Life Moment Portraits - Memories Preserved in Print

Ever look back at old photos and they evoke a strong memory or emotion hidden deep inside? Long forgotten, or at least mentally archived. Like a seed, lying dormant, waiting for a trigger to germinate. To bring itself back to life.

Often, those moments the photo recalls weren't greatly significant in the big picture of your life. But sometimes they were.  Portrait photographs are more than just a 2D micro-second snapshot of your life in time - they're the gateway taking you back to that moment, to that person you were, to how you felt, to memories and emotions. 'Life Moment' portraits celebrate you in the now, and just as importantly they build a strong future gateway to those special memories for many years to come. They're not lost in the digital noise, hard drives and cloud deserts. They're beautifully printed and framed as wall art.

These 'Life Moment' portraits are of Nick. They were commissioned by Nick's employer, TDS Group in Hemel Hempstead to celebrate his career and recent retirement after

14 successful years. Nick, Deputy Chief Executive, left a lasting mark on the organisation, from guiding major projects to championing innovation and growth, he helped the business become the TDS of today. But when I sat down with him to learn more about his career, his achievements, what he was proud of, and what meant most to him, he said it was the people he'd worked with. For Nick is a warm, very charismatic person. A true people person. And so he quoted his proudest achievements as supporting and developing colleagues over the years, and the friendships that went with that. Not surprisingly, Nick chose a fun portrait of himself with his team in the background. Professionally printed and framed, it will sit on his desk in the study at home. A gateway to the memories of everything he achieved, and the friendships he built.

For the Boardroom, TDS were looking for something striking. Something with presence. And most importantly, that captured Nick's character.

During our chat, Nick told me stories of the fire that completely burnt down their previous office. He was rightly proud of the role he'd played in TDS being back up and running the very next day! The charred remains of an Apple Mac computer was the only recognisable thing salvaged from the ashes. It sat on a shelf behind Nick's desk, symbolic of that moment: the achievement of getting operations back without impacting customers. It holds a sort of sentimental value to Nick. So it was important to get it into some of the portraits. A small framed photo of the building on fire sat near it. In fact, the shelf unit was full of memories, with promo soft toys used at marketing events being a nod to Nick's time engaging with customers, building relationships and generating new business. I wanted to incorporate elements of them into some of portraits. Nick was also MD of SafeDeposits Scotland. The Scottish thistles are my nod to the impact Nick has had on the business and private rented sector in Scotland.

Editorial portraits are often described as 'storytelling'. A better description might be that they use the environment, artifacts, colours and lighting to give nods to the story. Just as importantly, they pose questions that intrigue those not in the know to seek answers, to understand what was behind their inclusion. And yes, they often create a fun and visually interesting image too. Are those three Nick's blurred in the background...?

Every 'Life Moment' portrait is a collaboration. It's a safe environment to play with ideas, explore stories and create a portrait that both connects emotionally and provokes.

As memories fade, staff change, and times move on, Nick's framed portraits will be there to reignite memories and stories. I hope you enjoy these portraits of Nick as much as he and I enjoyed creating them.

I don't use testimonials on my website, mainly because my work has to speak for itself, but also because I'm cynical about the authenticity of many I see elsewhere. I'll make an exception on this occasion as I'm taking it from a completely unsolicited comment from Nick that's there for all to see on my LinkedIn post:

"I have known Gary (Trent) for most of my career with TDS and he has always been a pleasure to work with in his day to day job. It was amazing seeing him as an enthusiastic, inventive and tireless photographer. He was excellently prepared and his attention to detail was spot on. A really amazing day and the pictures are great. My favourite - surrounded by some of my colleagues - was given to be part of my retirement present and I love it! Thanks Gary. Highly recommended."

Thanks Nick, it was genuinely a privilege to create your portrait.