What a year!

Wow, 2015, was the busiest year to date, with all sorts of shoots for all sorts of interesting clients.

The last 12 months has seen product shoots, portraits, architectural commissions, historic events, festivals, conferences and business events. I even had my arm twisted to shoot a couple of weddings!

Shoots have been far and wide - York, (ok, no surprise there), but also Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, London, Sheffield and Nottingham, then further afield, work has been completed in Spain, Germany and Burma.

Shots have been featured on client websites and in publications, as well as local and national press including The Times, The BBC and ITV, and our images have also been plastered up on hoardings, 96-sheet poster sites, bus shelters, phone boxes and company vehicles.

My thanks to all clients from the last year - I can't possibly feature everything here, but here's just a small selection of my personal highlights.

January

The year started with a hugely significant event - the consecration of the first female bishop, Rev Libby Lane. Hundreds of press gathered at York Minster, together with ITV, BBC and world TV crews to witness Archbishop John Sentamu perform the consecration. I was the only photographer with free access within the Minster, and got to shoot from the pulpit and other priviliged positions.

Shots were used worldwide.

Meanwhile, for a developer client, I shot the beginnings of a new landmark building in York. This required complex post-production to remove neighbouring shop signs, and 're-paint' the main building.

February

I shot the launch of the prestigious York Design Awards, providing formal and informal shots to the organisers to help them rally entries for the awards, and I also helped St Leonard's Hospice celebrate their 30th anniversary.

March

Working with St Leonard's again in March, I shot a number of staff portraits, which now adorn the back of several of the Hospice's vehicles - keep an eye out for them!

March also saw great news for Wakefield College who won the 'Times Educational Supplement Marketing & Communications Campaign of the Year' for a campaign that featured my images extensively on bus sides, poster sites and phone boxes. Well done to the team at the College!

April

A very varied month but highlights were outdoor baptisms at York Minster, a 21 Gun Salute and a meeting with actor Tom Conti.

May

New buildings require meticulous shots to show them at their best and for an interior refit company I photographed a number of sites, combining the building shoots with staff portraits too.

Under great secrecy, I also got to photograph HRH Prince Andrew as he came to York Minster on a private visit ahead of press engagements elsewhere. As the only photographer there, these shots provided a unique record of an important visit.

June

Festival season! - I love shooting bands, and whilst it might not seem to fit with the theme of only shooting for businesses, the bands, their managers, the festival organisers and the press that use the pictures are all just as important and demanding as any of our corporate clients. Shooting bands is also great experience in reading body language, and anticipating the shot - something that is useful at every shoot I do. Elsewhere in the month, I also shot new publicity material for a children's Hospice and provided a portfolio of shots for the organisers of a Gay Pride march. I love this job!

In a more serene moment, there was a piece of history as the first piece of stained glass was returned to the Great East Window of York Minster after many years' restoration. Not sure who was more nervous at this one - me, as the only photographer there, or the glazier!

July

More festivals, but also the consecration of the second female bishop and a great shoot with the cast of West Side Story.

August

We got asked to shoot A-Level results Day for three different colleges. It's a nerve-wracking time for students, but the shots get used in prospectuses and other marketing material, so it's important to capture the atmosphere of the day.

After meticulous planning, and with one eye on the weather and the other on the back of the camera, I also caught the International Space Station passing over York Minster. The shot went viral and became York Minster's most interacted-with item of social media to date. Less stressful, and much more fun, was the commission to capture corporate teams taking part in an It's a Knockout tournament - good messy fun.

September

A flurry of events in September, but also corporate portraits, the cover for a cycling magazine, one of those weddings I mentioned, John Lydon, oh and another shot of the Minster that went viral, gathering over half a million interactions for a shot which captured the full moon rising behind the building - another shot that was almost a year in the planning, but well worth it.

October

October saw the nights draw in - great for getting architectural night shots which we did for different clients in a number of cities including the icon views of the Tyne in Newcastle. It was also the launch of Illuminating York, a festival of light that transformed areas of the city.

With elections looming, a trip to Burma also enabled me to capture the atmosphere and beauty of a country just ahead of its transformation into a democracy.

November

The Aesthetica Short Film Festival came to town (along with the rain), but I also got commissioned to shoot Indian musician Shri in Bradford and at the London Jazz Festival, as he embarked on an amazing collaboration of Indian and Brass music.

I was also hugely honoured when the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, was presented with one of my images of him as a thank you for his 10 years' service.

December

The year ended with, amongst many other things, a shoot in Newcastle Cathedral, Christmas services and another historic event at York Minster - the laying of the final stone in the East End restoration.

Thanks again to all our clients, friends, and helpers who helped make the shoots in 2015 possible. The above is a small selection as unfortunately we can't show all shoots due to client confidentiality, but hope you agree, it's been a hugely varied and interesting year.

If you'd like to discuss your own photography needs, please get in touch.

Duncan