• The Whitworth
    • Manchester Metropolitan University
    • Manchester Museum
    • TOL Events
    • Art Fund
    • Cubic Motion
    • NuFox
    • Transport North
    • In the Streets of Liverpool
    • Copenhagen Industrial Services
    • Building Futures
    • Fussballspieler
  • Portraits
    • Brasil
    • Hot
    • Forbidden City
    • China Daily
  • Latest work
  • About
  • Blog
  • Clients
  • Contact
Menu

David Oates | Manchester Photographer

  • Events
    • The Whitworth
    • Manchester Metropolitan University
    • Manchester Museum
    • TOL Events
    • Art Fund
  • Commissions
    • Cubic Motion
    • NuFox
    • Transport North
    • In the Streets of Liverpool
    • Copenhagen Industrial Services
    • Building Futures
    • Fussballspieler
  • Portraits
  • Projects
    • Brasil
    • Hot
    • Forbidden City
    • China Daily
  • Latest work
  • About
  • Blog
  • Clients
  • Contact
×

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.

Business professionals networking and exchanging ideas at Innovate to Elevate coffee break

Manchester Conference Photography: Innovate to Elevate Awards and Showcase Event Coverage

David Oates March 10, 2026

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.

Read More
In Conference, Event, Documentary Tags Editorial Photography, event photography, Conference, Conference Photographer, Conference photography, Conference Photography, Conference photographer, AI conference, conference documentary

Documentary Photography - BP's LiDAR buoy at Liverpool Docks

David Oates April 4, 2023

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.

Read More
In Documentary, Commercial, Industrial Tags BP, Fugro, Seawatch, LiDAR, buoy, Manchester photographer, Liverpool Photographer, Liverpool Photography, Documentary Photography, documentary, Documentary photographer, liverpool docks, commissioned photography, commercial photographer, commercial photography, commercial, Editorial Photography, Liverpool, Light Detection and Ranging, industrial photography, Industrial, industries, industrial photographer, wind farm, wind power, wind turbine, British industry, Mona wind farm, Morgan wind farm

Photographing for Art Fund at the Bronte Museum

David Oates April 4, 2023

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.

Read More
In Documentary, Artists, Editorial, Event Tags yorkshire photographer, Northern Photographer, Haworth, Bronte, Bronte museum, Zaffar Kunial, Amy Liptrot, Brontë sisters, West Yorkshire, Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Bronte family home, Documentary photographer, Documentary Photography, documentary, Editorial Photography, Art Fund
Radio DJ Mark Radcliffe photographed in a vintage VW Beetle for the Daily Telegraph

Mark Radcliffe for the Daily Telegraph

David Oates July 28, 2020

Mark Radcliffe is as nice in person in real life as his radio persona would suggest. Music nerd, City fan, all round good egg.

I’ve photographed him a couple of times, here in Dunham Massey country park in Cheshire with a beautiful vintage VW Beetle for a motoring feature in the Daily Telegraph.

Read More
In Editorial, Portraits Tags bbc, radio 6, mark radcliffe, Manchester photographer, Manchester Photography, Liverpool Photography, Liverpool Photographer, cheshire photography, dunham massey, vw beetle, volkswagen, beetle, Dunham Massey Country Park, Daily Telegraph, Telegraph, Motoring, vintage car, radio, radio presenter, marc riley, 6music, radio 2, pop music, folk music, editorial, election, Editorial Photography, event photography, Ecology, Helvellyn
Photography of sensitive social issue: anti-abortion protest UK

Documentary Photography for Buzzfeed News

David Oates April 3, 2020

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.

Read More
In Documentary, Editorial Tags buzzfeed, abortion, abortion clinic, abortion protests, abortion protests manchester, withington manchester, Manchester photographer, Manchester Photographer, Portrait Photography, portraits, editorial Photography, Editorial Photography, documentary, Documentary Photography, Documentary photographer, Photographer in the North
Aaron Heinzelmann photographed for Assa Abloy hero award feature

Aaron Heinzelmann of Assa Abloy for Off the Wall, Stockholm

David Oates November 29, 2019

It was great to photograph Aaron for his employers Assa Abloy last week.

