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.

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.

Documentary Photography - BP's LiDAR buoy at Liverpool Docks

Another commission from BP as they work on the development of the Mona and Morgan Irish Sea wind farms. This time I was taking photographs to document the maintenance of one of their Fugro Seawatch LiDAR buoys which are surveying the field to find optimal wind turbine locations. The Seawatch buoys run on solar panels and fuel cells using methanol fuel. Although autonomous in the field the buoys need to be towed to shore for refueling and servicing.

As an ex-engineer with a background in Physics, this was a really interesting - if freezing! - few days shooting in Liverpool.

LiDAR, or Light Detection and Ranging, can measure wind speed by using the Doppler effect. The Doppler effect is a phenomenon that occurs when the frequency of a wave changes as the source of the wave moves relative to the observer. This effect is commonly experienced in everyday life, for example, the change in pitch of a siren as an ambulance approaches and then passes by.

In the context of LiDAR, a laser beam is directed towards the atmosphere, and the reflected light is detected by a sensor. As the laser beam passes through the atmosphere, it interacts with particles in the air, such as dust or water droplets. These particles scatter the laser beam in different directions, and some of the scattered light returns to the sensor.

By analyzing the scattered light, LiDAR can detect the movement of air particles and calculate wind speed. The movement of the particles changes the frequency of the scattered light, and this change in frequency is detected by the sensor. The amount of frequency shift is proportional to the wind speed, allowing LiDAR to calculate the wind speed with high accuracy.

LiDAR can also provide information about the direction and turbulence of the wind, helping to identify potential challenges for wind turbine installations. This information is particularly useful in the development of wind farms, where accurate wind measurements are essential for identifying the most suitable locations for wind turbines.

Photographing for Art Fund at the Bronte Museum

Art Fund is a UK-based charity that aims to help museums and galleries to acquire and display works of art. The charity was established in 1903 and has since supported hundreds of museums and galleries across the country, helping to enhance their collections and make art more accessible to the public.

One of the most notable initiatives of Art Fund is the National Art Pass, which provides free entry or discounted admission to over 240 museums and galleries across the UK, as well as other benefits such as exclusive events and discounts at art-related shops and restaurants.

Meet Me at the Museum is a podcast series published by Art Fund where famous faces take their best mate, their mum, their neighbour (whoever they want) for an afternoon at a favourite museum or gallery. As well as getting a peek behind the scenes, seeing what makes a museum tick, it's also the starting point for some great conversations about life, the universe and everything. As well as a chance to eat lots of cake in the cafe.

During the production of this episode, I photographed writer Amy Liptrot, author of The Outrun and The Instant, as she took her friend, poet Zaffar Kunial, to the Brontë Parsonage Museum in Haworth, West Yorkshire. Together they explore the former home of the Brontë sisters – Charlotte, Emily and Anne – and see where some of their most famous novels were written. From the dining table where the sisters shared their work, to early reviews of Wuthering Heights, intimate objects and artefacts prompt conversations about Amy and Zaffar’s own inspirations as writers. And, after exploring the house and museum, they head out into the landscape and discover a poem in the wild.

The Bronte Museum, located in the picturesque village of Haworth in West Yorkshire, England, is a must-visit destination for literature lovers and fans of the Bronte sisters. The museum is dedicated to the lives and works of the Bronte family, particularly the three sisters - Charlotte, Emily, and Anne - who wrote some of the most celebrated novels of the 19th century, including "Jane Eyre", "Wuthering Heights", and "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall".

The museum is housed in the former home of the Bronte family, which has been carefully preserved to provide visitors with an authentic glimpse into the lives of the famous siblings. The museum contains an extensive collection of Bronte memorabilia, including original manuscripts, letters, personal belongings, and artworks. Visitors can explore the various rooms of the museum, including the dining room, drawing room, and bedrooms, which have been furnished to recreate the atmosphere of the Bronte family home.

Mark Radcliffe for the Daily Telegraph

Portrait of Mark Radcliffe at Dunham Massey | Daily Telegraph Motoring Feature

While going through old hard drives recently I came across another set of photographs from an earlier editorial commission. The images feature broadcaster and writer Mark Radcliffe, photographed at Dunham Massey Country Park in Cheshire for a motoring feature in the Daily Telegraph.

