Commercial Photography, Video Production and Visual Storytelling

Ministry of Image is the work of Ewen Rankin, a Birmingham based commercial photographer and videographer providing photography, video production and drone services for businesses, sports clubs, organisations and agencies across the Midlands and the UK.

PEOPLE & PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

People are often the most important part of any photograph.

Whether you need professional headshots, corporate portraits, team photography, personal branding images or family portraits, great photography helps tell your story and create a lasting impression.

Ministry of Image provides portrait photography throughout Birmingham, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and the wider Midlands, working with businesses, professionals, performers, sportspeople and families.

We can do up to 5 people against a simple white background for £150

Services include:

• Corporate Headshots

• Executive Portraits

• Team Photography

• Personal Branding Photography

• Performers & Creatives

• Sports Personalities

• Family Portraits

• Promotional & Editorial Portraits

Over more than 40 years behind the camera, I've learnt that successful portrait photography isn't about forcing poses or creating artificial expressions. It's about helping people feel comfortable, relaxed and confident in front of the lens.

Whether the images are destined for a company website, LinkedIn profile, marketing campaign or family album, the aim is always the same: creating photographs that feel authentic and represent people at their best.

If you're looking for professional portrait photography, I'd be delighted to discuss your requirements.

Professional photography for builders, tradespeople, landscapers, renovators and property developers across Birmingham, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and the West Midlands.

If you've spent days, weeks or months creating a fantastic project, don't let poor phone pictures be the only record of your work. High quality photography helps attract new customers, supports social media marketing, strengthens websites and demonstrates the quality of your workmanship.

Before & After Project Package – £250

Perfect for extensions, kitchens, bathrooms, landscaping projects, renovations and property improvements.

This package includes:

• Photography before work begins

• Return visit after completion

• Professionally edited high resolution images

• Images suitable for websites, brochures and social media

The result is a powerful visual record showing the transformation you've achieved.

Completed Project Photography – From £150

If the project is already finished, I can visit and create a professional image portfolio of the completed work.

Ideal for:

• Builders

• Kitchen installers

• Bathroom installers

• Landscapers

• Roofing contractors

• Property developers

• Decorators

• Commercial fit out companies

Professional photography is one of the simplest ways to demonstrate quality, build trust and win future work.

With more than 40 years of professional photography experience, Ministry of Image helps trades and construction businesses present their projects in the best possible light.

To discuss your project or request a quotation, please get in touch.

Industrial photography isn't just about taking photographs. It's about working safely and professionally in environments where access, competence and experience matter.

Ministry of Image provides industrial photography for construction, rail, infrastructure, manufacturing and engineering organisations throughout Birmingham, the Midlands and across the UK.

With extensive experience working on live construction projects and within the UK rail industry, I understand the operational, safety and access requirements involved in documenting industrial environments. This allows photography to be undertaken efficiently without disrupting ongoing work.

Services include:

• Construction Photography

• Rail Industry Photography

• Infrastructure Projects

• Manufacturing Facilities

• Engineering & Industrial Processes

• Plant & Equipment Photography

• Progress Documentation

• Marketing & Promotional Imagery

Whether documenting a major infrastructure scheme, recording construction progress, showcasing completed works or creating content for tenders, websites and marketing campaigns, photography is tailored to communicate the scale, professionalism and achievement behind every project.

Authorised access to railway environments and extensive experience working within operational sites allows Ministry of Image to photograph projects that many photographers simply cannot access.

I have a long history working with heavy industry and 15 years specifically in The Rail Industry. With my technical knowledge, understanding and a strong appreciation of site safety, Ministry of Image delivers imagery that accurately represents the people, equipment and expertise behind your organisation.

People eat with their eyes first.

Whether you're a restaurant, pub, café, hotel, takeaway, food producer or hospitality business, professional photography helps customers decide what they're going to order before they take their first bite.

Ministry of Image provides food photography throughout Birmingham, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and the wider Midlands, creating imagery for menus, websites, social media, advertising and promotional campaigns.

From beautifully plated restaurant dishes and artisan products to cocktails, desserts and takeaway menus, photography is designed to showcase food at its very best while remaining authentic and appetising.

Food photography services include:

• Restaurant Photography

• Pub & Hospitality Photography

• Menu Photography

• Social Media Content

• Food Product Photography

• Promotional & Marketing Images

• Chef & Kitchen Photography

• Website Content

With decades as a professional photographer, I've learnt that successful food photography is yes of course, about making sure the food looks ‘Tasty not Pasty’ but its also about helping hospitality businesses attract customers, increase engagement and encourage people to choose them over the competition.

If you'd like imagery that makes customers stop scrolling and start booking, I'd be delighted to discuss your requirements.

Good product photography helps customers make buying decisions.

