FCB STUDIOS — LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY AROUND
MANCHESTER’S ARCHITECTURAL SPACES
CAPTURING THE EVERYDAY LIFE THAT BRINGS ARCHITECTURE TO LIFE — A LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY COMMISSION FROM FCB STUDIOS, SHOWING MANCHESTER’S CUTTING ROOM SQUARE AND CIRCLE SQUARE ALIVE WITH PEOPLE, MOVEMENT, AND LIGHT IN TWO OF THE CITY’S MOST CHARACTERFUL PUBLIC SPACES.
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL
"I commissioned Steve to take lifestyle focussed shots of our buildings in Manchester, placing people more centrally to the photos and using the architecture as backdrops. Steve was keen to really understand the brief, our intended use and the look and feel that we usually go for to achieve the best results.
Having to work around the spaces being activated enough and with the right types of activities and the weather, meant that Steve had to visit the sites several times. His attention to detail and dedication was really appreciated and the results are great."
— Anna, FCB Studios
THE BRIEF
I love a brief that lays out the challenges right from the start. FCB Studios (the award-winning architecture practice with studios in Manchester, London and Bath) asked me to create a set of images capturing the public life and energy around two of their key Manchester projects: Cutting Room Square in Ancoats and Circle Square off Oxford Road.
Rather than focusing on the architecture itself, the brief called for authentic lifestyle photography showing how people interact with these spaces — the public realm alive with energy. Think people eating and drinking outdoors, kids playing, movement, light and atmosphere.
The goal was to show how FCB Studios’ work supports the life of the city, not just its skyline.
THE PROCESS
I knew from the start this wasn’t going to be a straightforward shoot. My early conversations with the client addressed this. Both locations sit in busy parts of the city centre, meaning there are always obstructions, unpredictable footfall, and constantly shifting light.
I spent time researching and testing different times of day to understand when the public realm came to life: when the bars were busy, when the light caught the brickwork just right, when the people brought the space to life. And of course all of these factors are at the mercy of the unpredictable Manchester weather!
Angles were often limited, so I had to explore new ways of approaching the photography. By taking the pressure off finding the perfect architectural composition and instead steering the photographs toward the activity and human character around the spaces, the imagery became much more engaging. It turned into a story about how Manchester life unfolds around these key spaces, rather than hero shots of beautiful buildings that just happen to have some people in the frame.
RESPONSE
What really helped shape this series were the people. You come across all sorts of characters when you're observing life like this. From the Ancoats regulars hanging out in the Square, to students cutting through Circle Square, every frame carried a little piece of Manchester’s rhythm. And so many dog walkers and super cute dogs. So many.
I also wanted to acknowledge the character of the materials that define these spaces (and our city in some ways). The original brickwork, the cobbled streets, the smooth stone, and glass of the new developments. These textures grounded the imagery in place and gave a tactile sense of the city’s heritage meeting its future.
Light played a huge part too. In dense, built-up areas, sunlight shifts fast and shadows stretch dramatically. I wanted to play with that movement, to show how the structures and spaces interact with natural light throughout the day. The result is a set of lifestyle images that hopefully feel honest, vibrant, and deeply connected to the Manchester environment FCB Studios helped shape.
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