The Story of a Day in the life of a Commercial Photography & Video Content Creator

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Creating Photography and Video Content with Ultima Sports Owner; Richard Marlow

Winning new business upon the recommendations of the local community.

Richard Marlow, Ultima Sports

One morning I awoke in bed at home and checked social media to discover that Richard Marlow had placed a short advert on Spotted Hinckley’s Facebook page, looking for a photographer to do a photoshoot with him in a sports car. My attention was drawn to this by approximately 10-15 people from the local community who had recommended me to Richard.

My name dominated the list of recommendations and so Richard made contact with me to discuss the opportunity.

Inside a Ferrari 488 Pista

Initially Richard’s budget was quite low, which I could have still met and offered some work but after taking Richard through a telephone consultation, I explained my worth and showed the value that I could offer and without hesitation, Richard offered me a much better and more improved budget to work with.

That deep red colour distinctive of the Ferrari next to a British red telephone box in the Leicestershire countryside.

On the agreed day, I met with Richard at the headquarters for Ultima Sports Ltd. in Hinckley, Leicestershire, ready for our commercial content creation shoot.
We chatted for a short while, as I was setting up my equipment and then got started straight away with the production of a short film for an Instagram reel.
Here it is…

Richard Marlow showing me around the Ultima Sports car.

Beautiful sunspots used for creativity

Then we headed out in a Ferrari 488 Pista. Richard drove as I made a series of photographs and videos using my DSLR for photography and a Mirrorless Nikon on a Ronin Gimbal for smooth footage.
We actually ended up doing some speed tests on Magna Park and were accosted by the security team there who gave us a friendly and admiring warning!

Magna Park Speed Tests

Richard Taking The Pista

Stanford Hall, near Lutterworth

We even visited Richards house to create content to show a day in the life of the Ultima Sports Ltd. CEO and made this short film…

After stopping for a delicious meal at Miller & Carter restaurant on the A% in Hinckley, we headed out to chase the right light and I felt I could create something quite special in low light but needed the right location, facing the right direction.
This involved driving out to Heather, on the fringes of the Sense Valley Forest Park for this gorgeous image to finish with, which completed a full day out in the Ferrari 488 Pista with the nicest gentlemen I could have wished to have picked up a private commission from.

Sense Valley Forest Park, Heather, Leicestershire

Global Online Photography Community - Waiting List

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Free Global Photography Community online with in person benefits.

Since we’re mates already, I’m offering you the chance to join my brand new global photography community for free!

For the past ten years I’ve been running private 1:1, 1:2 and group photography courses, classes and workshops.

I am now building a global photography community where you can join for free, if you add your name to this waiting list.

The community will be interactive with competitions, prizes, courses, lectures, Q&A sessions, conversations with…, constructive critiques, special guests, in person events, exhibition visits, take part in exhibitions, videos, talks and will be an open forum for suggestions from the community on what you would like.

Adding yourself to the waiting list means you will be given the opportunity to join this global community once it is ready.

I expect it to take me about 6 months to build it around my other commitments.

While I’m building it, here’s the list, add yourself and be granted free membership.

Baby Dino Tree

Aurora Borealis Photographed in the Middle of the UK

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Wall Art made from the Northern Lights in Hinckley and Barwell, Leicestershire

Early in May 2024 I was surprised by a message telling me of the incredible activity from the Aurora Borealis, displaying itself in the skies above Leicestershire.

A crazy idea in itself because I thought I was going to have to pay thousands of pounds to travel to Norway or Iceland to see them in the future but as it happens, they came to see me!

The Baby Dino Tree

The Baby Dino Tree

Here’s the story of how I made it…

On the Friday night of 10th May, I was on a late night phone call with my girlfriend in Nottingham, when a friend messaged my Facebook page asking if I could see the Northern Lights. I immediately thought it was unusual and proceeded to walk outside in to my garden and looked up in the to the night sky.
I didn’t have to look hard, the Aurora Borealis was dancing with bright pink lights above my house and I couldn’t believe it.
I said ‘Wow!’ and my girlfriend asked what I was saying that for. I simply said you need to go outside and look above your house now. She did and said ‘I have to go and wake my kids up’ and hung up the phone. Then she sent me a text saying I would regret if I didn’t go out and do something’
So I grabbed my camera and began trying to make a photograph but without a tripod and full frame DSLR, it was impossible.

I then grabbed my car keys and headed straight for my studio, collected my camera and tripod and then went to my favourite tree in the whole world… The Baby Dino Tree.

The rest is history!

I've automatically fallen in love with this photograph and have had it professionally printed and is now displayed in a V-Groove Mount and available for the general public to buy.

Hollycroft Space

I also made a unique photograph in Hollycroft Park and have called this one Hollycroft Space, featuring the planetary sculpture that can be found by the club house in the park.

