From the Cold Store to Firestation | Yorkshire Commercial and Advertising Photographer

As a North East and Yorkshire photographer with decades of experience in press and commercial photography, if I had a pound for every time someone told me that today’s news is tomorrow’s fish and chip paper I’d be a very rich man.

The phrase really came to life for me with a recent advertising photography commission to produce a range of photos for Wraggs in Leeds, a Collins Seafood company dating back to the 1950s, which supplies ‘Frozen at Sea’ fish products to an impressive number of fish and chip shops throughout Yorkshire and the East Midlands, as well as to wholesalers and smaller businesses.

The brief was to produce a range of PR and marketing photos that can be used across print products such asbrochures and posters through to the company’s website and social media feeds.

The day started at 5am when myself and Olly from Harvey & Hugo, Darlington-based PR agency, set out for the first shoot. When we arrived in Leeds there was a fleet of vans already loaded up with frozen food so I could get some product and vehicle shots – complete with cheery drivers - done before the vans went out on deliveries.

I’ve photographed in most locations over the years but working in a cold store with temperatures of -22 degrees was a new experience for me.  At that temperature the brain – or certainly my brain – definitely works more slowly so I had to get a move on before I froze like the fish I was photographing. Fortunately my cameras are capable of shooting in low temperatures so I had no worries about the resulting pictures.

It was certainly a treat to move from the cold stores into the toasty warm offices and switch to getting some shots of senior management in meetings, and some of the staff working at their desks, incorporating the striking blue and white logo where I could.

A two hour drive down the A1 to South Yorkshire saw us take a series of ‘finished article’ photos at a former fire station in Doncaster, which has been converted into an award-winning fish and chip shop – from the cold stores to the fire station as it were.

Freshly cooked food was beautifully plated up for us and I got some mouth-watering shots of the fabulous Yorkshire fish and chips and accompanying side dishes on offer. The big bonus of the day was that we actually got to sit down and eat some of the lovely food I had been photographing – what an absolutely great perk of the job!

I actually learned quite a lot about the humble dish of fish and chips too, for instance that there is typically less than 10% fat in a portion of fish and chips, making it healthier than a burger, pizza, kebab or a curry. 

The client was very happy with the resulting shots and I’ll look at fish and chips with a much more discerning eye in future, now I’ve documented the journey from freezer to plate.

Redcar Commercial & Advertising Photographer: North Sea Sunrise at South Gare, Teesside

A recent 4am start saw me pack my camera gear and head out of Stockton on Tees to do some early morning North East commercial photography, at a well-known beauty spot, South Gare, near Redcar. This is an area of reclaimed land and breakwater on the South side of the river Tees, and is a popular spot for fishermen and walkers, as well as offering a safe harbour to any ships caught in stormy weather.

Skipping breakfast doesn’t really agree with me, but I was anxious to catch the pre-dawn light. I’ve got a useful phone app called Sun Scout that tells me when sunrise is and in what position – a handy gadget when I’m doing commercial photography or architecture, and need to know exactly where the sun will cast its shadow on a building.

 I’m a big fan of what we professional photographers call the ‘golden hour’ – the time when the sun is rising and setting. The quality of the light is fantastic, particularly in the morning when it has an purple tinge that gradually turns orange, and looks fantastic with a blue sky. I have to work quickly though, in lighting terms so much can change in just 15 minutes.

As the sun comes up it adds a richness that lights everything up and the colour is so intense. And sunrise on a cold, crisp day has such a clarity that in a seaside location like this I would be able to see right into ships’ cabins out to sea.

As I walked to the end of South Gare I could see some fishermen had beaten me to it and were already setting up, presenting dark silhouettes against the sea. A drift of cobwebs hung with dewdrops were sparkling, and I managed to get quite close to a group of seabirds which were sunning themselves on the wet rocks as the day came to life. 

The views here are spectacular, and no two days are the same. On the South side the view is towards Teesside a well photographed location and a lovely sight when the sun is setting. And looking with a really long lens in the opposite direction you can just see Redcar and even get a glimpse of Sunderland too if you look up the coast. 

