Last week, I had the honour of being invited by The Photography Foundation to facilitate a workshop for their students on the subject of “Skills for Freelance Photography.” It was an incredible experience to share my knowledge and insights with aspiring photographers. The workshop was structured to cover a broad range of essential topics that every freelance photographer needs to master. Here’s a breakdown of the key discussion points:
How to Get Started We kicked off the workshop by exploring the first steps in launching a freelance photography career, from identifying your niche to setting initial goals.
Equipment A deep dive into the must-have gear for photographers, including cameras, lenses, and accessories, as well as budget-friendly options for those just starting out.
Your Brand We discussed the importance of developing a unique personal brand that reflects your style and values, and how to communicate this effectively to clients.
Portfolio Tips on curating a compelling portfolio that showcases your best work and appeals to your target market.
Lead Generation Strategies for finding and attracting potential clients through networking, social media, and online platforms.
Pitching How to craft persuasive pitches that win clients, including writing proposals and preparing presentations.
Alternative Ways to Share Your Work Exploring non-traditional platforms and creative methods to showcase your photography.
The Importance of Personal Work The role of personal projects in developing your style, keeping your creativity alive, and attracting clients.
Advertising Jobs How to find and apply for photography jobs through various advertising channels.
Treatments Creating visual proposals that help clients envision your ideas and secure projects.
Lighting Assistants Understanding the role of lighting assistants and how they can enhance your shoots.
Invoicing and Pricing Best practices for pricing your work, creating invoices, and managing your finances as a freelancer.
Contracts Essential components of a photography contract to protect your rights and ensure clear agreements with clients.
Q&A’s An interactive session where students could ask questions and get personalised advice on their concerns and challenges.
Mini Brief We concluded with a hands-on mini-brief, allowing students to apply what they learned in a practical exercise.
This was my first time facilitating a workshop, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Sharing my skills and expertise, having worked as a photographer for over 13 years, was incredibly rewarding. The workshop was very successful, and I received positive feedback from both the students and tutors.
I’m grateful to The Photography Foundation for this opportunity and look forward to more collaborations in the future. Seeing the students’ enthusiasm and eagerness to learn was inspiring, and I’m excited to see how they will apply these skills in their own freelance photography careers.
Workshop
photographyworkshop
london
ThePhotographyFoundation
SkillsforFreelancePhotography
launchingafreelancephotographycareer
must-havegearforphotographers
importanceofdevelopingauniquepersonalbrand
Tipsoncuratingacompellingportfolio
LeadGeneration
Pitching
AlternativeWaystoShareYourWork
TheImportanceofPersonalWork
AdvertisingJobs
Treatments
LightingAssistants
InvoicingandPricing
Contracts
Teaching
HayleyBenoit
Photography
May is mental health awareness month and the theme this year is “Movement” so it seems like perfect timing to share a preview of my latest series “We Move” which coincidently is about movement. The project shares stories of people’s relationship between dance and mental health … my first subject of the series is project collaborator and choreographer - James.
“For me personally, I’ve reflected that dance serves as my means to reconnect with my body and detach from the incessant chatter of an overactive mind, intensified by technology and constant comparisons. Through dance, I find a sanctuary where genuine expression and authenticity can be discovered and embraced. This series, to me, embodies a journey of liberation from mental health struggles, a pathway to embracing full authenticity.” - James, Mar 2024 @jamesberkery
Mentalhealth
Danceseries
movement
wemove
meantalhealthawarenessmonth
photoseries
project
photographyproject
collaborator
choreographer
It’s been a while since I’ve shot live music, so when Henry Taylour asked me to shoot his gig last week I was more than excited to get shooting. Here are some of my favourite shots from the gig @camdenassembly
Jenny Plant supported Henry and here are some of the photos from her set.
Livemusic
Gig
Photography
London
HayleyBenoit
IslingtonAssembly
HenryTaylour
portrait
music
musicphotography
camden
JennyPlant
last month I was commissioned to shoot some BTS (behind-the-scenes) and stills for a short period drama titled ‘Torn’ by Frogspawn Film Productions. The short was set amidst the beautiful Tudor grounds in Chilworth, Surrey. The story was based on Queen Elizabeth I as a child and features an impressive cast, including Murray McArthur from ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Outlander,’ and ‘Wonka,’ among other talented actors from the Performance Preparation Academy.
