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The All Seeing Eye, Fluid Group Newcastle

The All Seeing Eye opened two weeks ago by owner Oliver Vaulkhard of Fluid group in Newcastle. Heineken’s Star Pubs and Bars have invested in the refurbishment of what was The Blackie Boy’s rarely used function room upstairs. The historic features have been exposed with the roofs rafter’s, rustic red brickwork and 30’s satined glass windows creating a cool New York feel together with ornate Moroccan tables and velvet furnishings adding a laid back vibe.

The brief was to capture PR portraits of Manager Dave Walker and his staff along with photography of the bar interior design showcasing the large atrium, the light features and the relaxed low ceiling snug area. The lighting and colours created dramatic compositions perfect for PR & marketing photography for todays Journal to promote this fantastic new late night bar in Newcastle city centre.

The article is in today’s Journal on this link http://www.thejournal.co.uk/business/business-news/popular-pubs-receive-240000-makeover-7120118

The all Seeing Eye Newcastle BarASE Newcastle  016ASE Newcastle 022All Seeing Eye Newcastle Fluid Bar

Private Dining at As You Like It, Jesmond

Apartment Group’s bar and restaurant As You Like It in Newcastle is a rich and colourful environment to capture. The bar and restaurant interiors are a photographer’s dream with the textures of rich fabrics and low lighting. The images were required for their private dining area for future marketing material for weddings and private dining functions. The brief was to use my creative eye to show it off to it’s best with atmospheric, illustrative interior design photography. Whilst the rich velvet curtains gave a cosy feel there is an escape to a private veranda for an exhilarating and elevated view over Jesmond.

Whilst this shoot was enjoyable, technically it was tricky as the low light required a slow shutter speed and the use of a tripod restricted the angles to shoot from but the colours of the dusk light and the interior design resulted in some great shots as you can see below….

AS YOU LIKE IT NEWCASTLE PRIVATE DINING ROOMAS YOU LIKE IT JESMOND PRIVATE DINING ROOMas you like it private dining room

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heineken’s The Staith House North Shields Fish Quay

The old Dolphin of North Shield’s Fish Quay had a refurb last year with new ownership and an excellent new interior. The Fish Quay is an atmospheric spot for last years Master Chef finalist John Calton, wife Kimberly and partner James to set up The Staith House gastro pub. The interior design features local maps, port holes and old timber echoing fishing industry history. They are up early daily at the fish market so their menu boasts creative and exciting seafood dishes fresh every day.

The photography was for Heineken’s pub company Star Pubs & Bars and the brief was to capture my usual Heineken creative documentary shots for their pubs and bar photography including interior design photos, food photography, portrait shots and images of the surrounding fish quay. The sun shone and the kitchen was buzzing with John and his team so this was an absolute treat to photograph.

For the food photography we captured a finished dish; The Staith House famous fish and chips styled with a pint of Caledonian’s Deuchars. It photographed well but the food tasted even better! I can honestly say it was the best fish and chips I have had in years! Check them out at http://thestaithhouse.co.uk as the warmth from the staff together with location and interior make it an unbeatable dining experience.

THE STAITH HOUSE, PUBLIFE SPRING 14 003

the staith house refurbed fish quay dolphinthe staith house north shields fish quay newcastlethe staith house master chef contestantTHE STAITH HOUSE, PUBLIFE SPRING 14 173the staith house north shields

 

Sir John Fitzgerald Pubs, The Bridge Hotel, Newcastle

Whilst my pub photography is mainly for Heineken’s Star Pubs & Bars internal marketing, I  recently worked with MBL Solutions who were re-branding for Sir John Fitzgerald pubs. Their portfolio of North East pubs and bars needed to be captured for their new website. The brief was similar to those of the Star Pubs refurbishments, capturing a range of elements that highlight the character, interior and offerings of the pub. I creatively captured the beautiful wooden structures, the vast Victorian bar and the friendly staff along with other features that caught my eye showing this traditional pub off to its best.

sir john fitzgerald's the bridge hotelSJF the bridge hotel newcastleThe bridge hotel, SJF pubs newcastle

 

British Bulldog Pet Portraits

This was a fab pet portrait shoot of British Bulldog at the studio! Benjy was brought into Newcastle after a grooming session to have his pictures taken by his owner Chris. He was commissioning me to capture a large print for his girlfriend as a surprise birthday gift.

Benjy was a fabulous subject as even thought he was a bit over excited on arrival and fast movement is always the challenge with pet photography, he was fairly static towards the end so I could get really close to his face with my macro lens. The brief was for a black backdrop however spot lit shots were challenging as it was difficult to get catch lights inside those incredible folds! So softer wider lighting worked better.

For anyone wanting to photograph a bulldog, make sure you work hard at the lighting as it will enhance the details of the face, fur and whiskers. It’s also important to capture their gentle expressions as sometimes they can look cross when they are just inquisitive. Be prepared for some hard editing needed and to work with the owner on which photos show their personality best.

Any pet owners wanting to capture their pet in photos do please drop me a line for pricing or visit my prices page for packages; http://www.sarahdeanephotography.co.uk/portrait-packages/

english bull dog portraits at newcastle studioBritish bulldog portraits copy