Mark Radcliffe is exactly as you might expect from his radio persona: knowledgeable about music, quick-witted, a lifelong Manchester City supporter and generally an extremely good person to spend time with on a shoot. I have photographed him a couple of times over the years, and this particular session was for a feature pairing him with a beautifully restored vintage Volkswagen Beetle.

Mark Radcliffe: Broadcaster, Author and Music Journalist

Mark Radcliffe is well known in the UK for his long career in broadcasting, particularly on BBC Radio where he has presented a wide range of music programmes across several decades. Many listeners first encountered him through his partnership with Marc Riley on BBC Radio 1 in the 1990s, before Radcliffe went on to present programmes on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6 Music.

His work has always been characterised by a deep enthusiasm for music, ranging from alternative rock and indie through to folk and country. In addition to broadcasting, Radcliffe is also a writer and musician, contributing regularly to publications and performing with his folk group The Shirehorses.

Because of this long-standing role in British music broadcasting, he remains a familiar and well-liked figure to audiences across the UK. Photographing personalities like Radcliffe is often straightforward because their ease in conversation translates naturally into relaxed portraits.

Editorial Portrait Photography for Newspapers

This portrait session took place at Dunham Massey Country Park in Cheshire, a location that provided an appropriate rural backdrop for the Daily Telegraph’s motoring feature. Editorial portrait photography for newspapers often involves finding a setting that complements the theme of the article while still allowing the subject’s personality to come through.

The vintage Volkswagen Beetle featured in the piece added a strong visual element to the shoot, combining classic automotive design with a relaxed outdoor location. Working with well-known public figures in this kind of editorial context requires balancing documentary observation with informal portraiture, capturing both the person and the environment in which the story is set.

Photographing Personalities for Editorial Features

Portrait photography for editorial publications often moves quickly, with limited time to establish rapport and create images that work both visually and narratively. When the subject is comfortable and engaged, the process becomes much easier, allowing the photographer to focus on composition, light and atmosphere.

In this case, the combination of a distinctive car, an attractive location in Cheshire and an engaging subject made for an enjoyable shoot and a memorable commission for the Daily Telegraph.

Documentary Photography for Buzzfeed News

Words by Laura Silver, BuzzFeed News Reporter

Harassment Outside Abortion Clinics Is Still Happening, But Local Authorities Are Struggling To Stop It

The Home Office has rejected calls to put a national ban on abortion clinic protests, but councils are a long way off tackling the issue locally.

In a narrow side street outside a Marie Stopes clinic in Fallowfield, Manchester, it’s business as usual for the anti-abortion protesters who have been gathering here for the past decade.

On this particular Saturday, a small group is playing hymns from a sound system pitched up next to a wooden cross and posters showing the Virgin Mary. Their mission is simple: Dissuade women from going ahead with an abortion.

“We’re praying to save the babies, darling,” an elderly woman with an Irish accent tells BuzzFeed News, while offering a string of plastic rosary beads, a leaflet describing the gestational stages of a foetus, and phone numbers for the anti-abortion charities Life and the Good Counsel Network.

A chorus of the “Hail Mary” rings out behind us as she says with much pride that she stands outside the clinic most days, and believes she has “saved quite a few babies” over the years, including one today.

“Hail Mary, full of grace. Our Lord is with thee,” her companions chant over the hum of traffic from the nearby main road. “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.”

Watching them from across the street are volunteers from Sister Supporter, an abortion rights group, who gather to deter the protesters from approaching women seeking abortion at the clinic.

Sister Supporter, founded in London in 2015, has also been lobbying authorities to introduce measures such as a buffer zone that effectively bans any group from gathering immediately outside an abortion clinic, to prevent women from feeling harassed.

This year there was a major breakthrough: The campaign led to the UK’s first public space protection order (PSPO) outside a Marie Stopes branch in Ealing, west London, where anti-abortion protesters have had a near-constant presence for over 20 years.

Staff at the clinic told BuzzFeed News that incidents of alleged harassment have virtually disappeared since the buffer zone was put in place.

The PSPO was achieved through the efforts of the local authority, Ealing council, but there had been optimism that a Home Office review of harassment outside abortion clinics — launched by the then home secretary, Amber Rudd — would result in national guidelines that councils could rely on.

