Recently I have been working with Cure Usher an organisation that was toatally new to me until last October when I was priviledged to photograph their annual gala ball and fundraiser event in Gateshead. 

Cure UsherCure Usher Gala

CUREUsher was formed by Jo Milne when she saw the need to create a dedicated charity for Usher syndrome in the UK. Since then, CUREUsher has gone on to gain a committed team and board of trustees.

Jo MilneJo Milne recent photographed at the Cureusher Charity ball Jo Milne recently photographed at the Cure Usher Gala Ball in Gateshead

Usher syndrome was first described by the founder of modern ophthalmology, Albrecht von Graefe, in 1858. Despite this, there’s little public awareness about the disease today. That’s because Usher syndrome is a rare genetic disease.

It’s incredibly important that they raise awareness, so that each person living with Usher syndrome is better understood and supported by the society they live and work in.

Usher syndrome causes hearing loss, and a progressive eye disorder called Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). It can also affect balance. It’s a different experience for everyone. For most people, hearing loss occurs from birth and their sight deteriorates as they get older.

People with Usher syndrome are often diagnosed in childhood or early adolescence depending on the severity and type of the condition. There is currently no cure for Usher syndrome, but a genetic test can confirm the condition and people with Usher syndrome are then more able to decide on the best help to adapt their lifestyle.

I was recently asked to travel to Westminster to document a Cure Usher event at Portcullis House one of the Parliament buildings. 

This was just one of many events at which the Cure Usher team used to lobby MP's to raise awareness of Usher syndrome to increase funding and change policies to prompt research. Further more events like this help to encourage additional education on Usher syndrome with GPs and healthcare professionals. 

They also campaign to raise public awareness of Usher syndrome and the red and white striped canes and dogs’ harnesses that represent them.

At the London event I was privilidged to meet many MP's and the Minister for disabled people the right honourable Tom Pursglove. This was also a great opportunity to meet their new Patrons Mark Jordon and his wife laura Norton; who themselves have just had their own children diagnosed with Usher Synrome. 

If you would like further information on the charity or would like to make a donation to their cause please see their website here:
CUREUSHER

Cure Usher

Portcullis House opposite Big Ben

Cure Usher Cure Usher

Mark Jordon - Patron & Actor

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Alex Norris MP

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RtH Tom Pursglove MP Minister for Disabled People

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Jo Milne and her Husband Stephen at the London Event

A quick look back over some of the wedding highlights of 2022.

Current situation 2023 is 70% full, 2024 is 25% full and 2025 is 5% full.

If your interested in my wedding photography services for 2023 I urge you to get in touch soon as inquiries are coming thick & fast this week! More info at: https://www.markflynnphotography.com/wedding-packages

Enjoy the show!

Wedding Highlights2 2022

Publication of new hard landscaping brochure

Quadram-26Quadram Building Norfolk

(Quadram Building Norwich)

I have been excited for the launch of this new brochure for a while now as it marks the culmination of two years’ worth of photographic projects that I have undertaken for Aggregate Industries (AI) Charcon Division.

Aggregate Industries is a major manufacturer and supplier of construction materials. Their Charcon range of hard landscaping offers the industry complete commercial solutions for all types of projects. With an emphasis on high quality, innovative and integrated solutions to architects, civil engineers, landscape professionals, housebuilders and contractors in every aspect of the construction industry.

Charcon BrochureCharcon Brochure

Charcon provides innovative flag paving, block paving, kerbing and drainage solutions. This also includes products that are specially developed for cycle lane/vehicle segregation which, as a keen cyclist an area very close to my heart.

Another important aspect of the people at Aggregate Industries Charcon Division is that they are constantly looking for more sustainable solutions for better building & infrastructure.

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(Southampton Cycle Scheme)                        (Cambridge Student Living) 

I have been providing photography for AI’s Charcon Division for four years with the last two years (pre Covid) almost totally dedicated to producing high end imagery for this most comprehensive of product portfolios.

The Brief

Working closely with the marketing team at AI namely two people in particular, Robert Davenhall (National Major Projects Manager) and Natalie Thomas (Marketing Comms Manager) we were able to devise a plan on how best to ensure that the Charcon products that were to be included in the brochure were photographed at their best & in their best location.

Charcon Products can be used in a whole range of projects from, retail & science parks, schools & colleges, cycle schemes, pavements, roads, town centres, transport hubs, housing, sports stadia and on one occasion I even visited a sewage farm!

The brief was always to show as much of the range of Charcon Products as possible and in the best possible light and situation and as Charcon Products are supplied throughout the country this also meant a great deal of travel.

Just thinking back, I think the furthest north I travelled was to Harrogate in North Yorkshire with the furthest south being either Southampton or Kent and as far east as Norfolk & as far west as Bristol and with multiple days spent in the London area. I do remember one journey when I started off photographing a project in Derby followed by Worcester, Bristol, Southampton, Brighton and London.

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(Tottenham Hotspur & Wembley)

I do not at all mind travelling & enjoy planning the most efficient route but there is one thing that you can never account for and that is the British weather! Importantly all product photography of this nature is best undertaken in dry & bright conditions and whilst leaves are still on the trees & not covering product. Litter free is always best too!  (A good brush is always an essential part of my photographer’s tool kit)

I spent many an hour studying weather forecasts and even checking web cams in various parts of the country to try to ensure dry weather & thus dry product.  I still have nightmares about the day I stepped off the train in London only to find it pouring with rain, of course it was totally dry when I set off with no rain forecast! Typical!

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    (Oxford Science Park)

Another essential part of the brief to be covered was to show how the product was being used and to show “life” in the image. This could be in the form of people walking on paving, cyclists being segregated from vehicular traffic, cars in carparks or parked on grass grid product even market stalls being used on paved areas.

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(Grass Grid Cheshire & Leeds Park & Ride)

All projects were to be photographed to try & include as much product as possible whilst also closeups and any special features or use of the product in situ.

A few days were also spent at Aggregate’s Derbyshire concrete plant photographing new manufactured product and a few members of the Charcon Team.

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It’s been my absolute pleasure working on this project with the Aggregate Industries Team and I am so pleased that the completed brochure features so many of my images. The whole brochure really is one of the most definitive guides ever produced of Charcon Products.

 I myself am proud of this project and I think that the Aggregate Industries Marketing & Design Team have done a fantastic job in bringing everything together in this industry leading brochure.

Many thanks to Robert Davenhall, Natalie Thomas and the various Aggregate Industry Regional Managers & contractors that assisted me throughout the country.

(Sheffield & Birmingham Uni's)

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(Maidstone Town Center) 

To download your copy of the brochure please see: https://www.aggregate.com/sites/aiuk/files/atoms/files/charcon_product_selector_2021v1_0.pdf

Or to talk to me about architectural photography please either drop me a line at [email protected] or call 07745204331. 

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(London) 

Please click the image to view.

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY HIGHLIGHTS 2020WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO 2020
 

YES! There are plenty despite the year we've have had! 

Here is a round up of highlights from 2020's Commercial Photography Shoots. Please note quite a few of these projects were shot at the beginning of the year before Covid was even thought of! The style of photography then had to change and adapt throughout the year dependent on the rules that were in force at that specific moment in time.  Anyway if you have a total of 2 minutes & 52 seconds to spare I hope you will enjoy looking back at my 2020 year in commercial photography.

NB. Designed to be viewed on phones & tablets.

Final-COMMERCIAL-2020
 

MAF-189Daval Furniture HQ
 

Recently I was asked by Alex Mason (Alex Mason PR) & Melanie Hill(Gravity PR) who run very well respected Public Relations Company's in Huddersfield if I would kindly undertake a PR Photoshoot for their client Daval Furniture. 

Daval has been nestled in the heart of Slaithwaite in the Yorkshire countryside since 1978 and is still proudly owned and managed by the Bodsworth family that started it. It is a business with a passion for quality, design and functionality at it’s heart.

By choosing Daval furniture, you are guaranteed something that combines the premium look and the quality craftsmanship that you have come to expect from a great British brand. There’s something we trust about a British made product. It speaks of tradition and quality; a product that is designed to suit our British tastes and lifestyles. Daval mainly specialise in manufacturing the highest quality Kitchen & bedroom furniture whilst also produce pieces for the lounge or other home areas; even to the extent of designing & manufacturing home bars in some cases.

BRIEF

The brief provided by Alex & Melanie was quite wide ranging and was to involve a full day shoot at not only the companies HQ & manufacturing base but also to encompass some of the local countryside & village area of Slaithwaite. The intention that the images were then to be used across a wide spectrum of publications both offline & online and where to try to get an overall focus for the companies family ownership, its location, the company's advanced high tech manufacturing facility, its large onsite showroom and distribution facilities. 

MAF-16Daval's Bodsworth brothers

The first half of the shoot basically involved photographing the current family owners and in this case the Bodsworth brothers which; is quite a unique story in it's self, having three brother owners that each specialise in different areas of the business. The brief was to photograph the owners in more natural surroundings rather than have stuffy corporate office shots, so we went for some more "lifestyle outdoor imagery as well as a few within the companies showroom in order to also showcase some examples of Davals fine furniture.

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MAF-198 Part of Daval's extensive public showroom at their headquarters in Slaithwaite.

Manufacturing 

Daval really are at the forefront of production & design when it comes to furniture manufacture. Recently they have made significant investment into a new automated production facility at their factory in Slaithwaite and of course this was another area that both the company, advised by Alex & Melanie were eager to shout about. The best way to describe it would be to use words like: Massive, Robotic, Efficient, Accurate and Fast. I was literally amazed by the shear size of their automation and production capacity. 

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When you’re making a commitment to improving your home, you need to be confident that your furniture has been designed to last a lifetime. That's why at Daval they are keen to keep pace with innovating technology both in production & design. Thus bringing you great quality & value to suit the customer's own taste and specifications. Daval's products are sustainable too, with raw materials from suppliers with responsible attitudes towards the environment using timber that is exclusively sourced from properly managed forests. They even use the waste from manufacture to heat the factory!

If your interested in improving your home why not take a look at what Daval has to offer HERE today! 

