I’ve been a keen photographer for over 30 years. In the 80′s I set-up a darkroom and experimented with many darkroom techniques whilst developing and printing B&W and Colour prints and slides. I was an early adopter of digital cameras and have been using a digital workflow for over 20 years. I’m based near Ipswich, Suffolk, UK.
I love nature, landscape, architecture, transport and karate photography. More recently I’ve started to get into Portrait photography. The majority of photos and galleries relate to my association with Northgate Karate Club. As club photographer between 2012 and 2018 I regularly took photos at grading’s and events.
Photos can be purchased online from the Galleries
EXPERIENCE
CAMERA EQUIPMENT
I’ve always used Canon gear from my early days with 35mm. I progressed to Auto focus with the original EOS 620 back in 1987 and then to digital cropped SLR’s. I now shoot primarily using full frame as the sensors allow me to pull in more light, especially when photographing indoor karate events. I’ve become very familiar with Canon equipment and have found it excellent over a wide range of subjects.
I’ve also portable studio lighting, reflectors and flash triggers that enable me to set-up quickly and achieve the correct lighting level’s for most situations.
- My primary DSLR is the versatile Canon 5D III. It’s ideal for fast low light action
- Lenses include the 24-105mm F4 L IS USM and amazing 70-200 F2.8 L IS II USM
- Studio equipment including remote flash triggers, light stands, backgrounds and supports, soft boxes, flashes and light meter
- Manfrotto carbon fibre tripod for landscape and nature
- Various accessories including, filters, reflectors, etc.
- My trusty Billingham 335 bag purchased in 1987.
WORKFLOW AND EQUIPMENT
Taking photos is just the start of the process to bring you what’s displayed in the galleries. The majority of my time is taken up after the event in post processing. Photos are carefully selected and managed via a digital workflow to ensure the best results are achieved. I perform a number of scans through the images selecting, checking and editing before they end up in a gallery.
Some of the key steps I perform on each photo you see is to check and adjust colour balance, correct alignment and cropping, reduce noise and check/correct exposure. Listed here are just some of the equipment and software I use within my workflow.
- Dual IPS Colour Matched Monitors
- Adobe Lightroom 6 to catalogue images and perform any edits and tag images
- Datacolor Spyder 4 Elite to ensure true colour accuracy
- Wacom Intuos Graphics Tablet for minor edits
- Secure Photo Backup (local and remote site)
- This website to support the hosting and selling of photos.
FAQ
Answers to questions you might have
Where am I based?
I live and work in Suffolk, United Kingdom. The majority of photos are related to my association with the Northgate Karate Club. I also take photos where possible on business and personal trips, so you might spot photos from various continents, but primarily the UK.
Am I available for freelance photographic work?
No, I only work with existing clients as this keeps me busy on weekends. During the week I balance full time work and family life.
What type of photography am I interested in?
My key photography interests are Karate, Landscape, Nature, Architecture and Transport (mainly classic cars and planes). In 2014 I started getting into portrait work and I’m looking forward to more opportunities to improve my skills in this area.
Who produced and maintains my website?
I do all the website design and development myself. I try and keep the site looking clean, modern and user friendly.
How secure are the photos on the website?
Access to client and private photos through the website is password protected. To download photos you need an account and be logged in. Photos are stored on Amazon’s S3 service and can only be accessed from this website. Any attempt to ‘hot-link’ to images from the web will result in an access denied message.
Do I share photos on social media or photo hosting sites?
No. I only host photos on my website (this site). The only referring site that I’m aware of is the Northgate Karate Club website at www.northgate-karate.co.uk.
How can I find my photos?
Were possible I try and tag every photo with the names of the people it includes.
There are 2 ways to find your photos:
- For Northgate Karate Club members the easiest way is to visit the ‘Members Gallery‘ where you can search for your name and view all tagged photos.
- Each gallery also contains a ‘View all tags’ link showing the names of everyone included in the gallery. Select your name to view your photos.
How to purchase and download photos?
From the galleries you can either:
- Add photos one at a time to the cart
- Select favorites then move to the cart
- Select Buy All’s and move to the cart
If you have a coupon code you can redeem it from the cart page. Then proceed to the checkout where you can choose to pay using PayPal, Debit or Credit card. After payment has been accepted you will be re-directed back to this website where you can click the download link. You will receive an email from PayPal and myself confirming the purchase. My email also contains a link to access your account page where you can download your purchase(s). You can login at any time to view and download previous purchases.
I only accept online payments through my website.
How much do I charge for photos?
My prices are shown on the galleries page.
What payments methods do I accept?
I accept payments via PayPal and most major debit and credit cards. All payments are handled through PayPal’s secure services.
Do I offer refunds?
As a general rule I do not offer refunds. If I were to offer a refund there is no guarantee you would delete all photos. Therefore please check your cart before purchasing photos at the checkout to ensure you have selected the correct photos and sizes.
The only exceptions are if you purchased photos and there is either a technical issue with the purchase, download or an issue with the photo. If this is the case please contact me as soon as possible and I will try and rectify the situation. If the problem cannot be resolved I can issue a full or partial refund.
Do I need an account to purchase photos?
Yes, to purchase photos you need to create an account. With an account you can login at any time and view/download previous purchases and also keep track of favourite photos.
Your email address and details are kept private and not shared with any company, organisation or 3rd party.
Who owns the copyright on photos?
I own the copyright on all photos I’ve taken and hosted on this website. Photos must not be duplicated, copied or distributed without my consent. By purchasing a photo you have permission to make local copies for your own use only. You must not share photos with other club members or sell my photos for profit.
I reserve the right to include any photo I’ve taken in my portfolio gallery.
I only make client photos available for purchase in the client galleries.
How do I get access to Northgate Karate Photos?
To access my Northgate Karate Galleries you can find the password on the Northgate Karate Club Website. As a karate club member login to the Northgate Karate Club Website and navigate to the photos page at http://www.northgate-karate.co.uk/resources/photos/ where the password is clearly displayed in red.
Did you find the answer?
If you couldn’t find the answer please feel free to complete the contact form below and I’ll reply back as soon as possible.