21 Dec 2012

North East Commercial Photographer: Corporate Art Proves Boardroom Bliss


If you are looking for great location opportunities for commercial photography, the North East is far and away the best place to visit. We have some of the most beautiful castles, coastlines, bridges and buildings in the UK, so I’m spoilt for choice when it comes to venues for wedding photography as well as commercial photography.


A recent job came about following a conversation with Karl Pemberton, Managing Director of independent financial services company Active Financial Services. I did Karl’s wedding photography at Rockliffe Hall near Hurworth in County Durham so he had already seen some of my other work at www.davecharnleyphotography.com 


When we got chatting about my experience as a commercial and PR photographer, he asked me to photograph three of Teesside’s famous bridges, reproducing them as high quality canvas prints. He was looking for something with a local link that could be used as centrepieces for the company’s meeting rooms, following a move from Guisborough to prestigious new Active Financial Services offices in Thornaby, Stockton on Tees.


The deadline was tight, with little time to get the photos taken and mounted in time for the new building’s launch. Sadly for me, light and weather are oblivious to photography deadlines and I had to make several visits to each bridge before I was happy with the light conditions.  The ideal time for a commercial photography project such as this is either what I call the ‘golden hour’ of dusk, or early morning when the light is soft. For all three photos I used my favourite Canon 5D Mark III which takes fantastic pictures in near darkness, on a slow shutter speed and balanced on a tripod to get nice clean images.

My first visit was to the Grade II-listed Victoria Bridge, which was built in 1887 to celebrate 50 years of Queen Victoria’s reign. Its wrought iron arches give it all the majesty and grandeur you would expect from Victorian architecture, and the resulting 6-foot wide print of this stunning piece of architecture has incredible impact and now forms a great talking point in the client’s largest boardroom. 


To get the shot I was determined to have of this bridge, I had to balance in the undergrowth on the river bank while trying to avoid creatures around me – just one of the perks of the job they don’t share with you at photographer school!

My next visit was to the Teesquay Millennium Footbridge, which links Teesdale Business Park with the University of Durham’s Queen’s Campus. The result of a design and build competition held by Stockton Borough Council, its 40-metre high mast and cable-stayed design results in clean, delicate lines that belie its tough steel construction and which gave me some great linear perspectives to work with.  


Finally, I went to the award-winning Infinity Bridge, which stands downriver of Stockton town centre and was opened in a blaze of publicity. The name derives from the infinity symbol formed by the bridge and its reflection, and having seen the spectacular sound, light and animation show at its launch I was keen to capture the same atmosphere and bring it to life for people who have never visited Teesside.


Lit by the same company that designed the lighting for the Burj Al-Arab luxury hotel in Dubai, the blue and white LED lights change as pedestrians cross, and it presents a fantastic sight against the night sky. I reflected as I put away my camera kit that any professional photographer who can’t get a decent picture of this bridge should pack in the job.

Back at the studio I removed some of the small distractions such as ‘for sale’ signs on nearby properties, adjusted some small details and quality-checked the images before sending the electronic files off to be mounted and finished with a low sheen lustre. I prefer to support local companies where possible but this time I had to use a firm outside the North East to get the professional finish I needed. 



Karl was very happy with the results, and several people at the office party included my twitter handle @charnleyphoto in tweets about how much they loved the photography. There is nothing nicer than unsolicited client feedback – love it!

I really enjoy using my skill as a professional photographer to meet challenges like this one. Karl knew exactly what he wanted so this was a very specific commission but I’m always happy to chat about ideas, find out what the client wants the images for, and suggest locations and shots for them to consider. 


The Original Poster                                                           Converted Onto Canvas 




Corporate photographic art is a growing market, with many companies seeing what a great talking point it can be, and with iconic landmarks and scenery from Teesside and Durham through to Sunderland, Tyneside and Northumberland, this region is picture perfect for producing original artworks.  





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Direct Website Link to Dave Charnley Photography



13 Dec 2012

North Yorkshire Commercial Photographer: Why Hire a Professional Photographer?


As a North East photographer with many years of experience I’m saddened by the rise in the number of people calling themselves photographers, but failing to deliver the fabulous images that the client should be able to expect.


While I’m genuinely not having a go at keen amateurs or anyone trying to develop a hobby into a living, I’m going to stick my neck out here and say that saving money on professional photography – whether it’s PR, commercial or wedding photography - is almost always a false economy.

