Public Relations Photographer

Can Street and Landscape Photography Skills be utilised for a Commercial Organisation?

Commercial Photography in Leicestershire.

Can the skills gained whilst making personal work be transferred to a commercial client brief?

YES!

The end!

Well, not actually the end, this is the beginning and that was a bit gimmicky!

Phillip Hammond and Sajid Javid visiting a Morris Homes building site in Leicester.

Phillip Hammond and Sajid Javid visiting a Morris Homes building site in Leicester.

The image of Hammond and Javid above was a picture that I made while on a recent PR photo shoot for The BJL Group and Morris Homes.  It involved working closely with The Treasury and working to a brief.  This was the cover image used for a blog written by Morris Homes and wasn't really on the brief they gave me.  

As an avid Street Photography fan and practitioner, this was a naturally easy type of shot to get for me.  The rest of the press group were a good 20 feet behind me.  I had a brief to work to and they were just collecting imagery, so I had a free run.  The government ministers walked very quickly and it was a cold February morning.  You can even see Phillip Hammond breathing out some misty air.  The shot isn't perfect but in this kind of situation, perfection isn't what's required, it's the story that counts and with the Morris Homes flags waving around in the background, it was just what they wanted but didn't know about that at the time.

The SFB Group, Leicester

The SFB Group, Leicester

This picture above is of the building for one of my regular clients The SFB Group a nationwide firm of accountants.  It's all too easy to make a picture looking straight on at the building.  I wanted to create something that fitted with their branding which was quite dynamic, hence the acute angle.  This is loosely where landscape photography skills come in useful, I positioned the composition acutely to create a more interesting view of something usually very ordinary.  The angle has given the building form and made it look more three dimensional.

David Treddinick meeting with the owners of Enchanted Bell Tents

David Treddinick meeting with the owners of Enchanted Bell Tents

The above picture uses Street Photography skills because it's candid and the people in the picture are unaware of my presence.  My intention was to follow my brief and collect natural looking pictures of the MP David Treddinick meeting local business owners at the launch of the new Bosworth Visitors Map at a special event held at Royal Arms in Sutton Cheney.

A Street Photograph made in Leicester city centre.

A Street Photograph made in Leicester city centre.

Street Photography in Leicester

Street Photography in Leicester

Mirror Man, Street Photography in Paris.

Mirror Man, Street Photography in Paris.

Commercial Landscape Photography

Commercial Landscape Photography

I've shared a small selection of my street photography to show the similarities to shooting reportage and PR work.  Also the landscape picture that I've included is more of a contextual play with the words and space in the frame.  The sign on the right reads 1 million square foot, so I've framed the image to include lots of space to insinuate that you can see 1 million square foot in the frame.

Giant Chicken Tree, Leicestershire

Giant Chicken Tree, Leicestershire

I've included the picture of the giant chicken tree because I think it's cool.

I've crafted my skills over a long period of time, been judged, examined, won awards and gained a level 3 qualification, HND and a BA Hons in photography through creating this style of work.  I've figured out a way to transfer my skills to a growing client base, who are using me more and more regularly.  

My clients keep coming back to me and won't use anyone else now.  Assuming I can keep this up, yes, street and landscape photography skills are very transferable to a commercial client,.

The trick is to get deep in the minds of the commissioners to learn what they want and to identify with the brief.  Once the purpose is established, I can easily determine what kind of pictures to make and which style to use.

My images now appear on many company websites, marketing literature and newspapers online and in print.  

You can enquire with me about my availability or to get a quote for your business here.

Public Relations Photographer Hinckley Leicestershire Midlands PR

Public Relations Key Visual Messages

A recently stage managed reportage styled shoot.

Working with the BJL Group Ltd. Morris Homes and The Treasury.

Homes England is a recently formed organisation by the Government to deliver a series of housing targets in the future for England.  They sent the current housing secretary Sajid Javid who launched the agency and Chancellor of the Exchequer, Phillip Hammond to meet with the top brass at Morris Homes; CEO Mike Gaskell and Dominic Harman at one of their large sites in Leicester where members of the press and the BBC were waiting to film and photograph the occasion.

Sajid Javid, Mike Gaskell, Dominic Harman, Phillip Hammond.

The shoot was carefully thought out with instructions from Homes England, The Treasury and Morris Homes PR to create a series of pictures that fits within their thought out narrative.  Each situation was managed with The Treasury tugging on our sleeves to end scenes and move on towards the next stages.  It's quite bizarre assignment in the sense that each creative was hired to give their skills and at great expense, to be directed from behind.

Prior to the arrival of the Government Ministers, each scene was walked through and discussed with careful planning on the direction of light, most preferred back drops and positioning.  In other words even the composition was almost curated before the event.

Morris Homes Leicester Development

Sajid Javid, Phillip Hammond, Three Apprentices

Reportage Styled Scene

CEO Mike Gaskell (Morris Homes), Phillip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer.

On this type of shoot, there's usually a lot of standing around and on this occasion it was no different.  Finding things to do when they party is talking and you've already got a ton of good shots but waiting to move on to the next scene.

Mike Gaskell, CEO Morris Homes.

Mike Gaskell, CEO Morris Homes.

If you're a PR professional and looking for a travelling PR Photographer around the UK, then please get in touch.