Here’s your chance to own one of these magical prints…

442421647_1120158892386480_5019466979008833192_n.jpg 442421647_1120158892386480_5019466979008833192_n.jpg The Baby Dino Tree Wall Art
The Baby Dino Tree Wall Art
from £40.00
Size:
Quantity:
Add To Cart
aaaab.jpg aaaab.jpg Hollycroft Space Wall Art
Hollycroft Space Wall Art
from £40.00
Sizes:
Quantity:
Add To Cart

If you need to organise delivery of your print, please hit the contact button or email me: paul@paulhands.co.uk

Funeral Photography and Video

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Documentary Storytelling Funeral Photography and Filmmaking.

This isn’t normal is it?
It’s not every day that someone dies within your close circles but when they do, you, your friends, families and communities come together to unite in grief and also celebrate the lives of those that have left this realm for the next.

On their final day with us, following the departure of their soul, some people find it in their hearts to want the day recording with photography and or video to tell their final story.
Sure it’s a sad affair with plenty of tears but also a time of love and togetherness.
One local lady commissioned me in 2022 to do some photography at the funeral of her son who committed suicide, which was devastating for her and his young family that he left behind.
Sadly her husband also passed away less than two years after her son and I was invited back to document his final day.
This time I took it a step further and created a highlights film.

Here it is, but please only watch it if you don’t mind welling up with tears and be strong….

Hybrid Funeral Photography and Video Film

If this is something that you might wish to consider for your loved ones or recommend me to someone else that might be interested, please point them towards this page on my website….

Spring Ting - Roystonbury Music Festival, Hinckley, Leicestershire.

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The Spring Ting music festival at Roystonbury Photographs 2024.

I was invited by the creators of this amazing little music festival to create some photography of the bands and the festival goers and was given carte blanche on shooting my own creative style with my street photography flair.
So I did just that and had lots of fun….

Private Photography Workshops for Couples and Best Friends

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Learn to shoot creative photography with your partner or your best friend.

This is an incredible opportunity for you and your partner or your best mate to get together and learn how to shoot creative photography.

Upon booking you will get a free consultation to determine what kind of photography you both wish to learn. Some couples want to learn different types of photography, so I will try to incorporate both in to your session.

Watch this short film to get an idea of what it’s like to join me on a couples workshop…

Private Photography Tuition for Couples and Best Friends

For more information or to book, please make contact with me directly and or just fill in this form and I’ll get back to you asap…

Street Photography Group Workshop

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Now’s your chance to learn how to shoot street photography in the comfort of a group setting.

Join me and a group of like minded photographers on a unique street photography group workshop on Saturday April 23rd from 12pm - 8pm ish.

Candid Street Photography

Street Photography is notoriously one of and if not the single most difficult genre of photography to do. I mean you’ve got to be out in public, pointing your camera at strangers without them noticing you, so you can get a candid and natural story of life in the street. You’ve got to learn to do this covertly but not in a seedy way and so that you can get the story and not interfere with the image nor the peoples lives of whom you’re shooting.

I will show you how to do this and it’ll be great fun!

Montemartre, Paris, 2014

Sounds easy right?


I know it isn’t and believe me, I still find it challenging but I have created a large collection of street photographs over the past 12 years of shooting professionally and on this course, I plan to give you as much information to set you on the path to creating some impressive works of art, not just on this session but in the future for when you’re out on your own.

Hemsby, Norfolk

Take this image above as an example, neither of the men are even aware of this photograph to this day! I kept them busy in conversation, while I shot them from the hip.

Nottingham, 2018

The image above was shot by discovering an amazing backdrop and waiting for somebody to pop up in to place and I couldn’t believe my luck when their shadow created this shape, as if they’d head butted the fence to bend the steal!

There’s always an element of luck involved but I’ll show you how to make your own luck!

Birmingham, 2017

You’ve also got to get in to that creative zone in order to see the potential of a scene before it unfolds. I’ll show you how to do that as well and give you ideas that will make you go oooooh! and occasionally aaaaah!

Birmingham 2017

It’s all about shifting your perspective!

So fancy joining me and a group of like minded photographers?
I have just one of these workshops available and there’s only 3 out of the 4 places left.
Spaces are £125pp and absolute value for money, including a technical session in my studio on how to use your camera and set it up for street photography.
We’ll then go and do a live shoot on location in Leicester City Centre before returning back to my studio to do some post production using Adobe Lightroom.

Milton Keynes, 2015

You will get the low down on street photography from start to finish, where you’ll also create at least one work of art, I almost guarantee it!

Get yourself or your loved one booked in asap….

This will be one of the most unique opportunities you will get locally in photography.

The Mpac Group Plc global leadership conference 2024 at Silverstone race circuit in the UK.

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Branding Photography and Video Production UK

Corporate event mixed media production.

This year has started in fantastic style with a commission from the marketing team at The Mpac Group Plc were tasked with creating some marketing around their exciting event.

The Mpac Group Plc CEO - Adam Holland

Mpac chose to commission myself and my new assistant Lucy McDonagh with creating a collection of candid photographs and video that told the story of their corporate event at Silverstone race circuit. It has been an amazing experience to work with The Mpac Group Plc, because of their professionalism but also their level of humanity and grounded approach to us as creatives.

