Commercial Devon food photographer wins advertising and commercial bronze photography award.

    A recent image I took for The Atlantic Spirit Gin Distillery in Devon has just been awarded a Bronze in the Advertising and Commercial category of the monthly BIPP (British Institute Of Professional Photography) February 2024 competition. Armed with a few gin bottles, coats bags and cameras I was photographing these beautiful bottles, […]

A recent image I took for The Atlantic Spirit Gin Distillery in Devon has just been awarded a Bronze in the Advertising and Commercial category of the monthly BIPP (British Institute Of Professional Photography) February 2024 competition.

Armed with a few gin bottles, coats bags and cameras I was photographing these beautiful bottles, this one is my favourite flavour laver, for some of their latest ad campaigns. Windy days were needed for this shot which also produced its problems as lying in the water, being blasted with sand is never great for cameras.

But for art and especially work, it’s fine, just part of the day and fun. I also love gin so this little beauty ticked all the boxes!!

For this campaign I was shooting on the Sony Alpha 7R4A  series which seemed to hold up well to the elements, bit of wiping and cleaning afterwards but fine, all shot hand held, reflectors weighted and buried in the sand.

The points accumulated from this award will contribute towards my journey in competing for the prestigious BIPP Photographer of the Year title 2024.

The BIPP is renowned as the most authoritative professional photographic body worldwide, setting the benchmark for industry excellence.

[From the Chair of Judges]: “Guy Harrop’s receipt of the Bronze Award in the monthly image competition is commendable. It is a reflection of their excellent professional photographic skills and creativity. We are pleased to support Guy Harrop on their professional journey and look forward to their future successes.”

commercial advertising photography devon, commercial food photographer Devon Cornwall

Snapshot of the Trencherman’s Awards 2023 , Salcombe, Devon.

    The Salcombe Harbour Hotel was the foodie venue this week to be at, as the region’s finest chefs, restaurants, hotels, food suppliers and foodie hot spots gathered to be named winners at the annual Trencherman’s awards ceremony and dinner. Salcombe is a beautiful gem in the South West and the Hotel with it’s […]

The Salcombe Harbour Hotel was the foodie venue this week to be at, as the region’s finest chefs, restaurants, hotels, food suppliers and foodie hot spots gathered to be named winners at the annual Trencherman’s awards ceremony and dinner.

Salcombe is a beautiful gem in the South West and the Hotel with it’s stunning views over the estuary certainly set the right tone for a great evening of food, drinks and laughter.

The evening was hosted by food critic William Sitwell, chef and restaurateur Mark Hix of The Oyster & Fish House and Trencherman’s editor Jo Rees.

First up were a selection of canapés, all washed down with champagne and spirits.  Each course followed, carefully paired with selected wines and beers. The winners were announced between each course culminating in the finale of the evening which saw chef Nathan Outlaw win the Award for Special Contribution.

Host William Sitwell said: ‘Very few areas of the country have a guide that rivals Hardens or Michelin in terms of how it’s put together – the Trencherman’s Guide has really experienced food writers bringing their know-how and knowledge to it – but also for the fact that the South West food scene has the most extraordinary talent.

‘The Trencherman’s Awards event showcases incredible talent, innovation, a lot of energy, a lot of young people who have come into the hospitality business – and of course a few true stalwarts like my co-host Mark Hix.’

Pictured above are the fabulous chefs who created the courses on the night. Left to right , Mark Dodson of The Masons Arms(starter – citrus cured salmon),  Jamie Gulliford of Salcombe Harbour Hotel (main – Lamb shank and herb crusted loin),  Dorian Janmaat of The Idle Rocks (dessert – rhubarb and custard) and Michael Smith of Porthminster Beach Cafe (fish course – Indonesian style monkfish).

And of course a a very big congratulations to all the deserved winners, chefs on the night and everyone involved in the evening.

Photo by Guy Harrop. Pic of winners gathering at the Trenchermans 30 awards dinner 2023

Photo by Guy Harrop. Pic of Trenchermans 30 awards dinner 2023

Photo by Guy Harrop. Pic of Trenchermans 30 awards dinner 2023

Photo by Guy Harrop. Pic of Trenchermans 30 awards dinner 2023

Photo by Guy Harrop. Pic of Trenchermans 30 awards dinner 2023

Photo by Guy Harrop. Pic of Trenchermans 30 awards dinner 2023

Friday fish fry night at Oistins Bay, Barbados.

