STEPHEN W BATES

Capturing the world as I see it

Hello. Thanks for stopping by. 

A photographer’s website should really all be about the shots. But, as you’re here, I guess you’d like to know a bit about what makes me click.

I’ve been taking photos since I was nine. Even then, I found myself drawn to the need to capture not just the things I saw, but ‘how’ I saw them. Creativity is my oxygen so the ability to use light, colour, motion and composition to convey an emotion become my drug. 

I’m still hooked.

The first photo I got paid to take was for the Ford Motor Company. If you wandered into any dealer across Europe in the late 80s and recall seeing a backdrop featuring a bunch of racing cars hurtling around Paddock Hill Bend at Brands Hatch – that’s the photo I took.

Motor Racing is another of my passions, so it stands to reason that taking photos of racing cars has been, and remains a key part of my repertoire. Over the past 25 years, that repertoire has been expanded to encompass a wider range of key subjects; travel, social, editorial and campaign photography.

Professionally, much of my work used to stimulate behaviour change amongst societies and promote social good. Whilst I remain humbled that I get paid to travel the world to take photographs, I’m equally proud that those photographs contribute to improving lives. 

And regardless of a paid assignment or not, I’m still drawn to seeing something and thinking ‘Ooh, that’ll make a cool shot!’