About owenbphoto

Hi, I'm Owen, and I make photos

I’m Owen Billcliffe, a Scottish photographer based in London since 2002 – hence ‘@owenbphoto‘ – and I specialise in dynamic reportage and lifestyle photography for all businesses great and small, PR agencies, and private clients alike. I’m the director and lead photographer at owenbphoto.com, with assistance from some excellent Associate Photographers when I’m not available – more about them below.

With an extensive background in media production, particularly TV camerawork and film unit stills, I bring a candid, experiential approach to my photography. I love photos that capture the energy and emotion of an experience, what it felt like to actually be there – so that’s what I make for my clients.

I also offer one-to-one photography business mentoring, passing on the benefit of 20+ years experience to help aspiring and professional photographers set up workflows that work, including the fundamentals of running a photography business, portfolio reviews, quoting & booking clients, and editing & delivering your finished work.

I absolutely love what I do and I hope that comes across in the photographs I make. So if you like what you see here then I’d love to hear from you, whatever the shoot may be. 

A Proud Embankment event for Virgin Stars 2019 awards
guests enjoying a karaoke performance at wilton music hall
Why trust me?

My professional photography experience, from 2002 to 2024

After a year of intensive training in film & TV production under director John Sichel I started my London life and career as a post-production runner in Covent Garden, and within a year I’d stepped up to edit assistant at the famous Capital Studios in Wandsworth.

After realising I was more passionate about creating images I moved over to the studio as a camera assistant, then a promotion to junior camera operator followed, working on shows like Fantasy Football League, SMILE, and Saturday Kitchen. In 2008 I became a full time camera operator at Princess Studios in Bayswater, filming shows like T4, 4Music, Mel & Sue, and The Wright Stuff.

Around this time I started shooting promo stills for the same shows I was operating camera on, moonlighting as a unit stills photographer on low/no-budget short films on my days off. I fell in with a particular group of producers and within a few years had worked my way up to mid-budget horror films like Cockneys Versus Zombies and Comedown.

Some of my favourites shots on-set were candid behind-the-scenes snaps of the crew at work, but they usually never got seen or shared. So I started shooting more events, capturing candid moments with a filmic eye, and the photos really connected with people.

Then around 2010 an old friend who’d, unbeknownst to me, become Sir Richard Branson’s PA asked me to shoot candid photos of Sir Richard visiting his Virgin businesses in London – “just like your party photos, but in our offices”. From there my corporate photography took off and in 2018 I went full-time as a freelance photographer.

I bring that filmic, experiential style to every shoot, from private and corporate events to food and drink. Clients include Virgin, Peloton, TAG Heuer, M&S, Channel 4, Regents University, Imperial College London, plus many more PR agencies, private clients, and businesses great and small. And I still film TV shows, including C4’s Sunday Brunch, and BBC’s Saturday Kitchen.

pr photograph of the original Virgin Atlantic Challenger II crew reunitiin g
Tony Blair presenting The Future Of Britain at Imperial College London
Case Studies & Reviews

Examples of recent work, and some kind words from clients

A few of my favourite private, corporate, and PR photography shoots from the last year or two. My private event clients receive hundreds of candid moments they’ll cherish forever. And my corporate and PR clients can showcase their team, products, sponsors, or the experience of attending one of their events, with unlimited in-house and editorial PR use.

Don’t take my word for it – over the years dozens of my private, corporate, and wedding photography clients have taken the time to leave a review of working with me and the photos I made for them. You can have a read through them over here on my Google Business page.

Conferences

MoneyLive Summit

Multi-stage conference and expo coverage of the MoneyLive Summit for Marketforce Live, at the vast Queen Elizabeth II Centre in Westminster.

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Experiential

Peloton On Tour

Reportage coverage of the London leg of Peloton On Tour 2023, a three-day premium experience for Leaderboarders to meet their favourite instructors.

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Private Events

Queenwood engagement

A fabulous engagement party at Queenwood Golf Course in Surrey - and a year later I was up in the Cotswolds to photograph their beautiful barn wedding weekender.

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PR & Marketing

Social Pantry showcase

A showcase event at Two Temple Place for Social Pantry, a sustainable caterer delivering high impact events with a positive social and environmental effect.

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Property

Principal Place

Exterior property photography capturing a mural installation by Agostino Iacurci at the Principal Place business development in central London.

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Food & Drink

Summer menu refresh

New lifestyle and product images shot on location at the Battersea Power Station branch of Birdies, to promote their summer cocktails and food menu.

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Links & contacts

Where else can you find me online?

My flagship photography portfolio, the website you're on right now.

My wedding photography website with galleries, FAQs, and pricing

Reportage-style family photography, at home or out and about.

Instagram

My page on Instagram featuring favourites from all genres of my work.

On LinkedIn I share galleries of my latest corporate photography work.

My YouTube channel features slideshows of my wedding photography.

Our Associate Photographers

Who shoots when I'm not available?

I’ll be your photographer 99% of the time. If several clients ask for the same slot whoever books first gets me and we’ll offer one of our talented Associate Photographers to cover the others. These are all highly experienced and talented photographers in their own right, and you’ll always know who’s attending – we don’t ‘bait and switch’.

If I’m not available for your time and date we’ll recommend an available Associate instead, and provide examples of their work for your peace of mind. If you’re happy you’ll book through us as usual, the Associate Photographer will shoot on the day, I’ll edit their work in our style, and deliver the finished images via our own gallery service.

James G.

James is an experienced event & headshot photographer based in SW London. As one of our Associates James has shot for clients including Peloton and MarketforceLive, both solo and as part of a team.

Alastair

Based in Essex, Al is an accomplished corporate & commercial photographer and a proud Event Photography Awards winner - like me! As our Associate he's shot for PACT and Korn Ferry, both solo and in a team.

Liz

Liz is a creative photographer based in central London, specialising in weddings and events. As our Associate Liz has shot for MarketforceLive, Vacherin, and Canary Wharf Group - both solo and on a team.

James E.

Another Essex-based photographer, James E. specialises in corporate and private events and like Alastair and myself is a regular at the Event Photography Awards. Image coming soon...