It is Friday and in the UK it is often tradition to eat fish, but I always think back to a Friday night at the famous Oistins Fish fry in Barbados. Big flames, large chunks of fish flame grilled, or fried, some great music,  local beers and fabulous rum cocktails. Oistins is a fishing town on […]

It is Friday and in the UK it is often tradition to eat fish, but I always think back to a Friday night at the famous Oistins Fish fry in Barbados.

Big flames, large chunks of fish flame grilled, or fried, some great music,  local beers and fabulous rum cocktails.

Oistins is a fishing town on the south coast of Barbados which on the weekend, especially Friday night transforms into the legendry fish fry at the Oistins Bay Gardens. You choose from the many kiosk vendors who grill or fry the various types of fish from flying fish, tuna, mahi-mahi to lobster, chicken, pork and oh yes, mac pie all served up with salad and a beer. You just park yourself up on one of the many rustic banquet tables,  take in the atmosphere, tuck into your fish and enjoy. All parred with some great local music, dancing, craft stall browsing and dominoe playing.

Healthy food service photoshoots on location with Devon food photographer Guy Harrop

  Some recent food photography work shot on location in the South West UK. The photoshoots were used on labels, boxes and online to promote a healthy food service delivery available on the web. We had lots of fun over lots of days, with the brief iinvolving styling and photographing hundreds of healthy meal plans […]

Some recent food photography work shot on location in the South West UK. The photoshoots were used on labels, boxes and online to promote a healthy food service delivery available on the web. We had lots of fun over lots of days, with the brief iinvolving styling and photographing hundreds of healthy meal plans as the seasons changed quarterly. The cooked ingredients were initially prepped and individually laid out on a tray.  Then we had to mix and arrange the ingredients visually, each meal plan already measured in macros and nutrients….love it.
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All these images were shot on a tripod with medium format @fujifilm with @profoto lighting.

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​#foodphotography #foodphotographer #healthyfood #lifestyle #devonphotographer

RHS Jubilee garden Mosaic

Photo by Guy Harrop. Gardener’s delight –  RHS horticulturists Catherine Mawdsley and Miriam Petry water the giant Jubilee lettuce mosaic to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee at RHS garden Rosemoor in Devon. The mosaic which measures 6m x 6m was grown over a period of 2 months and is made up of over 730 lettuces, all grown from seed.

Snapshot of the Trencherman’s Guide 29 launch at The Pig at Combe, Devon.

  This week was the exciting launch luncheon of the newest Trencherman’s Guide, at The Pig at Combe, Devon. The latest guide no.29 is a gastronomic bible to all the best eats featuring a hundred restaurants across Dorset, Wiltshire, Bristol, Bath, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall. The event consisted of a delicious five course meal featuring some of […]

Pictured are the Pig chef team with Trencherman’s editor Jo Rees at the guide launch no.29 at The Pig at Combe, Devon

This week was the exciting launch luncheon of the newest Trencherman’s Guide, at The Pig at Combe, Devon. The latest guide no.29 is a gastronomic bible to all the best eats featuring a hundred restaurants across Dorset, Wiltshire, Bristol, Bath, Somerset, Devon and Cornwall.

The event consisted of a delicious five course meal featuring some of the best SW produce all paired with beautiful wines from Hallgarten & Novum wines.

The food was all cooked by the Pig chefs : James Golding, chef director of THE PIG Hotels, Adam Bristow, head chef of THE PIG at Harlyn Bay, Jack Stallard, head chef of THE PIG near Bath, James Shadbolt, head chef of THE PIG on the beach and Daniel Gavriilidis, head chef of The Pig at Combe

Here is a selection of some of the photos from the day.

Smoked bacon and pigeon terrine with heritage carrot and apple jelly by James Shadbolt, The Pig on the Beach

Soused Cornish mackerel served with confit beetroot and pickled crystal lemon gherkin by chef Adam Bristow

Dessert autumn fruit pavlova by chef Jack Stallard at The Pig near Bath

Darts Farm red ruby sirlioin with roast shallots, creamed mash, Wiltshire truffle sauce by chef Dan Gavriilidis at The Pig at Combe, Devon

Misty morning surfing on the South West coast.

    Here is a shot I took of a surfer waiting for the right wave which features as a double page spread in the latest Carve Surf magazine. It was taken early morning on my local beach Westward Ho! The warmer water creating mist as it hits the cooler air, and yes, it was cold!

Here is a shot I took of a surfer waiting for the right wave which features as a double page spread in the latest Carve Surf magazine. It was taken early morning on my local beach Westward Ho!

The warmer water creating mist as it hits the cooler air, and yes, it was cold!

