Professional Photographer
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….
In March 2020, as you know, the British Government announced our first ever lockdown, to hide from the Coronavirus and it went on for months. I lost all of my commissioned work but managed to innovate and learned some pretty cool things about myself. I didn’t sit back and watch what was going on, I took a good long hard look at myself and worked out what I had, what I can do and figured out a way around this mess.
The first thing I did was react visually with my camera because I didn’t really know what to do if the truth be told. So I went out and made some photographs and then put them all together in to a film with some cool voice overs and music to suit.
This film attracted a lot of attention but it wasn’t the ending for me. I’d got an idea in the back of my mind to document this harrowing time as a once in a lifetime opportunity. I wasn’t going to waste a minute more of my creative life.
I asked the question to my audience on Hinckley & Burbage Photographed, ‘Would anybody be interested in taking part in a project where I make photographs of you through your front windows (maintaining social distancing) and then interview you with a view to creating a book?’
Immediately I had a few responses from people who were genuinely interested. I didn’t realise the gravity of the task or the situation as I asked, but I went through with it and I was almost led by the project and not by me, like I was just the vehicle for other peoples stories.
Before I could say Global Coronavirus Pandemic, I’d built a big and growing body of work, which you can view it all here.
Here’s 9 photographs that feature in the book ‘Locked Down’.
The book has been amazing for me and everyone involved. I’m still selling copies of the book, which you can find in my shop or via this link…
Sales of my book began to drop off as people began to emerge from isolation and went back to work. During the whole time I had also turned some of the photographs from my archives in to Jigsaw Puzzles, which have been amazingly popular. I’ve even brought out a colouring book, featuring 20 photographs from my collection. As my online sales stopped going so crazy, I realised that I needed to continue to do something so I can earn a living because I’ve got a little girl at home that needs a good life, she deserves it, so I had to get a grip and earn a wage. With no commissioned work, I only had my catalogue of photographs to use but luckily, I’d grown that catalogue to over ten thousand pictures of local places and events.
So I designed everything I would need to run a market stall on the local market in Hinckley and even managed to gain a sponsor who supported me through starting up. Jamie from Brookfield Signs & Graphics.
However, the Government announced a new lockdown for the whole of November, so I was back on the sofa, thinking of what to do. I didn’t want to repeat myself and do the same project again because that wouldn’t be creative in my eyes.
I decided to embark on a massive journey to document the entire county of Leicestershire in the same way I’ve done with Hinckley & Burbage Photographed. Leicestershire Photographed has been born.
I plan to do with this what I’ve learned after 9 years of the other project. Except this time I’m starting with the idea of making tangible products along the way and have already created my first 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle, The Old House, Cadeby.
The Old House, Cadeby - 1,000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
I’m quite excited about my artwork now because all along, I’d been doing commissioned photography and filmmaking to earn a living, which was fantastic but I really only wanted to make my artwork and now the dream is becoming a reality for me on a full time basis. So developing my skills to cover the whole county of Leicestershire is a massive task but one I’m enjoying so much. It would be great if you could follow the project on social media. Use this link to the Facebook page and hit follow.
I’ve now got loads of products available for sale using my artwork now and if you haven’t seen them yet, please go and have a look at my online shop.
I’ve got 1,000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzles, Adults Colouring Books, , 2021 Calendars, Christmas Cards and Framed Prints.
I’m hoping that Boris Johnson will be kind and actually open up the country again on December the 2nd, then I can get back to work and rnu my market stall. I’ve even got a van lined up to buy ready to help me move my stock around because it’s been a right royal pain in the arse folding down the car seats and loading everything I can squeeze in to the car. I feel like I’ve got a valid business for once and it’s all from my biggest passion, photography.
I'll answer that question easily enough, I'm great with candid photography. I'm a street photographer at heart and this genre of photography is a very fast paced pictorial style that can't be done well by just anybody. The snapshot is often and incorrectly disregarded because of the quick nature in which they have to be created. It actually takes great craft, skill and observational techniques that can only be grown by a practicing and experienced photographer.
Sajid Javid (Home Secretary) & Phillip Hammond (Chancellor of the Exchequer) at Morris Homes, Leicester.
The story is always the important part of the picture and in the image above, Sajid Javid who was at the time of this photoshoot, was the Secretary of State and Phillip Hammond who is still the Chancellor of the Exchequer. They both visited Morris Homes in Leicester as part of a PR stunt aimed at boosting the new Homes England campaign by the government. In this picture Hammond and Javid spoke with house building apprentices in one of the show homes. They were genuinely interested in what the apprentices had to say.
I had to light this image with a speed light in order to bring out the details of the people with this being inside a fairly dark room (for photography). The PR shoot was mixed and based both inside and outside, with me moving quickly between environments. Many lighting factors had to be considered and worked around to get the images clean and crisp enough for professional usage.
Sajid Javid, Home Secretary, Public Relations Photography Shoot.
The above image was made outside and extra lighting wasn't required to get that candid feel. Lighting always make everything look staged. I was hired purposefully to create a documentary feel to the images.
David Treddinick Politician Hinckley & Bosworth MP
David Treddinick visited an event that was held by Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council at The Royal Arms in Sutton Cheney in the district of Hinckley & Bosworth. The event was a celebration and event for the tourism industry, filled with many local businesses in the district like Twycross Zoo, Bosworth Water Park and Tropical Birdland. I was hired at the last minute, and luckily I was available and always happy to cater for emergencies and urgent requirements.
