How can you create new images and social media content, safely, whilst we are still operating under bizarre lockdown circumstances? The good news… Luckily, the government guidance states that people should work from home unless they “absolutely cannot do so” – which most photographers can’t. So this means we can still travel to create images
Social media content creation in Lockdown Read More »
How to Add Text to a PDF Using Affinity Photo Direct answer: You can use Affinity Photo to open a PDF, add text layers, and export the updated file in common formats. It’s a one-off purchase alternative to Adobe Photoshop or InDesign, making it a practical choice for business owners who occasionally need to edit
Affinity Photo for Businesses Read More »
Fundamentals First Fundamentals First an IT company based in Leeds, formed by software experts Phil, Hamish, Chris and another Phil. The purpose of this photoshoot was to create images for the personal Brand, marketing, PR and new website. CLICK TO SEE THEIR WEBSITE For this project we follow our usual process of:- Discover This included
CASE STUDY – Fundamentals First Read More »
I learn more through audio than text…. I don’t know about you but I definitely take more information in through my ears than through reading! Which is kind of ironic, because I’m writing this using words which you will be reading…. Anyway, having searched for the most realistic, affordable text to voice converter on the
Are AI voiceovers a godsend, or hell? Read More »
Here’s a quick “video blog” on solving the problem of poor looking websites the easy way… The text is below if you prefer to read or can’t have the sound on right now I read a Pearl of Wisdom on LinkedIn yesterday which was “Business is all about finding a problem then providing a solution
Transforming Websites The Easy Way Read More »
You can definitely take great phone photos these days. The technology has moved on massively since the early days, and the app software is truly amazing. There are probably dozens of phone photos tips you could give, but realistically these three things will make the biggest difference. 1 – Where is the light This may
Try these 3 Things RIGHT NOW to improve your phone photos Read More »
Like many businesses, we deal directly with clients in person, so have taken quite a hit with this lockdown. We can’t really leave the house to do any new work – and if we could, we can’t get close to people so it’d be awkward. Here are a few things you can do remotely, and
Get the most from your photos during LOCKDOWN Read More »
How many things in life do we buy & not use? Most kitchen gadgets I use once or twice, and then stash away neatly in the cupboard never to see the light of day again, All that money spent, all that good intent to make a change and no return. The same can be said
Photos only work when you use them Read More »
What’s it all about? About a year ago I came up with an idea, it was based on years of photographing companies and what had worked best. It offered individuals who may be just starting out (or ready for a new set of images) 5 photos of them for a bargain price… and other people to act
The Madness of Share the Shoot… Read More »
Photographer Recommendations are King – But Are they Right For YOU? The best way to source most products and services these days is to ask for recommendations based on people’s experience. It can certainly filter out solutions, products, and providers who have given a good experience. Most people look at Amazon reviews or What Hi-Fi
How to choose a photographer from the 1000's recommended on LINKED IN Read More »
Everything is video these days, we are all told to do Facebook lives or record things from the seats of our cars, in car parks, before meetings to engage with our audience. I’ve spent the last year creating video content, be that behind the scenes footage of a photoshoot, close-ups of food or even photoshop editing videos. It’s
Don't Forget About Photography! Read More »
It’s the way that you do it… “It ain’t WHAT you do, it’s the WAY that you do it” – As the Bananarama song goes. That’s probably true in most businesses but it’s certainly the case with photography. It’s not just the end product which counts, but how you get to it. I’ve been shooting
BusinesS Headshots – it ain't what you do… Read More »
Finding old photos can be a pain – if someone asks if you’ve got photos of Liverpool (or something like that) in future, how quickly could you locate them in your file system? Or if you’re looking to create a print of Ingleborough, could you find all your photos of the hill and quickly make
How to organise your photos like a pro Read More »
One of the most common issues we get are people asking to cancel (or come on a different workshop for no extra cost) – it could be work related, or a sick pet or anything life throws up. We have to say no in order to stay in business – hope this explains why! We
The Reality of Running Workshops Read More »
Most businesses need images for websites, brochures, press, adverts…. the list goes on. So when you hire a photographer, what are you actually getting? Good ones will be expensive, they may quote £1000-£1500 per day even in West Yorkshire – how on earth can this be justified. If you read most marketing copy, we would
Hiring a Photographer : 7 things you’re REALLY buying Read More »
Your headshot is important – it represents your brand, your business and you. Headshots work for you every day on Linked IN and the other social media channels, your website, in print and at every touch point the world has with you. So it’s worth a little thought about what you want! To help, we’ve
3 Leading-edge options for your new 2018 business head-shot Read More »
Your business photos are your first impression Get them wrong – you lose business It’s as simple as that – people’s first impression is made instantly and will influence whether they bother to read your carefully honed copy and click “play” on that professionally produced video. Business photos are more important than you think Visual