If you need help with your companies Public Relations why not contact Alex Mason HERE or Melanie Hill at Gravity PR HERE

Of course not forgetting if you need help to produce some fantastic new imagery to showcase your company's staff, production, service and products please check out my commercial photography work HERE or drop me a line at [email protected] 07745204331. 
 

MAF_013Rishworth School

Recently I was contacted by Lydia Horbury, Director of External Relations at Rishworth School asking if I would be interested in quoting to undertake some photography that could be used in the schools new prospectus and website. Of course I was delighted to be asked to quote as school prospectus photography has become one of my specialities, having undertaken similar jobs for other local schools. 

The brief was extremely well organised, very varied and like most school shoots to be undertaken to a strict timetable in order to get around everywhere.

Another challenge was of course carrying out the shoot whilst complying with the schools anti Covid measures. I have to say that considering the size of the school (and Rishworth is not only a day school but also a Boarding School) the measures that were put in place to ensure not just visitors safety but also that of the staff and pupils where second to none! It must be mentioned that the pupils were in fact all allocated there own "bubble" whilst attending the school. 

I must say I do feel for the staff at this difficult time as after every lesson or even after ever visitor to a classroom everything had to be cleaned and sanitised ready for the next class. 

Going back to the brief which was to cover not only pupils in action, captured in a reportage style but also to capture some of the stunning architecture & landscape of the school. Rishworth after all is located just outside Ripponden in quite a rural setting and is spread over 130 acres! 

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It was a long and challenging day but in that time we managed to capture some of the architecture of the school which included the schools chapel which was in fact the original school built in 1724 no less!! Whilst also including Pupil Enrichment, (covered in a lifestyle manner), portraits of some of the senior leadership team, music & choir in the old but very ornate chapel. Then on to domestic science, an IT lesson and science experiments, the boarders rooms and breakout areas, whilst also fitting in a trip down to the junior part of Rishworth School (Heathfield) to photograph the Head, Council Members and some of the children's artwork. Phew!

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The job was made easier by being able to work with such helpful, friendly staff and pupils. YES! Even the pupils were good!! 

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Overall I was extremely happy with what we managed to achieve in the time frame and with what I thought was the minimum of disruption to the school.

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(Boarding accommodation) MAF_170

The feedback from Lydia at the school was simply amazing and certainly one of the best testimonials that I have received for my work. Here is what she had to say:

"Mark recently undertook a piece of educational, commercial photography for my organisation. The day was long and there was a huge variation between the different photographs needed, as were trying to demonstrate life in a boarding school and all the different subjects, enrichment, lifestyle elements. Prior to the day Mark took the time to understand what we wanted to portray. On the day, Mark was simply fantastic, slipping with ease between the different styles; headshots of SLT, catching a chemistry experiment, taking arty shots of the stained glass window in the chapel. He was friendly and really communicative and has such a lovely manner when directing the staff and children on the day. We are absolutely delighted with the outcome. I welled up when I saw the results. Mark somehow managed to capture the essence and feeling of our school in his beautiful shots. Mark’s photos are fantastic and his rates are very reasonable, would not hesitate to recommend."

For further information on Rishworth School and their facilities please see here
 

Brochure & Website Photoshoot

Advanced ActuatorsAdvanced Actuators HQ

Recently I worked with Samantha Willhoughby at 1017Marketing on some new imagery for her client Advanced Actuators based in Silsden, just outside Keighley. Sam who is somewhat of a marketing guru in the area of fluid dynamics & engineering engaged me to initially shoot some new images for a company brochure. I always enjoy working with experts in their field like Sam as you just know lots of planning and client meetings have gone on beforehand to ensure a perfect shoot day. This is normally accompanied with an easy to follow photographers brief for me to work to.  

I am pleased to report that my images have now also been used for a new company website which launched last week.

Advanced Actuators Ltd (originally Elram International) is a leading supplier of actuators, control solutions and hydraulic components. Since 1969, they have been serving specialist, niche markets in the oil and gas, nuclear, power, water and bulk material handling sectors and are renowned for making things move in some of the remotest and challenging environments!

Based in the UK but with a dedicated network of distributors globally, they have become one of the world’s leaders in electro-hydraulic engineering, serving clients in the Middle East, Far East, Australia and Europe.

AA as they I call them offer both standard and bespoke actuators and systems with some products of their standard range available on short delivery times.

The main focus of the shoot (pardon the pun, who me:)) was really to emphasis some of AA's key products but in a more lifestyle way rather than all simply catalogue shots. So the idea was to have shots of the products being assembled and serviced and include some "human" interaction. Before you can build a product of course you firstly need a design, so it was here in the design studio that I set up my first shot.

Shooting computer screens is always a challenge when it comes to controlling reflections etc as you really need a strong on screen image to draw the eye in. This calls for some creative lighting as you still require light on your subject whilst maintaining a reflection free screen!

MAF-39 Following on from the design studio its onto the shop floor to scout for potential product action shots. A good tour round the factory is always to be recommended before even getting the camera out so that I can plan my shots and not waste precious staff time.

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It's a good idea when visiting factories to keep the majority of shots quite tight. This ensures background distractions are kept to a minimum and along with some creative composition and lighting, more emphasis can be put on the product.

MAF-90 Another great detail to get into a shot when shooting for marketing materials is the company branding on staff workwear. Anything that helps strengthen the companies brand awareness should be captured. Producing shots with staff at work also helped to portray the servicing facility that the company also has to offer, which they do both on and off site.

Then finally its onto few more standard product shots some in a more lifestyle factory setting whilst others more studio based. Once again ensuring that the companies logo was clear & easy to read on their products. 

MAF-118 MAF-125   To read more about what services and Products Advanced Actuators can provide please see their website here where you can also download their brand new brochure too! 

If you wish to speak to Sam at 1017 about your companies marketing requirements please see here: and of course if you are interested in a commercial photography shoot from myself why not visit my sample gallery here: and then drop me a line at [email protected]. Many thanks for reading! 

MAF-27Rosie Ru Gifts For You

Recently I had the pleasure of undertaking an "in studio" Product Photography Shoot for Jo McFarlane the creator of Rosie Ru and the company that now carries her name. 

Rosie Ru is a small independent Huddersfield based British company, specialising in ultra high quality unique hand illustrated greeting cards, personalised gifts & bespoke illustrations. 

Jo's aim for Rosie Ru is to "paint warm, inspirational characters our children will love, and relate to."
 

The Brief:

The brief was to produce some high quality product photography that displayed Jo's artwork & products in the best light possible that would mainly be used for an online ecommerce store.This involved producing two sets of images which could not only used for selling online in a standard shop format but also portrayed to the viewer how the product would look in a clients home, in situ or in a more "lifestyle" environment as it were.

When I collected all the products ( there were quite a few!:)) from Rosie Ru HQ, I can tell you I was blown away by the shear quality of Jo's artwork. Drawing,painting quality and attention to detail was off the scale! Simply stunning work and all presented in unpretentious frames so as not to distract from the artwork. 

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The Shoot:

Throughout the shoot consistency in lighting & composition was key as at all times the products needed to look like they belonged together, part of the same family etc and not with images of wildly different composition, backgrounds & lighting which would confuse the potential purchaser.

To ensure this consistency I decided to shoot with studio lighting so that I could replicate the results no matter what the weather! It would be no good using daylight and then Jo coming back to me in the future with more products which would potentially then look totally different if natural light had been used. That said, I did try to keep the studio lighting as subtle & as natural looking as possible. 

The first element of the shoot was to produce what may be called "standard" online shopping images which would not only be easy to view for the potential purchaser but also comply with "Etsys" online store parameters. To this end the first batch was all shot on white background with quite contrasty lighting to give the products plenty of punch, ensuring they stood out from the background & where crisp & clean & did not confuse the viewer.  

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For the second part of the shoot I used a very large softbox to one side of the product with a small amount of reflected light opposite in order to emanate window light and thus produce a more "natural" look for the lifestyle images. This also ensured that the lighting could be easily replicated if required. This time the products were placed on a mock shelf and accompanied by a few props which help give the feel of a child's bedroom helping to give the potential purchaser a "feel" as to what the product may look like in their own home.

Before launching into the shoot I supplied Jo with a series of "TEST" images to ensure I was on the right lines with her brief. This I think helped with both our piece of minds.

Accurate editing was required following the shoot to ensure both colour & density remained consistent throughout.

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Overall a very satisfying shoot for what I think I am safe to say a very satisfied and very talented client. So much so that Jo very kindly presented me with a superb recommendation which you can read below and for which I am very grateful. 

The Recommendation:

"I first contacted Mark enquiring about product photographs for my business. Mark responded promptly (within 24 hours), and we were able to start discussing things very quickly. Mark was really intuitive to the look and style I wanted to create, and was proactive in finding what was required to create the shots I needed. I had a long list of photos required, again Mark used his intuition and skill to guide me towards the best look and feel for my products...giving me options that I hadn't even considered.

I was so pleased with the shots Mark took, they were perfectly detailed-and showed my products in the very best way possible. I was also very pleased with the amount of options Mark gave me, allowing me to choose the right shot for the right platform.

I am really looking forward to working with Mark again, and would certainly recommend him to anyone seeking a professional photograph service. Mark was a pleasure to work with: he is approachable, reliable, personable, and professional."

MAF-259Rosie Ru Gifts For You I am now looking forward to working with Jo on the next installment for Rosie Ru but for that you will have to wait a little longer so watch this space or any of the links below to Rosie Ru Gifts for you! 

Village Shop: RosieRu  Facebook page: Facebook

To make a purchase from Rosie Ru Gifts For You please see links below: NOTE Purchases can be gift wrapped for you too, so what are you waiting for! 

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Kirkwood Hospice ShopKirkwood Hospice Shop Almondury

Recently I was asked by Kirkwood Hospice to photograph a selection of their charity shops prior to them re opening following the Corvid19 lockdown.

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Why do this now you may ask?

Well for two main reasons. Firstly, with the shops being closed for a long period of time it has given the hospice time to restock, clean & organise the shops so basically at the this point in time they look their best. What a great opportunity to carry out some promotional photography prior to reopening.

Secondly Kirkwood Hospice wished to ensure members of the public that it was doing everything it could to ensure their premises were safe for their staff to work in and just as importantly to ensure it was safe for customers to shop.

