Arsenal are having a strong season so it was a pleasure to recently shoot Freddie Ljunberg who was optimistic about the clubs future. Ljungberg spent the majority of his playing career at the North London club before moving into coaching including a spell back at his old club. As a sports portrait photographer I used some gentle colour washes to capture this image of Freddie - shot in a studio near his North London home.
Bombay Sapphire
A lovely shoot here commissioned by Bombay Sapphire. The world famous gin brand approached me to take an updated set of images of their Master Distiller, Dr Anne Brock. Taking care of all elements of the shoot from styling through to logistics, shot at the brand's home in Laverstoke. Capturing warm inviting images that reflect the brand and its distillery.
Stoke City
A lovely shoot here for Stoke City’s new kit launch. The 3 kits are interchangeable allowing fans to pair different short, shirt and sock combinations - resulting in……errr…loads and loads of end combinations.
We spent a couple of days up in Stoke using the team’s indoor astro training pitch to shoot. Like all team kit launches there was an element of secrecy so we had to hang large black drapes around the shooting area to prevent anyone from getting a peek. Using fast flash, we were able to capture a range of dynamic moves and shapes which were then stitched into the end image. The list of deliverables was long with various shapes and sizes need; everything from a huge window in the stadium to upright aisle ends in the club shop. Little BTS video at the end too…
Every One's Turf
A fun campaign shot in the studio - capturing some of the joy of a day at the races. With bold block styling and lighting to give the images punch, the strong graphical design of the campaign was at the heart of how we approached the shoot.
lifestyle photographer
I often get asked what I do and my answer is I’m a Lifestyle photographer based in London. In a nutshell my job it's about capturing people in the moment. Capturing that little slice of time where a few things come together and you get that special lifestyle picture.
As a lifestyle photographer I work for brands, agencies and marketing departments. Anyone who is interested in showing their product or services off in the best possible light. I always say to prospective clients that I can do as much or as little as needed with regard to the production. Some clients want everything sorted out for them; others want to get involved themselves and sort elements out in-house. Either way is fine with me.
In this post I want to talk to you about the elements that will go into a typical lifestyle photography shoot before the shoot even starts - the pre-production.
A lifestyle shoot will typically start with a brief - experienced clients will know exactly what they want to capture, others might need a little help putting down on paper what. This would be a detailed precise shot list alongside feelings and mood such as happiness, joy or exhilaration. The exact combinations of say, locations, models, product all need to be thought about. As with even only a few variables you can quickly run into hundreds of combinations.
A shoot will typically start with a recce. We will use this time to look at locations and work out exactly what is going to be happening where. We will use this time to plan in detail. Where will the sun be in the morning, what time will it be hitting certain areas - where is the best place to base everyone. All the little details add up and by planning things out in advance the shoot day (or days) can be spent shooting: giving the client more bang for their buck.
A lifestyle shoot will more often than not involve models. These need to be cast and again this is where the clients brief comes in. Which ethnicities, ages, sexes do they want in their photographs? What markets are the images being used in? A campaign that is going to air in the Middle East will look very different to one being used in North America. As a lifestyle photographer understanding these (at times) subtle differences is paramount.
I’m based in London and whilst my work does take me all over the world one of the huge advantages of working in London is its such a multicultural city. If a client wants it, we can find it here. That can be models or locations; it's a great place to be a lifestyle photographer.
Models need clothing and far before the shoot starts I would work with a stylist to create a look. What colours will work best at the location? What colours will best compliment the product and the mood we are trying to create. What message and feeling are we trying to convey? Are there any rival brands that use a colour scheme we need to avoid? Does the brand have a colour they want to incorporate?
Shooting lifestyle is all about capturing that moment - that moment of genuine authentic reaction. On a shoot however we need to be able to shoot in all conditions. If it's overcast but we need a summer look we need to be able to make it happen. If it's blazing sunshine and everyone is squinting and sweating; as a professional lifestyle photographer I need to be able to control that sun and make the images sing. Being a professional is all about control - giving the client what they want - when they want it. We can’t control the weather but we can manipulate it to our advantage.
So once the location is fixed, the models are fixed - we have a clear shot list and have carried out a detailed recce. It's then a case of booking in all the required kit and making sure all the logistics are in place. Allowing me to shoot some amazing lifestyle images for my clients. In another post I will discuss the actual shoot day and what is involved in actually taking the images.
Dr Hannah Fry - World Gold Council - AKQA
Mathematician, author and broadcaster, Dr Hannah Fry, shot here as part of a recent commission for the World Gold Council. These stills were to accompany a wide ranging documentary series, which Fry presented, exploring the vast and various ways gold is used…from race cars to telecommunications. As a portrait photographer I love the challenge of working around film projects - utilising moments between takes to capture stills and having a highly tested lighting structure that talent can jump into at a moments notice.
Molly Renshaw - Swimming
A recent shot of olympic swimmer Molly Renshaw in action in the pool. Shot in a freezing (almost literally) unheated pool in South London just before christmas. A rather complex lighting set up to colour the water and freeze the motion. A touch shoot as in water time was very limited for fear of death by frost bite. below are also some behind the scenes images of the set up. As a sport portrait photographer i love these kind of shoot: where the technical mixes with the conceptual. Big thanks to Molly who needed to stand under the hot showers for about 40 minutes after the shoot to regain use of her fingers.
