sun awards 25

Participate How to enter • The Call for Entries is announced in May each year. • News of this appears on our SUN web site, and in various publications and online media. • Categories include Best Image, Best Use of Image and Best Promotion of a Photographer. • Details and Entry Forms appear on the web site once the call is announced. Call for Entries shotupnorth.co.uk/call-for-entries Podcasts Features and Interviews with Photographers, Designers are available as Audio or Image Enhanced Podcasts to download and listen or watch on your computer or iPod. Available FREE • from the SUN Awards web site – shotupnorth.co.uk • search the iTunes store for SUN AWARDS (automatically updated when a new podcast becomes available).

Buy the SUN book Published each year to coincide with the presentation of the SUN Awards. You can purchase the book online via our web site.

Buy SUN ‘Special Edition’ prints Specially selected by our guest curators from all the submissions for that year and printed on the best archival materials in strictly limited numbers. Prints can be purchased from our Online Gallery and from selected exhibition venues. Online Print sales shotupnorth.co.uk

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Welcome to the 25th year of Shot Up North’s

SUN AWARDS

SUN25 IS SUPPORTED BY

CONTENTS

How to enter, buy the book 2

Welcome 5

SUN Retrospective 6

Judges 40

Best Image 43

Best Use of Image 95

Photographer Index 106

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SUN25

The SUN Awards showcases and rewards the best photography produced each yearby professional photographers based in the Northern regions of the UK.

The awards are a not-for-profit event run by photographers for all those who work with, purchase or commission photography.

find SUN online

WEBSITE shotupnorth.co.ukSUN BOOKS tinyurl.com/SUNbooksPODCASTS tinyurl.com/sunpodcastsVIDEO youtube.com/shotupnorthFACEBOOK tinyurl.com/SUNfacebook

ISBN 978-0-9563170-4-9Published by SUN EXPO LIMITEDCopyright © SUN EXPO LIMITED

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SUN25

Over this small period of time we have seen a reversal in ourattitude and acceptance of the photograph. We have moved away from a time when a photograph was believed as fact.The use of the photograph as evidence was often the backbone of our judicial system determining the difference betweenguilt and innocence and all that that involved.

The phrase “the camera never lies” will soon have no place inour language, propelled to oblivion on the back of mountainsof photographs that have been titivated, cut and stuck andanything else the computer is capable of. Nobody now isprepared to accept that the photograph of that skinny model or the photo of that delicious looking foodstuff has any relationship to reality. Perhaps we are as guilty as anybody in this fraudalong with our accomplices in the advertising industry. You suspect that even the ‘perfect’ photograph would be subjected to the now compulsory enhancements in Photoshop whether needed or not.

In spite of these huge changes the fundamental principles of photography remain the same. The same as it was for Fox Talbot and the early pioneers, namely the combination of light and lens to form an image, it’s just the method of recording the effect of that light that has changed.

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This year we are celebrating the 25th birthday of the SUN Awards or Shot Up North as it was at the beginning.

During these 25 years we have seen vast changes in just about all areas of our lives and especially in our working lives as photographers. It is now almost impossible to remember what the pre-internet and mobile phone world was like. The fax machine was the latest technology and emails, websites and Google just did not exist. Social media was a letter from your granny. To most people photography was the snaps you took on holiday and somebodywielding a camera was treated with the utmost suspicion. Now of course we all have devices in our pockets ready for immediate use that only Captain James T Kirk could have imagined and the ease with which we record both the banal and stunning would have amazed even him on his intergalactic travels.

charges. It was Fuji and Kodak who took care of the colourspace and gammas and your local film processors supplied the sheets of beautiful pictures for your selection. The time takento process the film provided an important punctuation to theday making space to cement more leisurely relationships with other creatives, totally different to the isolating nature oftoday’s working practice and those solitary late nights infront of the computer screen.

Many would argue that the democratisation of image making through the digital process has benefited the industry,making the art of photography more available and predictableto all. There is no doubt that to produce amazing images on film did involve more than a bit of magic, and the ability to use and control many different light forms was a necessity. From the start of a job the designer had to have confidence in both the selection of the right photographer and that photographer’sability to produce the images required. It was indeed a leapof faith to progress the production of the images by way ofa handful of wonderful but fuzzy Polaroid prints. With digitalcapture perhaps the leap of faith is not quite as large andcertainly more predictable as high resolution final imagesare available to view within seconds of the click of the shutter.

The images we have chosen for our retrospective whereoriginated in both film and digital capture and clearlydemonstrate that a good shot must be considered the same in either medium. The quality and extent of expertise required of the photographer and their back up team that’s needed to make a good or even a great shot are the same, whatever the medium.

Teamwork has always been an important part of producingthe best images, perhaps now even more so with compressedplanning and production schedules becoming the rule rather than the exception, and this is readily shown when you look into the production of our Retrospective images.

The advancements in digitisation have of course benefited us in producing amazing images for our clients, but at the same time many of these benefits have been hijacked by others in our industry. We have all experienced ‘art direction by email’ brought on by time pressures and the changes in the power base within agencies, and that innocent little phrase “can you just” not to mention the hours of image editing and processing after a shoot.

In those times when most images were captured on film mostof these drawbacks did not exist. Art directors were expectedto attend a shoot and clients were a bit more selective when they had to pay for extra optional shots in film and processing

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“the camera never lies” will soon have no place inour language propelled to oblivion on the back of mountainsof photographs that have been titivated, cut and stuck andanything else the computer is capable of.

The accessibility and predictability of the digital image issomething that can be engagingly inclusive and help to reduce the stress levels of photographers and designers, but at the same time it can contribute to a devaluation of the art of image making. This has also been compounded by the changes that the advertising and design industry has recently gone through.Many would say that that industry has suffered from a selfinduced dumbing down resulting in a disregard for the valueof the idea and original creative thinking.

Photography is without doubt a very over-subscribedprofession and digitalisation has fueled the numbers of young photographers with variable abilities have never had the benefit of learning technique and practice from experienced hands. In fact the route by which this education could be obtained now barely exists, as the relationship between photographer and full time assistant has been replaced by come and go freelancers.We cannot place the blame for all that is wrong with the world at the door of the digital process. Its advantages are manifest and we have embraced these advances eagerly as part of our creative tool box, though as always not everyone is prepared to let us utilize these tools at their best in the manner which we would prefer.

It’s not all one way and the accessibility of the digital image certainly contributes to high levels of inclusivity within the process of producing effective photography. With the possibility of all participants at a shoot having an opinion about the images displayed on the screen, it can test a photographer’s diplomatic skills to the full. But usually the sense of ownership this process engenders ensures that there are no nasty shocks at a later date and the progress to the printed page is unhindered.

There is no doubt that digital capture can make you a more adventurous and better photographer. Being able to immediately see the effect that a minute move of a light or change ofexpression or camera angle can have, has to be better than guessing, no matter how educated that guess is. Variablecontrasts and exposure, not to mention colour shifts andsaturation, have to be a fantastic creative tool in the right hands, even before we mention Photoshop and the other imagemanipulation programs that are available.

The range and scope of the tools available to the contemporary photographer have never been better. The human race excels in the power of inventiveness as is evident throughout history and the inventions of our present era are no exception. Unfortunately although the tools may be great there is no guarantee that the results will be equally as great.

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. . . young photographers with variable abilities have never hadthe benefit of learning technique and practice from experiencedhands . . . and the full time assistant has been replaced by comeand go freelancers.