Capturing interiors of a beautifully renovated stone building.

I am always partial to photographing a good interior and recently I was commissioned to photograph a beautiful coach house on the outskirts of Barnstaple in North Devon. The two bedroomed listed stone building was stylishly filled with neutral tones and furnishings including a master bedroom with a four poster bed and en suite bathroom. […]

I am always partial to photographing a good interior and recently I was commissioned to photograph a beautiful coach house on the outskirts of Barnstaple in North Devon.

The two bedroomed listed stone building was stylishly filled with neutral tones and furnishings including a master bedroom with a four poster bed and en suite bathroom. With a second bedroom, open kitchen area and lounge, mediterranean courtyard, fire pit, a hot tub and all in 7 acres of garden, this provided the perfect backdrop for my medium format photography kit and some good profoto lighting.

Having the right photographic gear on a job really helps, remote powerful studio flashes, a good tripod and a decent spirit level are all the order of the day on a photoshoot like this.

Although I did have a hit list of the main shots to get on the day, there are always lots of additional little wonders you do see,  wandering round a beautiful building with your camera. Here are some of the shots I wanted to share that I took on the day.

Hiring a professional photographer can make all the difference, especially when you are looking for a fresh pair of eyes to make a property stand out from the crowd. My client Helen, who I was recommended to by a friend of hers whose house I had also photographed was very happy with the images and already the bookings are coming in.

If you have a property you are looking to market visually always happy to have a chat.

info@guyharrop.com tel:  07866 464282

The big morning sea

  We have a magnetic pull to the sea and sky, I think we all do really. Big waves, sunny days and sea spray sounds in the ear. I am lucky to see the sea from my house, and watching the swell come in this morning I knew it was worth grabbing a camera and […]

We have a magnetic pull to the sea and sky, I think we all do really. Big waves, sunny days and sea spray sounds in the ear.

I am lucky to see the sea from my house, and watching the swell come in this morning I knew it was worth grabbing a camera and heading down to my local beach at Westward Ho! for a few pics.

The sea didn’t disappoint.

Reader Awards 2020 in pictures

  Last week I was covering the food #ReaderAwards 2020 at Darts Farm, Devon. The annual event celebrates the finest regional chefs, restaurants, hotels, food suppliers and foodie hot spots across the South West. This year’s theme was ‘a rustic style feast’ which fitted perfectly with the Dart’s Farm earthy ethos, which champions locally grown, […]

The annual event celebrates the finest regional chefs, restaurants, hotels, food suppliers and foodie hot spots across the South West. This year’s theme was ‘a rustic style feast’ which fitted perfectly with the Dart’s Farm earthy ethos, which champions locally grown, outdoor reared foods.

My brief was to capture the winners (announced in between each course), each dish as it came out the kitchen (backdrops and surrounds I had sourced from Dart’s Farm earlier in the day), the guests enjoying the food and mingling beforehand and if time permitted – myself sitting down at each course.

From charcuterie to Lyme Bay Crab starter to Sirloin with seasonal veg to apple crumble dessert…it was amazing…..and all paired up with some amazing gin, ciders, beers and wines!!!

I love these events where there is a lot going on a once, takes me back to my news days, always looking everywhere and being everywhere at once. Using a few different cameras really helped me with this event and the ability to have several flash setups on different remotes I found invaluable.

Nikons (for the awards) and medium format (for the food) was the order of the day but most interestingly I loved the low light capabilities of the Leica Summilux 28mm (using the available light in a dark room).

This little bad boy was my low light demon,  1.7 maximum aperture, small, light and very unobtrusive. I shot all my people candid shots on this one this year and loved every minute!!

Here are a few from the shoot, all taken on Leica apart from food dish images.

Trencherman’s Guide launch in pictures by food photographer Guy Harrop, Cotswolds.

Shooting delicious food on a regular basis has its perks and shooting this year’s Trencherman’s 27th Guide launch at the beautiful Calcot & Spa in Gloucestershire was no exception. The food was exceptional – Cornish crab starter , Loch Duart salmon fish course, Wiltshire lamb main and a dark chocolate dessert. The chefs who cooked on the day were Chris Cleghorn, Elly Wentworth, Richard Davies and Jamie McCallum, each serving a course for the dining guide launch in this beautiful Cotswolds surrounding. Here are a few of my photos recently published from the day in Food mag, mainly shot on medium format and lit with profoto lighting. The above guide pic shot with dappled flash lit in the studio.

