About Pitchford
Pitchford is a developing creative practice based in Stoke-on-Trent, working across photography, graphic design, and web design. The company operates with photography at its core, supported by design and digital services that allow projects to be developed and delivered in a cohesive, considered way.
The practice is led by a strong interest in visual clarity, control of process, and meaningful output. Pitchford is built around direct involvement at every stage of a project, from concept and planning through to production and final delivery.
About Me
I’m a visionary and earnest photographer based in Stoke-on-Trent, currently studying full-time at the University of Staffordshire. When I was young, my godfather, Peter, a wedding and astrophotographer, gifted me several photography books and a film camera, which sparked my passion for the medium. His influence encouraged me to experiment, learn, and develop my own creative direction. I focus on spreading messages and creating stories through my photography, paying close attention to the finer details that others often overlook. This approach gives my work a distinctive perspective and visual edge, allowing me to connect with both everyday viewers and professional clients through meaningful, well-considered imagery.
I began my creative journey through photography, studying the subject from secondary school, taking a diversion into art whilst at college, and eventually circling back to my primary creative medium; studying it at a university level, which allowed me to refine my technical skills, conceptual thinking, and professional practice. I am currently in my final year as a Photography student at the University of Staffordshire, where my work continues to develop through research-led projects, critical reflection, and sustained independent practice.
Alongside my formal education in photography, I have also self-taught myself in graphic design and web design. Over time, I have developed strong capabilities across digital design, branding, and layout, as well as practical experience building and managing websites using platforms such as WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace, including customisation and basic coding. This broader skill set allows me to approach projects holistically, producing not only considered photographic work but also complete visual identities and functional digital outputs.
My practice mainly focuses on themes of decay, neglect, and abandonment across street, landscape, and still-life photography. I document littered streets, crumbling buildings, and the companies whose products contribute to environmental impact. Alongside the harshness of decline, I also seek out the unexpected beauty that can be found within neglected and abandoned spaces. I am driven by a desire to show how time, neglect, and human influence shape the environments around us, approaching each subject with a balance of honesty and curiosity that defines my practice.
Practice and Focus
My photographic practice focuses on themes of decay, neglect, and abandonment across street, landscape, and still-life photography. I document environments shaped by time, human impact, and neglect, including littered streets, deteriorating buildings, and the material consequences of consumer culture.
Alongside this, I am interested in the visual tension between decline and beauty, and in how overlooked spaces can reveal structure, detail, and meaning when examined carefully. My work prioritises honesty, observation, and attention to detail, rather than idealisation or spectacle.
How I Work
I work best independently or in lead roles, taking responsibility for the full creative process. My approach is structured and practical, with an emphasis on planning, problem-solving, and clear decision-making.
Projects are approached through:
Initial discussion to establish scope and intent
Research and planning
Production with full creative control
Delivery of resolved, consistent outputs
Which ensures clarity, efficiency, and accountability at every stage.
What I Offer
Pitchford provides the following services:
Photography across documentary, editorial, still life, and studio-based work
Graphic design, including branding, layout, and visual assets
Web design and site builds using WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace
Work can be delivered as individual services or as combined visual and digital projects, depending on requirements.
Ethics and Responsibility
My work is informed by an awareness of environmental impact, representation, and context. I aim to document subjects honestly and responsibly, avoiding unnecessary aestheticisation or misrepresentation.
Care is taken when working with sensitive environments, communities, or themes, and projects are approached with consideration rather than extraction.
Experience and Involvement
Alongside independent practice, I have experience working with charities, small organisations, and community-led projects. This includes photography, design, web development, and visual support roles. These experiences have informed a practical understanding of accessibility, communication, and working within real-world constraints.
The Future of Pitchford
Pitchford is built as a multidisciplinary creative practice, rooted in photography and expanding into design-led visual communication. The company is shaped by a commitment to considered work, strong concepts, and full ownership of the creative process from idea to final output.
Short-Term Direction
In the short term, the focus is on formally establishing Pitchford as a legal business and steadily growing its client base. This includes setting up the appropriate business structure, developing clear services, and building sustainable income through photography, design, and web-based work. The priority is to create a stable, functional business that can support both commercial projects and longer-term ambitions.
Long-Term Vision
In the long term, Pitchford aims to expand into a larger, collaborative creative operation. This includes hiring friends or like-minded individuals to work together as a team and investing in a large central warehouse space. The vision is to develop this space into a multi-purpose creative hub containing two professional studios: one for the Pitchford team and commissioned work, and a second studio available for general hire, designed to be accessible and straightforward for students and independent creatives. Both studios would be large enough to accommodate vehicle photography.
The long-term plan also includes incorporating a café within the space, providing a practical and social environment for visitors, clients, and those waiting during shoots. Alongside this, Pitchford intends to run practical courses and workshops, including sessions to help older people develop confidence with modern technology, as well as alternative learning opportunities for students who wish to enhance their creative and technical skills outside traditional educational structures. The overarching aim is to create a space that supports creative work, learning, and community use in a practical and inclusive way.
Supporting the Project
The long-term vision for Pitchford includes the creation of a large, central warehouse space designed to support creatives, students, and the wider community. Delivering this properly requires significant investment. The purchase of a suitable building, structural renovations, studio construction, equipment, accessibility adaptations, and operational setup represent a substantial financial commitment.
Based on realistic estimates, the total cost to develop the space is expected to be in the region of £400,000 or more. This figure reflects not only the scale of the project but also the intention to build it to a professional, safe, and genuinely usable standard.
This project is not intended as a private studio alone. It is designed to provide accessible studio facilities for students without unnecessary barriers, a practical and creative space for independent artists, and educational opportunities for individuals who are often excluded from traditional learning environments, including older adults seeking support with modern technology. The inclusion of shared studios, learning courses, and a public café is intended to make the space functional, welcoming, and sustainable.
Because the project is structured around community benefit, education, and accessibility, seeking donations and external support is both necessary and justified. Contributions would go directly towards creating a space that prioritises opportunity, learning, and creative development over exclusivity.
If you are able to support the project, please donate as much as you can
WHERE IDEAS
BECOME VISUALS
Thoughtfully crafted to elevate what matters most.
