Exposure Explained: Why Every Camera Setting Is Just Filling a Glass The exposure triangle is the relationship between three camera settings — aperture, shutter speed and ISO — that together decide how bright or dark a photo comes out. Get your head around it once, properly, and every camera you ever pick up makes sense. […]
Exposure Triangle Explained: Aperture, Shutter Speed & ISO Read More »
Why AI Still Can’t Fake Real Photography AI-generated photography is imagery produced by a model that has learned visual patterns from millions of real photos scraped off the internet, rather than a photograph taken by a camera, in a real place, at a real moment. Quick answer: can AI actually create a genuinely great photograph?
AI vs Real Photography: Why AI Images Still Look Fake Read More »
One-to-One Photography Lessons in Yorkshire: What Actually Happens on the Day One-to-one photography tuition is a private coaching session built entirely around you – your camera, your questions, and the thing you actually want to get better at, rather than a fixed group course everyone follows the same way. Quick answer: I run four types
One-to-One Photography Lessons in Yorkshire Read More »
Context is the background information an AI tool needs about your business before it can give you a tailored answer instead of a generic one. Without it, ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini treats you exactly like anyone else on the planet asking the same question. Quick answer: how do I get AI to actually understand my
Context Is King: How to Give AI Real Context About Your Business Read More »
Why We Swapped to the DJI Air 3S for a 50-Metre Railway Drone Survey The DJI Air 3S is a mid-weight drone built for jobs where you need to stay well back from a subject but still come home with sharp, usable footage. It’s the drone that now handles trackside and infrastructure survey work in
DJI Air 3S vs Mini 5 Pro: Picking the Right Drone for a 50m Railway Survey Read More »
Your headshots will look better with a few friendly faces in the room Here’s something most people don’t expect when they book a headshot day: the photographer is knackered by lunchtime. Not from carrying kit or setting lights — from talking. When you’re shooting 50 people back to back, every single person who walks through
Why Corporate Headshots Come Out Better When You Bring Your Team Read More »
You had me round a couple of years ago. We photographed pretty much the whole team — great day, great results. So why would you bother getting me back? And if you did, would you need to photograph everyone again, or just the new faces? Great questions. Let me walk you through why a top-up
Top-Up Headshots for Teams: When to Refresh Staff Photos Read More »
From Pot Black to Ronnie O’Sullivan: Why Snooker Hooked Me and Never Quite Let Go Direct answer: Snooker got its hooks into a generation through short, dramatic television like Pot Black, then kept people watching through bigger personalities, bigger rivalries, and wildly different playing styles. For me, that journey runs from Alex Higgins bringing danger
Snooker Loopy…. since the 70’s Read More »
Stock Photos vs Professional Photography: How to Choose Images That Truly Represent Your Brand Direct answer: A stock photo is a pre-made image that any business can license, while professional photography creates original images of your people, place, products, and working environment. If you want your website to feel trustworthy and specific to your brand,
Stock Photos vs Professional Photography | Which Is Better for Your Brand? Read More »
Stop Feeding the Kit Delusion New gear won’t make you a better photographer. More shots will. Here’s why the upgrade treadmill is the most seductive trap in any hobby — and how to step off it. Let me be honest with you about something. I own an embarrassing number of virtual synthesisers. We’re talking
The One Thing Camera Brands Hope You Never Realise Read More »
Yorkshire Dales Photography Workshop: Wind, Waves, Lime Kilns and a Proper Chippy So what actually happened on our first Nidderdale workshop in February 2026? In short: brutal wind, sideways drizzle, a spectacular lime kiln, abandoned plans, unexpected light, cresting waves at Scar House, a slippery waterfall, and a large fish and chips that probably counted
