Why does event photography matter and what makes a ‘good one’?
You’ve spent months preparing for your event, meticulously planning every detail. I’m no event planner but I can imagine there is a lot of careful crafting, shaping and co-ordinating (and umpteen lists) amongst many other parts, that go into delivering a successful event. The event itself is like the proud unveiling of a precious jewel - you want it to stand out, be enjoyed, admired and remembered. You don’t get chance to pause because whilst the event is happening you’re carefully conducting things behind the scenes to make sure everything happens exactly as it should. How are you going to show what happened at your event though and let people see the end result of all that work? Would you rely on phone photos that colleagues might have taken across the evening, from a whole host of angles (and if you’re anything like my mum’s photography cut out at least 2/3rds of people’s heads)? Or would you choose to invest in a professional event photographer who can deliver a cohesive set of images that are unique to your event and that perfectly document what happened - the details, the atmosphere, key moments, people’s reactions and interactions, behind the scenes…
It’s obvious which one I’d suggest going for but here’s why it’s important to get a professional to take those photos for you. After all, you wouldn’t ask one of your colleagues to do the event catering just because they can cook.
Event photos perfectly capture the story of what happened and give anyone who looks at them either a feel for the event if they weren’t there or a reminder of what they experienced. A cohesive set of images are an important marketing tool for promoting your work, your company values and brand. They capture the ‘small’ moments - those you won’t realise were even happening but are just as much an important part of the story as those bigger more obvious moments. An experienced event photographer will photograph all the things you didn’t even know you needed without you even noticing. They’ll have understood exactly what you need - sweep in, on time and quietly weave their way around the event and everyone there without disturbing or interrupting, yet with senses as sharp as a cat so they see and hear everything and know exactly where to position themselves to get that ‘moment’. You won’t need to guide them. Then, in the blink of an eye, you’ll have a carefully curated set of professional images that are exactly what you need to show what happened and how good it was.
That’s exactly the person you need and what you should expect from a professional event photographer. Consider them just as important a part of your event as the venue, the catering, the marketing tools. The images will prove their worth way after the event has come to a close and will be the one thing you can keep coming back to and re-purposing.
New year, new motivation...?
I know it’s EVERYWHERE at the moment - new year’s resolutions and whether people are making them, or find them more of a stick to beat yourself with. The days for talking about them are numbered though so I’d best be swift.
I’m on the fence about new year’s resolutions - sometimes I think they’re a good idea (that has never and will never include a January gym membership), other times I feel like they’re a bit pointless. But either way, I still see a New Year as a bit of a marker in the sand and chance to let go of anything negative from the year(s) before and start afresh.
This year I’ve decided to plan out the things I’d like to do/achieve but without very rigid timings attached (except for holidays as school holidays pin us down). I’m a bit of a contradiction in that I get bored quickly with some repetitive things yet can walk the same route most days and never tire of it. I resist being pinned down to too many rigid dates or tasks but I like being organised and find it motivating to have a clear plan.
Anyway, this years plan which I’ve roped my other half into doing (he seemed quite willing) will cover:
Holidays (of course)
Places/events we’d like to go to as a family - we’ll include Isla in that and could get some colourful suggestions which I always like hearing
Things for the house - there seems to be an ever growing list of things that need doing so we’ll focus in on a few to make it less overwhelming
Personal/work achievements
Health - I feel like this needs its own category. I’ve always enjoyed running but have had a few issues with my achilles over the last year so want to get back into it. I also want to do more yoga this year to help the stiffening joints and I’m thinking about sampling some very legal and legitimate mushroom supplements despite an irrational fear of mushroom poisoning ever since reading about the Australian mushroom poisonings.
Books - I usually read before bed but my book reading ground to a slow half after the summer. I’ve stop started with a few audio books and want to find a regular podcast to listen to. I’m not going to set a specific number to read or listen to just a commitment to ‘more’.
I won’t go overboard on any of these, a few for each so we can get to the end of the year and feel happy/smug rather than disappointed/lacking. I like to be vague enough that it doesn’t feel rigid and I’ve got a bit of choice.
Maybe it’s just me, but I also get an urge to have a massive clear out at the start of a new year. I’ve been an avid vinted user for a few years now so will likely find a few things to put on there. Sometimes I’d like to be more ruthless, but the old hoarding gene creeps in and I either attach a memory to an object, or see a piece of clothing that I reckon I might wear that year even though it hasn’t actually been worn for some time.
How do you view the New Year? Does it motivate you or do you see it as a non event? I’d love to hear what you think and if you have made any what your plans are for 2026.
*Thanks also to Fiona Jenks for the photo. They are a gift that keeps on giving!
Meet the Creative - Nel, Artist and Owner of ‘Paintings by Nel’
The perfect sunny autumn morning at one of my favourite outdoor spots - RHS Bridgewater, to catch up with Nel (thanks for taking me in as your plus one). Fun, friendly, bubbly and in a pair of socks I wanted for myself, Nel’s broad Leeds accent instantly draws you in and makes you feel at home. Sharing my appreciation for the shop at Bridgewater we managed to pull ourselves away from the sparkly items and tubs of festive treats for a walk round the leaf covered grounds.
Honest and candid about her creative path, Nel has always been an artist at heart. After graduating with a degree in fine art she felt as though she didn’t quite fit in the art world and couldn’t see how to find her place so decided to step away and look for completely different opportunities. This sparked a period of time where the place became more of a focus than the job itself with stints working in France and Lapland. I thought Lapland sounded particularly fun but for Nel the novelty wore off when the reality of the freezing cold and long hours of darkness set in. With 3 further years of travel visiting most places around the globe, Nel settled into a successful career working in recruitment. As a Global Talent Acquisition Manager, she still managed to keep a link to different cultures and countries, though that necessitated working hours that suited multiple time zones.
After becoming a first time mum Nel opted to take voluntary redundancy seeing this as a chance to rethink her career. She returned to recruitment 1 final time after a 4 year break, but realised it was art she enjoyed the most and in February 2024 ‘Paintings by Nel’ was born! Since then Nel has worked incredibly hard to build up her business and has already established successful partnerships and collaborations including ‘Mama makes’ art sessions at David Lloyd, and facilitating a range of art workshops at wellbeing events. Mama makes is an opportunity for mums to be mindful, taking time out to be creative whilst in the company of other mum’s who understand the ups and downs of parenting and the dreaded mental load. She’s got some very hot irons in the fire for corporate partnerships in 2026, though I don’t think I’m allowed to spill the beans so will keep quiet on that one for now.
