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.
A Commercial photography commission for Transport for the North
I recently completed another commission for Transport for the North, focusing on the intersection of modern transportation infrastructure and sustainable mobility. The shoot took place in and around Warrington Bank Quay station on a cold, wintry day, providing a striking backdrop for capturing both railway and electric vehicle infrastructure.
I recently completed another commission for Transport for the North, focusing on the intersection of modern transportation infrastructure and sustainable mobility. The shoot took place in and around Warrington Bank Quay station on a cold, wintry day, providing a striking backdrop for capturing both railway and electric vehicle infrastructure.
As a professional photographer, I approached this project with the goal of documenting the full spectrum of travel and mobility, from railway tracks and station platforms to electric vehicle charging points and urban transport hubs. The result is a series of images that highlight how modern infrastructure supports people on the move, whether by train, car, or bicycle.
Photographing Railway Infrastructure at Warrington Bank Quay
Warrington Bank Quay station offered the perfect environment for railway photography. I captured expansive shots of the tracks, including the overhead equipment, signalling systems, and the intricate details of railway infrastructure. The wintry weather added texture and atmosphere, enhancing both wide-angle shots and detailed close-ups.
One of the highlights of the shoot was documenting people on station platforms. Photographing commuters and travellers in motion allowed me to combine the technical aspects of railway infrastructure with the human stories that give these spaces life. The balance between people and machinery emphasizes the dynamic nature of modern rail travel and creates compelling visual narratives for photography portfolios.
Capturing Electric Vehicle Charging and Sustainable Mobility
A significant focus of the commission was electric vehicle infrastructure. I photographed people charging electric cars in a variety of settings, including outdoor charging points and inside a multi-storey car park. Capturing the signage for charging points, as well as the interaction between people and technology, helped highlight the practical and user-focused aspects of sustainable transport.
In addition to electric cars, I documented cyclists and people recharging electric vehicles, emphasizing the broader picture of environmentally conscious travel. These images illustrate how modern transport networks accommodate multiple modes of mobility, from trains to electric vehicles and bicycles, making them highly relevant for transport-focused photography projects.
Integrating Aviation and Urban Context
While the primary focus was rail and electric vehicle infrastructure, the location provided opportunities for capturing more of the surrounding transport ecosystem. I managed to include a couple of aeroplanes in the sky above Warrington, adding an extra dimension to the story of regional connectivity. Including air travel alongside rail and electric vehicle transport underscores the diversity and interconnectedness of modern transport systems, making these images particularly valuable for photography clients and portfolios.
Photography Approach and Techniques
Shooting in a cold, wintery environment posed certain challenges, but it also created striking visual contrasts and textures. I used natural light and ambient conditions to enhance the atmosphere, emphasizing the industrial aesthetic of railway tracks and the clean design of electric vehicle charging stations. Photographing people interacting with infrastructure—whether boarding trains, using charging points, or cycling—added scale and narrative to the images, making them more engaging for viewers and highly relevant for SEO-focused content about photography.
Every aspect of the shoot was designed to highlight not only the functionality of transport infrastructure but also the human experience. This approach ensures that the photographs are versatile, suitable for commercial, editorial, or promotional use, while maintaining a strong visual impact for photography portfolios.
Why This Commission Matters for Photography
Documenting modern transport infrastructure is a compelling subject for professional photographers. From capturing the engineering details of railway systems to the interaction between people and electric vehicle technology, these projects provide a rich variety of visual opportunities. This commission demonstrates how photography can tell the story of regional transport development, sustainability initiatives, and human engagement, all while producing images that are visually striking and technically precise.
For photographers looking to expand their portfolios, projects like this are invaluable. They allow exploration of urban environments, transportation networks, and technological innovation, all while practicing composition, timing, and storytelling.
