Unit stills photographer

covering Kent, London and East Sussex

Observational | Natural | Unstaged

“Catherine was professional, calm and jumped straight in, and has been able to capture moments that wouldn’t usually get seen as we’re all too caught up in the moment of an often very busy and sometimes chaotic production schedule.”

— Syd Heather, Squid Shack Productions

Three people looking surprised and confused beside a shower curtain, with a door in the background, on a poster for the short film "Sold as Seen."

A woman - photographer Catherine Stratford - with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing a white shirt and blue jeans, holding a camera, standing against a red brick wall.

Hi, I’m Catherine…

…and I’m an on-set photographer for film and TV

If you’re the one tasked with finding the stills photographer, you need someone who turns up early, does their job, understands set etiquette, and knows that behind every production is an army of people, all of whom deserve a record of their work beyond what’s on screen.

So far, that’s what every unit still photographer out there can offer.

I spent 25+ years in on-air marketing, including working for Channel 4 and Channel 5, helping drive viewers to their shows. Stills are a big part of bringing your production to an audience: posters, thumbnails and socials all start there. I shoot with all of these in mind.

The brief can be as simple as ‘just some behind-the-scenes’, but give me the shooting script and I might just spot your poster moment.

The edited stills land in your inbox the next day (depending on the shooting schedule), ready to share with your team. Images that carry your project through filming, into post, onwards to festival screenings or the Radio Times and beyond.

You’re here because you’re looking for a safe pair of hands to trust with your images. And you may need someone soon. Like this weekend soon.

I work across London and the South East. If you have a shoot coming up, email me at hello@catherinestratford.co.uk with your dates and location, and I'll let you know straight away if I'm free.

Unit Stills Portfolio

A man is angrily arguing with a young woman on a street, pointing his finger at her. The woman looks upset and is holding a large tan bag, wearing a colorful scarf and a dark jacket. There are cars and houses in the background. Film still.

A man in a suit wearing an overcoat stands in a storage container with shelves of yellow and orange film canisters.

A man with long dark hair and a mustache operates a camera through a small window or viewing panel, with a purple ambient light in the background.

On location branding shoots while you work

Behind-the-scenes sessions for photographers

Learn more

A woman on a step platform taking photographs of another woman standing in a grassy field under a partly cloudy sky with rolling hills, trees, and power lines in the background.

Two women sitting at a table inside a cafe, one with short brown hair and glasses holding a camera, and the other with long dark hair smiling.

Five men in suits are sitting around a wooden picnic table outside, looking up towards a person with a camera on a higher level.

Belladonna Films, returning Sky drama series

“Thank you for capturing our crew photo yesterday, the pictures have come through this morning and look great!”

Personal project recording the work before the show

Backstage

The image shows a stage with red velvet curtains in the Royal Albert Hall, and a large stage light on a stand in the foreground. There are people at a control table with computers in the foreground.

Desk cluttered with various items including lined revision cards, a box of Elastoplast bandages, a hairbrush, earphones, a comb, and miscellaneous electronic devices and papers.

Desk scattered with papers, sunglasses, a microphone, a black hat with a red band, a glass of water, and various small objects.

WANT TO TALK DATES AND RATES?

Please drop me a line at hello@catherinestratford.co.uk or call on 07740 472183

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