The thoughts and ramblings of Jamie Garbutt Photography the Norfolk and London based commercial, creative and editorial photographer shooting his way through the world. Chicken fancier and dog owner, father. In no particular order.
Contact details are on the “Contact” page.
Being a Father
One of the benefits of working from home is spending time with my son, although its not always easy to work with him constantly trying to “help” Daddy, its a special time.
The Bearded man
A personal favourite image of mine and a shot that filled me with a great sadness. As a bearded man (sometimes) I loved my own, I thought it was amazing. But upon photographing this stunner, I realised my beard was just pretending to a big boys beard. With a heavy heart and a filled with envy like never before. My beard was shortened and my face will forever miss its long, warm covering.
Traditional British Pub Shoot
I have an great local pub about 30 seconds from my door, The Short Blue, a real heart of the community. Good food, a great pub quiz, friendly locals. I was given permission to shoot a group of friends socialising together. It was great to be in such a busy environment and it was great to enjoy a drink after a rewarding shoot.
Bee Keeper
I have FINALLY photographed a Bee Keeper, I have wanted to photograph one for so long, but due to the fickle nature of Bees, apparently they don’t work to a photographers schedule, its taken a while to get in place. I loved photographing Simon here. I even wore a Bee suit and had bees flying around my head whilst working. It was a brilliant experience.
Park Life
It’s always nice to get to the park. Today I ventured there with a model for a few shoots. Shooting into the sun for a warm look.
Play Time At The Park
A special moment between a father and son. The Father (Me) is enjoying the moment. The son is just looking around without a care in the world.
Long Boarders
Off the back of another shoot, I was able to organise a Long Boarding shoot. Often when I work one shoot can lead onto another. The two males here have an interesting dynamic in their friendship. The older male is a mentor and personal hero to the younger male. He finds it inspiring that when though Kevin, is middle aged, he’s still super active and a thrill seeker. Many of us could do with taking a leaf out of Kevin’s book.
People and Pets
Aww, one person’s love for their dog. When chatting with my editor we decided to explore people and their pets. I grabbed this as part of a shoot, its relaxed feel without any posing, shows a genuine love between the owner and pet.
Gents Barbers
I have an amazing local Barbers near me, Talior’s, on Bells Road Gorleston. It is managed by a trendy guy and his apprentice. Kane (Right) and Sam (Left). Both are really nice guys and its a cool place to go and get a trim. It is a small independent, so I like to support my local businesses.
Product Shoot – Greetings Cards
I have been in the studio this week shooting products, in this case Greetings Cards for a great client James Carless Illustration, has has an amazing range of fun cards for many occasions. He sells through Etsy and can be contacted via a Facebook page and instagram James Carless Illustration.
This was a fun shot to due, it was also hell as I no longer eat biscuits and I had 11 packets on hand. I stayed strong and didn’t eat one. I tried to recreate the fun of the card for the shot. I have more in this series to shoot. Keep your eyes peeled.
#Product #productshoot
Update – Became a Father
This year is going so fast, its a bit of a blur, I have not kept onto of my website due to the birth of my first child. He has kept me & my girlfriend busy, so I will be updating my website as I have plenty of new work.
Fishing
This summer I have been fishing quite a bit, I have chosen this as a subject of a shoot. I was on Kessingland beach in Suffolk. Friendship is a big part of fishing for myself. This image captures what it is all about.
Sea Swimmers (Getty Images)
Recently I have taken my fitness seriously again, an off shoot of this re-kindling of interest has been meeting up with people I used to exercise with, and new people. There is a group of people that meet 7 days a week from spring until winter, and swim in the North Sea, off Gorleston, on the Norfolk coast. I shot a mini series around a session with them.
Raw Milk Ethical Dairy
I have been to visit a Raw Milk Dairy today. One of the big things was it was a small independently run business. The milk isn’t pasteurised as it doesn’t need to be. The owner of the dairy keeps the calves and the mother together, an issue that animal rights activists have campaigned about. The milking isn’t an industrial process here either, the young women in the image is only full time milk maid, each of the cows is milked individually, so the process isn’t industrialised.
Running Shoot
April is rolling on by and I have had a lot of admin to catch up, organising of photoshoots and shooting of course. Today was spent with two brother I used to play football with when I was still a student. It was great to catch up with them and shoot with them. We went for studio portraits of each of the brothers and a little running shoot on and around the beach, just a handful of images, but fun never the less. Again these images have been produced for Getty Images.
