Press Release Photography Focus
How do you feel about being in the press?
Whether it be North East, Newcastle or nationwide as entrepreneurs the idea of having a piece of press coverage showcasing what we do, how we do it and how we help others is absolutely invaluable!
Portrait photos, editorial and documentary photography that tell an in depth story of who you are are and what you do is the single most reason my clients come to me for their imagery so that they have an archive of story telling photos to use in their marketing materials and press to enhance their brand.
Well this time, the lens was on me which ironically is never easy as I prefer to be safely behind the camera! It was my second feature in as many years in the popular Digital Photographer magazine published just late last year. They showcased me as a ‘CV’ with images, an overview of my work, my kit and experiences running my photography business to date. To see an image of me in print rather than just my images is always exciting so I wanted to shout about it.
You can have a read all about it below…. thank you so much Peter Fenech for choosing to feature me and my business just in time to share with you all on my 12th business birthday this month too!
Let me know what you think!
Sarah
When did you start out and how did you get involved in your current photo genres?
I loved photography from school age and got my first Film SLR aged 16. Pictures of local architecture and my school pals were the main themes. I discovered the buzz of doing portraiture of strangers in my final year of
a Graphic Design Degree at Camberwell Art College and I furthered this during studio employment at Venture Portraits. I worked at the ND Creative ad agency and moved into the commercial sector with product
and marketing photography. With the tools I’d gained, I set up my own studio in 2011, shooting weddings, portraits and commercial.
What challenges did you face as a startup and how did you overcome them?
Adaptation is an essential skill for self- employment. Initially, I lacked the knowledge of how to run a business. I had good project management and marketing skills from my agency days, people skills from years at Venture and creative skills developed since I was a teen, but I had no idea how to handle accounts or tech issues, or how to consistently generate enquiries. I also was a single parent of a teenager and had no savings or funds, so money was tight. I knew I needed a studio to offer Venture- style family portraiture. I found a rented space that another photographer, Alex Telpher, had created by converting an old church in the suburb of Byker. His studio, his team and his shoots were hugely inspiring to observe when I was starting up mine.
But just two months into my business, my dad died unexpectedly, which was a huge setback. He had been my photographic inspiration and after some really tough times, I went back to my business feeling pretty raw but full of determination to succeed.
What challenges have you faced since?
I had to scale back when I lost my main client, meaning a third of my annual income disappeared overnight. It was a huge error putting all my eggs into one basket and some reflection was needed. Recently, I’ve had
to restructure how I work due to an auto- immune disease diagnosis that causes me chronic fatigue and joint pain. Limitations on the hours I can work, long commutes and carrying equipment have meant a rethink.
Another challenge is being taken seriously as a female in a male-dominated industry. One of my first big industrial contracts needed me to wear hard hats in factories and mines, working alongside mostly men. I remember seeing the all-male film crew I was working alongside sniggering behind my back, it was crushing. I later learned they thought my male client and I were having a fling!
What skills are needed in your line of work?
Solution-based skills. Sometimes clients don’t know what they want yet and suggestions
or encouragement to find the right tone or genre of photography are needed. People skills are needed to be passionate about the service you provide and to make working with you a fun, bespoke experience for your clients. Efficiency and adaptiveness are also essential, as I pride myself on hitting deadlines and providing a slick and professional service.
Which social platforms are you on and how do you use them for your business?
I’m on Instagram and LinkedIn. Facebook was good when I shot family portraiture and weddings, but now I’m strictly commercial, it has little impact. LinkedIn is best for B2B and growing a commercial network. Instagram has been great for actor headshots, as it attracts a younger client base.
For sample editorial shots have a visit to my editorial and events gallery where you will see photography shot for medics, higher education, scientists, speaker, performers and schools here
I’d love to hear from you so please get in touch if you have any questions or would like a quote, I have a contact form on this page of my website here
Now please excuse me whilst I get back to the correct side of the lens! ;-)
DECADE a Virtual Photography Exhibition
As part of the tenth anniversary of my studio this year, I am celebrating with a virtual photography exhibition, simply named Decade. Below is a poster to the exhibition, I’d love you to take a look around so please click on this and it will take you to my gallery to see pop star pants, robots shopping and people fighting with tomatoes in a muddy field. This exhibition runs from 26th March to 26th April 2021. However the YouTube link to the slideshow exhibited in the exhibition will remain here permanently.