Photographers in their individuality havealways excelled at the art of re-invention and this will become even more important and exciting in the future as people’sappetite for image fueled devices increases. Today the language is visual and we are at the forefront of communication interpreting this language, long may it be so.

Doug Currie

A set of the finest chisels and woodworking tools does notmake a new Grinling Gibbons, but it could possibly start youon the road to become a distinguished wood carver.

The limitations of Photoshop and the like lie in the images processed through it and the imagination of those controlling it. From the very beginning of the digital age it has been evident that output is totally dependent on input and although a poor shot can be disguised by the use of a computer it cannot become a good shot by way of manipulation.

It strikes me and many others that the best way to cope with both the benefits and disadvantages of the digital age is to strive to achieve the best possible image quality at initial capture and have as little reliance as possible on any after treatments. But then this is the way it has always been, it is just the available technologies that have changed. The one thing that can be guaranteed is that as time progresses so will technology and we will have to harness it and use it as we would any tool driven by our own imaginations.

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The range and scope of the tools available to the present dayphotographer have never been better . . . unfortunately althoughthe tools may be great there is no guarantee that the resultsbe equally as great.

Charlie Brooker has a reputation for creating the bizarre, the dark, the unsettling. He is the creator of Channel Four’s Black Mirror:a selection of mini dramas depicting the way we live our livesin a modern world, especially where technology is concerned.The title itself refers to the black mirror we have in our houses,in our handbags, in the palm of our hands: the dark screen of oursmartphones, our monitors, our TVs. And he chooses to outline that this relationship isn’t always a happy one.

Channel Four devised a campaign based on 48 sheets andposters for the 2 weeks leading up to the show’s air time.They needed an image which, when stood alone, wouldencompass the essence of the series – something that could show ‘delight’ and ‘discomfort’ in one go, - something that was alternative enough to make the audience watch it, whilst not scaring them off.

Channel Four’s in-house creative team, 4Creative, came up with the idea of using one of the ‘Black Mirrors’ – the smartphone –as the focal point. They choose to assimilate the feel of generic

smartphone advertising which has been out there for the last few years. The type that people are comfortable and familiar with, but to add an awkward twist; to create a quite disturbing image to what is fundamentally a very straight one. They worked with various styles of manipulating the base image to create a distorted view of it, and found that using an actual broken mirror special effect over the top, radiating out from the smartpone would actually create the most impact.

They choose 2 main scenarios – a squeaky clean late teens girl, and a young mum and babe – emanating the generic style of smartphone advertising. Shot in a private house in London, we spent the day working through the different variations of shots, working with the stylists and art directors to create an almost ‘twee’ easy-on-the-eye selection of shots, including manyvariations to give options to use for comping.

Of these a small selection were chosen and presented toChannel4, with the final image being used on the 48 sheet.It was shot on a P65+ making a 180mb Tiff. This file size was

Kate Abbey

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of overlapping images as was the case of the Black Mirror shoot needed a masterly touch. In this case I supplied a high res Tiff, processed in Capture One and manipulated in Photoshop tocreate my ‘style’. Tag Creative then did the retouch/distortionon the image using a separate broken glass layer.

Does this then alter the ownership of the image? If another ‘creative’ has had substantial input into the finished image,does this make the process less enjoyable, less rewarding?

I don’t think so.

As long as I have creative input into the retouch process,it becomes another string in the bow of a photographer’soffering. There are some incredibly talented retouchers out there, whose skill has developed over many years and who can bring new excitement to your work. It’s definitely something I embrace, and value when the opportunity is there to use them.

essential as the same image would be used for the 48 sheet landscape shot and the poster shot which would be portrait – hence there was a large proportion of the image that wouldnot be used.

Having been in the industry for 15 years, I’ve become quite skilled in retouching and post development. However, the artin adding a layer of broken glass to an image to disfigure in such a convincing way, was beyond my current capabilities. It would have taken me days of practise to get anywhere near, puttingon hold all my photography commissions, whilst doing so.Retouchers are a valuable skill to a photographer and mostcertainly have their place in the sequence of creating stunningadvertising images. Just as a photographer has ‘experts’ to design sets, style models, etc. we sometimes need specialists to manipulate the image and take it to the next level. This isn’t always the case: There’s often the time that I know exactly what I want and how to go about it to create my own unique style (whatever that is). But an extremely intricate comping together

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Internally, they had discussed using CGI as a possible solution and also shooting a traditional roomset combined with a shot of water from a water tank. Not convinced that either of these routes would give a truly believable result, and as someone who thrives on a challenge, I suggested shooting it for real, as one shot, in the studio. Mark was intrigued and excited and wanted to hear more.

Around two years earlier I had been commissioned to shoot an ad for Vimto depicting a number of kids floating on rubber rings slurping the drink through giant straws. This required me to get under water and over water shots at the same time - exactly what Mark was hoping to achieve. The visual also showed the waterline quite distinctly across the frame of the shot, so an underwater camera was out of the question as the water would be too close to the camera to get the horizon line we needed. Through my previous research I also knew that shooting through the side of a glass sided pool would be optically challenging.I called on my experience from the Vimto shoot, sent somereference shots to Mark and convinced him this was the way to go.

My plan was to buy a large circular pool we could fill with water and into which we would lower the set. Of course, positioninga heavy room set on top of a fragile rubber pool lining is always going to have its dangers and so I opted to suspend the wall an inch or two above the pool floor so they never came in contact.

Tim Ainsworth


I was approached by my client Mark Wilkinson at Work Comms with this visual and the question . . . “So how would you shoot this, Tim?” He wanted to pick my brains about how best to create a flooded room with a view above and below the water line.

I made and built a new and improved water tank. Instead of building the whole tank from perspex and welded steel, I built it from MDF with only the window at the front being perpsex. The MDF was easy to waterproof with marine paint. I wouldn’t need to physically get inside the tank as I had done last time, as the camera would be locked off, so it could be much smaller too.As the pool was circular it gave me the opportunity to hangthe tank from two scaffold bars.

Monday 9am - pool assembly commenced. We suspended the wallpapered plywood wall from the lighting gantry and started filling the pool. It was a big pool. We had one small hosepipe.

It was clear that this was going to take some time!

The wall would be attached to the height adjustable lighting gantry and lowered once the pool had filled. To get the view above and below water at the same time, with a visible water line, I planned to shoot from within a semi-submerged tank with special optically clear perspex as the viewing window.

The 15ft diameter swimming pool was ordered along with a couple of pairs of waders, and I set to work building the tankfor the camera. The stylist was briefed and started hunting forfurniture and props that we could buy for the set. Obviously these items were all going to be ‘flood damaged’ so hiringthem was out of the question.

Having done the shoot for Vimto, I knew how to build the camera tank, only this time I would learn from some of the mistakes

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. . . pool assembly commenced. We suspended the wallpapered plywood wall from the lighting gantry and started filling the pool. It was a big pool. We had one small hosepipe. It was clear that this was going to take some time!


Despite being very heavy, the tank was incredibly buoyantand needed quite a bit of assistance to stay under the water.Hanging several sand bags over the scaffold bars did the trick.

We sank some carpet to the bottom of the pool to give thefeeling of a house interior, weighed down with some stage weights, added a sofa, table, lamp and the odd prop that you may find in a kitchen - kettle, salt and pepper pots, iron, pans etc because of course in a flood, all your belongings get mixed up as the water wreaks its havoc around your home. The television proved a bit tricky to position. Being an old style CRT type witha big glass tube, it needed some stage weights to stop it floating on the surface.

