Frequently asked questions.

How did you get into Photography?

I started as a kid watching my mum take rugby photos with her old Practika camera, fascinated by the way she captured the action. I had my own small cameras and eagerly copied her techniques. For my 13th birthday, I received my very own Practika, which sparked my passion to begin experimenting more seriously. By the time I was 16, my family had built me a darkroom under the stairs, giving me the space to develop my skills further. Later, I went to Birmingham City University (BCU) to study creative photography, where I learned in-depth lighting and studio techniques. During this time, I switched from using 35mm cameras to Medium Format cameras and practiced daily, often spending countless hours in the university darkrooms perfecting traditional photo printing techniques.

How did I start shooting Bands?

I met my husband back in 1996 when he was playing in a band. Naturally, I began covering their gigs as a way to support him, and soon after, friends started asking me to shoot their own performances. From there, I ventured into creating promotional photos for flyers. This initial interest quickly grew into something much bigger. I began working with numerous local bands, capturing live performances and promotional shots across many venues throughout Birmingham. Then, in 2002, Kerrang Radio launched in Birmingham, and thanks to some amazing friends of mine, my birthday twins Jimmy and Ritchie, along with Kaz and Steph , I was given a few incredible opportunities. Among these were roles as the house photographer for Kerrang Radio, as well as for the Barfly and the O2 Academy. These experiences allowed me to work with some truly outstanding bands and musicians, which helped further establish my career in music photography, covering Festivals, arena gigs and many more amazing experiences. The skills I had learned about low light and the love I had for music meant I was good at this, I could work my 3 songs no flash and get some quality shots.

What camera settings do you use?

AF: I mostly use continuous mode with servo to follow moving subjects.
WB: I usually use auto white balance and shoot only in RAW, so I can adjust the white balance later if needed.
Camera settings: For gigs, I set ISO between 200-1600 depending on lighting and venue size. My shutter speed is at least 1/40s. I customize white balance to the lighting and sometimes use bounce flash in low light.

What Software do I use?

I use Adobe Creative suite, mainly Bridge, Photoshop and lightroom.