- Client
- Northumbria University / GPR2026
- Venue
- Northumbria University, Newcastle
- Dates
- Delivered
- 1,200 edited frames
The 21st International Conference on Ground Penetrating Radar is a global event, held every two years, and this was forty years on from the first. In 2026 it came to Newcastle - four hundred delegates, four days of sessions across the university, and an icebreaker on the quayside the evening before. Being asked to photograph it was an honour: a conference with real standing, and a team who were a pleasure to work with all week.
The Monday icebreaker set the tone - academics and industry reconnecting over drinks on the quayside, no agenda, just people who hadn’t seen each other in a while. Tuesday to Friday were the conference proper: the keynotes, the poster sessions, the concurrent talks running across the buildings, and the survey kit out on the campus for the outdoor demonstrations. Dinner mid-week at Wylam Brewery, and a group photograph to close.
My approach was the same as it always is - available light, and the patience to wait for something rather than stage it. The lens changed with the moment: the candid crowd work, close in, on a 50mm; the panels and the socialising, further off, on a 70-200; the wide, contextual frames on an 18-35. Different focal lengths for different distances, but the same instinct - find what’s worth keeping and stay out of its way.
Twelve hundred frames made the final edit. I delivered them with face search built in, so any of the four hundred delegates could pull up their own photographs without scrolling the lot. What’s on this page is the short version - the week as a sequence, not the whole take.
Selected frames
Fantastic shots that delegates are still talking about.
We booked James to photograph the 21st International Conference on Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR2026) and it was one of the best decisions we made. He was easy to work with, clearly enjoyed being part of the event, and delivered fantastic shots that delegates are still talking about. The gallery with face search was a brilliant touch too.
A real artist's eye for the little moments of interaction between people.
James worked with us on a week-long conference and I would not hesitate to recommend him as an event photographer. As an event manager who is often asked to step in and take shots of delegates giving speeches and networking, I know first hand how hard it is to get decent photos of people talking and socialising, but James makes this look effortless. He has a real artist's eye for little moments of interaction between people and really captured the friendly and collegiate atmosphere of the event, from the more formal lectures to the evening socials. He provided hero images to us throughout the week to check we were happy with the style, and got a fully edited and extremely well-organised gallery to us very promptly after the event close. Thanks James and looking forward to working with you again!