Welcome to my blog. Here you can learn more about my work and read short think-pieces about photography in general.

Sports Photography: Technical Considerations

Capturing the fast-paced action and emotion of sports requires more than just a keen eye—it demands a solid understanding of the technical aspects of photography. From choosing the right gear to mastering shutter speeds and composition, there are several key considerations that can make or break a successful sports photograph.

Firstly, having the right equipment is crucial for sports photography; a camera with a fast autofocus system and burst shooting capabilities is essential for capturing quick-moving subjects. A telephoto lens (200mm is a common choice) with a long focal length is necessary to zoom in on distant subjects and isolate the action.

Shutter speed plays a critical role in freezing motion and capturing sharp images in sports photography: to freeze fast-moving subjects, such as athletes in action, a high shutter speed of at least 1/500th of a second or faster is recommended. However, in low-light conditions, it may be necessary to compromise on shutter speed to maintain proper exposure.

Another technical consideration in sports photography is aperture. A wide aperture (lower f-stop number) allows more light to enter the lens, making it ideal for shooting in low-light conditions or achieving a shallow depth of field to isolate the subject from the background. However, a smaller aperture (higher f-stop number) may be necessary to ensure that both the subject and background are in focus, especially in outdoor sports photography.

Composition is key in sports photography, helping to convey the intensity and emotion of the game. Pay attention to the rule of thirds, leading lines, and framing techniques to create dynamic and visually compelling images.

Lastly, master the art of anticipation to capture significant moments in sports photography. Anticipate the action and be ready to press the shutter button at the right moment to freeze the most dramatic and impactful moments of the game.

Blog published 8th March 2024

Technical Mastery of Landscape Photography

Landscape photography is a pursuit of capturing the breathtaking beauty of the natural world, requiring a blend of technical proficiency and creative aesthetic vision. Here, I delve into the technical foundations of shooting landscapes.

1. Aperture and Depth of Field

Selecting the appropriate aperture is crucial in landscape photography to control depth of field and achieve sharpness from foreground to background. Smaller apertures (higher f-numbers) such as f/11 or f/16 are commonly used to maximise depth of field, ensuring that both near and distant elements are in sharp focus. Zoom lenses can compress landscapes, and wider apertures can give a flattened, artistic feel.

2. Shutter Speed and Motion

Shutter speed plays a vital role in capturing movement within the landscape, whether it's the flow of a waterfall or the gentle sway of trees in the wind. For static scenes, longer exposures can convey a sense of tranquility, smoothing out water surfaces and clouds for a serene atmosphere. Conversely, faster shutter speeds freeze action, preserving intricate details in dynamic landscapes.

3. Composition and Framing

Composition is fundamental in landscape photography, guiding the viewer's gaze through the scene and conveying the photographer's artistic intent. Techniques such as the rule of thirds, leading lines, and using natural elements for framing help create compelling compositions that draw viewers into the image. Additionally, utilising foreground interest adds depth and context to the landscape, enhancing visual engagement.

4. Dynamic Range and Exposure Bracketing

Landscape scenes often exhibit a wide range of tonal values, from deep shadows to bright highlights. To overcome this challenge, exposure bracketing allows us to capture multiple exposures at varying brightness levels, which can later be blended or merged to preserve detail across the entire tonal range. Understanding and using the camera's histogram and exposure compensation ensures accurate exposure, maximising detail retention in highlights and shadows.

Mastering theses technical aspects of landscape photography empowers photographers to elevate their landscape imagery to new heights of artistic expression.

Images © Louise Morley

Blog published 1st March 2024

Daido Moriyama's Exhibit at The Photographer's Gallery

At The Photographer's Gallery in October 2023, I was drawn into a world of raw emotion and urban poetry encapsulated within the frames of Daido Moriyama's exhibition. Visitors navigated through the dimly lit rooms, stopping at each photograph which beckoned with its own enigmatic tale.

Moriyama's signature gritty aesthetic painted a visceral portrait of Tokyo's streets, where beauty and chaos collide in a mesmerising dance. His monochrome photographs, laden with grain and contrast, captured fleeting moments of everyday life with an unapologetic intensity. From the bustling cityscapes to the intimate glimpses of strangers, each image pulsed with a sense of urgency, as if freezing time itself.

One of the most striking aspects of Moriyama's work was his ability to infuse ordinary scenes with extraordinary depth. Whether it was a solitary figure engulfed in shadows or a fleeting glance between strangers, every photograph seemed to vibrate with untold stories waiting to be unraveled. It was as if Moriyama had peeled back the layers of urban anonymity, revealing the raw humanity that lurked beneath the surface.

