Commercial Photography for an Interiors Brand, Preston.

Behind-the-scenes at Plumbs – from inside the curtain factory into customer homes in Preston, Lancashire.

I was recently commissioned by Plumbs, a family business based in Preston, Lancashire who have specialised in beautifully bespoke sofa covers, made-to-measure curtains and handcrafted reupholstery since 1953. I love a good nosey and was thrilled to be invited into the factory to make some documentary portraits of the staff and behind-the-scenes details as they worked, making made-to-measure curtains and blinds at Brookhouse Mill where the company had been since the 1970’s - and then into client’s homes to see the finished results.

It was so important for Plumbs to create a library of images to reflect the heritage and craftsmanship of the business, the aim of the shoot was to show the full story behind the product, from how things are made through to how they look and feel in a customer’s home.

With brand photography, story really matters. There’s so much skill, care and heritage behind what they do here at Plumbs, and this is not always something you can communicate with product-only imagery, my job was to capture the process honestly, showing the craftsmanship, skill and personalities within the business.

Inside the factory

My approach to all types of photography is always natural and observational rather than staged, particularly inside the factory. It’s a working environment so I don’t want to disturb the natural flow, the focus was on documenting what was already happening without getting in the way; the small details, the repetition, and the skill involved in making everything by hand.

I spent some time observing the way the people worked; measuring, cutting, sewing, and interacting with each other, it was such a lovely atmosphere, I really wanted to get that across with the photographs. After I observed each person I took a lightly directed portrait of them so that each member of staff could be showcased in the companies marketing materials.

Here’s a few images from inside the factory:

---

In customers’ homes

The second part of the shoot took place in customers’ homes around Preston. This is where everything came together, seeing the finished curtains and blinds in real, lived-in spaces. The focus here was on keeping things honest and real, documenting the curtain installation, no over-styling or heavy intervention, it was just about making sure the images reflect how the products actually look and feel in real homes.

From process to outcome

One of the most valuable parts of this kind of photoshoot is being able to connect the two sides, how something is made, and how it ends up being used. Showing both the behind-the-scenes factory process and the finished result helps build trust, and gives customers a clearer understanding of what goes into the product, while also helping them visualise it in their own space.

For brands, it also means having a more complete set of imagery to work with, content that can be used across websites, brochures and marketing without feeling disconnected and all of this was achieved in just 1 day, capturing the factory in the morning and customer homes in the afternoon.

Here’s a few images from the installation and end result inside customer homes:

---

Links of interest:

Client: Plumbs

---

Interested in brand /commercial photography for your business, people and environment?

If you’re looking for a commercial photographer in Yorkshire (and across the UK) to photograph your products, behind-the-scenes, process or your team, you can find more information here.

---

View more brand photography stories in the journal gallery