Now the props were in place I set about lighting the submerged set. Having thrown in some soil and general muck to make the water murky, I realised that the light transmission through the bottom quarter of the shot was going to need a boost withsome extra lighting, taking care only to affect the area belowthe water and to avoid light spilling onto the props above which would have over exposed them.

The water was disturbed with a plank of wood to create some subtle waves and break up the surface reflections, which looked great for a few seconds, but then the water disruption would eventually start moving the props around. This enabled me to shoot a few frames but quite quickly the water would become too murky, the props would reposition themselves, sometimes right in front of the camera, blocking the shot. The perspexwindow quickly became dirty, requiring a wader-clad assistantto step in and give it a wipe.

Because of the effects of refraction, it was impossible to position the props by looking from above water level. You could place the iron or toaster where you thought was correct only to find that the under/over view told you something quite different and the prop could even be out of shot! Fortunately we were able to reposition the props using the live view on the camera as it was virtually impossible to get my head inside the tank.

After making sure we had the lighting just right and had a feel for how the props and water were reacting, we gradually started to pump the water out to create tide lines around the sofa and also added a subtle amount of smoke to give the shot aneerie feel.

In all the shoot took exactly five days to turn around. By 5pmon the Friday the pool had been emptied and packed away.

The shot you see here is completely un-retouched. It’s probably how I would have done it in the days before digital and it is still to this day how I prefer to work - get as much as you can incamera and only rely on retouching when you absolutely have to.

The shot you see here is completely un-retouched. It’s probably how I would have done it in the days before digital and it is still to this day how I prefer to work - get as much as you can in camera and only rely on retouching when you absolutely have to.

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Back in 1988, before Macs were a part of the process I wasworking as an art director at BDH (now TBWA Manchester)with copywriter Neil Lancaster. We’d developed a campaignfor Trafford Park in Manchester. Trafford Park was an industrial wasteland which had been designated for development, it was a God-forsaken place, a vast part of the area, Salford Docks was full of unwanted dirty ship basins, awash with detritus adesolate place that no one wanted to visit. The brief was tocreate interest and investment by proving the area could be a great vibrant, clean place to work. In order to do that we needed to show its potential and with nothing to photograph thatwas difficult. We worked with Graham Westmorland who was an ex-artdirector just turned photographer to create the illusion that this new Salford Docks existed. We took around 17 different colour images and comped them together to form a vision of what would be there. The process was extremely difficult, laborious and complex, it involved neg-cutting, physical comping andair-brushing of transparencies.

In the shot the elements are all individual, the two side walls,the end wall, the water, main-building railings and at one point there was even a speed boat in there.

The resulting ad was successful for Trafford Park and thecampaign picked up a bronze at the Roses that year.

To you as readers it will look pretty boring, a poor comp anddull overall - at the time it was ground-breaking.

I’m reminded of the shoot every Wednesday as I swim my mile in Dock 9, outside the glitsy BBC/Media City complex and the award winning Lowry knowing I played a little part in all of this.

It took a lot of work convincing the client to approve the use of the comp as at the time they wanted to use a drawing of the area. We felt that using the comp would give a much better feel of what would be there.

I think that style of production is something that we now doeveryday, I can’t recall a pure image that hasn’t been manipu-lated in someway being used for sometime. The difference is in

Andy Cheetham


the way it’s done and the people that do it. Those skilledphoto-compers were a breed unto themselves, artistsworking with chemicals, dupe transparencies and ink who lived in darkrooms bent over a light-box operating with a surgical scalpel and a magnifying glass. It was a process which an art-director couldn’t do themselves (nor would want to do). Nowadays all young art directors can work photoshop and can create images far better than this just to sell-in their concepts. Life simply moved on. But ultimately with out the initial base shot (or number of shots) you can’t begin. As the great Martin Anderson used to say: “Kidda – you can’t polish a turd” You have to start with a great image and that’s where you guys come in.

Good photography is still key, in fact arguably in an era where people don’t read, imagery whether moving or still is THE language of communication as it short hands us to a message.

We are more visually literate than ever and with ever-increasing capabilities for delivery of images to phones, tablets etc I can only see the reliance of imagery growing.

On the swimming, they’ve been pumping air into the docks and filtering the water for many years now. On Wednesday nights and Saturday mornings up to 400 people enjoy open water swimming in the dock, it was the official open water swimming area for the Commonwealth Games and every few weeks in the summer there’s some kind of event on there. On July 20th about 6000 swimmers (me being one of them) will compete in theBritish Gas Swim in that very water.

“Kidda – you can’tpolish a turd”

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You have to start witha great image and that’s where you guys come in.

Good photographyis still key.


In the late 70s, after traveling to strange and often dangerous places - and meeting strange and often dangerous people,I returned to my native city of Aberdeen. Unlike the rest of theUK which was in recession, the Oil Industry in Aberdeen wasbooming. I bought a second Nikon body, loaded it with colour transparency film and became a corporate photographer.

Although the commercial/industrial world still preferred (or even stipulated) that any work had to be medium format minimum with sterile polished images, I managed to get a few clients who appreciated my “gritty” photojournalistic approach or my ability to light a boring, industrial interior to make it look like a still from the film 2001.

My favorite location then was on the back of a supply or standby boat. I would often fly out to the platform and transfer to avessel via a personnel basket - or even get dropped off by a Zodiac inflatable and climb up a ladder on the leg if the swellwas not too high. As in conventional landscape photography dusk or early morning was the best time and the platform would turn into an amazing ‘Art Installation’ with the added drama of the flare. The ability to position the vessel where I wanted it and being on location long enough to watch and capture the best light was often made available.

Occasionally I would travel to an oilfield by a supply boat and spend 4-5 days at sea. Fortunately I have never suffered from sea-sickness or boredom. I could read books, food was always good and it was quite exhilarating being in a small boat in a storm. I was very lucky in only having one ‘near miss’ when Iwas hit by a big wave. I survived unscathed but I lost a camera.

I had achieved recognition for one of my ‘Art Installation’photographs by entering and winning the ‘TelegraphPhotographer of the Year’ award - so I decided to enter thisimage into the equally prestigious ‘B&H Gold’ photographiccompetition where I received a commendation.

On the night of 6 July 1988, the worst oilfield disaster occurred when the Piper Alpha exploded, killing 167 men. Even though the 61 men who survived did so by breaking all the rules and not following safety procedures – this event was catalytic in creating a culture where common sense has been replaced by a monster of bureaucracy and rules created by people without any nouse.

I can appreciate and understand why the Oil and Gas Industry curtailed or banned many activities offshore. I could still travel by boat to take photographs, mainly for smaller Oil Companies who wanted to feature their major investments on the front of their Annual Report covers, or by helicopter for air-to-air or aerial work.

The pioneering phase of the Oil Industry passed and theCorporates no longer wanted to feature dangerous, risky places with potential to harm the environment.

Their people became their focus as their major resource and ‘shiny’ pictures of happy multi-ethnic people became the orderof the corporate day.

I didn’t care for the new corporate approach of absolute control over everything you photographed even to the point of requiring the photographer to assign your copyright to them.

Niall Cotton

My favorite location then was on the back ofa supply or standby boat. I would often fly outto the platform and transfer to a vessel viaa personnel basket - or even get dropped off bya Zodiac inflatable and climb up a ladder on theleg if the swell was not too high.

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The pioneering phaseof the Oil Industry passedand the Corporates no longer wanted to feature dangerous,risky places with potentialto harm the environment.