As I wandered through the exhibition, I found myself immersed in a sensory symphony of sights and sounds. With each photograph, Moriyama invited us to see the world through his lens, asking us to confront the beauty and brutality of existence with unwavering honesty.

Yet, amidst the chaos and cacophony, there was a sense of quiet reverence that permeated the space. Moriyama's photographs served as a poignant reminder of the fleeting nature of life, urging us to embrace the present moment with all its imperfections and complexities.

As I emerged, I found myself profoundly moved by Moriyama's ability to capture the essence of existence in all its raw, unfiltered glory. His photographs had left me with an appreciation for the beauty that lies hidden in the everyday chaos of urban life.

Images © Louise Morley

Blog published 23rd February 2024

Mastering Studio Lighting: A Comprehensive Guide

Studio lighting is the cornerstone of professional photography, offering unparalleled control over illumination to create captivating images across various genres. In this guide, we'll explore the technical specifications of studio lighting tailored for three distinct photography categories: product photography, fine art still life photography, and fashion photography.

Product Photography: Precision Illumination for Perfect Shots

Product photography demands meticulous lighting to showcase products in their best light. Key considerations include color accuracy, shadow control, and highlighting product details. For this purpose, photographers often utilize high-quality continuous lighting or strobe setups with adjustable power output and precise color temperature control.

A popular choice for product photography is the use of softboxes or diffusers to create soft, even lighting that minimizes harsh shadows and reflections. Additionally, accessories like reflectors and flags help sculpt light to accentuate product features and textures.

When selecting studio lighting equipment for product photography, look for options with a high Color Rendering Index (CRI) to ensure accurate color representation. LED panels or daylight-balanced strobes offer consistent illumination, crucial for maintaining product integrity across various marketing channels.

Fine Art Still Life Photography: Crafting Mood and Atmosphere

Fine art still life photography is an expressive medium where lighting plays a pivotal role in conveying mood and atmosphere. Photographers often employ dramatic lighting techniques to evoke emotion and intrigue in their compositions.

For this genre, photographers may opt for a combination of continuous and flash lighting sources to achieve the desired effect. Creative use of gobos, snoots, and colored gels allows for precise control over light direction and quality, enabling photographers to sculpt light and shadow to their artistic vision.

Choosing studio lighting equipment with adjustable power settings and fast recycle times is essential for fine art still life photography, facilitating experimentation with different lighting setups and exposures. Additionally, wireless triggering systems enhance workflow efficiency, enabling seamless coordination between multiple light sources.

Fashion Photography: Illuminating Elegance and Style

Fashion photography demands dynamic lighting setups that accentuate the elegance and style of the subject. From high-key fashion portraits to moody editorial spreads, lighting sets the tone for the narrative conveyed through the imagery.

Photographers often utilize a combination of key, fill, and accent lights to sculpt the model's features and highlight fashion ensembles. Softboxes, beauty dishes, and octaboxes are popular modifiers for fashion photography, offering flattering, diffused light that complements the model's complexion and attire.

When selecting studio lighting equipment for fashion photography, prioritize versatility and reliability. High-speed sync capabilities and adjustable flash durations enable photographers to freeze motion and capture dynamic poses with precision. Additionally, continuous lighting options provide constant illumination for video shoots or extended photo sessions.

The Takeaway

Mastering studio lighting requires a nuanced understanding of technical specifications and creative vision tailored to the specific demands of each photography genre. Whether illuminating products, crafting still life compositions, or capturing fashion editorials, the right lighting setup serves as the cornerstone for creating visually stunning imagery that captivates audiences.

Images © Louise Morley

Blog published 16th February 2024

New Tricks

How familiar are you with the vast catalogue of Lightroom presets? There are so many amazing, intuitive presets on Lightroom Classic that I generally ignore - I prefer to do my own adjustments, usually. I think that's all changed now though...

Today I went to the sprawling Ashdown Forest to get some moody, rainy, foggy landscapes for an upcoming project. The immense 11-square-mile heathland is just full of photographic treasures, and I found myself deviating from my usual content and concepts.

Flexing my creative muscles, I used a Canon 70-20mm f2.8 lens to get some stunning, compressed views - ones that just had to have a cinematic preset laid over them.