CREDITS
CAST
Murray McArthur
Bethan Williams
Joey Bradford
Finn O’Shea
Emily Holdsworth
Joseph Reavill
Patch Roach
Ash Harlow
DIRECTOR
LUKE BRADFORD
PRODUCERS
PRODUCER LUKE BRADFORD
PRODUCER KATHERINE WHETTON
ASSISTANT DIRECTORS
1ST AD KATHERINE WHETTON
3RD AD SAM WRAITH
KEY FLOOR RUNNER ALICE DE LAMBERT
KEY FLOOR RUNNER RUBY TABRETT
RUNNER ALFIE HARRIS-JONES
RUNNER OSCAR MOREVE
CONTINUITY
WRITER LUCY FLANAGAN
SCRIPT SUPERVISOR MOLLY COMERFORD
LOCATIONS
LOCATION MANAGER OSCAR GUGLIEL
1ST AIDER / LOCATION RUNNER WILL KNOWLTON
CAMERA
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY MARK MOREVE
OPERATOR SCOTT MILTON
1ST AC JACK O’LEARY
2ND AC LAUREN HYSLOP
VIDEO
VIDEO OPERATOR LOUIS LINSEY
ELECTRICAL
GAFFER WERNER VAN PEPPEN
SOUND
SOUND MIXER BEN COLLIER-NIBLETT
BOOM OPERATOR TOM WILKIN
BOOM OPERATOR MOLLY HILLIER
ART DEPARTMENT
PRODUCTION DESIGNER RUBY TODD
STANDBY ART DIRECTOR SEAN PATEL-GOULD
COSTUME
WARDROBE DESIGNER MEG WALLACE
STANDBY MEG MILTON
STANDBY EMMA WEBB
JUNIOR SEAMSTRESS MILLIE KEELY
HAIR & MAKE-UP
DESIGNER GEMMA GLOW
SUPERVISOR NIKKI SPRINGALL
TRAINEE HANAA ULLAH SAKHARE
BEHIND THE SCENES PHOTOGRAPHER
PHOTOGRAPHER HAYLEY BENOIT
CATERING
REFRESH CATERING COMPANY MARK & RACHEL EMMETT
Torn
FrogspawnFilm
Productions
shortfilm
QueenElizabethI
Drama
PeriodDrama
MurrayMcArthur
GameofThrones
Outlander
Wonka
Chilworth
Tudor
PreparationAcademy
LUKEBRADFORD
DIRECTOR
KATHERINEWHETTON
PRODUCER
SAMWRAITH
LUCYFLANAGAN
MARKMOREVE
Last month I was commissioned by the Young Vic Theatre to photograph the rehearsal of their theatre production ‘Earthworks,’ directed by Andrea Ling, the recipient of the 2023 Genesis Future Directors Award, and written by the award-winning Tom Morton-Smith (‘My Neighbour Totoro,’ ‘Oppenheimer’ at the RSC).
All images © Hayley Benoit 2024.
YoungVicTheatre
HayleyBenoit
Photography
Portraits
Stage
Theatre
Actors
Production
AndreaLing
Earthworks
TomMorton-Smith
MyNeighbourTotoro
Oppenheimer
RSC
Play
commissioned
GenesisFutureDirectorsAward
Director
Late last year, I was commissioned by Faber and Faber to photograph David Bowie’s hairdresser, Suzi Ronson, the mastermind behind that iconic Ziggy Stardust hairstyle. Suzi has most recently published a book, ’Me and Mr Jones: My Life with David Bowie and the Spiders from Mars’ (Faber, 2024), and I had the pleasure of shooting her in my home studio in Islington.
