Some commissions are just work. And then there are the ones you’ll remember for the rest of your career.
When Lawsons Goldsmiths on Duke Street, Henley-on-Thames asked me to document the unveiling of the town’s brand new Deputy Mayoral chain, I knew this was one for the latter category. This wasn’t simply a product shoot — it was a chance to photograph a piece of living history, made right here in the heart of Oxfordshire.
A Chain Six Decades in the Making
The story behind the commission is remarkable. The original Deputy Mayoral chain — crafted back in the 1960s — had finally run out of space. After sixty years of service and a full complement of names engraved on its links, it was time for it to be retired to the Town Hall and for Henley to have a new chain worthy of the next six decades.
Lawsons Goldsmiths took on the task of replicating the original, producing 29 hand-carved sterling silver links to carry the names of future Deputy Mayors of the Borough of Henley-on-Thames. You can read the full story of the commission over at The Henley Standard.
Jenny House and Laura Hewitt — the craftspeople behind this extraordinary piece — presented the finished chain to Deputy Mayor Councillor Ian Reissmann at the shop. Watching that handover, I felt the weight of the moment as much as any of those silver links.
The Technical Challenge: Lighting Polished Silver
For anyone who has tried to photograph highly polished silver, you’ll know it’s one of the more demanding subjects in commercial photography. Silver is, in effect, a mirror — it will reflect everything in the room, including you, your camera, and every dark corner behind you.
Direct flash is out of the question. It creates harsh “hot spots” and ugly black reflections that rob the piece of its beauty and the craftsmanship of its detail.
For this shoot, I used a large softbox positioned at a carefully feathered angle, combined with a white reflector to create what photographers call a “wall of light.” The principle is simple but effective: instead of the silver reflecting the chaotic, dark interior of the room, it reflects a clean, broad, white surface. The result is that soft, luminous glow that tells the viewer immediately that what they’re looking at is premium sterling silver — without a single distracting reflection.
This technique also allowed me to pick out the fine texture and detail of the hand-carved links — the craftsmanship that Lawsons put into every millimetre of this piece deserved to be seen.
Two BNI Henley Members, One Historic Commission
I should mention — both Lawsons Goldsmiths and I are proud members of BNI Henley, and this commission is a great example of what happens when local businesses support one another. The photography and video content on Lawsons’ brand new website was created entirely by me, and this Deputy Mayor commission is just the latest chapter in what I hope will be a long working relationship with one of Henley’s finest independent businesses.
If you’re a local business looking to tell your story through high quality imagery — whether it’s a product launch, a company milestone, or a historic moment like this one — that’s exactly what I do.
Why This Kind of Work Matters
Commercial photography at its best isn’t just about making things look nice. It’s about documentation, storytelling, and preserving moments that matter. The original chain will now rest in the Town Hall — a piece of local history. The new chain begins its journey at the wrists of Henley’s future Deputy Mayors.
I was trusted to capture the moment those two histories met. That’s a privilege I don’t take lightly.
Looking for a commercial photographer in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire or across the Thames Valley? Whether you need jewellery photography, product photography, corporate portraits, or coverage of a significant business milestone, I’d love to hear about your project.
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