Behind the Lens - Stories and Anecdotes from 25 + years of image making
With over 25 years experience providing a photography service to business we have covered many assignments and photographed all sorts of weird and wonderful things. Often we are asked to photograph very ordinary subjects, sometimes in extraordinary conditions. We have travelled extensively and like the photographs some locations are more glamorous than others from industrial inner city Britain to the decadence of the principality of Monaco. The photographs you see in the galleries on our website are all commissioned, taken for a specific purpose, and paid for by businesses. They are not carefully created to win competitions. An outsider can often look at an individual image and ask something like "Why would anyone want a photo of that?" or "Why have you taken it from that angle?" or comment more critically on how the image was shot. It is easy to criticise the work of others without knowing the story behind how it was created. Sometimes due to external constraints we know we cannot achieve technical brilliance, and the client often realises this, but we draw on our experience to ensure the images are fit for purpose. Inevitably in the galleries we have included more than one image from a shoot or a particular client. It must be a mark of our success that we have worked for some of our clients for 20 + years and some we work for most months of the year! Behind every brief or set of photographs there are stories to tell, and some are more interesting than others! On a shoot we often capture images on compact cameras and mobile phones purely for our records (not always the best quality, but show what we get up too). This section aims to show you a few images and share a few tales from life behind the lens. They are in no particular order so browse and read on and hopefully share a laugh at our expense...
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Over the Christmas of 2005 - 2006 we were commissioned to shoot bathroom room-sets in a warehouse on the South coast of England. (The pic left shows Geoff Harris freezing on deserted Eastbourne Pier). The assignment was extremely well planned and the room-sets designed in Cad to ensure maximum use of space within the warehouse. Although we have been capturing digitally since around 2000 the client insisted on some of the main shots being also taken on "Transparency" vastly increasing the cost of the shoot. It was freezing cold, literally -5 outside and not much warmer in the building with space heaters running as much as possible. We had a lot of laughs along the way too with many amusing incidents (the best involving a bubble machine and an inexperienced model, a story we can share by request...), and stayed in some really ropey hotels. One morning the client even delivered us a "missing" basin & pedestal in a Ferrari F430 - quite a site!!
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This furniture photo-shoot on location had it's fair share of challenges, with tight deadlines and other issues we can't mention, but the biggest challenge was to get the shot of this corner group from directly or almost directly above it. The camera was suspended high above in the roof of the old mill on a platform hastily constructed between the beams. I wish I had a photo of the platform?!
Another thing the graphic designer and I hadn't bargained on was being drafted in to help out with the modelling. The pretty girl is a professional model. I think you can figure out the other two?!
Another thing the graphic designer and I hadn't bargained on was being drafted in to help out with the modelling. The pretty girl is a professional model. I think you can figure out the other two?!
And then there was the time when....
In no particular order the following is a list of funny incidents and career defining moments:-
A "London PR" contacted us and asked us to go to Grimsby to photograph a portacabin. Assured all necessary arrangements had been made and in possession of a brief listing what the client required I made the 150 mile drive to find the lovely new green Cabin located somewhere in some road works on the side of a main road near Grimsby. It didn't take much figuring out that it was all locked up and no one was there!! So after a bit of searching around and several phone calls later I was informed to abandon the job and go back the following week. Total waste of time and money all down to someone else's ineptitude!! - 2001
Photographing in store in a prime location in Manchester. I was working away with the client when the store assistant came over and asked "Have you been messing with the toilet in the store window?" On this occasion we hadn't been photographing in the window display so "No" was the reply "Why?". Well on closer inspection the toilet had indeed been "used"!! I'm still laughing now...- circa 2011
On a 2 day furniture shoot and we go for lunch. What follows is the "keys locked in the van incident" and some of the furniture still to photograph . We were in a pub with hours to spare, you can guess the rest?! - 2008
Waiting for departure in Gibraltar airport after a Furniture shoot in Cadiz, Southern Spain. I must have looked shifty as the customs decided to take me into a little room ask lots of questions and search all the bags!! - 2003
The brief was to meet a bunch of travel agents in Holyhead and accompany then on a trip over to Dublin. They were doing some sort of tour and had various activities planned whilst crossing and wanted them photographing. It coincided with the "Foot & Mouth" out break in England so there were some funny feet washing rituals to be performed at customs. It was a fantastic summers evening crossing and the sea was like glass. With photos done I spent most of the crossing on the bridge with the Captain. On arrival they got off, I stayed on and came straight back. This was the first time I went to Ireland, although I never got off!! - 2001
Circa 2001 and this time we are off to Rotherham in beautiful South Yorkshire to photograph some air tools in a factory. The brief from a "London PR" firm is to arrive early and meet our contact who has been fully briefed and will cooperate with all your needs. All goes to plan and I am on site for opening time, into reception and a call is put out for our man. His response without actually appearing is "Who are you, I've never heard of you, your name is not down so your not coming in!!" No amount of showing him emails and placating was going to change his mind so that was it - go home an return the following week when he was happy that he had been contacted and had heard of me and let me in. I'm sure his company went bust long ago like many in the double glazing game but for me "Ron Harrison" you will forever be a complete knob!!! (Ooh and this is the same PR agent as the Grimsby Portacabin incident. We don't work for them any more.....)