I was hired fresh out of art college to dream up ideas. New ideas. Ideas that I had no idea how to make happen. That wasn’t my job. That job fell to the photographer of my choice, or thesuggested choice of my group head (Kit Marr) - well, I was thejunior art director with no knowledge yet of which photographers could bring my ideas to life.

Clutching my scribbled idea in hand I’d meet the photographers, or their agents, and discuss my idea. Treatments would come in. The art buyer would get quotes, of which I would never see and never wanted to see. I was just thinking of my idea and who was going to do it justice. Once the photographer was chosen we’d have another meeting and they would explain how they’d realise my idea. They’d talk of model makers, location finders, props guys, stylists, lighting, film, cameras, developers at the lab...a whole team of people just to put life into my idea. Not forgetting the retouchers, invariably old guys on the Fulham Rd drinking whiskey and mixing other chemicals to add the final magic to the image with flashes of light and a wave of a brush. Later replaced by artists sitting at Paintbox machines, but still artists nonetheless.

Everyone added their skill and knowledge in bringing the ideato life, but ultimately it was the photographer who pulled them all together, like a ring master at the circus. You learnt which ones to trust, the ones who would make it happen. It left you alone to just dream and think of creative ideas to solve the clients marketing problems. It was never my job to think how to make it happen, just think of the idea and then who could make it happen.

Over the years new technology appeared and certain skilledpeople disappeared. Things got quicker, cheaper and everyone had an opinion on how to make it happen. Hell, even I could change an image using Photoshop. But should I? Would it make it better? I didn’t think so and I never did fuck around, that wasn’t my job. Never has been, never will be. I still dream of ideas and who will realise them, who’ll add their expertise and hopefully add something else that I would never have thought of. Be a part of the team. That’s what I was always looking for - someone to add to my idea, see it in a way I would never imagine.

2013. Thirty years on. Have things improved? Has ‘new’ technology allowed us to produce better, more original images than before? Well we can certainly do things quicker, surf photo libraries for quick ‘instant’ solutions, art direct from a distance - like flying a drone, not seeing the damage we’ve done. We can let the money men dictate that we need to use in-house retouchers, even in-house photographers, BUT will they deliver the best solution to the idea. Can anyone tell anymore? Let’s not lose sight of what photographers can add to our ideas.

Flat pack, instant, cheap furniture or a beautifully designed Charles Eames chair? I know which I’d rather be sitting in thinking of ideas.

PS. I own a Mac, mess about on Photoshop, post to Instagram from my iPhone, love taking my own digital shots, but only for myself.

Thoughts of an Art Director

1983. My first year in advertising. In a ‘big’ London agency, with an art buyer, a production department, a traffic department, even a typing pool (well, the copywriters had to havesomeone to play with).

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This campaign for ProSport was createdwhilst I was at McCann Manchester in 2001.Initial concepts were shown to the client andthe nod was given to look at progressing them.

The decision now was whether to shoot themor illustrate them? We decided on photography,primarily because as we were subverting wellknown items of sporting paraphernalia,keeping them real would enhance the idea.

After deciding we were going down the photography route,the next decision was who to use.

I’d been aware of Rob Walker’s work, but not had the opportunity to shoot with him. He was sent initial scamps, featuring sports-men with injuries, but in the form of trophies and medals, not real people.

I was keen to get Rob involved from the outset and wanted his opinion on the initial ideas. We met up to discuss the concepts and we moved them on from the original thoughts - not being a sports fan, this world was a mystery to me as much as beer, whippets and pies. Luckily my copywriter was ‘that way inclined’ and knew about ‘that sort of stuff’, thus proving that for oncea copywriter can be useful.

Together we discussed the possible icons we could adapt,visiting a number of sports memorabilia shops to get an ideaof the type of items they sold.

Back in the studio with a mug of tea and dunking a biscuit,the final image came to mind – my thanks to Rob’s assistant,Paul Moffat, for the afternoon treats.

We now settled on 3 new concepts and they were re-presented to the client, who liked the direction we were moving in and signed them off.

The final list were - a table football player, the classic sport biscuit, a winners medal, tennis trophy and a pottery caricature of a rugby player (believe it or not these were very popular at the time!).

Rob suggested we should use a London model maker called Peter Kydd and he contacted him to get his input. Over the next week or so, various drawings and material samples were sent back and forth until we were happy with the expressions, colour, levels of injury etc.

Richard Irving


We also had extra ‘broken’ items that we could add or not, depending onhow we felt on the day. The model maker, whose years of experiencegave him this insight suggested this.

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Most of the models were oversized to allow for maximum detail in the faces and clothes, as well as practical reasons, such as depth of field and space for lights, bits of card, blue tack etc.I remember the footballer being 8-10 inches high and the biscuit was getting on for A4!

The models were made in such a way that we could rotatethem and alter their angle to camera in order to give us as many options as possible. We also had extra ‘broken’ items that we could add or not, depending on how we felt on the day. The model maker, whose years of experience gave him this insight,suggested this. I remember we might even have broken other bits off, again thanks to Paul Moffat for the delicate hammer work.

Part of our discussions had been what type of background to shoot them on - should it be grass or something similar to give an impression of the playing environment? We looked at variousoptions but in the end we decided to keep it simple and shoot them on white, with only a small holding shadow. Also, nothaving any copy, this added to the final clean look of the posters.

I kept the football figure as a reminder never to take up the game, and I believe my copywriter, as a dare, ate the biscuit after a drunken night out with his ‘rugger mates’.


1: Film: Boots - Yellow laces threaded through B/W painted print then re-shot on colour transparency.

I started working as an assistant back in 1990 at a Manchester studio. Looking back I remember working some ridiculously long days. Most of the still life stuff was shot on 5x4 sheet film(occasionally a big budget client would want 10x8), anything with people we shot on a Mamiya RZ 6x7. There was 35mm Nikon gear but I don’t recall ever using it for a job. Shots were tested with a Polaroid back before exposing transparency and sending to the lab on a 1hr turnaround (if they weren’t busy!)

In my spare time I worked on my portfolio. Although I didn’thave a distinctive photographic style I was always tinkeringwith images, whether that was scratching the emulsion offtransparencies, using multiple exposures, drawing over prints and then re-photographing them, pushing the boundary ofphotography and art was what excited me. The photo of the boot is typical of what I liked to play around with. It startedwith me doing a painted background, setting up the boot onthe background without laces and photographing it, then I

made a same size black and white print and took a paint brush to it to get the painterly effect. I threaded yellow laces back through the print and finally copied it to transparency. The boot image won a BJP competition with a first prize of £5k. Rather than invest the money and set up in business, I opted tosquander the money on other (more fun) things and take ona studio share setup I’d been offered.

2: Digital: Fish - Commissioned by Campbell Faye Manchester.

1992 was the first time I got to use Photoshop. I have to sayI love technology and the thought of all this tinkering ofimages on a screen interested me greatly. As with anythingI do, I threw myself into it headfirst. I’m not your instruction book type of person, dive in, play with it, make some errors, is the way I learn best, and that’s exactly what I did. This was all still in the pre-digital camera age. The fish image was a four part comp.I had a tank built in the studio and photographed the ‘riverbed’as one image. For the fish I had to go to a fishing club inRochdale where I waited for anglers to get a catch which

Christian McGowanThe 3 ages of Photography

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they transferred to a small fish tank so I could shoot the fish.I stood under the flightpath near Manchester Airport to get the silhouette of the plane (probably get a jail sentence if you tried that today!) The transparencies were sent to the lab for a scan on a drum scanner, the files were brought back to the studio on some form of optical disc, the images were then retouched(Photoshop didn’t have layers back then and you only had one undo!). Once completed the file was sent back to the lab wherea machine which cost more than your average house wrote the file back to a transparency.