I learnt my trade as a press photographer and have spent 25 years as a professional photographer, carrying out thousands of jobs across Teesside and North Yorkshire, Durham, North andSouth Tyneside, Sunderland and Northumberland and it grieves me to see people value photography services on price alone. Have a think about it for a moment – are there many other areas in your life where you always go for the cheapest or the DIY option? We all like a bargain but while you can happily get away with buying cheap baked beans, I’m guessing most of us don’t buy the cheapest possible car, do our own dentistry or our own legal work to save money.



Everyone has digital and phone cameras these days. They are smart tools, but they don’t turn someone into a professional photographer. When you hire a pro you are hiring not just top of the range camera kit worth thousands of pounds, but also creativity, confidence and years of skill and ability and a back catalogue of shots full of life and energy.

Some organisations turn to stock libraries, mistakenly thinking this will meet their photography needs. As we edge out of recession branding is one of the tools businesses are using to get ahead.  And brands keen to differentiate themselves from the competition know that good photography gives them a unique and distinctive edge that stock shots can’t match.


Using an image that thousands of others have access to can give out the wrong message about a brand, and anyone who has just paid to use an image across 10,000 brochures doesn’t want to see the same pictures across their competitors’ marketing too. Only a bespoke image can really reflect the mood of the organisation - see what I mean by comparing Apple’s imagery with Poundland’s - both are perfect in their own way. It’s madness to spend money getting the design and marketing right, and then let the brand fall over by using poor photographs.

And don’t even get me started on wedding photography, the press is full of sad stories about couples who used a cut-price or inexperienced wedding photographer and are broken hearted with the results. I really feel for them, expecting beautiful mementos of their special day and instead it turns into a shambles.




Reportage wedding photography that builds up a storybook of the day needs tact, sensitivity and speed as well as technical ability. You need to be everywhere at once, anticipating those precious moments - one chance is all you get and woe betide the photographer who fails.

With a professional photographer you are paying for the skill and experience behind the camera in putting everyone at their ease too - being a bit of an entertainer if you like. My informal, natural style photographs can only come through when people are relaxed and comfortable.  I want them to feel special and be themselves, because that’s when the pictures are easy.



 Obtaining consent, especially when photographing children, is also an area where non-professionals get caught out. I am CRB checked and always carry my British Press Photographers Association (BPPA) card – it’s something police and security people often ask to see. You need to be so careful in this area and for those who don’t have the experience it can be a minefield. 

Almost all my work comes through recommendation or from people who have seen my work on www.davecharnleyphotography.com and many of my commercial clients such as councils, PR and marketing agencies, businesses and charities come back time and time again.



They know they will get shots that meet the brief, on a fast turnaround and that their images will be high resolution so they can be used in marketing brochures, magazine adverts, online and even on the side of buses or on giant outdoor posters. I can’t stress strongly enough that people should think long and hard about making sure they book the right photographer for the job.





 While I’m not knocking or discouraging amateurs, I believe that if you want the best possible images, then quality, experience and service should be the deciding factors when hiring a photographer.







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Direct Website Link to Dave Charnley Photography



20 Nov 2012

North East Photographic Models Wanted For Advertising Photographer


As a busy North East commercial photographer as well as specialising in weddings and portraits, my clients often ask me if I can find suitable models for photography shoots.

My speciality is lifestyle commercial photography, which captures real people in real situations, and it’s a very popular photography style used by PR, advertising and marketing agencies to promote a wide range of products and services.

It works by portraying real-life situations in a very natural way, as if the photographer just happens to have casually caught the split second moment that sums up what a brand is all about, and encourages people to see themselves in that place or situation.


But behind the scenes, relaxed, natural-looking photography takes a lot of skill to produce. After 25 years as a photographer and with an ex-press photographer background it’s second nature for me to automatically get the lighting, angles and colours right so the pictures appeal straight to the target audience and the client’s brand is well represented. 

I’m always on the lookout for people of all ages, looks, sizes and abilities to take part in photo sessions. I might want people who can ride a bike, or who are happy to fly a kite on the beach, kick a football around or just stroll round a shopping centre.

I work on photography commercial shoots all over the North East, from Middlesbrough and Stockton across to North Yorkshire, through Newcastle, Gateshead and up to Northumberland so I need people in all areas.  The models I use in my advertising photography depend on the look and feel the client wants from their photos, so I need people from grandparents and small children to mid-life adults and teenagers. 


For instance a housebuilder might want shots of a young family having lunch in the dining room, or children playing in the garden, a retirement home might need photos of older people taking part in activities, while a national cycling organisation like Sustrans might need photos of people enjoying a bike ride through town or countryside.

