Manchester Portrait Photographer
If you’ve landed here because you’re looking for a portrait photographer in Manchester, hello!
I’m Priti, a Manchester-based photographer, and I’ve been photographing people, musicians, artists, events and all sorts of interesting things for more than 10 years.
My photography journey started with music, and I still spend a lot of my time photographing live shows, artists and events. I’ve worked with publications including Kerrang!, NME and The Guardian, as well as organisations and brands including Manchester International Festival, BBC Introducing and Under Armour. I’ve also had my work exhibited at Manchester Museum – which was a pretty special moment for me.
But somewhere along the way, I realised that a lot of what I love about music photography is exactly what I love about portrait photography too.
It’s people.
It’s personality.
It’s that little moment when someone forgets they’re having their photograph taken and you get something that’s actually them.
And that’s what I want to bring to my portrait photography in Manchester.
So, what makes a good portrait?
For me, it isn’t necessarily about having the perfect pose, perfect hair or knowing exactly what to do in front of a camera.
In fact, most people who come to me tell me some variation of:
“I hate having my photo taken.”
Honestly? Totally fine.
You don’t need to know how to pose. That’s my job.
I’ll guide you through the session, give you ideas and direction when you need it, and we’ll work together to create photographs that feel natural rather than forced.
Because I think the best portraits happen when you’re comfortable.
My background is in music photography – and that influences my portraits
I fell in love with photography through music.
There’s something pretty addictive about standing in a photo pit with a few seconds to capture a moment. The lights are changing, the artist is moving, you’ve got limited time and you don’t get a second chance.
I’ve photographed everything from intimate gigs to major arena and festival shows, working with artists and publications across the UK.
My work has appeared in Kerrang!, NME, The Guardian and other publications, and I’ve photographed artists including major international acts as well as emerging musicians.
Music photography taught me to look for the moment.
The expression.
The movement.
The interaction.
The tiny details that tell you something about a person.
And that’s something I carry with me into every portrait session.
You don’t have to be a musician to benefit from that approach.
Whether you’re a business owner, actor, artist, musician, creative, professional or simply someone who wants some lovely photographs of themselves, I want your portraits to have a bit of life about them.
Portrait Photographer Manchester – Portraits that doesn’t feel awkward
I know having your photograph taken can feel a bit weird.
You’ve got a camera pointed at you and suddenly you’re very aware of what your face is doing, what your hands are doing and whether you’re standing strangely.
We’ve all been there.
That’s why I don’t expect you to arrive knowing how to pose.
We’ll chat.
We’ll try things.
I’ll move you around a little.
We’ll probably have a laugh.
And eventually, you forget about the camera.
That’s usually when the good stuff happens.
My aim is to create portraits that feel relaxed, genuine and full of personality – whether we’re shooting in a studio or out around Manchester.
Portrait Photographer Manchester – What type of portrait photography do I offer?
Portrait photography can mean quite a few different things, so I’m pretty flexible when it comes to what you need.
Professional headshots
Need a new photograph for LinkedIn, your website, a company profile or a press feature?
I can create professional headshots that still look like you.
They don’t have to be overly corporate or boring.
If you’re a creative, entrepreneur, business owner or professional, we can create something polished while keeping your personality in the photographs.
I also offer corporate headshot photography in Manchester, working with individuals and teams.
Personal branding photography
If you’re building a business, your photographs are a huge part of your brand.
And no, personal branding photography doesn’t have to mean standing against a white wall smiling at your laptop!
We can create a mixture of portraits, working photographs, detail shots and environmental images that give you a whole library of content to use across your website, LinkedIn and social media.
I’ve particularly enjoyed working on editorial-style personal branding shoots because they give us much more freedom to tell a story rather than simply taking a headshot.
Musician and artist portraits
This is probably the most obvious crossover from my music photography work.
I’ve photographed musicians for press, promotional campaigns, editorial features and publicity, and I love creating portraits that feel connected to an artist’s personality and music.
A musician’s portrait needs to work hard.
It might end up on a press release, Spotify profile, social media, website, magazine article or promotional campaign.
So we need something that catches the eye but still feels authentic to the artist.
Editorial portraits
Editorial photography is another area I really enjoy.
There’s usually a story behind the photograph, which gives us something to work with.