This of course meant that I was to document the fact that all anti corona measures where in place. These measures included social distancing guides marked out on the floor of shops, health & safety signage displayed, sneeze screens in place and that hand sanitiser was freely available.

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MF-41 Kirkwood have a total of 21 Charity Shops located around Kirklees & the Huddersfield area and I was tasked with photographing three of them to get an idea of the type of products on sale, shop layout, staff in action and anti-corona measures in place. Photographing any more shops than this would have simply been overkill. The shops I visited included Waterloo, Kirkburton and Almondbury.

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Kirkwood’s shops sell a fantastic range of clothes, accessories, books, toys and much more and their friendly teams are always on hand to help you with either your donations or purchases.

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Are they accepting donations of goods?

It should be noted that not all shops have re-opened just yet as Kirkwood are carrying out a phased reopening but the ones that are can accept donations again. However, to ensure both the safety of customers & staff they have several safety measures in place. These include quarantining all donated items for 72 hours which may mean they are not able to take donations at some shops at certain times as they have limited storage space. So best to try calling prior to a visit.

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Kirkwood Hospice helps to improve the lives of people affected by any life limiting illness, supporting them to improve their quality of life. With the public's support Kirkwood’s shops help raise over £2 million each year which helps enormously with this effort.

Hopefully, the photography I have produced will lead to greater awareness of the Kirkwood Hospice Shops and the work of the hospice.

WHY NOT VISIT YOUR LOCAL SHOP TODAY!

Full details can be found on the Kirkwood Hospice website: here

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Rogers Plant Hire PhotoRogers Plant Hire Photo

Recently I was contacted by Hello Mint one of Huddersfield's premier digital marketing agency's asking if I would undertake some photography for their client, Rogers Plant Hire. The photography was required for the company's new website and social media. Hello Mint was keen to provide a fresh, creative and dynamic new website that fully showcased all of Rogers Plant Hire services & facilities that would revolutionise the businesses online and offline presences.

Rogers Plant Hire has outlets in both Rotherham & Honley with the Honley office being their state of the art and purpose-built headquarters. Both outlets offer an extensive range of Plant, Tools, and attachments both for small- and large-scale projects. Their range of both plant and construction equipment can be both hired and purchased, and they also have a range of PPE, garden tools and a fully stocked shop of ancillary equipment.

My photography brief was to ensure that I captured the full range of Rogers Plant Hire Services that they offer as well as to give some idea of the actual range of products that can be hired and /or purchased.

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                                                                                                                                                                    "KISSES"

As well as the more “major” plant equipment like JCB Excavators & Dumpers they also have a range of garden equipment to help get your garden “Summer Ready”! Which includes: Turf Cutters, Lawn Aerators, Scarifiers, Woodchippers, Pressure Washers, Stump Grinders, Chain Saws and Strimmer’s. With STHL being one of their high spec brands that can both be hired or purchased.

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Rogers Plant Hire offer a complete service; not only can you collect but they also offer a heavy Plant delivery service too. After hired out plant is returned its cleaned and serviced using their onsite facilities and made ready for the next hire.

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All Plant maintenance is carried out onsite in their own service bay and in addition a repair service for client’s own plant is also offered.

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I think I was successful in producing a broad range of imagery that complimented the brief plus a few onsite action shots to help create a more dynamic website.

The Rogers Plant Hire website is due to go live very soon but, in the meantime, you can contact them here:

http://www.rodgersplanthire.co.uk/

[email protected]
01484 667766

and if your looking for a digital marketing & web design service you can also contact Hellomint at: HELLOMINT

Of course if you are looking for some stunning commercial photography for a new website or to refresh existing content whether it be website or social media please feel free to check out my commercial sample gallery here: and /or please drop me a line to discuss. [email protected] 07745204331.

Just thinking back to the early stages of Corvid in March when I saw 6 months worth of bookings empty from my diary over the course of a week! Only to be followed by weeks of zero photography shoots (with the exception of a couple of volunteer PR Photo shoots for Food 4 Heroes) which of course meant zero income & of course all due to Corvid19/Coronavirus. Thank goodness for the governments self employed income support scheme as without & what is rather limited help in my case, I'd probably would be joining the ever increasing que at the virtual dole office/job centre!  

Finally; & complying with the government's regulations surrounding self employed work & "those that can't work from home are encouraged to return to work" it's finally time to get back to it! 

What a better job to start with than a photoshoot for George Street Storage in Huddersfield where social distancing was basically easy!

MAF-55George Street Storage Croslandmoor Chris Betts owner of George Street Storage messaged me after recommendations on Facebook to say he was looking to engage a photographer to shoot some new images for his new website & for use on social media.

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George Street Self Storage is Huddersfield’s most accessible and affordable self-storage facility. They offer brand new 20ft & 10ft self-storage units from as little as £2.75 per day.

Whether you are moving to a new house, a student between terms or need to use storage for your business, they can help you and with two sites Milnsbridge & Croslandmoor there's plenty of storage. 

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There is full 24 Hour access 7 days a week & site security is second to none with full CCTV monitoring!

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For further info please visit link here:  GEORGE STREET STORAGE

MAF-103 And of course for all your commercial photography requirements please feel free to drop me a line at [email protected] 07745204331 or visit my Commercial Photography Sample gallery HERE:

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With the onset of the dreaded #coronavirus leading to increased #onlineshopping now is the time to ensure your #ecommercewebsite is the best it can be. People buy from pictures so if your #websites #images are looking a little below par give me a call & i'll produce some new images for you your customers will love & thus generate you more #onlinesales in the process. FREE collection & return service throughout #Huddersfield NO human interaction required! #commercialphotography #commercialphotographer #productphotography #webdesign 
 

Slightly later than advertised this year, due to a busy January but I just wished to start the 2020 Blog off with a huge congratulations and equally large thank you to all couples that employed Mark Flynn Wedding Photography services in 2019. Congratulations to you all and very best wishes for the future. In the words of the apprentice....here are some of your highlights! Click play :) 

Bookings mainly being taken for 2021 but we do still have the odd date still available for 2020 if anyone is interested?

Enjoy the film!

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Recently I was proud to receive a terrific testimonial from Sarah Holbrook at Working Insync Marketing specialist. 

I have been working with Sarah for a few years now undertaking photographic commissions for her clients and this is what she had to say:

Dear Mark I started working with you through my BNI membership in another local group and ever since then you’ve been my go-to photographer. 

We’ve done photography for the Cancer Support Yorkshire website, at YH Training we’ve gone on a tour of the North of England taking photos of apprentices in the workplace and young people on Military Training programmes, and, at Parkinson Spencer Refractories we’ve done the standard corporate headshots and onsite photography for brochures and their website – plus some product photography of their very heavy manufactured products. This wasn’t against the ideal backdrop, but you’ve still managed to work wonders.

The people I’ve referred you to have always been very happy and I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending you to anyone. Your photos are always great, you offer a good value service, you’re always reliable and flexible – plus you’re an easy to get on with person that always represents yourself well with clients.

I look forward to working with you on future projects and I’m sure each of the organisations mentioned wouldn’t hesitate to use your services again.

Yours sincerely

Sarah Holbrook

I am so proud to receive such a fantastic testimonial and thank her for taking the time to write it and look forward to working with Sarah on future projects.

Some examples of the work I have completed for Sarah can be seen below: and to contact Sarah who now runs a counselling service as well as marketing company please see: Workinginsync for Marketing Services and Counselling

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In celebration of the fact that this week is National Apprenticeship Week I thought I would look back over some recent photography shoots that I have been commissioned for which have helped to promote apprentices and the apprenticeship scheme.  This annual celebration of apprenticeships brings the whole apprenticeship community together to celebrate the impact of apprenticeships on individuals, employers and the economy.

National Apprenticeship Week is coordinated by the National Apprenticeship Service and is designed to celebrate apprenticeships and the positive impact they have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy.

Over the past year I had the pleasure in producing work for two apprentice focused companies, namely Syngenta in Huddersfield and YH Training who have their HQ in Scarborough but also have offices in Huddersfield, Hull, Doncaster, Leeds and York.

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Working for YH Training came about when I was contacted by Sarah Holbrook at workinginsync who was engaged in marketing the YH Group. Sarah contacted me to arrange photoshoots of apprentices in action throughout YH's area.

YH are a family run business that cares about its learners and employers. They are a leading training provider with over 30 years’ experience of delivering high quality vocational training and workforce development solutions for local people and businesses. They help local businesses train and nurture their apprentice work force and have over a 1000 learners placed on programmes with over 650 employers at any one time.

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Its was my job to produce photographs that promoted the benefits of both recruiting an apprentice and becoming an apprentice. This involved traveling around the YH area capturing apprentices in action. YH provide training programmes in practically any sector of business so the photoshoots included a whole host of job roles from office based clerical roles, manufacturing, advertising, health care, customer service, sales and even military preparation training. 

Following the shoots which took several days to complete the images where then used for various marketing materials which included a brand new website, banners for display at exhibitions and leaflets.

Personally I think the project was a huge success with the pictures provided helping to promote the marketing of YH and its services both to would be apprentices and employers alike.

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SYNGENTA 

Syngenta Huddersfield have used my services for a couple of years now in order to promote their workplace apprenticeship scheme.

Established in 1916, Huddersfield Manufacturing Centre employs up to 400 skilled people, dedicated to professional manufacturing of important crop protection products that help growers meet an ever increasing demand for food, feed and fuel. Their talented and dedicated workforce make this possible. Manufacturing excellence, safety and skilled people are at the heart of the site's ambition and they are committed to their award winning Advanced Apprenticeship programme.

An apprenticeship with Syngenta in Huddersfield can lead to a rewarding career in a STEM discipline: Science, Technology, Engineering or Manufacturing. Many of Syngenta's apprentices have been successful in winning many local and national awards and must be one of the largest recruiters of apprentices, certainly locally if not nationally. As you can see by the group header picture which shows last years intake of apprentices. 

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Now is your chance to join as an apprentice with one of the countries top 100 employers but time is running out............. see the link below before its too late!

The window to apply for an Advanced Apprenticeship with Syngenta Huddersfield is closing.

