In October 2025, I returned to the NEC Birmingham to photograph Grand Designs Live for the fourth time. Commissioned by exhibition organiser Media 10, my coverage combined portraits, opening-day publicity and photographs of the show in full swing.
The exhibition ran for three days. I photographed the two busiest: opening day and Saturday, with Kevin McCloud attending both. As a massive Grand Designs fan who must have watched nearly every episode, getting to spend two working days with my TV hero is an absolute treat.
Before the doors open with Kevin McCloud
Opening day begins before the visitors arrive. We walk around the exhibition looking for interesting displays that Kevin can interact with, creating portraits that connect him with the show.
The pink telephone box was an opportunity to have some fun. Photographs like this give the publicity team a recognisable personality, a distinctive setting and a strong image to work with.
We also make time for a staged ribbon-cutting photograph before the public opening. There is an actual ribbon cutting to cover later, but the advance photograph gives us a separate opportunity to get the shot before the pace changes.
Opening the show and getting photographs to the press
Once the doors open, I photograph the actual ribbon cutting and the crowds entering the exhibition. The quiet preparation of the morning quickly becomes a busy live event.
After capturing those opening moments, I take a scheduled 30-minute break from photographing. It is not really a break: I show the strongest images to my client, optimise their selection and prepare them for immediate release.
The team then sends those photographs to news outlets to generate interest while the exhibition is still open. That short editing window is an important part of the assignment, giving Media 10 photographs they can put to work straight away.
Seven hours on the exhibition floor
After the first pictures have gone out, I have around seven hours to roam the show and photograph what catches my attention. This is one of the most satisfying parts of the job: the freedom to explore, notice interactions and build a broader picture of the exhibition.
There is plenty happening away from the headline appearances. Conversations on stands, visitors asking questions and exhibitors explaining their products all help show what it feels like to be there.
The talks bring another rhythm to the day. I photograph the speakers and discussions, then turn towards the audience. A smile, a laugh or an attentive expression can say a great deal about how a session is being received.
A familiar show with plenty to discover
By my fourth time photographing Grand Designs Live, I knew the rhythm of the assignment: portraits before opening, the arrival of the crowds, a quick turnaround for the press and then hours of exploring the show.
Even with that familiarity, there is always something different to photograph. The displays change, the conversations unfold naturally and the visitors bring their own energy. Add around 25,000 steps to the day, and it is a busy, thoroughly satisfying couple of days behind the camera.
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