We chatted about the need to keep pushing yourself outside your comfort zone when building up a business and how equally terrifying and rewarding this is. There’s a lot of unpredictability which you have to make yourself comfortable with and take every opportunity to increase your visibility - be open to new partnerships and conversations and network, network, network! What I wasn’t expecting was the fabulous gift Nel said she had for me at the car, which is a fantastic textured canvas art kit. These pre prepared textured canvases that are ready to paint, are Nel’s niche and they are brilliant. She’s just started selling the kits and had a positive response at her first Makers Market in Knutsford. Inside each beautifully presented kit is a wrapped canvas, apron, paintbrush, sponge and acrylic paints along with a welcome note and tips. It’d make a fantastic gift at any time of year, but maybe one to look at for Christmas. Follow Nel’s instagram here to find out more and see what she’s up to.
A morning well spent, sharing ideas and thoughts about where we’re at in our freelancing careers and where to focus next. Lovely to spend time with you Nel! Thanks for the chat, cuppa and gift. I’ll look forward to some painting later.
Can you bring a chicken to a Christmas mini session?
A curious question you might think, but I have had a chicken in Christmas photos before, as you can see. Not in a christmas jumper though, so maybe that’s the challenge for my mini shoots in November!
What else could you bring with you to a Christmas mini photoshoot and why have one though? Asides from a chicken you could bring your pooch with you, or if you can get your cat along, bring your cat, or rabbit, or guinea pig… Anything that’s portable and happy to be where there’s other people mooching about. It’s also a good chance to get together with family, or a group of friends, or have a photo on your own. I hear it’s an American tradition but if you’re a fan of sending a family Christmas card this is the perfect time to get your family Christmas photo ready in time to catch the Christmas post. Or maybe a family christmas card is a tradition you want to start. Why wait? Perhaps you’re a fan of a Christmas jumper, perfect! This is the excuse to get your jumper out and style it up, or maybe it’s time to upgrade your christmas jumper or maybe you’ve got loads of different ones to bring with you. Like a revolving wardrobe of christmas jumpers!
As if that wasn’t reason enough, the photos will be at Stanley Square in Sale which is a fantastic space with lots of independent shops. Shops like Idaho, Green and grounded, Joe & Co, B & V trading amongst many others, where you could get some brilliant and unique Christmas gifts. Maybe stop for some brunch at Blanchflower, finish off your Christmas shopping and then reward yourself with some food or drinks at Canteena, Petisco, The Pho Spot and many more. Or you could finish the day off with a film in the very cosy and soul warming Northern Light cinema.
Why haven’t you booked already is the question! Book a slot here and make a day of it - Christmas photo, Christmas shopping, festive film and festive nibbles all done in one festive tinsel swoop!
What's on in Manchester at October half term?
There’s loads of fun activities and events going on around Manchester in October half term. Most halloween themed with monster discos, halloween kitchen, horror trails, pumpkin carving and more. Your Halloween fix will be well and truly satisfied!
Diggle Spooky Trail, Diggle Village
Friday 24th October
Follow a trail around Diggle Village to collect the letters from the spooky scarecrows to make up a Halloween rhyme.
£3 for each trail sheet. These can be collected from a number of places in the village including Grandpa Greene's, The Gate Inn, The Diggle Hotel and Diggle Lock. Or book online
Friday 31st October
Led by Born To Be Wild Child, families are invited to dance until they drop at the Dreadful Ghouls Disco, watch wacky experiments and magic tricks at the Magic Bubble Show led by Cequin Circus, decorate their own mask or witch or wizard hat, take part in the Trick or Treat ghost hunters trail and take a seat for spooky story time.
Two slots available from 11.30am to 1.30pm and 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Free
Thursday 30th October to Saturday 1st November
£15 to £21 per ticket
On until 2nd November, 11 to 3pm
Follow the ‘Hidden Wonders’ trail, drop into creepy craft sessions, and enjoy the ‘Cranford the Cat’ trail with Victorian dress-up.
£8.50 for adults
Halloween Craft at Didsbury library
30th October
1 to 3pm
Free
Halloween Kitchen at Wythenshawe Park
Horticultural Centre
29th to 30th October, 1 to 3pm
Free
Halloween trail at Stretford town centre
Saturday 25th October to Sunday 2nd November
Trick or treaters can make their way around Stretford and tick off each spot on their terrifying trail map. Each retailer will have a sticker in the window which will spell out a hauntingly wicked spell to unscramble.
Collect a trail map from just inside the mall doors as you walk out towards King street.
Free
Hidden Horrors Trail at Heaton Park
A free, self-guided trail to find ten spooky characters hidden around the park.
Saturday 25th October to Sunday 2nd November
Get a free checklist from the Stables car park visitors entrance before 4pm
Free
Haunted treetop adventure at Zip World, Heaton park
Saturday 25th to Friday 31st October from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm daily.
Ages 3 to 16
£10
Halloween Light trail at Quarry Bank
Thursday 23rd October to Saturday 1st November
The trail includes 3.5m tall giant skeletons, a field of 50 gravestones, a Headless Horseman riding along the trail, and giant spider webs amongst other spooky goings on!
Tickets between £10 to £14 for children
£15 to £18 for adults
Magical arts and crafts at Chetham’s Library
Tuesday 28th October, 2 to 4pm
Learn about the history of Hallowe’en traditions and enjoy magical arts and craft activities. You can also explore the historic building and library with a scavenger hunt.
£10 family ticket
Halloween in the City Weekender: Saturday 25 – Sunday 26 October
MCR Monsters: Saturday 25 – Friday 31 October
Return of the MCR Monsters, live performances and fancy-dress fun, plus spooky DJs, storytelling and the spectacular Walk the Plank Monster Party Procession.