Commercial photography for Transport for the North
I recently completed a comprehensive series of images for long-standing client Transport for the North, documenting railway stations across the North of England. As a professional photographer, I am proud to contribute to their efforts to demonstrate to the government the region’s growing need for well-planned and efficient transport infrastructure. This project combines technical photography with human-focused storytelling, highlighting how people navigate the North’s key transport hubs.
I recently completed a comprehensive series of images for long-standing client Transport for the North, documenting railway stations across the North of England. As a professional photographer, I am proud to contribute to their efforts to demonstrate to the government the region’s growing need for well-planned and efficient transport infrastructure. This project combines technical photography with human-focused storytelling, highlighting how people navigate the North’s key transport hubs.
Photographing Major Railway Stations Across the North
This commission took me inside several of the North’s most important railway stations, including Manchester Piccadilly, York, Liverpool Lime Street, and Newcastle station. Manchester Piccadilly was a central focus, allowing me to capture the flow of commuters, the architecture of the station, and the dynamic interaction between people and the transport environment.
Newcastle station provided a similarly engaging setting, with opportunities to document both the movement of travelers and the details of railway infrastructure. York and Liverpool Lime Street added variety to the series, each station presenting unique architectural features, passenger dynamics, and lighting conditions that make railway photography particularly rewarding.
Capturing Multi-Modal Travel: People and Bicycles
A key element of this series was documenting people using bicycles inside the stations. Capturing sustainable and multi-modal transport is increasingly important in photography that highlights modern infrastructure. These images not only show the integration of cycling with rail travel but also reflect how people interact with station environments in their daily journeys. Photographing people in motion, whether walking, cycling, or navigating platforms, added context and life to the technical aspects of the stations.
Photography Approach and Techniques
Shooting inside busy railway stations requires a combination of careful planning and adaptability. I focused on using natural light wherever possible, capturing wide shots of station interiors alongside detailed close-ups of commuters, signage, and architectural features. Documenting both the human experience and the technical infrastructure allowed me to create a balanced series that is visually compelling while accurately reflecting the function and design of each station.
The challenge of busy environments, fast-moving people, and varying lighting conditions made this project particularly rewarding. By combining architectural photography with candid street-style portraits, the series demonstrates how professional photography can tell a story about transport systems, infrastructure, and human mobility.
Why This Project Matters for Transport and Photography
This commission for Transport for the North is part of a broader effort to communicate the urgency of transport investment in the North. My images serve as visual evidence of the challenges and opportunities facing the region, from crowded platforms to the integration of cycling and rail travel.
For photographers, projects like this are an excellent way to develop a diverse portfolio, combining urban photography, architectural documentation, and lifestyle imagery. The resulting images are relevant not only for editorial and commercial purposes but also for advocacy, policy, and storytelling around sustainable transport infrastructure.
Conclusion: A Visual Record of the North’s Transport Hubs
Documenting railway stations across the North of England allows both the public and policymakers to see how infrastructure supports daily life. This series highlights Manchester Piccadilly, Newcastle, York, and Liverpool Lime Street as vibrant hubs of movement, showing people, bicycles, and the architecture that supports regional travel. As a professional photographer, I am proud to contribute to projects that combine aesthetic storytelling with practical insight into the North’s transport systems.
On board the Fugro Synergy for BP
By far the best thing about working as a professional photographer is the variety of the work. The camera can gain you access to environments that are wildly different each shoot day and if you’re lucky, can sometimes take you to some incredible and unexpected places. One of the most interesting of my shoots in 2022 was an assignment from bp to photograph the crew and workings of the Fugro Synergy while on a recent stop at Liverpool docks.
By far the best thing about working as a professional photographer is the variety of the work. The camera can gain you access to environments that are wildly different each shoot day and if you’re lucky, can sometimes take you to some incredible and unexpected places. One of the most interesting of my shoots in 2022 was an assignment from bp to photograph the crew and workings of the Fugro Synergy while on a recent stop at Liverpool docks.
The Synergy Modular Drilling Unit is a unique geotechnical vessel capable of delivering
high quality geotechnical data. Its design, standards and capacity make it an efficient
platform for geotechnical investigations and scientific drilling in challenging and remote offshore marine environments.
