About

I have been taking pictures for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories is being totally captivated by the process of making photographs, watching my Dad work black and white magic under the spell of red light in our darkroom.

After graduating in photography and specialising in social documentary, my work now fuses these practices with my love of adventure sports. I enjoy telling stories with pictures, working with athletes, brands and publications to produce engaging and authentic imagery. Some of my most enjoyable assignments are to document amazing experiences in remote places, often traveling by human power.

A young family means I don’t spend quite as much time away on assignment as I used to, but the landscape and people of where I live, the English Lake District, provide constant inspiration and subject matter. My extensive background in the outdoor profession means I also occasionally work on major film productions, the most notable of which recently was being part of Tom Cruise’s mountain safety team. With what little time remains after family and work commitments I volunteer as a member of Keswick Mountain Rescue Team.

In collaboration with Nadir Khan and Vertebrate Publishing I recently released Extreme Lakeland, a coffee table photographic journey through cutting-edge adventure sports in The Lake District. This won its category in Lakeland Book of the Year 2023. Another long term project has also come to fruition in the form of a touring solo exhibition: ‘What Lies Beneath – Lost Mines of The Lake District’. Sponsored by Petzl, this body of work is the culmination of 6 years shooting, exploring the legacy of mining in The Lake District within the context of UNESCO World Heritage Inscription. It was shortlisted in Professional Documentary Category of The International Photography Awards

My work has been widely published, from cover shots for The Times, to images and words for industry leading adventure publications and other national broadsheet press. This year I was pleased to win the International Photography Awards and be shortlisted for The British Photography Awards. Recent commercial work has also reached the final of RedBull Illume, the worlds biggest adventure sports photography competition, with the awards ceremony taking place in Austria, December 2023.

The craft of photography has been a lifelong passion and the opportunity to apply my hard-won knowledge and skills to a creative brief is always exciting. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or would like to work together.

Photographic Awards and Achievements

  • GCSE Photography, grade A* 1999
  • A level Photography, grade A* 2001
  • BA (Hons) Contemporary Photographic Practice (2:1) Northumbria University 2005
  • Contemporary Photographic Practice Graduate Fellowship, Northumbria University 2006
  • Solo landscape exhibition at Kendal Mountain Festival 2011
  • UK Climbing Photography Awards, winner, Landscape 2015

2019

  • Red Bull Illume Semi-finalist Lifestyle
  • British photography Awards, shortlisted Sports
  • The Times, Christmas Day edition full-page cover

2020

  • British Photography Awards 2 x shortlisted Sports and Event
  • International Photography Awards, 4 x honourable mention Sports and People
  • International Photography Awards, ‘What Lies Beneath’ project, shortlisted Professional Documentary
  • Landscape Photographer of the Year, shortlisted
  • Pinkbike Photo of the Year, finalist
  • UK Climbing Photography Awards, winner Scrambling

2021

  • Climbing magazine (US), Greatest Climbing Photos of 2021
  • Historic Photographer of the Year, shortlisted Historic England
  • International Photography Awards, winner Architecture, 2nd place Extreme Sports
  • International Photography Awards, 6 x honourable mention People, Sports and Event
  • UK Climbing Photography Awards, finalist Sport Climbing

2022

  • British Photography Awards, 2 x shortlisted, Architecture and Sports
  • Extreme Lakeland published in collaboration with Nadir Khan and Vertebrate publishing
  • International Photography Awards, 2 x honourable mention, 2 x official selection, Sports and Event

2023

  • Lakeland Book of the Year category winner, Eric Robson Prize for Guides and Places
  • Red Bull Illume, finalist, Lifestyle
  • International Photography Awards, 1st place, Event
  • International Photography Awards, honourable mention, 2 x official selection, Sports and Event
  • British Photography Awards, shortlisted, Event
  • ‘What Lies Beneath’ Solo Exhibition at Kendal Mountain Festival and Brewery Arts Centre
Tom-Mcnally-About
Tom-Mcnally-About

I have been taking pictures for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories is being totally captivated by the process of making photographs, watching my Dad work black and white magic under the spell of red light in our darkroom.

