Manchester portrait photographer for creatives, business owners & actors

I’m James Melia, a Manchester-based portrait photographer working with creatives, actors, and business owners. I create relaxed, natural portraits for websites, press, personal brands, and professional profiles. Shoots take place in my Manchester studio or on location across the UK.

Lauren McQueen Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
Ali Kahn Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
Nicole Evans Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
Georgia May Foote Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
Portrait of a young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a black top, looking slightly to the right against a neutral background.
Hopi Grace Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
Ellie Leech Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
A man with long, curly hair and blue eyes, wearing a white t-shirt, sitting with his arms extended toward the camera, in front of a neutral gray background. Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
Portrait of a woman with dark hair and bangs, wearing a black high-neck ruffled blouse, against a plain light gray background. Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
A woman with long, curly dark hair and a big smile, wearing a black lace top, posing against a plain gray background. Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
Black and white portrait of a man with dark wavy hair, wearing a light-colored button-up shirt, looking directly at the camera with a serious expression, against a dark plain background. Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio
A woman with blonde hair and freckles looks contemplative, standing indoors against a greenish wall, wearing a black spaghetti strap top. Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
A woman with dark hair tied back, wearing hoop earrings and a red top with a deep neckline, showing a tattoo of a sword on her chest. Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
A black and white portrait of a young man with wavy dark hair, wearing a dark shirt, looking directly at the camera. Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
Young man looking thoughtfully to the side in black and white Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
A portrait of a mature woman with short blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a grey top with a blue section and a brown cardigan, against a dark background. Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
Close-up black and white photo of a woman's face with closed eyes and flowing hair.
Black and white portrait of a young man with wavy hair, wearing a dark sweater, looking at the camera.
A woman practicing yoga or stretching on a gray studio floor, with her arms extended forward and head down.
A black and white side profile of a woman with glasses, earrings, and her hair in a bun, with closed eyes.
A young woman with long, wavy brown hair sitting on a wooden chair with a gray background, wearing a white tank top, blue jeans, and brown boots, looking at the camera. Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
A black-and-white portrait of a woman with long hair, her eyes closed, and a calm expression.
Close-up of a young woman with long blonde hair, blue eyes, and freckles, wearing a dark gray shirt and small earrings, looking directly at the camera.
Black and white portrait of a woman with dark hair, wearing large hoop earrings and a patterned scarf. She has a contemplative expression and light-colored eyes, with natural makeup and visible freckles.
Close-up portrait of a man with glasses, short brown hair, and a beard, wearing a light brown button-up shirt, looking into the camera with a serious expression.
Close-up portrait of a woman with long brown hair, blue eyes, wearing a green top and hoop earrings, with a red accessory in her hair, looking directly at the camera.
A woman with styled hair wearing a dark blazer standing against a plain dark wall.
Close-up portrait of a young man with curly black hair, light brown skin, freckles, and facial hair, wearing a light blue shirt, looking directly at the camera against a neutral background.
Black and white portrait of a young woman with dark hair tied back, wearing earrings and a light-colored sweater, looking directly at the camera. Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
Black and white close-up portrait of a man with a beard and curly hair, looking down with a serious expression. Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
Black and white photo of a woman with long, wavy hair, looking at the camera with a slight smile.
A woman with brown hair tied back, standing against a white wall, crossing her arms and holding a pencil in her right hand, wearing a beige button-up shirt and black high-waisted jeans.
Black and white portrait of a young woman with wavy hair, wearing a plain light-colored top, looking directly at the camera.
A young man with dark skin, short curly hair, and a goatee looking directly at the camera, wearing a black T-shirt against a gray background.
A young woman with blonde hair, blue eyes, and freckles, wearing a nose ring and earrings, against a dark background.
Collage of six photos of a bald man in a dark blazer and black shirt, making various expressive gestures and smiling.
Close-up of a man with long dark hair, a goatee, and mustache, wearing a gray shirt and a necklace.
A woman with curly hair sitting on a brown leather couch, looking at her smartphone in a modern living room with white walls and decorative art pieces on shelves.
Portrait of a woman with red hair wearing a white turtleneck, looking to her right against a plain light gray background.
A woman with wavy blonde hair wearing a black sleeveless top and black pants, accessorized with gold necklaces and a brown belt, standing against a gray background with her hands in her pockets.
Black and white portrait of a woman with curly hair, wearing a necklace with a small pendant, and looking directly at the camera.
A young woman with long brown hair, wearing a black athletic top and a light jacket draped over her shoulders, looking down with a neutral expression.