The shoot focussed on the Synergy’s role in sea bed core sampling, determining the sea bed composition to ensure that the sea bed substrate was capable of providing solid foundations for the siting of an array of wind turbines. Sea bed composition is critical, mud, sand or silt that is too soft and uncompacted will not provide a firm enough foundation, while solid rock is impossible to drill to the depths required for the footings.
EnBW with EnBW and bp are leading the development of the Morgan and Mona – two offshore wind farms in the Irish Sea. Roughly located 30km from shore between the north coast of Wales and the Isle of Man the total area of the two farms will be 800 square kilometres – about half the size of Greater London and when complete the farm will generate 3GW of energy – enough to power an astonishing 3.4 million UK homes.
These projects are helping to achieve the UK's ambition of generating 50GW of power from offshore wind by 2030.
Fugro Synergy’s Party Chief, Jim Bridge
TJX Headquarters Photography: Capturing Staff and Lifestyle in the New Watford Office
I recently completed a commission for Vicky Fagan at film production company Fagan Jones to produce a full series of campaign images for TJX’s new office building at their headquarters in Watford, UK. The project focused on capturing both the design of the building and the way people interact with the space, producing images that feel authentic, professional, and lifestyle-oriented.
I recently completed a commission for Vicky Fagan at film production company Fagan Jones to produce a full series of campaign images for TJX’s new office building at their headquarters in Watford, UK. The project focused on capturing both the design of the building and the way people interact with the space, producing images that feel authentic, professional, and lifestyle-oriented.
Photographing Staff in Social and Collaborative Spaces
A key focus of the shoot was documenting staff in the breakout rooms and social areas of the new headquarters. I photographed people having informal conversations, sharing laughs, and enjoying their workday, creating images that convey a positive and welcoming environment. The relaxed, lifestyle-focused photography highlights how TJX’s office design encourages collaboration, creativity, and employee wellbeing.
Meetings, Presentations, and Professional Interactions
In addition to casual social spaces, I photographed staff attending presentations and participating in group meetings. Capturing employees engaging with each other professionally provides context to the office environment while maintaining a natural and authentic feel. These images are perfect for campaign use, illustrating both the functionality of the office spaces and the culture of teamwork at TJX.
Lifestyle and Leisure Photography in the Workspace
I also photographed people relaxing in the café, using the computer bar, and enjoying their lunch breaks. Capturing these moments of downtime adds a human dimension to the office photography, showing the balance between productivity and relaxation. Outdoor spaces, including the secret rooftop garden, were also featured, with staff enjoying fresh air and informal social interactions. These images emphasize the modern, lifestyle-driven design of the office and its focus on employee comfort.
Photography Approach and Techniques
The shoot combined environmental portraiture, candid lifestyle photography, and interior architectural photography. By photographing people naturally interacting with the space, I was able to produce a series of images that feel authentic, dynamic, and visually engaging. Attention to composition, natural light, and the interaction between people and their surroundings was key to creating a versatile set of campaign-ready images.
Conclusion: A Complete Visual Story of TJX Headquarters
This commission with Fagan Jones captured TJX’s new office in Watford as a lively, professional, and human-centered workplace. From collaborative breakout rooms to rooftop gardens, cafés, and meeting areas, the photography tells the full story of a modern corporate environment designed for both productivity and wellbeing. The resulting images are suitable for marketing campaigns, corporate communications, and professional portfolios, showcasing TJX’s commitment to workplace design and employee experience.
Suzanne Lacy at Whitworth Art Gallery
Suzanne Lacy
What kind of city?
