Tag Archives: photography

Creative & Marketing, Creative News, News

Fluid Ideas creates drive-in Derby studio to rival Manchester and London facilities

Creative agency Fluid Ideas has unveiled the latest phase of its expansion – a drive-in studio for filming, photography, recording and events.

The studio, called Flux, features an infinity cove, a fully-functional kitchen set and an audio booth for recording voiceovers and podcasts.

Fluid has invested a six-figure sum to transform a 1,300sq ft building next to its headquarters in a former cotton mill at Darley Abbey Mills, a World Heritage Site on the outskirts of Derby.

Jamie Hovell, an associate partner at Fluid, said the new multipurpose facility – in the old Engine House – gives the Midlands a genuine alternative to Manchester and London for filming, photoshoots and recordings.

“The combination of the drive-in feature, the infinity cove with overhead lighting rig and the kitchen set means we have a distinctive and really versatile space which our team will utilise for client projects,” he said.

“In just 10 weeks, we’ve transformed a vacant and unloved industrial building to create a real point of difference for Fluid and the region, and one which we are confident will appeal to our clients and the wider creative community.

“It’s a spacious open studio with plenty of space for lighting and cameras. The infinity cove is brightly lit and curves into the floor, so there are no corners or shadows. It can easily be repainted according to the colour needs of each client.

“We’d been scoping out places to create a facility of this kind for some time, and visited a number of potential sites before the Engine House became available. It’s the perfect location, and seeing the new space we had envisioned for so long transformed from a blank canvas and spring into life over the weeks has been a real joy.”

Jamie added: “We see Flux becoming a hub in the Midlands. Until now, people have had to travel to Manchester or London for such a facility.

“Now there is somewhere closer to home which businesses, art directors, marketing teams and other agencies can hire for their own projects. It can also be used for off-site meetings, product launches, get-togethers and workshops.”

Joint managing director Phil Harvey and Jamie led the renovation project for Fluid. Associate partner Carrie Gregory led on the branding and interior design. The trio were supported by a wider team including Dan Chadwick, Bec Utley and Liv Beighton to bring the proposition to life.

The drive-in capability of the new studio is aimed at Fluid’s roster of automotive clients, while the high-end kitchen is envisaged for a variety of uses, including food styling and household product photos and videos, recipe guides, and for meetings and events.

Fluid is an award-winning, full-service agency which celebrated its 20th anniversary in November 2023. It has a team of nearly 60 creatives, strategists, developers, designers, artworkers, CGI artists, photographers, copywriters, social media specialists, motion-designers and digital marketeers.

It serves a global client base across sectors including automotive, manufacturing and distribution, education and training, property and developments, health and wellbeing, retirement living, leisure and hospitality, food and drink.

Dan, a partner and art director at Fluid, said: “I think I can comfortably speak for all of us in saying how immensely excited we are about the new opportunities this studio will bring.

“Having a facility of this kind in-house has been a longstanding ambition for Fluid. It looks fantastic and, as well as serving as a catalyst for our own creative aspirations, we envision this space as a dynamic hub for our clients and the wider creative community.

“It’s not just about elevating our offering; it’s about providing a versatile canvas for clients – new and existing – to bring their visions to life, fostering connections and nurturing talent. The prospects and potential are huge.”

News, Technology

Merchr signs up ClickASnap as its latest strategic partner

Print-on-demand technology company Merchr has signed up picture-sharing platform ClickASnap as its latest strategic partner, offering photographers a new way to monetise their images.

The agreement sees Merchr enable photographers to sell prints and canvases of their images across the UK, North America and Europe by setting up merchandise stores hosted on its fast-growing platform.

ClickASnap, which was founded in 2014 and is based in Dorset, is a digital platform which hosts over 16 million images, enabling users to showcase and sell their pictures.

More than 1,800 photographers have set up stores in the first month of the venture.

Items are being shipped from Merchr’s integrated facilities in Middleton, Greater Manchester, and Scottsdale, Arizona, as well as through other production partners.

