Ade Wilson
Commercial photographer, Leeds. Civil engineering background, CAA-authorised drone operator, and the person you deal with from first email to final delivery.
Engineering First,
Photography Second
I didn’t start out as a photographer. I studied civil engineering at UMIST, then computing science at Newcastle, and spent years working in and around technical, built-environment work before picking up a camera professionally in 2010.
That background is why McFade Photography exists in the shape it does. I understand what a site team is trying to show, what a bid needs to prove, and why a badly lit progress photo can undersell months of good work. It’s also why the technical side of the job — colour management, file handling, delivery — gets treated as seriously as the shoot itself.
You deal with me from the first email to the final delivery. No account managers, no handoffs.
Planning, Shooting,
Editing, Delivery
01
Planning
Working out what you actually need before the day — access, people, timing, what the images are for — so nothing gets discovered on the shoot itself.
02
Photography
Full kit, arriving fully equipped, adapting to the conditions on the day rather than the shoot stalling because something wasn’t accounted for.
03
Editing
Colour and file handling treated as part of the job, not an afterthought — a hangover from the technical side of my background.
04
Delivery
A date agreed when you book, and kept. No chasing.
The Facts
- Civil engineering degree, UMIST, 1995 — the foundation for understanding sites, structures, and infrastructure
- MSc Computing Science, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 1997 — a separate postgraduate qualification, behind the technical side of file handling, colour management, and delivery workflow
- Established 2010 — commercial photography across construction, corporate, personal branding, drone, and event work
- CAA-authorised drone operator — insured and registered for professional aerial work
- Based in Leeds — Yorkshire and the North as standard territory, UK-wide for suitable projects
- One photographer, start to finish — no account managers, no handoffs between planning and delivery