Here is a recent shoot for global beer brand Grolsch. Shot in London the company wanted an entire bank of images that they could use across a wide range of platforms from out of home advertising in North America to a website refresh. Keen to push the beer's association with live music we spent a huge amount of time reccying London's live music venues to find the perfect location …..and then essentially putting on a gig. Shot over two long days at two locations. As a lifestyle photographer working in advertising all the elements are controlled but it's then a matter of allowing and coaxing those genuine moments of interaction to occur.
Ansu Fati - In Spain
Some recent images shot in Spain of Barcelona’s Ansu Fati. Fati was born in Guinea-Bissau but chose to represent the Spanish national team after gaining citizenship. He has been linked with numerous transfer rumours to clubs such as Manchester United. Ahead of the 2021–22 season, Barcelona announced Fati would inherit the number 10 shirt from Lionel Messi.
As a sports portrait photographer I’m used to shooting whenever clients want me. On this occasion a sports hall in Ansu’s hometown of Herrera.
Win
Delighted to share this press release:
An intensely powerful portrait, The Candy Man, by UK photographer Jon Enoch, has won the overall prize of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2023, the world’s leading celebration of the art of food photography and film.
The photograph was taken in the streets of western Mumbai near the candy floss-selling grounds of the beaches and fairs. It is part of a wider series of images of the sellers, which capture the unique ways used to display the candy goods in the hope of attracting a buyer.
“This is a magnificent picture,” says Caroline Kenyon, Founder, Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year. “For me, it evokes the great late 18th and early 19th century portraits of Reynolds and Gainsborough - the gaze, the full-length figure, the subject’s position in the frame. The man in the picture may have a humble way of life, touting his wares of toxically-coloured candy floss, but he himself is splendid. Dignified, confident, direct, he is anyone’s equal in a society riven with division and caste differences. This image shows us beautifully the universal truth, we are all the same.”
“I’m ecstatic to receive this award, it's a real honour to get this recognition in such a prestigious competition laden with wonderful imagery,” says Enoch. “The winning image was part of a personal project - a huge amount of time and thought went into capturing it so it's great to be recognised by such an esteemed panel of judges. Ever since I first saw the candy floss sellers I was drawn to the shapes, colours and juxtaposition of the candy and the urban environment.”
The winners of the 36 categories were announced by acclaimed chef, author and television presenter, Nadiya Hussain MBE, in an exciting Awards ceremony at BAFTA, London on Tuesday 16 May 2023. The announcement was also streamed on the competition’s YouTube channel and was watched by an audience across the globe.
This year’s global judging panel, tasked with assessing the thousands of entries submitted from over 65 countries across the world, was chaired by legendary food photographer, David Loftus, and included: Fiona Shields, Head of Photography, Guardian News & Media, Chef Ian Kittichai, Restaurateur, Author & TV Host, Ella Ravilious, Curator, The V&A Museum, Nik Sharma, Cookbook author, Photographer, Columnist and Rein Skullerud, Senior Photographer, Photo Editor at the United Nations World Food Programme.
The exhibition of the 2023 Finalists will be premiering at The Royal Photographic Society, one of the world’s oldest photographic societies, in Bristol. The exhibition runs from Saturday 20th May.
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Here are a few of the wonderful bits of press coverage the win has received including from The BBC, Guardian and China Daily. I see myself as an advertising and lifestyle photographer but food is such a large part of the human experience its impossible to work as a photographer and not shoot it.
Too Good To Go
I love working for purpose driven brands and none come with greater ambition than Too Good To Go. The company matches consumers with restaurants and grocery stores to sell unsold food.
A technology company at heart, it operates across Europe and North America to tackle the enormous issue of food waste. Up until this point a lot of stock imagery had been used, leading to a fragmented style. We shot a bespoke collection of images and video to place the consumer at the heart.
Working with their wonderful in-house team, we shot in London. Creating lifestyle photography assets with a fresh spring feel (despite shooting in London in March) to serve their consumers in a wide range of territories.
Portrait of Humanity
An image from my recent series The Candy Men has been published in the latest edition of Portrait of Humanity by Hoxton Mini Press. The image, which is just one from a larger body of work, was shot in Mumbai, India last year. The image shows a local candyfloss (cotton candy) seller with his homemade rig for displaying the candy and attracting a sale. You can see the whole series by clicking on this link www.jonenoch.com/candy-man and you will of course be able to find the book - as they say - in all good bookstores. As an advertising photographer who usually works for a client, it's enormously satisfying and rewarding to shoot personal work like this which is totally in my own vision.
Huel - Lifestyle Photography
I shoot lots for Huel. Huel are a meal replacement food provider. Nutritionally complete, the food comes in a number of flavours either ready to drink or in powder form. The company is expanding massively and have sold over 200 million meals globally, they are the fastest growing British e-commerce company.
Here are just a few examples of the lifestyle photography I have shot for them. From beaches to warehouses. Working with a brand over time allows a consistent style to be established. As a lifestyle photographer working with the brand to establish that look is as much of the job as actually taking the images.
Big in Korea
Delighted to share these images from a major new exhibition which will run until the end of March 2023. Located at the ASEAN Cultural Centre, Busan, South Korea. My project ‘Bikes of Hanoi’ forms the centerpiece. An exhibition exploring modern day transportation across South East Asia.
Sports Shoot
Some images from a recent week-long commission. Shot in a studio, well room, converted into a studio. We had an ever revolving cast of sportsmen and women to shoot. The models were all excellent - you can really tell the difference between someone who knows a sport and someone who really knows a sport. Stills don't leave anywhere to hide. Casting is critical.
I wanted to create a slightly gritty feel - not overly messed around with or reliant on post to create the images. A strong directional top light filled from the front and clipped from the back but this sort of lighting means the sweet spot is narrow - the difference between an image looking amazing and rubbish is a few inches so you really have to shoot through the arch of motion. So we shot lots. Sorry Macbook. A dream commission for a advertising photographer.
Rollover - Lifestyle Photography - Jon Enoch
Recent photo shoot for food producer Rollover. The company sells on-the-go food, most noticeably hotdogs and burgers at a vast range of outlets across the UK - from football stadiums to garages. I was tasked with producing an image library that could be used across their marketing assets. Key to the shoot was reflecting the brand's sense of fun and authentic shared moments.
Shooting in London as a lifestyle photographer this was a great shoot to work on . I love working with brands and bringing their ideas to reality….and yes we ate hotdogs for lunch.
Kevin Sinfield - Autobiography
My portrait of Kevin Sinfield is being using on his upcoming autobiography. Kevin a former Leeds Rhinos and England player. His playing days saw him become one of the most successful players in Super League history, having captained the team to seven Super League championships and two Challenge Cup successes. Since retirement he has also become a prominent fundraiser for charities associated with Motor Neurone Disease. As a sport portrait photographer is always a pleasure to have an image used on a book cover.
Thomas Frank - Sports Portrait
A recent portrait of Brentford Football Club’s manager Thomas Frank. Frank has been highly successful in the past couple of Premium League seasons. We shot at the clubs stadium in West London.
As a sports portrait photographer I wanted to capture the personality and control with which Frank has conducted himself since being in charge.
Freddie Ljungberg
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.