9 Letters which define your business photos Read More »
The Problem GoodSync Solves…. As a photographer, we’re dealing with huge files ALL the time, many of which we bin after we’ve finished a project – these fill hard drives, meaning you’ll waste £££££ on hard drives. We’ve found GoodSync solves this problem so quickly and easily – for $29 for the pro version! Many photographers
GoodSynch keeps your work safe & SYNCHRONISED! Read More »
Which of these people will get the better profile photo:- a relaxed, stress-free person, who has set time aside to enjoy a photo shoot someone with the phone going every 5 minutes, about to do a speech at an event and has a whole crowd of people waiting for them. It’s night and day – chalk
DON’T Piggyback Your Photography and Expect Great Results Read More »
How do you do what you do…. Simon Sinek’s hugely popular TED TALK talk on branding talks about:- Why you do what you do How you do it What you make/do If you’ve not seen it – here it is on YOUTUBE – it’s well worth a look. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPYeCltXpxw If you look at the
3 Tips on Looking Like Leaders – Show How You Work Read More »
Business headshots have changed Evolution of Business Headshots… Stern captains of industry in their victorian offices – green lamps, brass, oak… Conservative backdrops – usually brown or blue White wall business headshots – clean and fit on Linked IN nicely, a bit boring At McFade we’ve been doing “location” portraits too – business headshots usually taken around the workplace,
The EASY Way to Do Business Headshots Read More »
Showing my Work to my Network Every year or so, we get to present our business to the SHARE network group – it’s great to get more than 1 minute to talk about your offering, to make sure everyone knows the extent of what I do. For a photographer – it’s a rare chance to actually
My Presentation at SHARE – Jan 2017 Read More »
New Business Photos Get You Noticed INSTANTLY! It really is that simple – investing in new business photos is like having a mini re-brand. If you and your team all got new business photos tomorrow and updated LINKED IN, your engagement would go through the roof. So what are you waiting for? Try it –
The No. 1 Reason To Update Business Photos NOW! Read More »
McFade Summer Nights Workshops 2016 A look back over 12 fantastic evenings – but first some background Where did the idea of Summer Nights Workshops come from? Ever since I took Photography seriously I’ve regularly gone out for smaller outings – usually with 1 or 2 friends. We’d find places to go, new things to try
Summer Nights Workshop – 2016 Review Read More »
[tatsu_section padding= “90px 0% 90px 0%”][tatsu_row layout= “1/1”][tatsu_column layout= “1/1”][flex_slider slide_show= “1” slide_show_speed= “3000”][/flex_slider][/tatsu_column][/tatsu_row][/tatsu_section]
Oxy – Personal Trainer Photography Session Read More »
Learning from the experts I went down to see support and learn loads from Andy Firth, Gary King and Rachel Hatfield, who each did a talk on their specialist subjects:- Andy – making money online – http://www.ascensor.co.uk/ Gary – business planning and strategy for growth – http://www.tendo-uk.com/ Rachel – social media, specifically Twitter – http://shoosocialmedia.co.uk/ Ok – I
Social Media, Marketing and Business Show – Sheffield 2016 Read More »
Enlightened LED Lighting Specialists Lumilow are lighting consultants – MD Andy Chell was up front, the product itself was not going to be an exciting thing to photography! I guess lights are a bit like petrol – fuel is not that interesting in itself, but put some in a Ferrari and it gets interesting. Lighting is like
Why does every marketing team love stunning, unique images? It makes their job easy – photos are powerful – they make your business:- stand out from the crowd easy to understand have INSTANT impact communicate who you are show how you do it Well here are just 9 of the many ways photos help boost your
9 Ways Photography Can Transform Your 2016 Read More »
Photography Should Be a Laugh, Even in Business Take the team at ABL Business, for example. We’ve had a few sessions updating their photos, and every time, it’s a right laugh with Alex, Andy, and the rest of the crew. It’s less about posing for the camera and more about having a chinwag while getting
Commercial Photography Should Be Fun Read More »
5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Going Pro I’m sure many pro photographers get asked “How do I become a professional photographer?“. I have and it’s never a straight forward answer – in fact, the answer would be unique for each person. Every photographer is different (personality, experience, confidence, business savvy, camera skills etc.), so there’s
5 Essential Questions for Aspiring Pro Photographers Read More »
A New Look Pays Off! Having recently opened an events space in Leeds, our client needed some fresh shots to promote it. So we created some of our “special HDR images” of Lambert’s Yard – using a mix of angles and styles to show the features, and sell the place as a modern, warm, fun, city centre venue to hold
Bookings “go though the roof” with McFade Photos Read More »
Choosing the right Photographer For Your Project Let’s help you with a few simple steps:- 1 – Think about what you NEED It’s worth having a think about the purpose of the photos before you start. Go online and check out your competition’s websites, see what they are doing – or people in California doing
6 Essential Steps to Hiring the Right Photographer Read More »
I need some photos…. fast! You need some photos, something which is going to make you look great for a press release, or your web developer needs something to fill that website.. Where do you start? Be honest – do you get a few photographer’s “day rates” and plump for the lowest? Or do you just