Peter Hallett, co-founder of Merchr, said: “This exclusive partnership gives ClickASnap photographers access to the Merchr technology, enabling them to monetise images through their own free webstore that features canvas prints and merch showcasing their content.

“It’s an exciting strategic move for both parties, as it enables ClickASnap users to further monetise their photographs by leveraging Merchr’s software combined with their own creativity.

“Initially, the partnership is being rolled out to ClickASnap’s premium members, with a focus on supplying canvas and framed canvas and prints across Europe and North America.

“ClickASnap members can create their webstores in sterling, US and Canadian dollars and euros, depending on where they wish to sell their images.”

Jason Hill, chief executive of ClickASnap, said: “Our partnership has got off to a superb start, with over 1,800 photographers signing up in the first month.

“We look forward to seeing the number of stores grow on our platform to give more people the opportunity to sell their pictures.”

Merchr helps individuals and groups to build their brand and reach new global audiences by creating their own, personalised bespoke merchandise collection to sell in an eco-friendly, risk-free way without the need to hold stock or worry about the logistics of production, printing and shipping.

Its wider portfolio of products includes clothing, hats, towels, blankets, mugs, placemats, phone cases, coasters, hot water bottles, tote and make-up bags, pouches and highlighter pens, water bottles and tumblers.

The company uses water-based inks and BPA-free plastic bottles, and organic cotton in its garments.

Merchr also manages the supply chain and print-on-demand for a host of online retailers.

Appointments, Marketing, PR and SEO, News

Promotion for Ben as creative agency Fluid Ideas expands leadership team

The head of creative agency Fluid Ideas’ search and social media team has been promoted to associate partner.

Ben Meakin joined the agency in 2018 from the University of Derby Students’ Union, where he was the marketing and engagement manager.

He began at Fluid in a marketing manager role but soon began to focus on search and social media. He currently leads a 10-strong, award-winning team with an expanding client base.

Ben is the fourth member of the Fluid team to be promoted to associate partner, a position created to give its rising stars a more active leadership role across the business.

Fluid Ideas is a full-service agency whose operations cover branding and campaigns, graphic and website design, computer-generated imagery, 3D animation and video, photography, copywriting, digital marketing, content management, search and social media – all in-house.

Its client base spans sectors including healthcare, retirement living, property, professional services, education, finance, leisure and hospitality.

The agency celebrated its 18th birthday in January and posted record annual revenues of £3.2m in the year to November, boosted by increased business from existing clients and a raft of new wins. Staff numbers have reached 50 in line with its growth.

Ben’s achievements at Fluid include devising an award-winning campaign for the National Forest Adventure Farm in Staffordshire, which helped attract a record number of visitors to its Halloween-themed scare attraction Screamfest.

He has also worked closely with East Midlands Railway, which has developed into a full service client, has gained further awards recognition for e-commerce campaigns, and through a number of projects has helped generate record inquiries for Inspired Villages, a retirement villages group which is backed by Legal & General.

Ed Bowler, joint managing director at Fluid, said: “From the outset, it was apparent that Ben had a real hunger for the world of search and social. He won our first significant social media client within a few weeks, has continued to grow our digital offering and now heads a 10-strong team from a standing start.

“He brings sheer passion, energy, creativity and a natural positivity to Fluid. He leads by example in his ambition and in the way he supports the team and encourages them to grow and push the boundaries of what they can achieve.

“We have always prioritised internal growth rather than senior external appointments, and Ben’s fully deserved promotion is another good example of this strategy.”

Ben said: “I’m thrilled to be part of the Fluid team and to have been given the opportunity to create an entirely new team.

“I’m extremely proud and grateful to be promoted to associate partner, and can’t wait to be more involved in the development of Fluid as an agency, continuing to help our clients grow their digital brands.”

Creative News, News

Creating good imagery for business-focused social media

By Emeka Ikechi, Director, Vanity Studios

It can seem hard to stand out in social media’s endless sea of imagery. But the bar set by many of those images is relatively low. If you master a few basics of photography, you can boost the effectiveness of your own images.