In my 25+ years as a North East editorial, corporate and commercial photographer I’ve learned that a good shot doesn’t always have to have the obvious ‘aah’ factor, there’s a lot of beauty to be found in an industrial landscape too, particularly when it’s shot in black and white. People often slate Teesside for its industrial setting, but the juxtaposition of industrial and natural beauty can throw up some really amazing shots.

The pictures I took at South Gare were for my own pleasure, I have approach shipping companies, commercial businesses and stock libraries with my early morning pictures and looking at using them in a callendar. 

I had a much-needed breakfast at McDonald’s in Redcar on the way back, before heading off to Rockliffe Hall in Darlington to do some corporate portrait photography for a large corportate business.

As I passed people heading into Middlesbrough on their way to work I reflected that as their day was starting, mine was almost half way through. I don’t mind the early starts and late finishes though, I don’t charge my clients extra for unsociable hours - they are well worth it in my quest for the perfect shot. 

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Direct Website Link to Dave Charnley Photography

Facebook Black and White Photography Challenge | Solway to Saltburn

As a north east professional photographer I like to keep my work fresh and I belong to many groups and forums to keep up to date and challenge myself. A York-based press photographer Mike Tipping recently challenged me to join in a Facebook five-day black and white challenge. The idea was to post a black and white photo every day for five days, and nominate other photographers to do the same.

I used a mix of photos I had on file and new ones. It was great fun to take part in and a good reminder of how powerful black and white photos can be. When you remove colour, you’re distilling images down to shape, form and contrast to tell the story and it was interesting to see such a wide variation of shots and what other photographers had done.

Day 1 – this was a photo I took in Portling, on the Solway coast during the worst snow in Scotland for 30 years.  I love the moody feel and the way the rock face is silhouetted against the sky, and how the black and white format really makes the dripping icicles stand out. 

Day 2 – I spotted a huge flock of Starlings feeding in a field between Marske and Recar, and when they flew off I jumped in my car and followed them until they landed at The Stray, a 2-mile long strip of grassland bordering the beach at Redcar. Shot against the light, you can see the amazing detail on the birds’ feathers, which I thought made up a visually very pleasing shot.

Day 3 – for my third day I chose a photo of a chap jumping in the air on Saltburn Pier. He is comedian Victoria Wood’s brother and a very colourful character who was in the town that day to promote the region, and was easy to work with. His straw bowler and pinstripes gave him a great ‘going yachting’ look, and the shot of him with his arms outstretched and mirroring the shape of the pier meant that several photos from this shoot appeared in the Middlesbrough Gazette. 

Day 4 – this was taken at the Stockton Light and Sound Festival in Thornaby, next to the University campus. I used a remote flash to photograph the performer using the firesticks, which also perfectly framed the couple snatching a kiss behind him. Black and white made for a very atmospheric feel to this night shoot.

Day 5 was one of my favourite shots, a picture taken in Preston Park showing Britains Got Talent motorbike and rider flying through the air. Shooting upwards gave me a plain white background and a perfect contrast between the rider and his disconnected bike. The two were reunited at ground level without any injuries, you will be pleased to hear.

I found the five-day black and white challenge very useful, and in turn I challenged my cousin Kevin Henderson in Scotland, Stu Bolton and Tom Banks from the Darlington-based Northern Echo, and Katie Lynn from the Middlesbrough Gazette. All of them produced some impressive shots, and contributed to a great challenge for professional photographers.

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Season of Goodwill | Independent Business Free Half Day Photography Competition

As the season of goodwill is nearly upon us, and by way of a thank you to all my great businesses who have booked me for commercial photography across the Teesside region from Stockton, Redcar, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Darlington areas this year, I’m running a competition to win a free half-day photography session for one lucky independent retailer, cafe, restaurant, etc whose name is pulled out of the hat on the 22nd December. 

As a North East photographer with nearly three decades of commercial, press and freelance photography experience behind me, I’m passionate about images and how they can affect the success of a business. If you look at any successful organisation it is likely to be one that has invested in professional imagery that really tells the story of its brand and its product.

