Commercial and Drone Photography, Event Filming, Video Production, and Humanist Ceremonies
in the North East and beyond.
Impactful stories, crafted through every lens.
What is The Northern Storyboard?
We're a team of two experienced creatives - Simon Meyer (a technical, commercial photographer, drone pilot, videographer and editor) and Rachael Meyer (an editorial and portrait photographer, video producer and professional writer/presenter).
We work individually, together, and collaboratively with a small, trusted, expandable team, to create engaging visual stories through the lenses of photography, documentary video, short films and personalised ceremony scripts.
Based in North Shields, near Newcastle Upon Tyne, and with roots in Harrogate and London, we work with businesses, communities and individuals nationally, regionally and locally.
Under the umbrella of The Northern Storyboard, we've merged our commercial and corporate photography and video heritage (SIRA Studio) with our documentary style, place-based video documentary service and our expertly written ceremonies, shared (and sometimes filmed) at the best and the worst of lifetime events.
Our commercial photography and video services include corporate headshots, editorial portraits, conference, exhibition, event and awards photography and video highlights reels. We also specialise in story-led, interview style short-form documentary and event highlights videos for websites, social media and awards evenings.
Combining still and moving images with words, Rachael also uses her interviewing, writing and presentation skills as a celebrant. She crafts and deliver story-led, non religious wedding, life stories/celebrations of life ceremonies. And given our skillset and experience, we also offer slideshow production, filming and video services alongside funeral and celebration of life ceremonies.
With a background in PR and marketing, we use our people skills with positivity and sensitivity, creating impelling and emotive short documentary films, relaxed photographs, and memorable life stories.
Our clients are corporate communications teams, global, national and regional businesses, PR and marketing agencies, charitable, educational and government organisations, healthcare providers, media companies, content creators and individuals sharing important life events.
our story
Our creative pathways first crossed (many years ago) in Shoreditch, London, when, individually we worked in the worlds of photography, video, PR and event management. Moving north to Harrogate, in 2008, we created our own little company. We called it SIRA Studio. Over the next 10 years, we told a multitude of commercial and educational stories - through photography, video documentaries and promos, awards films, business events, PR, internal comms, websites and print media.. Much fun was had; we explored the world with global clients, we learned about all kinds of things, and as the internet's demands for video exploded, we concentrated on the visual side of storytelling. In 2019, in order to reintroduce the writing side, but on a more personalised, human level., one of us upskilled and included humanist ceremonies to our offering. The other invested in kit, and introduced drone photography. During Covid, people started asking us to provide photography and filming services at ceremonies.. And so, an entirely new offering was born. A complete storytelling package for commercial, public service and individual clients - one that incorporates pictures, films, and words. In 2024, we moved north again to the heart of the vibrant, creative hub of The Fish Quay, North Shields - a hop and a skip from the city. of Newcastle Upon Tyne. We've developed our collaborations further, to offer more community based visual stories that galvanise pride in place. To celebrate our connection with everything north, we've recently rebranded. 'The Northern Storyboard' enables us to operate like an agency, without the price tag or complicated processes of a large studio. We work as a team of two (more if required). As we pool our talents, skills, kit and experience, we don't have the limitations of one employee or a single discipline operator. With wide-ranging experience in commercial, charity, local authority, civic and personal requirements, we have everything you need to tell any story. The ease of our working relationships comes down to a beautiful blend of senior level delivery with personality, flexibility and total reliability. Want to work with us? Get in touch for an informal chat!
Simon Meyer is a highly experienced, professional photographer, videographer, editor and CAA licensed drone operator.
With a background in London advertising agency photography (pack shots and products), and with years of promotional, surveillance and scenes of crime police photography and videography experience, he co-founded SIRA Studio with Rachael in Harrogate, in 2008.
With clients including PR and marketing agencies, tourism, road transport, conference and exhibition organisers, health and medical services, construction and real estate companies, emergency services, and local authorities, Simon specialises in the commercial and technical side of The Northern Storyboard:
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awards and event photography,
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conference and exhibition photography and videos,
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aerial footage,
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promotional and education videos,
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technical photography,
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commercial headshots,
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product photography,
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PR shots for websites and brochures,
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and photo and video editing.
Rachael Meyer is a qualified and experienced professional photographer, video producer and editor. She's also a creative and technical writer, a professional interviewer, and a trained public speaker.
Rachael's background is in B2B Public Relations. and strategic comms. She's provided photography, written communications, documentary videos, awards submissions and events for clients in the fields of architecture and interior design, health & safety, animal welfare, education, emergency medical, green architecture, arts and music, diversity and inclusion, regeneration and global food production sustainability.
After many years of commercial PR, a passion for producing human-centric, emotional, story-led videos for Community Foundations and Local Heroes Awards evenings heralded a new focus on the communities that people live in, and the rollercoaster of life stories..
Rachael specialises in the 'people' element of Northern Storyboard work -
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place-based portraits and editorial photography
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documentary video production and interview-based short and long form films.
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story-led videos for community awards and business awards,
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arts, music and regeneration - visual stories that drive pride in place.
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script writing and narration - videos and ceremonies.
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writing and presenting non-religious wedding and funeral ceremonies, with the additional services of slideshow production and filming.
With a can-do attitude, our style is friendly, inquisitive, collaborative and story-led. Our visual work and our ceremony work come highly recommended. We are known for our excellent working relationships and high quality of work.
We understand regional identity, civic context, and the power of a good story. We also understand the need to creatively disseminate information succinctly to your community - whoever your community is.
your story
We've worked on a multitude of awards nights, exhibitions and conferences. We've told stories of world-wide engineering expertise, farming challenges, health issues, diversity and inclusion topics. We've helped recruit new employees, we've been at the epicentre of a police car chase, at the business end of a bull's castration, and at the top of a wind turbine. We've documented a year of heritage and community projects, and helped high streets reach new audiences with some epic Christmas videos . We have told the stories of art, music, collaboration and culture; of global gatherings, education, road haulage, and world leading products and services. We've documented the regeneration of towns and the construction of buildings. And we've taken thousands of people on the emotional rollercoaster of true love, hardship, bravery, and life.
We are not limited to two. For large-scale and national projects, we can bolster our team with trusted photographers, animators, videographers, graphic designers and we also partner with an epic hyper local social media partner with a wide reach.
Through all aspects of our work, we are good at talking to people about anything - including highly sensitive subjects. We produce stories with photography, video and words and we edit positively, with honesty and with integrity.
WHO DO WE WORK WITH?
Our clients are: corporate and small businesses, government agencies and authorities, health and medical services, PR, marketing and events agencies, cultural and charitable organisations, values-led communications teams, corporate foundations; and individuals marking and recording significant moments in life. Want to work with us? Contact us any time.
their story
SOME NICE TESTIMONIALS ABOUT WORKING WITH US, FROM A FEW OF OUR CLIENTS
LET'S CHAT
Send us a 'hello' and we will get back to you ASAP.
The Northern Storyboard - Photographers,Video Production and Drone Operators in Newcastle Upon Tyne, The North East, North Yorkshire and across the UK