Why I love my job…

I took the below screengrab from my website. Now, whilst this may seem like self-promotion stick with me on this (because it isn’t – much).

Being a photographer gives you an element of your career anyone would want – variety. In one week I can be on a shoot with a couple blissfully celebrating their wedding, creating a video for an airline and capturing that ideal corporate head shot to keep you head and shoulders above the rest of your firm.

What I’m trying to express is that one of the reasons I love my job so much is because I get to do so much within one role. I’m able to get out and explore the countryside which I live in whilst at the same time earning an income – sounds pretty great to me.

And, with variety comes networking. Throughout my job I couldn’t guess the amount of people I’ve had the pleasure of meeting, or list the friends I’ve made along the way. The social aspect of my job is what’s helped me keep going for so long – to be motivated about what you do is a huge help in ensuring you’ve got a long term career.

Well – long may it last. I love my job and can’t think of a better way to spend my time when I’m ‘working’!

Flying high with video…

Just lately, our corporate video offering has been gaining momentum and it feels like we’ve been soaring to new heights with the work we’ve been doing (apologies for the pun – I just can’t help myself).

A couple of weeks ago now I ventured to Gatwick Airport to help Norwegian Airlines with the launch of their Inaugural flight to Austin in Texas. The day was full of laughs and smiles from captain to cabin crew, and I have to say the commission is one of my favourite corporate shoots I’ve done.

Not only were all of the staff cooperative and extremely friendly, but the exposure the shoot gave me was a real eye opener. Being able to explore most of the plane on my trip, I realised how fascinating being a pilot must be (although it does look very complicated).

If you haven’t seen the video yet (I’ve been sharing it so hopefully you have) then please do so using the link below, and for some similar stills please also refer to our corporate portfolio.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xO8l7I_cPdk&feature=youtu.be

Working with Norwegian Airlines on this video commission got me out of the Suffolk countryside and into the buzz of an airport which was an exciting change, and I also got to do what I love – capture people’s joy and excitement through photography. The passengers boarding the plane were all happy to pose for the camera as they boarded the aircraft, and it made me smile to see a group of people united by their cheerfulness.

I love being able to create a more personal approach to any corporate work I do to really show off that company’s personality and I feel that’s exactly what I did here with Norwegian – they’re a light hearted and friendly airline that created a warm atmosphere for everyone involved – a great project to be a part of!

Springing into the new season…

With the warmer weather on the horizon and the sight of spring creeping into view, I thought it was time to update my blog with what I’ve been up to before the summer season fully takes off.

It’s been a busy few weeks with a huge amount of variety for me, from filming the ‘Big Beach Clean’ at Thorpeness, working with Gatwick Airport during their ‘Hidden Disability Access Day’ to commissioning work for ‘Best of Suffolk’ and shooting a wedding! (phew)

Here in Suffolk, the community spirit is one of the strongest I’ve witnessed and so to be able to document this during the Thorpeness beach clean (when the people of the village came together to help save our planet from pollution) was very rewarding. If you haven’t watched the video on my Instagram page yet, you should definitely give it a view – heart-warming teamwork at its best.

The ‘Hidden Disability Access Day’ held by Gatwick Airport was another inspiring project I worked on. Being able to document the effect the event had on people who usually struggle with airports was quite moving. The team at Gatwick had evidently worked hard to make the day a success and put those with hidden disabilities first. This commission is one of my favourite corporate jobs I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of.

Sticking with the corporate side, my friends at ‘Best of Suffolk’ have also been busy during the start of this year. We had a hilarious morning filming the team in their (very) impressive office space, and managed to also get out into the beautiful Suffolk countryside to film this! The company work hard to ensure all of their 300+ properties are truly amazing, allowing a visit to Suffolk to be the best it can be.

And, as if this wasn’t enough – I also shot a wedding at ‘The Ickworth Hotel’! It was a really special day for everyone involved, and if you’re getting married soon and looking for that perfect photographer please get in touch! A portfolio of some of my work can be found here, and if you’d like to know more about the package I offer please click here.

I think it’s fair to say the first part of 2018 has been pretty hectic – and it’s just the way I like it! I’m really looking forward to this year after the positive start I’ve had!

When one door opens…

… so do many others it turns out!

When I started creating short videos to try and prove to small local businesses that they are far more engaging than stills on social media and

can drive interest in the company, I didn’t expect such a quick take up! (saying that, if you haven’t been in touch yet please do drop me a line!)

So far, I’ve had one of the most exciting meetings I’ve ever had in my career with a local venue that is absolutely incredible, so my fingers are

very firmly crossed for that.

