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.

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

© Hayley Benoit 2024.

© Hayley Benoit 2024.

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

© Hayley Benoit 2024.

© Hayley Benoit 2024.

© Hayley Benoit 2024.

© Hayley Benoit 2024.

© Hayley Benoit 2024.

© Hayley Benoit 2024.

© Hayley Benoit 2024.

© Hayley Benoit 2024.

© Hayley Benoit 2024.

© Hayley Benoit 2024.

Jenny Plant supported Henry and here are some of the photos from her set. 

© Hayley Benoit 2024.

© Hayley Benoit 2024.

© Hayley Benoit 2024.

© Hayley Benoit 2024.

Bethan Williams’ “Torn” by Frogspawn Film Photography Hayley Benoit

 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. 

Murray McArthur & Bethan Willams’ “Torn” by Frogspawn Film Photography Hayley Benoit

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 

Finn O’Shea & Joseph Reavill “Torn” by Frogspawn Film Photography Hayley Benoit

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.

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.

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

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. 

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.

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.