Destination London to attend and photograph an event for HCA. Colleague Geoff Harris is despatched to the big smoke and all goes well with job done and meal in the city then he boards the train home. All went well until Preston. Upon arrival and changing trains everything is fine until he realises when stood on the platform that the camera bag (my camera bag...) is still on the rapidly departing train!! - circa 2011
And something of a dream assignment - being asked by a large organisation and getting paid to photograph every lake in the Lake District!!
Fresh out of Uni and very very early on in my career arriving for a photo-shoot with some seriously big wig company directors at Old Trafford, home of MUFC, in my "free" beat up VW Polo. We needed to cross town and I couldn't risk letting said "Big wigs" see how much oil had leaked out of the old shed so we caught the "Metro"! - Circa 1997
Spaghetti with a knife, Cappuccino for lunch, and adding water to wine - all against the rules apparently (well I agree with "water and wine", that is criminal)!!. A week spent in Italy on a film shoot for Snowblowers. Geoff Harris features again... - 2013
Abroad again - Well nearly this time to Glasgow working for a large Distillery chain. Travel up the night before for an early start. "I've' booked us a hotel close to the site so we don't have to get up to early." We check in and head for liquid refreshment and a game of pool in a nearby pub. The pub looks a bit dodgy and is quiet but we brave it. Various people sit alone studying little folders. It soon became apparent it was Karaoke night!! Anyway the fun doesn't finish there as the next morning we find out that the "convenient" hotel is in fact next to the wrong distillery. Right company, wrong site and we are due at the other one across town!!! Yet more adventures with Mr. Harris - 1999
Sh!t job - Yes I have photographed a sewerage works for a plastic coating company that had provided the paint to seal the tanks...
River Tyne near Hexham - Waiting 4 hours for a very large pump to be lifted into position to take 1 shot - circa 2000
One from the past pre technology - Trying to find an address in a major busy city pre "sat nav" (Manchester) at rush hour using an A-Z, no parking available and the client on the phone going mad. In the end I could see him on the phone as I drove past him four times in the bloody one way system with no way of getting to him!! - circa 1998
A "London PR" contacted us and asked us to go to Grimsby to photograph a portacabin. Assured all necessary arrangements had been made and in possession of a brief listing what the client required I made the 150 mile drive to find the lovely new green Cabin located somewhere in some road works on the side of a main road near Grimsby. It didn't take much figuring out that it was all locked up and no one was there!! So after a bit of searching around and several phone calls later I was informed to abandon the job and go back the following week. Total waste of time and money all down to someone else's ineptitude!! - 2001
Photographing in store in a prime location in Manchester. I was working away with the client when the store assistant came over and asked "Have you been messing with the toilet in the store window?" On this occasion we hadn't been photographing in the window display so "No" was the reply "Why?". Well on closer inspection the toilet had indeed been "used"!! I'm still laughing now...- circa 2011
On a 2 day furniture shoot and we go for lunch. What follows is the "keys locked in the van incident" and some of the furniture still to photograph . We were in a pub with hours to spare, you can guess the rest?! - 2008
Waiting for departure in Gibraltar airport after a Furniture shoot in Cadiz, Southern Spain. I must have looked shifty as the customs decided to take me into a little room ask lots of questions and search all the bags!! - 2003
The brief was to meet a bunch of travel agents in Holyhead and accompany then on a trip over to Dublin. They were doing some sort of tour and had various activities planned whilst crossing and wanted them photographing. It coincided with the "Foot & Mouth" out break in England so there were some funny feet washing rituals to be performed at customs. It was a fantastic summers evening crossing and the sea was like glass. With photos done I spent most of the crossing on the bridge with the Captain. On arrival they got off, I stayed on and came straight back. This was the first time I went to Ireland, although I never got off!! - 2001
Circa 2001 and this time we are off to Rotherham in beautiful South Yorkshire to photograph some air tools in a factory. The brief from a "London PR" firm is to arrive early and meet our contact who has been fully briefed and will cooperate with all your needs. All goes to plan and I am on site for opening time, into reception and a call is put out for our man. His response without actually appearing is "Who are you, I've never heard of you, your name is not down so your not coming in!!" No amount of showing him emails and placating was going to change his mind so that was it - go home an return the following week when he was happy that he had been contacted and had heard of me and let me in. I'm sure his company went bust long ago like many in the double glazing game but for me "Ron Harrison" you will forever be a complete knob!!! (Ooh and this is the same PR agent as the Grimsby Portacabin incident. We don't work for them any more.....)