Aaron came to the aid of a mother and her seriously ill daughter while at work earning him a hero award and a feature in the company’s magazine. I'm glad to have been invited to be a part of it by Swedish agency Off the Wall. The final shot is a ‘behind the scenes’ for the rear cover of the magazine, thanks to Aaron’s Uncle Dave for sterling work on second camera duties.

The shoot was in Kenn, North Somerset so I had road trip and a stay in a holiday cottage the night before and a refreshing tea on the seafront at Clevedon before the long drive north.

Read More
In Editorial, Documentary, Portraits Tags assa abloy, off the wall, Portrait Photography, portraits, Editorial Photography, editorial, magazine, corporate, somerset, commercial photographer, editorial Photography
Portrait of musician Francis Lung at Yes club, Manchester

Francis Lung for Scandinavian Airlines

David Oates September 16, 2019

Photographs of Francis Lung, solo musician and former member of the Manchester band Wu Lyf.

A portrait photography commission for Scandinavian Airlines.

Read More
In Editorial, Portraits Tags Francis Lung, Scandinavian Airlines, Wu Lyf, portraits, Portrait Photography, Editorial Photography, Tom McClung
_MG_8161.jpg

Nick Freeman

David Oates January 30, 2019

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.

Read More
In Portraits, Editorial Tags sunday times, Me and My Motor, Nick Freeman, Manchester Photography, Manchester photographer, publication, Portrait Photography, Editorial Photography
Portrait of poets Andrew and Ian McMillan photographed for The Sunday Times

Ian & Andrew McMillan

David Oates January 28, 2019

It was a real pleasure to photograph poets Andrew McMillan and his father Ian for the Sunday Times ‘Relative Values’ feature a few months ago.

Read More
In Artists, Portraits, Editorial Tags artist, Ian McMillan, Andrew McMillan, Sunday Times, Relative Values, Poet, Poetry, Manchester Photography, Manchester photographer, Editorial Photography, Portrait Photography
Sortimo van racking assembly line in Warrington UK

Sortimo for WirtschaftWoche

David Oates May 1, 2018

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.

Read More
In Documentary, Editorial Tags Editorial Photography, Documentary Photography, Manchester Photographer, Warrington, WirtschaftWoche, Sortimo
_MG_2618.jpg

Research Matters Magazine

David Oates June 1, 2017

As much as I seem to spend  my entire life checking websites to see if they've been updated since I last checked thirty seconds ago, and I've spent the last months square-eyed setting up this new website; it never gets boring to see your work printed on actual, physical, inky paper. Especially if that paper goes on to be published. So, I was delighted to pick up the latest edition of MMU's Research Matters magazine.

Read More
In Editorial, Portraits Tags manchester, commercial photographer, documentary, editorial, photography, photographer, manchester metropolitan university, publication, magazine, commercial, Editorial Photography
Associated, Brooklyn
Associated, Brooklyn
Great to work with TOL Events, @adidas and @versus at @manchesterunited yesterday.

@adidasfootball @adidaswomen
Great to work with TOL Events, @adidas and @versus at @manchesterunited yesterday. @adidasfootball @adidaswomen
Pizza fire
Pizza fire
Robert Indiana, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, September 2022
Robert Indiana, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, September 2022
Buslingthorpe Works.
Buslingthorpe Works.
Manchester City Gallery

