Capturing the energy of Royal Run 2024 was an unforgettable experience! 📸✨ This was my sixth time photographing the event in Copenhagen and Frederiksberg, and for the first time, I felt completely confident that every shot showcased the immense hard work and preparation behind Denmark's biggest sporting event. This confidence was thanks to the incredibly tight, well-organized, and experienced team I had the privilege of working with, making our job as photographers seamless and enjoyable. One of the most exhilarating moments was when thousands of runners approached me on Frederiksberg Allé, creating an adrenaline rush that was impossible to ignore. With drums beating in my ears and the crowd swelling, my heart raced and my breath quickened. But the proudest moment came in the press room at Skuespilhuset. Unbeknownst to me, my portrait of King Frederik was being used as a permanent backdrop for the live television coverage of the day. Seeing it on the big screen, I almost dropped my camera! There's nothing we photographers love more than seeing our images everywhere! Huge thanks to Camilla Hylleberg, Lars Møller, Suzanne Meyer, Marianne Skytte and Signe Sjølund Torp, who made the day so much fun and worked tirelessly to achieve great things. Not to mention the teams from Sparta Atletik & Løb and Danmarks Idrætsforbund (DIF) #RoyalRun2024 #EventPhotography

𝙀𝘜𝐑𝐎𝑽𝐼𝗦𝑰𝙊𝑵 2024 𝐏𝙍𝗘-𝐏𝗔𝑅𝑇𝙔 Admittedly, I haven't been a massive fan of the Eurovision Song Contest over the years. Most Brits don't really follow it, and if it wasn't for the hilarious commentary from the BBC's late Terry Wogan, most couldn't be bothered to tune in. Last week, however, I had a genuine change of heart. Invited to photograph a pre-Eurovision party on behalf of the British Embassy in Sweden, I was swept into the glam world of all things Eurovision. After a handful of emotional speeches on what the contest means to the audience and participants, I realised that there IS an important message of inclusion aimed at minority groups and outsiders. I'm not here for a debate on the political ethics of such a show (although I'm sure the Google algorithm would love that). But I am here to gently remind you that we all have our prejudices, which can soon be eradicated once we put ourselves in other people's shoes. That evening we were treated to an intimate performance from Olly Alexander, and, despite the UK finishing in 18th place, it was clear just how much time and talent had been spent on "just" one song. However, for the assembled audience, that one song held immense significance.

Sunday was my 10th @cphmarathon as a photographer, and it doesn’t get any easier.

With a sold out crowd, trying to get from A to B - with two cameras and a bike - felt impossible at times, but somehow I survived.

As always, there were plenty of surprises along the route, including the ruins of the burnt down Børsen building, and the moment the elite “caught up” with the other participants.

Shout out to everyone who crossed the start line today… I hope you had a wicked day in our wonderful city!

https://www.photographybymatthewjames.com/p/sports-photography

It's been just two weeks since the fire at Børsen, and already I can feel the 'surprise' reaction when I stumble across one of my forgotten images of the tower in my archive. This one shows Elise from Yogi Who Travel, taken back in 2018. She'd asked me to choose a handful of locations around Copenhagen where she could be photographed holding a series of yoga poses. Naturally the Børsen Tower instantly came to mind. My mum visited this weekend and we took a drive past the ruins. I have to admit, I was shocked to see just how much of the original structure is now missing. But, as sad as it is, it also reminds me how quickly people can come together for a good cause. Once the flames took hold, a cross section of society helped out wherever they could, and the sorrow of losing such an iconic structure is felt on people across the planet, not just Copenhagen. Personally, I'm grateful that our generation was one of the last to see the intertwined dragons, and even more grateful that I was able to photograph it on multiple occasions.