There are just 7 days to apply for a role in Manufacturing or Engineering. Jump over to - https://www.syngenta.com/careers and submit your application.

#Huddersfield #Apprentice #Photography #CommercialPhotography

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A quick video featuring just some of the highlights from my Commercial Photography Commissions from last year.
 

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Booking mainly being taken for 2020 but we may have the odd date still available for 2019 if you wished to inquire.

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Danish homeware company JYSK opened a new outlet at the town's Danum Retail Park on York Road on Saturday July 28th and having covered previous store openings, asked Mark Flynn Photography to provide both photography & video to cover the build up to the opening, a VIP night and finally the grand opening. It goes without saying that I was delighted to cover such an exciting event.

This time was extra special as there was increased excitement with the opening of this specific store as it is JYSK's first ever "Concept 3" store in the UK. The store differs from existing stores in being more home and lifestyle led with items presented in beautiful room sets to showcase its range of products. 

So just who are JYSK??

JYSK opened its first store in Denmark in 1979 with a mission to  be a great Scandinavian offer for everyone within sleeping and living. JYSK opens an average of two stores every week (worldwide) & is amongst the largest retailers of duvets, pillows and mattresses in Europe; selling 3.8 Million mattresses & over 10 million pillows each year. As well as offering other items for the rest of the home.

The Brief:

In the first instance I spent the Tuesday prior to open day on a PR exercise going around Doncaster with a giant GOOSE to help promote the store opening; the Goose being the mascot of JYSK. This included a quick shoot with SineFM Radio Station that has also been promoting the new store opening.

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Following this the next job was to record a VIP opening night on the Friday before the store opening. For this and also the store opening both still photography and video where required which involved working alongside Deryn Carr at Grit Pictures who's superb complete video edit can be seen at the end of this Blog.

Friday nights tasks included getting shots of all JYSK colleagues, the inside of the store all nicely laid out and then arrivals, people chatting and general enjoyment, examining items etc. To be followed by the UK Managers address and welcome to the Mayor of Doncaster, continuing with tours of the store and a competition winner’s reaction and presentation. 

Highlight images of the evening then had to be turned around the same night ready for social media and internal website distribution.

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JYSK PHOTOGRAPHYJYSK PHOTOGRAPHY The following day we were back at the store for 7.30am ready for the store opening and the Mayors arrival. 

After the Mayors arrival and quick store tour it was time for the Mayor to cut the ribbon. So with excitement building, staff gathered around and massive ques building outside the Mayor officially welcomed JYSK to the town and the store was open!

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As customers rushed inside they were welcomed with a complementary Danish breakfast (Danish Pastries of course!) followed by the chance to enter competitions and of course fantastic open day discounts. Musical entertainment throughout the day was also provided by TRAXFM of Doncaster.

I was tasked with not only photographing all the events taking place but also people trying out furniture, the crowds, JYSK colleagues in action, happy customers, especially ones that had won a competition for a brand new mattress! 

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It was also an opportunity for the company to give something back to the community and for that JYSK teamed up with local charity Cash for Kids who they will be working with going forward.

By mid-morning my job was complete and it was a swift drive back to the office and on with the editing. All pictures and video were turned around by the end of the working day and ready for distribution by JYSK social media and web channels.

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For more info on JYSK and their range of products please check out their website at JYSK to learn more about helping cash for kids please see Cash4Kids and local radio stations TRAXFM & SINEFM and for all your film and video making requirements don't forget to drop Deryn at GRITPICTURES a line. Also for PR info please contact JYSK PR [email protected]

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Thank you for joining us for part two of our Tanzanian East African Safari into the Ruaha National Park.

MAF_435Ruaha National Park Waking up to the view of the dry river bed of the great Ruaha River - Ruaha National Park

So after four fantastic days in Selous National Park it was time for another internal bush flight to the great arid region which is Ruaha National Park, staying at one of the English owned Foxes Safari camps, namely Ruaha River Lodge.

Ruaha National Park is one of the best parks for predators in Africa but is generally overlooked by visitors as other parks tend to be more accessible - a blessing for those that do venture here. Not only is Ruaha's wildlife amazing but it is possible to drive all day in the park without seeing another vehicle! In stark contrast to Selous Game Reserve; which when we left was getting very wet; Ruaha when we arrived had yet to experience any rain since spring. This of course was to change the first night us Brits arrived! After being promised a rain free 1st game drive by the camp manager it promptly rained on us! Not that it spoilt anything of course as the shower soon past, leading to some spectacular wildlife views. 

Ruaha River Lodge is situated on one of the many bends of the so called Great Ruaha River but of course at this time of year the river is bone dry. Our banda (hut) was located right on the river bank and we could enjoy splendid views of Elephant digging for water right outside our door! Luckily for them they did not seem to have to dig down all that far to find water but watching them in action was classic David Attenborough stuff!!!

Below are a few highlights of our trip to Ruaha.

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On approach Ruaha Airport and terminal Buildings!

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ELEPHANTS!!!!!!!!!

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Closest relation to the Elephant, the Rock Hyrax, apparently!!!

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DAY OF THE JACKAL!

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European Bee eater                                                                              There's a lion in there somewhere!

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The superb Lilac Breasted Roller takes some beating for colour.

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Ostrich!

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King of the beasts!

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     Rush Hour in Ruaha

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Male Kudu

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WARNING THESE NEXT IMAGES ARE NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED!!!!!!!!!

As you are about to see Lion eating Elephant!!!!

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MAF_464 Probably not the safest place to do a spot of fishing you would think but then apparently Crocodiles do not like birds as they can't deal with their feathers. MAF_433 The end of another day in Ruaha, definietly must qualify for dark sky status!

So that concludes our brief three day trip to Ruaha National Park. I hope the picture above the pictures above give a brief insight into our time there. If you you would like to view all of the images from the trip please feel free to follow the links below. It's now time for us to depart the East African mainland and board yet another internal flight to the Island of Zanzibar.

http://www.markflynnphotography.com/ruahanationalpark

PART ONE

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For those of you who know me and even for those that don't you maybe interested to learn that it was my interest in wildlife that kicked off my interest in photography, so when the chance arose to book an African Safari with my partner Rachel I was in my element. Initially the idea began after we received a holiday brochure from a travel agent specialising in VERY high end wildlife speciality holidays. After reading the brochure and choosing our favorite one I decided that I could probably work it out & book it myself and that of course was what I did, saving £3000 in the process! Yes you read that right £3000!!  It involved a great deal of work in the planning and a few anxious times getting everything to fit together and even the odd panic of a flight reschedule which I sorted, which is of course just one of the reasons why most people use a Travel Agent. If you cannot cope with this worry and time spent planning than a Travel Agent is still the best option but I would certainly book my own trip again.

So the trip began by flying to Dar Es Salaam (Commercial Capital of Tanzania) with Qatar Airways (awesome) via way of Manchester to Doha (Qatar) this involved two 6.5 hour flights. We left Manchester 20.50 Hrs on a Monday finally arriving Dar Es Salaam the day after at 14.10. We then overnighted before going back to the airport the following morning for our 8.30am Coastal Aviation flight to Selous Game Reserve.

Coastal Aviation fly 16 seater Cessna's (including use of the co-pilots seat for passengers!) landing you on sandy runway strips in the bush, right on the edge of Selous Game Reserve. The experience and views from the plane were amazing, though you must remember this is now Africa and things can run very "pole' pole'" (slowly in Swahili) so when a plane is scheduled to leave at 8.30am it does not always mean it will be 8.30am that day but may even be the next day! Fortunetly for us we found Coastal to be very efficient; indeed being almost always very close to the scheduled time of arrival/departure. (Would avoid FastJet by all all accounts not very fast at all).

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On arrival at the terminal hut (literally) with Fire Engine standing by (yea right!) we were met by our guide & driver from Selous River Camp who introduced himself as POKO. I choose Selous River Camp for a number of reasons: Close to Game Reserve entrance whilst not actually being inside (saved money on park fees which can mount up), entrance was literally 5 mins away from camp: SRC offered Game Drives, Walking and Boat Safari's (not offered in the North of Tanzania ie Serengeti) all which we were eager to try. The camp also had lots of great reviews on tripadvisor & facebook and was more competitively   priced than other camps. SRC offer both Tented and Mudhut accommodation. Being the start of the short rain season we opted for the mudhut to ensure extra shelter but also the Mudhuts had views of the great Rifiji River below, complete with bathing Hippos! All of which were very vocal and added to the great bush living experience. Selous River Camp really looked after us with a very friendly helpful team with a relaxed style and I couldn't recommend them enough!

The Selous Game Reserve is a scenic wilderness covering over 50,000 Sq KM making it one of the largest protected areas in Southern Africa. The Great Rifiji River runs through the Reserve forming channels and ox-bow lakes as it goes. These give way to riverine forests and swamps, woodlands, open grasslands and acacia clad hills, making it home to large populations of Game. This is one of the few places in East Africa where you can experience not just game drives but also boat and walking safari's.

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A Selection of "IN" Camp Visitors:

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ON SAFARI FULL DAY GAME DRIVE INCLUDING PICNIC LUNCH IN THE BUSH

The following day we set off with guide & landcruiser into Selous Game Reserve on our first full day Game Drive. POKO our guide/driver had both amazing driving skills and knowledge of both the local area and its wildlife. My god there was nowhere this man would'nt take his landcruiser in order to get us the best possible views of wildlife. Some people may find this a little challenging as you are jolted around both on unmade roads and off road in some occasions as sharp Acacia trees pushed themselves through the open sides of the jeep but we found it all part of the excitement and loved it! 

Of course the spectacle and closeness of  the wildlife is simply amazing and I would urge anyone with or even without an interest in wildlife to try the experience.

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MAF_127Olive Baboon A spot of Yoga in the morning for the pretender to the king of the jungle!

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A young Marshall Eagle with his freshly killed baby Impala, soon attracted the attention of many Vultures!

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Who would mess with this guy???? Well no one unless you are another hungry vulture that is!

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Not all plain sailing on the roads of the Selous after a downpour!

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Bath Time for Baboons                                             Classic Acacia tree scenery, caused by Giraffes eating the lower branches

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In the Selous it helps to use two heads always better than one

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Look like rains a coming

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What a better way to get around than to use the Hippo water taxi!