Free
Make your own 3D triceratops at Manchester Museum
28th to 31st October 11 to 4pm
Free
Mini Monster Mash at Victoria Baths
Sunday 26th October, 12 to 4pm
£4
Night Market, Halloween Special at Victoria Baths
Friday 31st October, 6 to 11pm
Free to under 12’s
Pumpkin carving in Manchester Parks
Everything provided and you can take the pumpkin home!
Wythenshawe Park (Café Courtyard) on 27 October from 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm
Alexandra Park on 31 October from 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm
Chorlton Park on 27 October from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Fletcher Moss Park on 28 October from 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm
Free
Spooktacular safari at Knowsley Safari Park
Including: The Poo Keeper’s Laboratory, The Safari Chef’s Grimy Kitchen and The Dread-venturer’s Spooky Tipi Shack
Saturday 25th October to Sunday 2nd November
Kids go half price
Wythenshawe Hall Haunted House
26th October 11 to 4
Explore the historic hall and meet characters from The Addams Family, Wednesday, Beetlejuice, Hocus Pocus, The Munsters, The Witches and more.
Under 10’s go free
£3 for adults
Party with the ‘Rockin Rhinos’ to celebrate z arts 25th birthday.
Saturday 1st November, 2pm to 3:25pm
£10
Meet the Creative - Chrissie, Founder of Yoga Social Club
What brings a Geordie lass, who spent her early career teaching English to young offenders within the prison system, to create a very successful yoga brand?
That wasn’t the backstory I was expecting when I met Chrissie. Nor was I expecting to hear that she didn’t actually like the thought of yoga before trying it and was instead living an adrenaline fuelled life, squeezing in high intensity work outs whenever she could. Burnt out from a very demanding, yet rewarding, career and ready to start a family Chrissie decided to try acupuncture. She’d considered herself a very healthy person so was surprised when the acupuncturist suggested her lifestyle was leaving her body in fight or flight mode and a constant state of stress. They suggested she try yoga to rebalance and, though sceptical, she took the advice and was surprised by what she found. Obviously you can guess what the outcome was!
Ready for a new direction, and now with a young family, Chrissie had chance to take time away from her work with young offenders and rethink what she wanted to do next. Having enjoyed yoga, seeing its benefits on her health and wellbeing and wanting to continue teaching others, Chrissie realised she could teach yoga and build a community around it. Taking an intensive yoga course over the space of 6 months, it’s now 2 years since she started Yoga Social Club. If you’ve ever met her you’ll already know this, but for the benefit of those who haven’t Chrissie is a bold, energetic, straight talking, person with a positive attitude and incredible drive. Not afraid to fail she has built her business into a strong community and worked incredibly hard to build a brand that she has been able to franchise. Under the Yoga Social Brand, Chrissie guides and supports other yoga teachers to create their own business within their communities. There are currently 25 Yoga Social Clubs across the country and I don’t know why but I wasn’t expecting her to say there is a Yoga Social Club in Winchester!
Community is an important driver for Chrissie. Based in Urmston, she built her first Yoga Social Club there, offering classes with a strong community focus. All her events have an open invitation to either a cuppa or, for the evening, a good glass of wine. There’s no pressure to join but she wanted to give people the opportunity to talk with each other after the class and build new friendships. Even when we met she took time out of her day to visit a yoga mum and baby class at RiverBank Cafe, stopping to chat with mums leaving the class and see how they were getting on.
Whilst I started off wondering how on earth she’d gone from teaching English to young offenders to running her own yoga community I can see how she got there and it’s not such a wild leap that she’s made after all. Both roles have a strong focus on working together, helping and educating others for the better, building and strengthening communities, tenacity and persistence. It’s an incredible achievement to have made in such a short space of time and I don’t think she’s reached the end of her ideas yet. Keep your eyes peeled for the different events Chrissie hosts. Top of my list is her yoga event with the Halle orchestra. Though I think it’s very likely the tickets have already sold out.
Ideas for good summer reads
Whether you prefer a paperback or a kindle version, sometimes it’s a bit overwhelming trying to choose a good book to take away with you. It’s often the front cover that sells it to me, I don’t know if I should admit that or not. There’s lots of places/people that have done all the searching for you. Here are some good places I’ve found with suggested top reads for the summer and if you scroll down to the bottom you’ll find my own list of top 10 reads for this summer including some books I’ve already read and some I’m hoping to.
Summer reading lists
Waterstones - Best paper back reads. 25% off at the moment too until 31st July with code ‘SUMMER25’
The Independent - Best new books to read.
Amazon - List of top holiday reads.
Penguin Random House - Beach reads.
Goodreads - The hit books of the year (so far)
My summer reads, in no particular order (with stolen book descriptions):
There are rivers in the sky - Elif Shafak
Storytelling that spans centuries and continents, this is the story of one lost poem, two great rivers and three remarkable lives – all connected by a single drop of water.
You are here - David Nicholls
A new love story by beloved bestseller David Nicholls, You Are Here is a novel of first encounters, second chances and finding the way home.
Lessons in chemistry - Bonnie Garmus
Meet Elizabeth Zott: a gifted research chemist, absurdly self-assured and immune to social convention in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a beloved TV cooking show.
The Husbands - Holly Gramazio
As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can’t remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realising that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you’ve taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living?
Pineapple Street - Jenny Jackson
Set in Brooklyn Heights, this story is about the three wealthy Stockton siblings, and Sasha, the small-town outsider who marries into the family. There’s plenty of secrets, repressed resentments, and snarky judgements.
No more tears - Gardiner Harris
An incendiary, deeply reported exposé of Johnson & Johnson, one of America’s oldest and most trusted pharmaceutical companies—from an award-winning investigative journalist.
Careless people - Sarah Wynn Williams
A personal account of why and how things have gone so horribly wrong in the past decade—told in a sharp, candid, and utterly disarming voice. A deep, unflinching look at the role that social media has assumed in our lives, Careless People reveals the truth about the leaders of Facebook: how the more power they grasp, the less responsible they become and the consequences this has for all of us.
The Story of a Heart - Rachel Clarke
Follow the journey of two children, nine-year-old Keira Ball and Max Johnson, whose lives become inextricably linked when Keira’s tragic death becomes Max’s chance of survival.
Good dirt - Charmaine Wilkerson
The daughter of an affluent Black family pieces together the connection between a childhood tragedy and a beloved heirloom in this moving novel.
