quality, or from decades ago.

"Because of this I decided to start a new project visiting care homes and creating that positive connection between a camera, a person and their family.”

The residents declared themselves 'absolutely thrilled' to receive the prints and spent a long time looking at their own and other portraits.

There were so many lovely comments made, and everyone had their self-esteem boosted.