Every advertising image you see with a famous athlete didn’t happen by accident, but who are the people behind the camera making it happen? Photographer Nick Eagle gives the inside track.
Nick Eagle, 35, has shot pictures of Anthony Joshua, Emma Raducanu, and even flown to Manhattan to photograph ice skaters on rooftops. But how does he do it?
When working with big brands like Lucozade and Sky Sports, the pressure is high and preparation is key. “You go to the location with my assistants and my lighting team, and we start building everything and spend 9–10 hours lighting it,” Eagle says. “Then the talent arrives on set and you just do it.”
Even when shooting sporting royalty like Peter Crouch and Erling Haaland, Eagle treats every person with the same humility to get the highest quality images.
“I try to create a really relaxed atmosphere on set,” Eagle says, “I tune out the fact that it’s Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid.
“I think you get better shots because of that. It is only when they leave that you think, wow, that is insane.”
Despite working with the likes of Bellingham and Anthony Joshua, Eagle says the surreal moments come quietly: “You have that odd moment of clarity where everything syncs up… and you say this is surreal.”
But when it comes to Eagle’s most memorable moment, nothing compares to his home roots in Sheffield.
“Shooting Sheffield United. That’s my club, it is even more surreal than working with more famous people.”
However, long before he was shooting sporting superstars across the country and the world, he started out at the bottom, with his school promoting his passion.
“My school had a GCSE in photography, which not many did at the time, so that was fortunate,” he says.
That early access into the industry sparked a passion that would become a full-time career, following him leaving his degree after one year, and assisting a photographer over the summer.
“My development in my work just from that one summer was wild,” Nick says: “I worked as an assistant for another photographer for 3.5 years, and I have had my own photography business for coming up to 14 years.”
His rise through the ranks of photography did not happen overnight, and his first commission came after building a portfolio in his free time.
“I never did a commission when I was assisting, I just shot stuff for me and my portfolio,” he says. Having built a set of 20 images into a printed book, he went to agencies saying: “This is my style, do you want to work with me.”
That leap of faith paid off, and it is modesty amongst his colleagues that ensures a great working environment.
“Everyone on my photoshoot is as valid as anyone else; we are all pulling together to get that one shot of celebrities like AJ, which is perfect.”
“I’ve never been in any situations with creative differences where it is argumentative on set or frustrating; normally, there isn’t any sort of surprises.”
Reaching such heights in photography does not mean taking the foot off the pedal, and Eagle speaks about the long days.
“You’re a content manager, you’re a photographer, you’re an accountant. It’s so full on… You can never switch off ever.”
But does he still enjoy it?
“It is unreal, man, it is the best job in the world.”
And as for advice, Eagle says, “Shoot the hell out of it… assist people 100%… and then just go for it man because it’s relentless.”
Want to see more of Nicks work? Visit here: nickeaglephotography.com/about/
