Behind the Scenes and Unit Stills Photography for Film, TV and Theatre
Authentic moments. Iconic imagery. Your production, beautifully documented.
Whether it is a high profile TV series, an independent film or a West End stage production, behind the scenes photography captures the spirit of the project and gives you images for press, social media and the archive. I work as a unit stills and BTS photographer across London and the UK: quiet on set, quick to read the shape of a day, and careful never to be in the way of the shot. I document candid interactions, crew at work, and the moments that do not make the final cut but tell you how it was made.
What you get
Every shoot is delivered as graded, high resolution images in a private online gallery: sorted, cropped and straightened where needed, and colour graded. You get a selection of the best frames, usually 20 to 30 for every hour of shooting, ready for press kits, EPKs, social campaigns, programmes and the archive.The rate covers travel within London, the post production time and backup equipment on the day. Uncompressed files are held for six months, and the delivered images are backed up indefinitely.
Retouching is separate, because a behind the scenes frame rarely needs it. Where one does, Standard Retouch is £30 per image: impermanent marks removed, a light lift under the eyes where it is wanted, and a finer grade.
How a day on set works
I arrive with the crew call, take the shape of the day from the first setup, and work around the camera department rather than through it. I shoot silently, stay out of eyelines and off the boom's path, and never ask anyone to hold a moment for me.Where a production needs an NDA, a closed set, or approval on every frame before release, that is normal and I work to it. I follow onset protocol, and I would rather miss a frame than interrupt a take.
Theatre, rehearsal and press nights
Stage work has its own rhythm, and each call gives something different. Tech runs show the craft, dress rehearsals show the performance, previews show what an audience does with it.I shoot from the stalls and the wings on available light, with no flash and nothing that makes a sound, so the company can work as though the room were empty. The results suit theatre marketing, programmes, front of house and the company's own archive.
Productions I cover
Film, from student shorts to features. Television, including factual and drama. Theatre, from black box rooms to West End houses. Music, from the rehearsal room to the live set.From large scale productions to intimate theatre, I adapt to the needs of each project, working flexibly with producers, directors and unit publicists so the coverage fits the day rather than interrupting it.
Why productions commission behind the scenes photography
- Visibility across press, social media and industry publications
- A record of the team and the collaborative effort behind the production
- Shareable material that builds anticipation before release
- The creative journey preserved for cast, crew and audiences
What it costs
Half day
Up to 4 hours on set
£800
Full day
Up to 8 hours on set
£1,500
Additional hours
Beyond the booked call
£200
Minimum booking
For a single scene or a press night
£400
Multi-day and broadcast licensing
Quoted per production
On request
Standard Retouch
Where a frame needs more than grading
£30 per image
The rate covers travel within London, the selection and the grade, and delivery to a private online gallery. Press nights, dress runs and tech rehearsals are charged the same way.
Travelling outside London is your choice: you can arrange and pay for it, or I can arrange it and it goes on the invoice, in which case a deposit or the full fee is payable before the day.
Travelling outside London is your choice: you can arrange and pay for it, or I can arrange it and it goes on the invoice, in which case a deposit or the full fee is payable before the day.
Short films and student productions: I keep some capacity for projects I want to shoot, so ask rather than assume. The images on this page came from a short film.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a unit stills photographer?+
A unit stills photographer shoots the images that represent the production to the outside world: the frames used for posters, press, streaming artwork and social. Behind the scenes photography is the other half of the job, documenting the crew and the process. Most productions want both, and I shoot both on the same day.
How soon do we get the images?+
It depends on the shoot. For a single full day, your images are with you within 72 hours, Monday to Friday. You get a selection of the best frames, usually 20 to 30 for every hour of shooting. Multi-day shoots take longer and we agree the schedule before we start.
If you need a few frames on the day itself for press or social, I can do that. The full fee for the shoot is payable in advance in that case, because no images are released until payment has cleared in full.
If you need a few frames on the day itself for press or social, I can do that. The full fee for the shoot is payable in advance in that case, because no images are released until payment has cleared in full.
Will you get in the way of the shot?+
No. I work silently, stay out of eyelines, and never ask for a moment to be repeated for me. If the camera department needs the space I am standing in, I move before anyone has to ask.
Do you sign NDAs and work on closed sets?+
Yes, as a matter of course. I follow whatever the production sets: NDAs, closed sets, approval on every frame before release, and embargo dates.
Who owns the images and what can we use them for?+
Copyright stays with me, which is standard for photography. The production gets a licence with no time limit to use the images for publicity and record: press and editorial, electronic press kits, festival and awards submissions, programmes and printed material, your own website and social accounts, and your archive. You can pass them to broadcasters, distributors, festivals, press and your publicist for those purposes, and you can crop, resize and add titles.
Paid advertising for a third party product, reselling the images, and supplying them to stock libraries are not included and need an extended licence, which I am happy to quote for. The full wording is in section 5.9 of my terms and conditions.
Paid advertising for a third party product, reselling the images, and supplying them to stock libraries are not included and need an extended licence, which I am happy to quote for. The full wording is in section 5.9 of my terms and conditions.
How much does behind the scenes photography cost?+
A half day, up to 4 hours on set, is £800. A full day, up to 8 hours, is £1,500. Additional hours are £200 each and the minimum booking is 2 hours at £400. Multi-day productions and broadcast licensing are quoted per production. Short films and student productions, ask: I keep some capacity for projects I want to shoot.
Do you travel outside London?+
Yes. The rate covers travel within London. Beyond that it is your choice: you arrange and pay for the travel, or I arrange it and it goes on the invoice. If I am arranging it, a deposit or the full shoot fee is payable before the day.
Let's talk
If you are looking for BTS stills that are as visually compelling as the production itself, tell me the production, the dates and where you are shooting, and I will come back with availability and a quote. I am based in London and available to travel for shoots across the UK and beyond.