The F**k it list - Melanie Cantor
Daisy Settle has it all. A successful interior design firm, a happy relationship, a beautiful house and adoring friends and family. The only piece left to complete the puzzle is a baby. And even that finally seems within reach. That is, until she finds her boyfriend is a cheat.
Now Daisy is 40, alone and in a world that seems built for couples. Time for a F*** It List!
Any summer reads you’d recommend? Add them in the comments.
Simple school holiday ideas that won't cost you an arm!
Sometimes it’s hard to know how to fill the days, but you don’t need to have big, expensive, days out to keep young minds busy over school holidays. Here are just a few ideas of things you can do either at home or out and about locally.
At home
Make a den
You can use anything and everything for these. If you’ve got a washing line, peg a sheet onto the line and use anything you’ve got close by to pull out the sides and make it into a secret den, or use a standing clothes dryer and hang a sheet over that. The best den we’ve made inside is from turning the sofas back to back and setting up a mini den in the gap between them. We put quilts, pillows and toys in there, then got the laptop out to watch a film and some snacks too (of course!)
Get chalking
Have a drawing competition, or chalk up hop scotch on the floor. I recently found a great idea about making ice chalk. Here’s a link to how to do it: https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/chalk-ice/
Treasure hunt
Take it in turns and switch round who draws the map and who finds. I found a pirate outfit in the fancy dress box and got some plastic ‘jewels’ and coins to hide. Draw up a map and then, depending on how helpful you feel, give clues for where to find things. Are you too hot or too cold in finding the treasure. Maybe it’s just me but I’ve been known to forget where I’ve actually hidden the treasure.
Make salt dough
I have memories of doing this when I was little. I think my parents still have some of our ‘creations’. Not many ingredients needed and there are loads of recipes around. Here’s one I found: https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-make-salt-dough-recipe
There’s also recipes on here for making slime, paper cache, bath bombs and moon sand.
Make a nail & beauty salon
This is something that can end up taking on a life of its own. You can keep it smaller with a simple set up - a few nail polishes, a little corner to lie down for a ‘massage’, or you can go all out and create a waiting room (we’ve got an old laptop and an old toy box got turned upside down to make a temporary desk), create tickets, have an appointment diary, create different rooms for different treatments, make a sign for your salon and on and on. It can also be a good excuse to lie down for a few minutes whilst you get ‘pampered’.
Plant some seeds
You don’t even need a garden to do this. If you ever remember ‘cress heads’ then that’s something to recreate. You could do anything. Get something that’s quick to grow and easy to look after.
Disco
Put on your favourite tunes and have a dance! We’ve got a mini disco ball that looks pretty cool in the dark. You could throw in a few glo sticks too.
Make play foam
Who knew that you could use the water from chick peas to make play foam. Save the liquid and whizz it up in a food processor for a few minutes. It’ll feel like it’s never going to turn but just as you’re about to give up, the foam will appear! Add some food colouring to make it even more inviting. Be quick though because the foam starts to turn back into liquid after a little while. Chuck in some whisks, toy characters, have a theme, or just enjoy messing with the foam.
Bake your hearts out
It doesn’t have to be anything too complicated. You could make simple biscuits, fairy cakes, scones. Here’s a good website full of ideas: https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/collections/baking_with_children
Out and about
Go to the library
Our local libraries have a summer reading challenge on - check out your local library to see what’s available. There’s often a number of activities on and lots of it is absolutely free.
Visit the park
Take a trip to the park and maybe try out a new one that you haven’t yet been to. We usually stick to the same parks but I recently came across one, not that far away, that I didn’t even know existed. This app is quite good for finding local parks https://www.playgroundbuddy.com
Go on a bike ride
There’s usually lots of good cycle ways in most places. If you go to your local council website you should find details.
Go for a picnic
It doesn’t need to be anything extravagant, make your butties at home, get a few snacks (this is a recurring theme), maybe take a blanket with you and head off to a local park or an adventure a bit further afield, depending on how much energy you have.
Visit a museum
There are so many exhibitions on over the summer and the majority of them are completely free. Take a look at what’s going on in your local area and make a day of it. Getting the tram or bus into town to visit a museum is another adventure on its own.
Charity shop trip
See what treasures you can find at the charity shop for a set amount of money.
Collect treasures
Take a little bag with you and hunt for ‘treasures’ in the woods. We’ve found mini pine cones before, colourful leaves, stones, conkers - anything that looks interesting. You could always turn them into ‘art’ when you get back home.
Go to the beach
Depending on how far away you are from the seaside, this is one of my favourite things to do. I love being by water and you can spend hours building sandcastles, searching for shells and sea glass, digging, writing your name in the sand, drawing sand pictures with a stick, paddling! If it’s windy enough you could take a kite with you.
Rock painting
Hunt for rocks outside, paint them and if you’re not feeling too attached to your design, leave them behind for somebody else to find. There are lots of different pens you can buy online at a reasonable price.
Play pooh sticks
An old one, but still good. Find a stream or river with a bridge across. Get yourself some champion looking sticks and stand at the side of the bridge the water is flowing away from. Drop your stick, run to the other side of the bridge and see whose stick comes through first to win the stick race!
Cloud spotting
Another good chance to lie down for a rest whilst still keeping young minds entertained. See what you can spot in the clouds - any dragons, cats, faces, hearts?
Have extra suggestions? Share your ideas in the comments.
Mindfulness and photography
For me, an unexpected benefit of my photography is mindfulness. Whilst I hadn’t initially recognised it as this, I found that whenever I was photographing I became absorbed in it - my thoughts and focus were solely on what was happening around and in front of me in that moment of time.
As a freelance photographer, much of my work is for a set purpose/brief. Having recently had a discussion about the importance of setting aside time for development, training and creativity I decided to be, well, creative about how to do that and took myself off into the outdoors, with my camera. I had no set brief, no expectations and the chance to explore and photograph anything I wanted. It was also one of the hottest days so I had the added luxury of good weather. It was brilliant! I went into the parkland at Lyme Park and headed for the woods where the midday light was a mix of shadows and pockets of light dispersed into patterns and more irregular shapes. I pretty much followed the light and how it fell onto different objects, largely plants and foliage. It was quite free’ing being able to photograph anything I was drawn to and an opportunity to be completely mindful. I was fully aware of everything around me, not thinking about the past or the future (or what I was having for my tea). I had chance to think about and test out different techniques and styles in constantly changing light.