#manchester
#gallery
Manchester City Gallery #manchester #gallery
Barmouth beach 

#barmouth #wales
Barmouth beach #barmouth #wales
Amsterdam Noord

#amsterdam #amsterdamnoord
Amsterdam Noord #amsterdam #amsterdamnoord
#wales #beach #seaside #holidays
#wales #beach #seaside #holidays
It was a pleasure to photograph Ann Treneman for The Times recently, a shoot that resulted in my first cover for The Times Weekend supplement and my first image on the cover of The Times.
Until 2015, Ann was The Times' parliamentary sketchwriter and
It was a pleasure to photograph Ann Treneman for The Times recently, a shoot that resulted in my first cover for The Times Weekend supplement and my first image on the cover of The Times. Until 2015, Ann was The Times' parliamentary sketchwriter and then the paper's chief theatre critic. Ann subsequently retrained in horticulture and the article details her preparations for this year's Chelsea flower show for which she has designed a garden. @thetimes #thetimes #chelseaflowershow @timesweekend @the_rhs @show_chelsea @anntreneman1
Some highlights from my recent shoot at Adidas UK

#adidasuk #adidasxgucci #sport 
#sportswear #reebok #adidasoriginals
Some highlights from my recent shoot at Adidas UK #adidasuk #adidasxgucci #sport #sportswear #reebok #adidasoriginals
#britishrailways #britishrail #eastlancashirerailway #bury #train #trainspotting #heritagerailway
#britishrailways #britishrail #eastlancashirerailway #bury #train #trainspotting #heritagerailway
Frigates
Frigates
Some paper peeling off a wall in Marseille. I'm currently in Scotland, the light is inferior

#marseille #citeradieuse #southoffrance #suddelafrance #mediterranean
Some paper peeling off a wall in Marseille. I'm currently in Scotland, the light is inferior #marseille #citeradieuse #southoffrance #suddelafrance #mediterranean
I am shocked and disappointed to hear that Alastair Hudson has been asked by the University of Manchester to leave his post as director of Manchester and Whitworth art galleries.

Alastair turned the Whitworth into a gallery where diverse voices coul
I am shocked and disappointed to hear that Alastair Hudson has been asked by the University of Manchester to leave his post as director of Manchester and Whitworth art galleries. Alastair turned the Whitworth into a gallery where diverse voices could be heard, excluded groups were welcomed and important questions asked. I hope the university sees fit to reverse its decision and I look forward to continuing to photograph the exhibitions curated under his guidance. #manchester #whitworthartgallery #whitworthgallery #manchesterart #cityartgallery #forensicarchitecture #alastairhudson @forensicarchitecture #university @whitworthart @magwagdirector
In the spray booth

#carbody #manchester #bodyshop #spraybooth
In the spray booth #carbody #manchester #bodyshop #spraybooth
In Situ (formerly The Commercial/Turville) in Hulme (or as it's now known, Castlefield)

#manchester #castlefield #hulme
In Situ (formerly The Commercial/Turville) in Hulme (or as it's now known, Castlefield) #manchester #castlefield #hulme
Mam Tor. Mother Hill. The Shivering Mountain.

The base of Mam Tor is composed of black shales of the Bowland Shale Formation of Serpukhovian age overlain by turbiditic sandstone of the Mam Tor Sandstone F
Mam Tor. Mother Hill. The Shivering Mountain. The base of Mam Tor is composed of black shales of the Bowland Shale Formation of Serpukhovian age overlain by turbiditic sandstone of the Mam Tor Sandstone Formation of Bashkirian age. #mamtor #derbyshire #nationalpark #nationaltrust #peakdistrict #edale #hope #castleton #geology
Lockdown BMW

#bmw
Lockdown BMW #bmw

David Oates is a photographer based in Manchester, England.

Clients include Wall Street Journal, ESPN, The Financial Times, Art Fund, Transport for the North, The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, BP, BBC, The Times, The Observer, UK Youth, Samaritans, The Whitworth Art Gallery, Asthma UK, Finisterre, 11 Freunde (Berlin), Scandinavian Airlines, Manchester Museum, OTW (Stockholm, Business Insider (New York) and the British Ecological Society.

Exhibited internationally at Dallas Biennial, Recontres D’Arles, France; Festival Images, Vevey, Switzerland and the Dong Gang Photography Festival, Korea.


David Oates Photography

david@davidoates.net

07732 272 163

Contact