A black-and-white photo of a young man with dark hair, wearing a dark sweater and a white T-shirt, standing against a plain background. The image appears to have a motion blur effect, giving a sense of movement or double exposure.
Black and white photo of a person jumping, wearing athletic shorts, sneakers, and a sleeveless shirt.
A woman with long, curly dark hair poses with her hand on her face, wearing a white sleeveless top and a flowing skirt. There is a rainbow-like light effect across the image, creating a soft and artistic atmosphere.
Black and white photo of a man with closed eyes and a beard, partially obscured by a blurred foreground object.
Close-up portrait of a woman with blue eyes, brunette hair, and a neutral expression, wearing a black shirt.
A young man with curly hair sitting on a modern chair, wearing a dark jacket, dark pants, and white sneakers, looking down in a black and white photo.
A black-and-white photo of a woman with dark, wavy hair looking to her left, with soft lighting highlighting her facial features.
A woman with long wavy blonde hair, wearing a black top, gold hoop earrings, and a necklace with a heart pendant, looking directly at the camera against a neutral background.
A woman with short dark hair and blue eyes wearing a black shirt, looking directly at the camera.
A woman with red hair and a reddish-brown dress, leaning on a wooden chair with her hands clasped, standing in front of a textured gray wall, appears to be in a studio setting.
A close-up portrait of a man with curly brown hair, green eyes, glasses, a beard, and wearing a light blue shirt, against a plain background.
A young man with curly brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a beige jacket and white t-shirt, sitting on a wooden chair with a serious expression, in front of a neutral background.
A young man with dark curly hair, a beard, and wearing a beige sweater, gold necklace, and earrings, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression
Portrait of a woman with dark hair, softly lit, with a dark background, highlighting her face and shoulder.
A young person with short dark hair, wearing a translucent white blouse with a necktie detail, sitting on a wooden chair, resting their chin on their hand, looking contemplative against a plain background.
Woman with dark brown wavy hair, tattoos on both arms, wearing a plaid short-sleeve shirt, leaning her head on her hand against a brown background.
A woman with short blonde hair, blue eyes, and earrings, wearing a black zip-up athletic top, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.
A woman with dark hair and light skin wearing a black jacket over a white shirt, appearing to have a motion blur or double exposure effect against a plain white background.
Black and white portrait of a young man with curly hair, wearing a sleeveless shirt, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.
A woman with long, wavy blonde hair wearing a white shirt, looking downward against a plain light background.
Close-up portrait of a woman with dark brown hair, straight bangs, and tattoos on her arms, wearing a white top, with a neutral expression.
A young man with curly dark hair wearing a white t-shirt, looking downward, with a rainbow-colored light streak across his face against a dark gradient background.
A close-up portrait of a young man with blue eyes, dark wavy hair, and light beard, wearing a gray shirt, looking directly at the camera.
A woman with blonde wavy hair, glasses, and a nose piercing looking directly at the camera with soft natural light.
Close-up of a young woman with light skin, brown eyes, freckles, and long, wavy blonde hair, wearing a white top and gold jewelry.
Close-up portrait of a young man with short brown hair, light skin, and blue eyes, wearing a black shirt and a gold chain, against a plain light background.
Black and white portrait of a woman with curly hair, seated, looking over her shoulder against a plain background.
A woman with short hair, earrings, and a septum piercing smiling while sitting with her arms crossed, in a black tank top. Black and white photo with a plain background.
A woman with long, wavy, reddish-brown hair, wearing a dark purple turtleneck and butterfly-shaped earrings, gazes downward with a calm expression.
A close-up black and white photograph of a vintage Contax camera with Carl Zeiss Sonnar lens, resting on a surface with blurred objects in the foreground.
A young man with brown hair, beard, and blue eyes making a playful face with one eye closed and mouth open, wearing a blue T-shirt with a small orange logo, against a plain background.
Portrait of a woman with short curly hair wearing a black silk blouse and gold earrings, posing against a dark background.
Back view of a woman wearing a black strappy top, highlighting her back muscles, with a necklace around her neck.
A woman upside down in mid-air performing a flip or jump against a plain background, with her hair flowing downward.
Black and white portrait of a smiling woman with short, wavy hair, wearing a long-sleeve shirt, resting her chin on her hand with a ring visible on her finger.
Close-up of a person wearing glasses, looking downward, with a soft focus and light reflections.
Black and white close-up portrait of a woman with long dark hair, looking at the camera with a tear running down her cheek.
A man with short hair and a beard wearing a dark blue denim jacket over a white shirt, standing in front of a dark background.
A woman with curly hair resting her head on her hand, wearing dark lipstick, a black top, and a gold bracelet, with soft lighting.
Black and white portrait of a woman with short hair, looking over her shoulder, wearing a spaghetti strap top.
A black and white photograph of a woman's face with dark makeup and glossy lips, partially obscured by shadows and reflections.
Black and white photograph of a person lying on their back, holding their leg up with an arm stretched out. The person is wearing black clothing and the image focuses on their arm and leg in a minimalist style.