Last week, however, Rudd’s successor Sajid Javid dashed those hopes, saying it would "not be a proportionate response" and that individual councils should instead follow Ealing’s lead and tackle the issue locally. The review had received more than 2,500 submissions and identified 36 sites nationwide as problem areas.

His decision has angered clinic staff and local councillors who argue that cash-strapped councils will struggle to undertake the lengthy process of passing PSPOs, leaving women who face harassment outside clinics without protection in the meantime.

“I’m really mad about it,” Jackie Schofield, a clinical team lead at Marie Stopes Fallowfield, told BuzzFeed News. “Everybody has freedom of speech, fair enough, but not outside the place when there’s vulnerable people. I just think it’s wrong, I really do.”

During the years she has worked at the Manchester clinic, Schofield said, she has often had to spend significant time calming her patients who have found it upsetting to be greeted by protesters on what can already be a distressing day.

She said she has regularly witnessed the protesters calling patients and staff “murderers” or telling women they will “go to hell” if they enter the clinic, meaning they’re often too distressed for their appointments. “I’m going through a consent process but I have to calm them down a lot first because of what’s happened to them before they even got started ­— it really messes with them,” Schofield added.

Schofield, and several other staff, told us that recently a protester had stood breastfeeding a baby outside the clinic, and that last Christmas anti-abortion groups handed out wrapped packages containing knitted baby booties, wishing them “Happy Christmas, Mummy.”

She said these incidents can be especially upsetting for women who have travelled from Ireland. Although the country voted to legalise abortion earlier this year, the ongoing legislative process means that services will not be available until 2019 — and remain illegal in Northern Ireland — so Irish women will continue to travel to the UK to access abortion.

“Today is an Irish day,” Schofield said. “Tuesdays and Saturdays we have lots of Irish ladies because the flights are cheaper. Can you imagine having to go through all that anyway, and then coming here and getting this?”

Lynn Bradley, a healthcare support worker who has been at the clinic for nine years, said she was physically assaulted by a protester on one occasion — an account she submitted to the Home Office review.

“She chased after me and started slapping me on the back,” said Bradley, a chirpy, white-haired woman with a thick Manchester accent.

“Whenever she sees me she does this,” she added, making a throat-slitting gesture and sticking out her tongue. “She’s very crafty — she does it when she’s on her own.”

Bradley, whose job involves supporting women before and after they receive treatment, was also disappointed by Javid’s response. “When we arrive in the morning [protesters] make it as awkward as possible for you when you get out the car, calling us murderers, saying you’ll go to hell, and that’s before you start a day’s work,” she said.

“We can cope with it, but at the end of the day, these ladies shouldn’t be put through that.”

Manchester city council has passed a motion to explore the possibility of a PSPO outside the Fallowfield clinic, but even with resounding support across the board, progress will be slow.

“It’s a really long process and we still need to go through the evidence-gathering and mapping where the PSPO would cover,” Rebecca Moore, councillor for the neighbouring ward of Withington, told BuzzFeed News.

Ealing council is facing an ongoing legal challenge over its PSPO, and Moore said she had sensed a nervousness within her own council about the threat of a lengthy and costly court battle if a PSPO were to be introduced in Fallowfield.

“Local government finances are in a really bad state, so if there’s any big costs to implementation I think that’s going to cause concern to a council that’s had to go through such big austerity measures,” Moore continued.

“I don’t think that means that it shouldn’t be done or wouldn’t be done, but it is a concern.”

Grace Fletcher-Hackwood, a councillor for Fallowfield, questioned whether the Home Office would have made the same decision if protesters were gathered outside a local cancer hospital like the Christie, which is situated nearby.

“If they rocked up outside the Christie, people would realise how inappropriate that is,” she said. “You make medical decisions with yourself and your doctor based on what is good for your own health, not because of some ideologues who have posted themselves outside the clinic and decided they’re qualified to speak about what’s best for you and your body.”

Disappointment over Javid’s statement has been felt across the country, including in Portsmouth, where the local authority has agreed to look into ways to prevent protests at the clinic.

It, too, is in still in the early stages and is currently working out how best to proceed in light of the Home Office decision, according to a council spokesperson.

