I’ve been working with Moorland School for a number of months and have visited on several occasions to capture both video and photography, which the team at https://iconwebdesign.uk have used to develop the school’s incredible website, showcase exciting events on social media and also to produce promotional print-based materials. As a professional photographer new to the business, it is still a real thrill to see my work printed on flyers, prospectuses and so on – it’s probably akin to how musicians feel when they get their first radio plays!
It’s been a joy working with Moorland School and after my very first shoot there they offered me this very kind testimonial to use on my website:
“We have been very pleased with both the results and the experience as a whole. Matthew was very professional and accommodating to our vision throughout the process from start to finish, great with the children, which aren’t always the easiest subjects to capture! We are delighted with the images he produced and look forward to working with him in the future.”
Thankfully, they did invite me back and I’ve been fortunate to photograph such a wide range of settings, not just within the school grounds but also visits outside of school with visitors from China, plus capturing the action with the seniors football team at an away game in Accrington recently (I shall do a separate post on this shoot at a later date).
It’s been brilliant getting to witness such vibrant school life at Moorland, and a pleasure getting to know the staff and pupils – there’s a wonderful family atmosphere in the school and such a depth of talent from the student body also. Aside from the standard academic subjects, Moorland also offer exceptional ballet tuition and football coaching and even in the few months I’ve been working with the school, I have seen a drive to constantly improve and develop the facilities too, such as the renovated dorms, the new sixth form learning centre or the wellbeing hub. I’m never short of interesting subjects whenever I bring my camera!
If you’d like to have a look round the school then check out https://moorlandschool.co.uk/ and you can explore the school using the virtual tour! I love how the team at ICON Design have used my images throughout the site, including as part of this virtual tour, with each image pinpointed for the exact location it was taken!
Of course, if you’d prefer to see the school for yourself then you’re in luck at their open day is tomorrow (8th February)! See weblink below for more details.
Photo gallery samples:
Final thoughts:
My favourite type of photography is candid photography and it is very much my approach to photography in general – I try to create the conditions where people feel comfortable enough to be themselves and ideally forget I’m even there! A school is an incredibly dynamic setting, allowing for lovely captures of spontaneous, natural moments of fun and learning. It always seems a shame to me that the only photographers who typically pass through a school gate are the ones who set up a backdrop and instruct the children to smile for the camera – of course there’s a place for this too (I have most of these photos of my own children), but it doesn’t truly capture the school experience like you can when you just take photographs of moments that are actually happening. It’s been a joy capturing just a handful of these over the past few months and I look forward to my next visit.