Ever since BREXIT and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the topic of EU expansion has never been more relevant. The Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium, alongside Tænketanken EUROPA, orchestrated a dynamic conference last Monday, sparking engaging discussions on "Engaging Citizens on the Road to EU Enlargement." With insights drawn from the latest polling data and analyses by experts like Prof. Virginie Van Ingelgom, Prof. Marlene Wind, PhD, and Iben Schacke-Barfoed, attendees delved into the benefits and challenges of enlargement and reforms. Emphasising the importance of communication and dialogue with citizens, the event featured a spirited debate with three MEPs: Tom Vandenkendelaere from Belgium, Kira Marie P. from the Group of the Greens, and Morten Løkkegaard from Renew Europe. As a Brit living in Denmark, I'm genuinely fascinated by the ongoing debate of the influence of the EU upon its member states. I may not have voted FOR Brexit, but I feel the repercussions on a regular basis. Many thanks to Thomas Castermant and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Belgium for hiring me to document this eye-opening debate.

https://www.photographybymatthewjames.com/p/event-photography

A significant win for cultural heritage preservation, thanks to the joint efforts of Dr. Ittai Gradel, Denmark's Thorvaldsens Museum and The British Museum. As a history buff myself, it's a delight to see one of my portraits playing a part in such an intriguing saga. For those not fully acquainted with the details, Dr. Gradel bravely blew the whistle on stolen artefacts from London's renowned museum. Now, seven months down the line, The Art Newspaper reports that the Danish museum played a pivotal role in facilitating the recovery of a second, larger set of stolen pieces. As my professional photography career enters its 16th year, stories like this remind me of why I ventured into this industry in the first place – a passion for stories, and the privilege of documenting history in all its facets. Many thanks to Katherine Hardy for the commission, and for turning my attention to the development of the story. You can read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dC8AXp9M

🎉 Finally! I've made it into the Guinness World Records :-) 🌍✨

OK, so technically I haven't done anything groundbreaking that warrants an official mention in their prestigious annual book, but my photos feature in the 2024 edition.

Earlier this year I was commissioned to photograph Amanda Elonga Staalsø and her horse Charlie, who have broken not one, but two world records.

To be more accurate, Amanda can claim "Most Scissor Transitions on Horseback in 30 seconds" ✂️🐎 and "Most Standing Jumps on Horseback in 30 seconds". 🐎🌟

Obviously I'm beyond thrilled to be a part of their incredible journey. It's a privilege to see my work featured in the 2024 edition of the Guinness World Records! Huge thanks to Amanda and Charlie for letting me capture these jaw-dropping moments.

Cheers to breaking boundaries and making history! I think tonight I'll celebrate by enjoying a pint or three of Guinness. (As if I ever need an excuse!)🥂

#GuinnessWorldRecords#EquestrianExcellence#PhotographyAdventures

AI saves the day... again! There's a new-ish feature in Adobe Lightroom that has come to the rescue on a number of occasions, but on Wednesday night it truly stepped up to the podium. Tasked with photographing a private event at the Planetarium Copenhagen for International Powered Access Federation (IPAF), I was a little taken aback when I realised just how dark it was going to be in there. Makes sense – it's a planetarium! In these situations, flash photograph is always an option, but it can also ruin the mood somewhat. All those stars, planets and colours get washed away with a sudden burst of bright light, and I wanted to avoid using it as much as possible. The solution is to increase the camera's ISO settings, which essentially boosts the available ambient light – a bit like using a microphone when someone's speaking softly. But with increased ISO comes increased grain, and the images start to appear fuzzy. This isn't usually an issue at ISO 5000 (my go-to amount), but inside the darkness of the Planetarium's interior, I needed at least 10,000. This puts significant strain on the camera sensor, as it heats up to lend a hand. Back in the office I was faced with a conundrum: manually edit each image to remove the grain, or test Lightroom's "Denoise" feature across multiple images all at once. I felt it was definitely time to try out the latter, so I selected a batch of 150 images and waited for the technology to do its thing. Thirty minutes and one cup of strong coffee later, the results were in. Naturally I was expecting the images to look great, but I was more impressed with the amount of time I saved. Instead of going through the photos one-by-one and fixing them, I'd gained an additional half-an-hour, which I used to get on with other tasks. People often ask me whether I'm concerned about AI taking over my job. I'm not. But I am looking forward to seeing what other technical problems it can help me solve in the near future, so that I can continue to offer my clients a high level of professional service and high quality images. Thanks to Steven Webb and the team at KHL Group for trusting me with this assignment, and congratulations to all the winners and nominees of the IAPAs https://www.photographybymatthewjames.com/p/event-photography

