VISUAL STORYTELLER &
PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHER
COFFEE ADDICT, PADEL PLAYER, DOG OWNER & HAPPY RAMBLER
I am a portrait & wedding photographer (you can check out my other work at www.edomahoneyweddings.com if you’re curious) recently relocated to rural Northamptonshire after living in Amsterdam for the past ten years. I live with my amazing partner Nelly and our mad as a hatter cocker spaniel Alfie.
When I was younger, I was a typical extrovert, thriving on nights out with mates and playing any sport that involved a ball (hockey was my favourite). After graduating with a degree that wasn’t particularly useful in a global recession (Real Estate Management), I fell back on hockey to travel around the world.
As time wore on my legs began to slow and those long Friday nights in bleak mid-winter, weathering horizontal rain/sleet began to lose their appeal so I hung up my stick in exchange for art school and a part time job as a copywriter at a guerrilla marketing agency which in the end led me to working as a photographer’s assistant and starting a lifelong passion for visual storytelling.
Now I’m older it’s probably fair to say that I am more of an introvert. I love spending time by myself, either working on my grandpa’s farm, reading or just taking the dog for a spin in the fields. These days when I make it to the pub, it’s more likely to be for a Belgian beer (La Chouffe is my kryptonite) and a board game or to watch the rugby rather than a sesh with the lads.
Because of the nature of my work, I’m usually busy at weekends which means that during the week I try to escape on my road bike or to the Peak District to spend some time outdoors, immersed in nature.
My happiest place is in some scandi looking coffee shop with a smooth flat white, a game of Boonanza and my wisecracking partner in crime (if you’re ever in Amsterdam, I highly recommend visiting Scandinavian Embassy, it’s not a real embassy and the cinnamon buns are to die for).
My passion lies in story-telling and the power that it has to move people which is why you’ll see that my work covers a range of different subjects from athletes at the Invictus Games, Nomads in the arctic circle or just family life at home. I deeply care about using photography as a visual medium for telling these stories.
For years I struggled with my identity and a sense of belonging, which if we’re honest I think most of us do at some point in our lives. I remember being particularly susceptible to the influence of those around me and while this had its ups and downs it ultimately led me to question why I struggled to be myself because imitating others had left me unhappy and unfulfilled.
As I grew older and began to understand more about myself, I learned that one of my strengths is an intuitive sensitivity for the feelings of others, one that extended beyond the usual familiarity that comes from knowing someone for a while. Initially this meant being subject to a roller-coaster of other people’s emotions, left feeling they were my own, but since I came to realise I had a deep capacity to empathise, I have been able to use it in order to better understand others.
In essence this is what I explore on a daily basis in my work, using my camera to document the people I meet. I love hearing the stories that define a person, they are what make us all unique and special. Humanity’s diversity is limitless and when you realise that everyone has something they can teach you, then each conversation you have can be rewarding.
Taking a portrait often begins before my camera has even been unpacked. I enjoy creating a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere, which allows clients to feel comfortable and be themselves in front of the camera.
Sharing a cup of coffee and a conversation before we start gives me an opportunity to learn about your vision as well as a bit about who you are and how you move. Whether this is for a few minutes or longer doesn’t really matter, just setting aside some time allows us to connect and collaborate because portraiture extends beyond the manipulation of light and composition if it is in any way to reflect the essence of the subject.