Daniel Ricciardo - McLaren
Was lucky enough to spend the day at McLaren with Daniel Ricciardo. Shooting for new sponsors Party Casino. For anyone who follows F1, Ricciardo is exactly how you would expect him to be and how he appears on screen. As a sport portrait photographer I have shot sports stars from every discipline and Ricciardo was a joy to work with.
Shallow
I was in the studio recently just adding some image to the portfolio. I had an oldish image (the man in glasses) and wanted to create a slightly wider set around that style. Shooting ultra shallow at f1.2 and using continuous lighting to get a very specific look and feel. As a portrait photographer its vital to always find some time to play and experiment - you don’t get much time to do that on commissioned shoots.
Huel
Been enjoying shooting for Huel of late. It's always great to work for a brand you love. Shooting lifestyle imagery for a whole host of uses; showcasing their entire product range. For those not familiar with the brand Huel is a nutritionally complete meal replacement. I have included a very small selection of some of the hundred of images I have shot for them over a few days of shooting in London. The images are predominantly lifestyle and shot as people go about their everyday lives. Below are a selection of some if the lifestyle images produced for them.
ASOS
Lovely shoot I shot over the summer for ASOS. The ASOS design team created Paralympics GB’s opening and closing ceremony looks. Our focus for the shoot was all about what it means to be *extra* and how each athlete goes the extra mile in everything that they do. As a portrait and lifestyle photographer is was great working with sporting talent Ashley Facey-Thompson, Amy Conroy, and Thomas Hamer.
St. James Quater
Some new work shot up in Edinburgh for the newly opened St.James Quater. The 1 billion pound, 850,000 square foot development houses retail and lifestyle attractions as well as residential. The building is home to a new W Hotel which provides previously unseen views of the city. The unique swirl shape of the building providing a new shape to the famous skyline. As a lifestyle photographer it was a great fun shoot up on the high roofs - and the weather played ball too.
Lifestyle Tech - London
A recent shoot for consumer electronics brand Mobvoi showcasing their new TicWatch.
Shooting with numerous models in numbers locations across the city to capture the wide versatility and features of the watch. We shot some sports set ups as well as more everyday, out and about, life in the city concepts. A classic lifestyle shoot, we used a nimble team to work quickly maximising the end options for the client.
JBL Advertising Shoot - London & Liverpool
New work for global audio brand JBL shooting Virgil Van Dijk and Jesse Lingard of Liverpool and (currently) West Ham as well as a number of lifestyle models. The shoots took place in Liverpool and London on consecutive days. The campaign will run throughout Europe and is Virgil’s first as a global brand ambassador for the audio brand. Below are some of the multitude of assets created as well as some BTS from the shoots. As a London advertising photographer it’s always a pleasure to work with such talent.
Aston Martin
Shoot for Aston Martin Formula One. Shot is a vast East London factory space where we were tasked with heroing the new F1 teams appraisal range. Working with Driver Lance Stroll and his girlfriend Sara Pagliaroli alongside other models.
We shot in various cavernous locations within the factory setting. Incorporating nods of colour to the brand identity. We handled all aspects of production on the stills shoot. As an advertising photographer working within the sports industry it was great to incorporate more formal portraits and more candid lifestyle images on the one shoot.
Spears
A recent shoot featuring Andy Coulson. Former Editor of The News of the World who went on to head up comms under the Cameron Conservitive government before becoming embroiled in the phone hacking scandal. As a portrait photographer I get to meet all sorts of people from the worlds of politics, sport and the arts. This was shot for Spears Magazine in central London.
Pension Wise
New work of the UK Government’s Pension Advice Service ‘Pension Wise’. ‘The Power of an Hour ‘ campaign is to run across the UK to draw attention to the pensions advice information on offer. For most people, their pension is likely to be one of the most valuable assets they hold. It’s very important for people to make the right decision around how and when to access their pensions pots. As a London based advertising photographer its great to shoot something that with such a important message. We shot on location around a TVC produced by The Gate.
Tag Heuar - George Bamford
Recent shoot for Tag Heuer to promote their newly launched Aquaracer Bamford Limited edition. Designed by George Bamford of the Bamford Watch Department we shot a series of images in West London using design elements of the watch - such as the neon orange. As a commercial photographer it was great to work with a brand with Tag Heuer’s prestige and heritage.
Film - Sports Fitness - Rye to the Sky
I have uploaded a new film and added a new film section to the website to house these moving image pieces. ‘Rye to the Sky’ is a high intensity fitness piece shot around my local area of South London. Shooting stills as well as directing moving image is an increasingly common ask from clients. Visually it allows for consistency with the film mirroring the style of my images that I produce as a lifestyle photographer. You can click here to view the FILM.
Below are some stills from the film.
Etisalat - UAE & Greece
Delighted to share these images with you shot for global mobile provider Etisalat. This stills campaign was shot in both The UAE and Athens, Greece. A vast array of locations with bus loads of models - it was an epic adventure. The campaign revolves around the strap line ‘the sound of togetherness’. We shot in the desert, an opera house, a sports field, a shopping centre, a car park, the old port and an airport hangar. Logistically the shoot had its challenges - I have included some behind the scenes images so you can see how we approached it. As an advertising photographer it was a pleasure to shoot this campaign.
