01844 351 218

Garden Photography
Garden Media Guild Welcomes a New Member – Mark Lord!
14th February 2020
Le Manoir Japanese Anemones Garden Photography

Membership of the Garden Media Guild is an exciting honour for Mark as a passionate professional photographer of our countryside, gardens and those who work in them.

We are pleased to announce that Mark has recently achieved full membership in the Garden Media Guild.

The Guild are an established national organisation of professionals associated with the garden industry, which encourages and rewards excellence in garden communication.

Allium Garden Photography

Membership of the Garden Media Guild is an exciting honour for Mark as a passionate professional photographer of our countryside, gardens and those who work in them. 

Le Manoir Japanese Anemones Garden Photography

Mark has 20 years experience in the industry and works with charities including Horatios Gardens, brands such as Fiskars, many private clients and garden designers in the Thames Valley and beyond.

Mark has a long-standing passion for photographing gardens, and recently won 2nd place in this months PGPA competition for the following image:

Mark Lord hang in there its nearly spring!

“Hang On In There, It’s Nearly Spring!”

PGPA Image of the Month:
January 2020, second place

The Professional Garden Photographers Association (PGPA) is a semi-autonomous group within Garden Media Guild (GMG). The PGPA works hard to ensure that it is a recognised and respected voice within the garden and horticultural profession. You can see Mark’s full portfolio of work featured by the PGPA here

If you would like to work with Mark, get in touch

Continue Reading

Food Photography
Mark Lord Finalist in Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year awards
1st May 2019

We are all thrilled to announce that Mark Lord has been a finalist in the prestigious international photography competition The Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year for the third year in a row! Last night it was announced that his image ‘Fish and Chip’ received Highly Commended Place in the ‘Food on the Phone’ category.

Two of Marks photographs made it through to the final round of the competition, and will be on displiay, alongside each of the other finalist images in an exhibition at the prestigious Mall Galleries in London. The exhibition runs at the Mall galleries until May 5th, and will then go on a national tour for the year. Marks image, alongside the other finalists, can be seen on the Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year awards website here

The awards get more competitive with each year. This year over 9,000 images were entered from 77 different countries & every image was subjected to preliminary judging. Each of the shortlisted images were presented category by category to a panel of judges. The judging panel was made up from highly talented people at the top of their careers from both the food & photography world. Judges this year included industry experts such as David Loftus, Xanthe Clay & Alice Waters amongst others (you can look through the full list of judges here.)

​

“Fish and Chip”
Highly Commended Place in the ‘Food on the Phone’ category

Surprisingly, this image was actually taken on a Samsung S6 phone. Mark says;

“As a photographer who originally learnt on film before moving onto digital cameras the technology of being able to capture such high quality images on a mobile phone amazes me. This image ‘Fish & Chip’ a Cornish Bream photographed on a much loved but elderly piece of Cornishware was taken at the end of a food photography shoot. I am pleased to say it made a delicious lunch after being grilled!”

Surprisingly, this image was actually taken on a Samsung S6 phone. Mark says;

“As a photographer who originally learnt on film before moving onto digital cameras the technology of being able to capture such high quality images on a mobile phone amazes me. This image ‘Fish & Chip’ a Cornish Bream photographed on a much loved but elderly piece of Cornishware was taken at the end of a food photography shoot. I am pleased to say it made a delicious lunch after being grilled!”

“Long Day Picking” 
Finalist ​ 

This image was taken at Sandy Lane Farm, growers of organic vegetables, who have often been featured in Mark’s ‘The Artisans’ series.

“I have really enjoyed going back to Sandy Lane Farm time & time again. The farm is not far from home enabling me to get there early, the best time capture the fresh morning light with the dew on the leaves. George, Cate & the team at Sandy Lane take such special care of their small corner of the planet & I feel my image ‘Long Day Picking’ of farm hand Marlene really captures the hard work & dedication needed to run an organic farm.”

This image was taken at Sandy Lane Farm, growers of organic vegetables, who have often been featured in Mark’s ‘The Artisans’ series.

“I have really enjoyed going back to Sandy Lane Farm time & time again. The farm is not far from home enabling me to get there early, the best time capture the fresh morning light with the dew on the leaves. George, Cate & the team at Sandy Lane take such special care of their small corner of the planet & I feel my image ‘Long Day Picking’ of farm hand Marlene really captures the hard work & dedication needed to run an organic farm.”

Final Words from Mark

“This is far beyond what I would’ve hoped for when I entered the competition back in the winter & I feel very lucky to have been a finalist three years in a row…No one was more surprised than me when I discovered that one of my images had reached the final stage.  It was with great excitement that Becky & I made our way up to London for the unveiling of the exhibition last night.