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EARLY MORNING WALKING SAFARI (2Hrs) PLUS FULL DAY BOAT SAFARI ON THE GREAT RIFIJI RIVER

Walking safaris are a fantastic way to get close to nature and you learn more about the smaller species and the bush itself. It's an unforgettable experience to walk within such a vast and untamed area of natural reserve(with Park Ranger & GUN). Although we spotted some Giraffes, Impala and Warthogs on the walk and also walked in the footsteps of elephants, the walking safari gave us the opportunity to learn about the things you miss from a vehicle or boat & the ecosystem that the animals live in. We Learned to identify animal tracks, Sh*t and signs and hear fascinating information about the insects, trees and colourful birdlife.

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Giraffe Shoes!!!

BOAT SAFARI

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The Selous is one of the very few game reserves in Africa where you can view game from the water, and after the dust and bumpy roads of a game drive, there's nothing more relaxing that drifting along the river watching the wildlife. 

The Boat safari was an ideal way of enjoying the stunning scenery of the Rufiji River with its many hippos, crocodiles and beautiful birdlife. Definitely not to be missed was the sunset from the boat - there is nothing quite like the peacefulness of the river, hippos honking all around you while the sun dips below the horizon. Oh and the unbelievable closeness that you can get to open mouthed 2M long Crocodiles!!! We certainly felt that now;...... we were in Africa!

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Living Life on the edge with this Yellowbilled Stork, note the shape in the bottom right corner

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African Fish Eagle battles with Falcon in mid air!

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That just about completed our boat safari but there are many more pictures to see if you wish by going to the full gallery at the base of this Blog.

The following day and our last day in Selous we enjoyed another full day game drive. here are a few highlights which included getting stuck in the mud and having to be towed out whilst searching for Lions!!!

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Marshall Eagle, check out its catch under its foot!!

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After four fantastic days spent at Selous it was time (sadly) to bid farewell to Poko our guide to move on; but wait we were not going home but taking another internal flight further into the interior of Tanzania to explore the great Ruaha National Park.

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Read all about our adventures in Ruaha in the next installment of this Blog.....coming soon!!!

To see all the 700+ images that I shot in Selous Game Reserve feel free to visit the full gallery at: http://www.markflynnphotography.com/selous

Peoples Postcode LotteryPR Photography

The People’s Postcode Lottery, as you may be able to guess from the name, is a nationwide subscription lottery that offers people the chance to win cash prizes based on their postcode. I’ve been working with the People’s Postcode Lottery for years now, capturing the different winners’ wide range of reactions for PR photographs.

As you can imagine it’s a very uplifting project to be a part of as you see just how overjoyed people are to have their lives changed with huge cash sums! I’ve seen it all when people are handed their novelty oversized cheques; dancing, shouting, screaming, laughing, people being left speechless – it really is different every time and a pleasure to be a part of.

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I go to the homes of the winning families all over the North, having travelled as far as Chesterfield, Stamford,St Annes and York and take celebratory photographs on their doorsteps. As well as capturing the winner’s reactions, I also have the rather unique dual role of helping encourage the best possible reactions from the winners for the videographer’s benefit. This can include lots of smiling and waving off screen which is all part of the fun shooting for this great client!

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The People’s Postcode lottery raises a phenomenal amount of money for a range of different charities. There are a number of trusts set up within the organisation that donate to a number of different causes. These include the Postcode Animal Trust, the Postcode African Trust, the Postcode Children Trust and Postcode Culture Trust.  Taking part in the People’s Postcode Lottery can help support these charities with at least 30% of the money going towards these causes.

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In recent weeks I was also privileged to photograph one of The Postcode Lottery's Millions Events where all the lucky winners resided in the Dearn Valley area of Rotherham. This was an amazing event where over 600 people were invited. Players and charity beneficiaries all mingled together whilst being entertained by roving magicians all awaiting the results of the millions postcode lottery draw to see how much they had won.

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The Postcode Millions draws offer the players the chance to win a share of amazing £3 Million prize pots* every month. Could you be next in line for a life-changing cheque?

* In accordance with the Gambling Act 2005, the maximum amount that can be won by a single ticket is 10% of draw proceeds up to a maximum of £400,000

Watch me in action here with a particularly happy set of winners here

To sign up to the People's Postcode Lottery click here

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Woodman InnWoodman Inn

A wedding is said to be the best day of many peoples’ lives and I couldn’t feel more privileged to be the one responsible for capturing peoples’ special day.

Wedding photos are treasured for a lifetime, and every wedding is different, that’s why I will never tire of being a wedding photographer even though it’s something I’ve done for several years now. (20 in fact!)

I started out my career as a professional photographer by specialising in wedding photography, and I’ve learnt over the years that having the right venue for a wedding is a very important factor in making sure the newlyweds have their perfect day (and photographs!).

One of my favourite locations to shoot wedding photographs is at the Woodman Inn, based in Thunderbridge, Kirkburton, Huddersfield.

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I am one of the recommended photographers for the Inn and over time we have built up a great relationship as I have taken pictures of wedding ceremonies and parties that have taken place there.

For over eight years now I have been photographing weddings at this amazing venue, with the most recent shoot I did there being at a lovely ceremony just last weekend.

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The Woodman Inn was built in the 18^th century and is set in the stunning South Pennine countryside.

With its homely feel and wonderful gardens, the Woodman Inn provides the perfect romantic backdrop for any couple tying the knot!

The Inn is oozing with character and charm, which makes my job of taking great photographs there very easy indeed!

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The events team and chefs ensure you are well looked after providing excellent service and food.

It’s also the perfect party location, and I always have a chuckle to myself watching the dance floor antics unfold and the dad dancing coming out!

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There is now even more scope for Weddings at the Woodman Inn with the opening of their new beautiful Orangery and gardens which is just across the road from the existing building which; also has the option to bolt on a large marquee to enable you to celebrate or entertain even more guests.

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It’s the ideal place for an intimate wedding day with all your family and friends around you. So if you’re looking for the perfect venue for your wedding, why not visit the Woodman Inn for their Wedding Open Day on Sunday 9^th June? For more information, you can visit their website here:Woodman Inn

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ChocatlonChocatlon Chocolate and marathons sound like two things that probably should not mix, right? (Snickers excluded:))

Well according to the scenes I saw and captured at this year’s Huddersfield ChocAthlon they actually seemed like a perfect fit! If you’re not the keenest of runners, I bet the idea of chocolate treats at the finish line and at various ‘feed stations’ along the way might be the enough to convince you to get your running shoes on! This 9km trail run takes place in Marsden and is organised by Team OA, a company that was established with the aim of ‘putting the fun back into run’ with their themed races.

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If you’re looking for a boozier alternative to the ChocAthlon, a WineAthlon or Ale Athlon might be more up your street – which, perhaps unsurprisingly, is always a hit with Stag and Hen parties. I’ve had the very amusing pleasure of photographing both these types of events for Team OA in the past. There is even a PieAthlon and CakeAthlon for those who get a bit peckish when exercising. My job at these types of events is to really capture the atmosphere of each event, which is easy to do as everyone is usually in good spirits and ready to laugh in their fancy dress outfits.

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Although it’s not only these fun-themed races that Team OA provide, they also provide more traditional marathons (aka ones that lack the snacks or alcoholic beverages) across West Yorkshire. This year I’ll be in charge of capturing the Huddersfield, Halifax, the Oldham Way Ultra and Wakefield Marathons. It’s always inspiring to see the entrants working so hard to smash their targets and never give up on getting the best possible time they can on the day.

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Pictures of competitors are available for a free download as a memento to remember what is always a great day. The images are also used for promotional purposes by Team OA and are shared on the website and across social media. I’m really looking forward to the upcoming Team OA events and sharing all the photos with you on their website here: TEAM OA ,so keep an eye out for these over the coming months!  

"TEAM OA they really are "PUTTING THE FUN BACK INTO RUN"!!!!!!

NOTE HUDDERSFIELD MARATHON IS THIS SUNDAY START HUDDERSFIELD YMCA 10am

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EXTRACT TECHNOLOGYEXTRACT TECHNOLOGY

Extract Technology provide a range of products to help ensure the safety of staff during the manufacturing of pharmaceutical products. Creating pharmaceuticals often involves working with a number of potentially harmful and hazardous substances. Extract Technology manufactures products such as downflow booths, containment isolators and IsoPharm isolators in order to make it safe to work with these substances for members of staff.

Recently I went to photograph some of the new machines they had made at their factory on Leeds Road, Huddersfield. Extract Technology have been a great customer of mine for a long time now. However, that doesn’t mean that shooting their products isn’t without its obstacles!

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Extract Technology’s machines are huge, which can make it a challenge to capture the whole machine in its entirety. Also, the industrial lighting in the factory doesn’t particularly lend itself well to photography. With this said, I love overcoming obstacles to get the best possible photos for my clients. I surrounded the machines with as many white screens as possible to improve the lighting. Also, because a lot of the machines are encased in glass, the white screens reduced the reflections from the floor and surroundings for the photographs. After this, I retouched the photos to ensure they were completely reflection-free and then carefully cut them out in photoshop to make the final version of the finished images.

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I also had the opportunity to do something a bit different with the photoshoot at Extract Technology – video work! I am mainly known for my work with stills but I really enjoy working with video too. I relished the opportunity to flex my videography muscles making a short demo video for their machines. It was great to have this opportunity and I can’t wait to continue doing more video work like this in the future.

I always talk about how interesting and varied it is to be a photographer, but no two days are the same. The company are very pleased with the results and so am I! The shots I captured will be used on their website, in their brochures and their operating manuals.

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For more information on Extract Technology or to see how the photos are feature on the website, visit EXTRACT

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MAF-145Bradstone Assured Awards

Being a photographer is a varied job and I’m lucky to be able to get involved in shooting a lot of fun and exciting events. However, there aren’t many that are quite as fun as the day I had shooting the Bradstone Assured Awards and activity day recently.

Bradstone, part of Aggregate Industries, are a leading supplier of paving, walling, edging, decorative stone and driveway products in the UK. After a successful year, Bradstone had the idea of putting on a day of fun events followed by a lavish awards evening as a thank you to all the independent driveway and paving contractors that had used their products over the past year.

