Earlier in the year, I was asked back, for a second time, by the team at the Midland Fashion Awards (https://www.midlandsfashionawards.co.uk/) to judge their Emerging Fashion Photographer 2019 category. The competition level was extremely high and after selecting 3 finalists and some serious deliberation I chose Lee Leyland (https://www.leeleylandphotography.com/) as the overall winner. Lee and his work really stood out! He has a great understanding of photography both artistically and commercially and his passion to improve and grow as a creator put him just ahead of the other very stiff competition. 

Lee received his trophy from, the lovely, Gemma Hill from Heart FM at the Midland Fashion Awards ceremony in October held at the CBSO in Birmingham. The Emerging Fashion Photographer category was sponsored by The Flash Centre in Birmingham (https://www.theflashcentre.com/) and as the prize for winning the competition, Lee won a day shooting in their studio with the use of a whole array of photography and lighting equipment to experiment with. Lee got to get his hands on the Phase One 100MP large format camera which is a mind-blowing piece of equipment if there are any photography geeks out there.

Last week Lee teamed up with some of the other winners from the Midlands Fashion Awards for his winner’s shoot. It was a busy day but Lee took it in his stride and not only created a set of images for the winner of the Sustainability Designer of the Year category, Serefina Charles, but also a set of beauty images for Chetna Ladwa the winner of the Makeup Artist of the Year category. For the beauty shots, Lee also incorporated some of the incredible accessories supplied by Abigail Burvill, the winner of the MFA Accessory Designer of the Year category 2019.

Lee had a strong idea of how he wanted to shoot both of these different styles of shot and he got some great images that I’m really looking forward to seeing when he releases them. He has kindly sent me one of the unedited images to share for a blog post but I have included a link to his website so you can keep an eye out for them.

It was great to be there in a mentor style capacity and answer any questions Lee had, technical or otherwise, to help him create the images that he had in mind for his shoot. There’s always a lot going on a shoot like this and Lee did brilliantly at working through his ideas and making sure that he and the whole team from the Midland Fashion Awards were happy with the outcome of the shoot.

For me, it was a rewarding and really enjoyable experience being a judge for the Midland Fashion Awards and I’m sure I picked the right winner in Lee. I can’t speak for Lee but I hope that he enjoyed the shoot and learnt a few things along the way, not only from me but the experience as a whole. I’m really looking forward to seeing where Lee and his career go and if I can be of any help along the way I will do all I can! Us creatives have to stick together!

Thank you to all of the team involved in the shoot and a special thanks to Kev, Brian and Stu @ The Flash Centre, Birmingham for sponsoring the award and providing such a great prize for Lee.

I guess all that’s left to say is…

‘And the winner is Lee Leyland. Midland Fashion Awards Emerging Fashion Photographer of the Year, 2019’

MIDLAND FASHION AWARD TEAM CREDITS:

Photographer: Lee Leyland

Client: Midland Fashion Awards

MUAs: Chetna Ladwa + Miriam Bibi

Designer: Serefina Rose Charles

Accessories Designer: Abigail Burvill

Models: Maddie, Guy, Alex, Rishi, Mobolaj

Studio: The Flash Centre Birmingham.

CHECK OUT A FEW BTS IPHONE SNAPS TAKEN ON THE DAY BELOW.