Damian McGillicuddy

About Damian

With 34 years in the industry, from opening his first “general practice” studio in Widnes to becoming an international celebrity and fashion photographer, Damian has seen, done and shot just about everything in the world of photography. 

As a youngster, he watched the Olympus television commercials featuring the legendary David Bailey and proudly told his mum, “One day that’ll be me.” Sure enough, in 2013, he was named Mr Bailey’s successor as Olympus UK’s Principal Photographer.

Another of his heroes growing up was the famed “Calendar King” Mel Grundy, who shot calendars for the likes of Smirnoff and Mintex and helped launch the careers of Kelly Brook and Jordan. As a timid 13-year-old, Damian knocked on the door of Mel’s famed Oakbase Studio in Chester… years later, Damian took over at Oakbase before moving to his current studio in Widnes.

Why have your portrait taken by Damian?

Damian’s clients include some of the biggest companies and brands in the world, such as

John Lewis to L’Oréal. His work is collected by celebrities, musicians and entrepreneurs. 

And he has photographed everyone from rock stars and actors to politicians and prime ministers. 

His images hang on the walls of exhibitions, Dragon’s Den moguls and even Downing Street. After  three decades of shooting the great and the good, however, Damian is going back to his roots to offer the same “superstar shoot” experience to the general public that he continues to provide to models, magazines and media.

This is your opportunity to have your picture taken by a Vogue-published photographer and receive the same quality of image, shot to the same standard as Damian’s celebrity clients. 

Damian’s qualifications:

• Appointed in 2013 Olympus UK’s Principal Photographer and Educator
• Worldwide Ambassador for Pixapro lighting and PermaJet papers
• One of only three Grand Masters in the world
• The world’s only Grand Master with two Bars
• Holder of 873 international awards
• 5-time UK Master Photographer of the Year
• 12-time Societies Photographer of the Year
• 17 international Fellowships
• The first photographer to be awarded a Fellowship in photographic training
• 1 honorary Fellowship, awarded for services to photography in the millennium celebrations 
• Master Photographer with the NPS
• Master Photographer with the Guild of Photographers
• The first photographer to be awarded a Double Masters by the Societies
• Awarded the Industries “Life time acheivement” in 2018 aged 48
• The photographer the popular photographic press refer to as the “Lighting Wizard” and the man that is widely recognised for training the best photographers in the world by the industry itself.

Damian’s Work