Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer — PR Shoot at the Portrait Gallery

I recently shot PR photography for the National Galleries of Scotland at their exhibition Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer at the Portrait Gallery on Queen Street.

Buckham was a remarkable figure, a pioneer of aerial photography who captured some of the most iconic images of early 20th century Scotland from the open cockpits of biplanes. He survived nine crashes, had his larynx removed after a serious injury, and still went back up. His darkroom work was equally extraordinary, combining multiple negatives to create dramatic composite images that were decades ahead of their time. It's a brilliant exhibition and well worth a visit before it closes on 19 April.

For the shoot I photographed models enjoying the exhibition, in this case a father and daughter exploring the galleries together. I also had the lovely opportunity to photograph Alfred Buckham's family members, who have been custodians of his prints and negatives for years. They were visiting for a special private tour of the exhibition led by curator Louise Pearson, and it was genuinely moving to see this major body of work come to life in front of the people who have looked after it for so long.

Finally, I captured some candid shots of the team from People's Postcode Lottery, whose players' support helped make the exhibition possible.

A fantastic project for a fantastic exhibition. Huge thanks to the National Galleries team for having me along.

Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer runs at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery until 19 April 2026. Free admission. A selection of works will then travel to Duff House from 28 May to 27 September 2026.