#norwichphotographer #norwichphotography #personalwork #stockphotography #commercialwork #creativephotography #runners #running #brothers #preparation
Sports Relief
March was a busy month, I was commissioned by Sports relief to cover there swim, cycle, run at UEA’s sports park. It was a fun filled day, lots of happy people and a great atmosphere all round. Check out my portfolio page to see more images from the day.
#events #norwichphotographer #editorialphotographer #commissionedwork #prphotography #enjoyment #takingpart
Head Shots
So we are approaching the mid way point of March, (Where is the year going?) And I was asked to do some head shots to freshen up the portfolio of a friend of mine. This is one of the shots from todays shoot, I have shot wide, but the file can handle a portrait crop if required, I have done this to allow for either format, and black and white was the decision for a more traditional model/acting portfolio look. We also took the shoot outside and used a brick wall background in the shade and used natural available light for a variation on the norm. The client was happy, I am happy, it has been a nice relaxed day in the studio today.
#norwichphotographer #studiophotograther #commercialphotographernorwich #editorialphotographer #creativephotography
More Studio Portraits
After shooting so many portraits this month for Getty Images, this idea stuck me. I get my models to draw their emotional state on the iPad and display it for the camera, hiding their face. I’ve quite enjoyed it, I’ve particularly enjoyed seeing the illustrations the models draw. Some are good, some aren’t…
#norwichphotographer #studiophotography #commercialphotographer #editorialphotographer #creativephotography
Studio Portraits
February has rolled to an end and it is March already. Seems that time is flying by. February was filled with re-touching and keywording for Getty Images. As well as starting a studio Portrait project. This is one of the sitters I have had over the past month. James, he is an 18 year old blind lad. He is one of the most amazing people I have ever met, he lost his eye sight in an accident and it hasn’t slowed him down. Not only is he studying business at college, he is also a Wrestler for a wresting promotion in Norwich WAW, they have just got themselves a television deal.
#norwichphotographer #studiophotography #commercialphotographer #editorialphotographer #creativephotography
Hair Shoot
I recently joked with my girlfriend that I don’t work weekends. In truth, I do, but as she is leaving to go to work on a saturday morning and I am still in bed with a free weekend, it is a humorous joke. Anyway, I received an SOS from a hairdresser who was in need of a photographer, after being let down the day before the shoot. So I popped down to London, which isn’t too far, and I was able to do the shoot for him. The model in this shoot isn’t a model, he was great and is keen to do more.
#hairphotography #hairphotographer #londonphotographer #studiophotography #commercialphotographer #editorialphotographer
Happy New Year
Happy New Year, I have the dreaded tax return to finish and this website needs updating, so I maybe a little quiet on the shooting front until these things are done. But I will show off a new shot not yet shared.
#stockphotography #stockphotography #norwichphotographer #editorialphotographer #commercialphotographer #childrensphotographer #locationphotography
Children’s football Training
So the last shoot of the year has rolled around, and I was down the field photographing a kids football team for Getty Images. These aren’t fully edited yet, as logos and such like are still visible, however I am happy with the overall feel and I believe I have caught some nice moments.
#stockphotography #stockphotography #norwichphotographer #editorialphotographer #commercialphotographer #childrensphotographer #locationphotography
Sub Cult (Food shoot)
I was down in London shooting for Sub Cult. (website link below) A friend of mine started the business of sandwiches in a market and they have expanded from there. They idea was to have really good ingredients and create great food at a great price. Something I feel they have exceeded in doing. I was commissioned to freshen up their existing shots and this is one image I pulled out for the blog.
#foodshoot #foodphotographer #londonphotographer #locationphotography #london
Portrait of a Tattoo Artist
The pick of the shots from this months shoots is this beauty of a portrait. This is Max, a tattoo artist from Black Sheep Tattoo Studio. I met him back on a shoot in January or February, since then I have kept in touch and recently been getting tattooed by him myself. This was shot outside his house on a wet November evening. It was darker than I wanted, but due to my models work commitments it had to be a little later in the day. I shot this for Getty images.
Black Sheep Tattoo Studio is on Gorleston High Street near Great Yarmouth. Link to their website below.
http://www.blacksheeptattoo.co.uk/index.htm
#locationphotography #creativephotography #norwichphotographer #editorialphotographer #portrait
Portrait of the Author
Todays shoot, 16/10/2015, I sat down with Gramps, the author that is keeping me on my toes with editing for his book. This little portrait uses natural light, and took a couple of minutes to shoot. For myself, I feel I have really captured the essence of Gramps. The smile is a common feature on his face and the cat, well, these are rather spoilt cats, show his love of animals. Not only is he an author, an antique ceramic expert, he is also a carer for his wife. They have been married almost 60 years and she was dementia. It’s rather sad, but he is always happy. He is a delight to work with.