The attendees gathered at Wild Park, Derbyshire for a day of outdoor fun and activities. First up they took to the woodlands of the park for a hard-fought game of paintball. It made for a dramatic scene to shoot and at times it looked like a paint-splattered scene from a war film! All this action made for some exciting fast-paced shots that were a pleasure to shoot.

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Paintball was followed by some rip-roaring quad biking through the Wild Park fields. I love the dramatic shots of the quad bikes flying through puddles and the mud shooting up in the air. I experimented with some different effects on some of the shots, including the blurred effect on a shot of the guys on the quad bikes to capture the speed and power of these machines!

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Archery was up next for the attendees – and I think it really hit the spot! With a few bull’s eyes being hit, I think this one really resonated with its ‘target audience’ if you’ll excuse the pun. Next up Bradstone had organised some demonstrations to showcase a selection of specialist products at the forefront of the paving and driveway industry. Specialist tool manufacturer Makita was also on site offering product demos.

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With only a short window of 2.5 hours to process the images so they could be showcased on large screens at the awards event, time was of the essence. Thankfully all the photos came out great and looked brilliant displayed around the Roundhouse in Derby, where the ceremony was held. This impressive old building used to be used to be where trains turned around and with its huge timber beams and glass roof, it made for a stunning location for the event, and a lovely one to capture.

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Bradstone had carefully selected the winners of the Bradstone Assured Awards honouring the cream of the crop of the driveway and paving industry. It was a wonderful ceremony with celebrity guests including ITV’s ‘This Morning’ gardener David Domoney and ex Arsenal player Paul Merson to help present the awards to the winning guests.

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It was a privilege to shoot for such a large and respected company and be involved in the day rewarding their clients’ loyalty and success. Take a look at more of the images here and I’m looking forward to hopefully shooting more fun-filled days of this kind in the future!

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HeadshotsFibre Architects

Being able to put a face to a name is so important in the world of business. With an increasing amount of emphasis being placed on social media with websites such as LinkedIn, it is important to have a smart, professional portrait that reflects you and the business you work for in the best possible way.

Team photos and individual head shots are also a great way to personalise your website with 'about us' or 'meet the team' sections allowing potential customers or clients to feel like they've got to know you more before you've even met. By including these sections, it can increase the feeling of approachability for a business and help them pick up the phone and make an enquiry.

Recently I did some individual and team shots for local Huddersfield-based architecture firm, Fibre Architects. The company wanted the photos for inclusion in a new 'meet the team' section on the website, for social media and potentially for use in PR campaigns.

As with all of my team projects, as well as having the traditional headshots - I wanted to use the team photos to reflect the business. Having worked with Fibre before (after being asked to photograph some of their architecture work for them) I knew it is a modern and creative company with a charming office - and I wanted to get that across in the photos I produced for them.  

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In order to offer them some variation I took photos both in the daytime and at night, I particularly like how the outdoor night-time shots make use of their unique neon sign they have by the entrance to the building - which I am a big fan of.

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The Fibre team were really happy with the photos and are looking forward to using them in the future.

If you or your team think they could do with some team photos or headshots for use on websites, PR or social media - get in touch! We can either visit your premises and photograph you in situ or if you would like a studio style headshot you can simply make an appointment for a visit to our modern studio premises. A couple of example of studio headshots can be seen below:

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In the short video below I invite you to view just a few of my Commercial Photography Highlights from 2016. The video includes a broad range of my photography from Commercial, Industrial, Product, Marketing and PR.  Over the past year I have produced work directly for Manufacturers, Service Companies, Finance Companies, Estate Agents, Marketing and Public Relations, Advertising Agencies, Charities and Web Developers.

In all of the above cases I am pleased to have been able to help raise the profile of my clients and thus increase exposure for them in their chosen markets through the use of high quality imagery.

Not included are two new services which I introduced in 2016 are those of Aerial Drone Photography/Video and interactive 360 degree photography. These will be covered in separate forth coming videos.

For further information on Commercial Photography please contact [email protected] 07745204331.

Commercial Highlights 2016Commercial Photography Highlights 2016

A blog you may not like at first but may soon grow on you :)

PR photographyForget me not childrens hospice

Recently I was asked to shoot the overhauling of the Forget Me Not Children's Hospice's gardens, courtesy of Wyevale Garden Centre. Wyevale kindly provided the materials and some manpower to help makeover the outdoor area which the children enjoy at the Hospice, and they asked me to document the day.

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Forget Me Not Children's Hospice is an institution that provides care and support for children with life-shortening illnesses and their families. I have worked with the charity on many occasions before and have seen first-hand the amazing work they do. This is the latest in a series of big changes the charity has done to make the children in their care's lives as enjoyable as possible.

As well as the Wyevale staff, the rest of the gardening work was done by volunteers, Hospice staff and (when I wasn't snapping away) yours truly! Two staff from Banney Royd Landscaping who built all the structures whilst I was asked to record the transformations.

MAF-50Forget me not childrens hospice MAF-56 It was amazing to see all hands on deck for this great cause, as I was told by the staff how much the children appreciate spending time out in the garden when they can, and so having the best possible garden area for them to enjoy was really important to the Hospice.

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The day was a very interesting one to shoot and I find it really exciting to capture things being created as it allows the photographs to really tell a story. It also provides a contrast to some of the more stationary shots I am often involved in and I love diversity in my work.

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The Wyevale Garden Centre have several stores, with two located in Huddersfield at Birchencliffe and Shelley. It was superb to be able to see their generous helping of the Forget Me Not Children's Hospice, and document it through some exciting photos. I had a great day and I look forward to working with them again in the future as well as continuing my ongoing relationship with the Forget Me Not Children's Hospice - maybe with less gardening duties involved next time around... but who knows!

Eco Build Architect Brochure Download-1

I’ve been working with Tobermore (a block paving specialist) for seven years now, photographing their projects all over the North of England.

Tobermore are a UK based paving and walling manufacturer specialising in the supply of landscaping materials including block paving, paving flags, kerbs, edging and walling products for both the domestic and commercial markets throughout the UK and Ireland.

Ranging from large retail parks, schools/colleges, supermarkets, garden centres, hospitals, sports centres and housing estates.

At first glance these may seem like mundane photography projects – how wrong could you be!  A seemingly ‘run of mill’ job soon brings up its own challenges and allows me to use my creativity in a new way.

The lack of time spent setting up ‘poses’ and making the subject feel ‘comfortable’ allows me more time to perfect each shot and thus get the best out of the project.  

With Tobermore projects, I take on the mantle of photographer/weather man and pore over forecasts when planning each photography session.  The paving must be dry to be photographed and as with unpredictable weather guaranteed ‘oop North’ it can be dry in Huddersfield (occasionally) but may be pouring with rain in Hull or Lancaster.

I also make sure I have a brush to sweep away the leaves and dirt that may have found their way onto the paving (and have even been known to pick off discarded chewing gum lest it ruin my shot).

The great thing about these projects is the way I can arrange the shot and use my architechtual creativity to compose the perfect shot - step ladders are a must to get high shots and padding for lying down on the ground to get up close.  Tobermore also like to have shots with blurry feet or car wheels to show the paving in use (great shots for website and promotional use) and to bring the project to life.

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I love travelling around and photographing their fantastic products and I’m glad this job can only be done in the summer (mostly) – no chilly ground for me.(sometimes)

People skills are vital as I often have to negotiate with schools and sports/shopping centre's so I can get a clear shot without disturbing the day-to-day running of wherever I’m needed and also ensure sensitive people are not included in the shot.

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I feel that working with a company for so long not only shows that they like my work but also shows how well we work together and long may it continue and in the words of Tobermore lets keep producing #Quality like no other!

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For more information on Tobermore Products please see: http://www.tobermore.co.uk/professional/contact/contact-us​

Last month I had the pleasure of shooting for local clothing company Dock of the Bay. Dock of the Bay wanted my help photographing their clothing for their Autumn/Winter campaign, and I was happy to be involved! Their aesthetic is very much to do with the countryside and the outdoors, as it is specifically an outdoor leisurewear brand. Therefore, I took the shoot to the scenic woodland areas surrounding Honley and it couldn't have offered a better environment to shoot their clothing.

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Models Beci, Katy, Amelia, Chris and Katie take to the woods for a fun day capturing what Dock of the Bay's clothing is all about. I really wanted the images to embody the lifestyle that Dock of the Bay represents, which is why we wanted some family orientated outdoor pictures of families and couples enjoying walks in the countryside. The weather was glorious on the day of the shoot, which made for some excellent natural light to shoot with.

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All the models loved the clothing that was both stylish and comfortable. I enjoyed taking the catalogue style pictures for Dock of the Bay's website, and also managed to get some great candid pictures. One of my favourite shots of the day was of our youngest model, Amelia, playing in the heather field near the woods. We also had our 'dog model' Alfie bounding around on set which made for some engaging shots with our other models too.  

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It was a fabulous day on set as I love getting out and about to take photos as much as possible. I'm really happy with the images we managed to capture and how they managed to capture the Dock of the Bay brand. The pictures are being used to advertise clothes on Dock of the Bay's website and also on their social media.

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You can take a look at how the photos came out by visiting the Dock of the Bay website here: https://www.dockofthebay.co.uk and follow my Twitter for more updates about photo shoots here: @markflynnphoto

Recently I had the honor of photographing David & Lisa's wedding who married on the 17th June at St Mary's Parish Church in Mirfield and held their wedding Reception at The Gommersal Park Hotel. Lisa has been kind enough to write me a wonderful testimonial which follows below. I have also included a few highlights of the day which I hope everyone will enjoy.

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Just recently I was commissioned by Huddersfield based Marketing Company KC Communications to undertake some commercial manufacturing photography for their client Heald Ltd.

MAF-74ROAD BLOCKER Heald Ltd designs, manufactures and installs a range of innovative counter-terror products such as roadblockers, barriers and bollards that aim to protect vulnerable sites around the world. Their products play a leading role in the defence of properties against terrorists and criminal organisations, and are installed in airports, shopping center's, military sites, government buildings and many more. With the growing threat of terrorism in modern society, Heald's innovative products are fundamental to the safe guarding of many vulnerable sites and citizens worldwide. Heald are dedicated to creating their own, significantly improved versions of the standard roadblocker.

