Hollie-Jay Bowes

One of those faces that people recognise, even if they’re not quite sure why at first.

If the name rings a bell, it probably should. She’s been on British television for years, from early roles in Grange Hill to playing Michaela McQueen in Hollyoaks, and more recently appearing in the BBC drama Waterloo Road. 

But the thing about photographing actors, especially ones who’ve been doing it a while, is that the job is rarely about “performing” for the camera. It’s usually the opposite. It’s about creating a space where they don’t have to.

This was my first time working with her, in my Manchester studio. A simple setup. A mix of studio light and a bit of natural light creeping in through the windows, which always feels like cheating slightly because it just makes everything softer and calmer.

There’s a rhythm to a good shoot. You can feel it when it happens.

You start with the obvious frames. Standing here. Sitting there. Maybe leaning against a wall that you’ve suddenly decided looks more interesting than it did five minutes ago. And then, slowly, things loosen up.

There were a lot of laughs during this one. The kind that interrupt the flow for a second and then somehow make the next frame better. I think that’s the secret ingredient most of the time. Not lighting. Not lenses. Just people being comfortable enough to relax.

She was incredibly professional throughout the whole thing. Which sounds like a simple compliment, but I think anyone who’s ever worked on a creative set knows it’s actually quite a rare and valuable skill. Turning up prepared, present, open to trying things.

Actors tend to understand collaboration instinctively. They know the camera is only one part of the process. The photographer, the space, the conversation, the small pauses between shots. It all feeds into the final portrait.

At one point we tried a few more minimal setups. Nothing complicated. Just a plain backdrop, simple light, and the kind of quiet moment where the camera almost disappears for a second.

Those are often my favourite frames.

No big gestures. No theatrical expression. Just someone being themselves in a room with a camera.

I always find those portraits feel the most honest.

If you’re curious about what Hollie-Jay Bowes is up to outside the studio, you can find her over on Instagram here: @holliejay_bowes

It’s funny really. Portrait photography often looks quite serious from the outside. Moody lighting. Calm expressions. A bit mysterious.

But behind the scenes it’s usually just two people standing in a room, moving lights around, talking nonsense occasionally, and trying to notice the small moments that feel real.

This one had a really nice flow to it from start to finish.

And honestly, those are the shoots you remember.

Portraits photographed in Manchester by portrait photographer James Melia.