3 Things You Never Think of When Hiring Photographers Read More »
McFade Photography Wins Solopreneur Award at the Inaugural BiY Inspired Awards Well, folks, I’ve got some rather smashing news to share. On Friday, 3rd October, at the beautiful Met Hotel in Leeds, McFade Photography was honoured with the Solopreneur Award at the first-ever BiY Inspired Awards. It’s not every day you get to stand in
What are you Business Photos Telling People ? Business Photos used to be fillers on websites. Pretty pictures would just separate the text and logos, Photos would be bought off Stock Photography websites and have no connection to you Californian models with perfect smiles or sunset shots of the New York skyline would be used to sell
5 Photo Tips For Every Business Read More »
Your business is all about you Not in an egotistical way, but any SME business owner knows that they are the “face” of their company. It’s unavoidable really – we create:- the business idea, the hard graft to get it going, the risks you take, the people you meet These things are all down to
It’s All About YOU Read More »
Just been asked to do one of these things… so thought I’d share! Q. What do you do for a living? I help add personality to businesses by replacing tired, generic “stock library images” with stunning photos of their people, place, products, suppliers… to make their website tell their story. Q. What makes
60 second interview…. Read More »
After running a workshop on Anglesey in the late Noughties, I got chatting to a professional photographer from Somerset. Great guy, had a few beers and his main comments on his 20 years in the photo business were stock photography wasn’t worth doing any more and assignment pay rates had dropped and not to even
So you want to be a pro photographer… what they don’t tell you Read More »
The answer is of course, yes. Give me a dentist’s drill and I’ll have a good go at it! Never done it before, but I used drills in Woodwork at school, and many times on the farm I worked as a kid. Would you let me do it – based on that experience? I’m
Can I Drill Your Teeth? Read More »
Mark’s been in the shipping game for 15 years – mainly sending containers around the world for clients. He’s just started a new role in a brand new business so needed some new shots to promote both him and the business. Images of Shipping… in Leeds? So the challenge of finding a suitable location
Business Profile Shoot – Mark Broscombe Read More »
Gayle is director of Boroughbridge’s IRYS Ltd, providing a wide range of services including training, coaching and mystery shopping. When we were planning the shoot, we quickly discounted the typical “corporate office style” shots in favour of using Leeds’ Victoria Quarter – a place Gayle knows VERY well and is very at home in! Along with being
Business Profile Shoot with Gayle Partridge Read More »
Had a great shoot with Claire Turner, who’s tax partner at WGN accountants in Leeds. As anyone will who knows her will tell you, Claire’s the polar opposite of the stereotypical tax accountant – but her current photos were not really getting this message across. So we decided to make the most of the area
Business Profile Shoot with Claire Turner Read More »
You don’t HAVE to have a boring profile shot these days…. Had a great time talking to fellow business people at BiY today – part of a creative “trio” with Rob and Andy of Plump Digital and Video Advert. Just thought I’d note down my main points from the talk… The world has changed –
Make Your “Online First Impression” Count – BiY Talk, June 2013 Read More »
Live Well Project – Chris and Anne One of the huge bonuses of running a photography business is meeting great people, and on Sunday I met Chris Jones and Anne-Louise Savery. They are starting a social enterprise in Holbeck to encourage and help people of all abilities, ages and backgrounds to improve health and build
Leeds Couple Inspiring a Community to “Live Well” Read More »
A Great Way To Build Teams Volunteering days are the best team building events – spending time with good people doing good things for a good cause… what could be better? Having been on 2 when working in a corporate environment, I can vouch for them – getting out of the office and tooled up
Volunteering Days – 5 Reasons to Hire a Pro Photographer Read More »
Just had to share this on the blog GREAT INFOGRAPHIC A great piece on the differences you need to be aware of with Pro/Amateur photography
Pro Versus Amateur – Infographic Read More »
Photographer “Directs” the Director Andy Green of “Video Advert” spends his days directing and creating promotional videos for businesses around the UK – so the “directorial boot” was certainly on the other foot for our PR shoot. Used to showing people how to present and perform, Andy now was in front of the camera and,
PR Shoot – Andy Green Read More »
Rocket Science? Commercial Photography quotes can often be more complex than quantum mechanics, with so many variables to consider and charges for all kinds of things. We decided to make things a lot easier for clients by creating lots of new “packages” which are clearly defined and priced. Personalise… Our 2021 offering is Personal Branding
Commercial Photography – Made Easy Read More »
Telecoms expert, Phil Allum, helps people & business talk through his company TGE Solutions. An urgent need for some new PR profile shots arose, so we got together to shoot at his offices in West Yorkshire. We created a wide variety of looks for all kinds of uses – the obvious shots of Phil using the
PR Shoot – Phil Allum Read More »
Louise Lapish runs Gatewood Consulting, training UK-wide in all aspects business from CV writing to sales. We’d met through Yorkshire’s most exciting new business support network, BiY. She needed some great new shots for her personal PR, so we went to meet at Regus near Elland Road and used the building around there to capture
PR Shoot – Louise Lapish Read More »