Black and white portrait of a woman with short dark hair, wearing a necklace with a heart-shaped pendant, and a V-neck sweater.
Close-up portrait of a woman with curly hair that is brown at the top and turns purple at the tips, wearing a white tank top, against a dark background.
A black and white portrait of a young man with curly hair, wearing a light-colored jacket over a white shirt, standing against a plain background.
Close-up portrait of a middle-aged man with short brown hair, green eyes, and a beard, wearing a green button-up shirt over a black T-shirt, with a serious expression.
A woman with dark hair, wearing tortoiseshell glasses, gold necklace with heart charms, and a leather jacket, looking to the side through a blurred glass surface.
A young woman with blonde hair and multiple ear piercings, sitting against a plain white wall, resting her chin on her hand and looking at the camera.
A woman with short blond hair and earrings, wearing a black sports top, appears sweaty and looking down in a dimly lit setting.
A woman with curly brown hair wearing a sleeveless black vest and matching black pants, standing against a plain white wall, adjusting her earring.
A woman with long dark hair, wearing a black athletic top with a cutout revealing her chest, standing against a plain background.
Close-up black and white portrait of a young man with short, curly hair, light eye color, a nose piercing, and a beard, wearing a white shirt and a necklace.
A young girl with curly red hair, freckles, and brown eyes, wearing a black sleeveless top, standing against a plain light-colored background.
Person's hands typing on a laptop keyboard, with a smartphone placed on the desk behind, on a dark surface.
A woman with long, curly dark hair standing in profile against a plain wall, with her shadow cast on the wall behind her.
A woman with dark brown hair, wearing a black sleeveless top, has light makeup, and is looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.
Close-up portrait of a young man with short hair and a goatee, wearing a black shirt, touching the back of his neck with his left hand, with a neutral background.
Black and white portrait of a woman with dark eyes and lips, wearing hoop earrings, with her hair pulled back, looking directly at the camera.
A young woman with long brown hair, blue eyes, and hoop earrings sitting against a beige curtain backdrop, wearing a black top.
A young woman with curly brown hair, blue eyes, and a nose ring, wearing a red floral dress and a necklace, looking to the right with rainbows and mist in the foreground.
A woman with blonde hair in a ponytail, wearing a patterned sports bra and black leggings, standing against a plain light background with one arm raised over her head.
Black and white portrait of a woman with dark hair, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.
A black-and-white image of a woman with long hair, sitting on the floor with her legs spread apart, looking to the side with a blurred, motion-effect style.
Black and white photo of a woman with dark lipstick and straight hair, reflecting in a mirror with a cloudy effect
A woman in a dark blue athletic outfit leaning against a wall with one hand, her other arm braces her as she poses with one leg bent against the wall, wearing white athletic shoes.
Person with short hair and earrings stands inside a vehicle, looking at a man outside on the road.
A black and white portrait of a woman with curly hair sitting on a chair, wearing a strapless top, with a serious expression, against a dark background.
A close-up of a woman's face in profile, with sunlight shining from behind, creating lens flare and highlighting her features.
A young woman with long brown hair sitting on a stool, looking at the camera with a neutral expression, against a plain textured wall, wearing a beige blazer, white shirt, and jeans.
A young man with dark hair and a serious expression, wearing a black shirt, against a dark background with soft lighting and subtle color accents.
Black and white photo of a woman with dark hair, dressed in a black suit, sitting on a stool, with her right hand touching her head and her gaze directed downward.
A man with short brown hair and light-colored eyes wearing a dark blue denim shirt looks directly at the camera against a dark, blurred background.
Close-up portrait of a young woman with long brown hair, blue eyes, wearing a green zip-up jacket and a gold heart necklace.
A woman with long dark hair and blue eyes wearing a red off-shoulder top, posed against a plain gray background.
A woman with blonde hair looking to her left with a neutral expression, wearing a coral top. The photo is taken through a glass window, causing reflections.

I work with actors, creatives, and business owners who want portraits that feel natural and unforced. Most people I photograph don’t arrive wanting to perform. They just want to feel comfortable, understood, and not over-directed.

The sessions are relaxed and considered. We take time. We talk. We let things settle. The aim isn’t to manufacture confidence or character, but to photograph what’s already there in a way that feels clear and honest.

I work from my studio in Manchester and on location across the UK, creating portraits for casting profiles, websites, press, and personal projects. The work is simple, human, and built to last beyond trends or formulas.

Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia
Portrait of a contax T2 photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia

The Journal

Portrait of an actor photographed in a Manchester studio by James Melia

I’ve been a photographer for over fifteen years, with a background in film, travel, and a long-standing curiosity about people. I’m drawn to the small, human details. The quiet stuff, the quirks, the moments that feel real rather than performed. I shoot in a calm, collaborative way, so you don’t have to wonder what to do with your hands. I love early mornings, good light, and making portraits that feel like you on a good day. Oh, and I’ve got a daughter called Mango. (Officially Margot. Mango just… stuck.)

About

Studio Address

Manor Street Factory
Graphite house
Paddock Street
Manchester
m12 6ht