Andy Hiseman has launched Magic Hour, a golf course and club photography service, as an extension to his Hiseman Limited media relations agency.
The new business will separate Hiseman’s increasing photography commitments from the media agency, which itself has undergone rapid growth since Hiseman restarted it in 2012 following a sabbatical to work on the PowerPlay Golf launch.
“What started as a hobby has become a large and very enjoyable part of my professional life” he said. “Over the last three years I had taken on a series of photography tasks for clients, particularly Crown Golf, The Shire London and SkyCaddie, and as the media side of the business grows, I needed to ensure that the two strands complement each other better.”
Magic Hour’s main commissions come from golf course photography, but also cover people & instruction; clubhouses and facilities; meetings & conferences setups; weddings & functions setups; golf equipment and golf event photography; and customised photography for brochures and other marketing materials.
The image which has been chosen to launch Magic Hour shows the 17th green at The Hertfordshire Golf & Country Club, a Crown Golf property, moments after dawn on 14th June 2013.
“So few golf clubs invest in a decent photoshoot” says Hiseman. “Pound for pound, good photography is one of the most efficient ways to deploy your golf club’s marketing budget. In an age where everyone now has broadband, and most people have tablets, smart phones and goodness knows what’s coming next, high resolution images are more accessible than ever before – and not just in the golf magazines, although it is still key to have a few photos in your club’s portfolio with true double-page potential for when the magazines come calling.
“As I do at the media agency, I will be using some of the best freelancers in the business as we grow Magic Hour, although I must admit that photographing a golf course on a beautiful sunrise has its attractions versus slaving over a hot keyboard. I’ll still do a lot of it myself, as it can be quite a transcendent experience.”
Magic Hour is now booking commissions into Spring/Summer 2014, with some late availability left for Autumn / Winter 2013-14. www.magichourgolf.com