Rather than simply thinking about what someone’s face looks like, we can think about their environment, their work, their personality and what we want the viewer to feel.
I’ve worked across editorial and documentary-style photography for years, so this way of working feels very natural to me.
Creative portraits
And sometimes you don’t need a reason.
Maybe you’ve had an idea for a shoot for ages.
Maybe you want some photographs just because.
Maybe you’ve got a particular outfit, location or concept you want to try.
I’m always up for something a little different.
Bring me your ideas.
Where can we do your portrait session in Manchester?
One of my favourite things about Manchester is that there are so many different places to photograph.
You’ve got the gritty industrial side of the city, colourful street art, modern architecture, old buildings, canals, parks and loads of little corners that can completely change the feel of a photograph.
We could shoot around the Northern Quarter, head towards Ancoats, use the architecture around Castlefield, or get out somewhere greener such as Heaton Park.
Or we could forget all of that and photograph you somewhere that’s meaningful to you.
Your workplace.
Your studio.
Your favourite café.
Your creative space.
Your home.
Sometimes the most interesting location is simply somewhere that tells us a little bit about who you are.
Studio portrait photography
If you’d prefer something more controlled, we can also work in a studio environment.
Studio photography gives us much more control over the lighting and allows us to create something clean and polished – or dramatic and creative, depending on what you’re after.
My years of shooting live music have given me a pretty good understanding of working with light.
Concert photography is not exactly known for giving photographers lovely, predictable lighting!
You’re often dealing with darkness, coloured lights, smoke, fast movement and constantly changing conditions.
It teaches you to work with whatever you’ve got.
That experience has become a big part of how I approach portrait lighting too.
Why choose me as your Manchester portrait photographer?
There are lots of talented portrait photographers in Manchester, so why me?
Well, hopefully the photographs speak for themselves.
But I also think experience matters.
I’ve spent more than a decade working professionally as a photographer, building a career from the ground up and working across music, events, editorial, commercial and portrait photography.
I’ve photographed in tiny venues, arenas, festivals, corporate spaces and studios.
I’ve worked with people who absolutely love being in front of the camera – and people who really, really don’t.
I’ve had to work quickly.
I’ve had to think on my feet.
I’ve had to deal with difficult lighting, tight deadlines and the occasional bit of chaos!
And through all of that, one thing has remained the same:
I love photographing people.
I love finding what makes someone interesting and trying to translate a little bit of that into a photograph.
You don’t have to be a model
Seriously.
You don’t.
You don’t need to know your “good side”. You don’t need to practise your poses beforehand. And you definitely don’t need to spend three hours worrying about what to wear.
I’ll help you.
We’ll talk beforehand about what you’re looking for, where the photographs will be used and the sort of feel you want.
Then we’ll take it from there.
Some people need lots of direction.
Some people are naturally comfortable in front of a camera.
Most people are somewhere in the middle.
That’s completely normal.
A little bit about me
I’m based in Manchester but work across the UK and beyond.
Although music photography is a huge part of what I do, my work has grown over the years to include portraits, events, editorial photography, corporate work, personal branding and photography training.
I’ve worked with organisations including Manchester International Festival, British Museum, Action for Children, Kerrang! Magazine, NME and BMG Records, alongside brands and clients across different industries.
I’ve also worked on confidential projects under NDA, so there are plenty of shoots I can’t put on the website – which is always slightly frustrating when you’re trying to show people what you’ve been up to!
But that’s the nature of photography.
Every job is different.
And that’s one of the things I love about it.
Let’s create some portraits
So, if you’re looking for a portrait photographer in Manchester, I’d love to hear what you’ve got in mind.
Maybe you need a professional headshot.
Maybe you’re launching a business and need personal branding photographs.
Maybe you’re a musician looking for new press images.
Maybe you’ve got an editorial project.
Or maybe you simply want some photographs of yourself that don’t look like they were taken on your phone.
Whatever it is, drop me a message.
You don’t need to have everything figured out before you get in touch. Tell me what you’re thinking, and we can work it out together.
I’m always happy to have a chat about ideas, locations, styling and what might work best for you.
Let’s create something that feels like you.
P x
Manchester Portrait Photographer | Music Photographer | Editorial Photographer | Personal Branding Photographer
For bookings and enquiries: info@pshikotra.com or via the contact form here
