Back to Work!

A garden photographed in Devon

I’m so happy to announce that I am starting back to work after this dreadful few weeks. What strange times we have all lived through, the ups and downs of ‘Lockdown Life’, the scary news we have listened to, and the terrible way that this virus has affected both health and well-being of the human race. Just to be able to get back to work is a joy, and I realise how lucky I have been. I can only hope its the same with you.

Thanks to Sophie Peckett Design, Kelling Designs, Kutchenhaus

I have been kept busy with various DIY and gardening jobs (who hasn’t!?), but also by taking pictures in my local landscape. I’m lucky to live in an area of outstanding beauty, and its lovely to be able to walk along the coast path and shoot all the wild flowers that have sprung up so well this year. But, it’s back to the proper job! Let me know if you’d like to discuss photography for interior projects or Hotels, Bed and Breakfasts, and Special places to stay.

Fountain face at Villa La Pietra, Italy

I’m also keen to show my new ‘Prints for Sale’ page. Beautiful black and white images, printed on fabulous Hahnemühle ‘Photorag’ paper, these would enhance any wall… If you are an hotel owner refreshing rooms and looking for beautiful ‘wall art’ or if you are completing an interior design project, whether domestic or commercial, do take a look at the images, you may find something that fits the scheme perfectly. The website offers two sizes, but if needed, you can email me to discuss specific requirements.

Thanks for reading this, I do hope that I will be in touch with some of you soon… let’s try and find a way to get back to as normal as possible! stay safe, and do get in touch if you have any queries.

Wild Umbrellas (more wild flower photography!)

three common wild umbellifers in the country lanes of south devon..

Umbellifers are a diverse wildflower family (celery and carrots included), and at the moment there are many in flower in the countryside. Three that are commonly come across and worth learning the difference of are Hemlock Water Dropwort, Hogweed and Cow Parsley... they are all white, but the first has distinctly separated heads and grows near water, the second is much stouter and taller with notched petals, and the last has delicately cut leaves (the one you see down the country lanes). Importantly the first is VERY poisonous. Not included here are Fennel, Carrot, Angelica, Chervil and Dill... all are excellent for the bees!

Spring photography during the corona virus

In this, the most surreal of easters ever (!), the corona virus has meant that we are all isolated and unable to travel. To add insult to injury (photographically), its the most fabulous weather and I would normally be out and about photographing beautiful gardens. We must stick to it though, and support our amazing NHS and all the heroic frontline workers, by obeying the rules.

So, as I am lucky enough to live in an area of outstanding natural beauty and can walk along some world class hedgerows every day (for my allotted ‘exercise’!). I am shooting as many of the emerging wild flowers as I can. The acid green of the ‘Alexanders’ is brightening the lanes edges, and there are the deep blue of the rampant early Bluebells. Spiky blackthorn is like new fallen snow and a carpet of lemon yellow primroses sits alongside the unfurling ‘fiddleheads’ of the emerging ferns. Bliss.

Spring hedgerows in South Devon

Kutchenhaus Kitchen in South London photographed for Boutique PR

Kutchenhaus Kitchen photographed for Boutique PR

I recently photographed a kitchen designed by Kutchenhaus in London. Amazingly good value, sleek and modern, easy maintenance and well made ..thats the kitchen, not me ;-). Shooting a kitchen is a rather specific type of interior photography, and because of all those shiny, sometimes mirrored, surfaces its really important to start off with a completely clean and tidy room. Once its clean, I will style the room, (usually a bit of food on the surfaces, some nice crockery and maybe a cook book), then I will do the ‘big’ shots. These are the shots of the whole room from various angles and should show how it relates to other rooms; easy in this kitchen as shots through the Crittall windows were stunning. Then I’ll do some ‘mid’ shots to show surfaces and decoration, and finally some details (this is when you see marks on the surfaces unless you have spent time cleaning!).

I loved this little kitchen and was so impressed with what the owner had done and what the makers, Kutchenhaus, had achieved with the units and surfaces. Kitchen photography is time consuming and a little fiddly, but with a little care, the results can be stunning. Looks alright doesn’t it?!

