About Barrie
The guy behind the camera.
Not a CV to impress. Just a candid account of who I am and how we work.
Hello
I'm Barrie. I listen carefully - for a man - I'll ask questions of you more than I'll talk about me, and I genuinely believe my connection with my clients is more important than the photography.
Putting people at ease in front of a camera is a skill I've practised over the years - how to listen to what they need, hear what they are not saying, and create the conditions where they relax and enjoy the experience. The portraits follow naturally from that. They always do, when the connection is right. And a bit of personality helps too.
Portrait photography isn't about cameras and lights, it's about people. The technical bits are important, but the connection and experience are so much more.
Your reasons for doing this might come from a place of vulnerability, seeking affirmation, seeking self. This isn't just about being photographed - it's about being heard and seen, when you recognise that's been missing. We understand that. So we do not rush, we do not push, and we do not arrive with a fixed idea of what your afternoon should look like. We're here, ready to listen.
How We Work
A few things worth knowing before you book.
We start by building a connection - before the session, not during it.
Every session begins with a conversation: what you are hoping to feel, what you would like to reclaim or explore or celebrate, what would make this afternoon feel entirely worth it. That conversation shapes everything that follows. By the time you arrive at the studio, we are not strangers.
We might suggest. We will never pressure.
Every decision in the studio is yours. We may suggest something - because occasionally people leave wishing they had been a little braver, and it is our job to gently open that door - but we will always take no for an answer. No never needs a reason, and it never changes the atmosphere in the room. Your session should feel like you, shaped by nobody else's idea of what it ought to be.
We take confidentiality incredibly seriously.
Your portraits are never shared, never used in marketing, never discussed - only with your explicit written permission. Many clients choose to share, which we are always genuinely honoured by. But it is always, entirely, your choice. No requires no explanation.
We don't behave any differently whether you're dressed or naked.
Barrie is capable of holding a conversation with a naked woman and maintaining eye contact throughout. We offer this not as a boast, but as a reassurance. The studio is a professional space. You will be treated with complete respect and discretion at every moment - and if a little light conversation helps you relax, we are more than capable of providing that too.
The Rest of It
The studio came about as a change of career. Or a mid-life crisis. The jury is still very much out.
Barrie opened the studio at Blackburn House in 2011, having spent years working in a rather different field. Photography was always the thing he loved most, and at some point it simply became the thing he did. He has never found a better description for it than that.
Fiona keeps everything running with a quiet competence that makes the whole operation possible. The studio sits within the grounds of the equestrian centre next door, which means our clients occasionally meet horses on the road on the way in. Please drive carefully on the approach road - we're fine with you being late, but rushing and having an accident involving a horse would not be a good start to your afternoon. There are also dogs, all of whom are friendly. And goats. The goats may appear cute. They are not. They are the Spawn of Satan. We tolerate them.
Barrie somehow found himself as a Director of the British Institute of Professional Photography and President of the Federation of European Professional Photographers - neither by design or ambition. He is genuinely touched that people considered him worthy of both. The meetings, he will admit, are not always the most thrilling part - but the people more than make up for it.
If any of this gives you the impression that we take our work seriously and our self-importance not at all - that is exactly right. And it is probably the most useful thing we can tell you about what an afternoon with us will actually feel like.
For those who like to know - and many do, quite rightly:
MQEP · FBIPP · FSWPP · ARPS · DPAGB · EFIAP
For those who want an impressive CV - other photographers, mainly - you can find the full details at our studio website (where it's about impressing photographers). Barrie is a Director of the British Institute of Professional Photography (BIPP) and President of the Federation of European Professional Photographers (FEP) - neither role makes him important, just busy. .
We want you to come back. We want you to send your friends. We want you to leave knowing that this was worth every moment.
The best way to know whether this is right for you is to have a conversation. No obligation, no sales pitch - just a chat. We are easy to talk to. We have been told this more than once, so it is probably true.