North East Stock Library Photography: Stockton on Tees in the Snow

When we are all so busy doing our jobs, looking after family, seeing friends and dealing with whatever life throws up at us, it’s easy to forget to kick back and just have some fun with no deadlines. 

 At the start of the year the snowfalls here in the North East gave me an irresistible chance to grab my camera and go photograph the beautiful countryside near my home base in Stockton on  Tees, and around Teesside. I took my biggest lens, the Canon 400mm, which I’ve had for a while. It’s mega powerful and the quality of photos it produces is amazing. It’s the sort of thing you see royal photographers or sports photographers using, as it’s perfect for when you can’t get close to the subject.  

It was lovely to be out in the fresh air, with no pressure and no brief, just observing life through my lens. I took a mixture of generic shots, picture opportunities that caught my eye, plus photograph some iconic North East landmarks with a few quirky shots thrown in just for fun.

 Armed with my big lens I was able to get some photos of a flock of geese in flight.  Back at the studio the detail on the feathering was pin-sharp and made me feel I could reach through the picture and touch them. The stark black steel of a set of giant electric pylons against a pale blue sky presented a dramatic shot. Even though pylons are not generally regarded as things of beauty, I loved the resulting picture and its clarity.

The day was cold but bright so there were plenty of people out. Runners, cyclists and dog walkers on Castle Eden walkway were all wrapped up against the weather, kindly providing me with some splashes of hot colour against the snowy conditions. I’ll be using some of the shots for my new service offering, which will be a photographic stock library of images for mainly north east designers & agencies to use.  I’ll be offering a mix of North East landmarks such as Roseberry Topping, the Angel of the North, the Transporter Bridge at Middlesbrough and many others.

If you’ve seen the latest bridge over the Tees, the Infinity Bridge at Stockton, you’ll know that thisand other regional sights have been photographed to death, so I’m always looking to get something a bit different, whether it’s for my clients or my own portfolio.

My new photo library will be available in various formats - low resolutions for web use, medium resolution for brochures, leaflets and press work, or high resolution for large format work such as boardroom pictures, vehicle signage and billboards.

Designers will be able to use the same secure online ordering system that clients who come to me for portrait and wedding photography use, and download their chosen images instantly. I’m hoping to offer something the big stock libraries can’t match and I’ll be constantly updating my library too.

Having spent 25 years as a press, commercial and wedding documentary photographer in the uk, I know the little touches that designers appreciate when it comes to buying commercial photography. For instance, I’m careful to arrange the shots so they can have some clear space where they can drop words on top of the image if it’s vital to the page layout. Things like this may only be small details but it’s the sort of thing that designers want, and that means they will become regular customers. 

Being out and about was great, as a busy North East photographer it’s not often I get the chance.  But having no particular aim in mind except to have some fun with my camera keeps my work fresh, so I make sure I do it whenever I can find the time. 

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Direct Website Link to Dave Charnley Photography

Photographers Prove Powerful Advertising: North East Retail Photography

Look at successful businesses, and ask yourself why they are doing so well. It’s likely to be because their marketing is strong. And a big part of a successful marketing campaign is the imagery you use, which is why an experienced commercial photographer can be your greatest ally. 

Stock shots are not always a bad choice, but they can be a false economy if you are trying to create a living, breathing brand that people will identify with.Compare the Pound Shop with Apple. See how they are both very visually aware, but how different and distinctive the imagery they use is? That’s because both organisations know their customers - and what will appeal to them - very well indeed.

You can describe a product, a service or a mood very easily with the right pictures. Just by creating a certain look you can encourage people to eat, visit, donate or buy.I was out shopping recently and was struck by how simple but effective the Clarks Shoes photos are. They use clean, crisp shots of the product being used, not just in the box or artfully posed on a point of sale stand. Children are shown playing around in trainers, or setting off for school in smart shoes, creating an aspirational lifestyle feel that works really well.

You can portray something honestly, but still put your best foot forward. For instance if you own a cafe with a reputation for first class full English breakfast, you don’t want to put lettuce in the photos and pretend to be a healthy option or something you are not. But you don’t want to look like a greasy spoon cafe either, and that’s where keeping your imagery ‘real’ comes in.

Experts say we are all exposed to hundreds of marketing messages a day. That’s a lot of information to process, especially online, where you are relying only on your visual sense to get a feel for the product or service. Online imagery has to really earn its keep.  A good example is Argos, which recently posted results that show that 42% of its business is now done online, and it is re-organising its business model to account for customers who prefer to shop online rather than in-store.