Kutchenhaus Kitchen photographed for Boutique PR

Interior photography for Country Living Magazine

Photography in Devon for Country Living magazine, the perfectly ‘imperfect’ home of Patricia Campbell

Delighted to see this piece in March’s Country Living Magazine featuring the beautifully timeworn Devon home of Patricia Campbell of Applebarn Vintage - it was the sort of place that made me want to put down my camera and settle down for tea and cake by the fire while listening to the hypnotic sound of the ticking clock - zzzzzzz. But, as I’m an interior photographer and there to do a job, that would not have done at all. I always prefer to use natural light when photographing and think it’s particularly effective in such an atmospheric interior. If you know of any houses, old or new, grand or humble, that you think might make an interesting magazine feature, do let me know. Thank you!

Photography in Devon for Country Living magazine

Hotel Photography

Bowood Hotel

I thought I’d write a little bit about hotel photography and why I find it such a satisfying part of my photographic work. I photograph hotels throughout the United Kingdom, Italy and France, Spain and soon India! I started my career as an interiors photographer, adding garden photography soon after. I have always loved gardening and beautiful gardens so it seemed a natural step to photograph them too especially as many of the magazines that I worked for had garden sections too. There’s nothing more inspiring and good for the soul as being out at dawn photographing a sublime garden.

Photography at Chateau Impney

Much of my time is spent photographing flowers and my fascination in photographing all things macro, small and floral, led me in to photographing food. It’s similar in many ways. I use natural light, I go in close and the current trends for fresh clean and unfussy food means that a plate of wonderfully prepared food can look much like a plate of flowers!

Barnsley House Hotel

So, in the early days, as I was asked to photograph a hotel in the Cotswolds. In fact it was Barnsley House, a fabulously designed place, done by one of my now regular interior photography clients Martin Hulbert Design!. It was also the home of legendary garden guru Rosemary Verey, mentor of Prince Charles. I soon realised that photographing hotels is a combination of my favourite bits of my job, the interiors, gardens, food and lifestyle.

Photography at Il Borro, Tuscany

A lot can be accomplished during a day at the hotel, especially if you are well organised. We can do 4-5 bedrooms, including bathrooms if required, some living areas, some food and a selection of other important areas ( maybe the spa? the restaurant, or even maybe the staff?) In an ideal world I would do two days as It gives me the chance to shoot over the evening, or early morning as well, and in a large hotel, it is surprising how long it can take navigating around the rooms as they become available! However, I am sometimes asked for just a half day, perhaps just to showcase the new menu, or a couple of new rooms recently decorated.

Photography at Borgo Pignano, Tuscany

Please do get in touch to discuss, and please take a look at this guide to hotel photography, which can give you an idea about how the day of the shoot progresses. Obviously, I am flexible, I can fit in with the rooms becoming available, and I am quick and tidy. Call me or email to discuss. Thanks for reading!

Please do contact me if you would like me to send you a free printed portfolio of my hotel photography

And while you are here, perhaps I could ask you to head over to my revamped Facebook Page and give me a like? many thanks.

Happy New Year!

I didn’t send any Christmas cards this year, but decided instead to send a New Year version. Thanks to all of you who I worked with last year, and let’s try and do it again this year!

I’m going to try and work hard on keeping my ‘footprint’ to a minimum this year, being clever with combining jobs so that I travel more ‘smartly’. I’ll also shoot more stock images locally, become more efficient in my vegetable garden, waste less and change my gas guzzling motor.

Enough of my resolutions, I’m looking forward to a good year of shooting (hurry up spring!), and would love to collaborate with you this year. Do get in touch if you have any beautiful interior, hotel or garden projects that need photography, and if any of you have nice places that would look good in print, do let me know. I’d love to come and see them!