A manual for social change
The Whitworth presents the first major UK presentation of multiple works of US artist Suzanne Lacy, a pioneer of social practice and community organising for almost five decades. In the wake of the Coronavirus pandemic, What kind of city? has been conceived with the artist as a project that is more than an exhibition, one that takes key works with relevance to our current context and uses them to convene people in order to start new initiatives that will actively help rebuild our city. Working around fundamental themes such as youth agency, borders, social cohesion, and work prospects for older women, the exhibition is designed to operate as an evolving manual for how we create equitable transformation. This underpins a new direction of travel for the Whitworth, as an institution that actively works for and with people across the city, one that begins with the question: after Covid, what kind of city can we make together?
Thanks again to my friends at the Whitworth for asking me to document the event opening and associated artist’s talk.
Event Photography: Suzanne Lacy – What Kind of City? A Manual for Social Change | The Whitworth, Manchester
I had the privilege of working with The Whitworth to photograph the opening of What Kind of City? A Manual for Social Change, the first major UK presentation of works by US artist Suzanne Lacy, a pioneer of socially engaged practice and community organising for nearly five decades.
The exhibition brings together multiple projects from Lacy’s extensive career, highlighting her commitment to using art as a tool for social change. Across her work, Lacy has consistently explored issues such as youth engagement, gender equity, social cohesion, and civic participation. What Kind of City? continues this focus by presenting works that encourage dialogue and collective action around the structures, challenges, and opportunities that shape urban life.
Photographing the Exhibition Opening and Artist’s Talk
Documenting exhibition openings requires capturing the atmosphere of the event, the artist in conversation, and audience engagement with the works. At the Suzanne Lacy opening, I photographed Lacy interacting with attendees, leading discussions during her artist’s talk, and engaging with curators and participants.
Event photography in this context provides a record that serves multiple purposes. Images are used for press coverage, marketing, social media, and archival documentation while conveying the essence of the exhibition: its ideas, engagement, and impact on the public.
Situating What Kind of City? in Suzanne Lacy’s Oeuvre
Suzanne Lacy has spent decades exploring the intersection of art, activism, and social practice. From her early performances in the 1970s addressing gender and public space, to large-scale public interventions in the 1990s and 2000s, her work consistently involves collaboration with communities, creating participatory experiences that address societal issues directly.
What Kind of City? reflects this legacy by focusing on pressing themes including youth agency, borders, social cohesion, and opportunities for older women. The exhibition frames these issues through Lacy’s lens of engagement and empowerment, presenting her work as both artistic practice and a guide for social action. Photography captures this interplay between artwork, artist, and audience, showing the exhibition not just as a collection of objects but as an active space of dialogue and reflection.
The Whitworth’s Role in Community Engagement
The Whitworth has long been committed to socially engaged programming and public participation. By presenting Suzanne Lacy’s work, the institution positions itself as a space where art intersects with civic dialogue.
Documenting the exhibition opening and artist’s talk demonstrates the Whitworth’s dedication to fostering connections between artists, communities, and audiences. Professional photography captures the human dimension of the event, reflecting both the ideas of the exhibition and the engagement of participants.
Why Professional Photography Matters for Exhibitions
High-quality photography is essential for institutions to communicate the significance of exhibitions. Images capture the artworks themselves, audience responses, and the environment in which these interactions take place. For socially engaged work like Lacy’s, photography is particularly important, as it records collaborative, performative, and participatory elements that might otherwise exist only in the moment.
Photographs from What Kind of City? provide a visual record for press, marketing, social media, and archives while highlighting the ways in which art can inspire dialogue and social action. By documenting both the artist and the audience, photography demonstrates the exhibition’s reach and impact.
Capturing the Dialogue Between Art and Community
What Kind of City? is designed to operate as a manual for equitable transformation. Photographing the opening involved documenting Lacy’s talk, audience interactions, and the curatorial context of the exhibition. These images show how art can facilitate civic engagement, prompt discussion, and provide insight into the challenges and opportunities facing urban communities.
Through careful observation and composition, the photographs preserve the exhibition’s central idea: that art can be a catalyst for dialogue, reflection, and action, situating Lacy’s practice as both relevant and influential within contemporary socially engaged art.