#editorial #editorialphotographer #editorialphotography #stockphotographer #locationphotographer #commercialphotographer
Ironbridge Book
Recently I have been helping out my girlfriends Grandfather with some photography for his latest book. The book is on the Ironbridge in Ironbridge which sparked the industrial revolution. Gramps, as we affectionately call him, is in his 80’s and is still writing books. He is a published author and a expert in antique ceramics. He is also highly amusing and keeps me on my toes with editing for him. The above image I have enhanced a little to make it easier to read. I still cannot read it, but he is happy.
#editorialphotographer #norwichphotographer #commercialphotographer #studiophotography #collaboration
I have put together a PDF showcasing my work to send out to gather some more clients. Christmas is coming and I want to treat myself to a holiday, so come on guys, book me to shoot for you.
New Logo Design
October is here and I have had a new logo designed. A good friend of mine and designer Nic Panayiotou, based in London, knocked me this bad boy up. Next job is to pop it onto my PDF.
Co-op Store Grand Opening
I was in Cambridge today to shoot the Grand Opening of a new Co-op store in Cambridge. I photographed the staff outside, some general bits around the store and a few members of the public going about their shopping. This women kindly allowed me to photograph her.
#prphotographer #editorialphotographer #norwichphotographer
Amethyst – Pre-Party
Amethyst, a party night run by a friend of mine. Its a club night and he traditionally has a barbecue at his house in the day, followed by a trip to the club that he has taken over for the night. It’s a deep house night, I have literally no idea what that means but people get excited about it. I do a bit of photography for him every year, he has a club photographer, I do a bit until for him until I think I have enough stuff. It’s a very informal job for me and he is always happy with the results. This I got just before the camera went away.
Holland & Barrett Store Re-Fit
Today I was shooting a shop re-opening for Holland & Barrett. I was tasked to shoot the staff members stood together, products on the shelf and staff and customer interaction. I was passed the job by Harrington Photography.
#prphotographer #editorialphotographer #norwichphotographer
Karl
Today I have been shooting with Karl, he is a good friend of mine and he wanted a few pictures done for his own bits, so out we went. We visited a few locations of his choosing to change it up a bit. I am quite happy with the images, it was just a fun shoot. After the shoot we went for a roast dinner and I ended up booking in to have a full sleeve tattoo. As you do.
Female Body Builder
So I was asked to Photograph a female body builder by a friend of mine. She is in amazing shape and her husband is a former Mr Universe, rocking up to that shoot with a bit of a belly really inspires you to hit the gym. I was assisted by a friend that helped set it up. The shoot was shot on Great Yarmouth beach, just to give a little bit of different background. The model Carrie is a fantastic model and a lovely person, I am very much looking forward to working with her again.
#bodybuilder #bodybuilding #editorial #norwichphotographer #editorialphotographer
Grocer Magazine
The manager of Asda superstore Norwich photographed for The Grocer magazine. This PR job was passed to me via Harrington Photography.
Strawberry Picking
The summer fruit is ripe so when visiting my siblings I took them into the Norfolk countryside to go strawberry picking. They actually told me off for eating the fruit before paying for it. I was always told its one for you and one for the basket. I took this opportunity to test the new camera out and make a little stock shoot out of it for Getty images. We weren’t there long and my editor took 15 images from the shoot, so not a bad yield from a playful shoot. Also, I got a load of freshly picked strawberries. Always a winner.
Kids Boxing Club
This shoot has been in the works for a while now. It was nice to finally get it out of the way. I photographed a kids boxing club training at Legends Gym in Cobholm, Great Yarmouth in Norfolk. I met the head trainer on another shoot and he arranged everything for me. This was shot for Getty Images and has received very good feedback from my editor, which leaves me quite happy.
Young Farmer
I finally got to shoot a farmer. I have been looking for one to shoot for a couple of months now and this young chap stepped up. Adam here is mainly has sheep and farms out in South Norfolk. Getty images was the destination for the work again.
Portsmouth Trip
I had a holiday of sorts, well, I went to Portsmouth to meet with some university friends. I took my camera to the beach with me and spent the day shooting. Josh is the subject of the image here and if I am honest, Josh has got good looking. We don’t know when this has happened, but it has. Again I spent the day shooting for Getty Images.
