Hi, I am Brendan Clayton.
I am a photographer based in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, UK. From a young age I always had the urge to explore & see new places, never really wanting to be tied down to one place but Barnsley has always been a good central base for me as it has good transport links with nearby cities and is pretty central for many beauty spots.
I have always been interested in photography or the taking of photos (mostly on holidays or at family events) from a young age, but it wasn’t really until I got my first iPhone & discovered Instagram that I started to hone my craft & learned to edit photos. At University in Manchester, I studied TV & Radio production & in my second year I bought my first DSLR a Canon 600D in order to make better-looking films for my degree, interchangeable prime lenses being the biggest bonus. Having this DSLR opened up a whole new world of photography to me which I loved. I then got a job as a club photographer while still at University and as they say, the rest is history.
Since then I really discovered the world of photography and what it could offer me, be it weddings, events, landscapes, music, or portraiture I love it all & strive to learn & capture more every day. I love a challenge & nothing has been more challenging than navigating being self employed through the Covid-19 Lockdown, but I'm positive looking forward to 2021 it will blow the year 2020 should've been out of the water. Be sure to check out my portfolios & if you're in need of a photo or video services be sure to get in contact.
Testimonials
Kristy & Scott
I can't even begin to describe how happy we are with the pictures they are beyond what we ever expected and we can't thank him enough for capturing our day so beautifully. Brendan was so chill and easy to get along with which helped us relax and he was really patient with a stroppy 4 year old. He was really good at giving us directions and found some amazing shots for us to try our own twist on which turned out to be some of our favourite pictures. I would 1000% recommend Brendan to capture your day.
What equipment do you use? (Camera, lens, lighting, tripod, editing software)
Currently, I have a Canon 5D MKIV with a variety of lenses that I’ve picked up over the years but my favourites are my 16-35mm 2.8 for landscapes & sigma art lenses for portraits I currently have a 35mm 1.4 & a 50mm 1.4 but hope to get the 85mm one day. My current second camera is a Sony A6400 that I use the most right now on hikes as it is a lot lighter & smaller for photographing my adventures. I have an adapter so I can use my Canon Sigma Art glass on it too so it will come in handy once I can get back to shooting weddings again.
How do you find work?
That really depends on the type of work. I am a full-time freelance photographer & most of my work is in events; both corporate & nightlife, mostly with big groups of people. Which is the same with weddings too so normally it's a mix of social media & word of mouth, building good relationships with people is even more key than having a portfolio that "stands out” in order to source work I find you could have an amazing portfolio but if people don't like or remember you, work will be hard to find.
What's your favourite photo you have taken and why?
This one is super hard & I wouldn’t even know where to start. I really should keep a track of my favourite shots ever but because I work in so many different varied situations as well as my travel & adventure shots it would be so hard to even pick a top 10 never mind 1 single photo.
Any advice for aspiring photographers?
Just get out & shoot, meet new people, learn from them & most of all stay creative & just be a nice person. Kindness is free.
What's your favourite thing to shoot and why?
This is probably a similar answer to my favourite photo I’ve ever taken it's just not that simple for me to answer as I get bored very easily & shoot so many different kinds of things but a big running theme throughout my work is vibrant colour & lights. I just love working with both of them especially neon lights, the mood they help me create informs my work.
What makes a good photographer?
Creativity & a willingness to always learn more. Allow yourself to grow, no photo will ever be perfect, art is subjective so once you let go of chasing that you’ll be a better photographer & person for it.
