About Ian Wood
Commercial Photographer, Filmmaker and Visual Storyteller in the Lake District
Hi, I'm Ian.
I'm a commercial photographer based in Kendal, Cumbria, working with businesses across the Lake District, the North West and throughout the UK.
For more than 15 years I've helped brands, tourism businesses, hotels, manufacturers, outdoor companies, retailers and professional services firms tell their stories through photography, film and drone content. My work has taken me from local family-run businesses to international brands, creating images and campaigns that help organisations connect with customers, build trust and grow.
What makes my approach slightly different is that photography wasn't my first career.
After studying Art and Design, I began my working life in Kendal with Sports Print, learning the realities of small business from the ground up. Over the following decade I worked with clients, managed projects and gained a practical understanding of how businesses operate, market themselves and communicate with customers.
From there I moved into the corporate world with Wella Professionals, part of Procter & Gamble, where I spent more than ten years helping salon businesses develop and grow. Alongside this I completed my Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma, gaining a deeper understanding of branding, marketing strategy, customer behaviour and commercial decision-making.
Those experiences still shape the way I work today.
When I photograph a hotel, a manufacturer, an architect, a tourism organisation or a professional services business, I'm not simply looking for nice pictures. I'm thinking about audience, brand positioning, customer perception, website performance, social media, PR opportunities and the wider marketing goals behind the project.
Photography is only part of the job.
Understanding what the images need to achieve is equally important.
Today I work with businesses of all sizes, creating commercial photography, brand photography, lifestyle imagery, interiors photography, headshots, marketing content, film production and drone photography. I also regularly support television, film and commercial productions in the Lake District as part of location management and scouting teams.
My clients value straightforward advice, a calm approach and someone who can translate business objectives into visual content that actually works.
When I'm not behind a camera you'll usually find me somewhere in the fells with Oz, my Border Collie. I'm a barefoot runner, occasional ultra-marathon participant, cold-water dipper and coffee enthusiast. I stopped drinking in 2020 and these days prefer a simpler, slower pace of life, usually wearing minimalist sandals and spending as much time outdoors as possible.
That connection to the landscape is one of the reasons I enjoy photographing businesses in Cumbria and the Lake District. Whether it's a luxury hotel overlooking Windermere, a growing local business in Kendal or a national brand launching a new campaign, I believe the best images come from understanding both the people and the place behind the story.