In the past I’ve often thought I needed to be sitting somewhere, with my eyes closed, to be truly ‘mindful’ which of course isn’t true. You can be mindful in the most seemingly mindless tasks like brushing your teeth, or turning on the tap, or moving about. Anything where you are completely present in what you’re doing and paying attention to/noting what you’re doing without getting lost in anything other than that moment in time.
I’ve realised how important it is for my creativity to get out with my camera and just photograph what interests me without any restrictions, whilst also benefiting from being mindful. I’m hopefully going to start running some mindfulness in photography sessions, outdoors, towards the end of summer into early autumn. Let me know if this is something you’d be interested in joining.
What to expect on a headshot photography session
Your headshots need updating and you want to get them done but you feel nervous about having your picture taken. I know exactly how that feels! As somebody that isn’t a big fan of having my photo taken, I completely understand the levels of anxiety and awkwardness it can create. That means I’m very conscious of making a photo session not feel like a photo session. Before we get together we’ll have a brief chat, or share messages about where we’ll meet - I can come to your home/office, we can meet outdoors at a park or a cafe, anywhere that you’d feel most comfortable. I can also give suggestions about anything to avoid wearing - no black for your top half to avoid looking like a floating head, or anything too heavily patterned so you don’t become like a magic eye picture where you have to focus in a certain way to see the image you want.
When we meet, I won’t start contorting you into all sorts of positions, with my camera about an inch from your face. We’ll spend a bit of time chatting, no doubt talking about the weather at some point (I’m British after all), grab a quick drink if we’ve met at a cafe, or have a little walk round the place we’ve met to see where would be good to sit, make sure the sunshine (hopefully it’ll be out) won’t be right in your eyes. This will give you some time to relax and hopefully feel a bit more comfortable. We’ll have a quick chat about the types of photos we’ll do and anything you particularly want to avoid and then I’ll start to take some pictures, whilst we’re chatting. You might not even notice! We’ll move around a little bit, try a few different locations in the space we’re in so there’s a selection of pictures for you to choose from. I might make a few suggestions about where to look, or what to do with your hands - I always feel a bit awkward when I don’t have something to do with my own hands or have pockets to put them in! We might have a few photos where you’re sitting down or stood up - there’s something about leaning against things that makes you feel less ‘exposed when standing’. You might even start to enjoy having your photo taken!
Get in touch for a chat or to find out more, or maybe you’re even ready to book your headshot session now!
Meet the creative - Tanica Powell, Arts, Culture & Charity Marketer
Bubbly, creative, passionate, friendly - just a few of the words that describe Tanica, who I met a few weeks ago for my latest ‘meet the creatives’ blog.
In the early stages of her career, but already very clear that the vision and mission of the company she works for is what drives her most, I admired this ‘compass’ she has for guiding her career path.
Beginning work at the Contact Theatre in a sales role, during the peak of Covid, Tanica stayed 3 years progressing into a digital content and then digital marketing role. It’s clear her time at the theatre was an influential one and she was full of praise for what she described as an “inspirational organisation”. She explained how young people have a voice in Contact Theatre, are encouraged to influence the processes and make up half the board of trustees. I could see how important an organisation’s ethos is to Tanica and this example of an organisation actively ‘living’ its values made a lasting impression on her.
It’s now nearly 3 years since she made the move to Walk the Plank starting as a Marketing and Communications Officer and progressing to Senior Marketing and Communications Officer.
Sounding like a brilliant place to work - a bit like a home for imagination, Walk the Plank produces spectacular outdoor community art events, often in partnership with others like Rochdale Council and Manchester City Council. They’re the charity behind such well known events as Manchester Day Parade and the ‘giant baby’ in Rochdale that drew international attention. Even their offices are designed to have the feel of a boat as a nod to their nautical past. As she spoke about working at Walk the Plank I could see, as with her previous role, that she is passionate about the work she’s doing and the organisation’s mission. She spoke about the importance of championing work she believes in and having a positive impact on both the local community and environment. It was encouraging to hear how much Walk the Plank collaborates with communities to ensure their productions are representative and can later be integrated into the community where it’s feasible to do so (I’m not too sure the giant baby was able to stay as a permanent fixture in Rochdale).
With a degree in fine art, I was initially, wrongly, assuming Tanica would have taken on a role in something directly related to her course. I’ve always thought of fine art as being quite niche and chatting about this challenged my assumptions about what a fine art degree actually covers - marketing and communications were a big part of her course, with students encouraged to set up websites and social media as part of their learning. This made a role in marketing and communications a very natural step. I think it’s often easy to forget just how interlinked different areas of the arts actually are in reality and it makes sense that they are. Whilst creativity is very important to her, a more important driver is mission and purpose. Tanica explained that, for her, creativity can be found in many different ways and as long as she believes the ethos of where she’s working her opportunities for creativity can then always be found.
A really interesting and engaging person to chat with we covered a lot of different topics including visiting Japan, life in Chorlton, a shared inability to properly gauge size and heights and making use of the word ‘fettling’. Whilst very happy with where she is now I don’t doubt that when the time comes to move to the next organisation it will be somewhere that makes a difference.
Meet the Creative - Louise Thompson, Arts & Museum Consultant, Health & Wellbeing
An originally planned 20(ish) minute talk turned into an easy hour long chat that could have kept going if it wasn’t for noticing the time. Louise is passionate, warm, inspiring and fun! We chatted about everything from the mental load, to accents, imposter syndrome and the sometimes rollercoaster nature of freelancing (and more).
In what would be my dream role if I wasn’t a photographer, Louise is an Arts & Museum Consultant for Health and Wellbeing. Working primarily with Museums and Galleries, but not exclusively, her work champions the positive impact of the arts on mental health and wellbeing. Having worked for the Manchester Art Gallery for 18 years, Louise made the decision to go freelance in October.