Conclusion
Thanks again to The Whitworth for inviting me to document this important exhibition. Photographing What Kind of City? A Manual for Social Change offered an opportunity to capture Suzanne Lacy’s longstanding commitment to social practice while highlighting the interaction between her work, the audience, and the wider community. The images serve as a professional record of an exhibition that exemplifies the power of art to foster dialogue, participation, and meaningful social engagement.
Langfields
Langfields are specialist fabricators of process plant for the Pharmaceutical, Chemical, Offshore, Oil & Gas, Marine, Defence, Nuclear and other process industries. Based only one mile from Deansgate they demonstrate that there is still some manufacturing industry in the post-industrial city.
As a former engineer, I love visiting these places and finding out what’s being made and the techniques used.
The fabricators at Langfields receive giant 18mm Aluminium plates and within the space of only 20 metres, cut, bend and weld it into complex, water-jacketed vessels according to the exacting specifications of high tech industries.
Langfields Process Plant Fabrication Photography | Manchester Industrial Photography
I recently visited Langfields, specialist fabricators of process plant equipment for the pharmaceutical, chemical, offshore, oil and gas, marine, defence, and nuclear industries. Based just one mile from Deansgate in Manchester, Langfields demonstrates that advanced manufacturing continues to play an important role in the city’s economy and industrial heritage.
As a former engineer, visiting facilities like Langfields is particularly rewarding. Photographing industrial operations captures both the technical processes and the human skill involved in producing high-specification equipment.
Advanced Industrial Fabrication at Langfields
Langfields transforms large 18mm aluminium plates into complex, water-jacketed vessels, following precise specifications required by some of the most demanding industries in the world. Within a compact production space, the plates are cut, bent, and welded with exceptional precision, showing the combination of craftsmanship and engineering expertise required for modern process plant fabrication.
The process highlights both the machinery and the skilled fabricators who operate it, demonstrating the scale, precision, and professionalism of high-tech industrial fabrication.
Precision Engineering for Pharmaceutical and Chemical Industries
The vessels and plant components produced at Langfields are used in critical applications across pharmaceutical production, chemical processing, offshore energy, nuclear technology, and other high-spec industries. Photography captures the company’s technical capabilities, quality standards, and expertise.
Every stage of fabrication, from cutting and bending to welding and finishing, reflects the attention to detail and precision engineering that underpin Langfields’ operations. These processes illustrate the combination of modern technology and human skill required to meet exacting industry standards.
Manchester’s Post-Industrial Manufacturing Scene
Langfields’ location near the centre of Manchester highlights the ongoing relevance of manufacturing in a post-industrial city. Facilities like this provide skilled technical employment while maintaining advanced production capabilities that support a wide range of industries. Capturing these processes visually helps tell the story of a city that continues to innovate and manufacture complex equipment.
Documenting Industrial Expertise and Human Skill
Visiting Langfields provides an opportunity to record the intersection of engineering excellence, technical innovation, and human skill. From raw aluminium plates to fully fabricated vessels, the facility offers a rich visual narrative of high-tech industrial processes. The images reflect both the technical and human dimensions of manufacturing, illustrating the expertise and care involved in producing equipment for demanding industries.
What Media
What Media help brands engage with clients by producing creative video and animation content.
They asked me to photograph their team at their new location in central Manchester. As always when working with this team, the shoot was full of positive energy and went by in a flash.
What Media help brands engage with clients by producing creative video and animation content.
They asked me to photograph their team at their new location in central Manchester. As always when working with this team, the shoot was full of positive energy and went by in a flash.
Adidas Superstar Awards
The Superstar Awards are where Adidas Europe recognise the outstanding contributions of their staff over the previous 12 months. I documented the event at their UK headquarters. Many thanks to the superb event managers at TOL Events for bringing me on board.