It was such an honour to see my work in such a prestigious gallery alongside such talented photographers. The gallery was packed with 400 guests at a Champagne Taittinger reception many of whom had flown in from across the world for the occasion. It was a lovely evening compered by Blur guitarist & cheesemaker Alex James.

Congratulations to those shortlisted, the finalists and winners. Such incredibly photography of our food from around our beautiful world.”

Fingers crossed for the same again in 2020!

If you would like to look through more of Mark’s stunning rural work, browse through our countryside and farming gallery. To see more images documenting local organic food and the artisans that produce it look here. And If you would like to Mark to work with you to photograph your small artisanal business, get in contact!

 

Continue Reading

Artisan Photography
Giffords Circus
29th April 2019

I have visited several of the Giffords shows over the years and I have often thought it would be a lovely thing to photograph. The opportunity arose last year during our long, hot summer so I ran away with the circus! I spent seven days with Giffords Circus over the Summer capturing images whilst the team were relaxing between shows but also taking shots of rehearsals, preparations and backstage during the show. Occasionally I also sat in the audience during the show but this wasn’t predominately what my project was about.

The circus is visually stimulating with the contrast between the show and behind the scenes. I wanted to set myself a project that wasn’t lead by a brief so I had the freedom to let the project develop and capture whatever peaked my interest. I have always enjoyed editorial work and capturing images of makers, creators, producers and performers. Photographing Giffords during their tour across the English countryside enabled me to almost become part of the ‘on the road’ experience.

For anyone who has visited Giffords there are several instantly recognisable faces. Nell Gifford founder & creator of the circus is an inspiring person to meet. From the initial idea of the circus & buying their first tent in 2000 to developing the wonderfully creative, otherworldly show that you see today. Entertaining millions of people along the way & inspiring in many the dream of running away with the circus.

 

Tweedy the clown is one of the most naturally funny men I have ever met, sometime I was crying with laughter behind the camera whilst trying to focus! Tweedy can just turn it on when a camera is pointed at him and that was just a joy to photograph. I felt that the images I captured over my project were of the man himself, behind the greasepaint so to speak. I shot images of him practicing, he dedicates so much of his time each day honing his already impressive skills (the sound of Tweedy blowing his trumpet resonating across the fields!) and spending time with his family who were on the road with him during the school holidays.

Nancy is brilliant on and off stage, she has an amazing face and so much life to capture. Anyone who has ever seen Nancy in a Gifford show knows that she gives her all on stage. Right from the start one of the images I wanted to capture was of her right after she came off stage without touching up her make up, in colour, raw look at camera, sweat and mascara running! This confrontational image capturing the essence of performance, this has ended up being one of my favourite images of the project.

Right from the start of my project I wanted to capture the essence of life of the circus behind the scenes. Taking the mask off the performers and capturing them as real people. A good example of this is the gent who along with his family launches himself off a see saw across the circus ring, during the day he is playing chess and drinking the strongest coffee imaginable.

I will always have fond memories of my time with Giffords. From the moment I met someone at the booking office at Daylesford, how welcoming everyone was from the performers, the behind the scenes staff, Nell and her children and all of the administrative staff when I met them. The circus looks idyllic wherever its sits but I have to say as it sat in the Chiltern Hills in the beautiful Stonor Park it looked spectacular. It was certainly well worth the walk up the hill to get the shot. Caravan life is a strong memory that will reside with me for years to come, the performers back at their caravans, resting, cleaning their kit, making clothes, playing games and musical instruments.

Please step into the wonderful world of Giffords Circus & view my images taken during the long, hot summer of 2018.

Please step into the wonderful world of Giffords Circus & view my images taken during the long, hot summer of 2018.

VIEW GALLERY

ALL OF THE IMAGES THAT APPEAR IN THE GALLERY ARE AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE AS LIMITED EDITION PRINTS. EACH PRINT IS A LIMITED EDITION OF 25.

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE PURCHASE GALLERY.

During the Summer of 2019 Giffords are hitting the road once again with their brand new show Xanadu.

Roll up, roll in to the stately pleasure-dome for miracles, song, symphony and enchantment. Musicians, horses, clowns and tumblers enfolded in this joyful paradise, with music loud and long – the Giffords Circus caravan will be taking to the road for a 2019 summer of love.

It is midsummer 1973 in Hyde Park and the flower power movement is at its height. Hippies, hipsters, rock stars, musicians, wild women and global nomads with Shamanic horses gather to play, sing, dance, protest and perform. Policemen and a family of out-of-towners get caught up in the celebrations. Will they get in the groove? Nell Gifford builds a pleasure dome and Tweedy has a job in the kitchen as he thought everyone was talking about “Flour Power”. As evening approaches, the ever more chaotic event careers towards a joyful, transcendental finale. Be there or be square!

We’ve already got our tickets to find out more about Giffords click on the button below

GIFFORDS CIRCUS

Continue Reading

Page 1 of 76