Christo Photo

Chris J Parker Photographer

About me:
I like challenges and enjoy solving problems that arise with new beginnings and projects. I got my first job in 1978 as an assistant for a photography company in Soho, London. Fun days! I started working freelance for the newspapers in Fleet Street. I would get a page, didn't have mobiles then, at anytime of the day/night to photograph what could have been anything; there where a lot of bombs going off at this time and one of my fellow photographers was killed by a bomb in the city. I moved into fashion and started photographing London Fashion week, basically catwalks and parties; the 1980's was a blast! I got involved with the Financial Times and it's other financial publications, there was so much money sloshing around. I got to meet, and photograph lots of high fryers who wanted to spend money and show off. In the end I decided to go traveling and see the world. India, China the fare east. Took tonnes of photographs and had a small exhibition in London of my work. I started photographing Performing Arts supply photographs for The Royal Opera House, The Royal Shakespeare Company and Opera North. I loved photographing classical singers and musicians, they have very colourful characters. I moved to the North East in 2000 and converted a derelict farmers barn into a holiday cottage. It's amazing what you learn when you do something like that. Right now I into photography as always and have started a new project with the opening of my new web site, http://www.christophoto.co.uk which I built myself. I've gone completely digital, although I have kept my darkroom equipment and in the process of building a new darkroom. I am really enjoying starting a new venture. I now make 'Art Images' which is a new direction for me and have sold through the gallery ArtsBank, based in Saltburn on Sea and private sales, providing 'Wall Art' decorating office and living space.

I now work as a full time freelance photographer for commercial business and enterprise and private commissions, recently winning ‘Best Photograph’ at the North East Social Enterprise awards and The BIPP Northeast Open Category 2011. I have a new piece of equipment 'The Mother Ship', a converted VW camper van, which provides mobile editing suite, self catering and sleeping facilities on wheels! This is fantastic for providing and enabling me to edit and upload images on location.

I have worked for National Newspapers, The Guardian, Mail on Sunday, The New York Times and Financial Times. PR companies, clients for Vivienne Westwood, Levi Jeans, Jasper Conran, John Galliano, Bruce Oldfield. Magazines and publishing companies EMAP, The Financial Times Group, Haymarket Publishing, Thompson Publishing. Clients in the financial Square Mile, City of London RSA, AI and The Round Table. Theartre and Opera companies covering dress rehearsals for The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden and The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford and London, The Glode Theartre. Recent clients include CableCom, Orchid Marketing, Addesi PR, Publicity Seekers, Tees Valley Regeneration, Royal Northern College of Music, Platform, Make A Wish Foundation. A full time qualified Professional Photographer. and CRB Disclosure certified through the Cleveland Youth Association.