Tae-Kwon-Do
Daniel Clegg appears again this time in his Tae-Kwon-Do studio. I photographed him practicing his Kata, this moment was taken at the end of his session. Daniel loves to get in front of the camera (and behind one actually) so was just as keen as I was to shoot this for Getty Images.
Tony the Mechanic
So today has been a busy day, I shot both the framer and Tony the mechanic today. Tony has the unfortunate duty of repairing my car when it breaks down. He seems to think whatever car I buy breaks. He is a family friend and was kind enough to allow me to shoot for Getty Images. His garage is Riverside Autos in Great Yarmouth.
Frank the Framer
Frank the framer runs a framing business on Gorleston High Street in Norfolk. He frames all my own work and is a very friendly man. He has been framing for over 10 years and offers a wonderful service. I shot this for Getty Images.
Artist
An artist friend of mine Daniel Clegg, agreed to sit for me, so I visited his studio to create some images to be submitted to Getty Images. He is an interesting guy and he is very passionate about his work. He runs regular exhibitions for up and coming artists to exhibit their work in Norwich.
Norwich Lanes Magazine
Norwich Lanes Magazine is a bimonthly publication that celebrates and advertises the area of Norwich called the lanes. It is the home to some of the most creative independent retailers, eateries and public houses anywhere in the UK. The collective of shops have won a nationwide award for small independent businesses. I was commissioned to shoot key images for the latest publication designed by Type & Numbers. The women depicted had a funky name, I apologise to her as I really can’t remember it, she is a musician, hence photographing her outside SoundClash record store in Norwich.
Weight Lifter
So I have been shooting in London this week. I arranged to shoot a friend of mine James Daley, who is a personal trainer and competes in weight lifting tournaments around London. James is very dedicated and a good friend. I shot this for Getty images.
Barbers Shop
Drakes, Barber shop, situated in Gorleston, Great Yarmouth. In the image, the young male is one of the barbers that work there. He was kind enough to model for me, and to be the subject of the shave as well.
Dog Grooming
Diamond Pets, Dog Groomers in Great Yarmouth. It is situated on Lichfield Road in Southtown. The owner is depicted in the image is the business owner and family friend. Jenny is my regular Dog Groomer.
The Snow is Coming
I braved the snow for 10 minutes, more for the animals sake then my own or the models. and Out I went, I achieved two shots, this one, one Great Yarmouth Seafront and the other on the beach.
My personal favourite in on the seafront. This is all I had to hand. Thinking about it now, I should of did a portrait or two whilst I was there.
Tattoo Studio
This week I visited Black Sheep Tattoo & Piercing to photograph the staff and a client being tattooed for Getty Images. They are an eccentric bunch but all have a hearts of gold. Saying that, the guy on the right in the above image is Plum do not accept a drink off him. You may not get exactly what you asked for. The studio is on Gorleston High Street, Great Yarmouth.
Dog Walkers
The Luck of the snow! I couldn’t ask for better timing for the snow. The dogs running free and around the model, snow falling and the darkened winters sky. It creates a striking image. I one regret was not taking my coat. It wasn’t the warmest of days. The work is created for Getty Images and was shot in Burgh Castle, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk.
Amongst the Dog Walkers I have been shooting this is one of the shots that I am most fond of. It is refreshing to photograph such a confident person. I was really happy with the location and the model. I was also fortunate with the weather conditions, for me it made for a really interesting look. The image was shot at Lound Lakes, Norfolk.
London School For Scandal – Antiques
Two days into the New Year and I am working in London, photographing The London School For Scandal founder, Benjamin Smith. He is sat amongst his wares looking for new stock on his iPad.
Happy New Year – Bath
A New Year – Everyone is setting there resolutions, mine is to continue the hard work that I finished the year doing. I visited a good friend and superb illustrator, Ben Rothery Illustrator (Check out his work on his Facebook page) in Bath for New Year. This was the view I awoke to. Bath is a beautiful place.
The image that spawned a series.
17/12/2014 – I had planned to shoot this model for a while. He is a good friend of mine and has an interesting look. The initial idea changed and I incorporated the dog into the shoot. I was very pleased with the results and decided to expand on it. Giving me a lot to shoot over Christmas. Again I created the work for Getty Images. It was shoot on Great Yarmouth Beach with the offshore wind farm in the background.
Other images are visible in the Portfolio section.
Scotland Trip.
I have been catching up with some editing, end of the year approaching it is finishing off time. I particularly like this shot, and I am putting it in an exhibition in February organsied by a friend of mine. It seems to work in Black & White. The lonely white house sat in the bottom of the valley is eye catching. It is the one image of the shoot that I favour. The image was shot in Scotland on the way to Loch Goilhead.