3: CGI: Computer Generated Image

In 2007 I took the plunge and invested in the hardware andsoftware to create photorealistic computer generated images. The biggest benefit to the client with CGI is cost. The biggest benefit to an Art Director is that there are no limits to thecreative process of producing an idea.

What I find comforting with CGI is that the process of achieving the image requires the same skills and thought processes as that

of the earliest photographic images I created. I still have to tap into the lessons learned a long time ago of perspective, depth of field, lighting, exposure, colour temperature, composition etc. etc. It’s like having an infinite sized studio with as many lights and cameras as you want and you use them exactly as you would in a real studio. Where once you waited for a Polaroid to check composition and lighting I now have a render preview (doesn’t cost £2 a pop though). Then once I’m happy I do a high resrender of the image, which can take several hours depending on resolution, so it’s like waiting for the film to come back from the lab. Of course CGI isn’t the answer to everything and never will be, there are downsides as well, like sitting in front of a screen all day, but for me it’s become a major tool in my skill set and that can’t be a bad thing in todays economic climate.


Way back in the 90’s I was asked to work on an Ad campaignfor a hand soap for kids. One of the concepts suggested thatkids play in some really dirty places and the antibacterial contentof the soap would help keep them clean and germ free without spoiling the fun. To work, the kids face in the bin had to jump out, look like a cheeky little boy having fun, be endearing. Not just any little boy would do, the child had to be able to project the right attitude. We saw hundreds of children at the casting but this little boy, Zaccary Price, stood out for me, those eyes, like bin lids!

In the end, to my dismay, the client selected a different child but on the day of the shoot he wouldn’t get in the bin. I tried all manner of bribery, a Happy Meal, ice cream, his own Dalek, but it wasn’t going to happen. We had a deadline to meet and time was running out so I got on the phone to Tuesday’s Child, his agent. Zaccary lived in Stafford, a long way from the studio but hisdevoted mum brought him straight away. When he arrived he knew what to do and got straight in the bin, a little dirt on his face and the shot was in the bag, just in time!

In any image containing a person it’s the subject that makesthe shot. That’s why investing in proper and thorough casting,so often neglected, is so important.

In writing this piece I wondered what Zaccary was doing now. It turned out, presumably when they realized Zac wasn’t going

to make the big time as a model, his family decided to emigrate to Australia. Zac went through school, achieved a scholarship in aviation then on to University gaining degrees in Anthropology and Sociology, then turned to web development and recently, at 21 moved to Helsinki to work as a web designer. He lists photography as one of his main interests but has no interest whatsoever in Doctor Who.

It was great fun working with art directors Gary Hulmeand Danny Brooke-Taylor on this campaign for TBWA.

Jonathan OakesThe Importance of Casting

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We managed to track down Zaccary’s mum who now lives in Australia and find out what happened to him after his momentof fame in the dustbin. She sent us this email:

That really was the only Modelling job as such that Zac did,he was really quite a shy child and to be honest modelling wasn’t up his street, up until the age of ten he just enjoyed a normal child hood, and grew to love computer games as most kids these days seem to.

At the age of ten we moved to Perth Western Australia for a new start, why, well mainly for the better opportunities it would give our 2 children, Zac has a younger sister Deisha who at the time we emigrated was just six. They both enjoyed life at primary school which was so different from what they were used to in England, the schools here just seem more open and encouraging. Zac then went on to gain a scholarship in Aviation at a high School called Kent Street, his interest soon changed duringHigh Street from wanting to go down the road of Aviation intoan interest in Geology, he also got into web design as a personal interest and while there gained an avid interest in Finlandwhere he one day wanted to live.

He graduated High School in 2008 and got a place at CurtinUniversity where he studied Anthropology and Sociology in which he gained a degree in 2012, while at University he also

pursued his interest in web design taking several coursesto enhance his knowledge.

While finishing University he started his own web designbusiness mainly to earn money so he could save up to moveto Helsinki, he did really well and gained quite a few clients through word of mouth, once he had acquired enough funds he announced he was moving last July. He flew a few days before his 21st birthday, and to be honest has never looked back.

He loves his new live there, has a good job at a companycalled Avansera where he works as a Front End web designer, one of his many pass times and interests funnily enough isphotography, mainly scenery, must say they are really good,lots of Finnish Forests etc (check out his facebook).

To work, the kids face in the bin had to jump out, look like a cheeky little boy having fun, be endearing. Not just any little boy would do, the child had to be able to project the right attitude. We saw hundreds of children at the casting but this little boy,Zaccary Price, stood out for me, those eyes, like bin lids!


“Your desk is a shit hole” a suit opines.

“Thank you, I always value your opinion” responds the already mildly annoyed creative, it’s only 9.15 and he hasn’t had his second coffee yet. “Anyway, what’s the panic - and why do you always travel in pairs?”

As you may have surmised by now, we’re ‘back in the day’.There are no Macs. There’s a Grant enlarger instead with a stack of font books next to it. There’s a light box well past its colour correct view-by date, piled high with two-and-a-quarters.There’s another ashtray next to it, spilling out and adheringto the sticky-with-spraymount cutting mat.

“We’ve got a rush job” the suit announces “here’s the brief”.To put that in perspective, a rush job back in the day meant there’s probably only a month to get the job out. But then,things took far longer to put together.

“We need some ideas by Thursday, just scamps, we’re going to fax them over to the client”. No you’re effing not, thinks the AD, we’ll get in your Escort XR3i and sell it face to face - and I’ll be there to field the questions. But that conversation can wait.

The brief has been in for a week, the planner’s given it some thought, the media department have bashed the Brad and called in favours to get the back page, we’re ready to go.

There are holes in the brief; Who are the competitors and what ads are they doing? The KSP is too vague, we need to tighten this up. This will need a shot, I’ll have to call round and see who’s available. Library shot? Not keen but maybe at a push, depends on the idea, I’ll need circulation numbers, they charge per square inch multiplied by the number of mags, and then stick a nought on the end, so it won’t be cheap. Anyway it’ll take a day to search through the dozens of photo library books heaped in thecupboard, and then they’ll be full of holes where ref pics have been scalpelled out. And half the books are just full of wildlife.

No, we’ll shoot it.

“I’ll get back to you on Wednesday with some thoughts and a ball park for photography.”

Thoughts of another Art Director

The ashtray is piled high, room for just one more. The art director takes advantage of that fact as the suits appear with knitted brows and armfuls of files. He puts down the stack of five fours and the chinagraph next to the Barely Beige Magic Marker gently evaporating, lamenting the loss ofits lid. Perhaps he’ll fill me up with lighter fluid later, it muses.

Marlboro to Mocha

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Shame about the photography though, maybe that food ad next week – won’t find a royalty free of that!

The studio is piled high with Macs. It’s quiet. The creatives are all frowning at their screens.One desk is piled high with paper and markers. There are a few grey hairs scattered around too.The art director takes a last pull on his choca mocha double shot as the suits appear.

“Your desk is a shit hole” a suit opines.

“Thank you, I always value your opinion” responds the already mildly annoyed creative, it’s only 9.15 and he’s still smarting over paying three quid for a shit coffee. “Anyway, what’s the panic - and why do you always travel in pairs?”