My Photography Studio is Ten!
This month, March 2021 marks exactly ten years of my Newcastle Photography business having set up in March 2011. Happy birthday to my beloved studio! I am thrilled to still be here, proud of what I have achieved and so grateful for all my clients and the relationships I’ve grown over the last decade.
The biggest thanks goes to all my clients who have worked with me, I have celebrated a few of you on a showreel animation shared below. Unfortunately the showreel would have been too long to mention all my clients so I drew from a hat. Every client big or small, gave me the fire to drive this business through many ups and downs and the opportunity to work everyday on something I love.
In the beginning.. the 1980’s
My inspiration for photography came from my parents who in the early 1980’s had a darkroom in our attic with a vintage Gnome enlarger and processing kit found at a jumble sale. Just like this one below.
My father had always owned a film SLR camera (single lens reflex-means you can take the lenses off to change them) and been influenced by his own father’s love of photography, travelling down though the generations to me. This is a photo from the 1990’s of my dad with my grandad winding on the film and no doubt chatting about his Pentax which, has been passed down and sits on display at my studio.
In the words of Public Enemy, Nineteen Eighty Nine!
A big year for me! I learnt to drive and whilst studying art at A-level, I was bought my very first SLR film camera for my 17th birthday. It was a Practika from Bonsers on the Bigg Market in Newcastle’s city centre. The school art teachers gave the 6 form art students the use of a stock cupboard where we set up a dark room and learnt the traditional processing and printing methods. This is where the love of photography magic began and this is me that very year, sat on my door step in Heaton, wearing the red converse that I passed my driving test in.
The Leap, 2011
In March 2011 I took the plunge, leaving a wonderful job, a kind boss and an ace team to set up my own photography studio. I remember my hand was shaking when I handed over my notice letter and I felt really sad to go. But I had a burning desire to take this risk and do something that had been in the back of my mind. I was to turn 40 the following year and wanted to achieve a goal to start my own business before I hit this milestone. Pic below is me (in black sandals) with the ND Creative team I left behind in Horsley.
The Journey
I was a single parent at the time and had brought my daughter up on my own firstly in London then in Newcastle. It had been a big journey, the first step was studying for a Graphic Design Degree hons at Camberwell College of Arts when my daughter Daisy was young. Then later my photographic career really took off at Venture Portrait Studio after a move to the North of England to Newcastle in 2002.
It had been a steep learning curve from the start, with freelancing and tough competition in London and feeling I was catching up with those who hadn’t taken time out to have children. I also had the tricky negotiation of managing life, home and work as a lone parent. But this didn’t hold me back, instead it made it me more determined to succeed, for the both of us. Because if I didn’t, quite frankly we were up sh*t creek without a paddle.
Photography Business Training
When I set up my business after working in studios since 2002 in both portraiture and advertising I felt diversely experienced in photography and well prepared to manage projects and work flow. However I knew little about running a business and so signed up for a local scholarship scheme that supported start ups in digital media. Middlesborough University’s Digital City offered courses and funding for digital businesses such as Photographers, Graphic Designers and Website Designers so I placed myself on the long waiting list. Simultaneously I signed a contract for a studio in Kingsland Church, Byker a building converted into artist spaces for the local creatives, first a small then later that year a double space as you see below.
The Digital City project had limited numbers and a tough application process with a presentation interview. It was nerve wracking standing in front of a silent panel of faces with my business proposition on powerpoint, but I had my passion and drive, a branded website, a smart studio space, my business plan well mapped out and I felt my position was strong. My determination won me a place and both the course and the studio lease began in March 2011 in perfect synchrony, so luck was on my side! I received enlightening workshops, the most wonderful mentor, Keith Moss and excellent training on all areas of business management and planning that I still refer back to now a decade on. The image below of me was taken in a class workshop he ran at a North East wedding venue. For more information or to sign up to Keith’s Photography Mentoring, you can visit his site here
Disaster and my first adaptation
Two months into my business launch and training, my father became ill and died very suddenly of heart failure. The shock and grief was unbearable as he had just turned 60 and was fit and healthy. I had to pause everything I was working towards for a moment to focus inwards and work out how to cope. Only weeks before this he had bought me an upgrade of my very basic Nikon D70 to a more professional Nikon D300 camera in support of my venture. This is what drove me to return to my studio. I knew he’d have been really proud of me if I could make it a success.
