I never imagined that Porto would remind me of Middlesbrough, but after spending two days in the city staring at an iconic bridge and eating a heart attack-inducing sandwich, there are clearly similarities. The city sits on the Douro River in northern Portugal and is synonymous with the fortified wine that shares its name. Its ancient streets and neighbourhoods have been revamped and refurbed since 2001, when it was named European City of Culture - not least the beautiful qua

I’ve never had an obsession with waiters before, but seeing the speed and fluidity with which the staff at the San Gines Chocolateria moved, while balancing large trays piled high with churros and cups of hot chocolate, was a sight to behold. Open round the clock, seven days a week, this Madrid institution has been going since 1894. Churros and hot chocolate may be a Spanish custom but it’s a pairing that’s spread far and wide with visitors from around the world enjoying a cu

It was nice to make a return to the agricultural show circuit recently. Covid-related stoppages and the fact that I'm not staff on a newspaper anymore meant that it had been over two years since my last foray into the world of cattle parading, flower judging and vintage tractor gathering, to name just three of the attractions that make up these classic British institutions. I have included a few images from the shows at Osmotherley and Sedgefield, which were both very warm da

I was commissioned to do a fun shoot last week with a pair of extreme eaters. We used 30 cheeseburgers as props to illustrate the incredible amounts John and Katie Dawes from Stockton could put away in super-fast time. While it's always important to build a good rapport with your subjects, how willing they are to be physically and facially expressive for an orchestrated shot is paramount to creating a good image - and this pair didn't disappoint! I will never know how they ma

An enjoyable job last week as I went to photograph the NFU's national livestock board chair Richard Findlay at his Westerdale farm, set in the beautiful North Yorkshire Moors. On a not so common occasion for this part of the country, there was not a cloud in the sky and no breeze to speak of. Perfect conditions you might think for taking photos. However, with strong midday sun comes strong shadows, which are not favourable for a flattering portrait. Fortunately I have the too

One of the biggest thrills of being a photographer is having your work published. For me, that doesn't happen as often as it used to do when I worked on a daily newspaper. In addition, there aren't as many titles in traditional print format as there used to be. One publication going from strength to strength however is Tees Business which is run by Martin Walker, Dave Allan and their team at Resolution Media. I have been fortunate enough to work with Martin and Dave since I l

'No two days are the same' perfectly sums up my job and is paramount to keeping it interesting. To me, the greatest skill for a photographer is being able to turn the mundane into something more exciting. As a press photographer, this is something that I became well versed in on a daily basis and has helped me immensely through a transition of undertaking much more corporate photography over recent years. I hope you'll enjoy this small sample showing the variety of work I can

Not the most popular of professions, but it was a pleasure to meet and work with two of Darlington's civic enforcement officers yesterday. Their roles include dealing with anti-social behaviour, fly tipping, littering, dog control and parking. I used a Canon R6 and Profoto B10 flash with radio transmitter for this shoot. #canonr6 #profoto #darlington #civicenforcement @darlingtonbc @profoto @canonUKandIE

One of the biggest kicks of being a photographer is having your work published, and consequently viewed by the public. I was very excited earlier today to see some of my images being used on banners around the centre of Richmond, North Yorkshire to promote the independent shops of the town. The shoot, commissioned by Richmond Town Council took place several weeks ago on a much colder and wetter day. I've included some of the other images that were shot at the time as well as

A look back at earlier this month to my first wedding of the year which saw couple Chris and Aryanna tie the knot at The Devonshire Arms, North Yorkshire on a cold but beautifully blue-skied day. The day also marked a first for me as I signed the register as a witness to the couple's special day. @Dev_Hotels @devonshirearms devarmsboltonabbey #wedding #boltonabbey #devonshirearms #bride #groom #weddingphotographer #weddingphotography #weddingpictures #photography #canonr6 #y