Michaela Yearwood-Dan at the Whitworth, Exhibition Opening

Exhibition opening at the Whitworth, Manchester

I photographed the opening of Michaela Yearwood-Dan’s exhibition at the Whitworth Art Gallery in Manchester. The exhibition brings together painting, ceramics and sound across several rooms in the gallery, with works placed so the installation shifts as you move through it.

I photographed the opening as it unfolded across the evening. I photographed the artist, Michaela Yearwood-Dan, in formal portraits within the space, as well as in more informal moments with friends and visitors during the opening. Alongside that, I photographed people moving through the exhibition, stopping to look closely at the work, talking, and circulating between rooms.

Michaela Yearwood-Dan

Michaela Yearwood-Dan works across painting, ceramics, installation and sound. Her paintings are built through layered surfaces of colour, gesture and handwritten text that sits directly within the image rather than as separate annotation. The work often holds fragments of writing within dense painterly surfaces, where image and language sit together.

She is represented by Hauser & Wirth and Marianne Boesky Gallery, and her work is shown internationally across institutional and gallery contexts.

Critical writing on the work

Writing on her practice often focuses on how abstraction and language sit alongside personal and cultural reference. In British Vogue, Charlotte Jansen describes her paintings as combining “confession, nostalgia and identity.”

The same article also notes the range of references within her work, from “queer communal spaces and carnival to Caribbean flora and fauna, to spiritual rituals and, very often, music.”

In exhibition texts for The Practice of Liberation at the Whitworth, her use of language is described as “fragments of diaristic writing alongside adapted and borrowed texts and lyrics,” which are integrated directly into the surface of the paintings.

Photographing the opening

I always enjoy working at the Whitworth. The building has a natural ease for photographing people within it, and the way exhibitions sit within its architecture supports that. There is a steady flow of movement during openings like this, which allows for a mix of portrait work, observation and social documentation without needing to separate those approaches.

It’s a privilege to work in environments where the architecture, the exhibition, and the people all sit together in the same frame. I am currently accepting commissions for exhibition photography, artist portraits and cultural documentation.

Barnfather Wire for HTP Digital

Barnfather Wire Factory Photography | Industrial Wire Manufacturing in Wednesbury

I was commissioned by long‑time collaborators HTP Digital to photograph Barnfather Wire, the UK’s largest independent wire production company, for imagery to support the company’s new website. The assignment took place at Barnfather’s factory in Wednesbury, West Midlands, capturing the facility, production operations, and skilled workforce that make Barnfather a leader in the wire manufacturing industry.

About Barnfather Wire and Its Manufacturing Expertise

Barnfather Wire specialises in the production of high‑quality drawn wire products, serving a diverse customer base that includes blue‑chip companies supplying major global brands as well as small and medium British manufacturers. The company manufactures a wide range of wire types, including baling wire, bright mild steel, cut lengths, cold heading quality wire, galvanised wire, and bespoke wire solutions tailored to specific industrial needs.

The company’s state‑of‑the‑art facility and experienced team enable it to deliver reliable products that meet and often exceed industry standards. One notable achievement was supplying the wire used to create the stems for the ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’ Tower of London poppy installation, demonstrating both production capacity and technical quality.

In recent years Barnfather Wire has invested in advanced machinery, including high‑speed precision drawing equipment, expanding production capacity and reinforcing its position as a leading wire producer in the UK and Europe.

Industrial Photography at Barnfather Wire

Photographing industrial environments like the Barnfather Wire factory involves more than simply documenting machines. The images capture the scale of operations, the precision of manufacturing processes, and the human skill that drives production. By including shots of raw materials, machinery, production lines, and operators at work, the photography provides a visual narrative of what makes the company’s output reliable and high quality.

These photographs can be used across Barnfather Wire’s new corporate website, in marketing materials, sales brochures, technical documentation, industry catalogues, and investor communications, helping customers and partners understand the company’s capabilities at a glance.