In a recent post, I delved into the transformative power of AI in photo editing. Reflecting on a recent challenge, I found myself grappling with grainy images due to heightened ISO settings in a dimly lit environment. Learning from this experience, I meticulously selected my camera gear for my next assignment: capturing the ambiance of a cocktail event at a CPH:DOX after-party. This marked my second venture with Sandbox Films, a New York-based client, and I was determined to showcase consistent quality beyond the initial success of last year. Departing from my usual lens choices, I opted for a dynamic duo: a 35mm and an 85mm, respectively. Now, you might be thinking, "Switching lenses—what's the big deal?" But believe me, it made all the difference. Armed with these new tools, I approached the event with renewed creativity and style. Colours, shapes and objects took on a whole new perspective, and I felt a genuine spark of revitalised inspiration. Additionally, given the familiar dim lighting, I aimed to minimise post-processing time spent on grain correction, prioritising capturing crisp, captivating shots in the moment. And the ironic thing? I was planning on selling my 35mm, as I never use it! I think I might hang on to it a little longer now. A massive thanks and congratulations to Jessica Harrop, Sam Lazar Riviello and the rest of the team at Simons Foundation. Looking forward to next year's event already :-)

PORTRAITS FROM "THE TUBE"

Next time you're walking through Copenhagen Central Station, look up. Just above the entrance, where the former TV2 studios used to be, The Tube awaits – offering an immersive and interactive experience for the whole family.

A quick Google search turns up a whole bunch of vivid images, which I'm proud to say I created. With so many shapes. colours, lights and mirrors, it's not a difficult place to find photographic inspiration, but that doesn't make it a straight-forward assignment.

This was the kind of photo shoot where light bounced off every surface, and I had to check carefully for my own reflection. It takes a crazy amount of Photoshop to fix that easy-to-make error, and I confess I made it at least once (that I know of).

I'm super pleased with the final results, however, especially as I know they'll be used to promote The Tube far and wide.

Thanks to David van Luijn, Henri Pierre Sokou, the models, and the team at Tourism Group International for making this happen.

P.S. The ultraviolet "zombie" experience is super weird and definitely worth checking out!

#fotograf #copenhagen #photographer #københavn

Portrait Photographer in Copenhagen

EDITORIAL PHOTOS FROM CHRISTIANIA

There's been a lot of talk again about Pusher Street, the infamous area of Christiania where drugs are openly bought and sold. So, I just wanted to point out that there are more interesting people, groups and businesses operating out of Freetown Christiania, including the blacksmith Charlotte Steen from Kvindesmedien, pictured here for The Telegraph Charlotte's workshop is full of imaginative items and objects that she and her team have created, and no substances are required to enjoy them. To get this shot I had to be quick, as Charlotte was quite busy. As you can see, the room is pretty dark (which is actually a good thing in this scenario), so I placed a remote flash just to the right of the camera and pointed it towards her. "How should I stand?" she asked. "Exactly how you are," I replied. Done!

You can see learn more about my Editorial Photography in Copenhagen here

#PressPhotographer #PortraitPhotographer #Copenhagen #Denmark #EditorialPhotographer #Christiania

Pop-Up Portrait Studio

I was always taught to leave things as you find them. In this case, it's the very tidy library and meeting room used by the talented team at bro

When it's not being used to train the brain or Zoom calls, I rearrange it as a pop-up photo studio for staff portraits. It's one of my favourite places to work, as I can browse the shelves for a good book while waiting for each person to drop by for their portrait.

A typical session looks like this:

• 9am - Arrival and Setup • 9.45am - Grab a coffee and a glass of water • 9.55am - Get a Spotify playlist going (so there aren't any awkward silences) • 10am - Invite the first employee into the 'studio' • Each image appears on the laptop screen in real-time. We select the best • 10.07am - The next person is invited. Repeat until finished. • 12pm - Break for lunch • 12.30pm - Pack gear away and tidy room • 1pm - Finished for the day

If you'd like to learn more about working together or see a selection of portraits, visit my Company Headshots page

Delegation of Flanders: Event Photography

My first full time job, aged 18, was working for a Belgian-themed restaurant on the island of Jersey.

Twenty-three years later, I find myself working with a group of genuine Belgians and still enjoying their awesome selection of beers and pommes frites :-)

And as an added bonus, I had the pleasure of seeing Mogens Dahl Koncertsal with my own eyes for the first time. Wonderful place!

