Latest Editorial, Portrait & Commercial Photography Projects
A selection of my most recent commissions and ongoing projects.
The work shown here spans editorial assignments, portrait commissions, documentary projects and commercial photography for organisations and publishers. It reflects current areas of focus and the range of contexts in which I am working.
New projects are added regularly.
Manchester Conference Photography: Innovate to Elevate Awards and Showcase Event Coverage
I recently photographed the Innovate to Elevate Awards and Showcase, organised by the Centre for Digital Innovation and held in Manchester. The event brought together technology companies, researchers, and innovators working across fields such as artificial intelligence, cyber security, digital manufacturing, and sustainable technology.
I recently photographed the Innovate to Elevate Awards and Showcase, organised by the Centre for Digital Innovation and held in Manchester. The event brought together technology companies, researchers, and innovators working across fields such as artificial intelligence, cyber security, digital manufacturing, and sustainable technology.
Events like this highlight how important it is for organisations to document conferences and innovation programmes with clear, professional photography that communicates their work long after the event has finished.
For organisations running conferences, innovation showcases, or industry awards, photography is not simply a record of the event. It is a marketing asset.
High-quality conference photography supports press coverage, social media communication, funding reports, and future event promotion. The images produced during an event often become the primary visual documentation used by organisers, sponsors, and speakers.
The Innovate to Elevate event focused on supporting small and medium-sized businesses working in digital and emerging technologies. The programme included presentations, workshops, networking sessions, and an awards ceremony recognising companies developing innovative solutions.
Many of the discussions at the conference centred around responsible AI, digital transformation, hydrogen technology, cybersecurity, and the role of emerging technologies in supporting innovation across industry.
Events like this allow organisations to present research and innovation outcomes, connect businesses with potential collaborators, and demonstrate the impact of regional technology programmes.
For initiatives funded through innovation programmes, strong visual documentation is particularly important. Photography from these events is frequently used in reports, communications campaigns, and stakeholder updates.
Photographing a technology-focused conference requires attention to the moments that communicate what is actually happening at the event.
Rather than simply photographing audiences, the goal is to capture the work being presented: keynote speakers delivering talks, panel discussions, demonstrations of new technology, and conversations between researchers and businesses.
Conference venues can be challenging environments to photograph. Lighting conditions change constantly, schedules move quickly, and photographers often have limited access to speakers and presenters.
Capturing clear and usable images under these conditions requires experience in anticipating key moments while working efficiently and without interrupting the event itself.
At events like Innovate to Elevate, photographs of speakers, panel discussions, and audience engagement help illustrate how ideas are shared and discussed within the conference setting.
Networking and collaboration are also a central part of innovation events. Images showing attendees discussing projects or reviewing demonstrations help communicate the connections being formed between organisations.
The awards section of the event recognised companies contributing to technological innovation and regional economic development. Photographing award presentations provides organisers and winners with images that can be used for press announcements and marketing.
For organisations hosting conferences, professional photography helps ensure that the event continues to generate value long after it has finished. Images can be used across websites, social media, reports, and promotional material for future events.
If you are organising a conference, awards ceremony, or industry event in Manchester and need professional photography coverage, feel free to get in touch.
Conference Photography for The Invisible Orthodontist
It was a real pleasure to photograph The Invisible Orthodontist’s conference in Murcia, Spain earlier in the year. Fantastic weather and accommodation, even time for a quick dip in the pool between sessions and great to see everyone letting their hair down at the conference dinner.
I’m looking forward to the next one!
It was a real pleasure to photograph The Invisible Orthodontist’s conference in Murcia, Spain earlier in the year. Fantastic weather and accommodation, even time for a quick dip in the pool between sessions and great to see everyone letting their hair down at the conference dinner.
I’m looking forward to the next one!
Photography of High Street Task Force
The High Streets Task Force was established to England's high streets and town centres to thrive - providing expert training, guidance data to the people who make them. Local leaders and partnerships are be able to access the latest data and evidence to inform their investment and regeneration decisions.
I was pleased to photograph the latest meeting of experts and representatives from the chosen towns at Manchester Metropolitan University business school. I was also able to photograph some portraits of the university staff at the conclusion of the meeting.
The High Streets Task Force was established to England's high streets and town centres to thrive - providing expert training, guidance data to the people who make them. Local leaders and partnerships are be able to access the latest data and evidence to inform their investment and regeneration decisions.
I was pleased to photograph the latest meeting of experts and representatives from the chosen towns at Manchester Metropolitan University business school. I was also able to photograph some portraits of the university staff at the conclusion of the meeting.
The funding will be piloted first in 20 town centres before being rolled out in 101 areas across the country.
The first 14 towns to take part in the pilot schemes and receive funding from the government will be:
Swinton Town centre – Salford, Thornton Heath – Croydon, Cheadle – Staffordshire Moorlands, Aldershot Town Centre – Rushmoor, Stirchley – Birmingham, Accrington Town Centre – Hyndburn, Kendal – South Lakeland, Friargate – Preston, Coventry City Centre – Coventry, Hartlepool Town Centre – Hartlepool, Ellesmere Port Town Centre – Cheshire West and Chester, West Bromwich Town Centre – Sandwell, Huyton Town Centre – Knowsley, Withington District Centre – Manchester.
“The Task Force will provide the tools they need to get the best advice possible and a dashboard of key local data,” Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said.
Ministers will also launch a consultation on whether to build an online register of commercial properties, which could make it easier to bring empty shops back into use.
The government has also pledged to cut small retailers’ business rates bills by 50 per cent from April.
If you require photography of your conference, meeting or event please drop me a line at david@davidoates.net or fill out the form on the ‘Contact’ page of this website.
What Makes a House a Home? for Hawkins/Brown
Hawkins\Brown have been debating this question for over 30 years and on Thursday 18 July 2019, hosted a conference party at Glass House One, Festival Square, to celebrate another successful year for Hawkins\Brown Studio North and their continued support of and involvement in Manchester International Festival.
The house: “a machine for living in” (Le Corbusier), or a place “to dream” (Gaston Bachelard)?
The panel delved into this rich and varied topic covering everything from co-living and the concept of community, to shifts in social demographics and changing lifestyles, to DfMA, buildability and volumetric housing, to what “home” means personally to each of the panellists. Some suggestions included: “my record collection”, “acoustic insulation (three children under the age of three!),” and “the freedom to DIY”.
It was a pleasure to photograph the conference while enjoying the atmosphere of MIF and the last of the sunshine.
Hawkins\Brown have been debating this question for over 30 years and on Thursday 18 July 2019, hosted a party at Glass House One, Festival Square, to celebrate another successful year for Hawkins\Brown Studio North and their continued support of and involvement in Manchester International Festival.
The house: “a machine for living in” (Le Corbusier), or a place “to dream” (Gaston Bachelard)?
The panel delved into this rich and varied topic covering everything from co-living and the concept of community, to shifts in social demographics and changing lifestyles, to DfMA, buildability and volumetric housing, to what “home” means personally to each of the panellists. Some suggestions included: “my record collection”, “acoustic insulation (three children under the age of three!),” and “the freedom to DIY”.