The Importance of Industrial Photography for Manufacturers

Industrial photography plays a critical role in how modern manufacturers present themselves online and in print. Quality images allow companies to visually communicate professionalism, facility standards, production processes, and workforce expertise. Showing the operations behind the products helps build trust with potential customers who need assurance about quality and capability before entering into commercial relationships.

Well‑executed industrial imagery also strengthens brand identity by humanising the business, showing the people behind the products and the environments where engineering and manufacturing happen. When customers see detailed and authentic visuals of a factory floor or production line, it can reinforce the perception of quality and transparency, helping differentiate a manufacturer in a competitive market.

Beyond websites, these photographs can be leveraged across marketing channels including social media, trade show displays, printed catalogues, press releases, and corporate reports. Consistent, high‑quality visuals increase engagement and support brand recognition across digital and offline platforms.

Creating a Visual Narrative for Customers and Partners

For businesses like Barnfather Wire, industrial photography provides visual proof of technical expertise, production capability, and operational scale. Detailed images of machines in action, technicians at work, and finished products help prospective clients quickly assess whether the company meets their requirements. High‑quality photography is a tool that supports sales, improves engagement, and reinforces credibility with customers, suppliers, and partners alike.

Phoenix Healthcare distribution for Fagan Jones

Pharmaceutical Facility Photography in Preston Brook | Automated Drug Distribution and Logistics

I was commissioned to photograph a high-technology pharmaceutical distribution facility in Preston Brook on behalf of the film production company Fagan Jones. The shoot was organised by producer Vicky at Fagan Jones, and I was working alongside the exceptionally talented cinematographer Dan Lightening, who was filming moving footage for the same project.

My role on the day was to create a set of still photographs documenting the scale, infrastructure and day-to-day operations of the site. These images would complement the film production while also providing a visual record of the facility for marketing, communications and corporate use.

Inside a High-Technology Pharmaceutical Logistics Facility

The distribution centre in Preston Brook is an impressive example of the level of automation now present in modern pharmaceutical logistics. Within the facility, miles of robotised and computer-controlled conveyor systems move medicines through a carefully designed network of routes. These automated systems pick, sort and pack drugs before they are dispatched to pharmacies across the UK.

From a photographic perspective the site offered a remarkable environment to document. Long corridors of conveyors run through the building, with automated picking machines selecting products at speed before they are routed through packing stations. Containers glide through the system in a constant flow, guided by computerised logistics software that ensures the correct medication reaches the correct destination.

Facilities like this are essential parts of the national healthcare supply chain. The efficiency and reliability of the logistics systems ensure that pharmacies and healthcare providers receive the medicines they need quickly and accurately. Photographing such environments provides a glimpse into the highly organised infrastructure that underpins pharmaceutical distribution.

Photographing Automation, Robotics and Industrial Systems

Industrial photography in environments like this requires a combination of wide architectural views and detailed documentary images. Wide photographs show the scale of the operation, with long lines of conveyors stretching across large warehouse spaces. These images help communicate the sheer size of the facility and the complexity of the logistics network.

At the same time, close-up photographs reveal the precision of the machinery involved. Sensors, scanners and robotic arms guide containers along the system, while packing stations assemble shipments ready for distribution. Capturing these smaller details helps explain the process visually, showing how individual components of the system work together to form a seamless operation.

Lighting conditions in large industrial buildings can also present interesting challenges. High ceilings, mixed light sources and moving machinery require careful attention to exposure and timing in order to produce clear and dynamic images.

Stills Photography Alongside a Film Production

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the commission was working alongside a film crew. While Dan Lightening focused on capturing cinematic footage of the logistics process, my role was to produce still images that documented the same environment from a complementary perspective.

Working in parallel with a film crew requires a degree of coordination. Film productions often involve lighting setups, rehearsed camera movements and multiple takes, whereas still photography typically requires more mobility in order to capture spontaneous moments. The aim is always to work collaboratively so that both the stills and the moving images can be produced efficiently without interrupting the workflow of the facility itself.

