A recent commission for a well-known travel writer at The Telegraph gave me the opportunity to create a set of professional portraits with an editorial edge. The brief was to capture polished, location-based portraits with a strong sense of place, while keeping the images timeless and free from anything that made them feel tied to one particular location.

I worked across Bournemouth and Poole, using the local landscape in a way that didn’t feel obviously local. The aim was to make each image feel as though it could have been captured anywhere in the world.

Editorial Photography on Location in Bournemouth and Poole

As a Poole portrait photographer, I’m often commissioned to work in familiar surroundings while creating imagery that feels distinctive and considered. For this shoot, I made careful use of the coast and surrounding landscape, choosing locations for their texture, soft tones and sense of openness rather than anything immediately recognisable.

I worked in the early evening when the natural light was at its most flattering, using a shallow depth of field to soften the surroundings and keep the focus on the subject. The result was a series of portraits that felt connected to the environment without becoming overly specific to it.

Editorial Approach

The images also needed to work within a specific editorial layout, so framing, composition and format were considered throughout the shoot. Some photographs needed room around the subject, while others were composed more tightly, giving the publication flexibility when placing them on the page.

The approach itself was relaxed and unobtrusive. Rather than over-directing the subject, I focused on creating a comfortable environment and responding to the light, surroundings and expressions as they happened. The result sits between environmental portraiture and editorial photography, with enough context to give the images atmosphere without allowing the location to dominate.

Editorial Photography for Writers, Founders and Businesses in Dorset

If you’re after professional portraits with personality, something more creative than a studio headshot – I offer location shoots in Poole, Bournemouth and across Dorset. Ideal for writers, founders, creatives and professionals who want imagery that works across branding, PR and beyond.

For those after a more classic, clean studio-style look, I also offer professional headshot photography with lighting setups tailored to you.