Night Photography
This night photography image is one of a series that were taken over two days in Brighton last year. The brief from our client Magic Memories was to capture lots of images of the British Airways attraction. We photographed it from several different viewpoints both day and night and this was one of the best. Others included shots from high up on the ride and from various viewpoints along the sea front. One essential piece of equipment for night photography is a tripod. With an exposure time of over 3 seconds you just would not be able to do it hand held. I love being allowed to roam about and find these images. We have built up a great relationship with Magic Memories over many years and they know to brief us and then let us get on with it is the way to get the very best results. I was allowed a ‘sky ride’ all on my own one night and captured some brilliant shots looking along the promenade. This job certainly gets you see and do things you would never normally experience. If you have a project that you’d like photographing and would like to talk to us […]
16 May 2017 in Location Photography, by
Location Photography (with benefits)
Some location photography assignments can seem like dream jobs. This photography was taken on location at The White Star, Stoke for Titanic brewery. A whole series of images were captured including individual beers and range shots. Apart from wanting to drink the subject I suppose the most difficult part of the job was the lighting. As with all photography this was vital & getting the balance between the daylight at the venue & our additional lights was the key. We tried to show the fantastic pub a little whilst keeping the focus on the Titanic beer. This we thought was the correct way to show what it was that we were trying to promote & the environment in which you could drink it. At The Image Factory we often travel around the country photographing all different types of things. Sometimes it may be property, sometimes people & often products. We also have a modern & well equipped studio in Stoke-on-Trent. Here we photograph most of our clients product images as it is where we have the most control. If you would like to know more or ask a question regarding any possible photography requirements please contact us here.
24 Apr 2017 in Food Photography, Location Photography, by
Food Photography
Food photography is a passion of mine and something I have been doing for many years. It probably started without me really knowing it with me photographing my wife’s cakes at home on a mobile phone. She’s a brilliant cook with a gift for baking and I just love to photograph and then eat what she makes! What I love about food photography is the combination of the beautiful food, the composition of it within an environment and the photography techniques needed to capture it. The photograph here was commissioned for William Edwards England who supply many hotels in this country and abroad with their fine dining hotel ware. This image was photographed at the Intercontinental, Park Lane, London. Not all locations are so glamorous of course and we are more than happy to work with pubs, cafes and shops. At our studio in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent we have perhaps more control of the lighting etc needed to capture that ‘perfect’ image but on location you can get a sense of where the food is being served. Some restaurants in particular want to show this. Call us on 01782 577790 to discuss any photography. We are very happy to just have […]
28 Feb 2017 in Food Photography, Location Photography, by
School Prospectus
Maple Court school in Stoke-on-Trent needed a new school prospectus so here is what we designed for their new term. First of all we met with Jonathan the head teacher & discussed what he & the school wanted. What the school need is always our priority & it is our job to put that into an attractive & informative document. From that initial meeting we construct a proof school prospectus for the school to see what ideas we have had. Should a school need a new logo designing or just their old one giving a new lease of life then Caroline who has over 30 years experience in all types of design can do this no problem! The Image Factory then visited then school on two occasions & carried out the location photography. We are of course CRB checked & we do have to make sure that all of the children’s parents have given permission for their children to be photographed. These photographs are then positioned into the proof school prospectus & it is again submitted to the school. Normally there will be approximately three changes of text or image and then the work will be signed off & it […]
22 Sep 2016 in Location Photography, People Photography, by
Sam’s Work Experience
Today is Sam’s last day of his work experience here at The Image Factory. We have enjoyed having him with us and if he’s to be believed he has had a good time too. When we have a work experience person we try to get them as involved as  possible. Sam has helped out in the studio working with me on photography project like Moorcroft Pottery and Scilabware. In the studio he has learned about balancing studio lights, composition and the attention to detail needed in order to produce first class images. We have also been out and taken location photography for clients. The photograph here shows Sam helping to take a white balance just before we photographed a few products manufactured by engineering company KMF . I’m not sure if he’s smiling because he is happy or because he is embarrassed, check out his ear-plugs! Sam has learned quite a lot about the processes involved in commercial photography. One of the most important is one he has in spades and that is people skills. If you cannot relate to the client you are not going to be able to understand what it is they want from the image. Talking […]
15 Jul 2016 in Stories, Location Photography, by
Staff Portrait
This staff portrait was photographed for Fuchs Oils, Stoke-on-Trent. It was taken on location in their laboratory last week and shows a member of staff in the environment they work. Sometimes these types of photographs can look as though the subject is about to be shot! What we did here was ask him do go about his business as he would usually. Then when The Image Factory saw what looked like a great image we asked him to stop. At this point we just had to find an interesting angle to take the photograph from. Using a shallow depth of field and with things in the foreground being out of focus we created this great staff portrait. The portrait shows the person, it shows what they do and it show where they do it – job done! If you would like to contact us about any photography requirements please call 01782-577790 or contact.  