Have a great New Year, Peace and Love to all. Mark

Venice, 'La Serenissima', photography in most beautiful city in the world

I have been countless times to Venice and have taken countless photographs. These two are part of a collection I did back in May of this year (its that time of year when I finally go through un commissioned images for picture libraries), and these two struck me as rather nice. Its hard to take a bad picture in Venice, but every single view must have been done before… occasionally its possible though to find something satisfying. Italy is a favourite place for me and I regularly work there, shooting hotels and houses, and right now, as the weather closes in again in the UK (and with an ominous election just around the corner!), I feel like being there right now! If you’d like to see more of my Venice images, here’s a small selection of the many on my stock library Alamy …

Kitchen Photography

London Kitchen Photography for Gunter and Co Interior Design

I have been photographing kitchens for makers and manufacturers, and for magazines for many years now. Attention to detail, good styling and a clean crisp contemporary look is all important. I have seen the rise of the ‘Shaker’ kitchen, I have seen shabby chic, modern, marble, free standing, fitted and reclaimed. Boiling water taps, Corian and Belfast sinks, you name it, I have photographed it. Above all though, good kitchen photography is about the simple rules of photography… good composition, unfussy and careful styling. Simple!

If you have a good kitchen, recently finished and stylish, do let me know, maybe it could be featured in a magazine. And if you are a kitchen maker with some great work, again, let me know if you need photography for your marketing…. I’m always happy to discuss rates and schedules. I’m off to my rather shabby and un-photographable kitchen to make a coffee ;-)

Interior and Garden Photography, update Autumn 2019

Its been a busy autumn after a quiet summer, and I’m please to have worked recently with Kelling Design, Mandarin Stone, Kitegrove Design and many of the magazines. The website has been updated with a lot of new work, and my recent blog about christmas shoots for the magazines was successful in gaining some good leads…

Shoot for Mandarin Stone, on location in Cheltenham

I have also photographed some amazing gardens, for Homes and Gardens magazine, Period Living and of course Country Living. The late season gardens at the Garden House in Devon were in full glorious technicolour, and the feature has been taken by The English Garden magazine… look out for it next year..

Late summer in the Garden House, Devon

Casa Crocodilo, Porto. New photography on Saatchi Art

I am now on Saatchi Art, the world’s biggest art market place. Come and see the prints available, being updated all the time. I am supplying open edition prints, mostly black and white, come and take a look! This was shot in Porto, Portugal and is an old leather working shop in the old part of the city.

Christmas interior magazine photography

Its that time of year again, and I’m on the look out for houses that look great at Christmas time… colourful, cosy, well designed pads that I can shoot for magazines and make features of. So, if you have a nice place and you go to town at yuletide (I’m not sure I have ever used that word before!), or know someone who does, do let me know. We normally photograph in the couple of weeks before christmas, (or sometimes after new year), and its an informal affair, as long as the house is reasonably tidy (!) we can work miracles (christmas miracles!!). Keep in touch and let me know if you have any leads. And happy christmas ;-)…

Autumn Garden Photography

A springful of larks in a rolling
Cloud and the roadside bushes brimming with whistling
Blackbirds and the sun of October
Summery

Dylan Thomas ‘Poem in October’

I have been photographing gardens for 25 years and this year has been one of the best for this time of year. Fabulous light, the flowers on top form and plenty of colour. I have been to four beauties this year and have truly ‘filled my boots’. Watch out magazines, features coming your way ;-)

Please do keep in touch with me. Fill in the form beneath and I promise I won’t deluge you with newsletters and info!

Photography for Airbnb, letting agencies and other listings websites.

I am increasingly being asked to photograph houses, flats, apartments and second homes for the purposes of listing them with agencies like Airbnb or Booking.com, and I thought I’d do a short blog post about how it works.

Photography for an Airbnb apartment in Bristol

I have been photographing beautiful houses for 20 or so years for magazines, websites, book publishers or just for private records. It doesn’t matter what the space looks like, the principle remains the same for all shoots - presenting it in its best light - as good as it gets. I style each shot, using the props that I have either brought with me or that are available. The composition is carefully chosen to enhance the room without overdoing it, so no ultra wide angle shots that exaggerate the size for instance - there’s no point in overselling to guests who will turn up and then be disappointed . I’ll tidy up any unsightly mess, and careful post production means that the shots are bright and ‘clean’ with blemishes removed in Photoshop.

Photography of a beautiful house near Southampton

I use natural light, the pictures will be warm and inviting, and above all I am very flexible and careful. I am not an ‘estate agent snapper’ and each shoot will take at least half a day to do which is worth it considering it’s your ‘shop window’.

