Let’s be honest — being in front of a camera can feel cringe.
Awkward. Unnatural. Like you suddenly don’t know what to do with your hands or your face.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. A huge number of my clients tell me they feel uncomfortable being photographed — whether it’s for their wedding, an elopement, or a branding session. The good news is this: feeling awkward at first doesn’t mean your photos won’t be beautiful.

In fact, some of my favourite images happen when we push past the cringe and lean into the moment.

Photography is not just about what something looks like, for me, it’s very much about how things feel.

How a brand lives in the hands of its maker. How light moves across texture. How time leaves its mark. This is why, when I photograph local brands or record promotional portraiture, I often return to 35mm and medium format film.

I snapped a few quick portraits for The Manatees while I lurked about at The Lexington in that there London on a recent trip to visit pals…

Digital and analogue film portraits of Emily Kenway. Emily Kenway is a leading expert on modern slavery and human trafficking. As a former adviser to the UK's first Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, she was at the heart of government action on modern slavery.