Both the Cinematic and Cinematic II presets in Lightroom Classic manipulate various parameters such as contrast, saturation, and tone curves to emulate the iconic look of cinematic imagery. They employ carefully crafted adjustments to mimic the colour grading techniques used in film production, giving photos an immersive cinematic quality.

The Cinematic preset typically enhances shadows, boosts contrast, and introduces a subtle colour cast to evoke a cinematic atmosphere. On the other hand, Cinematic II offers a more nuanced approach, with refined adjustments to highlight details and textures while maintaining a cinematic vibe. These presets are versatile, suitable for a wide range of photography genres, including portraits, landscapes, and street photography.

So, with just a bit of basic tweaking and a diverse list of cinematic presets at my disposal, I had filled my forest landscape shots with screen-worthy drama. The results are quite spectacular, and I they're some of my favourites of the year so far. Needless to say, I won't be so quick to dismiss that huge selection of presets in future!

Keep an eye on the socials for more information about the project I'll be using these shots for, coming soon!

Images © Louise Morley

Blog published 9th February 2024

Pole Girls

Pole dancing, or pole fitness, has become really popular in the past few years, mainly among millennial women. A new feminist movement of sexual liberation is in part to thank for the surge of interest in the sport. I’m keenly aware that there may be some stigma, and misconceptions, around pole dancing as an act, and as a sport. When photographing my subjects for this project, I also spent a lot of time talking to them about what it means to them, the community they belong to, the challenges they face, and what they want from the future for the sport.

Beth has been doing pole dancing for 4 years, and works as an instructor in Brixton:

“I love pole! I love the people I get to meet, and it’s so much fun to teach women how to feel comfortable in their bodies. This sport brings out a lot of stuff, body issues and things, and you have to get comfortable in your skin to get the most out of it. The girls I teach are mostly beginners. I run 8 week courses, and the difference in how these girls are in themselves when they start to when they finish is massive. Pole is great for your self-esteem I think.

I’ve made some amazing friends in this community. A lot of the work I did in the early days, dancing in studios, demonstrating and then teaching… all those opportunities came from making friends in this community right at the start. I wouldn’t be where I am, making a living and a life in this sport, if not for those amazing girls I met on the first day in a pole studio four years ago. I want everyone to try it, because then maybe they’d understand a bit better what we get out of it”

Anna has been doing pole dancing for two years as a hobby:

“Honestly finding pole as a sport was just a really big help for me. It’s great for my mental health… you really have to concentrate a lot when you’re up there and there’s just not the space for doubting yourself, otherwise you get injured. So you’re paying attention and you’re trusting your body and you’re trusting your mates who are there spotting you while you’re still learning.

Mastering a difficult trick is so rewarding as well, and everyone’s always so happy for you when you get it. The women I’ve met in this sport, including Beth, are my really good friends now. It’s my social life and my way to exercise and get out of my head.

I think a lot of people disrespect the sport, because they think it’s about stripping and being sexy and the male gaze, but it’s really not that, and I wish more people understood that we do this for us, not for men at all. Yeah there’s a bit of walking sexy and obviously there’s the outfits (they don’t interfere with my grip on the pole, that’s what they’re for), but it’s a safe space and the women there lift me up and make me feel myself”

This was possibly the most fun I’ve ever had a shoot – the subjects were enthusiastic, energetic & really friendly. Having had no previous experience of this type of photography, they were so easy to work with. I went in to this shoot really open-minded about what the outcome could be, because I wanted the duo to lead and feel like the shoot was about them, their sport, their connection and community, rather than attempting to pose them in particular ways to achieve the commercial outcomes that shoots like these usually do.

What I wanted from the shoot was a more intimate and tender set of images, exploring the relationships between the dancers and their movements. I think the moments I captured between moves are my favourite images.

Images © Louise Morley

Blog published 2nd February 2024

Snow Day!

Earlier this month it snowed in Kent. I've always been a big fan of snowy landscapes, and this felt like a sign...

January is a dark and quiet month for most of us, and I found myself not really wanting to venture outside despite having some down-time from university. The urge to just curl up under a blanket and wait for winter to be over was really strong, and I did very little in the way of creative work for the first few weeks of this year. Not even indoors at home.

Well, what better way to break that mood than for the weather to grace us with a winter wonderland! It began as a light dusting, and quickly turned into fat flakes, cascading down outside my windows. I chucked on my coat & boots, grabbed the R5, and headed out without any kind of plan. The result was incredible! Not only did it do wonders for my psyche to be out in the snowy scenery, I got my first great photos of 2024.

