ABOUT STEVE
FREELANCE COMMERCIAL ARCHITECTURAL
LIFESTYLE + BRAND PHOTOGRAPHER
BASED IN MANCHESTER
Steve Longbottom is a commercial photographer and creative artist based in Manchester, UK, but working with clients from across the country. (He also writes about himself in the third person.)
Steve looks at photography a little differently than most. Having a background working both in and alongside creative agencies, he understands how things work at the client end, and delivers work with this in mind. He looks at how an image needs to perform within a brand identity, a marketing campaign, or a particular design layout – and ensures his photography accommodates this.
With a background strongly rooted in the creative industries that has given him experience on both the creative and client management side of things, he has more than just his photography to offer. Having worked at director level, both in project management and account handling, he has a deep understanding of both client and agency requirements. This helps him offer support throughout the creative and concept development stages, through to delivering effective and engaging imagery. Steve is an effective collaborator with a desire to understand the context and story behind creative projects, to help inform his photography.
His agency experience fundamentally shapes how he collaborates, ensuring that every project supports the wider team and delivers on the creative brief. It also means he knows the importance of getting the brief right and can even help write them if needed.
Based in Manchester, he works as a freelance commercial photographer and an exhibiting artist across the North West. He has clients in Lancashire, Cheshire, Cumbria and the Lake District as well as London. Travelling for work is a positive aspect of the job for Steve.
His work spans multiple genres, seamlessly moving between precision architectural photography, interiors, commercial lifestyle, location shoots, environmental portraiture and more. Over his twenty-plus years of practice he has built valuable experience in multiple areas of photography – from architecture to landscape, and product to portrait. He brings this experience to every job.
A key feature of Steve's work is location and this shows up in property marketing, destination photography and of course in architecture and interiors (as well as landscape and travel). What sets him apart is the ability to weave in his experience from those other areas of commercial photography.
A good example of this is commercial lifestyle photography, that demonstrates his strength not just in photographing places and spaces, but by being able to bring them to life by incorporating people or activity in the frame. His natural and authentic style of photography can be seen throughout his work.
Whether capturing the character and beauty of an architectural subject, the energy of a team for a commercial lifestyle shoot, or the unique demands of a brand photography shoot on location, his goal is to create compelling visual assets that elevate a project.
Beyond the commercial work, his personal artistic practice is heavily rooted in the natural world. This passion for the environment influences his commercial eye, bringing a distinct appreciation for natural light, composition, and spatial harmony to every job. Steve is also passionate about protecting our planet. Not only does this influence his work but it also dictates how he strives to run his business.
READ MORE ABOUT WHAT HE IS DOING TO ACHIEVE THIS.
Outside of work, Steve's interests include getting outdoors and exploring nature – especially the coast and woodlands. All of which he enjoys with his dog and best friend, Rocket, who regularly shows up in Steve's social feeds!
Steve understands that it's difficult to translate an idea into a coherent brief sometimes, which is where his experience of working in agencies is especially valuable. He's happy to explore an idea and help formulate it into a brief with you to help move a project forward.
Steve Longbottom is a commercial photographer and creative artist based in Manchester, UK, but working with clients from across the country. (He also writes about himself in the third person.)
Steve looks at photography a little differently than most. Having a background working both in and alongside creative agencies, he understands how things work at the client end, and delivers work with this in mind. He looks at how an image needs to perform within a brand identity, a marketing campaign, or a particular design layout – and ensures his photography accommodates this.
With a background strongly rooted in the creative industries that has given him experience on both the creative and client management side of things, he has more than just his photography to offer. Having worked at director level, both in project management and account handling, he has a deep understanding of both client and agency requirements. This helps him offer support throughout the creative and concept development stages, through to delivering effective and engaging imagery. Steve is an effective collaborator with a desire to understand the context and story behind creative projects, to help inform his photography.
His agency experience fundamentally shapes how he collaborates, ensuring that every project supports the wider team and delivers on the creative brief. It also means he knows the importance of getting the brief right and can even help write them if needed.
Based in Manchester, he works as a freelance commercial photographer and an exhibiting artist across the North West. He has clients in Lancashire, Cheshire, Cumbria and the Lake District as well as London. Travelling for work is a positive aspect of the job for Steve.
His work spans multiple genres, seamlessly moving between precision architectural photography, interiors, commercial lifestyle, location shoots, environmental portraiture and more. Over his twenty-plus years of practice he has built valuable experience in multiple areas of photography – from architecture to landscape, and product to portrait. He brings this experience to every job.
A key feature of Steve's work is location and this shows up in property marketing, destination photography and of course in architecture and interiors (as well as landscape and travel). What sets him apart is the ability to weave in his experience from those other areas of commercial photography.
A good example of this is commercial lifestyle photography, that demonstrates his strength not just in photographing places and spaces, but by being able to bring them to life by incorporating people or activity in the frame. His natural and authentic style of photography can be seen throughout his work.
Whether capturing the character and beauty of an architectural subject, the energy of a team for a commercial lifestyle shoot, or the unique demands of a brand photography shoot on location, his goal is to create compelling visual assets that elevate a project.
Beyond the commercial work, his personal artistic practice is heavily rooted in the natural world. This passion for the environment influences his commercial eye, bringing a distinct appreciation for natural light, composition, and spatial harmony to every job. Steve is also passionate about protecting our planet. Not only does this influence his work but it also dictates how he strives to run his business.
READ MORE ABOUT WHAT HE IS DOING TO ACHIEVE THIS.
Outside of work, Steve's interests include getting outdoors and exploring nature – especially the coast and woodlands. All of which he enjoys with his dog and best friend, Rocket, who regularly shows up in Steve's social feeds!
Steve understands that it's difficult to translate an idea into a coherent brief sometimes, which is where his experience of working in agencies is especially valuable. He's happy to explore an idea and help formulate it into a brief with you to help move a project forward.
LET’S COLLABORATE ON YOUR NEXT PROJECT
I WORK WITH CLIENTS LOOKING FOR AUTHENTIC, CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO THAT WILL HELP THEM ENGAGE WITH THEIR AUDIENCES AND ADD VALUE.
MY COMMERCIAL PORTFOLIO INCLUDES COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, PLACEMAKING, ARCHITECTURE, INTERIORS AND LIFESTYLE – AS WELL AS BESPOKE BRAND AND MARKETING PHOTOGRAPHY THAT TOUCHES ALL GENRES.
IF YOU HAVE A BRIEF OR PROJECT, I'D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT IT.
GET IN TOUCH OR SIMPLY DROP ME AN EMAIL
LET’S COLLABORATE ON YOUR NEXT PROJECT
I WORK WITH CLIENTS LOOKING FOR AUTHENTIC, CREATIVE PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO THAT WILL HELP THEM ENGAGE WITH THEIR AUDIENCES AND ADD VALUE.
MY COMMERCIAL PORTFOLIO INCLUDES COMMERCIAL PROPERTY, PLACEMAKING, ARCHITECTURE, INTERIORS AND LIFESTYLE – AS WELL AS BESPOKE BRAND AND MARKETING PHOTOGRAPHY THAT TOUCHES ALL GENRES.
IF YOU HAVE A BRIEF OR PROJECT, I'D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT IT.
GET IN TOUCH OR SIMPLY DROP ME AN EMAIL