Heald is keen to invest in new machinery and keep production in-house to ensure best value processes. All parts of the manufacturing process, including electronics, are conducted at their base in Hornsea.

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THE BRIEF & OBJECTIVE 

To capture images of the manufacturing process and engineers in action and showcase electronics and software development elements which take place in house. Ensuring the message "Made In Britain" is conveyed.

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It was also essential to capture shots of senior management and group photos of the team which can be used on a new website and to feature in other literature and PR opportunities.

In fact an article focusing on Debbie Heald (Director,Joint owner & multi award winning business woman) featuring some of my images and compiled by KCcomms has already appeared in Womanthology Magazine which can can be seen here: https://t.co/s0zkdfO2JV

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Heald are currently looking for more distributors in key markets, and creating new innovations to meet their clients ever increasing security needs. 

Heald can be contacted at: http://www.heald.uk.com/   KC Comms can be contacted at www.kccomms.co.uk

and of course for all your Commercial Photography requirements please contact mark on 07745204331 or [email protected]

Just wished to start 2016 with a huge congratulations and thank you to all couples that employed Mark Flynn Wedding Photography services in 2015. Congratulations to you all and very best wishes for the future. In the words of the apprentice here are some of your highlights:

Still looking for the perfect Christmas gift for a TOWN fan? Then why not check out the Huddersfield Town Football Club’s Mega Store, Website & Retail Catalogue.

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Last month I was delighted to be contracted by Worthington Brown of Holmfirth who are Huddersfield Town’s FC Marketing Agency to undertake both Lifestyle & Product Photography Shoots for a new retail catalogue for the club.

The aim was to produce a more modern and interesting retail catalogue for “TOWN” which would display a selection of the clubs retail products both as individual products but which also showed the products in situ or in use.

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We started with the Lifestyle shoot first, which of course had to be at John Smith’s Stadium; the home ground of TOWN.

After recruiting a selection of willing models we went about equipping them with a range of Town retail merchandise which they could model throughout the ground.

It was decide to undertake the shoot on an under 21’s match day as we required shots of out of focus crowds but not so many as on a senior match day when we may not have had room to work.

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We tried to keep the shoot as informal & natural as possible to try and show off the products as they would be in “real life” but of course this did also require some acting from our models that performed brilliantly on the day.  We shot mainly at wide aperture and madegood use of portable lighting for each shot thereby placing more ethnises on the subject and hence ensuring the product stood out from the crowd.

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With a selection of clothing and other retail products shot on the day it was then back to the studio for what was to be a two day shoot undertaking fairly straight forward product photography. The only problem was that there were 200 individual products to be photographed and all had to be taken out of wrappers and pricing removed which was quite time consuming. Finally it was onto the shoot.

We used classic seamless white studio backdrops with nice contrasty studio lighting to show the products off to their best advantage. This meant that the shots could now be easily cut out and used both in the new catalogue and on the clubs website.

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Huddersfield Town RetailHuddersfield Town Retail With the completion of the shoots all images where edited and colour corrected and handed over to the Graphic Design Team at Worthington Brown who used the new images along with player stock images to design and print the new Huddersfield Town Mega Store Catalogue; which I hope you will agree looks fantastic and will hopefully increase retail sales for the club.

Catalogue available at HTAFC Shops and HTAFC Canalside and other local outlets.

Come on you TOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HTAFC Retail can be contacted on: http://www.htafcmegastore.com/

Worthington Brown can be contacted at: www.worthingtonbrown.co.uk

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Having previously covered the opening of the Dewsbury Vets 4 Pets I was delighted to be asked to spend a ‘day in the life’ of the Vets 4 Pets team in Barnsley.

I was asked to spend half a day in their practise taking photos of the staff in action.  I couldn’t wait, especially to see their new hydrotherapy center which uses warm, clean water to support and massage whilst the treadmill controls the exercise accurately.

The team wanted a few staged portraits but really wanted me to be a ‘fly on the wall’ from reception, consultation to procedures so yes, I had to scrub up!  I was asked to don a PPE gown, hair net (not sure why for me!), foot protection and face mask so I could access all areas of the practise and even watch a first time surgical procedure.

I was asked to photograph a Doberman who was undergoing an endoscopic surgical procedure – the first to be performed at this practice, it was to correct a twisted stomach and remove her ovaries. (nice....)

Testimonial:-

‘Mark was fantastic when we asked him to spend half a day at our veterinary hospital in Barnsley. He perfectly captured the balance of clinical imagery along with making the surgery feel a welcome and caring environment. He effortlessly shot in very trick situations from surgery to portraiture and put people and pets at ease.

His costs were reasonable and he was quick at turning around the photographs at the other end.

We’d certainly recommend him for future jobs – a pleasure to work with’

I really enjoyed the challenge this project brought to me, the very busy practise meant that a shot was there one minute and gone the next as the nurses and vets ran around attending to their patience.

I had to work with the lighting as it was impossible to set up equipment for a specific frame due to the speed I had to work.

The challenges of not only putting the staff at ease but also the animals and their owners made it a very enjoyable day. 

I really feel I have captured the warm environment for their marketing and website needs as well as the possibility of my surgical shots being used for a medical journal. 

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They say never work with kids and animals*, but in our case we’ve done it twice recently thanks to KC Communications!

Following a successful photo shoot for a Temple Learning Academy, which opened in September 2015, KC Communications once again appointed me to undertake a photo shoot for another one of their school clients, Khalsa Science Academy.

Having opened in September 2013 and becoming more established having grown to three-year groups, the time was right to undertake some photography, which could be utilised to create updated literature such as prospectuses.

The photo shoot covered photographing the children in their learning environment, taking part in everything from English lessons, music lessons, IT, PE and even school lunchtime.

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This had to be one of the trickiest shoots I have had to undertake. Having staged a previous school shoot it was easy to showcase the children as engaged in an activity, however, undertaking a shoot during a lesson so as not to disrupt the learning process is a whole different story.

The outcome of the shoot resulted in some fantastic images with one of our favourites being a young girl who was desperate to answer a maths question. It really captured how children love learning and that magical moment which ‘it’ just clicks.

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I’m looking forward to working with Khalsa Science Academy once again as I undertake their individual and class photos in November and again when they move to their permanent site in Alwoodley I will be back to undertake some refreshed photography to showcase the first class facilities on offer at the school.

*For the record, we had a snake on the first school shoot!

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Are you a school or academy looking to reach a wider audience and increase your intake? If so then why not give KC Communications a call to discuss your marketing requirements and of course for high quality school photography just drop Mark Flynn Photography a line. [email protected] 07745204331   & Katrina at KC Communications at [email protected] 01484829029.  Khalsa Science Academy can be contacted on [email protected]

Kirkwood Hospice Colour RushKirkwood Hospice Colour Rush

Whenever I am official photographer for Kirkwood Hospice events, I always know that the day will promise to be action packed, fun and well organised.This weekend was no exception with the first ever ‘Kirkwood Colour Rush’ at Oakwell Hall Country Park.

For those of you not in the ‘know’, a colour rush is basically a fun run through clouds of powder paint.

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Official wording for the event was:

“Get ready to have the time of your life with the first ever Kirkwood Colour Rush. Celebrate the vibrant characters in your life and create new memories as you run, walk, skip or dance your way around the 5k course, being covered with vivid colour combinations along the way.”

And I was there to capture the event in ‘full colour’.

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The sheer volume of people signing up was staggering –an estimated 600 people registered which helped raise £1000’s for the hospice.

The pre-run atmosphere was absolutely fantastic, with participants getting dressed up, face painting whilst a DJ and Zumba instructor ensured everyone was warmed up and into the Colour Rush vibe.

A staggered start meant that I was able to get around the course to photograph as many people as possible.  Adults and children completed the run, giggling and shrieking as they were covered in coloured powder. 

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Despite my best efforts at keeping my equipment covered, they fell casualty to the sheer volume of powder paint floating around (thankfully not for long, they cleaned up pretty easily).

As participants ran over the finish line, coated with paint, they were presented with a goodie bag containing their medals.

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The merriment continued even the fun run was complete with yet more powder paint throwing and en masse dancing in the celebratory atmosphere.

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At the end of the event, I had captured hundreds photographs, all of which are available to view and purchase via my website – proceeds from the sale of these photos will go to Kirkwood Hospice to top up the overall fundraising effort from the day.

The corporate sponsors of the event were Choice Furniture Store and Armitage Sykes Solicitors.

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M&L ElectricalM&L Electrical

When Huddersfield based M&L Electrical approached me about undertaking some corporate shots for their new brochure and website I was only to happy to oblige. 

Run by Mark Harrison & wife Melanie, with an ever expanding team of electricians, M&L have been established for over 15 years and have experience in domestic, commercial and industrial electrical work. The brief was that they wanted their corporate image aligned with their professional service and capabilities through sharp photography of projects they have undertaken, with the end use for the images being their website a new brochure and other marketing material.

The first project to start the ball rolling was the work they had undertaken at KT Dance Academy, an exciting and innovative dance school which has opened in Lindley, Huddersfield.

M&L had undertaken a full electrical installation for the new studio, and wanted to show off the finished project.

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Photographs were taken of the completed internal dance studio (complete with its new energy efficient LED ceiling lamps) and, with my advice, external shots of the building were taken at dusk for added effect which produced simply stunning results.

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Another project M&L had completed and wanted photographing was the external lighting installation in Meltham Park.  The installation was undertaken using environmentally-friendly and energy efficient LED's. 

Also, knowing how much Mark loves his branded truck, I suggested we include some shots of Mark with it at the entrance to the park with the installed lighting, which sits on top of some beautiful old stone pillars.  Coupled with the cobbled road it has made a great shot for a brochure cover or website banner.Whilst we were in the area we also included photography of the team working and displaying branded clothing (useful photos that can be used in a variety of media) on an industrial project in Meltham Mills.

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Mark and Melanie are thrilled with the finished results and agree with me, that with imagination and using the natural elements such as dusk and evening shots (particularly for electrical photography) we have been able to complete some stunning trade shots. 