Capturing a local resident unawares as she watched the snow drifting about in the local park lifted my spirits. Getting a well-timed shot of a curious squirrel as it regarded me from a high branch, nut in mouth, made me smile. And marvelling at how holly leaves are perfect shapes for catching little blankets of snow made me grateful for the nature I'm surrounded by in The Garden of England. This wonderfully unplanned adventure trooping around my local area reminded me of the simple joy I get from straight-forward shooting. No agenda, no research, no worries; just get out and find things worth looking at. Turns out, they're everywhere!

Images © Louise Morley

Blog published 26th January 2024

Saltburn

I reckon by now you've probably heard of director Emerald Fennel's sensational (and slightly disturbing) new movie, Saltburn. It's been the talk of town (internet), and just about everyone I know has commented on the "Saltburn aesthetic".

In 2018, I was privileged enough to have inside access to Christ Church college at Oxford University where some of Saltburn was filmed. Those timeless grass quads (that you're not allowed to walk on unless it's a special occasion, by the way!), the dining hall, and all the ancient architecture made the place an absolute goldmine for a budding photographer like myself. This week, I unearthed the photos I took there and gave some of them the Saltburn edit. This was such a fun way to revive some really old work! But, it also gave me the chance to reflect on how much my style has changed over the years. Not to mention the improvement in technique...!

You might not know, but the beautiful staircase that leads to the dining hall in Christ Church College has its claim to fame: Harry Potter. The gorgeous gothic steps are the site of a few scenes in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, right before the young wizard enters the Hogwarts dining hall for the first time. The antique lights and domed ceiling make it a visual joy to behold.

Oxford has also been the filming location for a wealth of other films and shows, including Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again, Xmen: First Class, and The Mummy. A lot the colleges are accessible to the public, so I really recommend having a wander around the historical grounds if you can. I hope that one day I can return and have another go at capturing its cinematic aesthetic.

Images © Louise Morley

Blog published 19th January 2024

Plastic Beach

This series is called Plastic Beach. It features carefully arranged found plastic items which I gathered myself from various beaches around Kent. Activism is often at the heart of my work, as I believe that powerful messages can be conveyed through visual mediums, and I’m always championing positive change!

To create this work, I combed Kent’s filthiest beaches over three days, in Margate, Herne Bay, and Whitstable. I gathered hundreds of tiny plastic items, some of which were recognisable by their branding. Coca Cola bottle tops, disposable vapes, ballpoint pen lids, and water bottles were the most common culprits.

I used these found objects to create high-contrast still life pieces that I hope convey the magnitude and danger of the plastic pollution that is rife in our seas. My beach clean-up barely scratched the surface of this epidemic, so I’m incredibly grateful to the teams of volunteers who do large-scale plastic clean-ups in all weathers around the coast.

These images have been featured in Breaking Glass Magazine! See it here: https://breakingglassmagazine.com/2024/01/12/in-focus-with-louise-morley/

Images © Louise Morley

Blog published 12th January 2024

On Documentary Photography

As a photographer begins making their documentary work in any given scene, they make choices which can only be considered creative- images are managed at various stages of their production, including camera settings, a choosing of moments to capture, and editing. Each image is curated through these choices; parts of the scene are either deliberately included or excluded.

Additionally, simply by interacting with those subjects and being within their world, the photographer is impacting the work created; “the fallacy being that documentaries often purport to reveal truths, however by the very act of documenting actuality, the director inadvertently alters its ‘truth’”1.

Approaches like that of Diane Arbus, who worked to gain permission from her subjects and be welcomed in to their lives, spending “hours, even days, shooting her subjects again and again”2 allows for incredibly intimate images capturing the lived experience they would usually hide. Having said that, Arbus could be quite selective about her subjects; she often chose to photograph unusual people, those on the fringes of society. While her contact sheets demonstrate that she “rarely posed people or moved things around in a room where she was shooting”3, the resulting images can still be considered to be biased in some way- Sontag comments “to photograph is to frame and to frame is to exclude”4.