I’ve also been asked to help the Suffolk charity ‘The Alde and Ore Estuary Trust’, which is committed to raising vital funds needed for maintaining

the estuary defence walls. Their current campaign, ‘Save our Suffolk Estuary’ is a £5m public fundraising appeal to unlock matching funds, and I

really feel I can help.

By creating stunning short videos for the towns and villages along the rivers Alde and Ore, I plan to help raise awareness of the natural beauty

of these areas, in turn helping to prevent future flooding like that experienced by Snape villagers in 2013.


North Sea Storm Surge – The Crown Inn at Snape Dec 2013. Photo by Tony Pick

I love the Suffolk landscape, and want to give something back to the beautiful place my family and I live in. Without significant investment in

maintaining the estuary walls, this landscape will soon not be able to

withstand tidal surges, and therefore it is crucial to raise peoples’ awareness of this. I am excited to be able to help local businesses achieve their

goals too, and this leap has definitely lead me to new

connections, new business and new ventures!  Speaking of which, I received some coverage for the EADT online and would love you to head

over and check it out!

http://www.eadt.co.uk/news/photographer-turns-to-video-to-help-promote-suffolk-estuary-1-5365047
Orfordness – On the Suffolk Coast. Photo by Tony Pick

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How much do you know…

… about video?

You might think you know rather a lot, or at least enough – but that’s what I thought. I always knew video was an important tool, but recently my eyes have been opened to just how much impact these clips can have for your business.

Let’s start with an example… the video below, titled ‘Riding the waves’ which I’m sure you’ll have seen on my social media channels (if not you can view it by clicking the image below!) reached an impressive 7,000 views within a week. Now, here is where I have to come clean; I did use Facebook Boost to help with these figures, but the below stats taken from a Guardian article should help reiterate my point that video can be really effective at driving more engagement for businesses online.

 

  • In 2015, Cisco predicted that by 2017 video content would account for 69% of all internet traffic
  • In early 2017 the firm shifted their prediction to say that video content would account for 74% of internet traffic
  • They project that by 2019 global internet traffic from videos will make up 80% of all internet traffic
  • 4x as many consumers would prefer to watch a video about a product/place/service rather than read about it
  • More than 60% of small business owners said they planned to increase investment in video marketing in 2017
  • Using the word “video” in an email subject line boosts open rates by 19% and click-through rates by 65%

This means that any local business interested in creating short, impactful and engaging stories through videography would be foolish not to contact me – I can help you provide beautiful, professional and eye-catching videos that will really work for you.

Using another example, my promotional video of ‘Orford – a beautiful place’ earned 2,000 views on social media in just 48 hours.

Although I’ve just started my venture into video, I’m really excited to see where it goes, and am extremely passionate about creating videos that promote the breath-taking Suffolk countryside we live in – watch this space!

Shooting into the New Year…

Wow, where has 2017 gone?!

It doesn’t feel like 5 minutes since I was sat in this same space last January (albeit now a little older, wiser and more experienced of course) – last year I shot 58 corporate PR jobs for large and small companies, including both Stansted and Gatwick airports, BT and EDF as well as some holiday home interior commissions, plus 22 family portrait shoots and some corporate videos too – so it was quite a big one!

I always like to think that the New Year should allow some time for reflection, and so writing this has definitely reminded me of how much I love taking a step back and thinking about shoots I’ve loved during the year, or work that I’ve done for corporate companies I’ve particularly enjoyed.

Living in the midst of the Suffolk countryside, with Aldeburgh, Thorpeness and Dunwich just on the doorstep possibly lands me to being one of the luckiest photographers around. I get to photograph families in their home environment, enjoying the beautiful surroundings we live in but most importantly having fun – it gives me that real feel-good factor that stays with me for the rest of the day!

So, this year is definitely a time for me to focus on devoting more time to the portrait side of the business (if you’re reading this and are thinking of booking a slot please do drop me a line), as well as continuing to work on my corporate offerings.

Towards the end of 2017, I commissioned some short cinematic style videos as examples of the work I can do for businesses. I love this type of work, and know there’s real growth opportunities here for companies to drive their social media engagement and in turn drive more interest towards their businesses.

Here’s an example of a personal version I created…

https://www.facebook.com/TonyPickPhotography/videos/1559147900841533/

Next week I’ll let you know how this video performed, as I really enjoy reflecting on my own work and using my blog as a platform to open up and express my views… stay tuned!

 

What goes up when rain comes down…

Family portraits at Iken in Suffolk by Tony Pick photography
Lifestyle portraits at Iken, Suffolk by Tony Pick photography

… my umbrella (sorry, bad joke!)

As I was sitting at my desk this morning, warm cup of coffee firmly in hand and glancing out of the window at the droplets on the glass, I couldn’t help but think of how lucky I am that the weather can actually aid my job rather than hinder it.