Adidas Superstar Awards Event Photography at Adidas UK Headquarters
I was commissioned to provide professional event photography for the Adidas Superstar Awards, held at the Adidas UK headquarters. The Superstar Awards are an annual ceremony where Adidas Europe recognises the outstanding contributions of its staff, celebrating achievements across teams and departments. This high-profile corporate awards event brings together employees from across Europe to highlight excellence, commitment, and innovation within the company.
Providing photography for an event of this scale is always rewarding, but working for a globally recognised brand like Adidas adds a unique dimension. Adidas is not just a sportswear company; it is a brand with significant cultural influence. Its impact stretches across sport, music, fashion, and lifestyle, making it one of the most aspirational and respected brands worldwide. Being involved in documenting their events allows me to connect with a company whose reputation for innovation and quality is synonymous with excellence in global culture.
Corporate Event Photography at Adidas
The Superstar Awards combine formal presentations with social and celebratory moments, creating ideal conditions for corporate event photography. Award presentations, stage ceremonies, and staff recognition moments provide opportunities for structured imagery, while candid interactions, networking, and celebration offer a natural, documentary style. These photographs capture both the achievements being celebrated and the energetic atmosphere of the event.
Events at Adidas UK headquarters are particularly well-organised, providing a professional environment with high-quality lighting, staging, and design. This allows for high-quality images that can be used for internal communications, social media campaigns, corporate reporting, and marketing materials. Documenting such an event contributes to Adidas’ broader brand narrative, showing both the recognition of staff and the brand’s commitment to excellence.
The Significance of the Superstar Awards
The Superstar Awards are an important part of Adidas’ corporate culture. They reinforce the company’s commitment to recognising talent and rewarding excellence across Europe. From a photography perspective, capturing these moments is about more than documenting trophies being handed out—it’s about reflecting the company’s values, professionalism, and culture.
Adidas’ influence extends far beyond corporate achievements. The brand has shaped sportswear innovation, influenced music and street culture, and consistently collaborated with designers and artists to push boundaries in fashion and lifestyle. Photographing events for a company with this kind of global recognition allows me to contribute to their visual legacy and document a brand that resonates culturally and professionally.
Why Working with Adidas is Distinctive
For a photographer, working for Adidas is both rewarding and prestigious. The brand carries cultural and professional authority that few companies can match. Their products are of high quality, their events are carefully executed, and their staff embody a dynamic and creative ethos. Being associated with a brand of this stature reflects positively on the work itself, enhancing the perceived value and reach of the photography.
The Superstar Awards event was managed by the professional team at TOL Events, whose coordination ensured the evening ran smoothly. This level of organisation, combined with the high-profile nature of Adidas as a global brand, provides the ideal context for professional, high-impact event photography.
Capturing Staff Recognition and Corporate Culture
Event photography for Adidas is not simply about recording awards; it is about capturing moments that tell the story of the brand, the culture, and the people behind it. From winners’ reactions to team interactions, candid photographs convey energy, engagement, and the celebratory atmosphere of the Superstar Awards. These images form part of Adidas’ visual identity, used in corporate communications, online campaigns, and internal reporting to showcase excellence and achievement.
By documenting the Superstar Awards, I contribute to a record of one of the most influential brands in sport, fashion, and culture. Each photograph not only highlights the award recipients but also reflects the professionalism and prestige that make Adidas a global leader.
Sue Steer for the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors
I was asked by London-based agency Sunday to visit Sue Steer at her home in Shropshire a few weeks ago to take some portrait photographs. Sue is a rural surveyor and the pictures were to accompany an article in the Royal Society for Chartered Surveyors’ Modus magazine.
I was asked by London-based agency Sunday to visit Sue Steer at her home in Shropshire a few weeks ago to take some portrait photographs. Sue is a rural surveyor and the pictures were to accompany an article in the Royal Society for Chartered Surveyors’ Modus magazine.
Sue’s house proved incredibly difficult to find hidden as it is deep in the beautiful Shropshire Hills, Sue’s husband Martin gave me copious instructions, dropped Whatsapp pins and even sent the What Three Words reference all to no avail and finally he had to drive out to find me passing the same bemused farmer for the sixth or seventh time.