LIGHTING

Do not use your flash. Nine times out of ten you won’t need it and it’ll only add glare and shadow that will make your photo look tacky. The only time you’ll need to pop the flash on is when you have a bright background and the foreground is silhouetted.

Rather than using a flash, find a selection of lights that you can place strategically around the product to create interesting highlights and shadows. Consider the colour of the lights as well. Not all ‘white’ lights are the same shade of white ─ some will be warmer and more yellow while others may be colder and bluer.

Mixing colours can work but it needs to be done with care otherwise it will look messy. If you are working on developing your photography skills, it is best to start off with the same colour of white lights and go from there. If you want to add some colour later, you can always apply filters using photo editing software.

With lights set up, play around with their position to highlight features or create a bit of shadow to achieve an interesting contrast.

How much light versus shadow you’ll want might depend on the product being photographed. Luxury items tend to have more contrast, giving them a cooler, classier vibe. Technical products with lots of features and accessories can benefit from more light to show off the details.

Try to avoid actual shadows, however, as they look unprofessional. Ensure that some of your lights are focused on the area surrounding your product and the background. These lights will wash away any shadows, leaving a clean, professional photo.

COMPOSITION

Working to the rule of thirds is always advisable. Try to think of the space as broken into thirds vertically and horizontally, lining up the objects along these lines. For just one object, try to get it in the centre square. For two objects, line them up in the middle of the horizontal section and along the vertical third lines.

Not only does using the rule of thirds help keep the negative space to the edges balanced (you don’t want lots of space on one side and little on the other) but it also guides the eye to the most important features of the photo. This is particularly important when you have a noisier background or you are using multiple props.

For good composition, only include necessary items in the shot. Lots of clutter is distracting and unprofessional. Even if you want to show the product in-situ, it is important to clear away anything that does not need to be there.

You could remove everything except for the product. This will focus the eye on the product and can be useful for both technical and luxury items. If, however, you want to take an action shot ─ perhaps a luxury spirit being enjoyed at a bar ─ you could clear the table of any unused glasses or other distractions and use depth of field to ensure the background noise is blurred out.

BACKGROUND

Every photo has a background so make them work to your advantage. You could opt for a simple white or coloured sheet to bring focus to the foreground, but just make sure that any creases or folds are either obscured or work to your advantage.

You could pin the top of the sheet in the middle to give a draped look, like theatre curtains. Or perhaps try rumpling the sheet around the product to make it look cosy.

If you find that, despite your best efforts, the background is too noisy, then playing around with depth of field can really help. While this is best done using your camera to ensure the sharpest details, it can also work in editing to blur the background and ensure that your products are always sharply in focus.

A little know-how, some good lighting and a bit of trial and error can really make a difference to your social media content, but if you don’t have the time or energy to get all of this right yourself (or just lack the eye for it), then a professional can help you shift your social media imagery up a gear.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emeka Ikechi is Director of Vanity Studios, a contemporary studio for photoshoots in the centre of Shoreditch in London. Since 2009 Vanity Studios has been providing clients with high quality professional photos and an excellent photoshoot experience. The team of photographers and make-up artists ensure each client receives bespoke photography that meets their requirements.

Web:               https://vanitystudios.co.uk/

Marketing, PR and SEO, News

Turnover and staff numbers reach record highs as Fluid Ideas celebrates 18th birthday

Creative agency Fluid Ideas has seen revenues and staff numbers rise to record levels as it celebrates its 18th birthday this month.

The Derbyshire agency began trading in January 2004 from the basement of a beauty salon and turned over £85,000 in its first year.

Fluid’s revenues in its latest financial year topped £3m for the first time in its history. Increased business from existing clients and a raft of new wins helped it grow turnover by 10 per cent in the 12 months to November 30, from £2.9m to £3.2m.

In line with its expansion, Fluid has seen staff numbers reach 50 with its latest crop of recruits.

The recent arrivals include dedicated Shopify developer Richard Peirce in Fluid’s websites and systems team, who brings a new specialism to the agency.