1: Arielle Richards, 2018– ‘the creative treatment of actuality’ https://www.mediafactory.org.au/arielle-richards/2018/03/05/18-1-the-creative-treatment-of-actuality/#:~:text=Josh%20Grierson's%20definition%20of%20documentary,inadvertently%20alters%20its%20'truth'

2: Tessa DeCarlo, 2004 - 'A Fresh Look at Diane Arbus' https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/a-fresh-look-at-diane-arbus-99861134/

3: Thea Fiore-Bloom, 2020 - What Was Diane Arbus Known For? https://thecharmedstudio.com/diane-arbus/

4: Susan Sontag, 1979 - On Photography Penguin Books, England

Image © Louise Morley

Blog published 5th January 2024

My Favourite Portrait Photographer

I've been big a fan of Irving Penn's work for many years. His aesthetic is so iconic, and not easily replicated. Having shot for Vogue for decades, Penn developed

a very specific style over his lifetime, featuring high-fashion construction lit evenly in the studio. Models are often central in the frame, and very few props are used (he did have a thing for cigarettes, though!). He uses plain white or grey backgrounds most often, which gives the images negative space, contrasting the strong visual elements of the avant garde fashion the models are wearing. His love of the female form comes through in both his commercial and personal work - each stunning image feels like a tribute to the shape of women's bodies. Penn captures women in strong, side-on lighting, while they create interesting angles with their limbs. These models take up the space they deserve!

Images © Irving Penn

Blog published 29th December 2023

Changing Perceptions: Plus Size Models

Designer brand Calvin Klein made a ground-breaking move in 2019 to create a massive billboard

advert featuring a fat person in their underwear. The advert truly speaks for itself – this inclusive

approach has been well-received widely (despite backlash from small-minded people on social

media!) and is a great leap forward in representation. The model featured is indie rapper Chika, and

“the 22-year-old musician’s proudly plus-size body type felt like a rebuke against the brand’s traditional muses and their famously skinny silhouettes.”1

We are finally seeing larger models in the high fashion space, which I welcome wholeheartedly. Plus-size model

Ashley Graham is dominating this space at the moment, featuring in several brands’ runways in recent fashion seasons across the globe. Graham has a history of breaking through traditional norms in the industry, being the first plus-sized model to be featured on the

cover of Sports Illustrated in 2016. Bucking usual industry trends, if anything Graham’s size has increased during her time in fashion – something new designers and

publications have embraced. Graham is a mother, with a son from 2020 and having twins in early 2022. Motherhood hasn’t slowed her down at all, and she used her social media platform to relay a message of embracing body changes during and after pregnancy. The fashion industry continues to support her and include her shows the world over.

1: Faran Krentcil, 2019 Calvin Klein is using plus size models to reinvent its brand https://nypost.com/2019/08/31/calvin-klein-is-using-plus-size-models-to-reinvent-its-brand/

Top Image © Sports Illustrated

Middle Image © Calvin Klein

Bottom image © Ashley Graham

Blog published 22nd December 2023

Ai Weiwei's Making Sense

In April I had the pleasure of visiting world-renowned artist Ai Weiwei's prestigious exhibition Making Sense at the Design Museum in London.

Ai's incredible think pieces really challenge the consumerist, capitalist society we live in. Featuring enormous fields of gathered items like Lego bricks and broken pottery, the exhibition was awe-inspiring!

According to the museum website, the intention for the project is to make people question the value of materials, focusing on “the relationship between past and present, hand and machine, precious and worthless, construction and deconstruction”. 1

One of the biggest installations in the exhibit is a 15 metre long pit with thousands of Lego pieces all jumbled together. The idea that Lego is chucked almost carelessly in to this pit is add odds with other careful placement installations, and adds to the childlike reverie, and the idea that each brick is nothing special, but when combined with imagination and opportunity, the potential to create something beautiful is infinite.

Additionally, the pit functions as a chaotic reminder that the Lego has to be assembled carefully to be considered a valuable contribution to Lego creation. This installation alone encompasses most of the intentions for the exhibition as a whole. Another installation that bolsters the concept, and fills the gap the Lego leaves, is the takeaway contained carved of marble. The juxtaposition of something societally worthless and disposable (single use) with the intense value of marble is breathtakingly poignant.

Another fascinating piece, the glass hard hat, adds another whimsical element to the overall exhibition, and may well be my favourite installation here; the idea of turning something designed for safety, to protect the most valuable asset (our lives), into something visually attractive but realistically fragile and therefore worthless at its job is provocative, casting doubt on inherent value of an item, and asking whether our society has its priorities in the right order.

Weiwei’s personal collection of all these items can itself be considered commentary; what histories are we preserving in our selection and curation of collections? What stories are we agreeing get to last the duration, while others go ignored. Memorabilia like this arguably serves the collector more than the viewer, since we are exposed only to what Weiwei has chosen to keep. What has he thrown away, that we may have valued in a way he did not?

