Testimonials

It was a pleasure to work with Charlie during the recent Leeds International Piano Competition Piano Trail Festival, when we commissioned him to photograph performers and performances in the Pianodrome Theatre at Leeds City Museum.  Charlie’s director’s eye and ability to frame beautiful images at speed, and in a challenging space, resulted in stunning photographs of the Pianodrome itself and of many different Festival events.  More than that, Charlie’s excellent interpersonal skills mean that everyone he photographs feels relaxed and able to be themselves, which adds hugely to the final results.  We all really enjoyed working with Charlie and look forward to doing so on many future projects. Sally Egan, Leeds International Piano Competition

Charlie is an absolute delight to work with. Highly organised, proactive, passionate, approachable and professional. He captured our events brilliantly with a range of vibrant photos. Each one really caught the energy and mood of our audiences and performers, giving us plenty of options to advertise, celebrate and report on our activities. A huge thank you to Charlie. We’ll gladly have you back! Corrinne Curtis, Sign Festival Bristol

I cannot recommend Charlie enough. He came and took photos of our production of Follow The Signs and he was amazing. His work ethic, his generosity and his time is invaluable. He was able to be flexible and meet our every need. He exceeded expectations and the photos are amazing – every theatre venue we toured too commented on how brilliant they are. He perfectly captured the essence of the show and his BTS shots are completely joyful. We can’t wait to work with him again on the next project! Harry Jardine, Fuse Theatre Company

Charlie came to capture three consecutive Brudenell Piano Sessions which were taking place in the incredible Pianodrome – a circular amphitheatre made entirely of upcycled pianos, which was in-situ at Leeds City Museum as part of the Leeds International Piano Competition’s Piano Trail Festival. It was a challenging space to capture the wonderful atmosphere that we had at these events, and I couldn’t have been more thrilled with how Charlie was able to do this, so we could share the memories with our audience and promote future events.  I was so grateful for Charlie’s natural enthusiasm, interest in the events, and helping us to share the story about them with such striking images. His proactivity in dealing directly with the artists and other interested parties – both on the day and after the events over email – was hugely helpful. I’d highly recommend him, and look forward to working together again. Simeon Walker, musician

I’m so lucky to have met Charlie. After bravely following me out to Milan recently, for a piano concert I had there, camera in hand he beautifully captured the important moments behind the scenes as well as the concert itself. For me this was an important event and he really managed to tell a story through his photos which is what I wanted most. I’m so happy with the results… Thank you Charlie. Demian Dorelli, musician

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Charlie's Portraits
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Luke Brunning
11:29 20 Apr 26
Charlie was fantastic. Our session was friendly, relaxed and - most importantly - collaborative - with us working together to achieve the look I was hoping for. We were able to explore both natural and studio lighting and the results were delivered quickly. His studio is really conveniently located for anyone in Leeds so it couldn’t be easier to get a headshot. I highly recommend you check it out if you need one.
Sarah
21:05 01 Apr 26
Charlie did some professional headshots for me. The first time I’ve ever had them done. I can’t stress how much I hate having photos taken. However, Charlie put me at ease and helped me with how to stand, what to do, etc. I’ve had a lot of compliments about the photos. I’m very pleased with how they turned out. Thanks Charlie!
Julie Simpson
19:34 01 Apr 26
I recently had a portrait session with Charlie Swinbourne Photography and couldn’t be happier with the experience. Charlie was incredibly friendly and warm from the start, which immediately put me at ease. The whole session felt relaxed and natural, rather than rushed or staged.

What really stood out was how well he listened to what I wanted and took the time to understand the look and feel I was after. That made a huge difference in the final result.

Highly recommend if you’re looking for a photographer who is both professional and genuinely easy to work with!
Jen Phoenix
13:45 01 Apr 26
Charlie is really friendly and relaxed which put me at ease. He helped me to find good angles and poses because I'm definitely not a natural when it comes to modelling. He also gave time to try different tops and backgrounds  to get the best out of the session.
Also his daughter who was helping out on reception when I had my sitting is an absolute delight. Lovely service.
filterless agency
13:29 01 Apr 26
We had the pleasure of working with Charlie as the photographer for our Forestry England campaign and we honestly couldn’t recommend him enough.

From start to finish, Charlie was absolutely amazing!! Professional, down to earth and an all round great guy to work with. We partnered with him on a campaign involving influencers with disabilities and he had such a natural ability to put everyone at ease. He approached the shoot with genuine kindness, warmth and charisma while always remaining respectful and inclusive in his approach.

The entire process was seamless from initial contact through to delivery and off-boarding, everything felt easy, organised and stress free. On top of that, his talent speaks for itself. He completely nailed the photos first time with no changes needed which is a testament to both his skill and understanding of the brief.

We’ll definitely be working with Charlie again in the future, we truly couldn’t praise him enough! Thanks again Charlie! ☺️☺️
Stephen Collins
15:30 10 Dec 25
Charlie is a friendly, lovely & accommodating photographer, who makes you feel at ease with the shots you both want to achieve. The studio is spacious and great for portraits & headshots with different colour backgrounds.
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