Chris Francis, a clinic manager at the Portsmouth branch of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS), another of the UK’s major abortion providers, said: “If there’s national legislation in place, then as soon as women get harassed we can fall back on that.

“But getting a local decision, you have to get an agreement for a consultation process, and then you have to go through the consultation.”

In the meantime, Francis continued, anti-abortion protesters remain active outside the clinic, which is based within the sexual health centre at St Mary’s Hospital, where a mental health ward is situated above. “I know they caused some real upset for some vulnerable women in care there,” she added.

Francis told us that the protesters were especially aggressive during the biannual 40 Days for Life campaign, due to begin on Sept. 26, where anti-abortion protesters around the world increase the frequency of their gatherings outside clinics.

“We’ve had singing outside the hospital so we could hear them inside,” she said, referring to the previous 40 Days for Life campaign, which took place in February. “They were handing out knitted booties and rosaries in baby blue and pink, and generally harassing any woman entering the hospital who looked like she could be childbearing age.”

Francis said that protesters move from clinic to clinic, so it can be difficult to gather evidence of consistent harassment at the particular sites where each individual PSPO is needed.

“With Portsmouth, by the time they were starting to consider the PSPO, the protesters moved to Bournemouth,” Francis told BuzzFeed News. “I know it was the same guys because I went there and saw the same faces. They move around the country. [There] has to be some kind of national legislation.”

The evidence-gathering process also requires women who have been harassed to relive the experience when providing accounts to clinic staff or, in some cases, the police.

Back in Manchester, Katy Kershaw, a clinical team lead at Marie Stopes in Fallowfield, said many women just don’t want to engage. “They just want to forget about it; they don’t want to come back and talk about how traumatic it was to have protesters pass them things, or be told they’re murdering their baby,” she said. “They just want it over and done with.”

For clinic staff, who have full lists of patients to work through every day, working with councils to build a compelling case for a PSPO means a significant increase to their workload.

“It’s a struggle because it’s time-consuming,” Kershaw continued. “We’re such a busy clinic that it’s difficult for us to get out to the council to say how much we need them.”

Manchester council, Kershaw said, has been proactive. “They’ve been coming to see us — we didn’t have to approach them,” she said, but worried that this wouldn’t necessarily be the case everywhere.

Beth Redmond, who leads Manchester’s Sister Supporter branch, was also sceptical that councils across the country would be as dedicated as Manchester. “The thought of having to do this for more than one council doesn’t really bear thinking about,” she added.

Both Birmingham and Leeds city councils have in the last year passed motions to explore measures to prevent harassment outside abortion clinics. They say the work is ongoing, but neither have begun a formal evidence-gathering or consultation period.

Redmond said she worried about what scale harassment outside abortion clinics would have to reach before the Home Office would deem it necessary to act nationally. “What does Sajid Javid want? Does he want someone to get hurt?” she continued. “It feels like waiting for something awful to happen when actually bad things are already going on.”

Despite an ongoing legal challenge to Ealing’s PSPO, protesters have adhered to its restrictions and clinic staff and local councillors consider it to be a success.

The Good Counsel Network’s Clare McCullough, who had organised the vigils in Ealing, told us that as her volunteers are distanced from the clinic, she is unable to “support” as many women. She continues to protest against abortion in the designated area in Ealing, as well as outside a BPAS clinic in Richmond, southwest London, and a Marie Stopes facility in the city centre.

But even Ealing’s PSPO is not without vulnerability. Alina Dulgheriu, who brought the initial legal challenge against the council, has crowdfunded more than £50,000 to launch an appeal. The order is only temporary, meaning Ealing council will have to undergo the same time-consuming process to get it renewed when it expires in three years’ time.

Binda Rai, the councillor for Ealing’s Walpole ward who led the council’s efforts to implement the current PSPO, said it was “outrageous” for Javid to expect other councils to duplicate this effort time and again.

“The current system means that councils have to go through a lengthy and complex process to allow women access to services that they are entitled to with privacy and dignity, free from the interference that causes them distress and harassment,” Rai said.

“It would appear that he has no understanding of what women go through at such a vulnerable and difficult period in their lives,” Rai continued. “It is a national issue: Women up and down the country are facing harassment from protestors outside abortion clinics and this activity is on the increase. To avoid a postcode lottery for women, a national solution is a must and would take this debate away from clinic doors and ensure a consistent approach across the country.”