Clearly determined, her first role at the Art Gallery wasn’t her perfect job but she knew she wanted to work for the organisation and was prepared to work her way up. It struck me how creative Louise has been in seeking out opportunities and taking time to recognise what interests her. She knew she wanted to work in the arts and whilst she wasn’t entirely clear what role she wanted, she was guided by the experiences she enjoyed. She spent 2 years in her first role in visitor services and realised she wanted to work more with people. This prompted her to volunteer a day a week with the Gallery’s Learning & Engagement dept to build experience. During that time an opportunity arose to temporarily cover a Learning Officer role, which Louise was seconded into for a year. The position later became permanent and Louise spent 4 years in the position building her understanding about education and art engagement and also the different needs of each audience. Each role became a stepping stone to the next.
Having always been interested in mental health and wellbeing and how art positively impacts mental health, Louise saw there was an opportunity to shadow the Art Gallery’s newly created post of Health and Wellbeing Manager and so spent a day a week shadowing them. Realising she wanted to find out more about the impact of the arts on people with severe mental health issues she took a volunteer position at Stepping Hill hospital, on her day off from work. The hospital commissioned a health and arts organisation called ‘Arc’ to run weekly workshops for patients on mental health secure wards. This was an invaluable experience in learning how to facilitate groups of people with severe mental health conditions, how to de-escalate situations and ensure everyone was included. Taking the time to further her knowledge and skills beyond that of her current role meant that when the Health and Wellbeing role was next advertised, she was ready for the position and got the role she had been working towards. Then followed 12 fulfilling years and in October she decided it was time to explore possible opportunities as a freelance Arts & Museum Consultant for Health & Wellbeing.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given her commitment to build experience and insight, Louise has been preparing herself for this change in role and started freelancing a few years back, alongside working at the Art Gallery. Freelancing has seen her work with galleries and museums across the UK and also health organisations, providing training for professionals in understanding why the arts, creativity and culture are so good for health. A lot of places are already putting programmes in place but don’t fully understand why they’re so important for mental health, so her training gives this insight and education. We spoke about underfunding in the arts and how the tide is slowly starting to turn. In a mini history lesson, Louise shared that there is a long arts and health history in Manchester. Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) had the first arts and health department in the UK and more recently the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has formed a Creative Health department, which is the first time that’s ever happened. They also have an ambition to be the first creative health city region in the world, which should mean more funding available to invest in creative health work, which is really encouraging. I think something we both recognise is that there are alternative ways to help people and there’s a role for the arts and health sectors to partner in prevention.
Now back to the world of freelancing and we had very honest discussions about the liberating highs and thankfully fleeting panics about working for yourself which, when they appear, seem to oscillate between finances and being exposed as in imposter/self doubt. There’s also something necessarily motivating about freelancing - you have to push yourself outside your comfort zone in ways you never would have done when safely cocooned within an organisation - nothing will happen if you don’t go out and get it. You have to be proactive and for Louise this is currently around making sure she meets up with others for social interaction.
I found there were a lot of parallels between us, which is no doubt why we nattered for so long. Both of us have an arts background - Louise did a degree in History of Art & Design, mine is in English & Philosophy. We both initially ‘fell’ into roles after university with Louise briefly working for a private company in telecommunications, and me in local healthcare. We’ve both spent a number of years working at the same organisation in roles focused on healthcare and now we’re freelancing at a similar point, having spent time ‘nurturing’ the roles we wanted to freelance in. We’re both passionate about mental health and how the arts can help support/improve good mental health. I left our conversation on a high, enjoying the opportunity to find out more about working in a role that combines 2 of my interests - mental health and the arts. Our conversation reminded me of the importance in recognising and acknowledging what interests you and building a path from there, rather than focusing on a specific job role and moulding yourself around that. I’m excited to see what Louise does next and know that it will be a success. Follow her work on instagram and linked in.
Meet the Creative - Holly Gleave, Graphic Designer
Current role: Design Director, Studio North
Career path: Post graphics degree - 12 years in graphic design, working across a range of companies including 5plus architects, Rare Breed, HTA Design LLP, Black & Ginger. Progressing from Graphic Designer, to Senior Designer, to Lead Designer and now Design Director.
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the whole concept of a career for life, particularly since moving to full time freelance photography in July. There are so many creative career paths and I wanted to find out more about the different routes people have taken to get to where they are now. Are they traditionally linear routes or a bit more chequered like my own and does that matter? I caught up with Holly to find out more about her career in graphic design, her advice for anyone looking to get into the same field and whether there’s anything she’d do differently if she could go back.
Warm and open to talk to, Holly and I met for a much needed hot drink at Ducie Street (if you’re a coffee shunner like me, the hot chocolate is well worth the trip!) With a fleeting thought about pursuing a career in prosthetics, Holly’s always known she wanted to do graphic design. Starting with a GCSE (which I didn’t know was even an option), then A Level graphics, an Art Foundation at Leeds College which gave valuable exposure to other areas of design and onto Liverpool John Moores. It seems like a number of earlier influences have given Holly clarity about what she wanted to do and I loved hearing about the day return ticket from her dad for a solo trip to London, aged 16. It was during that trip she decided she wanted to live in London and after university she did, for 9 years! Whilst there she built experience working across different agencies and progressed from a Junior to Senior Designer.
It’s just over 3 years now since Holly made the move back up North to be closer to family. Heading back to Liverpool for a brief stop at a smaller creative agency, Holly has been at Studio North for 3 years, becoming Design Director in September. With 12 years industry experience (including an early stint working on HS2!) to look back on, I asked Holly for her top 3 tips for anyone just starting off:
Get as much experience as you can through different placements before taking a job. After uni it can be difficult to get straight into an agency but using the time to gain varied experience through placements will give you a better insight into the industry.
Build your own community through networking. The mutual support and collaboration is invaluable.
Work in a few different companies to get a feel for which is the best fit for you. You might prefer a smaller company, or something larger scale. Each has its pros and cons.
It was particularly encouraging to hear about the shift Holly has seen in approaches to work/life balance from more junior staff which have in turn influenced her. People give their all during the working day but appreciate that there is life and other commitments outside of the 9-5. The team strikes just the right balance between a playful work environment and getting the job done. Whilst COVID has opened up greater opportunities for working remotely, which is great when you have something that needs complete focus, in Holly’s view you can’t underestimate the value of face to face working. Many of the impromptu and casual office conversations are where a lot of ideas are shared or tested out. You can’t underestimate the importance of these discussions and experiences, even more so when you’re just starting out.
