This editorial project celebrates local shopkeepers and the relationship they have with their spaces, and they’re all along the same strip in Didsbury Village, South Manchester. We have flower shop Flourish, cafe and bookshop The Art of Tea, butchers Axons of Didsbury, and hardware shop Broadbents.

Lighting people is easy, and lighting spaces is easy, but the challenge here is to make the premises a character in the picture too. In each case I’ve focused on very intentional lighting that connects the owner to the space, while keeping everything feeling natural. It’s a lot of plates to spin. It was hard to organise this shoot, trying to get three at least done in one day, while also respecting the fact that once they let me in carrying all my gear during business hours, I’m a bit of a nuisance.

These images were all shot on a Hasselblad X2Dii, on a 38mm prime lens. If I add to the set down the line (and I’d like to!) I’ll use the same lens and lighting style to keep the feel consistent.