As you may have surmised by now, we’re ‘back in today’.

“We’ve got a rush job” the suit announces “the brief’s on your email. The client forgot to tell us they booked an ad through Acmedia and the deadline’s tomorrow. Artwork’s booked for this afternoon so you’ve got all morning. We’ll email scamps over about lunchtime.”

Again, there are the usual holes in the brief, the key one being the budget - there isn’t one. Again the client is expecting us to come up with a great ad and find free images to make it work. Shitterstock beckons, perhaps this time there will be a little gem hidden away?

But then, perhaps I’ll do something typographic instead, I can try out loads of options really quickly, it could be good. He boots up the Mac. Christ, remember how long this would take back in the

day... spec it up, send it out to the typesetters, get the galley back, chop it up, stick it down, spec it for colour; wouldn’t see what it looks like til Cromalin. If I don’t like it, it’s back to square one and the budget’s out the window. Mmm, love the Mac.

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The image of the man with the plaster on his willy was shotin 1996 and the client was Marie Stopes Vasectomy Clinics.The advertising was to promote the idea to men to have a vasectomy.

The creative team came up with the idea of a Greek Adonis with his manhood covered by a fig leaf. The idea was to snip off the fig leaf. This was modified and replaced with a plaster.

The copywriter put himself forward as the model, as he imagined he represented the image of a Greek Adonis. Unfortunately he didn’t make it through the casting session, which didn’t stophim taking credit as the model at various subsequent awardspresentations. The ad and image were quite controversial atthe time.

The image was printed with a response coupon covering the plastered area reading: “If you want a vasectomy you will needa sharp pair of scissors”

The idea was a DIY snip. The clipped coupon generated a record response and was very successful.

The campaign won numerous National and Internationaladvertising awards and a photography award and was chosenfor the 14th AoP awards exhibition and book.

The campaign for Marie Stopes continued with another highprofile image featuring a lollipop lady with her ‘Stop Children’ sign.

The art director had seen this and developed the idea to shoot the image at a school crossing. The problem came when we tried to source the lollipop. The message on the current lollipops had changed to ‘Children Crossing’ and we had to approach several councils to find an original board.

The twist to the story was that when we came to shoot theimage outside a school play area, with an actress, (who looked the part as a lollipop lady) an angry woman appeared from a nearby house to ask what we were doing.

We tried to explain, but she was the local lollipop lady and thought our actress was pinching her job!

Geoff Smith

. . . when we came to shoot the image outside a school play area, with an actress, (who looked the part as a lollipop lady) an angry woman appeared from a nearby house to ask what we were doing . . .

. . . he didn’t make it through the casting session, which didn’t stop him taking credit as the model at various subsequent awards presentations.The ad and image were quite controversialat the time.


It started with a commission and an idea from a company who distribute a vast range of food around the country. The image was to be used on the sides of their lorries and they wanted to show what they do in an eye-catching, creative way.

We took our inspiration from a holiday snap of Keswick, whichwe roughly sketched up to give us an idea of what food we weregoing to use to create the various landscape elements. Some were obvious, like broccoli trees and lentils for paths and others less obvious, such as the silver foil bow wave of the potato boat. The help of a good food stylist is essential, for their expert knowledge and creative presentation of food.

It was all set out on an 8’ x 4’ polystyrene board which was ideal for securing trees with cocktail sticks. Super-glue would only ever stick things to my fingers, which it did really well! A hot glue gun, pins and Blu tack were invaluable.

Fortunately we didn’t have to buy all the food, which was supplied by the client, all £300 worth. Most of it was taken home and eaten afterwards including a few bits of sneaky Blu Tack.

Although we were pleased with what was taking shape wefelt we needed more texture and shapes together with colourto bring the whole picture alive. So we added bushes withmushrooms, figs and cress, ‘rock’ potatoes and figs, chiveflowers etc., etc. Pomegranate ‘apples’ were added to the trees

with a little Scotch Bonnet basket full of ‘apples’ underneath and then parsley added to the dry stone wall which helped to make it look authentic. These added elements did the trick.

The lake looked a bit bare, so we added a boat which was a potato sliced in half horizontally then added a sail with the white flesh of a marrow with tin foil for surf. We were beginning to smile now it was looking good!

It took us only one long day to shoot. You can’t hang around when you have so much food wanting to wilt and die, just as you get it in the right position. It was shot using a Hasselblad with a 35mm lens to give the correct perspective from foreground interest to the hills in the background, which was all one shot. Lighting was a 2k tungsten light to mimic sunlight - keeping it simple is sometimes the best policy.

It was completed with the usual bit of Photoshop. I wanted to try and do as much work as possible in camera and not rely on Photoshop, as it could look too retouched and false. There wasn’t much retouching needed mainly getting rid of the odd pin, glue splodge and tell-tale gap in the food.

I take great pride when I’m driving down the motorway and see one of their lorries, knowing I was part of the team who created the image on the side.

Mike Slawski

At first glance, this looks like a scene from the Lake District with towering hills in the background. However, look more closely and you will see that the trees are broccoli and the hills are loaves of bread. In fact, everything you can see in the photograph is made of food!

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It was completed with the usual bit of Photoshop. I wanted to try and do as much work as possible in camera and not rely on Photoshop, as it could look too retouched and false. There wasn’t much retouching needed mainly getting rid of the odd pin, glue splodge and tell-tale gap in the food.

I take great pride when I’m driving down the motorway and see one of their lorries, knowing I was part of the team whocreated the image on the side.


What is the relationship between the Art Director and how they commission and use photography?

To answer this you need to have some perspective. My career started just as the digital revolution in both the agency studio and in the photographer’s realm was starting, but film was still the de-facto medium for photography.

Without stating the obvious the relationship is a partnership,one of both inspired problem solving and creation (the romantic element) and that of practical production (a technical and process element), all hopefully wrapped up in an attitude of creativity and commitment to the highest levels of craft, and ultimately one of commercial benefit to all parties

Like most relationships it’s the balance of these romanticand practical elements that makes a rewarding and lastingrelationship. But has this balance fundamentally changed orare these elements different in today’s agency world?

There have been many changes on the practical side with the increasing digitisation of our world, bringing with it many highly beneficial changes to the AD mainly around image manipulation and processing, asset management and costs of materials.

But as the technology has changed, I believe the principlesof the process have stayed the same.

On the romantic side, and by this I mean the creative andconceptual level at which we work together, there is still a highly held reverence for the photographer’s craft and creative skills. There is still that excitement of being given the approvalto go ahead and commission photography.

Few moments in the studio have the same feeling of discovering a new photographer and sharing their work. The moment, if you get it, to leaf through their portfolio and discover lush newimagery is a wonderful moment. Don’t get me wrong, online or digital presentations are great and have many advantages over the analogue format. But perhaps this is where the chemistry that makes up the relationship is challenged by digitalimprovements, and some of the romantic and sensory experience essential to commissioning great photography is diluted.

So fundamentally, has anything changed?

Short answer: Yes. Not in the process or craft of commissioning photography, but in the context in which our relationship is now conducted. Our access and exposure to photography culturally is greater than it has ever been. From promotional emails to weekly editorial features or the discovery of another stock library,we are surrounded.

Also at a non-professional level, the integration and impact of Smart-phone cameras and the use of photography as one of the key building blocks of social media currency into our lives has no doubt influenced our perceptions of photography.