Luna The Puppy Dog
So I have a new puppy. Her name is Luna and is a Chinese Crested Powder Puff. I have wanted my own dog for sometime now and I finally got one. On one of her walks I took my camera along and photographed her for myself in the seaside town of Great Yarmouth. Norfolk.
I am one proud Daddy.
Leeds by Night
Leeds – I love the north I enjoyed going there to visit friends. The friends have now moved on to Vietnam so that connection no longer exists for me. However, it holds a special place in my heart. My friends lived on the 11th floor of a flat and I shot this on the evening before a stag do, for these reasons this is a very special image for me. The couple are now married, I shot their wedding also.
Snugs
Snugs earphones are a revolution earphone project that is changing the way we listen to personal music. The earphones don’t have any sound bleed, and offer outstanding sound quality. I was fortunate enough to be commissioned by Snugs to photograph their brand images. We went for the iconic British look to achieve this, Mod inspired models to sell the quintessential British fashion look. We spent a exciting day shooting around London in a variety of locations. Focusing on commuting and the superior sound quality that transports the listener to another place.
Sean Campbell: The Moustached Man
Sean is a friend of mine that works in sales in Norwich. As a Norfolk and London based photographer, I took the opportunity to photograph this style individual around the fine city of Norwich for Getty Images.
This Particular shot was taken in the stunning cloisters of Norwich Cathedral, using natural light. I don’t often process black and white imagery but in this case it seemed to work. Sean is not a model so not many Norwich Photographers get the opportunity to work with him.
Elderly Male with Surfboard
Swimmers! In my quest to think for some ideas, the idea to photography my Grandfather came to mind. What was supposed to be a simple portrait shoot developed into a series about Swimmers. The general idea was because, in my Grandfathers youth, he used to swim for the county of Norfolk and the town of Great Yarmouth. He was quite successful. Drawing inspiration from this, it seemed fitting to photograph my Grandfather in a way that links back to his youth. He also surfed. The result became a some edgy portraits I am very Happy with. My cousin and my little brother also modelled in the series. They have been well received by Getty Images. I shot these on Gorleston Beach a little South of Great Yarmouth.
Training For the Game
Staying on the football theme with one eye on future sales. My main man and assistant of choice Alex Daley modelled for me. He has some skill with a football. I shot this behind my house in Norwich in the Lakenham area. I was drawn to the suburban run down look. I was happy with the image.
Preparing For the Game

From the Football Series
A child is preparing for a big game was the general idea behind the image. With the approaching World Cup in Brazil, I thought shooting some football related imagery maybe a good idea to boost sales on Getty Images. The model is my little brother and is in his local football teams strip. He takes his football seriously and it is reflected in the image. This was shot in a changing room in Great Yarmouth that I was lucky enough to have access to that day.
Gent in the Park
The model in the image is a good friend of mine and thankfully is very keen on having his picture taken. He came to visit with his suit in the bag and I am very grateful to him for it. We took a little trip around Norwich and I was very pleased to have got this shot. I submitted the work to Getty Images and they accepted a few images from the shoot. It is always a pleases feeling. This was shot in Eaton Park Norwich.
Antique Dealers Flat
A retro styled couple sat in their flat surrounded by the theirs wares for sale. The couple are posed with serious expressions and stylish retro clothing. They take their appearance as seriously as their flat come showroom.
These two are very good friends of mine. Ben, the guy in the chair has been collecting for 10 years, Hayley his long suffering girlfriend has learned to love his obsession with antiques and loves his interests as much as he does.
They have a website where they sell their goods. thelondonschoolforscandal.co.uk
I made the trip to London to Photograph two good friends of mine, armed with my assistant to shoot the couple and their flat for Getty Images. The gentleman in the shot is an antique dealer and his beautiful girlfriend is a nanny. Now the important thing to mention about these two is this is how they live, I have just photographed what was there. Yes, that is a real zebra skin on the floor. It is one of my favourite images. It has the editorial/advertising photography look I wanted as it is my intended market.
Their flat is in North London. Follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
The London School For Scandal.
Pie, Mash & Mod
The Mods Series is a celebration of the 1960’s era. The Mod fashions himself as authentically as possible. This draws the Mods to places that places that time has forgotten. However, time moves on styles change subtly giving a look of reproduction over authenticity.
The image was shot in Hackney – London 2011. It was also shortlisted for the AOP open awards & The Aesthetica Fine Art Prize 2011.
© Jamie Garbutt 2015