Shortlisted in this years @foodphotoaward 2019

Shortlisted… I am very pleased to have made the shortlist in this years Pink Lady ® Food Photographer of the Year competition 2019. This year’s @foodphotoaward had record entries with 9000 photos from 77 countries. I have entered each year since the competition began and I have been shortlisted each year too. Here are a […]

Shortlisted… I am very pleased to have made the shortlist in this years Pink Lady ® Food Photographer of the Year competition 2019. This year’s @foodphotoaward had record entries with 9000 photos from 77 countries.

I have entered each year since the competition began and I have been shortlisted each year too. Here are a couple of my entries from previous years. Judging and more announcements in April 2019.

Juices, cocktails and mocktails……

    Drink photography in the studio. Recently I was asked by Frobishers Juices to shoot several cocktails and mocktails for a new drinks guide which has just come out. So after I had my brief and the ingredients and props arrived, I was ready to go. Food and drink photography is always fun and […]

Drink photography in the studio. Recently I was asked by Frobishers Juices to shoot several cocktails and mocktails for a new drinks guide which has just come out.

So after I had my brief and the ingredients and props arrived, I was ready to go. Food and drink photography is always fun and there I was shaking, mixing, making and adjusting the lighting for some delicious drinks.

This could have been tricky, I had the scenarios already in my head: too much fizz, too opaque, too dark, wrong glass, not enough liquid, too reflective, wrong ice, too much ice, too melted ice… luckily it didn’t happen.

I was fresh after a previous magazine photoshoot on location with some experts shaking their cocktail stuff near Bath, so at least I had some knowledge of what to do, which on this shoot really helped. Time keeping was also an essential part of the day, after 15 secs the fizz just goes, I remembered that from my Bath shoot!!

The client was happy, the pics have been published and since the photoshoot I have had a small cocktail party, where several of my guests wanted some tips on mixing and making cocktails…success!!

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Coffee aromas fill the photography studio.

      It is early morning the birds are singing and the coffee aromas are already wafting through the house. Is anyone up yet, not yet. The smells are intense and very moreish should I have another cup, it was amazing? I think yes, but as I will be surrounded by coffee all day, […]

It is early morning the birds are singing and the coffee aromas are already wafting through the house. Is anyone up yet, not yet. The smells are intense and very moreish should I have another cup, it was amazing? I think yes, but as I will be surrounded by coffee all day, it is probably a bad idea, as my sensible head tells me I have a lot to get through and shoot.

I have been working for a fab coffee pod company called The Foodies Larder, they make biodegradable coffee capsules filled with single origin, Organic, Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance Arabica coffees.

As a photographer you generally spend a lot of time travelling around and waiting in between shoots, so over the years coffee becomes part of your daily staples, and yes, good coffee is the only way forward.

The brief was to shoot a variety of images lifestyle, clean. close up and individual -dream job, quite possibly !!

Freshly made Danish pastries arrived, along with pods, capsules, coffee machines, cups and coffee beans. The photos were shot tethered to a mac and shot using mainly Zeiss glass and my favourite Profoto lighting.

Post processing mainly done in Photoshop with the finished edits delivered via ftp, all ahead of time, which are now selling on the web.

And did I have another cup, of course I did!!

RHS Flower show in the dailies at the weekend

    I had a very busy week last week, with lots of assignments everywhere. Here are a few published photos I took which appeared in some of the weekend’s dailies from a shoot at RHS Rosemoor Flower show, Devon.                                

I had a very busy week last week, with lots of assignments everywhere. Here are a few published photos I took which appeared in some of the weekend’s dailies from a shoot at RHS Rosemoor Flower show, Devon.

Tourism hotel photography in the South West

  Telling a story in pictures is always a creative and fun environment to be in. I am very fortunate that I get to experience and see lots of beautiful places and spaces along this journey. When I am working in the South West, a lot of my photoshoots are commissioned within the tourism industry. […]

Telling a story in pictures is always a creative and fun environment to be in. I am very fortunate that I get to experience and see lots of beautiful places and spaces along this journey. When I am working in the South West, a lot of my photoshoots are commissioned within the tourism industry. It is a place with amazing food, producers, fabulous hotels and restaurants and all lapped by a changing landscape. The Woolacombe Bay Hotel is in a magical setting, set in a superb location next to an endless famous sandy beach and the food is delicious too. Here are a few of my images on the hotel website, their Doyles Restaurant was also recently awarded an AA rosette,  which is headed up by Chef Eddie Grecu. Woolacombe is one of those magical light destinations where the sun sets on the sea and warm salt air fills the lungs, it is also a beautiful surf spot.