1: Ai Weiwei: Making Sense https://designmuseum.org/exhibitions/ai-weiwei-making-sense

Images © Louise Morley

Blog published 15th December 2023

Curating an Exhibition

In early 2023, I worked collaboratively with CCCU to put on an exhibition of current photography students' work in their wonderful Daphne Oram exhibition space.

This was such a fun project which taught me a lot about curation. From the exhibition pack:

“CAPITALISM: Feeding Lies To Young Minds” is a collaborative exhibition featuring as-yet unseen work that explores how capitalism has come to control the expression and development of our youth; creating personalities based on passing trends and encouraging young people to change themselves to fit a damaging culture. Providing intriguing commentary on consumer culture and the effect of rapacious and rampant materialism, this exhibition questions the lasting impacts of our young population’s interaction with the increasingly-nightmarish capitalist society.

From a pool of over 70 submissions, we've chosen twenty four impressive, unique images that push social boundaries.

Intended to inspire and unbalance, the works come together in this explosive, limited-timeframe display of new talents and voices calling out the commodification of identity.

Through this collection of thought-provoking images spanning a range of photographic disciplines, the show poses questions about how personality and corporate corruption intersect, with dangerous consequences. What is the true cost of a capitalist society? How are we allowing capitalism to shape our young people’s sense of self? What future is capitalism creating?

The careful curation of a mix of black & white and full-colour portraits, still life, and landscape images work to interrogate the ways in which young people try to fit in to predetermined roles, how they are discouraged from individuality, and the collective loss of culture and authenticity.

This innovative, compelling exhibition will run from 18th

April to 2nd May 2023. Don’t miss it.

Top and middle images: Press release

Bottom image: Promotional Poster

Images © Louise Morley

Blog published 8th December 2023

A Day in Bordeaux

In July, I spent a fabulous two days in Bordeaux... and yes, you read that right! It was meant to be a one day trip, flying out at 5am and returning that same day at 11pm. However, on the day, the airline cancelled my flight home at the very last minute, and rebooked me on the same flight 24 hours later! As a bit of a perfectionist with a pathological need to organise every minute, this was a bit of a challenge for me... until I realised, I had been given a gift: another day in the most stunning European city I had ever photographed.

I spent the first day running around the small city, home of Primatial Cathedral of St Andrew of Bordeaux, documenting every bit of the fantastic gothic architecture. But, the images I created that second day do a much better job of capturing the essence of Bordeaux. With this extra time, I was able to walk around and soak up the cultural scenes with a more relaxed approach.

I even got to listen to cathedral cellist Jeremy Genet as he prepared for a candle-lit concert that evening. The experience was truly breathtaking!

Images © Louise Morley

Blog published 1st December 2023

Not-so-corporate with Nicola Pye

In June I had the pleasure of photographing Leadership Coach Nicola Pye, as part of launching her new business. We had a lot to bond over; Nicola left her role in HR at a well-known accountancy firm, taking the brave step to go in to business for herself. I made a similar choice three years ago, after Covid put my life goals in to sharp perspective and I became a full-time freelance photographer. What I hope Nicola and I have in common is her talent! From the word go, she was the best subject to photograph (or, maybe second-best, after her gorgeous golden springer spaniel!).

We spent just over two hours together at various locations to capture every angle of Nicola's smiling face. The images are easily some of my favourites of 2023. This was such a fun shoot where we went with the flow, and Nicola was full of ideas and had a really clear vision for her images. It made my job really easy!

In September, I got to work with Nicola again to produce some content for her LinkedIn feed. Once again, we had so much fun. It's jobs like these that really affirm my choice to go full-time freelance three years ago. Thanks, Nicola!

Images © Louise Morley

Blog published 24th November 2023

Yoga Retreat

Talented yoga teacher Hannah (HM Creative Dance and Yoga) invited me to photograph a yoga retreat she hosted in Kent in July 2023.

As soon as I arrived at the idyllic location, I knew this shoot would be special. The lighting was perfect and the weather was just right. Working with my Canon R5, I created a series of documentary and product style shots for Hannah to use on her socials and website. This was my first outdoor shoot with the new Canon 24-105mm f4 lens, and it lived up to the hype! Bit of bokke, anyone?!

I can't wait to work with Hannah again next summer.

Images © Louise Morley

Blog published 17th November 2023

Ballet

Special thanks to Dance Academy Sevenoaks for the incredible opportunity to shoot at her advanced teens' ballet class this week.

