David Hicks
Aerial Photography and Videography
Aerial Photography and Videography
David Hicks
John Lennon Childhood Cottage

“Yessss David you did it again! Magic. I showed the contractor who focused on the kitchen the photos you previewed on FaceBook and he was so made up.
Thank you again! You'll be our primary contact for photos from here on out.
-Kara” 


John Lennon Childhood Cottage
David Hicks
Lord Street Renovation Project
Lord Street Renovation Project

Commercial Photography

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CAA Qualified UAV (Drone) Pilot

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I now have my certificate from the CAA to enable me to operate the drone commercially. There are understandably various restrictions and regulations that must be adhered to for safety reasons but in the right location and conditions, it can produce beautiful results. 

It could be for many different requirements for an aerial drone, and below are just a few examples of how they have been used recently.

  • Marketing of a property or farm for sale or let
  • Roof inspections to prevent having to erect expensive and time consuming scaffolding
  • Construction inspections and update videos
  • Farm's aerial crop surveys
  • Promotional material for a company website
  • Sports and recreational events from a new and exciting angle
  • As a gift for somebody with a boat so they have a photo/video to treasure
  • Golf course hole-by-hole flyby's
  • Camping and caravan site for marketing and website use

I am available to hire and can discuss the different options with clients if they want to contact me by phone or email. Let me know what you are thinking of and we can decide how and when it would be best to go ahead with the project. 

Not only are the fees likely to be less than most people would imagine, I also offer the service that the client pays for the photographs or videos on delivery and only when they are completely satisfied. Although for obvious reasons, I will always strive to get the best results that both myself and my client are happy with first time.

In the event of the conditions not being suitable to fly, we will have to rearrange but there will be no expense to the client for that. It will be rearranged on a mutually convenient day for both parties.  

I look forward to hearing from anybody with their thoughts. 

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Drone Photography

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It may have been the hardest thing I have ever done, but I passed my flight assessment two weeks ago and I am now just waiting for the official confirmation and certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority to enable me to operate it commercially. 

If anybody has any requirements for great quality aerial images or 4K UHD video, please let me know. The turnaround time expected from the CAA is 28 days, so I have approximately 2-3 weeks and then I will start flying.

If you have an idea of what you would like, contact me and we can make some arrangements to get an appointment organised and if it is within the strict CAA regulations we can fly the Typhoon and get the results that you need whether it's for business or pleasure. 

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Wiggett Homes

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My new client Wiggett Homes www.wiggett.co.uk commissioned me to take images of their converted Children's Hospital in Pendlebury, Oaklands Lodge. There are a range of 1 and 2 bedroom luxury apartments and the show homes were ready so they required some quality photographs for their website. 

They also have some stunning detached luxury houses at Grasscroft Heights overlooking Saddleworth Moor and with stunning open views to the front over the hills. The large properties are built to a very high specification including under floor heating, piped music system and media rooms. A small selection of the photographs I supplied for them are below. Check their website www.wiggett.co.uk for further information. 

New Equipment - Product Photography

I decided it was time to expand the business and offer a wider range of professional services including product photography so that clients can come to me for all of their commercial photography requirements. To enable me to do this it is essential to have a first class macros lens, pin sharp prime lens, lighting, flashes, new tripod and a light tent. The light tent along with the tripod and macro lens enables me to capture beautiful close up images of products as required by any business that needs superb sharp images to advertise on websites, in magazines and newspapers and of course in their own brochures and catalogues.

I have been perfecting various techniques and lighting set-ups required for different products and now feel I am able to offer this as an additional service, however would still welcome the opportunity for further experience and therefore if there are any clients that have the need for some product shots, please let me know and I will be happy to provide some images for a very small cost, just to cover expenses. 

A few examples are below and I will add to these as I capture more over the course of the next few days. 

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House Simple

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I have been selected to work with House Simple as one of their representatives supplying the professional photographs along with floorplans for the new instructions that come onto the market with them. 

I work around the North West region and some of the images I have taken so far are below:

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Kirkland Hall Cottages

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I have been asked to photograph some lovely cottages on the edge of the Pennines overlooking the Eden Valley and close to the Lake District.

There are four self catering cottages and are all beautifully presented with many original features including beamed ceilings and open fires with wood burners. The owners converted all four and their own cottage themselves using reclaimed wood from a whisky distillery. The original buildings date back to around 1070.  

Kirkland and all the surrounding land was given to a Norman Knight, William Le-Flemming by William the Conqueror in or around the year 1070. Most of the land was sold off over the centuries but our small farm remained in the Le-Flemming family until we bought it in 1975. 

If the images look inviting and interesting have a look at their website for more information or to make a booking:

Kirkland Hall Cottages

 



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Dolgellau

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I was commissioned to photograph a stunning beachfront property on the estuary in Dolgellau by the lovely Hilary who is looking to sell the house and holiday apartments overlooking the beach with views out to sea. 

Click HERE to see the Rightmove link to the Knight Frank Waterside advert

Dolgellau Beachfront House
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Don't allow your estate agent to take your photographs

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When you are selling your most valuable asset you are relying on your estate agents skills and experience to negotiate the best possible price in the shortest possible time.  Why though would you allow an estate agent to photograph your home? This is somewhere you have no doubt worked hard to make look it's best, both whilst owning it and also in the days and hours leading up to the estate agents visit. Then they turn up, take notes about all the different rooms and gardens, if they are a better quality agent, they will draw a floorplan. Then, out of their bag or purse comes a compact point-and-shoot camera.

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How does this make you feel? Are they doing their best to market your home to it's potential? I would say not.

In a market where image is key and every potential purchaser heads straight for the photographs before looking at anything else, it's essential that your home makes a great first impression. 

Any property that is on the market, will only ever have one buyer. One person who goes on to actually hand over the money to buy it. If the best buyer for your property is put off the moment they look at the photographs, how much money could you loose? Potentially thousands!! 

The photographs have to sell a house, and sell a lifestyle to potential purchasers. They need to feel drawn to view it and we all know that the first place potential buyers look when viewing Rightmove etc is the photographs. 

Make sure yours is the home they want to view more than any others. If the eventual buyer likes the images, they will view and potentially offer thousands more than the next person may do. For a relatively small outlay, it could pay for itself many times over. 

Also, don't think for a minute that once that for sale board goes up, the advert is in the paper or placed in the estate agents window, that every neighbour, friend and friends of friends on Facebook will not be having a peak on the agents website or Rightmove!! Of course they will. Most of the people you know will be having a sneaky peek to compare for themselves. Don't you want yours to look the best in the street? Stand out from the crowd? Of course. 

Therefore do NOT settle for terrible quality, badly lit and poorly aligned photographs.

Can you afford to loose thousands of pounds? Do you want your friends and neighbours thinking your home is dark, dingy and small?

Use a professional photographer to come out and spend quality time at the property taking images with the best lighting, equipment and experience of both shooting and of post production which can be just as vital to the final result.

Please give me a call to discuss your requirement or send me an email.