A dark background suits a crime writer, and it suited Chris Bridges. His debut psychological thriller Sick to Death introduces a chronically ill heroine who refuses to be underestimated, drawing on Chris's own experience as an NHS nurse to bring sick and disabled characters to the centre of the genre rather than its margins.

For his Bio Author Portrait Package we kept things bold and atmospheric, shooting in studio against a dark background. The look is confident and a little dramatic, which fits a thriller author and reads strongly on a book jacket, a festival listing or a publisher's website.

An author portrait should feel like it belongs to the work. For a darker genre, a darker, more cinematic image does exactly that. If you are a writer who wants a portrait with mood and presence, see the author portrait page.