Food. People. Places.
And other stories.
Fire. Water. Air. Earth. For centuries, four elements were said to shape the world around us. But when it comes to food and hospitality, we think there's another — the people, passion and love that bring everything together.
Welcome to The Fifth Element journal, adventures of a hospitality and food photographer!
Two hotels.
One Belfast story.
A five day photography commission across ibis Belfast City Centre and Queen’s Quarter, capturing the rooms, food, people and public spaces that shape the guest experience.
From the Journal
Stories, old
and new.
A collection of stories from behind the camera and beyond — from recent commissions and hospitality projects to food, people, places and favourites from the archive.
Some are about the work, some about the people and places behind it, and some simply about things that caught my eye or inspired me to pick up a camera.
From café table to potter’s wheel
The Kiln Café
A festive photography prize led Sequoia Studios to The Kiln Café at Grayshott Pottery, where freshly prepared food, handmade ceramics and skilled craftspeople came together for a story worth telling…
Sometimes, it's worth staying in touch
Carlo Independent Italian Restaurant
A friendly email became a lasting creative relationship with Carlo, from his original Haslemere website to food photography and the opening of a second restaurant in Petersfield…
J. Sheekey’s classic fish pie
For this week’s Funday on Sunday with Bunday, we couldn’t resist recreating it with our own little twist…
Wood-fired pizza
Club Pizza
A last-minute enquiry became a fast-moving evening of wood-fired pizza, people and plenty of atmosphere with the finished photographs delivered just five days later…
Rum & Reggae, serious rum
Rum Barn needed professional photography for their Rum & Reggae Serious Rum range including clean product shots of each bottle...
Asking for seconds
On 4th September, Eat an Extra Dessert Day is here, and it is a celebration of pudding in all its glorious forms…
Afternoon tea week
Celebrate Afternoon Tea Week (11–17 August)
A nod to the timeless British ritual of tea, treats and togetherness. Discover its history, charm and why now’s the perfect time to indulge.
British summer berries
British Summer Berries (and Cherries!)
Celebrate organic British berries with a visual story of raspberries, strawberries, blackberries and blueberries (and cherries too!). Explore the emotion and flavour of pick-your-own traditions and seasonal food photography.
The rise of A.I. imagery
AI imagery vs real food photography
What's the difference when the food is real?
AI can create extraordinary images in seconds. But when you're selling real food and real hospitality experiences, authentic photography still has a very particular value.
It started with a quick turn off the road
The Wheatsheaf Inn
A chance encounter with a country pub under refurbishment became a lasting creative relationship, from photographing its new interiors to capturing the food and character of The Wheatsheaf Inn…
One café became two
The Lion’s Den Café
A food photography commission in Haslemere grew into a wider hospitality photography story when the independent café opened its second location in Midhurst…
A partnership built over time.
Holiday Inn Express Munich
A hotel photography commission capturing guest rooms, interiors and social spaces through imagery designed around the guest experience…