The person on the other end
“The photo people ask me for most is the one that was never taken.”
Most people who message me aren't after a picture. They're after a moment that never happened — a grandad who never met the baby, a brother who lives the other side of the world, a mum who's no longer here. Everyone's in different photos, taken years apart, and there's no way to ever get them in one.
That's the bit I do. You send me the photos you've already got, exactly as they are, and I bring everyone together into one portrait. And when it lands and someone goes quiet for a second — that's the whole job, really.
I'd always rather you asked first than guessed. If you're not sure a photo is clear enough, or you're wondering whether something's possible, message me and I'll tell you honestly — before you've paid anything.
Why separate photos
Nearly every family has the same gap. Somebody is always behind the camera. Somebody moved away. Somebody died before the next one arrived. You end up with hundreds of photos and not one with everybody in it.
So I work the other way round. You don't need a photo of everyone together — you need one clear photo of each person, and they can come from anywhere. Different years, different countries, different decades. I put them in the same frame.
What I need from you
- One clear photo of each person's face
- They don't need to match, or be recent, or be good quality
- Old and faded is fine — often those are the important ones
- A note about who's who, if it isn't obvious
How I work
Portraits are pencil-style, black and white, head-and-shoulders, on plain paper. No background scenery, no borders, no text — nothing that dates it or competes with the faces. It's meant to look like something that belongs on a wall for thirty years, not a novelty.
They take a while. I'd rather it came back right than came back fast, though there's a priority option if you genuinely need it the same day.
If it isn't right
Tell me. Somebody moved, a different photo you'd rather use, someone stood in the wrong place — I'll change it and send it back. There's no extra charge and no limit on that. I'd rather do it twice than have you settle for something you don't love.
Get everyone in one portrait
Have a look through your photos. The ones you'd need are almost certainly already on your phone.