Aviation Photography
A dynamic aviation photographer, providing creative photography of planes and helicopters whose clients include Airbus, HM Coastguard, Bristow, and Helimed Air Ambulance.
Commercial photographer Tim Wallace has been working within the advertising and marketing industry for many years and is a well-respected photographer in his photographic field.
His work is both distinct and well-recognisable, working commercially to produce digital photography for marketing and advertising within the field of aviation photography. His aircraft photography covers a varied range of subjects, from small light aircraft to private jet work for charter clients such as TAG Aviation, and also includes vintage aircraft photography, undertaken across some major projects for clients like BBC Studios and the Biggin Hill Heritage Hanger. Experienced also in Helicopter-based operations work, Tim has successfully completed many aviation-based projects for Bristow with their Search and Rescue Operations (SAR) in the UK, and HM Coastguard. Over recent years he has also built a very strong working relationship with the Air Ambulance Service and was the first UK photographer to undergo CAA HELIMED Crew training, allowing him to work alongside the emergency doctors and specialised paramedics of HELIMED on live operations and fully document the day to day operations of the Air Ambulance Service.
Our work here is a sample of the sort of aviation photography we produce, utilising creative lighting, and techniques that have been successfully applied to the aviation industry.
Operating as an Aviation Photographer Tim has built up over the years both ground and flight experience working with helicopter-based operations such as HELIMED 21, 56, and 60 as well as with Bristow Search and Rescue, SAR, and HM Coastguard. He is familiar with the Sikorsky S-92, Leonardo AW169 and Airbus models such as the H135 Helicopter favoured by Air Ambulance.
Working within Aviation there is sometimes the requirement for photography to be completed whilst airborne and, in some situations, such as work with HEMS and SAR, CAA regulations require that all personnel involved meet a certain level of training requirements. Tim has all the required safety and crew certifications that meet current CAA regulations.
These CAA-approved qualifications are completed and kept up to date through Babcock International Aviation Training at Gloucestershire Airport in the UK.
Tim has shot exclusively for such organisations as Bristow Search and Rescue (SAR) as well as undertaking regular assignments to document the day-to-day lives of the HELIMED pilots and crew who operate some of the UK’s most active Air Ambulance Services. Working with HELIMED Air Ambulance he undertakes regular authorised CAA training to keep him up to an 'operational' level.
This has allowed him to be the first UK Photographer to ever fly on live operations with an Air Ambulance crew, a commitment that Tim felt was an important one to undertake and complete to be able to fully immerse himself within the team.
Current valid CAA permits
HEMS Technical Crew Member Theory - Babcock Mission Critical Services Onshore | Aviation
Aircrew Fire and Smoke Training – EASA Regulation ORO.FC.230 and ORO.TC.115
Dangerous Goods Onshore (Helicopter) – EASA Regulation EC 965/2012 SPA.DG105 – IATA-DGR 62 version – Scandlearn
Crew Resource Management Training - Babcock Mission Critical Services Onshore | Aviation
Escape Door Training – Airbus Helicopter H135 / H145 – Babcock Mission Critical Services Onshore | Aviation
Aircrew First Aid - Babcock Mission Critical Services Onshore | Aviation
Aviation and Aerospace photography in many ways is very comparable with automotive photography in as much as the 'scene' is often created by the use of lighting and location. Clearly, we never shoot the aircraft in a studio although perhaps one day with the right aircraft and the right studio we may do just that. The majority of our client aviation work is shot on location where we have access to the aircraft. That could be an airfield or hanger in the UK or a location in Europe or anywhere in the world. When we shoot charter-based jet work we work very closely with our client and the operational staff to ensure that impact to the operation is kept to a minimum as well as helping to plan through the shots required so that items such as GPUs and cherry pickers, if required, can be organised to fit into a solid shoot schedule. Planning is very much the key to a successful aviation-based shoot and Tim has time served experience in helping our clients so that everything from aircraft movements, GPU requirements, pilot involvement and airside movements are seamless and well planned.
HELIMED & HEMs Operations
Search & Rescue Operations
Heritage Aircraft and Operations
Aerospace Maintenance & Repair
Engineering & Design
Business Aviation & Private Jet
Air Transportation
Defence
Flight Operations
Private Jet and Charter Operations Photography
Tim is renowned for his impactful photography and frequently scouts airfield locations worldwide to capture a series of 'backplates.' These are later utilised in aviation commissions to position the aircraft in a setting that aligns with the client's vision. The aircraft is meticulously lit to match the chosen backplate scene, ensuring a seamless integration, right down to the cast shadows. Much like cars stir passion among enthusiasts, we believe aircraft can similarly inspire through Tim's stylistic portrayal, capturing the essence of the aircraft and the emotions it evokes.
