Middlesbrough Documentary Photographer | The Decisive Moment
There are as many styles of photography as there are photographers, and every professional freelance photographer adapts to meet the needs of the job. My signature style, however, is documentary photography. This style captures real, unposed moments exactly as they happen, offering a raw and authentic perspective that sets it apart from the world of staged or posed shots. Documentary photography requires a different set of skills, especially when compared to press, PR, or corporate photography.
In documentary photography, a subject who is not directly facing the camera or a scene where people are unaware of the photographer creates a more natural and believable image. I believe these moments are often more impactful when taken from a distance, leaving space around the subject to add context and depth. In the heart of North East England, and especially photographing areas like North Yorkshire, I love using natural light as much as possible. Flash can feel intrusive, especially in settings where the person is working or say a classroom full of schoolchildren, so I make sure to blend in, allowing the scene to unfold naturally around me.
Over my 25+ years as a North East magazine and press photographer, I’ve learned how to capture the essence of everyday moments and turn them into powerful, genuine images. On one commission for the Positively Stockton-on-Tees campaign gave me the chance to photograph everything from street scenes to school visits, a bike rally, a bowling green, and even a care home. In the care home, I captured residents in their natural environments, like chatting or playing bingo. By stepping back and using elements like a walking frame to frame the shot, I was able to highlight the beauty in everyday life.
One of my favourite documentary moments came during the re-launch of a High Street in Teesside. I captured the crowds, the spectacle of a 50-foot-high man, and the joy of children splashing in the street fountain, all from a variety of perspectives—whether from the top of a building or up close among the crowd. This illustrates the power of documentary photography: it’s not just about capturing a specific event but about portraying life as it happens, real and unfiltered.
My approach is simple—two cameras and high quality prime lenses that allow me to move freely and blend in. Whether at an outdoor event in Middlesbrough, covering a fashion show at MIMA, or photographing a behind-the-scenes moment at Preston Park Museum in Eaglescliffe, my goal is to focus on the atmosphere and capture fleeting moments that make each moment unique.
The magic often happens when you look beyond the obvious. At Preston Park in Teesside I chose to photograph the drummers from behind, capturing their figures against the night sky and moon, creating an otherworldly image. This is the heart of documentary photography—finding the unseen moments that tell a deeper story.
Influenced by great photographers like brilliant French documentary photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, whose book The Decisive Moment remains a masterpiece, I strive to engage deeply with my subjects. As Bresson once said, without this engagement, the emotion of the moment is lost. That’s exactly what I aim to capture, whether I’m photographing in North Yorkshire or North East England—those fleeting, real moments that make all the difference in storytelling.