Hello, I’m Ian.
Doing what I love.
Photographer. Dog lover. Traveller. Naturally curious.
I’m a professional photographer, Creative Director of Origin Studios and someone who’s lucky enough to spend his working life doing something he genuinely loves.
I photograph people, animals and occasionally things that don’t move at all. But whatever is in front of my camera, I’m always looking for the same things: character, connection, authenticity and those little details that make someone or something unique.
And beautiful light. I’m rather particular about beautiful light.
Simple. Beautiful. Unmistakably you.
The subject should always be the star.
I want to capture your character, your expressions, your connections and the little details that make you who you are.
I love beautiful lighting and thoughtful composition, but I’m not particularly interested in elaborate backgrounds or photographic tricks that distract from the person in the picture.
We live in a world where everyone has thousands of photographs on their phones. I want to create something different. Photographs that make you stop, look and feel something.
Something you’ll want to print, frame and enjoy every day.
Something that becomes more valuable as the years pass.
BEHIND THE LENS
It all started with 24 photographs.
My mother was rarely without a camera when I was growing up., I borrowed it whenever I could, but it wasn’t until my 18th birthday that I received my first proper camera. That’s her in the photo, sadly she’s no longer with us but I still have the photos.
I still remember that first roll of film in that camera. Just 24 exposures, each one carefully considered because every time I pressed the shutter, it cost money. No instant previews, no deleting the ones you didn’t like, and certainly no taking 200 photographs of the same thing just to be sure.
At university, I discovered the darkroom and learnt to develop and print my own photographs. There’s something rather magical about watching an image slowly appear in a tray of developer.
Photography remained a serious passion for many years, but it took me a little longer to realise that it was what I really wanted to do with my life.
Seventeen years ago, I finally made it my profession.
I’ve never regretted that decision.
WHAT MAKES ME TICK
A little more about the person behind the camera.
People are endlessly fascinating.
One of the things I love most about photography is the people I meet.
I’m naturally curious, I love a good conversation and I genuinely enjoy discovering what makes people tick.
Over the years I’ve photographed everyone from business leaders and performers to newborn babies and entire families. I’ve talked business strategy with CEOs, discussed the latest video games with children and listened to some extraordinary life stories.
And that’s important because I believe a great portrait begins long before I pick up the camera.
Most people aren’t entirely comfortable being photographed. I understand that. My job isn’t simply to make you look good; it’s to help you relax enough to be yourself.
The better I get to know you, the more of the real you I can capture.
A lifetime in photographs.
One of the things I’m most grateful for is that my daughter has grown up with her life beautifully documented.
From those impossibly tiny newborn fingers to the confident young woman she is today, we have photographs that bring back moments, expressions and memories that would otherwise have faded.
And while I’m incredibly proud of the photographs themselves, it’s what they represent that really matters.
They’re a record of a life, a family and all those fleeting moments we don’t appreciate quite enough when they’re happening.
It’s something I think about every time I photograph somebody else’s family.
Because one day, those photographs might be among the most precious things they own.
Apparently, I’m a dog person.
I’ve lived with dogs for most of my life.
I grew up with Labradors, but around twenty years ago I discovered Bernese Mountain Dogs and have been completely smitten ever since.
Five Bernese later, Ruby is the current ruler of the household.
She’s beautiful, affectionate, occasionally stubborn and has considerably more Instagram followers than I do.
I’m trying not to take it personally.
Living with dogs has taught me a great deal about photographing them. Patience, understanding their personalities and knowing when to let them do their own thing.
And, perhaps most importantly, that the photographs we treasure most aren’t necessarily the ones where they’re sitting perfectly.
They’re the ones where we recognise the dog we love.
Still looking for the next photograph.
Photography might be my profession, but it’s also still my hobby.
These days, when I’m not photographing people or animals, you’ll usually find me pointing my camera at somewhere I’ve travelled.
I love exploring new places, discovering different cultures and chasing interesting light. My camera is invariably the first thing I pack.
I’m also a keen skier, although my enthusiasm for hurtling down mountains occasionally exceeds what my knees think is sensible.
I have absolutely no intention of growing old gracefully.
A little recognition along the way.
I’ve been fortunate enough to receive a number of awards for my photography, including British Pet Photographer of the Year and International Pet Photographer of the Year.
Recognition from fellow professional photographers is incredibly rewarding, particularly when it’s judged against work from some of the best photographers around the world.
But the moments that mean the most? Seeing someone’s face when they first see their finished portraits. Or hearing from a family years later about how much those photographs have come to mean to them.
That’s why I do this.
Read my clients’ kind words.
Come and say hello.
My photographic home is Origin Studios, a beautiful, purpose-built photography space in Flaunden, tucked away in the Hertfordshire countryside.
It’s a relaxed, welcoming place where we can take our time creating something special, with plenty of parking right outside.
I also love working on location, particularly when somewhere has a personal connection or a story to tell.
So whether you’re thinking about portraits of your family, your dog, yourself or something completely different, I’d love to hear your ideas.
After all, every great photograph starts with a conversation.
Get in touch →