There’s nothing wrong with using stock shots but if you are trying to create a powerful brand that people can identify with, you really do need great photos, taken by a professional photographer.  When you look at the cost of setting up and growing an enterprise, the cost of investing in a professional photographer for your business is a drop in the ocean, yet it could mean the difference between success and failure.

A product or a service can easily be portrayed through the right look and feel in your pictures. It’s about being honest and using ‘real’ imagery, but presenting your business in a way that your target audience will be attracted to. I often use the example of a café that serves a terrific full English breakfast. There would be no point in photos that presented breakfast as a healthy option, but equally it would be silly to make it look like a greasy spoon café. As with most things in life, honesty is the best policy.

So, off my soapbox now and back to this fantastic competition. If your business is the lucky winner, just one half-day photography session could provide you with enough images for a website and a brochure, plus enough images to use on Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and other social media platforms too.

I really wish I could open this up to all the small businesses across the region, but the winner must be an independent retail outlet, not a big chain, operating in any area of business but with premises, rather than being a home-based business.

I’m doing this partly as a thank you for all the work I’ve had this year, and partly to show my support for local businesses.  I’m a big believer in shopping local wherever possible. If we all do a bit where we can, then the cumulative effect will be massive.

If you want to be in with a chance of winning, drop me an email at info@davecharnleyphotography.com with details...

• Details of your own name. 
• Your business name.
• Your business address and postcode.
• Contact telephone and email.
• Type of business you operate.

• Retail business premises must be in the Stockton, Darlington, Redcar, Hartlepool or the Middlesbrough areas.
• Winner will be notified before the 9th January and valid till the 27th March, 2015
• Please do not enter via Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, etc 

And the winner was....

Winner - Vintages Rags in Middlesbrough

North East Editorial and Documentary Photographer | CRB Official Opening Event in Billingham

I was asked to take event photographs at the opening of a new biochemical facility in Billingham in Cleveland recently, when Cambridge Research Biochemicals held the official openings of its £1m Gardner Ratcliffe building.

CRB specialises in custompeptide and custom antibody production for research and industry, and I was commissioned by Better Brand marketing agency to photograph the CRB event in Billingham,Teesside. The new logos, signage helped create a photo bank of images that worked well in brochures and for other printed marketing materials. 

A group of highly respected scientists from around the UK gathered to see a ribbon cut and a plaque unveiled, as well as listen to speeches by CRB’s senior team, plus a talk by Professor Gillian Griffiths, the Director of the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research. VIP guests included Dr Joseph Gardner of Pfizer and Dr Steven Ratcliffe of GSK, after whom the building was named.

Guests were invited to take a tour of the peptide and immunology laboratories and view demonstrations by CRB’s team of biologists and chemists, and I worked rapidly to keep up with the two groups of visitors and get some action shots in the labs as people moved round the building.

A sea of people in white coats against mainly white laboratory backgrounds presented crisp clean images, some walls were branded with plum and dark blue which helped produce a set of varied shots.

Space was tight, particularly in the corridors where I was keen to photograph CRB’s company timeline art on the walls, but having taken a selection of lenses I was able to get some clear photos that showed off the imagery.

Being a north east corporate photographer and not a scientist meant that some of the technical presentations went over my head, but I actually learned a lot about the business and the biochemicals industry, and people were happy to chat with me as I worked around the building.

On a 4-5 hour shoot like this one it is important not to get in people’s faces, I like to let them get on with the job in hand and feel at ease rather than worrying where the chap with the camera is. Someone actually commented on how quiet my camera was.

Once the official business was concluded and I had taken some group photos of staff members outside the building, I followed in my car as the guests travelled by coach to have afternoon tea at nearby Crathorne Hall in North Yorkshire.

Using one of the different lenses I had with me I was able to get some relaxed photos of the guests enjoying tea, and finished off with an overhead shot of everyone gathered in the courtyard.

I had also been asked if I could take some video footage of the event, but with such a tight brief and at least two separate tours of the facility going on, I opted to recommend a specialist video photographer based in Stockton instead, who I knew he would do a great job.

It was a long day but I was happy that I had met the client’s brief, and I was pleased to see my photos used by the Newcastle-based Journal newspaper, Middlesbrough Gazette and pictures in the Darlington’s Northern Echo over the following few days.