Hunter gatherer blackcurrant picker

We are all hunter gatherers…fact. So spending a lazy afternoon with the folks picking blackcurrants in their garden feels pretty good. Shop bought berries are not the same, they taste different, they are not as fresh, none of them look uneven and are generally lacking bugs. I remember watching a sketch with an Aussie comedian […]

We are all hunter gatherers…fact. So spending a lazy afternoon with the folks picking blackcurrants in their garden feels pretty good. Shop bought berries are not the same, they taste different, they are not as fresh, none of them look uneven and are generally lacking bugs.

I remember watching a sketch with an Aussie comedian Mark Little,  who likened shopping to primitive man hunting through the aisles then gathering what he needed and leaving. In then out, we still have that caveman approach.

But today is not like that, we have fun and share jokes, there is no time schedule, we just enjoy the moment in our own timeframe.

The garden feels a much kinder environment and foraging and picking your own is rewarding, it slows you down and modern day life forgets you. The birds are also singing, probably chatting that they too need to do their harvest as the wind is blowing.

Some berries are ripe, some not, some squish in your hand, the red and purple juices stain your fingers. Some fall to the floor, some big, some small, some disappear into the bush. My parents talk about the crumble they will be making for their friends later, and how tart that will be.

Who has the most, who has the least, who has the biggest, who has the best – everyone is a winner and everyone is happy. We have been doing this for years and each year they seem to get better.

Last year in our garden we had plenty too,  but this year there are none. Luckily we can share our harvest and maybe I too can make a crumble when I get back home.

The travelling studio at work on location

Recent shoot with bespoke leather handles and designs on location for a client. The brief was to create several images and pattern groupings with small and medium sized reflective objects in the studio using a variety of textures. Lots of reflectors and various lights were used to create the final look.

Cruising the coastal highways shooting camper van interiors.

  Recently I have photographed several interiors of camper vans and caravans, this shoot is in the current Camping and Caravanning Club Magazine on sale now. I regularly shoot interiors in restaurants and hotels, where there is space for heavy duty tripods, light stands, lights, assistants, reflectors and diffusers. So shooting several features on a camper […]

Recently I have photographed several interiors of camper vans and caravans, this shoot is in the current Camping and Caravanning Club Magazine on sale now.

I regularly shoot interiors in restaurants and hotels, where there is space for heavy duty tripods, light stands, lights, assistants, reflectors and diffusers.

So shooting several features on a camper van sounded the perfect job. We spent a whole day cruising the coastal roads around Devon and Cornwall getting various photos for the publications.

This is a featured shoot on the interior of a Murvi Morocco XL.

Shooting a camper is quite different to a hotel room. In a motorhome there isn’t too much space, nothing really moves, everything is compact, so it was a great chance to light and work using those skills in a limited space.

I did bring some studio lights which I used, with an assistant holding giant diffusers over the roof skylights.

Shooting tethered for some of the time I was able to show my client what we were getting from the camera which was great for each image sign off, then we were onto the next shot.

I did bring some constant LED lighting too, which proved invaluable in the small areas of the van we needed to light.

The base vehicle was a Fiat Ducato, and converted by Murvi into a Morocco XL conversion.

Here are some of the pics in print in the magazine article

Cake, Cakes, wedding cakes, we all love cakes.

      We all love cake, tasting, eating and looking at it. Working with chefs has it perks too! These are a few wedding cakes including portrait I took on locations working with chef Harrie Kivell on Dartmoor. They are simple, elegant and clean, lit with 1 light.

We all love cake, tasting, eating and looking at it. Working with chefs has it perks too!

These are a few wedding cakes including portrait I took on locations working with chef Harrie Kivell on Dartmoor.

They are simple, elegant and clean, lit with 1 light.

The road through the salt marshes, France

__________________________________________________________________ A travelling photographer takes his camera, it is his day off, it rains, it stops, it rains again. He is wet, his camera is dry, it rains again, his camera gets wet. The sky turns dark, the road stays the same. Couples pass by holding hands. They disappear into the distance, then walk by […]

The road through the salt marshes – A couple walking through the salt marshes on a cloudy day, South France, 2012

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A travelling photographer takes his camera, it is his day off, it rains, it stops, it rains again.

He is wet, his camera is dry, it rains again, his camera gets wet.

The sky turns dark, the road stays the same.

Couples pass by holding hands.

They disappear into the distance, then walk by again.

The road never ends, it still rains.

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Snapshot of the marshes – Guy Harrop