A big number of Ebay sellers who sell high-value branded goods will now invest in good photography too. Financially it’s an astute move. When the product shows to its best advantage the buyers start bidding.  

It’s not always about having the product in shot though. Look at Coca-Cola – they don’t sell the drink, they sell the life, and they do that through clever use of images. You don’t have to have a big budget to create pictures that are unique to you. Small businesses can stand out just as much as the big boys if they work with a photographer who is skilled at planning out a shoot to get best value.

Using my cafe example again, I might suggest to the client that we shoot mouth-watering ice creams for use in summer, some hearty soups for winter and a purple and gold table dressing theme for Christmas. Those images could be used on menus and in advertising, on canvas boards around the cafe or even blown up to form an eye-catching wraparound graphic on the outside of the building.

Advertisers say the best way to reach time-pressed consumers is to try to catch their eye at every turn, and I am in full agreement. It actually pains me when I see a small or start-up business taking a phone pic, adding an Instagram filter and blowing up a grainy pic to use in their publicity.

It’s such a shame when all it takes is a bit of thought and the right photographer to create memorable, show-stopping images that make your business stand out. 

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Direct Website Link to Dave Charnley Photography

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

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

Fashion Rules Model Shoot in Middlesbrough

Every year, Middlesbrough Fashion Week celebrates the town’s independent retailers, designers and high street brands with a series of events. Marketing agency WeDo commissioned me to take a series of unique fashion images to promote its ‘Fashion Rules’ free show and shop event at the MIMA art gallery in Midddlesbrough on June 7.

The brief was to get a series of high impact pictures to get people along to this British-inspired event, which includes a collection of mini fashion shows and pop-up shops, featuring the best in clothing, jewellery, designer goods, accessories, food and homewares. As a commercial, wedding and portrait photographer based in the north east, I work with everyone from professional models to people who need a photographer with a relaxed, informal style to put them at their ease in front of the camera. When it comes to fashion photography, the choice of model can really determine the feel of the pictures, so I was delighted to find out I was working with new model Katherine Lees of Tyne Tees Models. Katherine who lives in North Yorkshire is a new model on the books but knows exactly what to do at the super-fast agency, hair and make up changes, and she is great fun to work with.

Fifty minutes was all it took for Katherine’s hair and make up stylists, Rachel Hoskins and Lisa Devanny, to help her emerge looking glamorous in a blonde hairpiece and a designer outfit in vibrant, bold colours matched with a black and white striped waistband. Alex Hall from WeDo kindly acted as my assistant for the day, and we set up the first shots against the simple, clean lines of the MIMA art gallery. Working with the natural light and my reflectors, the rough textured walls of the gallery really showed off the sharp lines of the clothes to best effect and got the session off to a good start.  

A change of outfit, hairstyle and location saw us at a well known local landmark, a row of traditional red phone boxes outside the Empire Theatre.  These iconic British symbols formed the perfect backdrop to Katherine’s buttercup yellow patterned dress and red and white shoes. As a photographer, I’m busy constantly assessing the lighting, the colours, the background and the model’s facial expression, so it was great to have Alex and the stylists on hand to make sure the clothes were hanging correctly and Katherine didn’t have a hair out of place.

The tunnel leading from Middlesbrough city centre to the Riverside Football Stadium offered us some fantastic colours to work with. For this location I used a portable flash system to pick up the contrast between the vibrancy of the tunnel’s wall art, and Katherine’s beautiful 50s-themed cream textured dress. Katherine then changed into yet another set of clothes, this time a raspberry pink pencil skirt and peplum top, while Rachel gave her a sophisticated ‘updo’ hairstyle. A balcony at the Ciac apartment building at Middlehaven gave us a good view of the Transporter Bridge and a great background for our next shots. The steel globes we used as props emphasised Middlesbrough’s ‘Steel River’ heritage and were the perfect foil for reflecting the blue of the sky.

A few days before the fashion shoot (last 2 shots) I photographed two local business in central Middlesbrough who have pledged their support for Fashion Rules; Psyche boss Steve Cochrane, and award-winning designer Kate Fearnley, who provided many of the clothes for our shoot.

Some editing back in my studio over the weekend to meet deadlines, and the day’s pictures were being used across WeDo’s online, print advertising and PR materials within a couple of days.  We hope they encourage people along to support their local retailers, and play a big part in Fashion Rules’ success. 

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Direct Website Link to Dave Charnley Photography