I believe as art directors we have lead and been involved with many of these changes, and we have continued to broadly retain the same values and commitment to the crafting of idea andproduction methods, despite some of the challenges theimmediacy of these channels require.

But it is these changes and influences at a client level thatI believe have had greater influence on the art directorsrelationship with photography.

Thoughts of yet another Art Director

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With this increased access and exposure, I don’t perceive a deeper and increased understanding and appreciation of what goes into good photography in the client’s mind. We more often than not seem to be fighting a wave of client perceptions influenced by this ease of access, disposability and commoditisation of photography that leaves little comfortable space for great work to happen.

Everything has been sped up, from creative time to turn around time, and we have lost some of the opportunity to share the contemplation and appreciate the journey and find what isrequired to make great photography. I’m not wanting to sound like I’m an ‘indulgent creative’ just wanting more time, it’s about a professional belief in following a practice, not one set in stone but an evolving one that retains the principles that professional discipline brings to the quality of what we produce.

But is this context now just a fact of our lives or is it something we can and should do something about?

I believe, based on experience that the passion for the magic of art directing photography has not gone out of the art director and photographer relationship. But perhaps we, and I mean we, the art director and the photographer, just need to channel some of that energy into rethinking how we bring the creative and production process to life for our clients to ensure they too can value what commissioning great photography involves.

Often in the early stage of a project when the photography conversation is being had, the photographer is not aware we are even considering or selling them, and perhaps the opportunityto get involved and contribute may be what is required.

This is where we should be utilising the thoughts and ideas of the photographer to bring the creative and production processto life. We need to make sure the client understands the real value of high quality, emotive photography and that a qualityimage reflects their brand. How we do this will vary dramaticallyfrom client to client - there is no one solution, which, in one sense, is the real challenge.

Like a beautiful photograph, it takes skill and careful planning to capture a client’s expectations. By showing them the possibilities stunning pictures offer them in a way that inspires them, we can ensure we capture their imagination and crucially their audience. We need to think beyond just the traditional mood board and look for moments of theatre in our presentations and communications that connect the client’s senses and empower their trust in us as the hired professionals who have their interests at heart.

Ultimately in this relationship, we are predominantly the frontline for selling the photographic experience to clients, and with that comes the responsibility of trust on behalf of the photographer and the client.

Perhaps now is the perfect time to embrace these challenges and for art director and photographers to collaborate moreand deepen the relationship of creating great photographyfor our clients.

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This shot of professional cyclist Mark Cavendish, taken inJune 2009, was a pleasure to be part of. The client was Nikeand agency Wieden & Kennedy, both companies I’m proud to beassociated with.

The commission itself happened very quickly if I remember correctly (probably due to Mark’s availability), a phone call on a Friday afternoon asking if I could be in Tuscany for Monday to shoot Mark Cavendish who was in the mountains training forthe upcoming Tour De France. We arrived a day early to recce locations with the ad agency.

Mark was really easy going and enthusiastic, he had no problem at all with us sticking tape over his mouth, constantly spraying him with water or putting the lens right in his face.

The green tape was symbolic of the points leader ‘green jersey’ which he was bidding to take for the first time that year. The words ‘Speed Talks’ was reference to the fact that Mr Cavendish is often outspoken and had recently been in hot water due to his words. ‘Speed Talks’ also referred to the performance he was about to give which would silence his critics.

The ad itself ran almost as soon as I returned to the UK in National broadsheets and appeared on huge posters around London, going on to be heavily awarded in worldwidephoto competitions.

What really makes this particular commission stand out for me is that the shot you see was the entire ad. No added copy or logos just the words which we had written on the tape in Tuscany. Nike even asked for the ‘Swoosh’ on Mark’s shorts to be knocked back a bit as it was too prominent.

“Great Stuff”

Alex Telfer

. . . a phone call on a Friday afternoon asking if I could be in Tuscany for Monday to shoot Mark Cavendish who was in the mountains training for the upcoming Tour De France.

The words ‘Speed Talks’ was reference to the fact that Mr Cavendish is often outspoken and had recently been in hot water due to his words.


I was commissioned in 1994 by the London agency LoweHoward Spink to photograph a series of ads for Reebok.

There were 4 scenarios to shoot; Tennis, Squash, Gym andCross Country.

Each required a sense of action, whilst retaining a high levelof detail in the shoe.

I took the decision to shoot all four in my Manchester studioin order to have total control over the lighting on the product,as this was the most important element. Plus I didn’t wantto get wet!

I also wanted to shoot on 5x4 to give more perspective and focus options, together with ease of composition and proofing(Polaroid).

I am concentrating on the ‘Technology’ ad, but the executions were all very similar.

We constructed a chipboard flat which was approximately 4ft wide at the front widening to around 8ft at the back over a length of 10ft. This was mounted on large soft wheels and laid horizontally on the floor. In essence it was a wedge shaped floor on wheels. (See sketch - definitely not to scale).

This was covered in the various materials relevant to the shoe we were photographing.

The idea was to keep the subject still and move the background during the exposure.

This would give the impression of the camera moving with the shoe. But of course both the camera and shoe never moved at all.

For the cross country trainer we needed an outdoor grassy feel with a shingle path running through it. So we literally created a small hill towards the back out of polystyrene and chicken wire and covered it in turf. The path was black gravel laid in a false perspective to give the impression of distance, we kept the gravel wet as this produced better highlights.

Robert WalkerReebok ‘Technology’ Campaign

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For the sky, a large photographic print made from a shot I already had was hung on stands a small distance behind the wheeled floor. The 2 additional runners were simply cut from a magazine and photocopied to size, stuck on thin card and fixed to themoving floor.

Two low scaffold towers were built, one either side of thenarrow end of the floor, a plank was placed between the towers and our ‘athlete’ model sat on this with his legs dangling above the false floor. This would then be rolled at various speedsduring the exposure.

The scene was lit with tungsten lighting and the model’s feet were arranged to give the impression of running. He was able to let his heel and toe touch the floor whilst Polaroids were made. He then had to lift them just off the ground whilst the floor was pushed underneath them and the exposure made. This wasactually very uncomfortable for him, fortunately he was a true pro taking the pain without complaint!

The floor only needed to move a small amount to achieve the effect, however it was important to only make the exposurewith the floor moving away from the camera, otherwise the blur was reversed and he looked like he was running backwards!As the floor moved differently each time all the shots were unique which gave the client plenty of choice.

The film was pushed at the processing stage to increase the contrast and add punch, and the image was not retouched inany way. Most importantly, we all remained dry!

Agency Lowe Howard SpinkA/D Simon ButlerCopywriter Gethin StoutClient ReebokPhotographer Robert WalkerAssistant Mat WrightModel Chris DomoneyIllustration Simon Henshaw

The film was pushed at theprocessing stage to increasethe contrast and add punch,and the image was not retouched in any way. Most importantly,we all remained dry !

Debra BurnsThe best thing about being at Boss is that you are in touch withso many different people across such a huge range of the humanspectrum. Scouting is particularly entertaining, and a real challenge. Approaching people on the street, at a festival or event, or in thesupermarket – is usually met with a look of total bewilderment and disbelief. I then have to justify my approach, and convince themthat actually this is my real job.

Everyone needs their escape route from the crazy pressures of work – this is mine. Our genuine 1978 Mercedes Hymer Campervan is nowthe Official Bossmobile Scouting Wagon, after making her debut at Glastonbury this year. For the time being, it’s the closest I can getto a Romany Caravan. (I already have the horse).

