If you know my work, you know me as a wedding photographer. And I love that - I always will.

What not everyone knows is that I started out in portrait photography. Fashion, lifestyle, real people in real light - that is where I learned my craft. Weddings took over, as they do when you are busy, but I have always missed that side of the work. The slower shoot, the creative collaboration, the chance to really craft an image around one person.

So in 2026, I am getting back into it properly.

As part of that, I have started collaborating with Capo Management, run by my good friend Steven Colwell. Capo is a not-for-profit management company which supports talented young people in sport - mentoring, guidance and opportunity rather than just contracts.

Steve is well known in North East rugby - Bishop Auckland, Durham County, over 600 games coaching Bishop Auckland 1st XV, and now Director of Rugby at North East XV. His philosophy has always been collaboration, empowerment and hard work. Successes include Maëlle Picut (Stade Toulousain & France), Axelle Berthoumieu (Blagnac & France), Alec Clarey (Saracens) and Davey Grant (UFC).

It is a perfect fit for me. Working with athletes gives me that portrait challenge I have been craving - strength, movement, personality, but shot with a fashion and lifestyle feel, not a typical sports picture.

Last week was our first big shoot of the year together, with sporting royalty - Kelly Arbey.

Kelly is a winger/fullback for Stade Toulousain and France. Born 9 May 2005 in the Tarn region, she started rugby at four, inspired by her older brother, coming through RC Revélois, Puylaurens AC and Castres Olympique before signing with Toulouse in 2022.

She is a true multi-sport athlete - tennis, football, judo and climbing alongside rugby. She won U18 Six Nations Grand Slams with France in 2022 and 2023, became European U18 Sevens Champion, and at just 18 earned her first senior call-up, debuting on the wing against Ireland in the 2024 Six Nations.

In 2025 she was a key part of France's Six Nations squad and was named in the French side for the 2025 Women's Rugby World Cup, playing at Twickenham in the bronze final run. Now in 2026 at 20, with 11 caps already, she is established as one of the most exciting backs in world rugby.

To have someone of her calibre in front of my camera for my return to portrait work was a privilege.

Part 2 - The Shoot: Gallery, Green Tree and a Whole Lot of Designer Clobber

For our first big portrait / fashion shoot of 2026, we started at No. Three Fine Art Gallery in Bishop Auckland.

No. Three is owned and curated by Steve Colwell, and it is a wonderful space to shoot in. High ceilings, beautiful natural light, and walls covered in original work. It holds works by both local and international artists - including artists such as North East painters Tom McGuinness, George Robson and Myles Meehan, alongside contemporary textile, ceramic and photographic work. It is exactly the sort of creative backdrop I wanted for coming back to portrait work.

This shoot was a real collaboration. Badge Clothing in The Metro Centre came on board and supplied us with an amazing range of designer clothing. Badge are based in Platinum Mall, Metro Centre and are known for stocking proper designer labels, so we had a rail to die for. Holly from Badge joined us on the day to get some behind-the-scenes footage for social media.

Joining us as well was Mark Solan from The Solan Connor Fawcett Family Cancer Trust. Mark founded the Trust in 2015 after losing his mum and grandmother to cancer - it started with him raising £21,315 from a white-collar boxing event and is now a Spennymoor-based charity supporting hundreds of families across County Durham and the North East with grants, wigs, wellbeing support and relaxation rooms. Mark will be helping to sponsor Kelly in the future, and we wanted to support him back.

Here is how the day ran - in full:

We started in the gallery with some Lacoste - clean, classic, perfect for Kelly and that beautiful gallery light. We kept it minimal - minimal posing, lots of movement, letting Kelly's athleticism do the work. The polos and knitwear framed her so well against the paintings, it immediately set the tone: sport meets fashion.

We then moved onto C.P. Company with a few shots inside and outside around the streets of Bishop Auckland for a more urban edge. The famous lens detail, the garment-dyed overshirts - they have a weight and attitude that suits an international rugby player perfectly. We shot on the pavement outside the gallery, using the old stone and doorways as texture. Cool for October, but Kelly made it look effortless.

We then shot some sportswear by DJK outside for a more gritty, street look, followed by some Voice Of Defiance. This was my favourite part photographically. DJK is pure North East - bold, uncompromising - and we leaned into it. Concrete, back alleys, hands in pockets, direct to camera. Then Voice Of Defiance brought a slightly more graphic, statement edge. Kelly switched from model to athlete in a heartbeat.

We then shot some of The Solan Connor Fawcett Family Cancer Trust merchandise to help Mark with promotion for the charity. This part meant a lot to all of us. Kelly was brilliant with this - genuinely passionate about helping, not just posing in a hoody. We took our time here, got some softer, more connected portraits that Mark can actually use to raise awareness.

Next we moved to The Green Tree, where our good friend Chris Creamer opened the pub to let us shoot in a more casual, lived-in setting. A complete change of scene, and exactly what we needed.

We started with some Aquascutum at the pool table and the dartboard - classic British heritage brand, check pattern, trench detailing, but worn completely relaxed. Leaning over the table, cue in hand, laughing between frames. More C.P. Company around the pub followed - in the snug, at the bar, by the window light.

And then Evisu - the most fun of the day. Bold denim, big graphics, Japanese streetwear with attitude. We shot in the pub, outside the pub, and posing with Steve's jeep parked right outside. The jeep gave us that extra element - rugged, authentic, not studio. Kelly was jumping on and off it, hair down, owning every frame.

Finally we headed back to the gallery to photograph some Canterbury sporting clothing which they had sent up for Kelly - back to her roots as a rugby player, but shot with a fashion eye. We treated it like a high-fashion sports editorial - tight crops, detail shots, movement, not just a standard kit shot. From couture to street to charity to pub to sport - we had come full circle.

Kelly was fantastic to work with all day. A fantastic model, a lovely person, great fun, and completely professional throughout - never complained once, even stood outside in October in a t-shirt when I asked. You don't get to be an international athlete without that toughness and grace. I hope to work with her again in the future.

There is too much good stuff for one post, so I will be posting more over on Instagram this week.

A huge thank you to Steve at Capo Management and No. Three Fine Art Gallery, Holly at Badge Clothing in the Metro Centre, Mark at The Solan Connor Fawcett Family Cancer Trust, Canterbury and Chris at The Green Tree for making it happen.

If this sort of portrait / fashion / lifestyle work is something you would like for yourself, your brand or your team - I am now taking bookings alongside weddings for 2026.

That is really why I wanted to write this series. Weddings will always be at the heart of what I do, but getting back into portraiture has reminded me how much I love working one-to-one, building a look around a person.

So if you are an athlete who wants more than just a standard action shot - a proper fashion-led portfolio for sponsors and social media.

If you are a brand - clothing like Badge, a charity like Team Solan, or a local business like The Green Tree - and you want campaign-level images that feel real, shot in real locations in the North East.

If you are a team, a management company like Capo, or a coach who wants to raise the profile of your players.

Or if it is just for you - you want some portraits that feel confident, stylish, and current. Not awkward studio poses, but relaxed, editorial, you at your best.

That is what I am offering now. Portrait, fashion and lifestyle sessions, shot in Bishop Auckland at No. Three Fine Art Gallery or on location, with that same approach you saw with Kelly.

I am taking bookings now for late 2026 alongside my wedding diary. Just drop me a message and we can talk through ideas.

John