Some of my recent North East photography jobs included a session capturing people visiting the beautiful York Minster in North Yorkshire; some street shots at Middlesbrough’s TKMaxx to show off its current clothing range; and a job photographing the opening of the new Play Factory soft play area at Skelton, near Saltburn on Teesside. 


If I had used professional models the photos wouldn’t have had the informal, real-life feel the client wanted – I’m sure we can all tell when a family is not really a family, and the photographer has had to work extra hard to make it look as if they are.


I did a shoot for Gateshead College’s Walk to Work campaign recently, and used a real mum, dad and toddler all wrapped up warm and walking out, and you can tell by the photos they are all very easy and comfortable with each other. Have a look at some of the photos on the commercial pages of my website and you’ll see what I mean.

For some jobs it is essential to use professionals. I did a recent fashion photography session for a Teesside marketing agency that needed a series of unique fashion images to promote Middlesbrough Fashion Week’s‘Fashion Rules’ events. Working with experienced model Katherine Lees of TyneTees Models resulted in a great range of high impact fashion photos that were used in the marketing and promotions here.




























Professional models and agents provide a great service in my experience, but the trend for aspirational lifestyle photography, plus a squeeze on budgets have both driven the demand for non-professional models. And without sounding disrespectful, us ‘real’ people are not too shiny are we?  After all we’re not all Kate Moss or Tyson Ballou - that’s what makes the photos reach out and tell a natural story.


I hate stuffy photography and like to make my sessions fun, and many of my models tell me what a great time they’ve had, and how the time has flown by. You needn‘t worry about being self-conscious either, I don’t always want my subjects to be looking at the camera - in fact that’s often the last thing I want.  If my models bring kids along I like to get them involved too so it’s a fun family photography session, and get them to hold the light reflectors or take photos of their parents, which relaxes everyone.  I just have to be careful they don’t take better photos than me!


Because many of my shots are used in marketing campaigns including brochures and flyers, on the web or even on giant billboards it can be exciting for the models opening a magazine and seeing themselves in a shot, or even going past on the side of a bus.



There isn’t usually a fee involved, but clients will often let models keep a copy of the pictures as a souvenir. So if you fancy doing something a bit different, drop me an email with a simple head and shoulders photo, your height, contact details and what area of the North East you could work in, and I’ll give you a call when I have something suitable for you.

Why not come along and have a go, it will be fun!




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Direct Website Link to Dave Charnley Photography




11 Oct 2012

North East Freelance Photographer: Duchess of Cambridge visits CRI in Stockton on Tees














I was really pleased to be asked by a national charity to photograph the Duchess of Cambridge on her first visit to the North East recently. Crime Reduction Initiatives (CRI) needed a north east press, commercial and Freelance photographer with experience of photographing the royal family, and as a former press photographer with a 25 year background that includes a large number of royal visits, I was delighted to accept. 

Having seen my work online at www.davecharnleyphotography.com, CRI briefed me on photographing what was originally to be a joint visit from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to the charity’s Recovery Service centre on William Street in Stockton on Tees.

CRI works with people affected by drugs, alcohol, crime, homelessness, domestic abuse and antisocial behaviour, encouraging them to regain control of their lives and tackle their problems. The visit had been arranged following the Duchess’s appointment as patron of Action on Addiction in January this year, and when the Duke of Cambridge pulled out of the North East visit to attend the funeral of his former nanny, it was confirmed that the Duchess would come to the region on her own. 

My security approval from Buckingham Palace duly arrived, along with my press pass confirming my BPPA status. Over the years I’ve collected hundreds of press passes as reminders of events as diverse as Gateshead’s Spencer Tunick Naked City art installation and Radio 1 roadshows, to visits to former Prime Minister Tony Blair’s home in Sedgefield, and I’ll be pleased to add this one to my collection of press photography memorabilia. 

I arrived at the centre an hour before the royal party was due, to find barriers and security teams in place and crowds already gathering on nearby Prince Regent Street in Stockton, keen to get a good view of the woman who may be the next Queen of England. As the cars arrived a cheer went up as the crowd gave the Duchess a warm North East welcome, and hundreds of Union flags and bouquets of flowers gave me some great splashes of colour for the photos.

We live in the days of citizen journalism and many of the crowd were taking photos with their mobiles, while a press pack of photographers of ex-colleagues from newspapers including the Middlesbrough Evening Gazette and the Darlington's Northern Echo were working hard to get their shots too. You really need to work fast at events like these as there are no second chances if you miss something. 

