COMMERCIAL LIFESTYLE +
PLACE MARKETING PHOTOGRAPHY FOR
PODIUM, OLD TRAFFORD MANCHESTER
COMMERCIAL LIFESTYLE PHOTOGRAPHY AND ARCHITECTURAL PROPERTY PHOTOGRAPHY FOR PODIUM MANCHESTER. THE SHOOT WAS COMMISSIONED BY CREATIVE AGENCY J2 TO SHOW WHAT MODERN RESIDENTIAL PLACEMAKING LOOKS LIKE IN OLD TRAFFORD.
THE BRIEF
Another great project brief from J2. As a commercial photographer in Manchester, I've worked with them on other place marketing photography projects across the city. This time the project was Podium, a premium residential development next to Old Trafford Stadium and Lancashire County Cricket Club. The creative idea behind the campaign was "Everything, Within Reach". Rather than presenting Podium as just another apartment building, the aim was to show it as a place to live well, with co-working spaces, wellness facilities, private gardens and easy access to the city all on the doorstep.
J2 needed a large library of brand images to use across their digital marketing, website and print. I'd be working alongside a video production crew and a drone operator for the day. My role was part commercial property photographer and part lifestyle photographer: capturing the architecture and interior details, plus lifestyle moments that felt real. The look needed to be relaxed, contemporary and led by natural light.
THE PROCESS
A full-day shoot alongside a moving film crew needs structure, but it also needs flexibility. The video team followed a tight schedule, so I worked in a hybrid way. During the lifestyle windows I tag-teamed with the crew on the models, and in between I worked on my own in the empty spaces, picking up architectural layouts and the changing light.
The day was built around timed commercial lifestyle photography sessions across Podium's amenity spaces. In the gym and wellness studio we focused on workouts and natural movement. In the co-working hub it was collaborative working, coffee breaks and easy conversation. At reception and the entrance we captured the arrival experience. Throughout all of the spaces, as well as in the gardens and show apartments, we brought in our models and a couple of friendly dogs, which instantly gave all scenes a warmth and lived-in feel that's hard to fake.
Authenticity was always the goal. To put the models at ease, I set up each scene as a believable, unscripted situation. A few simple prompts let them interact with the space and each other rather than performing for the camera.
Given the scale of the building and how visible it is on the Manchester skyline, I offered to come back for an early morning exterior shoot to capture the building at its best. As a commercial property photographer I suggested the low morning light would help bring out the building's materials and give us strong hero images that tie Podium to its sporting neighbours.
THE RESPONSE
The final set of images gives J2 and Podium a versatile marketing toolkit. The architectural images show off the premium finishes, some of the material textures and demonstrate the flow between spaces. The lifestyle images capture a sense of the customer experience, living and working at Podium, a connected urban community.
Balancing directed model sessions with unplanned detail shots and a dedicated exterior shoot meant the images would deliver on two levels. They cover the practical needs of property marketing and also tell the bigger brand story. Projects like this show why place marketing photography matters. A building only really comes to life once you can picture yourself living in it.
IF YOU'RE AN AGENCY, DEVELOPER OR MARKETING TEAM LOOKING FOR A MANCHESTER FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER FOR YOUR NEXT PROPERTY OR PLACEMAKING PROJECT, I'D LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT IT.
PROJECT DIRECTORY
Client: J2 (Creative Agency) / Podium Manchester
Location: Old Trafford, Manchester
Commission Type: Commercial Property Photography, Architectural Photography, Placemaking + Commercial Lifestyle Photography
Deliverables: Commercial Photography for Website Redesign and Marketing Collateral
Photographer: Steve Longbottom (Manchester Commercial Photographer)