Whether you're selling online, producing marketing material, launching a new product or updating your website, professional photography helps present your products clearly, accurately and attractively.

Ministry of Image provides product photography for businesses throughout Birmingham, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and the wider Midlands. From single products and small collections to extensive catalogues, images can be produced for websites, brochures, advertising campaigns, social media and e-commerce platforms.

Over more than 40 years of professional photography experience, I have photographed everything from consumer products and engineering components to food, gifts, furniture and specialist commercial equipment.

Services include:

• E-commerce Product Photography

• White Background Product Photography

• Lifestyle Product Photography

• Marketing & Advertising Imagery

• Product Launch Photography

• Industrial & Engineering Products

• Food & Hospitality Products

• Website & Social Media Content

Every project is different, so photography is tailored to suit the product, the intended audience and how the images will be used.

If you need professional product photography that helps your products stand out, I'd be delighted to discuss your requirements.

A successful business video begins long before the camera is switched on.

The most important questions are not what camera to use, where to film or how the final edit will look. The most important questions are:

Who is watching?

What do we want them to understand?

How do we want them to feel?

And most importantly, what action do we want them to take afterwards?

At Ministry of Image, every project starts with these questions. Whether the objective is attracting new customers, recruiting staff, promoting a service, explaining a process or strengthening a brand, the video is built around a clear purpose rather than simply creating attractive footage.

Over the years, I've discovered that many people are uncomfortable in front of a camera, particularly when they're asked to explain what they do. Technical experts, business owners and project managers often know their subject inside out but struggle to communicate it clearly and confidently when the lens is pointed at them.

This is where much of the real work happens.

Before filming begins, we develop a clear plan. We identify the audience, establish the key messages and agree exactly what the finished production is intended to achieve. During filming, I work closely with contributors, helping them shape their language, simplify technical concepts and communicate their message naturally.

Sometimes a small change in wording can make all the difference.

A phrase such as "we've reduced failures" may become "we've improved reliability."

A technical explanation may become a customer benefit.

A complicated process may become a simple story that anyone can understand.

The result is content that feels authentic, confident and purposeful rather than scripted, rehearsed or corporate.

Corporate storytelling can be used for:

• Company Overview Videos

• Recruitment Campaigns

• Customer Testimonials

• Project Case Studies

• Product & Service Promotion

• Internal Communications

• Training Content

• Social Media Campaigns

• Property & Development Marketing

• Construction & Infrastructure Projects

The strongest projects often combine video with professional photography. While the video communicates the story, photography provides the supporting content needed for websites, social media, presentations, brochures and press releases. By planning both together, businesses receive a complete library of visual content that works consistently across all marketing channels.

My background in photography, design, marketing and business allows me to approach projects from a commercial perspective rather than simply a technical one. The objective is never just to create a film. The objective is to create communication that achieves a result.

Every business has a story worth telling.

The challenge is telling it in a way that people remember, understand and act upon.

Sport is emotion, pressure, commitment and moments that disappear in seconds. Great sports photography captures those moments and gives clubs imagery they are proud to use both on and off the pitch.

At Ministry of Image, I photograph a wide range of sports including Professional Golf, Football, Rugby, Cricket and more, delivering powerful imagery for professional organisations, grassroots clubs and schools alike.

From match day action and touchline emotion to clean, modern player portraits and full squad photography, the goal is always the same, create images that make players, clubs and organisations look their absolute best.

For professional teams and organisations, I provide experienced, reliable coverage with an understanding of the speed and demands of live sport.

For local football and rugby clubs, I offer affordable media packages designed to help clubs improve their image, support sponsorship, grow social media presence and assist with player recruitment.

Club Packages

£500 Match Day Package

Professional headshots of every player

Full team photograph

Match day photography coverage

Professionally edited digital images supplied after the game

These packages provide clubs with a complete bank of modern media content that can be used across websites, social media, sponsor promotion and player recruitment campaigns.

£250 Team Media Package

Professional headshots of every player

Full team photograph

Professionally edited digital images supplied ready for online and print use

We ALSO have GreenScreen Video packages for ‘Player Walk-ons’ and Video Profiles. Call to ask.

Whether you are a professional organisation or a grassroots side wanting to present yourselves professionally, Ministry of Image delivers modern sports photography with character, energy and authenticity.

…AND we love our local Rugby Team Old Saltleians…Proud Supporters of them.

Buildings tell stories long before people step inside them.

From modern commercial developments and transport infrastructure to historic buildings and striking architectural details, Ministry of Image creates photography that captures the design, scale and character of the built environment.

Over more than 40 years behind the camera, I have photographed commercial buildings, public spaces, transport infrastructure, architectural features and large scale developments throughout the UK.