Wind, Waves and a Lime Kiln: Our First Nidderdale Photography Workshop Read More »
Mastering the Linear Profile in Lightroom: How a Camera Profile Can Transform A Photographer’s Work Most photographers accept whatever profile Lightroom or Camera Raw applies by default. The image pops up looking bright, contrasty, and “about right” — so we crack on. I used to do exactly the same. Then a good friend introduced me
Linear Profile Repository: Use Linear Profiles in Lightroom (LR) Read More »
Street Photography in Bradford: A Practical Walk Through the City With a Camera Direct answer: Bradford is worth photographing because the city centre packs Victorian architecture, brutalist concrete, new public spaces, theatres, markets, and busy pedestrian routes into a short walk. That mix gives street photographers strong contrast, good blue-hour lighting, and plenty of human
Bradford for Street Photography – A Return To West Yorkshire’s Second City Read More »
Is This Why People Disagree More Than Ever? Are we all watching a different movie? It’s a question I keep coming back to. How can people have such wildly different views on politics, countries, war, sport, history — you name it? Is it because, outside of our own lived experience, the only gateway we have
Are We All Watching a Different Movie? Read More »
We’re Terrible at Switching Off Most people finish work and stop thinking about it. Photography doesn’t really allow that. Not because it’s stressful. Quite the opposite. It’s because once you train your eye to notice things, it doesn’t politely turn itself off at 5pm. You start seeing light everywhere Good light doesn’t announce itself. It
Why Photographers Are Odd: 7 We’re Terrible at Switching Off Read More »
You Get More Photos Now Than You Used To If you hired a photographer ten or fifteen years ago, you probably received a small, carefully selected set of images. That wasn’t because photographers were holding back. It was because time was the limiting factor. Editing used to be the bottleneck Every image had to be
Why Photographers Are Odd: 6 You Get More Photos Now Than You Used To Read More »
We Use Software You’ve Never Heard Of Clients don’t pay for software. They pay for results, delivered on time, without fuss. The reason those results look the way they do is because modern photography quietly relies on a stack of tools most people will never see or think about. Software isn’t a product — it’s
Why Photographers Are Odd: 5 We Use Software You’ve Never Heard Of Read More »
We Buy Gear You Never Asked For Most clients never ask what gear I’m using. And that’s exactly how it should be. But what’s less obvious is how much kit photographers buy that no client has ever requested, suggested, or even knows exists. Gear purchases aren’t driven by jobs They’re driven by curiosity. When I
Why Photographers Are Odd: 4 We Buy Gear You Never Asked For Read More »
Personal Projects Are Professional R&D Most industries have a thing called research and development. It’s budgeted for. It’s planned. It’s justified in meetings. Photography has it too — it’s just unpaid, informal, and usually done on a Sunday morning with a camera and a flask. Personal projects aren’t a break from work They are the
Why Photographers Are Odd: 3 Personal Projects Are Professional R&D Read More »
We Use the Same Camera for Work and Fun Most jobs have a clear line between work tools and personal life. Photography doesn’t. If you’re a lawyer, you don’t spend your Sunday afternoon drafting pretend contracts for enjoyment. If you’re an accountant, you don’t knock up a spreadsheet on holiday “just to keep sharp”.
Why Photographers Are Odd: 2 We Use the Same Camera for Work and Fun Read More »
Photography Doesn’t End at 5pm (And that’s why the results are better) Before photography, I spent 13 years as a software engineer. And here’s the honest truth: the second I left the office, software ceased to exist. No coding at weekends. No books about programming. No tinkering “for fun”. Work was work. Life was life.