DavidBowie
SuziRonson
FaberandFaber
hairdresser
MeandMrJones
Author
Published
Commissioned
ZiggyStardust
Photography
HayleyBenoit
MyLifewithDavidBowie
SpidersfromMars
Islington
Last year I worked on a film set-shooting Unit Stills/ BTS for the NFTS short “SILENCE” Directed by Will Pepercorn and Produced by Ashionye Ogene I had so much fun working with such an amazingly talented crew. I was fortunate enough to get on set for the entire 3-day production, shot in various locations, just outside of London. The film will be screening at the BFI later this month which I can’t wait to see. Check out my short selection of stills below. 📸🎬🎥
DIRECTOR
Director/ Writer Will Peppercorn @willpeppercorn
PRODUCTION
Producer Ashionye Ogene @aogene
Production Manager Nia Campbell @nia_.x
Production Assistant Jessica Shi @mymindisablank7
Stills Photographer Hayley Benoit @hayleybenoit
Dept Runner/ Driver Lewis Head
ASSISTANT DIRECTORS
1st AD Ashley Gadsby @ashleyg_ad
2nd AD Rachel Barkataki @rachelbarkataki
3rd AD Brianna Leslie @brie_.leslie
Floor Runner/ Driver Charles Pears @charleskpears
SCRIPT SUPERVISOR
Script Supervisor Milagros De La Torre
CAMERA DEPARTMENT
Cinematographer Toby Elwes @tobyelwes
1st AC Gareth Young @photo.gareth
2nd AC Ryan Tiernan @ryanmatthewtiernan
2nd AC Hannah Green @hannahkiaragreen
ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT
Gaffer Mark Lane @mark.lane_
Spark Arran Day @arranstudios
Spark Rahul Pradeep @shadow_saber23
ART DEPARTMENT
Production Designer Yujia Huang @maxxiehuang
Art Assistant Cianna Cunningham @krayzeekid
Art Assistant William Dixon @william1123
SOUND DEPARTMENT
Production Sound Mixer Callum Bentley @callumbentley
1st AS Sound George Blake @georgephilipblake
MAKEUP AND COSTUME
Costume Honor Rose @honorrosalynd
Makeup Claire Stokes @stokes.hairandmakeup
POST-PRODUCTION
Editor Donya Maguire @donyamaguire
Sound Designer Simon Panayi @simon.panayi.sound.design
Composer Harris Grant-Forster @harrisgrantforster
Colourist Nathaniel Skeels @nathanielskeels
CASTING DIRECTOR
Casting Director Olissa Rogers
CAST
Abbie AK Golding @akgolding_
Tim Tom Peters
Guy Abraham Kleinman @abraham_kleinman
Serena Heather Broderick
SA’s
Esmée Cook
Lunimita Petrisor
Alison Rogers
Anita Applegarth
Mark Appleby
Fergus Head
Special Thanks to Liam Fitzpatrick
@nftsfilmtv @britishfilminstitute
Short
Film
Filmset
stills
unitstils
unitstillsphotographer
hayleybenoit
NFTS
BFI
WillPepercorn
Photographer
PortraitPhotographer
FilmProducer
AshionyeOgene
FilmCrew
BTS
Silence
AshleyGadsby
MilagrosDeLaTorre
TobyElwes
Cinematographer
GafferMarkLane
ProductionDesignerYujiaHuang
ProductionSoundMixerCallumBentley
CostumeHonorRose
MakeupClaireStokes
AbbieAKGolding
TimTomPeters
GuyAbrahamKleinman
SerenaHeatherBroderick
EsmeCook
AlisonRogers
AnitaApplegarth
FergusHead
Last month, The Telegraph commissioned me to shoot some portraits of Deepkamal and her family in their home. The family uses EE Smart Hubs all around their home, to save time, reduce living costs, and make everyday activities easier, to convey this, I captured family moments that reflect their modern-day setup.
Advertising
EE-Smarthub
Smarthub
TheTelegraph
HayleyBenoit
AdvertisingPhotography
CommercialPhotography
Portrait
PortraitPhotography
London
Editorial
Last month I photographed award-winning author Ingrid Persaud for the launch of her new book, ‘The Lost Love Songs of Boysie,’ (Faber 2024) her first book since ‘The Lost Love Songs of Boysie Singh.’ The portrait was taken in her home in London.
FaberandFaber
AuthorPortrait
Author
Portrait
London
portraitphotographer
hayleybenoit
TheLostLoveSongsofBoysieSingh
IngridPersaud
Headshotphotographer
Published
Last month I was commissioned to shoot some corporate shots for HR Data Hub I shot some of the staff in their offices in Farringdon using natural light.
Startup
portrait
corporate
corporateheadshots
london
photography
HR
HRDatahub
HayleyBenoit
Data
Headshots
Lifestyle
Groupshots