It’s clear how much Holly enjoys the team she works with and the enthusiasm she has for her industry. She comes across as a pragmatic person, generous with her time and happy to share her knowledge with those just starting out, as evident from her mentoring junior graphic designs and arranging their industry placements. Her career path to date follows a more direct route and I was almost expecting Holly to say she had a clear route all the way into the future so it was interesting and, in a way, reassuring to hear she doesn’t have her future completely mapped out and seems open to other possibilities, whatever they may be.
Follow Holly on LinkedIn to find out more about the work she’s doing including her ladies wine and dine events.
More ‘Meet the creatives’ coming soon…
Fun and free places to visit in Jan that might be new to you...
Feeling like one of the longest months ever (though I always like January as I’m still a birthday fiend) I thought it’d be useful to blog about places you can visit for free that you might not have been to before, or even heard about! Quite a few of these I’ve not yet had the chance to visit, so they’re on my list too. Most are in and around Manchester, with one exception. Given how chilly it is at the moment I think anything indoors is probably quite welcome, though there’s still the chance to escape outside at a few.
This is the only one that’s time limited so I’ll mention it first. A must for Wallace & Gromit fans!
One day only event: 11th January 2025 from 10am to 5pm
‘A Grand Day out’ National Science and Media Museum, Bradford
Celebrating their re-opening you can catch screenings of Aardman films, model making workshops and much more. I would definitely be going if we had time this weekend. With showings of A Matter of Loaf and Death, The Wrong Trousers, A Grand Day Out and also the latest Wallace and Gromit film Vengeance Most Fowl on the big screen.
Address: The National Science and Media Museum, Bradford, BD1 1NQ
Open year round
In Manchester city centre:
Greater Manchester Police Museum
This is more of a mid week wonder. Open every Tuesday and for special days in school holidays. You get to stand in the dock, visit the cells and hopefully go home at the end of it!
Address: 57a Newton Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M1 1ET -
Known as the national museum of democracy, this is a family friendly museum award winner with lots of interactive exhibitions and installations including the ‘pank-a-squith’ board game, the back in time co-op shop and a vintage jukebox! There’s also a sustainable and ethical cafe to stave off any ‘hangriness’!
Address: Left Bank, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3ER -
In Stockport:
Find out all about Stockport’s hat trade at the UK’s only hat museum. Visit the gallery of hats, see how a 19th century hat maker lived in a walk through terraced house and see the recreation of a hat block maker’s workshop.
Address: Wellington Road South, Stockport, Greater Manchester, SK3 0EU
In Salford:
A little gem nestled in between the busy sights of Salford, who knew! A Tudor mansion and museum with resident ghost and huge lawns to explore.
Address: 322 Ordsall Lane, Salford, Greater Manchester, M5 3AN
Salford Museum and Art Gallery
I discovered this last summer. It’s a brilliant museum with a toy exhibition, a street installation that lets you take a step back in time and there’s often free events on around school holidays. You can also have an explore of Peel Park which sits directly behind the museum with lovely manicured gardens and a fantastic playground. If you’re looking for lunch/a snack stop there’s The Old Fire Station cafe over the road with a great selection of pastries, cakes and hot drinks. It also houses a brewery!
Address: Peel Park, The Crescent, Salford, Greater Manchester, M5 4WU
In Rochdale:
Once a shop, this is where was where the ‘Pioneers’, 28 working people opened a co-operative store on the 21st December, 1844. The shop sold fairly priced, good quality food during very hard times. See the historic first food counter, cashier point and become Mini Pioneers on an interactive trail.
Address: 31 Toad Lane, Rochdale, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, OL12 0NU
Why headshots matter.
Did you know that first impressions from a photo can be made almost instantly. In fact, the human brain responds to images incredibly quickly, and people make an impression from an image in less than a second. Professional headshots are an incredibly valuable investment to make and help you:
Make a good first impression
Professional headshots are often the first impression you make on potential employers and clients online. They show you take your work seriously, setting a positive tone for potential connections or employers. The right image communicates professionalism, approachability and trust.Stand out in a competitive market
A professional headshot helps support your brand identity and set you apart from competitors. This is even more important for small businesses where you are the face behind the business. Knowing who you are buying from can build trust, likability and give you the edge over competitors.Build a consistent brand
Headshots can be used across multiple online platforms, like LinkedIn, social media, and your website. This helps build a consistent and recognisable brand.Enhance your CV and portfolio
A professional headshot adds a personal touch to your CV and portfolio and helps set you apart from others.Supplement your brand or product
A professional headshot helps communicate the right tone and style to attract your target audience.
It’s worth investing in a professional image for all these reasons. Find out more about my approach to headshots or get in touch to book a session today.
Branding photo session - Manchester
Two locations, plenty of props and a few outfit changes on this branding photo session with Emma, Sally & Emma. It’s been one of my most enjoyable photo sessions to date! Creative, warm and collaborative ladies with a brave choice in sandwiches - cheese & marmite, which I am a big fan of!
With a very helpful brief shared beforehand, Emma, Sally & Emma were looking for reportage style, candid and natural images, that showed both their friendly, yet professional approach and could be used across their websites and social media. A bit like meeting up with a friend for a cuppa, they soon forgot the camera was there. I remain in awe of Emma’s commitment to styling and imagine she has a very impressive selection of stationary, mugs and design books at home that I would want to own.
If you ever need branding and marketing expertise then look no further than - Emma & Sally from ‘The stories we tell’ and Emma at ‘Emma Cartledge Marketing’. Here are just a few images from the day.
Didsbury house hotel spring wedding
I first met Lorna and Trey when I photographed their little girl at a bediddy event in Chorlton (before they sadly closed their shop - I still miss their cafe and the wall of colourful, vintage clothes and knick knacks that called to me every time I went in). I took a photo of Lorna and Trey’s daughter with her little best friend and remember spotting and appreciating a cheeky little look in both their eyes. This was inbetween covid lockdowns, that never seemed to end and Lorna was pregnant with her second little girl. I saw Lorna and Trey again the following summer. This time in a bit of newborn bubble. I remember how warm and relaxed they both were - the kind of people you could chat away to like you’ve known them for years. A little later, Lorna got in touch and said they were hoping to get married the following April, at a small intimate ceremony at Didsbury House hotel. They’d had to switch the date a number of times due to covid and unexpected events and were hoping that this time they’d have their big day. Lorna had bought her wedding dress some time ago and was still waiting to wear it, alongside a very glamorous pair of wedding shoes from Sophia Webster.