These young dancers were preparing for un upcoming exam, so this was a masterclass to watch! The dedication they show to their craft at such a young age is admirable.

I did this shoot as part of an ongoing project to document dancing as a means of connection and social interaction in our society. By mixing in some close-up portraits with wider group shots, all informal, I attempted to capture that emotion so specific to to the pressure and enjoyment of a last class before a big assessment. There were moments of levity and reprieve as the girls sat in groups during breaks, chatting and laughing together.

Blog published 10th Novemeber 2023

London To Brighton Classic Car Run

A highlight of this year was was the annual classic car run from London to Brighton in June.

I had the pleasure of having the inside track (no pun intended!) as vintage cars poured on to the seafront road throughout the day. I got to chat with enthusiasts about their treasured vehicles while I photographed them. The weather was fantastic, and all the vintage vibes were right!

Brighton seafront is a fantastic location for this kind of event. Surrounded by great British history, these impeccably maintained cars had the chance to wow gathering crowds in truly fitting scenery.

As well as the general spirit and revelry, every participant received a special issue numberplate plaque to commemorate the event.

I love how many of the drivers lean in to the nostalgia by dressing up - there was many a suspender and wicker hat on show that day!

Several car owners reached out to me to purchase copies of the images I took of their cars, and to them I am grateful. It all contributes to fantastic year in business!

Blog published 3rd November 2023

The Art of Pole

Unbelievably talented pole dancing teacher Beth invited me in to her gorgeous studio for some new website and socials shots in April this year.

I confess that before this shoot, I knew absolutely nothing about the amazing world of pole dancing. What I know now could likely fit on a postcard (!), but Beth was so welcoming and answered so many questions about her amazing sport as we worked through a list of shots:

This was a tricky shoot, technically speaking. The light was transient, thanks to a few south-facing windows on a sunny/cloudy day. My Canon R5 handled it all quite well, though, and you can't argue with the results!

Blog published 27th October 2023

My Background

You may or may not know that I used to work in publishing. Specifically, I worked in the production department of award-winning arts and crafts publisher Search Press. My job was to bring books from concept to physical copy, taking all the hard work of the authors and editors and doing it justice with high-quality printing and all the physical elements of a book. This was a role I really enjoyed, but we worked primarily with printers in Asia. So, when Covid happened, my job ground to a halt for almost a year. This was a difficult time for business and individuals, and I'm sure everyone remembers how they spent it. I spent it reevaluating my passions, and coming to the realisation that photography was what I wanted to do with my life.

The visual elements aspect in my job was sustaining me, day to day, until everything stopped as factories shut down and countries went in to lockdown. I couldn't deny it any more - it wasn't enough, and I needed to go out on my own. I chose to start a BA in photography, and set up as a freelancer on my own! Scary!

I'll always value the skills I learned (especially being able to hone my creative instincts for visual elements!) at that job, but I'm endlessly grateful that I was able to make this career change. I've been so privileged to work with so many wonderful people and fantastic companies since starting up. Focusing on my craft full-time through paid freelance work and personal projects has allowed for great professional growth as well as a sense of personal fulfilment.

Blog published 20th October 2023

Product Photography

Who doesn't love a polished, perfected product shot?

For many photographers, product shots are our bread and butter. Working as a freelancer, I've done a few shoots now - mainly for friends and family looking to sell a few bits online.

I'll admit that this is an area I want to expand in. I've always had a penchant for fashion, and I've been an avid Vogue reader for many years - so it'd be a dream come true to work with fashion brand sites to produce their product work!

For now, I've been experimenting with a new camera-mounted flash for the R5 - a Godox V1. The crisp, clean light this thing offers is something else! I've had so much fun shooting Etsy sale items, experimenting with bouncing the light of the ceiling, walls, a reflector to the side... you name it, I've angled it. The V1 has an impressive 360 degree swivel, giving me every angle I could ever need to shoot stunning vintage clothing and accessories. I've come a long way from the first Canon Speedlite I used years ago!

The next step: setting up the portable studio for some cosmetics product shots for the portfolio.

Blog published 13th October 2023

Rachel Neville: Artist Profile

Up-and-coming photographer Rachel Neville is a retired ballet dancer who has enjoyed a new beginning in the industry photographing dancers for personal portfolios. Neville creates arresting images that demonstrate an intimate connection between dancing partners, as well as solo shots that aim to amplify every aspect of the ballet dancer’s physique and ability. She uses a variety of lighting and camera techniques to achieve a diverse flow of images.