Their house was well worth the effort of finding, a 15th Century thatched cottage with an accompanying listed timber barn. It resembled a scene from Hansel and Gretel.
We spent a happy few hours taking photographs around the house, the barn and the orchards before their lovely, gentle old Collie dog joined us for the photoshoot.
A wonderful day and I was fortunate to be back in Shropshire a only a few weeks later for a very different kind of shoot, more of which in a later post.
50 Windows of Creativity. An assignment for Wild in Art
This autumn, Manchester is hosting 50 Windows of Creativity, a showcase of the work of artists and makers displayed in a series of windows, venues, businesses and spaces across the city centre.
The displays feature multiple art forms from fine art and photography to ceramics, crafts, mosaics and murals curated by well-known and emerging artists and collectives – all with a connection to Greater Manchester.
Seashell Trust & Lauren Mullarkey Location: The Atrium, Library Walk (mixed media installation)
This autumn, Manchester is hosting 50 Windows of Creativity, a showcase of the work of artists and makers displayed in a series of windows, venues, businesses and spaces across the city centre.
The displays feature multiple art forms from fine art and photography to ceramics, crafts, mosaics and murals curated by well-known and emerging artists and collectives – all with a connection to Greater Manchester.
Artists and makers taking part include: Wellcome Trust prize winner Benji Reid, Manchester born mixed media landscape artist Sarah Connell and contemporary creative studio Lazerian.
All pieces on display will be available to buy directly from the artist or maker, giving a much needed boost to the city’s creative community.
The project culminates with an auction which will see a selection of pieces auctioned with proceeds going to their artists and makers, and to The Lord Mayor of Manchester Charity Appeal Trust – We Love MCR Charity which aims to help improve the lives and life chances of Manchester people.
It was a pleasure to work again with the wonderful Wild in Art after documenting their wildly successful 2018 Bee in the City project.
Find out more about Wild in Art at www.wildinart.co.uk
Phil Constable Location: Mackie Mayor, Coop Street
LeiMai LeMaow Location: On Yard and Coop, Hare St
Caroline Dowsett Location: Hatch, Unit 25, Oxford Road
MHHA - Manchester Hip Hop Archive Location: Royal Northern College of Music
Manchester Digital Music Archive Location: Royal Northern College of Music
Phil Constable Location: Mackie Mayor, Coop Street
LeiMai LeMaow Location: On Yard and Coop, Hare St
Hammo Location: Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports, Duke St
Atelier Bebop Location: Selfridges Exchange Square
Hammo Location: Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports, Duke St
LeiMai LeMaow Location: On Yard and Coop, Hare St
LeiMai LeMaow Location: On Yard and Coop, Hare St
Hammo Location: Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports, Duke St
Caroline Dowsett Location: Hatch, Unit 25, Oxford Road
Akse Location: Next to BAB NQ, Little Lever St
LeiMai LeMaow Location: On Yard and Coop, Hare St
LeiMai LeMaow Location: On Yard and Coop, Hare St
Tim Denton Location: Chapel Wharf, opposite Lowry Hotel
Benji Reid Location: National Football Museum
Phil Constable Location: Mackie Mayor, Coop Street
Hammo Location: Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports, Duke St
Caroline Dowsett Location: Hatch, Unit 25, Oxford Road
Ric Facchin Location: ChriSalon, Princess St
LeiMai LeMaow Location: On Yard and Coop, Hare St
Phoenix Healthcare distribution for Fagan Jones
A shoot documenting the high technology pharmaceutical facility in Preston Brook commissioned by the wonderful Vicky at film production company Fagan Jones. I was once again shooting stills alongside the exceptionally talented film cameraman Dan Lightening.
Miles and miles of robotised, computerised conveyors pick, sort and pack drugs for distribution to pharmacies around the country.