Thanks to Lauren Van Alsenoy, PhD, Dries Willems and the rest of the team at the Delegation of Flanders in the Nordic Countries.

#EventPhotographer #EventFotograf #Copenhagen #København #Fotograf

Event Photographer in Copenhagen

Your favourite picture of Copenhagen revealed!

You voted for it, and now this framed aerial photo of Kastellet in Copenhagen is hanging proudly on the office wall.

It faced some stiff competition from a wide selection of images, but in the end the result was clear. And it got me wondering why this photo in particular was so popular.

Personally I feel it must be the star-shaped fortress that leads the eye into the rest of the motif. For many Copenhageners, we only get to see Kastellet from the side while cycling past, or from its lofty ramparts during a brisk run around the parameter. But here the fort stands colourful and proud, bathed in sunshine and flanked by its deep blue moat. It stands out like a sore thumb against the background of apartments, office buildings and streets.

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to vote. Let me know what you think makes this photo so unique in the comments below.

#fotograf #copenhagen #photographer #københavn

Photographing Seagulls for Natur & Miljø Magazine.

Seagulls: beautiful creatures or a right royal pain in the arse?

It seems that this debate causes quite a stir on social media, so I'm intrigued to find out what you think about these flying Donald Trumps (also known as 'måger' in Danish).

When the phone rang and the journalist explained what the story was about, my first response was: "I hate seagulls too!" She sounded a little taken aback and replied: "Oh, I think they're beautiful birds."

The article, published in Natur & Miljø magazine, told the story of the owner of a Camping & Autocamper business in Slagelse. His issue was with all the excrement that the birds "left behind" on his vehicles, and the amount of time and money spent on cleaning it all up. Fair enough, I thought. But don't the birds have a right to be there too?

I've had a love/hate relationship with seagulls ever since I lived in the UK seaside town of Newquay. They'd swoop down and steal your ice cream/burger/chips, and if it was a kid they attacked, well... you can imagine the tears.

During the early hours of the morning, the killings would begin. Someone nearby was shooting them with a pellet gun or air rifle, and we were forced to close the windows to drown out the constant 'cawing' sounds the birds would make.

Even the newspapers were full of tales of poisoned gulls, or birds with darts through their throats.

Don't get me wrong; I'm not condoning this kind of behaviour. But it proves that it's a controversial subject that isn't going away any time soon.

Having never photographed them before, I admit to feeling a little different after following their movements with a long lens for a while. I watched them watching me, and I noticed how elegant they appeared against the deep blue of the sky as they flew overhead. But to be fair, none of them were taking a dump on my head or trying to steal my cheese sandwich! The jury's still out on this one.

Trust is something you should place in the hands of a good photographer

Trust. That's a word that often springs to mind when I'm out there photographing certain people and events. And this recent assignment in Farum with the Crown Prince of Denmark was one of those times.

I think to myself, "How did I get to be in such a position of trust that these people allow me to get so close to the next in line to the throne?" Equally, how important is it for all those involved in this year's Royal Run for me to get these images right? The answer to the latter is VERY. With last year's event cancelled, the pressure is on to make this one work, and safety is at the forefront of everyone's mind. In order to get people to join the race, the PR and marketing team are working around the clock to promote the event, so screwing up the shoot wasn't an option.

Check out the above image of Crown Prince Frederik standing in front of the Start Portal. With the sun behind the prince, the use of flash was an absolute must, and this is one area of photography that I'm proud to have experience in. Trust me: not every photographer is comfortable using flash.

And there's that word again: Trust

Orange and blue... that'll do.

Out of the blue (can you see the creative link there) the photo assignments have been thundering in lately, starting with this one for DEAS. They required press photos to announce their newest CEO, Rikke Lykke, and when she arrived in this eye-catching blue dress, I knew we had to find a colourful location to balance things out. So I led her to a hidden alleyway that has worked so well for me in the past, and the results are clear to see.

Interestingly, I broke a fundamental rule of photography in this particular shot, as Rikke is looking out of the scene instead of into it. However, we all agreed that the image still looked great and it became one of the main shots used by the company.

Looking forward to meeting Rikke for coffee on Friday morning to discuss further projects together 🙂