My last blog post was also about the conditions outside, but it’s evident to me that even shooting in the rain can be fun! I pride myself on creating memorable experiences for families when they have their portraits done, and sometimes the adverse weather conditions make the activity even better!

Whether it be snow or rain, the lighting that comes with this time of year and its weather creates the most beautiful photographs, and in Suffolk we have some of the most wonderful landscapes that make photography a dream!

The dramatic coastline at Dunwich or Thorpeness can be a brilliant locations for family portrait shoots, and even when it’s raining the images we capture with groups never cease to put a smile on our clients’ faces!

In the lead up to Christmas it can be hard to find the time (or motivation) to leave the house for anything, let alone a photoshoot with the extended family, but with me at Tony Pick Photography your images are guaranteed to brighten up any rainy day.

That being said, as much as I love using the Suffolk landscape to my advantage, sometimes there’s no better feeling than inviting someone into your home to photograph those special moments, which is why I am always open to clients’ location suggestions!

If you’re unsure of what someone may be comfortable with but want to gift them a special experience this Christmas, why not present them with one of our gift vouchers to really surprise them (you can find these using the link above in the menu bar).

I’ll be back next week with a new blog post on what I’ve been up to and what I’ve been thinking about, but for now, back to the grind(ing of the coffee beans)… 

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Tony Pick Photography is taking to the skies & relocating after 14 years on Aldeburgh High St.

After 14yrs in Aldeburgh High Street, Tony’s taking to the skies in 2 weeks & relocating the business close to Aldeburgh. Don’t worry though, all our services will continue through the website at http://www.tonypickphotography.co.uk/ inc portraits, photo training, landscapes, weddings and corporate pr.

We’re very excited to be launching of our new Uk Aerial photography business, Tony’s teamed up with two experienced pilots to offer a complete UAV photography and video package for estate agents, Insurance companies, sports events, land surveys, environmental work and Landscapes etc. The applications are endless, new and exciting digital innovations allow us to capture breathtaking images in very high resolution with the addition of 4k video which is new to the Aerial photography market.

If you would like to know more about our services please call Tony on 07719 919484.

DSLR Hexacopter
DSLR Camera Hexacopter
Go Pro Hexacopter
Go Pro Hexacopter
Hill Farm, Suffolk, Rapeseed Aerial View
Hill Farm, Suffolk, Rapeseed Aerial View

Corporate Day’s shoot with Google and McKinsey – The Google Way…

Had great fun at Google HQ in London photographing Digitizing Telecoms with Google & McKinseys yesterday.

Engage your audience, every corporate event should be done – The Google way…

Tricky low light and back lighting but the Nikon D3S did me proud once again – shooting available light up to 100,00 iso in extreme cases!

Great fun at Google HQ, London photographing Digitizing Telecoms with McKinseys yesterday. Engage your audience, every corporate event should be done - The Google way...
Great fun at Google HQ, London photographing Digitizing Telecoms with McKinseys yesterday.
Engage your audience, every corporate event should be done – The Google way…
Digitizing Telecoms 2015-136
Great fun at Google HQ, London photographing Digitizing Telecoms with McKinseys yesterday. Engage your audience, every corporate event should be done – The Google way…
Great fun at Google HQ, London photographing Digitizing Telecoms with McKinseys yesterday. Engage your audience, every corporate event should be done - The Google way...
Great fun at Google HQ, London photographing Digitizing Telecoms with McKinseys yesterday.
Engage your audience, every corporate event should be done – The Google way…
Great fun at Google HQ, London photographing Digitizing Telecoms with McKinseys yesterday. Engage your audience, every corporate event should be done - The Google way...
Great fun at Google HQ, London photographing Digitizing Telecoms with McKinseys yesterday.
Engage your audience, every corporate event should be done – The Google way…
Great fun at Google HQ, London photographing Digitizing Telecoms with McKinseys yesterday. Engage your audience, every corporate event should be done - The Google way...
Great fun at Google HQ, London photographing Digitizing Telecoms with McKinseys yesterday.
Engage your audience, every corporate event should be done – The Google way…

Beautiful Winter Portraits

Just back from a family portrait shoot on the beach in glorious winter sunshine. The sun was streaming through barely above the horizon casting beautiful low shadows across the rocks and pebbles. My trusty off camera flash system worked overtime to compete with the sun and fill in those dark shadows. It’s my favorite shooting style – backlit and shooting straight in to the sun for that high key warm saturated rimlight effect.  A lovely family, thanks guys for making it so much fun today…

Stuchfield Family 16-12-14-118Stuchfield Family 16-12-14-126

 

 

 

Stuchfield Family 16-12-14-107Stuchfield Family 16-12-14-121