Tees Valley Commercial Photography in Hartlepool, Darlington, Stockton, Middlesbrough & Redcar

A recent commercial photography job saw me photographing across all of the Tees Valley, for my client Local Enterprise Partnership Tees Valley Unlimited. 

Tees Valley Unlimited works to deliver jobs and economic growth across the Tees Valley, an area of 304 square miles, which is located between North Yorkshire and County Durham, stretching from the mouth of the River Tees through to Darlington.

This was a wide-ranging photography project that needed a lot of planning to structure a large number of shoots in different locations, and each with a different focus. I spent hours putting together a comprehensive plan to detail not just the type of commercial photos I would take, but how I would carry out this complex project, and I believe this was one of the factors in my winning the work.

My first job was to sit down with the LEP team to talk about the Tees Valley commercial photography project, and what they wanted to achieve from it. This was a useful stage - getting to know the client and their objectives is the most important part of a job and happens long before I pick up a camera.

My brief covered key areas across Tees Valley and nine specific topics ranging from photographing wind turbines in the North Sea and trains to people and places, all designed to promote Tees Valley as a great place to work, live and do business.

I also needed to factor in both landscape and portrait shots, plus some with the space for designers to overlay text if needed. The images will be used across the LEP’s new website, its marketing literature and could feature on large format outdoor spaces such as buses and billboards or used as canvas prints in meeting rooms, so the photo library had to be extremely versatile.  

Wide ranging projects like this that include a lot of outdoor photographs are governed by changeable weather, and I did a lot of early mornings and late nights.  At one point I photographed Middlesbough from Eston Nab in the dark and I can tell you I’ve never come down a hill so quickly.

The pace was fast and I remember one Sunday shoot that started at 4am and finished at 4pm and as I rounded off the day by taking photos of people enjoying themselves on Seaburn beach I was pretty much exhausted.

Every day was different and I covered a 100's of miles. I might start off with an early morning photography shot at Hartlepool, then move on to photograph apprentices at a chemical plant at Wilton in Billingham before calling at Darlington Railway Station to photograph business people getting on and off trains, and finish by photographing aircraftshots at Durham Tees Valley airport near Darlington.

One of my favourite leisure shots from this job was one of a mature chap simply standing looking at the beautiful Saltburn coastline. A perfect lifestyle shot, this reminded me what a little gem the Tees Valley is, and I realised I was not alone in thinking this when I tweeted from my Twitter account @charnleyphoto  that ‘Teesside is not full of smog’ and it got 34 retweets.

I love being a North East photographer. We are blessed in this region with beautiful coastline and countryside, presenting a fantastic commercial photography chance to showcase Teesside towns such as Darlington, Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool and Redcar, plus traditional villages like Norton, Yarm, BIllingham and Eaglescliffe.

It’s an incredibly beautiful part of the world, I’ve lived here for 18 years and I still keep on discovering areas I’ve never seen. The great thing about being a professional photographer is being able to help people see familiar sights with a fresh eye, and I hope my work has achieved that aim for Tees Valley Unlimited.

Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesbrough Sport Photographer | Commercial Advertising Photography

In my job as a North East freelance photographer I’ve photographed hundreds of sporting events at venues across the North of England, from Middlesbrough Riverside Football ground, Gateshead Stadium to the Stadium of Light in Sunderland. 

In view of all the photography jobs needing pin-sharp close ups in venues where it is hard to get close the subject, I’ve recently invested in a fantastic high performance telephoto lens, a Canon 300mm f2.8L IS. The optics are stunning, the quality of pictures is breathtaking in their crispness, helped by an image stabiliser minimising camera shake keeping the focus staying rock solid, even in low light conditions.

Redcar Sea Front

Along the way in my 30-year background in press and commercial photography I’ve picked up the North East Sports Photographer of the Year and photographed a series of national and international rugby and football matches. My new lens will make specialised jobs like this, where I need to get close up shots while standing yards away, much easier.

I’ll predominantly use it to photograph events such as this year’s Nova Great North Run, where I'm officially booked or the River Rat Race as these are fast-paced events where you have one chance to get the perfect shot. I photographed Mo Farrah at a Great North Run two years ago, but I suspect even the ‘gentleman of running’ is unlikely to go back and do a stretch again for photographic purposes if someone turns up without the right kit for the job. 

Because the new lens in effect knocks the background out of focus, I’m looking forward to using it for commercial photography and nature shots too. I’m really enthusiastic about its uses - horse racing at Gosforth Park, motorsport events at Croft Circuit in Darlington, activity shots for outdoor brands such as Berghaus and Go Outdoors – the list of potential jobs it can cope brilliantly with is endless.

Redcar Trunk Road 

Successful outdoor photography can dependent on the weather, and can involve several visits to a location to get the right conditions.  I don’t know whether I’m pleased or not that my new sports lens can shoot in appalling weather and still generate stunning images. I foresee some cold, wet winter shoots this year, but as long as I get the shot, I’ll be happy with that.

Year after year camera equipment gets smarter and faster – although sadly, the cost never seems to go down at the same rate - and I’m pleased that I’ve made continuous investments so that whatever type of photography I’m doing, whether it’s a commercial photography job in North Yorkshire, outdoor events or a large business award event in Harrogate, I’ve got the right range of camera equipment for the job.

Combined with my compact studio lights and kit, I’ve got everything I need and it can all be carried on the go from job to job too.

The end result is that no job is impossible – try me!