However much preparation you do, a situation can change in the blink of a shutter. But being a professional press and pr photographer means being able to pull a great shot out of the bag under any circumstances - it wouldn’t be the done thing to ask royalty if they could just go back and get out of the car again!

As one of only a handful of security-cleared photographers on the other side of the barrier I was able to get some close ups of the very photogenic Duchess as she met some local children, including little Lola Mackey who was so overcome by excitement she forgot to hand over her flowers. One of my favourite shots from this job was the cheeky expression on her face as she walks back to her mum – definitely one for the Mackey family album!

Inside, the Duchess toured the building and I was honoured to be the only photographer accompanying her as she met with service users and staff. The Mayor of Stockton, Councillor Lynne Apedaile, was just one of the local dignitaries at a group discussion, where the Duchess listened and asked questions and generally showed how well informed she was about the work of the charity and its impact on the lives of people on Teesside.
   
The nature of CRI’s work, combined with the security aspects and royal protocol made a sensitive, unobtrusive approach to the photography vital. Years of experience meant I was able to remain in the background so as not to disturb the flow of conversation but still be confident enough to get a good range of shots that showed the Duchess’s real warmth and interest in the people she was meeting. 

Some of the photos I took indoors will be used to promote the work of the charity, but others will be kept as personal mementos by the families she met, and will probably never be seen in public. Before arriving in Stockton the Duchess had also visited Newcastle Civic Centre, Elswick Park in Newcastle, and a youth council in Gateshead so this solo tour must have been a long day for her. 

As she left the building her megawatt smile never faltered and she made sure to zig zag back and forth across the road once more to thank the crowd, before leaving just after 3pm.Everyone who met her commented on how natural and friendly she was, and I was pleased to come away with a set of photos that reflect her personality, and the joyful spirit of the day. 

It was hard to believe she has only recently joined the royal family - she was genuinely comfortable with people, laughing and joking and putting them at their ease, and she created some fantastic photo opportunities so I could record the day the world’s most famous woman visited Stockton.




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Direct Website Link to Dave Charnley Photography



4 Oct 2012

North East Editorial Magazine Photographer: Middlesbrough Captain Jonathan Woodgate 'FourFourTwo' Press Interview






When leading football magazine FourFourTwo was looking for a freelance editorial photographer in the North East with the right background and experience to photograph Middlesbrough’s new signing Jonathan Woodgate, I was delighted to be given the brief.
The magazine’s October edition is running an interview with the Teesside-born sportsman who recently returned to captain his home town club, amid a blaze of publicity. 

With a career that spans Leeds United, Newcastle United, Real Madrid, Tottenham, Chelsea and Stoke City, he’s never been far from the news. I’ve photographed at sportsgrounds, hotels and venues all over the North East and Yorkshire, and I’m familiar with Middlesbrough’s training ground at Rockliffe Park in Hurworth, just south of Darlington, where the interview was taking place, so I had a handful of locations in mind before I got there.

Twenty seven years as a press, commercial and portrait photographer has taught me that photographing VIPs, celebrities and royalty can mean a lot of waiting around for the right moment, and then you might only have a few minutes to get the right shot so it’s essential to be prepared and to work fast.  And not to be over-awed by the subject in front of you.

I arrived early and set up while Jonathan was being interviewed, and although I’d taken lights and flash equipment with me I opted to use the available natural light, to get the feel that the magazine wanted.

Having studied the brief I knew we needed a very simple, thoughtful shot to bring out Jonathan’s personality and tie in with the theme of the interview.  But anyone who knows something about photography will tell you that what looks like a very simple shot can often be the hardest one to take.

That’s where being trained in editorial and press work is an advantage. Those of us with a newspaper background understand about different publication styles and know how to deliver what the picture editor or sub editor is looking for.  

A red door made an ideal backdrop for the shots, and with some editing later in the day back at my photography editing studio in Stockton I was able to match it to Middlesbrough FC’s colours, and to give the magazine a choice of light and dark backgrounds through a good range of close up shots. To go with its ‘One-on-one’ feature the magazine ran a full page shot that was one of two photos each using a slightly different depth of field, which I got by using first my trusty Canon L series lenses, first a 50mm lens F1.2, and then a 135mm F2 lens.
 
I firmly believe in minimum kit for maximum impact, and find that chosen carefully, one camera body and two lenses will be enough for most situations. Less equipment means less fuss, a more relaxed subject and a better set of pictures.

To read the full in-depth interview with Jonathan Woodgate, you can download the digital edition of FourFourTwo here http://fourfourtwo.com or buy it in all good newsagents.




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Direct Website Link to Dave Charnley Photography