Neville’s images are usually created in a studio, but the emotions they elicit belie the sterile surroundings. The connection between the dancers is palpable, and Neville is clearly fostering this calm and open vibe in her shoots. Being able to connect with the subjects using her experience as a dancer likely helps in this case – Neville’s website has a small statement about her work, commenting “her images are informed as much from her dance history as they are from her innate creative vision and her clients visual needs”. Neville’s focus is on visually theatrical images that “stop viewers, captivate their imagination and bring them in”.

The mission statement for Neville’s Dancers series is “to make a positive and lasting impact on the wellbeing and sustainability of the dance world” , achieved through carefully choreographed studio shoots that balance dramatic lighting with simple costuming, producing “attention-grabbing photos that can be used during audition submissions and other digital marketing platforms that maximise their career viability”. I think Neville's work is stunning, and I can't wait to see more of it.

See Neville's work on her website: https://rachelnevillestudios.com/

Blog published 6th October 2023

A View From My Window - Exhibition

Ok - strap in for this one! At the iconic Atomium in Brussels, Belgium, I found one of the best (and biggest!) amateur photography exhibitions I've ever seen.

This 400-image strong backlit installation wraps around an entire circular room section of the famous building. It began in 2020, instigated by Barbara Duriau, and is sourced from a 3-million-member strong Facebook community group where amateur photographers uploaded over 200,000 images, each of them a unique perspective from a window. Collated here, the impressive exhibition "translates a human experience and offers a sensitive and poetic dive into the intimacy of all those who have gone through this very special event" (Covid-19)1

The images are breathtaking, but have the very every-day feel we're all used to from spending a lot of time indoors during Covid lockdowns. I hadn't heard of this exhibition and I stumbled upon it by accident, having gone to see the other attractions at the Atomium during my trip to Brussels in March. This was such a lucky find, and although the exhibition has now come to an end, you can still see all the uploaded images on the Facebook group.

A View From My Window ran from 23rd March 2022 to 28th May 2023.

1: A view from my window https://atomium.be/viewfrommywindow?lang=en

Blog published 29th September 2023

Evelyn Hofer at The Photographers Gallery

This week I went to see Evelyn Hofer's work at The Photographers Gallery in London. The huge collection featured some of Hofer's lesser known work, and included large format portraits, landscapes, and still life images.

The installation was a fitting tribute to Hofer's 45-year-long career of photography, and was her first ever retrospective hosted in the UK. The work is a mix of colour and b&w images, a lot of them set in Dublin, Ireland. Moving portraits of Irish citizens in the 60s and 70s are accompanied by wide-angle New York city scapes, a whole world away. And yet, their similarities bond them. Hofer's style is inherently documentary, even when she interacts with her subjects to produce the work. She captures times of political and social change with a lightness and candidness many others have striven for, and fallen short. Truly an under-appreciated master in the field!

The exhibition ran 23rd June 2023 - 24th September 2023.

Blog published 22nd September 2023

Archive Digging

My first blog post... how exciting! I thought I'd start blogging about some of my activities and the work I'm creating. So, welcome! And thanks for reading. I thought a good place to start might be in the CCCU archives.

Earlier this year, I got to go through an extensive collection of medium format negatives that belong to the Canterbury Christchurch University archive. The images feature portraits, at seafronts and in towns in Kent, and the collection is maintained and slowly being digitised by veteran photo technician Nigel Breadman. The archive has been dubbed The South Easy Archive of Seas Photography (SEAS).

A lot of the images I looked at came from the 1960s and 70s, and are a fascinating thing to behold! The fashion was particularly interesting to me, along with the documentary style that I favour in my own work.

Nigel was able to tell me that many of the images come from the Sunbeam Photography Company, based on the Isle of Thanet. This company was created to produce photographs of holidaymakers as they enjoyed the beach and town, and they had the option to purchase the prints. The collection spans the lifetime of the business, from 1919 to 1975, and there are over 20,000 negatives stored at CCCU.

University lecturer Rob Ball has used many of these images to create a small photo-book that focuses on the seafront and beach images, highlighting how the coastline is the same, and yet the view is very different today. Covering decades of the archive, the photo-book was printed in a small run as a local keepsake, and was titled Beyond The View.

Special thanks to Nigel for access to the archive, all the information about it, and for his valuable work in maintaining this amazing time capsule of images.

Blog published 15th September 2023

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