After graduating in photography and specialising in social documentary, my work now fuses these practices with my love of adventure sports. I enjoy telling stories with pictures, working with athletes, brands and publications to produce engaging and authentic imagery. Some of my most enjoyable assignments are to document amazing experiences in remote places, often traveling by human power.

A young family means I don’t spend quite as much time away on assignment as I used to, but the landscape and people of where I live, the English Lake District, provide constant inspiration and subject matter. My extensive background in the outdoor profession means I also occasionally work on major film productions, the most notable of which recently was being part of Tom Cruise’s mountain safety team. With what little time remains after family and work commitments I volunteer as a member of Keswick Mountain Rescue Team.

In collaboration with Nadir Khan and Vertebrate Publishing I recently released Extreme Lakeland, a coffee table photographic journey through cutting-edge adventure sports in The Lake District. This won its category in Lakeland Book of the Year 2023. Another long term project has also come to fruition in the form of a touring solo exhibition: ‘What Lies Beneath – Lost Mines of The Lake District’. Sponsored by Petzl, this body of work is the culmination of 6 years shooting, exploring the legacy of mining in The Lake District within the context of UNESCO World Heritage Inscription. It was shortlisted in Professional Documentary Category of The International Photography Awards

My work has been widely published, from cover shots for The Times, to images and words for industry leading adventure publications and other national broadsheet press. This year I was pleased to win the International Photography Awards and be shortlisted for The British Photography Awards. Recent commercial work has also reached the final of RedBull Illume, the worlds biggest adventure sports photography competition, with the awards ceremony taking place in Austria, December 2023.

The craft of photography has been a lifelong passion and the opportunity to apply my hard-won knowledge and skills to a creative brief is always exciting. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or would like to work together.

Photographic Awards and Achievements

  • GCSE Photography, grade A* 1999
  • A level Photography, grade A* 2001
  • BA (Hons) Contemporary Photographic Practice (2:1) Northumbria University 2005
  • Contemporary Photographic Practice Graduate Fellowship, Northumbria University 2006
  • Solo landscape exhibition at Kendal Mountain Festival 2011
  • UK Climbing Photography Awards, winner, Landscape 2015

2019

  • Red Bull Illume Semi-finalist Lifestyle
  • British photography Awards, shortlisted Sports
  • The Times, Christmas Day edition full-page cover

2020

  • British Photography Awards 2 x shortlisted Sports and Event
  • International Photography Awards, 4 x honourable mention Sports and People
  • International Photography Awards, ‘What Lies Beneath’ project, shortlisted Professional Documentary
  • Landscape Photographer of the Year, shortlisted
  • Pinkbike Photo of the Year, finalist
  • UK Climbing Photography Awards, winner Scrambling

2021

  • Climbing magazine (US), Greatest Climbing Photos of 2021
  • Historic Photographer of the Year, shortlisted Historic England
  • International Photography Awards, winner Architecture, 2nd place Extreme Sports
  • International Photography Awards, 6 x honourable mention People, Sports and Event
  • UK Climbing Photography Awards, finalist Sport Climbing

2022

  • British Photography Awards, 2 x shortlisted, Architecture and Sports
  • Extreme Lakeland published in collaboration with Nadir Khan and Vertebrate publishing
  • International Photography Awards, 2 x honourable mention, 2 x official selection, Sports and Event

2023

  • Lakeland Book of the Year category winner, Eric Robson Prize for Guides and Places
  • Red Bull Illume, finalist, Lifestyle
  • International Photography Awards, 1st place, Event
  • International Photography Awards, honourable mention, 2 x official selection, Sports and Event
  • British Photography Awards, shortlisted, Event
  • ‘What Lies Beneath’ Solo Exhibition at Kendal Mountain Festival and Brewery Arts Centre