Whether the requirement is documenting a completed project, creating marketing imagery for a developer, capturing architectural detail for publication or showcasing a building's relationship with its surroundings, the objective remains the same: producing images that communicate the vision behind the structure.

Services include:

• Architectural Photography

• Commercial Buildings

• Public Infrastructure

• Transport & Rail Projects

• Interior Architecture

• Property Developments

• Heritage Buildings

• Marketing & Promotional Imagery

Based in Birmingham and working throughout the Midlands and beyond.

Some projects can only be fully appreciated from above.

Drone photography and video provide a unique perspective that helps showcase scale, location, progress and context in a way that ground based photography simply cannot.

Ministry of Image provides professional drone photography and video services throughout Birmingham, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and the wider Midlands, supporting construction projects, commercial property, infrastructure works, sports venues, events and marketing campaigns.

Drone imagery is particularly valuable for:

• Construction Progress Photography

• Property & Development Marketing

• Infrastructure Projects

• Industrial Facilities

• Architectural Photography

• Sports Venues

• Event Coverage

• Promotional Video Production

Whether documenting a construction project, capturing aerial views of a commercial property or creating promotional content for marketing and social media, drone imagery can be combined with traditional photography and video to provide a complete visual record.

Unlike many drone operators, aerial imagery is delivered as part of a broader commercial photography and video service, ensuring that both ground level and aerial content work together to tell the complete story of a project.

If your project would benefit from a different perspective, I'd be delighted to discuss your requirements.

Events happen once.

Professional photography ensures the moments, people and atmosphere are captured long after the event has finished.

Ministry of Image provides event photography throughout Birmingham, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and the wider Midlands, covering corporate events, awards evenings, networking events, conferences, sporting occasions, charity functions, launches and celebrations.

Services include:

• Corporate Events

• Awards Ceremonies

• Conferences & Exhibitions

• Networking Events

• Product Launches

• Charity Events

• Sporting Events

• Private Celebrations

• Social Media & Marketing Content

The best event photography does more than record who attended. It captures the atmosphere, energy and key moments that define the occasion while providing valuable content for future marketing, publicity and promotion.

Whether documenting a business event, celebrating an important milestone or creating content for sponsors and stakeholders, photography is delivered professionally, discreetly and with an eye for the moments that matter.

If you need event photography that captures both the occasion and its purpose, I'd be delighted to discuss your requirements.

The best family photographs aren't heavily posed. They're genuine moments, real smiles and the relationships that make every family unique.

Whether you're looking to capture a growing family, celebrate a special occasion or simply create photographs to enjoy for years to come, sessions are relaxed, natural and tailored to suit you.

Photography can take place at home, outdoors or at a location that means something to your family.

If you're interested in family photography, I'd be delighted to discuss your requirements.

Some of the most interesting things I've learnt in photography haven't come from client projects. They've come from curiosity.

During lockdown, my daughter Bryony and I spent countless hours experimenting with cameras, lenses, lighting and everyday objects. Not because we had to, but because we wanted to discover what would happen if we tried something different.

Could a Pringles tube become a macro photography tool?

Could a tiny droplet of water act as a lens?

Could we capture images inside a soap bubble?

Could we create tiny planets, abstract worlds and impossible-looking photographs without using Photoshop?

The answer was usually followed by a smile, a laugh and occasionally a lot of cleaning up afterwards.

One of the things I've always enjoyed most is teaching. Photography provided the perfect excuse to explore science, optics, problem solving and creativity together. Many of these experiments started with a simple question and a challenge to work out the answer. Understanding why something worked was often just as rewarding as creating the final image.

Whether working with young people, helping another photographer understand a technique, or guiding a client through the process of creating stronger visual content, I've always believed that knowledge is something to be shared. Watching somebody else's face light up when they suddenly understand a concept is one of the most rewarding experiences there is.

I hold DBS and Safeguarding accreditation and would welcome opportunities to share my knowledge through schools, colleges, workshops and mentoring. Photography is a wonderful subject because it combines creativity, science, technology and communication, often all within a single image.

Every image on this page was created photographically and optically. The colours, reflections, distortions and effects were captured through the camera rather than added later on a computer. The photographs you see here are the result of experimentation with light, lenses, reflections, refraction and a healthy dose of curiosity.

For me, photography has always been about more than pressing a shutter. It's about understanding how light behaves, exploring new ideas and constantly asking:

"What happens if we try this?"

Those same skills are carried into every commercial project. Understanding light, optics and visual communication allows problems to be solved creatively rather than simply following a formula.

This page isn't about business.

It's about curiosity.

It's about learning.

It's about teaching.

And it's a reminder that even after more than four decades behind a camera, photography can still make me stop and say:

"Wow."

All images on this page were created in-camera using optical techniques. No Photoshop manipulation has been used (well maybe just the one…can you find it?).