06 Jul 2016 in Location Photography, People Photography, by
Restoration Photography on Location
We were recently asked by our client Craven Dunnill from Bridgnorth if we could photograph a restoration project at a location that they had been involved with. The location was St.Georges Hall in Liverpool. I had driven past the building many times but had never really thought what was inside. I was truly amazed by what I saw the first time I walked through the doors. The marble pillars, the organ, the chandeliers, the viewing gallery are all magnificent. The Image Factory were there to photograph the amazing tiled floor that Craven Dunnill had partly restored as the original had been worn away over the years. The image here shows some of the main features of the hall, the organ, the sculptures and the original tiles on the floor before the restoration. The main purpose of this photograph was to show the scale of the location and the beautiful  interior. Using our lighting in combination with the natural light I think we did a good job of showing all of this and keep the ‘feel’ of the hall. This image is to be used by our client in all types of advertising (website, brochure & magazines) to help promote their […]
30 Jun 2016 in Location Photography, by
Location Food Photography With A Difference
We recently traveled to a Southport location on a hot and sunny day to photograph a mushroom farm for Freshview Foods. I did not know what to expect so when I got there I was amazed at the set up. After being dressed in overalls, hair net and two masks we entered the ‘shed’ to find what looked like something from another planet. There were row upon row of mushrooms at various stages of development and it was incredibly humid. One of the biggest difficulties we faced was the light, or lack of good quality light. Location photography like this can always be a challenge as you never know what you are about to confront but we captured some great atmospheric images. The image here has been used as a large graphic and really has an impact when you see it. If you would like to talk to us about any location or studio photography you might need please call us on 01782 577790 or contact us here.
03 Jun 2016 in Food Photography, Location Photography, by
Caught on Camera in Liverpool
Site photography in such a wonderful building as St. Georges Hall, Liverpool was always going to be a great location shoot for us at The Image Factory. I personally love architecture, I love looking at it & photographing it! Our client Craven Dunnill from Bridgnorth had commissioned us to photograph one of the areas of floor they’d been asked to restore, but wasn’t quite expecting what I saw when we entered the hall. The floor was vast, the whole hall was massive & the challenge was going to combining the natural light with the lighting we’d taken with us so we could see the restoration work & also capture the ‘mood’ of the place. Here’s a couple of images of me photographing some of the smaller areas of floor.
06 May 2016 in Location Photography, by
FREE Food Photography
At The Image Factory we often have promotions & at the moment we are offering a FREE food photography test shot to any local restaurants, pubs, cafes etc. Last week The Mirchi, Stoke on Trent asked us along to photograph one of their dishes. The owner Kishore showed us around so we could choose an area in which to do the shot & then introduced us to the chef so we could discuss what it was he was making & the dishes to serve it in. The smell of all the spices coming from the kitchen made it a little difficult to concentrate it was so lovely but soon we were set up & ready to go. Together we came up with the image featured here which we thought gave a good impression of the food served at The Mirchi & the warmth of the environment. As a rule we usually photograph food in a slightly less busy way, maybe from above with some utensils etc & using a shallow depth of field to give that soft focus feel, but as always we listen to the client & give them what they want first. If you would like to take […]
04 May 2016 in Food Photography, Location Photography, by