Keynote Speaker Jamil Qureshi and Mpac CEO Adam Holland

This was an honour and such a pleasure to take this assignment on and especially to walk across the footbridge over the starting grid of the race track, where they played the famous Grand Prix song The Chain by Fleetwood Mac. It literally made the hairs stand up on the back of our necks.

The Mpac Group Plc Rock, Paper, Scissors Champion 2024

Since collecting the raw footage, we’ve been tasked with producing a short highlight film that can be shared on social media. We’ve also been successfully wrestling with Sony Records to release the copyright on the song we’ve used and I can’t express enough just how perfect this song is for the film, by The Script and Will I Am, Hall of Fame.

Ron Martin, The Mpac Group Plc. - Outstanding Contribution 2024

Dive right in and watch the film to see what we’ve been working on for the past 10 days.

We're proud to present the highlights film below...

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We're proud to present the highlights film below... 〰️

The Mpac Group Plc Global Leadership Conference 2024 Highlights Film

Get in touch to discuss branding photography and video production for your organisation

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Get in touch to discuss branding photography and video production for your organisation 〰️

The Paul Hands Junior Academy of Photography

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The Paul Hands Academy of Photography

is expanding!

I have now created The Junior version on the back of a successful three months of tutoring an 11 year old lad called Marky, who is home schooled by his mother and with the help of different tutors for the subjects he’s interested in and needs.

So on the back of that success, I’ve opened this up as a junior academy for any young person aged 11+.

In fact, I even made a video about it already, wanna see it?
Here you go…..

Short promotional video for the junior academy of photography.

Since going public about the junior academy, I’ve taken on several more new students and only have limited space for this.

If you home school your child or they just love photography and you feel it would be a good idea to give them either a one off workshop or enrol them on to an ongoing course, then please get in touch with me, where you’d be welcomed to meet me at my studio and learn more about this unique idea.

The Flying Scotsman Jigsaw Puzzle

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Brand New Jigsaw Puzzle Design of The Flying Scotsman Locomotive Train.

Over the past few days I’ve been getting lots of messages from customers that know about my jigsaw puzzle making, that all knew of The Flying Scotsman and that it would be traveling through Hinckley, my home town.

They all told me about it and probably was secretly hoping that I would go and get a photograph to make in to a Jigsaw Puzzle.
How could I refuse such a unique opportunity?
Of course, I couldn’t and now I have a great photograph that i will make in to a jigsaw puzzle of The Flying Scotsman!

Yes it’s exciting isn’t it?
I know!

Here it is…..

The Flying Scotsman passing through Hinckley Railway Station in Leicestershire.

So the plan is to now get stuck in to creating a new design for the packaging over the Christmas period and create a point of sale for you to place your orders.
Once again I’ll be offering pre-orders at a discounted rate while the puzzle is in production.

So make sure you sign up for my emails to stay in touch and find out when it’s ready should you wish to get one for yourself or a loved one.

Here’s a little bit of information around how I made it…

After receiving lots of tip offs, I dropped my daughter at school on the Wednesday morning of the 13th of December 2023 and headed to my studio to sort out my equipment and then drove to Hinckley Railway Station. Upon arrival I sat in my van because I was about 10 minutes early. I wanted to stay in the warm because it was a bit chilly and sat scrolling through my Facebook feed and to my horror, I came across a post that said The Flying Scotsman had made a flying stop at Humberstone Gate in Leicester and was therefore going to go through Hinckley station 10 minutes early. I grabbed my camera and ran to the station to find there was already approximately a hundred people on the bridge and lining both platforms.
I made my way to the end of the platform because I knew it would work best if I went to the back and zoomed in to the composition I wanted so it would compress the image and include more details in the frame, which always works well for a jigsaw puzzle.

I took my position and then looked around and spotted some of the other professional photographers that I knew on the other side of the platform, to which we had some banter across the tracks. It did actually raise a concern to me over whether I’d picked the right side of the platform though.
I wanted to have the station visible in the background and get the people on the bridge.

Then an Intercity came whizzing through and I noted the speed, considering that The Flying Scotsman would emulate that speed as it wasn’t stopping. This meant to me that I would have to increase the shutter speed to make sure I could have a sharp image.
The settings I used was 1/800th of a second at f6.3 with an ISO of 3200.

In post production I performed a post crop to 7:5 in order to be the right size for a jigsaw puzzle. I altered the exposure to look as it did when I was there, sharpened it a little and had to do Denoise because of the amount of ISO I had to use to get the fast shutter speed.

I then prefocused the shot on the station and when she came flying through I just kept hitting the shutter button and managed about 6 photographs to get to choose this single one.

That’s how I made this photograph, so if you would now like to express an interest in buying this puzzle when it’s ready, please enter your email address below and I’ll be in touch when it’s ready.