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.

______________________________________________

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!

______________________________________________

Direct Website Link to Dave Charnley Photography

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.

______________________________________________

Direct Website Link to Dave Charnley Photography

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.

______________________________________________

Direct Website Link to Dave Charnley Photography

  

Middlesbrough Corporate Headshot Photographer | Portable Studio on the Move

My work as a freelance press, PR and corportate photographer can see me zig-zag round the North East, sometimes between Harrogate and Darlington, Newcastle and Stockton all in a few days. So having a set of top quality lenses and equipment that I can use to quickly set up a portable studio in any location is a must.  My everyday portable studio kit includes a 7ft high wafer-thin screen that folds up so small it will go in the boot of my hatchback; a set of ultra fast Canon L Series lenses and a top of the range tripod; all of which means I can shoot in any conditions. 

My brief for a recent photography job at the Middlesbrough head office of Fabrick Housing Group was to take corporate head shots, three-quarter and full length photos of Chief Executive Alison Thain and two of the directors. Fabrick Housing Group is made up of landlords and developers Erimus Housing and Tees Valley Housing, as well as housing support charity Norcare. Together the partners in the group manage more than 15,000 homes from North Tyneside to York and provide a range of specialist services.

The images will be added to its photo library and used in newspaper and magazine editorials, and brochures as well as on the company’s website at www.fabrickgroup.co.uk and other online information sources. My commercial, marketing and advertising agency clients want good value for money from their photoshoots, which is why I plan ahead and take a range of kit along so I can deliver a set of shots that can be used for all sorts of purposes.  Having taken two professional Canon 5D mark3 cameras with me, I set up the portable studio in 20 minutes and with very little fuss. 

Where possible I like to take portraiture photos without flash, as it can sometimes kill the spontaneous natural moment I am looking for. My fast lenses were expensive but are ideal for low light conditions, and fantastic to capture corporate reportage photography.  Being able to create studio conditions on the move means I can also set up a flash in front of a subject and behind the screen, to give a true white background that allows designers to use cut outs and other clever layout techniques.

Senior business figures are busy people and photo sessions need to be short and sweet, so I worked fast as they chatted together, and took a series of colour and black and white photos showing them looking professional but relaxed - and all without them having to ‘perform’ for the camera. I rounded off by taking a few extra shots as they moved into the boardroom, and an hour after arriving I had a good selection of crisp, clean shots that met the brief, and I was able to pack up my portable studio and leave the directors free to get on with running a busy company. 

______________________________________________

Direct Website Link to Dave Charnley Photography