Photographing for a listing, on the Isle of Wight

After the shoot, I review the images and take them through post-production so that they work well together and have a cohesive feel. I then send a full set to you so that they can be uploaded to your listings agent, or simply kept for your own records.

Airbnb state that proper ‘professional’ images can increase a listing’s earnings by up to 40 percent, so it pays to use the best! Please contact me with your queries and I can give a quote for your place. Rates take in to account how many shots are required and where in the UK the shoot will be.

Each image is carefully edited using Lightroom and Photoshop

Photographic Picture Libraries

Over the years I have been with many picture libraries, and in fact I used to make all my money by shooting with them in mind. I would get a good sized check each month with a statement telling me where and who had bought use of the image (magazines, commercial companies, private individuals and so on). Then along came the internet and suddenly all the images that flooded on to the ‘market’ literally cut away the bulk of stock photographers earnings. Many amateurs and enthusiasts simply didn’t understand that you need to charge for use of an image, and it was enough to have a picture published… Nowadays, stock photography is a poor comparison to the ‘good old days’. Never mind, I still contribute to some agencies, most of all to GapPhotos, who represent all my garden and plant photography (and very well they do too!).. If you are specialist and good at your subject, there are still fees to be made. Here’s a pic I am just sending them, part of a set I did for Country Living magazine a couple of years ago.

Garden at Beesands in Devon, for Country Living Magazine.

Hot Sun, Harsh Shadows. Photography in Andalucia

Searing heat and vicious shadows don't usually make for great photography, but the last week I have just gone with it. Love the conversion to Black and White in Lightroom... Make hay while the sun shines!

Christmas hotel photography for Bowood Hotel & Spa

At least it is in the world of magazines who are already on the lookout for features for their December issues. Many’s the Christmas shoot I’ve been commissioned to do – in July…  With gardens looking blooming lovely and trees sporting the greenest of leaves, I’m inside with stylists lighting a roaring fire, decorating a tree and wrapping presents for a cosy, rosy glow, front cover. 

Luxury hotels on the other hand are a different matter. Although they like to get ahead producing brochures that showcase their festive delights to entice guests and Christmas party bookers, many are happy to have their Christmas hotel photography completed the year before. The brochure above which I photographed for Bowood Hotel & Spa was actually shot last December when the place was in full festive mode and decorated for the season. This can only be a good thing as I’m not sure I’d feel comfortable asking the chef to knock up some mince pies or roast turkey in August while demanding the guests swap shorts for reindeer jumpers.

If you would like to discuss some festive hotel photography, do get in touch. That’ll be one thing ticked off your Christmas to do list…

Thanks so much, Mark 

Food Photography at Gara Rock Hotel in Devon

Food Photography at Gara Rock Hotel, Devon

I spent a lovely day at one of the most fabulously located hotels in the UK... Gara Rock is an institution in the South Hams of Devon, and its recent change of ownership, and upgrade that came with that, has ensured a state-of-the-art kitchen, supplying fresh and simple food for residents and visitors alike. The chef in charge is Lewis Glanville, and it was great to spend time with him and his team, photographing them as they cooked up some great dishes; clean and crisp, colourful, and above all else, tasty. Worth a visit, even if it's the most southerly hotel in Devon, and quite a drive to get here!

Photography at Casa Da Calcada Hotel, Portugal

Hotel Food Photography in Portugal

Situated on the beautiful Douro river and not too far from lovely Porto, is the luxurious and rather grand looking 'Casa Da Calada' Hotel. Its famous for its wonderful food, and Tiago is a renowned Michelin starred chef. The food tastes amazing but it also looks wonderful... an easy job for a food photographer!

David Harber Sculptures, Garden Photography

Photography for David Harber Sculptures in Italy

I've been photographing a lot for David Harber recently. He and his team make the most amazing garden and interior sculptures, using metal and stone. They are often on a monumental scale, and are always built with the surroundings in mind. So, for instance, the circular metal sculpture above is situated so that the sun rises in the centre of the circle (it can be moved easily so that it works at all times of the year). Truly beautiful, they are found throughout the world now, in some of the most fabulous locations. I am very pleased to have been asked to photograph them!