Responding to Javid’s announcement last week, Labour MP Rupa Huq, who helped bring the issue to national attention, vowed to keep on fighting for a universal ban.

“Shoving the burden on to already cash-strapped local authorities is not addressing the problem, it’s just passing the buck,” Huq, who represents Ealing Central and Acton, told BuzzFeed News.

“I will not give up on this and have been promised a meeting with ministers so as to ensure vulnerable women cannot be sidelined and that they can access healthcare as is the case with any other procedure.”

Huq has received wide political support on the issue, including from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who accused Javid of a “shocking failure to protect women from harassment and intimidation when exercising their right to choose”.

In the meantime, the protests outside abortion clinics are free to continue.

When the 40 Days for Life campaign starts again on Sept. 26, a spokesperson told BuzzFeed News, it will have volunteers stationed outside clinics nationwide, seven days a week, from 8am to 8pm.

Redmond said she was concerned that the Home Office’s decision could leave protesters feeling emboldened: “I do think they will be saying, ‘Why are you telling us we can’t be here when the most powerful people have told us that we can?’”

Aaron Heinzelmann of Assa Abloy for Off the Wall, Stockholm

Aaron Heinzelmann Hero Award Photography for Assa Abloy

I recently photographed Aaron Heinzelmann of Assa Abloy for Swedish agency Off the Wall, Stockholm, documenting his recognition as a workplace hero for a feature in the company magazine. Aaron was awarded a hero accolade after coming to the aid of a mother and her seriously ill daughter while at work, demonstrating quick thinking, compassion, and professionalism.

Capturing a Workplace Hero

The shoot aimed to capture Aaron Heinzelmann both as an employee of Assa Abloy and as an individual recognised for his bravery. Photography included portraits, environmental shots, and a behind-the-scenes image used for the rear cover of the magazine. The shoot was collaborative, with Aaron’s uncle Dave assisting as second camera, providing additional perspectives to tell the story.

Working with Off the Wall, Stockholm

The commission was managed by the creative team at Off the Wall in Stockholm, who ensured the photography aligned with Assa Abloy’s corporate communications and magazine style. Collaborating with the agency allowed for a smooth workflow and a visually engaging representation of Aaron’s achievement, highlighting both personal narrative and professional context.

Employee recognition photography of Aaron Heinzelmann at Assa Abloy

Portrait of Aaron Heinzelmann during Assa Abloy feature shoot

Workplace photography documenting heroic actions of Aaron Heinzelmann

Assa Abloy employee feature photography in Kenn, North Somerset

Aaron Heinzelmann featured in corporate storytelling for Assa Abloy

Photography capturing heroic employee recognition at Assa Abloy

Environmental portrait of Aaron Heinzelmann for company magazine

Corporate feature photography highlighting heroic actions of staff

Aaron Heinzelmann photographed for Assa Abloy hero award feature

Behind-the-scenes photography with second camera support

On Location in North Somerset

The shoot took place in Kenn, North Somerset. Preparation included an overnight stay in a holiday cottage and a stop for tea on the seafront at Clevedon before the drive north. Capturing environmental context adds depth to the story, connecting the heroic actions of Aaron Heinzelmann to the locations where they occurred.

About Assa Abloy and Employee Recognition

Assa Abloy is a global leader in door opening solutions and security technology. The company regularly features staff achievements in its magazine, showcasing examples of initiative, care, and dedication. Photography plays an important role in this, highlighting individuals like Aaron Heinzelmann and reinforcing the company’s culture of recognition, safety, and service excellence.

Francis Lung for Scandinavian Airlines

Francis Lung Portrait Photography in Manchester

I recently photographed Francis Lung, solo musician and former member of the Manchester band Wu Lyf, for Scandinavian Airlines. The shoot focused on capturing Francis’ personality and musical presence in locations he recommends around Manchester.

Portraits at Yes and Other Manchester Locations

The portraits were taken at the venue and club Yes, one of Francis’ preferred spots in the city. The shoot combined casual and posed portraits to reflect Francis’ style, energy, and connection to the Manchester music and cultural scene.

Additional locations included the arts centre Home, the Japanese restaurant Yuzu, the Whitworth Art Gallery, and This & That, a personal favourite of mine.