Destination London to attend and photograph an event for HCA. Colleague Geoff Harris is despatched to the big smoke and all goes well with job done and meal in the city then he boards the train home. All went well until Preston. Upon arrival and changing trains everything is fine until he realises when stood on the platform that the camera bag (my camera bag...) is still on the rapidly departing train!! - circa 2011
And something of a dream assignment - being asked by a large organisation and getting paid to photograph every lake in the Lake District!!
Fresh out of Uni and very very early on in my career arriving for a photo-shoot with some seriously big wig company directors at Old Trafford, home of MUFC, in my "free" beat up VW Polo. We needed to cross town and I couldn't risk letting said "Big wigs" see how much oil had leaked out of the old shed so we caught the "Metro"! - Circa 1997
Spaghetti with a knife, Cappuccino for lunch, and adding water to wine - all against the rules apparently (well I agree with "water and wine", that is criminal)!!. A week spent in Italy on a film shoot for Snowblowers. Geoff Harris features again... - 2013
Abroad again - Well nearly this time to Glasgow working for a large Distillery chain. Travel up the night before for an early start. "I've' booked us a hotel close to the site so we don't have to get up to early." We check in and head for liquid refreshment and a game of pool in a nearby pub. The pub looks a bit dodgy and is quiet but we brave it. Various people sit alone studying little folders. It soon became apparent it was Karaoke night!! Anyway the fun doesn't finish there as the next morning we find out that the "convenient" hotel is in fact next to the wrong distillery. Right company, wrong site and we are due at the other one across town!!! Yet more adventures with Mr. Harris - 1999
Sh!t job - Yes I have photographed a sewerage works for a plastic coating company that had provided the paint to seal the tanks...
River Tyne near Hexham - Waiting 4 hours for a very large pump to be lifted into position to take 1 shot - circa 2000
One from the past pre technology - Trying to find an address in a major busy city pre "sat nav" (Manchester) at rush hour using an A-Z, no parking available and the client on the phone going mad. In the end I could see him on the phone as I drove past him four times in the bloody one way system with no way of getting to him!! - circa 1998
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It's not every day you get to work with a real "Duchess" and as furniture shoots go this one was brilliant. The location was Belvoir Castle in Lincolnshire. Our host was Emma Duchess of Rutland (pictured) and we were there to photograph a fantastic new range of furniture designed in conjunction with our host. We had some very expensive fantastic hand made British furniture and the run of a spectacular "Castle" with some 400 rooms and the use of some very valuable antiques as props ...!!
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We are sometimes commissioned for aerial photography. We normally charter a helicopter or high wing light plane depending on the assignment. I love light aircraft even if they are pretty basic. From the moment you get into the tiny cockpit, close the dodgy fitting door and get strapped in it is such fun. Headset on and the radio crackles into life with all of the Air Traffic Control Radio chatter, checks done, taxi out and up and away, the whole experience is a joy. This is was taken in 2011 on "finals" coming into Blackpool approaching from the West flying in a Cesna 150 Aerobat (I love the prop in shot!!). We were held over Southport Sands whilst the Eurofighter Typhoon came in to BAE Warton!!