Employees at JJ Churchill Aerospace Engineering Ltd.
I was hired by a marketing agency to provide some pr photographs, product shots and studio styled headshots of the Directors for JJ Churchill Aerospace Engineering in Market Bosworth. Churchill's required imagery for their website and also for some marketing material at a trade show. This was also a last minute booking and I was hired urgently with a premium request for the turnaround of the images within 24 hours. I provide an overnight service that helps companies complete their marketing needs at late notice and with precision.
Diabetes UK, Type One Events.
Diabetes UK booked me to provide documentary styled images that could be used for public relations and to help push focus towards their charity, hopefully gaining support, donations and convince parents to pay for their children to attend their type one events.
My diary is very busy but I do have spaces for new business, so if you have any pr photography requirements, then please don't hesitate to get in touch.
I also provide services for:
The best thing to do if you think you might be able to use my services is to make a note of my contact details and / or just get in touch now.
YES!
The end!
Well, not actually the end, this is the beginning and that was a bit gimmicky!
Phillip Hammond and Sajid Javid visiting a Morris Homes building site in Leicester.
The image of Hammond and Javid above was a picture that I made while on a recent PR photo shoot for The BJL Group and Morris Homes. It involved working closely with The Treasury and working to a brief. This was the cover image used for a blog written by Morris Homes and wasn't really on the brief they gave me.
As an avid Street Photography fan and practitioner, this was a naturally easy type of shot to get for me. The rest of the press group were a good 20 feet behind me. I had a brief to work to and they were just collecting imagery, so I had a free run. The government ministers walked very quickly and it was a cold February morning. You can even see Phillip Hammond breathing out some misty air. The shot isn't perfect but in this kind of situation, perfection isn't what's required, it's the story that counts and with the Morris Homes flags waving around in the background, it was just what they wanted but didn't know about that at the time.
The SFB Group, Leicester
This picture above is of the building for one of my regular clients The SFB Group a nationwide firm of accountants. It's all too easy to make a picture looking straight on at the building. I wanted to create something that fitted with their branding which was quite dynamic, hence the acute angle. This is loosely where landscape photography skills come in useful, I positioned the composition acutely to create a more interesting view of something usually very ordinary. The angle has given the building form and made it look more three dimensional.
David Treddinick meeting with the owners of Enchanted Bell Tents
The above picture uses Street Photography skills because it's candid and the people in the picture are unaware of my presence. My intention was to follow my brief and collect natural looking pictures of the MP David Treddinick meeting local business owners at the launch of the new Bosworth Visitors Map at a special event held at Royal Arms in Sutton Cheney.
A Street Photograph made in Leicester city centre.
Street Photography in Leicester
Mirror Man, Street Photography in Paris.
Commercial Landscape Photography
I've shared a small selection of my street photography to show the similarities to shooting reportage and PR work. Also the landscape picture that I've included is more of a contextual play with the words and space in the frame. The sign on the right reads 1 million square foot, so I've framed the image to include lots of space to insinuate that you can see 1 million square foot in the frame.
Giant Chicken Tree, Leicestershire
I've included the picture of the giant chicken tree because I think it's cool.
I've crafted my skills over a long period of time, been judged, examined, won awards and gained a level 3 qualification, HND and a BA Hons in photography through creating this style of work. I've figured out a way to transfer my skills to a growing client base, who are using me more and more regularly.
My clients keep coming back to me and won't use anyone else now. Assuming I can keep this up, yes, street and landscape photography skills are very transferable to a commercial client,.
The trick is to get deep in the minds of the commissioners to learn what they want and to identify with the brief. Once the purpose is established, I can easily determine what kind of pictures to make and which style to use.
My images now appear on many company websites, marketing literature and newspapers online and in print.
You can enquire with me about my availability or to get a quote for your business here.
Homes England is a recently formed organisation by the Government to deliver a series of housing targets in the future for England. They sent the current housing secretary Sajid Javid who launched the agency and Chancellor of the Exchequer, Phillip Hammond to meet with the top brass at Morris Homes; CEO Mike Gaskell and Dominic Harman at one of their large sites in Leicester where members of the press and the BBC were waiting to film and photograph the occasion.
Sajid Javid, Mike Gaskell, Dominic Harman, Phillip Hammond.
The shoot was carefully thought out with instructions from Homes England, The Treasury and Morris Homes PR to create a series of pictures that fits within their thought out narrative. Each situation was managed with The Treasury tugging on our sleeves to end scenes and move on towards the next stages. It's quite bizarre assignment in the sense that each creative was hired to give their skills and at great expense, to be directed from behind.
Prior to the arrival of the Government Ministers, each scene was walked through and discussed with careful planning on the direction of light, most preferred back drops and positioning. In other words even the composition was almost curated before the event.
Morris Homes Leicester Development
Sajid Javid, Phillip Hammond, Three Apprentices
Reportage Styled Scene
CEO Mike Gaskell (Morris Homes), Phillip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer.
On this type of shoot, there's usually a lot of standing around and on this occasion it was no different. Finding things to do when they party is talking and you've already got a ton of good shots but waiting to move on to the next scene.
Mike Gaskell, CEO Morris Homes.