I printed a huge poster for my studio wall with the word Believe from a set of photos I took at the Hoppings Fairground on Newcastle town moor in 2010, somewhere that had lovely hook-a-duck memories for me as child. This positive message helped though the private teary moments and kept me focussed for years. There is added tongue in cheek as this is the Freak Show telling believe in ‘Remo the 2 headed fox’ and giants that ‘must be seen’. If you believe in that well you’ll believe in anything! And other excitingly news you can actually believe, you can have your very own Hoppings Fair Photo Print along with others on my Fine Art Print shop here
And now
So ten years on from that moment where I threw caution to the wind and set up Sarah Deane Photographic, I now look back at the 2011 me and think ‘ooh goodness, it’s so bloomin risky!’ It was really only until year 8, after two studio moves, three websites, two student internships, one teaching at summer school, one rebrand, one marriage (I’m now Mrs Bell), one award and several hundred shoots later that my thoughts changed. I went from thinking ‘I’ll just keep trying it out and see where it takes me’ to ‘I’m really doing this, I’ve really succeeded!’
My 2nd studio space (image below) at Clavering House has been fundamental to my success with a move to central Newcastle in 2014 and a more established identity. This helped excel my business hugely and I’m still there now. I love the building, the team that run it and the location is so convenient for my clients. I smile every time I walk into my while painted underground cave!
Then in 2020 after so many ups and downs and adaptations to fab and not so fab years, the pandemic hit! It meant a temporary halt to all work in spring and to my summer exhibition ‘Peckham Loves Me 2020’. This was a project marking a return to the places I captured in 2000 for my degree show at Camberwell College. More info on the Peckham project can be seen on this blog here and it is 100%, to be continued!
For highlights of my decade you can see some some amazing experiences on my blog, just click on the live links; 2012 sees me teaching summer school at Goldsmiths University, 2013 brings Thames TV to film Take Me Out in my studio and shooting for TK Maxx on a moving metro the same year.
More 10th anniversary work will be live on a pandemic friendly, virus free, virtual exhibition coming later this month! Watch this space…
Silverbean Office Interiors Photography
Last Autumn just before Lockdown No3, I completed an Interiors Photography shoot for affiliate marketing agency, Silverbean, PR agency, North and paid marketing agency, Ortus an impressive global marketing collective in Newcastle upon Tyne. The Silverbean team had recently moved into a beautiful new office space in Brinkburn Street, Byker close to the quayside and city centre. It was a really windy day with blue grey patchy skies, crunchy brown leaves and that dreamy warm pink/orange light that September brings.
The building is steeped in local history with traditional typefaces and exposed iron girders marked with ‘Iron Works Ltd’ proudly affirming its North East industrial location. The bold metal structures, exposed imperfect brickwork and polished wood floors are a stunning office setting together with plants bringing colour, softening sharp corners and adding warmth to the interior space.
Hannah Strong, Head of Marketing at Silverbean and sister agency AGY47 invited me for a meeting after a LinkedIn recommendation pointed her my way. We discussed the company objectives in line with brand photography then had an enjoyable scout about the building assessing light and points of interest whilst I offered some creative input.
I was wowed by the light, the colours and textures together with the simplistic and spacious interior design of the building. The communal areas were warm and inviting suggesting a friendly, fun and unified team despite many staff off site temporarily working from home. My post visit proposal to the team offered a dual approach tailored for each brand and sample imagery to demonstrate my portrait, interiors and documentary photography style.
The Silverbean space was an absolute Newcastle Photography treat, the type that makes you proud of North East industry, past and present. 166 Brinkburn Street is simply bursting with character blending its historic and modern charm perfectly with Scandi furniture, giant palms and a burgundy pool table to boot! There was even Reggie, a pupppy King Charles Spaniel happy to model, adding yet more warmth and playfulness to these Office Interior Design Photos.
Once used for traditional industrial manufacturing, this creative commercial workspace now generating marketing ideas and online technology is the perfect environment for my own creative Commercial Photography. Where old and new meet in unison and the people within it absolutely do…