Why Photographers Are Odd: 1 – Photography Doesn’t End at 5pm Read More »
Canon Mirrorless Camera Series for Beginners: which one’s actually good value (and won’t do your head in)? There’s a daft myth in photography that you “need the best body” to get started. You really don’t. Most beginners need three things: a camera that’s easy to use, a system that lets you grow (lenses, flash, tripod
Choosing the Best Canon Mirrorless Camera for Beginners Read More »
The Big Canon 50mm Shoot-Out: RF vs EF, Cheap vs Bonkers If there’s one focal length that’s carried me through more shoots than I can count, it’s the humble 50mm. Every camera system has one, everyone’s bought one at some point, and half of us learned photography on one. But Canon being Canon, you now
Which canon 50mm should you get? Read More »
Lightroom Alternatives You Can Actually Own Outright There’s this daft idea that once you leave Lightroom you’ll be crawling back within a year, waving your credit card and muttering apologies to Adobe. Utter nonsense. If you’re an enthusiast who wants cracking image quality, a sane one-off payment and software that doesn’t nag you every month,
Master Smartphone Photography: Learn Real Photography Skills & Take Better Photos Direct answer: Smartphone photography is the practice of using a mobile phone camera to learn core photographic skills such as composition, timing, lens choice, light control, and editing. A modern smartphone camera is good enough to teach real photography because it gives you an
Smartphone Photography: The Ultimate Guide Read More »
Personal Branding Photography: Capture an Authentic, Standout Professional Image Most people think a personal brand is just a nice headshot. It isn’t. It’s your visual identity—the set of photos that tells your story before you’ve even said “Hi”. What actually is your personal brand? Your personal brand is the story people feel from your images before
Your Personal Brand: By a Personal Brand Photographer Read More »
Showcasing Your Brand Identity in Photos Most people think brand identity is just logos and brand colours. It’s not. Brand identity in photos is simply the visual way you show people what you’re all about — your vibe, your values, and the story you want your audience to feel at a glance. Here’s the twist
Showcasing Your Brand Identity in Photos (Without Making It Complicated) Read More »
Stock Photos vs Professional Photography: How to Choose Images That Truly Represent Your Brand A stock photo is a pre-made image anyone can buy; professional photography creates visuals unique to your brand and your people. We all know that images are often the first thing someone notices when they land on your website. And if
Professional Photography vs Stock Images: Is Professional Photography Worth It? Read More »
How to Prepare for Your Professional Headshot – Straight from a Photographer Booking new professional headshots is always a smart move. A fresh professional headshot tightens up your brand, sharpens that first impression, and gives your LinkedIn a bit of polish. And honestly, a headshot session goes miles smoother when you turn up ready for
Prepare for Headshots: A Photographer’s Guide to Professional Photos Read More »
Why I Package My Photography Based on Time Breaking the Rules When I first started out, everyone said: “Don’t package your photography by time—call your packages ‘small, medium, large’, or give them quirky names like ‘Business Booster’ or ‘Personal Brand Shoot’.” And yeah, those ideas did alright for a while, but truth is, photography is
Why I Price My Photography by Time (And Why It Works for Everyone) Read More »
Macro Photography Tips for Beginners: tips and techniques Right then, let’s get into the nitty-gritty of macro photography, or as I like to call it, the art of making the minuscule look monumental. I’ve always been fascinated by the little worlds that exist right under our noses. Take, for example, a tiny spider I discovered
How To Improve Your Photography The other day I wrote a piece about how to improve your photography by finding interesting things to photograph, which I still stand by. But today I want to give you another tip that is rather controversial – to copy others. By that, I mean be inspired by and try
The Controversial Photography Tip That Changed Everything for Me Read More »
April: The Photographer’s Perfect Month April. There’s something truly magical about this month, isn’t there? After enduring several months of cold, dark days, April feels like a breath of fresh air. The days start to stretch out, and suddenly, there’s light in the evenings again. For those of us who love photography, this is a
April for Photographers: The Best Month for Light, Landscapes & Creative Shoots Read More »
The Joy of Editing Photographs: Choosing the Right Tools for the Job Half the fun of photography is getting outdoors and capturing those moments in-camera. Mastering exposure, composition, and building rapport (if you’re photographing people) is an adventure in itself. Add to that knowing your seasons, tides, weather, and locations—well, you’ll never run out of
The Joy of Editing Photographs: Choosing the Right Tools for the Job Read More »
Why Photography Is a Unique and Rewarding Hobby Photography stands out as one of the most popular and rewarding hobbies, blending both technical skill and creative expression. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, photography offers something for everyone. Why Choose Photography as a Hobby? Photography appeals to people with both technical and artistic
