Back at Uni

So I've been back at Unit for a week and already my head is fit to burst!  I've been given 3 briefs already, a commercial photography brief, a 2000 word essay to accompany it and a professional practice project.  

Well I'm excited about my commercial photography brief.  It's based around advertising and I've chosen a fantastic product... Guinness.  

I'm going to have my buried in a ton of books over the next couple of weeks but once I start creating the photography for the project, I'll be showing some off on my blog.

Check out my new website, it's awesome!

For those of you that haven't already seen, I've revamped my website.  I must say that I love it and feel it works so much better than my original site.

I've opened a shop within my site too, and there is two products for sale at the moment.  You can buy a print or one of my books using a secure payment system.

More importantly, I have a great platform to exhibit my work on-line now.

I've also set it up so that I can show my work as a commercial photographer and public relations photography within Hinckley, Leicestershire in the Midlands.

Paul Hands Photography

New Website

I've redone my website and changed the template theme all together.  I've done this for SEO reasons.  Most of my website wasn't designed very well for commercial photography and public relations photography.  Plus there wasn't there right areas available for me to input my SEO keywords and phrases.

As an added bonus I think this shows off my talents and my photography much better.  I'd appreciate some constructive criticism if you have the time to have a look through and give me some feedback.

I've spent some time multiplying my keywords and phrases so that they come up in a Google search more easily.  I think I've got a grasp on it but you can never be sure.  Well I hope this works better for me. 


Night Photography Hinckley

I love making photographs at night time and in low light.  The colours in the images are such much more vibrant than in the day time.  There is a bit of skill to getting the shots too.  I spotted the Super Moon last night in Hinckley as I was driving home.  I knew as soon as I saw it that I would be running in home to grab my camera gear and tripod.  I raced back to the location I spotted the moon because it moves really quickly and I didn't want it to move out of the frame that I'd pictured.  Well here's the result...  It did actually move slightly out of position to how I imagined it but never the less, this still looks quite cool.

Click on the image to enlarge.

Hinckley Photographed 2nd Birthday →

It's our birthday at Hinckley Photographed.  We're just 2 years old now.  Here's a selection of images that we've made over the last 2 years.  We were interviewed on BBC Radio Leicester at the beginning and was excited about reaching a thousand followers.  Today we have 2579 people from all across the World following our photographic artwork.  We've photographed HRH Prince Edward (Earl of Wessex), I won an award as the 2013 AOC Photographer of the Year, have been working with some very prestigious commercial clients.  Lisa is doing really well with her newborn photography business 'Little Hands Photography'.  We've got a lot of weddings booked for 2015 with 'Hands On Wedding Photography' really starting to take off.  

My little business 'Paul Hands Photography' is doing really well.  As artists, we're both growing at incredible speeds in terms of our quality and eye for a good photograph.  As professional photographers in Hinckley, Leicestershire, we're becoming very well known for both Hinckley Photographed and our professional work ethics.

The most important factor in our success, is our joy and enthusiasm for our art.  We respect photography and are returning to University again in two weeks time so we can spend our final year studying the HND in Photography before we enrol on our final, final year on the BA (Bachelor of Arts).  We both feel incredibly privileged to be living this life and thank everybody that has helped us get here including those that follow us on Hinckley Photographed.

You're all amazing!

Please click on each photograph to enlarge...

Paris Photo

We're already making plans for this years trip to Paris Photo in November.  We're going to be staying in a different hotel this year too, so no more late night Belushi's binge drinking!  I'll be going all out to make an awesome body of work in the streets of Paris and this time with better knowledge of the City and a real eye for details but with an even better camera.  I simply can't fail to produce some great street photography this time round.  I didn't do a bad job last time either.  I created 'The Parisian Grid' last year.  A series of seven photographs that box individuals inside a virtual grid in the centre of one of the busiest Cities in Europe.  City dwellers seem to fashion a life of solitude and only break out of their box occasionally so they can socialise or work.  This series represents a metaphor for unachievable isolation.  Here it is for those that haven't seen it before.

Click on each image to enlarge.

Coventry City's First Game Back At The Ricoh

Well it's been a while since I was at The Ricoh.  Tonight I'll be there with my family but this time I'm watching the match.  No camera's involved!  It's been over a year since the Sky Blues played a game at the Ricoh but now they're back.  This is it!  There's a full house and I'm probably going to lose my voice tonight.  There will be a nice farewell tribute to ex-captain Carl Baker on the 8 minute mark.  I'm really looking forward to it.  Anyway, I'd best get in my car and go because there will be big queues for this one!

Click on the image to enlarge...

You don't want none of that crap meat from the Supermarket! →

I had a great chat with this chap who runs the oldest Butchers shop in Coventry City Centre.  I was working on a commercial photography shoot for Coventry City Council when I came across this shop and the bloke really wanted to talk.  My job as a professional photographer leads me in to all kinds of places and talking to all manner of different people from all walks of life.  It's such a rich job in terms of the social aspect.  I don't know where I'd be without my camera!   To think I actually worked in an office for 12 years selling stuff for someone else to someone else.  You know I've never worked as hard as I do now I work for myself!  It's my business and I'm gonna do everything in my power to make it work for my family.  Anyway, back on track... This bloke let me photograph him, I love the depth of field in the image and would consider entering this in to an International competition I've got my eye on! 

Click on the image to enlarge it...

www.paulhands.co.uk

Commercial Photography →

I've just completed my first Public Relations new media assignment with Coventry City Council.  

I was tasked with providing the best quality imagery for their new website which will be going live on September the 9th 2014.  I'm very proud that I was chosen as the professional photographer and will be even more proud when I see my images used to represent the City Centre and entice new visitors.  The work was carried out through Coventry BID and what's more exciting is that they've booked me to go back and create more images for them this year.  This could hopefully mean that I will become their photographer of choice and lead on to many other assignments with them and other authorities throughout the United Kingdom.  Here's an example of some of the work that I created for the Council and other commercial projects that I've completed since picking up a camera.

Click on each image to enlarge...

Hinckley Photographed

I stayed up until 4am this morning creating this movie of Hinckley Photographed.  It has taken me 2 years up until now to document Hinckley and I continue to do so.  Here is a short film highlighting the highs and lows of Hinckley.  Some of the images can be found on my website and on Facebook here.

Click on the short film to start watching.