I’m not sure they quite believed their wedding would happen this time, but it did! It was a day of colour, love, laughs, fabulous Scottish kilts, fancy shoes, sunshine, fizz, tasty food and warmth. I loved being part of the wedding and getting the chance to document an important moment in their lives. Here’s a few snaps from their day.
Top 5 locations for family photo sessions
I’m often asked where I would recommend as a good location for family photo sessions. I think it’s quite a personal choice about where you’d like to have your photos taken. With all my family sessions I want to capture you & your family as you are, no forced poses, nothing awkward, just documenting genuine moments that remind you of a happy time together and which you will keep coming back to again and again. With that in mind, these are my top 5 suggested locations:
Your choice - One of the first and most important things I always suggest is to have your photographs taken somewhere you feel comfortable and completely at ease. This will be different for each person, but if there’s somewhere you’d particularly like to be or regularly enjoy visiting as a family then choose that.
At home - It might seem like the most obvious choice, but often families who contact me assume that they need to ‘go somewhere’ to have their photo taken. You don’t. There’s nothing better than being in your own comfortable surroundings at home. It might not be ideal for everyone and for some there’s a level of anxiety about making things ‘perfect’ before inviting in any guests . You definitely don’t need to worry about that. Just be yourselves and think of me as a welcome family member who is happy to come and spend time with you as you are.
Outdoors - I’m a huge fan of being outdoors. You can get your steps in too - two birds with one stone and all. Any location is good - local parks, local walking routes. Anywhere you feel happy to roam.
National trust venues - Another outdoor venue of course, but with a number of locations to choose from round and about Manchester - Lyme Park, Tatton Park, Quarry Bank Mill, Dunham Massey to name a few, it seems wrong not to give them their own unique mention. There’s also the added bonus of seasonal events, a good national trust shop, cafe & facilities, to make it into more of a day out, if you’d like to. I think Lyme Park deserves a special mention for being the location of the ‘Mr Darcey lake scene’.
Around Chorlton, Didsbury & Sale - Incase you need some more food for thought, and as they’re local to me, here are a few of the locations where I’ve photographed families: Chorlton: Chorlton Ees, Chorlton Water Park, Longford Park, Alexandra Park (technically more Whalley Range I guess) Sale: Walkden Gardens, Sale Water Park Didsbury: Fletcher Moss Gardens, Didsbury Park
If you’d like to find out more about my family sessions, get yourself a copy of my family brochure.
Didsbury family photo session
When Amy phoned me to say that she wanted to do a family photo session before their round the world adventure, but there was only one date that she could do, I wasn’t sure it was going to happen. I’m glad it did though and we managed to squeeze in a morning photo session at Amy’s home before they had to pack up their belongings to head off travelling.
Not just a photo session to capture the family together before travels began, it was also the littlest lady’s first birthday. Amy’s sister and nephew had already travelled up from London, with Grandparents arriving not long after me armed with a bagful of pastries from the very tasty la Choquette. I just about managed to resist the urge to snaffle the entire contents of the bag.
I love how uninhibited children are and after some initial curiosity over what I was doing, they all carried on playing and seemed to forget I was there. The bubble machine came out, there was whizzing down the slide and a lot of fun running about. The girls ‘big brother’ the bulldog even seemed happy to get in on a few family snaps and struck up quite a charming and regal pose, as you can see from the photos.
It was a great way to capture memories of time together before a big life change.
If you’d like me to capture your family memories, get in touch for a copy of my family brochure.
Outdoor adventures with children
You might have heard me say this before, but… one of my favourite things is spending time outdoors, in nature. Just a little bit of time in a green space keeps my mood positive and gives me a boost when I need it. Not quite at the level of tree hugging yet, though a good friend of mine did try it and said it was surprisingly comforting.
It’s great to see how much my little girl also enjoys being outside - exploring, climbing and generally tiring herself out (another big plus).
As she gets older, we’re able to cover greater distances and I’m often on the look out for new places to visit. Here’s a little selection of those I’ve found so far which are worth a visit:
In and around Manchester
Walkden Gardens, Sale
I only recently found out about this little gem. Complete with a Japanese style garden, tree lined walkway, wooden carvings and plenty of hideaways. Well worth a trip.
Lyme Park, National Trust
One of my favourite places to visit, with great circular walks, highland cows to spot, dens to hide in and a fantastic children’s playground complete with giant slide and tunnels. The very strategically positioned cafe at the entrance to the car park is also useful bribery for covering the final steps.
Fairy Trail, Carrwood
You could while away a few hours here looking at all the little fairy homes, with plenty of charming details for small hands to enjoy. I think the hedgehog sylvanian family were my favourite addition the last time I visited with my daughter. It’s a little while since we visited so hopefully everything is still there.
The Carrs park, Wilmslow
Oodles of park land, sandy river banks to paddle and dabble your toes in, hills to roll down, a park to play in and plenty of local shops a stones throw away to stock up on picnic supplies (there’s a food theme here)
Healey Dell, near Rochdale
With both a waterfall to see and a tea room in what used to be an old station. Not sure which bit is my favourite.
Clifton country park
Loop round the lake and spot the wooden sculptures as you go. Keep your eyes peeled for the gruffalo with purple prickles all over his back!
Reddish vale country park
Bug hotel, woodland to wander in, butterfly garden a stream to dip your fishing net into and a great place for cycling/scooting.
Stockport air raid shelters
I had no clue these were even here until recently. A trip full of history.
Macclesfield Forest
A sea of forest to explore, you could lose yourself for a while here making dens, having a picnic or hot chocolate pit stop. There are also good circular walks out to Shutlingsloe and up to the Macclesfield Matterhorn, depending on how far you want to roam.
Nationwide
Walking with Kids | Facebook
- A community sharing details of good, little leg friendly, routes across the UK.