Samantha ArmstrongSam is currently a senior creative at Origin Creative. Having previously worked at JWT, she has been instrumental in developing the creative output for a diverse range of clients across multiple sectors.

Sam has a BA (Hons) degree in Graphic Design, gained at UCLAN.She has come quite a long way from her student placement days where she was tasked with stuffing envelopes with private view invitations for the SUN Awards to now sitting on the judging panel.

Having moved to Manchester to pursue her career, Sam’s routes are still well grounded in the North East. This photograph was a taken ona recent train journey homeward bound.


SUN25 Judges

SUN25 Judges

Carl LyttleRecipient of many high profile industry awards, and at the forefront of digital and CGI photographic image making, London based Carl first fell in love with photography in his native Belfast in the late 1970’s.

Most of Carl’s work now takes him on location around the world chasing the light and landscapes that his commissions require. Working mainly in the automotive arena for clients such as Nissan, Mercedes and Subaru to name but a few.

Carl produces a massive output of personal work every year as he shoots continuously to satisfy his passion for image making.

Simon LeachHaving first been given a camera at 8 years old, Simon neverreally considered being a professional photographer until startingan apprenticeship with a Bristol based commercial and industrialphotographer in 1987. Since then he has studied at GLOSCATand Blackpool College, worked as a photographic printer anda freelance assistant.

With an obsession for light, he continues to produce photographs for commercial and fashion clients as well as personal projects. He hashad opportunity to meet lots of photographers and continues to be inspired by their enthusiasm and passion.

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SUN25 Judges


SUN25 Judges

Ian RossinIan Rossin is Creative Director at the Brass Agency in Leeds and has been there for too many years to mention. He works in both the online and offline worlds. He says “Art direction of photography is a big part of the job and I love the immediacy and power photography has to connect people with a feeling or an idea or just helping you see the world. It’s also a passion. I’ve been a keen amateur digital photographer since 2001 whenI bought my first camera since college – just love creating andrecording images from the world around me, when and where I want to – creative freedom!” Ian explains his photo of his four-legged friend “I’d forgotten I’d taken this shot but when I saw it again I really liked that feeling it conveys to me of being tired at the end of a hard day. I like the textures of the Yorkshire stone and the muddy horse and then the awaiting scrubbing brush!”

Peter MitchellFrom the metropolitan boulevards of London to the mean streetsof Leeds is something I’ve never regretted. Of course I alwaysintended going back (though not to Catford) but I met the rightfriends, acquaintances and colleagues and the lure of The North took over. I used to be a Civil Servant (Whitehall) but now I’m a photographerwith an obscure accent.

SUN25 Judges

Best Image

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SUN25 Best Image

Best Image Winner


SUN25 Best Image

Mark Kensett


Tim Ainsworth | 0161 866 8803 | [email protected] | timainsworth.com | 2012


Tim Ainsworth | 0161 866 8803 | [email protected] | timainsworth.com | 2000

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Victor Albrow | 07860 958 690 | [email protected] | albrow.com | 2012


Harry Archer | 01274 669 996 | [email protected] | viewpointphotography.co.uk | 2013

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Harry Archer | 01274 669 996 | [email protected] | viewpointphotography.co.uk | 2013


David Boni | 07740 511 096 | [email protected] | davidboni.com | 2012


Robert Brady | 07713 399 578 | [email protected] | robertbrady.co.uk | 2013

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Mark Bruce | 07788 553 552 | [email protected] | markbruce.co.uk | 2013

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Darren Burdell | 0113 391 0000 | [email protected] | burdell.co.uk | 2009

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Jay Cain | 07803 007 424 | [email protected] | jaycain.co.uk | 2012


George Coppock | 07960 407 745 | [email protected] | georgecoppock.com | 2013

63shotupnorth.co.uk

Doug Currie | 0113 255 6140 | [email protected] | dougcurrie.co.uk | 2012


Mike Ford | 07766 503 143 | [email protected] | blurb.com | 2011


Tracey Gibbs | 07801 413 161 | [email protected] | traceygibbs.co.uk | 2003


Richard Goulding | 0161 924 0203 | [email protected] | richardgoulding.co.uk | 2010

69shotupnorth.co.uk

Tim Hetherington | 07831 228 219 | [email protected] | tim-hetherington.com | 2012


Meg Hodson | 07887 602 831 | [email protected] | meghodson.com | 2005

71shotupnorth.co.uk

Ed Horwich | 07976 407 472 | [email protected] | edphoto.com | 2000

73shotupnorth.co.uk

Garrod Kirkwood | 07921 528 873 | [email protected] | garrodkirkwood.com | 2011


Angus McDonald | 07973 142 490 | [email protected] | angusmcdonald.net | 2013

77shotupnorth.co.uk

Jonathan Oakes | 0161 236 9045 | [email protected] | jonathanoakes.com | 2012


Jonathan Oakes | 0161 236 9045 | [email protected] | jonathanoakes.com | 2012

79shotupnorth.co.uk

Andy Pendlebury | 0115 985 0680 | [email protected] | andypendleburystudios.com | 2007


Ian Pilbeam | 01624 840 441 | [email protected] | ianpillbeam.com | 2012

81shotupnorth.co.uk

Dan Prince | 0191 512 0351 | [email protected] | danprince.co.uk | 2012

83shotupnorth.co.uk



Steve Sharp | 0113 279 0869 | [email protected] | stevesharpphotography.com | 2013

85shotupnorth.co.uk

Steve Sharp | 0113 279 0869 | [email protected] | stevesharpphotography.com | 2013

87shotupnorth.co.uk

Phillip Thornton | 07710 499 281 | [email protected] | phillphoto.co.uk | 2013

89shotupnorth.co.uk

Robert Tomlin | 0161 773 5351 | [email protected] | robtomlin.com | 2012

91shotupnorth.co.uk

Robert Walker | 07836 642 281 | [email protected] | robertwalker.co.uk | 2011


Mark Webster | 07828 136 822 | [email protected] | markwebsterphotography.com | 2013

95shotupnorth.co.uk

SUN25 Best Use of Image

Best Use of Image


SUN25 Best Use of Image

Best Use of Image WinnerSean Knott


SUN25


SUN25 Photographer Index

Ed Horwich 71

Mark Kensett 45

Garrod Kirkwood 73

Angus McDonald 74

Richard Moran 75

Jonathan Oakes 77

Andy Pendlebury 79

Ian Pilbeam 80

Dan Prince 81

Steve Sharp 84

Lisa Stonehouse 86

Phillip Thornton 87

Robert Tomlin 88

Robert Walker 90

Mark Webster 92

James Welch 93

Tim Ainsworth 46Victor Albrow 49Harry Archer 50David Boni 52Robert Brady 54Nick Brown 57Mark Bruce 58Darren Burdell 59Jay Cain 61George Coppock 62Doug Currie 63Mike Ford 64 Paul Fosbury 65Tracey Gibbs 66Richard Goulding 67Tim Hetherington 69Meg Hodson 70

Copyright © Sun Expo Limited 2013All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical. Including photocopying, recording or otherwise, or stored on a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the photographer. The copyright of the individual photographs remains with the photographers or clients credited unless otherwise shown.

The compilation of the photographs remains with Sun Expo Limited.

Copyright © Sun Expo Limited 2013All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical. Including photocopying, recording or otherwise, or stored on a retrieval system of any nature, without the written permission of the photographer. The copyright of the individual photographs remains with the photographers or clients credited unless otherwise shown.

The compilation of the photographs remains with Sun Expo Limited.

The SUN [email protected]

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