Shopify is one of the world’s most trusted e-commerce platforms and Richard’s appointment significantly strengthens Fluid’s offering in this area.

Grace Parkin and Nick Raven have joined Fluid’s search and social team. Josh Nurse has been recruited to the agency’s brand and creative team, and Patricia Hernandez has joined the image and motion team.

Rebecca Shelton has been appointed to the agency’s support and delivery team to take the lead on a number of client relationships.

These appointments mean Fluid’s workforce has doubled in the past four years.

Fluid, which is based at Darley Abbey Mills near Derby, is a full-service creative agency whose operations cover branding and campaigns, graphic and website design, computer-generated imagery, 3D animation and video, photography, copywriting, digital marketing, content management and social media – all in-house.

Its client base spans sectors including healthcare, retirement living, property, professional services, education, finance, leisure and hospitality.

Significant client wins over the past 12 months include Midlands estate agency chain Newton Fallowell, Oxfordshire County Council, and international business and IT consultancy Waterstons.

Fluid has also expanded the range of services it provides to existing and long-standing clients such as global chemicals giant Azelis, which floated on the Euronext Brussels stock exchange last year, Barchester Healthcare, East Midlands Railway, veterinary care provider IVC Evidensia and SDL Auctions.

Founder and joint managing director Phil Harvey said: “As a full-service agency, we are proud to be the creators and custodians of brands, in pixel and in print, for an exciting and expanding client base across the UK and Europe.

“The expertise of our growing team and the fantastic level of service they provide enables us to constantly exceed expectations and develop ever stronger relationships with our existing clients, as well as to attract new ones across a wide range of sectors.

“Fluid began with just myself, and now we have reached a milestone with 50 staff as well as achieving record turnover in our latest financial year.

“As the world and life evolves, we’re constantly thinking ahead to meet the changing needs of clients, in particular in terms of their digital requirements.

“Adding new skillsets to the team means we are well equipped and confident for the future as we help clients to emerge stronger from the pandemic, just as we have helped them to come through previous recessions.

“Maintaining our high standards, a positive culture and upholding the values on which the business has been built and continues to flourish ensures our team and our clients enjoy the journey.”

News

MOD selects FotoWare for digital asset management of new public photo archive

The MOD has worked with UK/Norwegian software provider FotoWare to launch a new website with a library of over 5,000 videos and 10,000 images available for the public to access.

Following improvements to its former site, which was customised by a third party company, the MOD needed a new site that retained all of the customised features, but also ensured compliance with the strict requirements laid out by the UK Government for all of its websites.

FotoWare had worked on a similar website for the Australian Government’s Department of Defence, where a custom front end was developed using the FotoWare solution and API (Application Programming Interface). That same front end was what the UK’s MOD wanted for its own new public-facing site, so FotoWare was employed to customise it.

FotoWare implemented a solution to take the new site forward, adding more keyboard controls and a cookie banner, which is a requirement of the UK Government for all of its websites, to ensure they are fully WCAG compliant.

Behind the scenes, FotoWare provides controls for the website including a resizable image slider and a powerful advanced search. For users searching for Red Arrow images, for example, the FotoWare solution makes it easier for the general public and news agencies to find exactly what they were looking for.

FotoWare also provided an extra layer of download security for the new sites including adding a CAPTCHA tool for download of files.

FotoWare has ensured that the digital asset managers and internal teams at the MOD can create albums, with specific metadata and tags, to control what appears on the news packages screen. So, all images with the same news story tags, are stored in one album for the media to view and download.

“The new MOD site is a nice window for members of the public to see all of the amazing defence imagery that is available. This includes all imagery from the armed forces, explains Panay Triantafillides, Defence Imagery Editor & Digital Asset Manager, Ministry of Defence.

To see the new MOD image website, visit: https://www.defenceimagery.mod.uk/

Image source: https://www.defenceimagery.mod.uk/Home/Search?Query=SCA-Official-20211008-784-002.jpg&Type=Filename