In recent years, we have collaborated with various private charter companies, providing a collection of high-quality photographs that effectively communicate our clients' brands to their audience via the use of their online platforms and marketing materials.
Rotary Wing Photography
Over the last few years commercial photographer Tim Wallace has spent time with the Bristow SAR Operation (Search and Rescue) based at Prestwick in Scotland for HM Coastguard. The SAR previously operated two state-of-the-art S-92 helicopters which are the most advanced aircraft in Sikorsky's civil product line, with the necessary speed, capacity and operational range to meet the needs of the UK search and rescue environment, later in July 2017 the SAR moved over to the new Leonardo AW189. The AW189 aircraft is state of the art and has the agility and flexibility to respond to the wide spectrum of search and rescue tasking in the SAR operating area.
Photographer Tim Wallace has worked very closely with several HEMS-based operations over the last few years such as HELMEDS 21, 56, and 60 to document the work of these organisations, spending time with their pilots, paramedics and doctors to capture the day-to-day lives of these amazing crews that work tirelessly to provide rapid response emergency medical care with their helicopters and rapid response vehicles. Tim has worked closely with the HELIMED teams over the last few years and all the work produced from this is used to raise awareness of an operation that is entirely funded by donations from supporting businesses and members of the public.
Search & Rescue (SAR)
HM Coastguard
HELIMED
Air Ambulance
Heritage Aircraft and Warbirds Photography
Over a number of years, we have worked closely with some of our clients shooting and documenting heritage and warbird aircraft. We have successfully worked with BBC studios and UKTV on many projects, the first was to create the digital assets as they were filming the first series of 'Warbird Workshop' that was based around several key legendary vintage aircraft that each featured in separate episodes. Following Tim’s work at Biggin Hill for the BBC we were asked by the Heritage Hanger Company based there to shoot exclusively for them and we went on to complete a major photography project for our client documenting their company and its work to both preserve warbird aircraft as well as their comprehensive flight experience service, and aircraft restoration business. This work was extensive to build up their aviation-based photography library and involved both ground and air-to-air photography.
Spitfire T.9 MJ772
Built at Castle Bromwich in late 1943 it was then delivered to No. 341 (Alsace) Squadron of the Free French Air Force then based at RAF Perranporth, Cornwall on January 20, 1944, later the squadron moved to RAF Merston on April 17, 1944 in preparation for D Day, MJ772 with pilot Sergeant Habib who flew a sortie on June 6 over the landing beaches of Normandy. He reported chasing a FW190 which eventually disappeared into cloud after which he landed safely. On June 18 772 suffered Cat Ac FB (Operational Loss) damage which was repaired by June 22 when it was allocated to No. 340 (Ile-de-France) Squadron based at the Advanced Landing Ground at Funtingdon in Sussex. Given the code GW-A it then flew two further sorties over the beaches flown by Sergeant Trouillet.
All of the project shoots for the first series were location-based and these were all completed over the course of 8 months across the UK. It was a pleasure for us to work with the BBC team to achieve some really dramatic imagery from the many locations, all of the work produced was used within the actual series episodes as well as for its international marketing and TV EPG placements and indeed was so well received that it was given an exhibition in London to launch the series.
“Over the years I have had the chance to spend time with some of what I believe are the most beautiful aircraft ever built. I am very fortunate indeed I think to have that rare opportunity to spend time photographing these amazing planes, often painstakingly restored back to their former glory. For me, its is not enough to photograph what they look like, but to photograph how they make you feel”
Our clients include numerous companies within the Aviation industry, particularly those managing 'Heritage' aircraft. For these clients, it is crucial that we not only document specific aircraft restoration endeavours but also generate photography that enhances their marketing efforts and showcases their expertise in the Aviation Industry. Throughout the years, we have worked closely with our clients on various prestigious aviation projects, always striving to deliver exceptional imagery that aligns with their branding and corporate objectives.
Aircraft Engineering & Restoration Photography
Our clients are building steadily each year and we are very fortunate that they include some major corporate companies both in the UK, Europe and US. If you would like to discuss a project with us then please reach out and let’s talk. Some of our clients are very aware of photographic procedures, but for others, it may well be their first time looking at getting some professional photography completed for their brand or company. We can help with all aspects of the shoot from location advice through to operational planning so that the impact to your operation is minimised as much as possible.