North Yorkshire Commercial Head Shot Portrait Photographer | Annual Reports, Social Pages or Press Releases

For my commercial head shot photography sessions around the North East and Yorkshire I start by identifying what particular look and feel the client wants to achieve, and secondly how they want to use the pictures. For instance the commercial portraits for an annual report for a law firm will be very different to that of a digital design company’s social media feeds like Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter. The client might need different portrait photography for certain people too.  

I might photograph the Chief Executive looking solemn if the brief is a photo to go out with a news release involving poor financial results,  but take the same shot with different lighting and add some movement and energy for a piece about the company’s charity support.

If I’m working with a new client I do some research on their website and in the press to give me a feel for the style of images it prefers. A US-based pharmaceutical business may want a very polished and corporate look, while a UK call centre wants its pictures to give a warm, inviting impression, and a graphic design company prefers to give off a creative, edgy vibe.

Where senior executive portraits are concerned I’m always conscious that they are busy people, so it’s important to get the job done quickly but still return the shot that meets the brief. Whether I’m working with the board of directors or a young subject on work experience I’m always confident and relaxed, I’ve been doing this for three decades and my background as a press photographer based in Middlesborough and Scotland, gave me the  ability to work quickly and under pressure comes in very handy.

The shot I’m looking for will often dictate the angle I use for commercial portrait photography, as this can change its whole feel. I might give the shot a slight tilt, or shoot the subject from below. Or if I’m looking for a warm, less authoritative look I might photograph the subject from above. Business people don’t want to have to travel to visit a portrait studio, so I’ve put together a portable, flexible range of camera kit that gives me all the tools of a studio, in a small amount of equipment. I call it my studio in a box and means I have everything with me if I decide to use a telephoto portrait lens or Lastolite light reflectors to add atmosphere and contrast to a shot.

Sometimes I meet the client beforehand to discuss the job, or we speak on the phone so I get a feel for what they want to achieve from the commercial head shot portrait session. I often visit a locations before the photo shoot too with perfect locations on our doorstep - say an industrial background of Billingham, North Yorkshire Moors landscapes or maybe Durham city retail centre getting across what the business does. For example if I’m photographing the chief executive of a car parts manufacturing business the client will probably want me to do those pictures on the production line, and for the managing director of a fitness gym I’d be looking for shots in a busy studio with people exercising in the background.

I believe commercial portraits are a form of photojournalism, they need to tell the story and that means getting the setting right, to create a type of environmental portraiture.  

There are as many ways to shoot a portrait as there are people. Commercial Portraits over the North East don’t have to be boring studio shots, and my client feedback over the years shows that clients hire me because they know I will use all my skills and experience to inject some energy and life into the photos, and deliver the shots they need.

Passion for Bikes | North Yorkshire and North East Cycling Photographer

One of my passions outside being a North Yorkshire commercial and PR photographer is cycling. When I look back I’m surprised just how much sport photography in the North East I’ve done for cycling and outdoor events, and I’ve even invested in a foldaway bike that goes in the back of my car so I can follow cyclists routes and photograph the action as it happens.

I’ve cycled since I was a youngster out on my bike all day long, in fact my early dreams were to work in a bike shop and repair bikes all day. But the life of a press photographer and subsequently a commercial and PR photographer called me, and I’m lucky enough to be able to combine my love of cycling with photography.

I’ve covered the Stockton triathlon (swim, cycle, run) and the Stockton duathlon (run, cycle, run) several times. There are three separate races run so everyone from first timers and novices to elite athletes can test their mettle.  It takes a lot of pre-race organisation to check out the best photography locations and then some fast moving between them on the day, to make sure I get the right shots.

Another client I love working with is Sustrans, the leading UK charity that encourages people to travel by bike.  I covered a Sustrans in Redcar that was designed to promote healthy cycling, and my photos were used in large format as full van wraparounds, which looked fantastic.  

I also covered last year’s Sky Ride in Middlesbrough, which is part of Middlesbrough Bike Week and runs along the beautiful Middlesbrough Riverside. I photographed both the event and the training day which was covered by the BBC, even going out along the route with the producer on my bike. I was asked to go back and cover the Sky Ride again last year but another PR photography job in Sunderland booking meant I couldn’t make it. This is part of a series of Sky Rides around the UK and a great event for all the family, and entrants could even find themselves cycling alongside stars like Bradley Wiggins, Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton. 

I haven’t decided whether to watch or work at the Tour de France that comes to Yorkshire this summer. I’d love to go and see the 190km stretch between Leeds and Harrogate ...but if Yorkshire Tea’s PR team is reading this and needs an extra photographer to cover the event, feel free to get in touch!

I was out biking around the Stockton area last night with my son, and it got me thinking about planning a European tour. In my youth I biked home across Europe from my stay on an Israeli kibbutz, carrying my trusty old camera and photographing my journey as I went. You can read more about that in my (blog here) – and it was such a great trip I’d love to recreate it.

Every event is different, whether I’m photographing elite athletes to fun family rides. Cycling is a great way to gets children interested in getting out and about instead of hunching over their gadgets. Most events include road closures so it’s safe for all age groups and abilities. Routes are often lined with spectators too, so there are some brilliant photo opportunities as children cycle past, beaming as they pedal along to the cheers of onlookers.  

If you haven’t sat on a bike for years, can I suggest you check out some of the fun rides in your area and give it a go? You’ll get some exercise, fresh air and fun, and you might even see yourself in one of my newspaper photos covering the event!