This Is Why Photographers Are Secretly Happier Than Everyone Else Read More »
The best ways to become a better photographer & improve your photography skills It’s a fascinating topic, and with photography encompassing so many different aspects from location through to luminosity masks, there’s a million different tracks you can follow. But I think the main thing you should focus on is finding interesting things to photograph
This One Simple Shift Will Transform Your Photography Forever Read More »
Why I Still Do Free Model Test Shoots It might seem a bit weird that a professional photographer will spend a few hours photographing models for free. I’m sure most professionals don’t really offer their professional services for free that often – lawyers doing a bit of free litigation on a Sunday afternoon isn’t that
Model Test Shoot Guide: Photography, Set Up, Free Test Read More »
When hiring a photographer, many offer drone services for an additional fee, provided the location is within a legal flight zone. Proximity to airports or prisons may complicate or increase the cost of obtaining necessary permissions, as photographers might need to negotiate with air traffic control, incurring billable hours. Considering the potential benefits for your
Why Drone Photography Isn’t Just a Fancy Extra – It’s a Smart Business Move Read More »
TT Artisan 11mm fisheye lens Yesterday I got my first ever fisheye lens – a TT Artisan 11mm fisheye lens specifically for Canon R lenses. It goes on the R5 perfectly. I chose to go to Bradford because I wanted a city to walk around on a bright sunny day. Bradford was always going to
Understanding Flash Photography: A Beginners Guide Ah, flash photography. It’s one of those things that can seem a bit daunting at first, but once you get the hang of it, it opens up a whole new world of creative possibilities. Whether you’re a budding photographer or just someone who’s curious about how it all works,
Why do we use flash anyway?? Read More »
Why taking a drone on a landscape trip makes perfect sense? If you are a dedicated landscape photographer, you will know that the only photos worth taking are at sunrise and sunset because of the beautiful light we get. Well, that’s not strictly true, but in general, if you do a full day out with
Maximize your days out with a drone Read More »
The joy is in the doing Quite a lot of times when I’ve described how I make a photograph, people would say to me, “But you can do that in Photoshop.” The classic one would be the miniature effects you get by using tilt-shift lenses. This is where you photograph a scene, often a city
The Joy of Photography IS The Process Read More »
Photo Editing for Business: Turning Raw Images into Marketing Gold Photos don’t come out of the camera ready to use. They need shaping — much like a press release, a website, or a pitch deck. That shaping is called editing, and it’s the difference between a snap and something that sells. It Starts Before the
Photo Editing for Business: From Raw Image to Visual Impact Read More »
How to Plan and Prepare for a Corporate Photography Shoot Day: A Step-by-Step Guide When it comes to showcasing your business and team in the best light, professional corporate photography can make all the difference. Whether you’re planning a headshot session for your team, capturing the buzz of a busy office, or documenting an important
Corporate Photography Tips: How to Prepare for a Successful Shoot Day Read More »
AI Photo Retouching: Revolutionising Digital Imagery Thankfully, photo retouching has evolved dramatically, thanks to AI. (it used to take forever in the 2000’s) This video is from a while back, but shows you steps which are helped by AI… From amateur selfies to professional portraits, AI photo retouching techniques are making waves, providing tools that
Revolutionise Your Photos: The Ultimate Guide to AI Photo Retouching Read More »
Sustainable Photography: A Guide to Greener Visual Storytelling Sustainability has become a buzzword, but what does it really mean? Sustainable photography involves practices that reduce environmental impact, from the choice of equipment to the way images are processed and shared. This guide by McFade Photography aims to enlighten photographers on how they can contribute positively
Sustainable Photography Guide: Eco-Friendly Practices and Tips Read More »
Outdoor Portrait Photography: A Comprehensive Guide for Aspiring Photographers Outdoor portrait photography is a captivating art form that allows photographers to blend the beauty of natural settings with the essence of their subjects. Whether you’re a beginner looking to improve your skills or an experienced photographer seeking new inspiration, this guide will provide you with
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Environmental Portrait Photography: Capturing People in Their Natural Habitat Hiya! Are you ready to dive into the world of environmental portrait photography? It’s proper exciting stuff, I tell you. Let’s have a look at how to snap some cracking shots that really show off who people are and where they belong. What’s All This Environmental
Mastering Environmental Portrait Photography: A Guide to Environmental Portraiture Read More »
Why Your LinkedIn Profile Photo Matters (And How to Nail your Professional Headshot) Hey there, LinkedIn go-getters! Ade here, your friendly neighbourhood professional headshot photographer. At my ripe old age, I’ve captured countless LinkedIn profile pictures, and I’m here to share some insider tips on how to make your profile stand out in the digital
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