Photographs created during these types of productions are often used in a wide range of contexts, including websites, press releases, annual reports and promotional material. They provide organisations with a visual record of the project that can be used long after the filming itself has been completed.

Documenting the Scale of Modern Logistics

Large automated facilities like the one at Preston Brook are fascinating places to photograph because they combine architecture, engineering and human expertise. Despite the high level of automation, the site is still supported by skilled staff who oversee the systems, monitor quality control and ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Capturing both the human and technological aspects of the environment helps create a more complete narrative of how the facility operates. Images of staff interacting with the machinery, monitoring computer systems or managing packaging operations provide context to the vast automated infrastructure surrounding them.

The visual rhythm of the conveyors, the repetition of containers moving through the system and the geometric lines of the machinery all contribute to a distinctive aesthetic that is unique to industrial and logistics photography.

A Fast-Moving Day on Location

Facilities of this scale are rarely static environments. Conveyors are constantly moving, robots are continuously sorting products, and staff are working across different areas of the building to keep operations running smoothly. For a photographer, this means covering a significant amount of ground in a limited amount of time in order to capture the full story of the site.

By the end of the day it was clear that running shoes should probably be considered essential equipment for photographers working in environments like this. Moving quickly between different areas of the facility, keeping pace with both the film crew and the production schedule, makes for a busy but very rewarding assignment.

Documenting the combination of advanced technology, logistics infrastructure and human expertise that keeps a pharmaceutical distribution centre operating is always fascinating. It also offers a reminder of the enormous systems working behind the scenes to ensure medicines reach pharmacies and patients across the country.

New facility opening for DB Cargo

Event and Industrial Photography: Deutsche Bahn Cargo Facility Launch in Wolverhampton

DB recently opened its new facility in Wolverhampton, situated close to the heartland of the West Midlands motor industry. I photographed the launch of the facility, capturing the scale of the giant hangars, the trains delivering enormous rolls of steel, and the industrial context of this major logistics hub. These images were created to document the event and illustrate the operational scale of Deutsche Bahn Cargo’s new UK presence.

My visit to the West Midlands last year took me to the region twice on assignments related to Britain’s motor industry. The launch of the new DB facility is pictured below, with its expansive structures and dynamic industrial environment. Earlier in the year, on commission for the German business magazine WirtschaftsWoche (Business Week), I documented the factory of German supplier Brose, where seats and equipment are manufactured for Jaguar Land Rover models.

Capturing Industrial Scale and Event Context

Photographing industrial facilities and their launches requires a balance of documentary and editorial approaches. At the Deutsche Bahn Cargo event, the focus was on capturing the imposing scale of the new facility, the movement of freight trains delivering steel, and the atmosphere of the launch itself. The images provide a visual overview of the infrastructure and operations, contextualising the significance of the site within the UK’s manufacturing and logistics landscape.

Industrial photography like this supports editorial stories, corporate reports, and marketing materials. By showing the relationship between people, machines, and structures, the images help communicate the operational realities of major logistics investments and industrial facilities.

Brose and the Motor Industry in the West Midlands

Earlier visits to the West Midlands included a commission for WirtschaftsWoche to photograph the Brose factory, a German manufacturer producing components such as seats and interior equipment for Jaguar Land Rover. This work captured the production lines, workforce engagement, and manufacturing processes at the factory, emphasising the ongoing connections between German engineering firms and British automotive production.

Together, these visits paint a broader picture of the West Midlands as a centre for industrial innovation, logistics, and automotive supply chains. Photographing these facilities highlights the region’s economic significance and the cross‑border relationships that shape modern manufacturing.

Conclusion

Photographing the launch of Deutsche Bahn Cargo’s new facility in Wolverhampton provided an opportunity to document both a major industrial event and the scale of modern logistics infrastructure. Alongside earlier work at Brose’s automotive supply factory, these images form a coherent visual record of significant industrial activity in the West Midlands, illustrating the interplay between transport, manufacturing, and economic growth in the UK.