Welcome

Silk Hat Studio is the home of Derbyshire photographer Alan Ward, specialising in dramatic, creative portraits and story-telling.

I work with my subjects to create stories, equivalent to selecting random pages of a book that never existed. Add the images together and the story unfolds.

I like to approach each project separately, understanding who the subject is, what their life is, what their ambition for the shoot is and then develop a theme together.

Story-Telling Portraits

Image features a model in character as the musician Prince, say on a 1970s wooden chaise long next to replica t-style guitar in a mill studio
Organ Failure Act 1, Scene 2
Female, caucasian model sat in wedding gown, with fabric floating mid-air, in a white studio against a large window
Images has a futuristic theme of dark blues with neon signs, featuring a model in centre of image
A woman, dressed in wedding dress, against a rock formation.
Model is dressed as a fairy princess with silver headpiece in woodland. She is crouching, holding two crystal balls in her right hand to her left shoulder
Image features a model in character as the musician Prince, lying on a 1970s wooden chaise long next to replica t-style guitar in a mill studio
Features a female model leaning against a wall in a corridors. The model is wearing black with a shiny coat, black beret and holding a (fake) cigarette to the beret. The background walls have been lit in blue.
Image has a futuristic theme of dark blues, featuring a model in centre of image with lens flare from a street lamp in the background
See more Story-Telling Portraits

Creative Portraits

Headshot of Katey, blonde, female model with pink makeup on a pink background. Katey is wearing a purple hat and holding a pink gauze up to the lower half of her face
Male model in leather jacket, looking off to the side of the image
Featuring a caucasian female model, looking straight at camera. Wearing an ivory wedding dress, blue denim jacket, yellow leather gloves and blue safety goggles. Model is holding a wrench in a factory setting in red/purple light
Image featuring a head and upper torso shot of Liliya, a model with red/orange hair in a faux fur coat, red dress, faux fur hat and large jewellery.
Image of Alona, with a Valentine's Day Theme, featuring white background with red hearts
Image of Erica, a ballerina. A portrait of Erica looking directly at the camera
Image featuring a head and upper torso shot of Liliya, a model with red/orange hair in a faux fur coat, red dress, red beret and large jewellery.
Creative Portraits

Each shoot is bespoke, creating unique imagery that suits our joint vision. Each shoot is approached as a separate project, with the amount of preparation beforehand appropriate to the complexity of the shoot itself.