Showcasing Manchester’s Music and Cultural Scene

Francis Lung’s recommendations highlight some of Manchester’s most vibrant cultural locations. By photographing him in these spaces, the shoot documents both the musician and the city, capturing the interplay between artistic identity and the urban environment. Locations like Yes and Home are central to Manchester’s creative and music culture, while restaurants and galleries like Yuzu, This & That, and the Whitworth provide context to the lifestyle and local engagement of artists.

Collaborating with Scandinavian Airlines

Scandinavian Airlines commissioned the shoot to showcase Francis Lung’s insights into Manchester and to highlight the city’s music, art, and culinary offerings. Photography plays a key role in storytelling, presenting both the artist and the locations in a way that connects audiences to the experience of visiting Manchester.

Nick Freeman

It’s not everyday you get to cruise around Cheshire in a Jaguar XK120, let alone when its 28 degrees outside. Happily, they were the conditions when I photographed motoring lawyer to the stars Nick Freeman for the Sunday Times ‘Me and My Motor’ section.

We found out that classic cars don’t really enjoy idling in the baking heat, but after a bit of cooling off in the shade, we got the job done.

Ian & Andrew McMillan

A few months ago I had the real pleasure of photographing poets Andrew McMillan and his father Ian McMillan for the Relative Values feature in The Sunday Times. Spending time with the two of them was both humbling and enjoyable, and the resulting portraits reflect not just their connection as father and son but also their remarkable contributions to British poetry and culture.

I’ve known of Ian’s work from radio appearances throughout my youth and of course from his long‑standing role as the official poet of Barnsley Football Club. Born in Darfield, South Yorkshire in 1956, Ian McMillan is an English poet, journalist, playwright and broadcaster known for his warm Northern voice and distinctive Yorkshire accent. He has presented BBC Radio 3’s The Verb, written extensively for national publications, and remains deeply rooted in the cultural life of his home region.

His son Andrew McMillan is a leading voice in contemporary British poetry in his own right. Born near Barnsley in 1988, Andrew’s debut poetry collection Physical was published by Jonathan Cape and made history as the first poetry collection to win the Guardian First Book Award. Since then he has published multiple acclaimed works and serves as Professor of Contemporary Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Photographing them together was an opportunity to explore both shared legacy and individual achievement. The session was unhurried and conversational, enabling us to create portraits that communicate personality, mutual respect, and the unique dynamic between two generations of writers. Much of our conversation, inevitably, turned to football — not surprising given Ian’s poetic celebration of sport and his unofficial title as Barnsley’s “Bard” — and it was fascinating to see how the everyday passions of life in Yorkshire inform both of their creative worlds.

The portraits were commissioned to accompany The Sunday Times feature, which invited readers inside the personal and professional lives of these two poets. Editorial portraiture like this goes beyond capturing a likeness; the aim is to reflect character and context, helping readers connect with the subjects on a deeper level. In this case, the images complement the written piece by conveying warmth, humour and the richness of a life spent in language.

Ian’s body of work spans poetry collections, plays, journalism and broadcasting, and he has long been celebrated for promoting poetry to wider audiences. Whether performing live, writing columns or bringing regional voices into national conversation, his career has been rooted in community and accessibility. Andrew’s work is both deeply personal and widely resonant, addressing themes of identity, belonging and emotion while winning recognition on major literary stages. The time spent photographing them offered a glimpse into how these creative lives intersect and diverge, making for a compelling visual story.

In the portraits, you’ll see expressions and gestures that hint at their personalities — Ian’s ease and characteristic humour, Andrew’s quiet intensity and reflective presence — and a sense of connection that only time spent in conversation can reveal. These images do more than illustrate a feature; they document a moment in the lives of two major voices in contemporary poetry.

It was a pleasure to be part of this project, and I’m grateful to The Sunday Times for the opportunity to shoot such thoughtful subjects.

Sortimo for WirtschaftWoche

Documentary Photography: Sortimo and German Businesses Post-Brexit | WirtschaftWoche

I recently photographed a feature for the German business magazine WirtschaftWoche (Business Week), focusing on the effects of Brexit on German companies operating facilities in the UK. The assignment explored how businesses have adapted to regulatory changes, supply chain shifts, and operational challenges following the UK’s departure from the EU.