An enjoyable and very busy day that reminded me that running shoes are required equipment for photography professionals.
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.
BeClear Orthodontics for What Marketing
During the quiet times of our coronavirus disrupted summer it was great to get a call from the team at What Marketing to work with them on a shoot for cosmetic dentist BeClear Orthodontics.
BeClear Orthodontics Cosmetic Dentistry Photography and Campaign Shoot
During the quieter months of the coronavirus-disrupted summer, I had the pleasure of working with What Marketing on a photography and video campaign for BeClear Orthodontics, a leading cosmetic dentist specialising in Invisalign teeth aligners. The shoot offered a unique opportunity to document the precision, care, and aesthetic results that make BeClear’s services stand out.
Capturing Invisalign and Cosmetic Dentistry
BeClear Orthodontics are specialists in Invisalign aligners, designed to be almost invisible, even in extreme close-up shots. The campaign required detailed photography that could showcase the effectiveness of the aligners while maintaining a natural and approachable aesthetic for potential patients. Capturing these subtle details required careful lighting, angles, and technical precision.
Adapting to Covid-19 Safety Protocols
This was my first shoot following social distancing and mask-wearing protocols. These measures presented a challenge for everyone on set, from models to the creative team, but the day ran smoothly. Photography and video were completed successfully, balancing safety with high-quality visual content for the campaign.
Collaboration with Models and Marketing Team
The campaign shoot involved several models and close collaboration with the BeClear Orthodontics team. Their professionalism and enthusiasm helped ensure that the photography captured the natural confidence and satisfaction that comes with Invisalign treatment. Working with What Marketing on this project was an enjoyable experience, and I’m looking forward to the next campaign shoot scheduled for October.
Highlighting Cosmetic Dentistry in Campaigns
Professional photography for dental and cosmetic services plays an important role in marketing. Images need to convey precision, trust, and aesthetic outcomes while appealing to potential patients. The BeClear Orthodontics campaign highlights the company’s expertise and commitment to subtle, effective dental treatments, positioning them as a leading provider of Invisalign in the UK.
Documentary Photography for Buzzfeed News
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.
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?’”
Carolyn Radford
Portrait photographs for Carolyn Radford the CEO of Mansfield Town Football Club.
Portrait Photography: Carolyn Radford, CEO of Mansfield Town Football Club
I recently photographed Carolyn Radford, CEO of Mansfield Town Football Club, creating professional portrait images suitable for editorial, marketing, and corporate communications. These portraits capture her presence, leadership, and professionalism in one of the most visible executive roles in English football.
Carolyn Radford was appointed CEO of Mansfield Town at just 29, making her the youngest chief executive in English professional football at the time, and one of the very few female CEOs in the sport. Her role is groundbreaking in a male-dominated industry, highlighting her influence and leadership in football management, as well as her commitment to diversity and inclusion within the game.
Capturing Leadership Through Portrait Photography
Corporate and executive portrait photography is about more than a likeness; it conveys authority, confidence, and approachability. In Carolyn Radford’s session, the goal was to communicate her leadership style and professional presence while producing images suitable for club publications, press releases, and digital media.
Photography of football executives requires careful attention to context, branding, and tone. The portraits balance formality with accessibility, showing both the responsibilities of her role and her personality. These images provide a visual connection for fans, stakeholders, and partners, reinforcing her presence as a trailblazer in the sport.
Conclusion
Portrait photography of Carolyn Radford celebrates her pioneering role as one of the few female chief executives in British professional football while producing high-quality images for editorial, marketing, and social media use. Capturing executives in context ensures organisations can communicate their people, values, and leadership effectively, strengthening their visual presence both online and in print.
Sortimo for WirtschaftWoche
A recent assignment for German business magazine WirtschaftWoche (Business Week) looking at the effects of Brexit on German firms operating facilities in the UK. I visited van racking company Sortimo in Warrington shooting documentary photography to accompany Sacha’s editorial.
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.
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.
