Good photography. Good design. A creative relationship that lasts.
Some of our client relationships go back a very long way. And some become rather more than simply working relationships. Jonny Draper is a perfect example. We first got to know Jonny during our West Didsbury days in Manchester, when we were involved in organising local events, including WestFest and LightsFest, the annual Christmas lights switch-on. Jonny photographed events for us, capturing the people, atmosphere and moments that made them special. Over the years, we’ve commissioned him to photograph projects for our clients, and when we came to sell our own house in West Didsbury, there was only one person we wanted behind the camera.
In return, we’ve worked with Jonny on his website design over many years. His latest website is the third we’ve created for him, and it’s been a lovely creative relationship.
more than a camera
Photography has changed enormously over the years. Today, almost everyone carries a remarkably sophisticated camera in their pocket. We can capture, edit and share images within seconds, and the technology continues to improve. But having access to a good camera and being a good photographer are two very different things. Jonny understands that distinction better than most.
An established and highly sought-after wedding photographer, he has developed a distinctive style that feels contemporary, confident and unmistakably his own. His photography is about far more than recording an occasion. It’s about observing people, anticipating moments, understanding light and composition, and knowing instinctively when to press the shutter. It’s a combination of technical expertise, experience and creative judgement. And those are things that technology alone cannot replace.
a business that never stands still
One of the things we’ve always admired about Jonny is his willingness to evolve. Wedding photography is a creative industry, and expectations, styles and trends change. Jonny has never been someone content simply to keep doing what he’s always done. He understands his market, knows what he wants to achieve and continually looks for ways to develop his work and his business.
His website needs to reflect that.
Over the years, we’ve designed three different versions of Jonny’s website, each responding to a different stage in his business. And that’s an important part of website design that can sometimes be overlooked. A website isn’t necessarily something you create once and leave untouched indefinitely. As a business develops, its online presence needs to develop with it. Sometimes that means small refinements. Sometimes it means rethinking the entire approach.
For a photographer, where the images themselves are the product, the design needs to provide the right setting without competing for attention.The photography should always be the star.
understanding each other
Working with Jonny is a genuinely collaborative process. He knows his business exceptionally well and has a clear understanding of what he wants his website to achieve. He brings ideas, suggestions and constructive feedback to the conversation. We bring our design experience and an understanding of how to translate those ideas into an effective online presence. And because we’ve worked together for so long, there’s a familiarity and trust that makes the whole process feel natural. That doesn’t mean we always agree on absolutely everything. Creative collaboration wouldn’t be particularly interesting if everyone did.
But it does mean we understand each other’s approach, respect each other’s expertise and share a common objective: creating something that works beautifully for the business. It’s a relationship we value enormously.
a shared appreciation of good design
There’s another reason we’ve always enjoyed working with Jonny. As a professional photographer, he understands that good creative work involves considerably more than the equipment or software used to produce it. It’s about experience, instinct, attention to detail and knowing what works. That’s something we recognise in our own profession.
Today, there are more tools than ever for creating websites, just as there are more ways than ever to take photographs. And that’s no bad thing. But the tools are only part of the process.
Understanding a business, making thoughtful design decisions and knowing how to present something at its best still require a human eye and professional judgement. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons our working relationship has lasted so long.
the people behind the websites
These days, Jonny is also part of another successful business, co-owning the award-winning LOVE Bridal Boutique in Hale with his wife, Emma. It’s another connection between our businesses, as we also design and look after LOVE’s website. But that’s a story for another day. For now, we wanted to introduce Jonny, in the first of our “People Behind the Websites” series.
Not simply because we’ve designed his website, but because we’ve known him, worked alongside him and watched his business evolve over many years. And because, in an increasingly automated world, it’s worth celebrating people who really know their craft.
Good design, good photography and good working relationships.
Some things never go out of style.