Recently we have not only undertaken photography for an Electrician but also a whole range of trades such as; a Heating Engineer, a kitchen & Bathroom Fitter and a Plasterer. So if your company belongs to one of the "Trades" and you wish to promote your company with some shockingly good images from a down to earth photographer drop us a cable today, you will wonder why on earth you didn't do so before! Call Mark on 07745204331

M&L can be contacted on:

Tel: 01484 766260Mob: 07894 910958Email: [email protected]

KIRKWOOD HOSPICE MIDNIGHT MEMORY WALK 2015KIRKWOOD HOSPICE MIDNIGHT MEMORY WALK 2015

This weekend, once again, I was honoured to be part of the Kirkwood Hospice’ Midnight Memory Walk, photographing the many people taking part on this wonderful fundraising walk to remember loved and lost ones to raise money for Kirkwood Hospice.

This was the third year I have photographed the event with each year seeing an increase in ‘walkers’ in support of the valuable work Kirkwood Hospice undertakes.  Approximately 800 people partook in 2013, 1000 in 2014 and this year an amazing 1100 people walked the route raising a staggering £96,000.

As the official photographer, the brief was very involved but thoroughly enjoyable. It was challenging getting around all the route with lots of activities going on in various places – all the while capturing the images in the dark.  The route was either a six or ten mile loop, dependent on which one walkers chose, encompassing Waterloo, Lepton and Almondbury along the way.

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I started off at ‘base camp’ which again was John Smiths Stadium photographing the preparations as people donned the yellow ‘Midnight Memory Walk’ t-shirts, painted faces, dressed up and generally created a fantastic atmosphere amongst all taking part.  Volunteers worked hard at registration, signing up the 1100 people taking part.

The ‘Memory Wall’ was crammed with hundreds of messages for loved and lost ones, it was a particularly poignant feature at the stadium with people taking the time to leave emotional notes.

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Many people arrived early and mingled with each other as they were entertained by Madam Mango and Chris Marley who provided stilt walking, juggling and illuminating hoola hooping.  A fitness trainer then got everyone warmed up in an energetic Zumba routine prior to the walk beginning.

KIRKWOOD HOSPICE MIDNIGHT MEMORY WALK 2015KIRKWOOD HOSPICE MIDNIGHT MEMORY WALK 2015 TAPTAP

Compering the preparations with music and announcements was TAP, Total Awareness Promotions, who helped contribute to the high spirited atmosphere.

At midnight, confetti cannons were fired to mark the start of the walk and so it began.

KIRKWOOD HOSPICE MIDNIGHT MEMORY WALK 2015KIRKWOOD HOSPICE MIDNIGHT MEMORY WALK 2015 KIRKWOOD HOSPICE MIDNIGHT MEMORY WALK 2015KIRKWOOD HOSPICE MIDNIGHT MEMORY WALK 2015

Marshalling the route (to prevent us getting lost in the dark) was the WestYorks 4x4 volunteers who did a sterling job, particularly when the rain came pouring down on us all!

KIRKWOOD HOSPICE MIDNIGHT MEMORY WALK 2015WESTYORKS4x4 KIRKWOOD HOSPICE MIDNIGHT MEMORY WALK 2015KIRKWOOD HOSPICE MIDNIGHT MEMORY WALK 2015

I dashed about the route during the night, capturing as many photographs as I could.  I managed to grab a quick drink from refreshment stalls, again, manned by fantastic volunteers at the Northgate Kirkwood Hospice Shop in Almondbury.

With local support from well-known faces Jason Mcarthy MP and Blue Watch from Cleckheaton Fire Service, who were there to honour their colleague Woody, Twitter was trending with Kirkwood’s hashtag #MMW2015 on for reports during the night and for subsequent updates following the event.

KIRKWOOD HOSPICE MIDNIGHT MEMORY WALK 2015Jason Mcarthy KIRKWOOD HOSPICE MIDNIGHT MEMORY WALK 2015Blue Watch

Heavy showers at 3.00am challenged not only myself, but the many walkers who battled through to the finish at 4.30am. On arrival at the finish walkers were greeted by the welcoming sight & smell of bacon butties being cooked and teas & coffees on tap. All freshly prepared by Anthony & Glens team at Asparagus Green catering who had given their time for free!

KIRKWOOD HOSPICE MIDNIGHT MEMORY WALK 2015Asparagas Green Catering KIRKWOOD HOSPICE MIDNIGHT MEMORY WALK 2015KIRKWOOD HOSPICE MIDNIGHT MEMORY WALK 2015

So overall, it was a truly fantastic, humbling event to be involved with, once again.  A mention must be made of the fantastic sponsors who helped make the event so successful: Syngenta, Myers Group, Hepworth Honda, Bluebird Care and ERS Medical.

Huddersfield should be proud of themselves.

MIDNIGHT MEMORY WALKSIX year old and 10 miles! MedalMedal

                                                                                                                                 SIX YEARS OLD & TEN MILES WALKED!

ZUMBA WARM UPZUMBA WARM UP

The rest of the images from the night can be seen at: http://www.markflynnphotography.com/mmw2015

By Laura Lambert

Easy FireplaceEasy Fireplace

When Chris Worsley, owner of the CSW Retail Group Ltd, opened his first shop, “Easy Fire Place” in Milnsbridge, he had a burning desire to make his business the place to go for red hot deals on new fires. To help promote his business Chris asked Mark to undertake some corporate photography.

Firstly he had in mind a brochure and leaflet campaign but also he wanted a bank of photographs to use for future adverts and his website.

Generally speaking, people love shopping for fires but as it can be a costly investment, they want the backing of excellent customer service combined with quality which is something Chris felt strongly about.

There is a massive range of fires within the shop, so the brief was to capture plenty of different shots of the showroom alongside a few close ups to show just how good the quality was.

Easy Fire PlaceEasy Fire Place Easy Fire PlaceEasy Fire Place

The main part of the shoot took half a day with lots of studio lighting involved and delicate exposures as we wanted to illuminate the showroom whilst maintaining detail in the fires that were lit.

The external shots were a little trickier. Milnsbridge sits in the ‘belly’ of the Colne Valley and is historically an industrial area, so on an overcast day can appear a little gloomy. To overcome this, Mark advised Chris that shots taken on a clear evening at dusk, would allow some of the blue in the sky to be retained, which, coupled with the shop lights illuminating the windows produced some really stunning images.

Chris also required some retouching of the external images afterwards to ‘tidy’ them up – including removal of an unsightly Street sign. This involved some quite challenging digital wizardry and the end result looked fantastic.

Easy Fire PlaceEasy Fire Place MFD_0677 (2)

Easy Fireplace (Market Street in Milnsbridge) has now been expanded upon with an additional shop; Envy Fires & Fireplaces in a former Bridal wear shop just a few doors away on Morley Lane. Whilst Easy Fireplace focuses on “supplying and installing British-made fires at great prices backed by great customer service”, Envy focuses on the high-end market with pure luxury fireplaces.

Once again, upon opening the Envy showroom, Chris came to Mark with a similar brief for corporate photography which he undertook.

Envy FiresEnvy Fires MF-19

Both businesses now come under the umbrella of the CSW Retail Ltd Group – which now includes the recently opened Easy Fireplace Stove Centre selling some great looking Stoves at fantastic prices that will not burn a hole in your pocket!

Would your company benefit from some stunning corporate or PR photography to promote your business? If so speak to Mark on 07745204331 for more details.

Published by Laura Lambert -  June 2015

Shooting the Experts!

HOWARTHSHOWARTHS EMPLOYMENT LAW & SAFETY MANAGEMENT

I have been fortunate to be working with Howarths People and Safety Management for a few years now.

They are undoubtedly one of the most friendly, professional and welcoming commercial clients I have worked with – a world away from the stuffy corporate suits I’d imagined when I set out working with them (sorry guys, but dealing with ”lawyers” generally strikes dread into the hearts of most people).

Alongside corporate photography for their website and literature, I have undertaken PR shoots and Christmas card shoots. 

HOWARTHS LAWHOWARTHS LAW HOWARTHS XMASHOWARTHS XMAS

I started off undertaking some staff photography for them to use on their website and literature. They wanted to convey the modern and friendly vibe that this established company prides itself on.

We went for clean and crisp photographs with good lighting. I was able to get the staff to relax and enjoy the shoot (even those who ‘hate’ having their photo taken) HowarthsHowarths  The end result was some brilliant images that everyone was happy with.

HowarthsHowarths

So when they approached me with an idea for some PR shoots, I was really keen to be involved. They wanted me to do a series of shoots with Howarths’ clients who had written testimonials for them. 

These testimonials would then be overlaid onto the photos and turned into canvases to display on Howarths wall. 

PINK LINKPINK LINK

I arranged to visit these clients in their place of work, to take photos ‘in situ’ on behalf of Howarths. Each client couldn’t have been more different:

• A haulage firm (www.thepinklink.co.uk)
• Stadium management (http://www.johnsmithsstadium.com/ksdl-consultancy)
• A chemical laboratory (www.viclabs.co.uk)

Again, I was able to get people to relax and enjoy the shoot for some really great photos. 

GarethGareth KSDL Vickers LabsVickers Labs

The finished photographs, once the testimonial text was overlaid, looked absolutely fantastic. They were then enlarged and printed to canvas by Zest Print (http://www.zestforprint.com) to hang in Howarths’ offices. A really novel and striking use of photography. 

Howarths was founded in 2002 by Andy and Helen Howarth with a passion to change the way HR, Employment Law and Health & Safety support was delivered to businesses. 

Andy Howarth says “We believe in giving people practical HR advice exactly when they need it. We ensure that our clients receive the relevant information, delivered in the right way, at the right time. We will always try to give people an immediate response when they call for HR advice, and if we're unavailable we promise to return their call at the first available moment.”

Andy HowarthAndy Howarth The testimonial canvases really highlight the difference that Howarths have made to their client’s businesses in an extremely visual and accessible way.

If you are interested in having some corporate photography done for your company to raise your brand awareness, our prices start from £200 for a half day shoot. Images can be prepared to be used on websites, brochures, posters and as we have seen in the case of Howarths on the wall of your business premises. Please contact us for more information.

*Please note Howarths is not a firm of solicitors

img025Testimonial