The shoot took me to Sortimo, a van racking company based in Warrington. My role was to capture documentary-style images that illustrate the day-to-day operations of the facility, the workforce in action, and the broader context of a German firm navigating the post-Brexit landscape. The photographs accompany Sacha’s editorial piece, providing a visual narrative that complements the magazine’s analysis.

Employees installing van racking systems at Sortimo facility

Sortimo van racking assembly line in Warrington UK

German company Sortimo UK operations post-Brexit

Documentary photography of Sortimo warehouse interior

Sortimo production workflow in Warrington factory

Workers preparing vehicles for commercial van racking at Sortimo

Editorial photography of German business operations in UK

Sortimo UK employees at work during Brexit adaptation feature

Van racking systems being installed at Sortimo UK facility

Business documentary photography for WirtschaftWoche magazine

Operational processes at Sortimo warehouse UK post-Brexit

German firm Sortimo staff assembling storage solutions for vans

Industrial and corporate photography of Sortimo UK production

Capturing Business and Operational Context

Documentary photography for business features requires balancing authenticity, clarity, and editorial storytelling. At Sortimo, I photographed employees assembling and installing van racking systems, operational workflows, and the facility’s production environment. These images help readers visualise the human and operational side of corporate adaptation to Brexit, showing how German companies continue to maintain high standards and efficiency in a changing business climate.

Professional photography adds value to editorial coverage by highlighting both context and narrative. By capturing the people, processes, and infrastructure of Sortimo, the photographs provide a tangible sense of the challenges and innovations described in the article.

The Impact of Brexit on German Firms

The assignment illustrates how Brexit has influenced German companies with UK operations, from logistics adjustments to regulatory compliance. Sortimo exemplifies firms that have invested in continuity and operational resilience, ensuring that their UK facilities remain productive and competitive. Through photography, these adjustments are made visible, helping readers understand the human, operational, and strategic dimensions of the story.

Conclusion

Photographing Sortimo for WirtschaftWoche allowed me to create a visual record of a German firm operating in the UK post-Brexit. The documentary images support the editorial narrative, conveying both operational detail and the broader challenges faced by businesses in a changing European and UK economic environment.

Research Matters Magazine

Manchester Metropolitan University Research Matters Photography | Academic and Research Editorial

Seeing your work published in print never loses its appeal. I was delighted to see my photography featured in the latest edition of Manchester Metropolitan University’s Research Matters magazine, highlighting the university’s research initiatives in health and social care. Working on this ongoing editorial project allows me to capture staff, students, and research activities in a professional, visually engaging way for an academic audience.

I have collaborated with Stu Wilkin of THMedia since the first edition of the magazine, and it was rewarding to see my work continue to feature prominently following the magazine’s recent redesign. The new layout showcases the photography effectively, complementing the written content and helping communicate the impact of MMU’s research to readers.

I would like to thank Jackie Rees and the staff at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Department of Health and Social Care for their cooperation during the shoots. The sessions focused on documentary and portrait photography, illustrating the university’s innovative research projects, student engagement, and professional academic environment.

Academic and Research Photography for Manchester Metropolitan University

Professional photography for university publications like Research Matters serves multiple purposes. It documents research activity, highlights staff and student achievements, and provides compelling visual content for marketing, social media, and institutional outreach. By capturing authentic moments of collaboration, experimentation, and presentation, editorial photography reinforces the university’s reputation as a leading centre for research in health and social care.

Using documentary and portraiture techniques, the photographs convey professionalism, engagement, and the human side of academic research. Each image is composed to resonate with prospective students, researchers, and institutional partners, enhancing both the magazine’s editorial value and Manchester Metropolitan University’s wider communication goals.

Conclusion

Photography for Manchester Metropolitan University’s Research Matters magazine demonstrates the importance of professional visual storytelling in academic publications. The latest edition highlights staff, students, and research projects while providing marketing and social media assets for the university. Capturing research initiatives and academic collaboration ensures that the magazine not only informs but also engages readers, reinforcing MMU’s role as a hub of innovation and expertise in health and social care.

Many thanks to Jackie Rees and the staff at Manchester Metropolitan University's Department of Heaslth and Social Care for their co-operation with the shoots.